June Unblurred Tonight!
It's hard to believe that an entire month has passed since the last Unblurred. The beginning of May saw me adding to my collection with a piece from the Modern Formations "Bigfoot"-themed show. I was able to make a trip to the gallery to pick up the work while they were breaking down the show. This light box instantly became one of my favorite items around the house. Here's hoping that Beth Warner continues to make such excellent art.
Meanwhile, if I had to guess, I'd say that there's a good chance that Modern Formations is once again going to be a highlight of the evening. Tonight is the opening of their 6th Anniversary All-Star Exhibit, and they have quite a line-up. If there is a coalescing core of young artists with a chance of defining a "Pittsburgh Movement", I'd say this is the crew that's likely to make it happen. The Kehoe brothers (Ben and Andy) paint illustrative scenes that would not be out of place on the covers of the best alt-comix anthologies in the nation. Andy has recently been featured in Juxtapoz magazine- his anthropomorphic woodland creatures delight with their garish colors, and mystify with their accoutrement. His twin sibling Ben slips subtle (and often hilarious) social commentary into his medieval scenes resplendent with knigts and gore. I am fortunate enough to own original paintings created by both Kehoes, and it's quite fair to say that I'm convinced of the exceptionality of their artistry. If you are lucky enough to live in Pittsburgh, you can see their work in the pages of the Volume 2 Anthology of Unicorn Mountain. If you exist elsewhere, then check out the website. Good stuff!
Katherine Young is an emerging artist whose work I discovered at the Annual Spring Salon Exhibit at Modern Formations about a year ago. The gallery invited art patrons to vote for their favorites, and the winner was given a solo show. I fell in love with two of her assemblage drawings, and later rediscovered her work when she was awarded her own exhibition by the owners (she hadn't won the popular vote). The series that contained the work I purchased was a melange of explicit sexuality, pagan mythology and the decorative arts. Her rising star propelled her into the Lush Life group show at the Digging Pitt this past winter. I can't wait to see what manner of surprising delights she has for us tonight.
A couple of months ago I encountered the work of Elina Malkin at the La Vie Gallery in Lawrenceville. She created candy-coated burlesque images out of found paintings. I was so taken with the troika of works on that night that I had difficulty deciding which to take home. The presence of an unidentifiable animal in the lap of a naked stripper made the decision for me. I chose the alternative because I realized the distraction I'd be driven to if I brought home that enigma. Luckily for me, I can puzzle over the mystery at my favorite bar- it's hanging there on the wall next to the jukebox. You can see a few of her works over at this site.
Anybody who has spent any meaningful time in the Burgh has seen Mike Budai's work. He is the reigning local king of concert art. His cartoonish creations combine the psychedelic meanderings of the 60's/70's with the hip urban street aesthetics of the 90's. His characters (who are also vaguely recognizable as animals) are instantly identifiable as Budai manifestations. His clean style and accompanying wry humor have made him a local favorite already, and promise the future invasion of foreign lands. His web presence is sorta scattered, but this page has a nice representation of what he is capable of. Grab his stuff while it's still affordable... I did!
As if the previously mentioned artists weren't enough,- the roster at Modern Formations also includes Adam Grossi, Jairan Sadeghi, Jeff Schreckengost, Beth Steidle, and Josh Tonies. Many of the other venues along Penn Avenue (save the slowly sinking Garfield Artworks) will be open with new work as well. One shouldn't pass up the opportunities of this Unblurred. Sure... you can make it downtown for the "Best of..." show at PPG and to the PCA beforehand. No problem, right?
Meanwhile, if I had to guess, I'd say that there's a good chance that Modern Formations is once again going to be a highlight of the evening. Tonight is the opening of their 6th Anniversary All-Star Exhibit, and they have quite a line-up. If there is a coalescing core of young artists with a chance of defining a "Pittsburgh Movement", I'd say this is the crew that's likely to make it happen. The Kehoe brothers (Ben and Andy) paint illustrative scenes that would not be out of place on the covers of the best alt-comix anthologies in the nation. Andy has recently been featured in Juxtapoz magazine- his anthropomorphic woodland creatures delight with their garish colors, and mystify with their accoutrement. His twin sibling Ben slips subtle (and often hilarious) social commentary into his medieval scenes resplendent with knigts and gore. I am fortunate enough to own original paintings created by both Kehoes, and it's quite fair to say that I'm convinced of the exceptionality of their artistry. If you are lucky enough to live in Pittsburgh, you can see their work in the pages of the Volume 2 Anthology of Unicorn Mountain. If you exist elsewhere, then check out the website. Good stuff!
Katherine Young is an emerging artist whose work I discovered at the Annual Spring Salon Exhibit at Modern Formations about a year ago. The gallery invited art patrons to vote for their favorites, and the winner was given a solo show. I fell in love with two of her assemblage drawings, and later rediscovered her work when she was awarded her own exhibition by the owners (she hadn't won the popular vote). The series that contained the work I purchased was a melange of explicit sexuality, pagan mythology and the decorative arts. Her rising star propelled her into the Lush Life group show at the Digging Pitt this past winter. I can't wait to see what manner of surprising delights she has for us tonight.
A couple of months ago I encountered the work of Elina Malkin at the La Vie Gallery in Lawrenceville. She created candy-coated burlesque images out of found paintings. I was so taken with the troika of works on that night that I had difficulty deciding which to take home. The presence of an unidentifiable animal in the lap of a naked stripper made the decision for me. I chose the alternative because I realized the distraction I'd be driven to if I brought home that enigma. Luckily for me, I can puzzle over the mystery at my favorite bar- it's hanging there on the wall next to the jukebox. You can see a few of her works over at this site.
Anybody who has spent any meaningful time in the Burgh has seen Mike Budai's work. He is the reigning local king of concert art. His cartoonish creations combine the psychedelic meanderings of the 60's/70's with the hip urban street aesthetics of the 90's. His characters (who are also vaguely recognizable as animals) are instantly identifiable as Budai manifestations. His clean style and accompanying wry humor have made him a local favorite already, and promise the future invasion of foreign lands. His web presence is sorta scattered, but this page has a nice representation of what he is capable of. Grab his stuff while it's still affordable... I did!
As if the previously mentioned artists weren't enough,- the roster at Modern Formations also includes Adam Grossi, Jairan Sadeghi, Jeff Schreckengost, Beth Steidle, and Josh Tonies. Many of the other venues along Penn Avenue (save the slowly sinking Garfield Artworks) will be open with new work as well. One shouldn't pass up the opportunities of this Unblurred. Sure... you can make it downtown for the "Best of..." show at PPG and to the PCA beforehand. No problem, right?
Labels: Andy Kehoe, Art, Ben Kehoe, Digging Pitt, Elina Malkin, Katherine Young, La Vie Gallery, Mike Budai, Modern Formations, Unblurred, Unicorn Mountain
posted by Merge Divide at 1:27 PM
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