FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION . . . not to be taken, lightly.
on both sides of the . . equation.
EXPRESSIVE DRAWING . . . compelled by ‘aggressive’ events & ‘re-constructed’ on a large pictorial scale . . not to be missed.
GALERIE MANQUE . .
a new, recurring pop-up venue in Bushwick, will be presenting what looks to be . .
a sure-fire / fire-cracker of a ‘skills’ & ‘context’ relevant show featuring . . the awesome, political-in-tone, historical and impassioned . . realist hand-drawing, photo-based work . . of ANDY MISTER, & introducing us to the equally dynamic mind-set / skill-set . . of MICHELE ZALOPANY.
what makes this exhibit look so promising & compelling . . besides the fact that the images speak worlds – is their ‘mural-size’ (approx 8 x 13 ft.), decisiveness, and yet over-all ‘restrained’ expressionism – combined with an off-beat & emotional . . photo ‘tonality’.
what I find so personally fascinating about both artists’ work, is how each finds their own ways – to infuse what might have just been ‘photo-realism’ . . with a sense of ‘the hand’, behind the realism. (without falling into rustic expressionism). a certain ‘styl-ism’, as opposed to a straight-out / flat-out hyper-realism – that really steals . . the day.
again, if you are at a loss to begin breaking down the ‘style’ quotient, start with the unique ‘tonality’ – animating each artist’s work – the differing ‘vibe’ & over-all hue for what’s supposedly monochrome, almost photo-realism – couldn’t be richer in ‘imagination’ and pure artist expression.
translate: think Instagram or photo-shop . . ‘filter’.
in the vast sea of non-stop abstract “surfaces” & non-distinct “merging & morphing” human & organic ‘forms’, both sculptural & on canvas – that is currently threatening to drown the scene entirely . . . this show stands – gloriously . . apart.
the exhibition was organized by the gallery’s curator: GEORGE METESKY
and, he did a . . knock-out job. seriously.
‘BIG PICTURE’ – ANDY MISTER & MICHELE ZALOPANY
opens FRI SEPT 9, 2016 / 6-9 PM
the show runs thru SEPT 25, 2016
GALERIE MANQUE, 56 BOGART ST, 1R, BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN.
ANDY MISTER, ‘London’, graphite on paper, 94 x 150 in.
Brooklyn-based “ANDY MISTER . . depicts a very active (translate: aggressive ?) attempt on the part of Scotland Yard to ‘kettle’ a crowd of 5,000 protesters at a G20 summit in London in 2009 . . the cordoning off held the crowd – which included both violent and peaceful protesters, as well as bystanders – without access to food or lavatory facilities, while riot police pushed into the crowd with batons and shields . . for a number of hours.”
MICHELE ZALPANY, ‘Line-Up’, pastel on canvas, 88 x 156 in.
“MICHELLE ZALPANY, a Detroit native . . depicts a moment from the events that occurred in connection with the Sojourner Truth Homes in Detroit, in 1942. White Residents had vehemently opposed the creation of this federal housing project for blacks who had recently relocated to the city. On the date scheduled for the first residents to occupy the apartments, the prospective tenants were pelt with rocks and otherwise harassed by crowds of angry whites. A large number of black residents soon appeared to help the would-be occupants. The confrontation continued to escalate as the day went on. In response to the conflict, police arrested more than 200 blacks and 3 whites.”
see: ANDY MISTER – PORTFOLIO WEBSITE
see: MICHELE ZALOPANY – PORTFOLIO WEBSITE
note: images are courtesy the artists and GALERIE MANQUE
~ANDY MISTER & MICHELE ZALOPANY: BIG PICTURE . . GALERIE MANQUE – OPENS TO-NITE / FRI SEPT 9 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | September 9th, 2016, 9:17am
yeah, SIMON CERIGO, RIP and I . . were both students at Concordia Univ in the 1970s – and GUIDO MOLINARI was our teacher.
see: GUIDO MOLINARI-images
to put it in perspective, we were the ‘next wave’ generation to follow in the footsteps of LEONARD COHEN. except instead of poetry – painting, formalist painting – was the big scene.
it was very, very ‘happening’.
we were ‘maudit’ anglophones, so we couldn’t get too much action re grants & exhibitions – because we weren’t Quebecois ‘frenchies’ in our DNA. at that time, the early 1970s – that was a big big issue, so after graduate school, Concordia University, MFA Studio Program (we were part of the first ever graduating class, lol) . . . while, pretty much everyone else split to Toronto or Vancouver – we split to . . NEW YORK !!
OF COURSE !!!!
and we never, ever – looked back !!!!
Simon used to haunt the legendary Lower East Side – Red Bar, and I used to walk the Soho streets with, who else ? Basquiat.
yeah, for sure – that’s how we rolled.
SIMON CERIGO, RIP. in Montreal – in the early 70s.
see: SIMON CERIGO, RIP – OBIT – ArtInfo
NANCY SMITH, while I was in the MFA Studio Program at Concordia University, in Montreal, in the early 70s.
yep, that’s me.
of course !!!!!! – I was . . . WILD !!!!!!!!!!
NANCY SMITH, trucking my portfolio around, Montreal, in the early 1970s.
they used to call me . . GUIDO BABY – I could be a big ‘FAN’ – even back then.
~NANCY SMITH, SIMON CERIGO . . back in the day: Concordia Univ, Montreal MFA students |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | September 8th, 2016, 9:49am
while you are out catching the last weekend of the NICER show at Avant Garde Gallery on the Lower East Side, you can check out this show, too.
it’s very different – which makes for a great viewing situation.
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY . . . turned me onto it !!
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY: MIKE BAYNE . . Mulherin Gallery / each piece is is a bit bigger than an iPhone #hand-painted #crazy #detail
image & text via Instagram @triciakeightley
MULHERIN NEW YORK PRESENTS: ‘MIKE BAYNE: LOW TECH’
the opening was yesterday, SEPT 7, 2016 – looks like Tricia made the opening, you go girl !!
the show runs thru OCT 9, 2016
MULHERIN NEW YORK, 124 FORSYTH ST – LES / Lower East Side
read, a great: MISSION STATEMENT . . by MIKE BAYNE
see: GREAT IMAGES – FROM THE SHOW
here’s a ‘small’, lol . . . sampling !!
MIKE BAYNE, ‘Nature Band Aid’, 2016.
oil on panel – 5 x 5 ins. (!!!)
image via Mulherin New York
it’s so . . vernacular, love it !!
ps: re the opening statement & notes on the artist . . .
MIKE BAYNE . . received his MFA from CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, in Montreal . . in 2004.
my, how time flies, esp when you are having . . fun.
I was in the very first graduating class of that very same MFA studio program – graduating in the early 1970s. yes, indeed.
and, then of course – I immediately split for New York, never to look back.
GUIDIO MOLINARI . . was my thesis advisor, so put that in your pipe & smoke it.
I mean, where else did you think I got all that formalism theory, anyways ????
I was so fascinated by the man’s brilliance, I used to follow him around like a moth to a flame – so much so, they called me . . Guido baby – !!
and, RIP SIMON CERIGO – was equally fascinated by the man, who was probably Quebec’s most important painter. in fact, Simon quit the MFA program to become Guido’s full-time studio assistant, and truth be told – that’s how we met. Guido baby . . was Simon’s GF.
yep, that’s how we rolled.
back in the day, in Montreal.
~MIKE BAYNE – tiny realism . . reigns !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | September 8th, 2016, 8:45am
NICER / TATSCRU . . ‘MY OLD NY’
solo exhibition – curated by ELEWIS MARTINEZ
opening tonight – THURS SEPT 1, 2016 / 6-10 PM
Avant Garde Gallery – call gallery for RSVP
ps: there’s an rsvp prompt on the gallery website – where it also says: 6-8 PM ~ RSVP / 8-10:30 PM ~ public.
the show runs thru SAT SEPT 10.
319 Grand St, LES/LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
see a really great video & more info: ‘NICER’~ Avant Garde Gallery website
@nicertatscru: details from a painting called The Pump part of ‘MY OLD NY’. cal the gallery for rsvp.
@biotatscru: @nicertatscru taking it back to the Old New York.
image & text via Instagram @biotatscru / @nicertatscru
~NICER . . tatscru / ‘MY OLD NY’ opening tonight – THURS SEPT 1 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | September 1st, 2016, 12:05pm
is that like . . DOMINOES ?!!
kind of, yeah !!
so, while visiting TRICIA KEIGHTLEY & DANIEL DAVIDSON in Brooklyn last Feb 2016 – they showed me a fascinating ‘grid’ sketch book, KARL LAROCCA of KAYROCK SILKSCREENING . . has put out.
it’s a 16 page sketchbook, of a good weight drawing paper – of various grids, that you an draw on. it’s only $30 – and it’s a . . no-brainer !!
grab one !!
the link below – includes an animated slide show of the pages.
see: VARIOUS GRIDS & GRAPHS – KAYROCK
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY drawing, laid on top of a page – in the KAYROCK GRID BOOK.
prob a work in progress – it says: ‘smoke signal’ of the mind – to me.
it was pretty showstopping to see TRICIA’s use of the LAROCCA grids & graphs, but since the two of them, Tricia & Daniel . . . are so quite very diametrically opposed art-wise, that is Tricia vs. Daniel / geometric, sci-fi vehicles vs. cartoon free flow . . it was quite a freaky trip & leap of the . . imagination.
that only was enhanced conceptually – by the far out contrast of their personalities & art vision.
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY on KAYROCK grid.
the book is 9 x 12 in. and has great – double pages.
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY, travels sweetly – on the grid under/infra structure.
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY – as organic !! as she gets !!
or: a flower blooms – in Brooklyn !!
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY . . pinwheels – off the grid.
while DANIEL DAVIDSON, takes the ‘medium is the message’ for a spin – on the grid & a totally otherly dimension.
DANIEL DAVIDSON . . this is your brain on the . . KAYROCK grid !!
DANIEL DAVIDSON . . takes a walk on the wild side – of a grid !!
DANIEL DAVIDSON . . talking heads + grids ???
actually a fun partnership – in the mad swirl of . . his hand.
at the end of the day ?
DANIEL DAVIDSON . . speaking between the lines ?
vis-a-vie the life of an artist in NYC – ca. 2016 !!
yes. I think . . so.
let me quote ghost rider SIMON CERIGO, who both Tricia & Daniel knew well from the scene:
“Art’s a Dying, Not a Living” – translate it, for yourself.
Dear Diary . . .
DANIEL DAVIDSON . . gets the last word, on KAYROCK’S . . back !!
I gotta get me one of those KAYROCK GRID / GRAPH books – for sure !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~TRICIA KEIGHTLEY & DANIEL DAVIDSON . . PLAY GRIDS !! with KAYROCK !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | August 31st, 2016, 9:50am
so, like I was saying . . .
one of the most fun times I had last year was visiting the Fort Greene home/studio of TRICIA KEIGHTLEY, and DANIEL DAVIDSON. it was on a weekend: Sat Feb 20, 2016 – to be exact.
Tricia’s studio visit has already posted.
DANIEL DAVIDSON in their compact but lovely kitchen. the living quarters are upstairs, they have 2 small, separate studios downstairs – on the lower level.
on the kitchen counter: uppers & downers !!
Daniel’s workplace – was the first space you access, and his manic zany comic drawings hit you full force in the face . . . a real blast !!
a work in progress – he says his ideas just come to him . . .
free flowing faucet . . .
he also showed me his acclaimed book . . ‘MORE A BRIGHTER IDEA’, produced & published by the legendary Brooklyn silkscreen studio – KAYROCK.
here’s the front cover, DANIEL DAVIDSON – ‘MORE A BRIGHT IDEA’.
KAYROCK . . has a great slideshow animation of the book on their website, under ARTIST BOOKS,
here’s the link: ‘A MORE BRIGHTER IDEA’ by DANIEL DAVIDSON.
the other totally fascinating thing, was a small niche with a great piece: a paper ‘towel’ dispenser !!
that Daniel made & exhibited back in 2010, oh lordy !!
oh: yeah: that’s the face that goes with pulling out a wild card, what a joker !!
the paper towel roll – is covered with Daniel’s zany line work !!
that you can pull off in segments.
he showed me – the inner workings, fascinating. nothing I’d ever seen before. and I’ve seen – a lot !!
it’s even signed and titled: what else ? – – DIRTY !!
take that, and put it anywhere – Damien Hirst move over !!
another set of . . spontaneous drawings, these with color accents.
kind of: super . . trippy.
I mean, he doesn’t look . . like a mad man. but there ya go.
I had to look at that piece on the drawing table – one more time.
I def had to include this doggy one, I’m just wild for doggies – this year.
another work in progress, funny, NOT . . YES !!
TRICIA KEIGHTLEY, sprite that she is, watches me watching Daniel, and we all had a great time.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~DANIEL DAVIDSON . . STUDIO VISIT, BROOKLYN |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | August 25th, 2016, 12:54pm
NEOGLYPHIC MEDIA – is re-issuing the DREW MILLER t-shirt !!
$15 pre-order . . here: Neoglyphic Media T-shirt !!
don’t forget to check out: Neoglyphic Media !!
DREW MILLER . . .
at the MARIE LORENZ – BRIAN CHIPPENDALE ‘music in the water pond’ event, with NICHOLAS STEINDORF handling the loops & sound controls . . . at RECESS ART, SOHO, NYC.
MAY 5, 2016.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
check out: DREW MILLER – tumblr
DREW MILLER . . also designed their super logo . . . hand lettering at it’s best !!!
~DREW MILLER . . NEOGLYPHIC MEDIA T-SHIRT re-issue |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | August 24th, 2016, 10:10am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY – SEAN VEGEZZI . . SKY-WALKER.
ANDREW KASS: SUMMERS NOT AS LONG AS IT USED TO BE — HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEAN
image via Instagram @andrewkass
ps: great photo . . Andrew Kass, very much digging the collage detail, on the right – too.
~ANDREW KASS: HBD . . SEAN VEGEZZI !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | August 21st, 2016, 2:37pm
it’s a sad day in NYC – we are losing another iconic shop.
it’s particularly sad news for me. TEKSERVE has been a long standing patron of artloversnewyork, ever since I first began posting my photos and art scene coverage on artnet, more than . . 14 years ago.
I’ve been really proud to post my photos and voice my thoughts under their banner – and I guess I’ll have to take it down, though I might leave it up for a few more months – as a kind of digital ‘ghost army ‘ homage.
getting that pay check was often my only source of income and it kept me going through, often raw and thin times. but it also kept me indie and I never . . sold out. the TEKSERVE banner was like the proverbial ‘carrot before the horse’ – it kept my camera and me running around – to keep the traffic numbers up – that kept the checks on coming.
it’s a sad day, and a sad New York: no more Pearl Paint, no more Other Music, no more Tekserve.
the auction will take place . . .
next TUESDAY, AUG 23, 2016 / starting at 11am – and running through 7pm.
at the store: 119 West 23rd St just west of 6th Ave.
definitely – come by !!!!!
you can also bid online – if you can’t make it to the store in person.
there are also 2 previews at the store:
this SAT AUG 22, 2016 / 11am – 6pm
and MON AUG 22, 2016 / 9am – 6pm
you can see a preview online – where bidding has already started at: Rolandauctions.com
online bidding on the TEKSERVE COLLECTION MAC MUSEUM 1984-2004 – is already past $30,000 !!
also for sale: the unique custom-made display tables – made by UHURU Design from reclaimed wood from the original Coney Island Boardwalk.
lots of vintage signage . . including these wonderful glass doors from the original SANDS CASINO in Las Vegas.
there will be . . vintage radios, starting at $10, various cameras, including some old Polaroids, microphones, typewriters, telephones, televisions, video devices, test equipment, cases etc etc.
PUSH TO TALK – RELEASE TO LISTEN !!!!!!!!!!
lots of STAR WARS & other old movie and esp sci fi memorabilia . .
this is just a slice of the ‘scene’ behind the downstairs desk of . . TEKSERVE co-founder DICK DEMENUS, an avid collector.
ok, and here’s a head-up !!!
DICK & his visionary collection . . will be featured on an upcoming . . . HISTORY CHANNEL – ‘AMERICAN PICKERS’ !!!
I kid you – NOT !! and I heard FRANK & MIKE bought quite a number of items, too.
the episode has already been filmed, and will be aired sometime this NOV 2016 !!!!!
so: wow !!!!
in fact, true his contrary, creative and yet scientific nature . . DICK had quite a jungle of live plants growing down there – flourishing under the artificial light, of the basement under the retail store.
DICK DEMENUS, the co-founder of TEKSERVE.
at his ‘desk’.
we used to call him ‘the boss’ or . . ‘Domingos’ for that added ‘hood’ flair !!, it was a very diverse group – with great fondness.
I have to say . . true to form, he is a very ‘curious’, and talented ‘creative’ and again: contrarian . . . long live contrarians !!
who was the first to ‘get’ what would become, within another 2 decades – the dominating Mac revolution, and . . TEKSERVE, for a long time was the place to go – for all things APPLE.
as a vintage collector, and not just a tinker-er . . his passion for the history of things, and the future vision of all things sci-fi . . cannot be easily articulated in a few words, I mean: how many other bosses in this city . . look like they just walked off a space ship colony !!!
DICK, through TEKSERVE . . supported many important, innovative, independent, & future-leaning causes throughout the years, among them the green re-cycling of computer hardware, and a broad range of NPR radio shows, and independent podcasts.
artloversnewyork – is proud to have been a part of that family.
drop by the auction – this Tuesday, and see what I’m talking about !!
maybe you can score yourself – a piece of technical, sci-fi, or even – retro signage history.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, except for the Roland Auctions banner.
~TEKSERVE CLOSES / AUCTIONS . . COLLECTION TUES AUG 23/11am-7pm |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | August 19th, 2016, 1:20pm
jokers, clowns & . . whack as crack !!
ANDY CAHILL, prob via his new bff/collector KAWS – who is also in the show & is repped by the gallery, is going . . megastar international.
he’s got work in ‘CHARACTER’ – a big group show at trendy V1 GALLERY in COPENHAGEN, opening this FRI AUG 19, 2016 & continuing thru SEPT 17, 2016.
for the complete line-up & mission statement: current show – V1 GALLERY
V1 GALLERY – COPENHAGEN – image via gallery website
ANDY CAHILL . . at the recent ‘ANTHEM of the SUN’ opening. CANADA, NYC. Feb 20, 2016.
the intense-is-NOT-the-word !!, group show was organized by . . PALI KASKI.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
one of 2 ANDY CAHILL paintings in the show:
‘LAMP PREY’, 2015 acrylic & crayon on bleached linen, 24 x 24 in.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
to see more pix from the opening: ‘ANTHEM of the SUN’ – artlovers
~ANDY CAHILL . . hits up COPENHAGEN |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | August 18th, 2016, 11:15am
