Pittsburgh Weekend Art Events: 9/4-5/2009.

It's been awhile, so I thought I'd pop in with a hasty roundup of the many offerings the local art scene is rolling out this weekend. Forget about going out of town... you'll miss way too much if you do.

Friday

Unblurred is back again. Most Wanted Fine Art is celebrating with "Jon Howe vs Jason Sauer: MWFA 2-Year Anniversary". It runs from 6-10PM and offers discriminating viewers the chance to see bands like Grand Snafu, Fulmarine Petrels, and Das Black Milk.

How do two artists get married? Apparently they build an installation piece. See artist interpretations of the union of Dave Bernabo and Lindsey Clark at Modern Formations @ 7PM. Also, stop by 5020 Penn Avenue for Harvest, a group show of illustrative painters who seemingly share an interest in the type of images found in Juxtapoz Magazine. There are some great images of the work (along with lots of other great stuff) over at Bitersweet Harvest.

And there's a new gallery at 3700 Butler Street in Lawrenceville. It's apparently called Fast<Lots of Pulp: Works on Paper Group Exhibition". The opening reception for this show is from 6-10PM. I'm having difficulty finding any information online, so you'll just have to stop by and see for yourself until we find out more details about who's behind this project.

*** I forgot to mention (thanks MW!) that my buddy Bob Ziller will be having his first jam session for the new Sprout-funded Pittsburgh Beautification Project. It's basically a painting party whereby participants will be able to color/paint templates, producing works that will be hanging all over abandoned buildings throughout the city. Bob will be down at the old Red Star building (4810 Penn Avenue) from 7-midnight. Check out more info here...

Also, check out Lucas Stock and Alison Pochapin at the "Philosophy Kings Art Show" (5131 Penn) from 7-10PM.

Meanwhile Shadyside offers its own version of First Friday. Gallerie Chiz is still kicking, and hosting "The Pleasure of Their Company (Tom Nozum) & mirrors, miniatures, mugs & more (Ida Michaeli)". That runs from 6-9PM. And Steve Mendelson opens his annual Salon des Refuses. Based on a historical collection of rejects from a prestigious European art show from the beginning of last century, this is the gallery's (5874 Ellsworth Avenue) effort at honoring the stuff that doesn't make it into the big AAP show. Judge for yourself whether the curatorial decisions this year were merited or simply misguided .

Saturday

Experience Crafts N'at over at the Union Project, starting at 10 AM. There will be over 50 different artisans displaying and selling their wares in this fundraiser for Parkinson's Disease. This is an excellent opportunity to participate in the homegrown economy during these tough economic times. The only sweatshop victims are the crafters themselves!

Have a taste for a bit of the bubbly during the afternoon? Check out the "Art: East Meets West Champagne Reception" at the Michael Berger Gallery (their new location is 30 South Sixth Street, over on the South Side) at noon. The show features an international lineup of names you can't pronounce. How culturally sophisticated of you to show up...

And finally... stop by (6-10PM) the Panza Gallery in Millvale for Form of Fission, a collaboration between Pittsburgh Society of Sculptures, the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and Pittsburgh Poets.

Hanging at the Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Festival

In lieu of writing my weekly art events post (which I apologize for skipping last week), I figured I'd do my first live blog post. This is the premiere of the Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Fest (hereby to be referred to as VAF). The event was organized by young, talented artist Alberto Almarza, and showcases a more non-traditional, "outsider" brand of artists doing edgier work than you would find at a typical summer arts festival.

There are about fifty tents down here at Schenley Plaza, and the scope and quality represented is remarkable. It doesn't hurt that the location is smack dab in the center of Oakland- a hub of activity with multiple hospitals and universities. Folks seem to be pleasantly surprised to encounter this type of aesthetic madness during their lunch hours.

Site coordinator Sarah Bauer (Almarza's better half) seems to be relishing the day. In between running around with waiver forms, she had a chance to sit down for a few seconds at our Unicorn Mountain tent. Says Bauer, "It's cool to showcase the diversity of the progressive arts scene of Pittsburgh. People have been so receptive... they're not like, 'who are these freaky wierdos'."

Maybe it helps that the audience is unfamiliar with the odd brand of individual who would agree to sit in a ten-by-ten foot enclosed space for 27 hours over a three-day weekend. The VAF runs all weekend from noon until 9PM each day. I'll be sitting here during much of that time hawking my own photos, as well as work by other artists in our collective, books and t-shirts. Perhaps I'll even get a chance to say hi to the other creators... if I ever get the chance to leave this tent.

Pittsburgh Weekend Art Events: 7/24-25/09.

We're really smack-dab in the middle of Summer now. Embrace the opportunity to get out and about while the gettin's good. Here are a few ideas for your weekend plans...

Friday:

Take a trip to Fun Land: The Art of Pinball! The Warhol Museum is hosting a reception (7-10PM, free admission) for the launch of two pinball machines designed and created by local artists Mike Budai and Brian Holderman. The shindig is sponsored by art-collective Unicorn Mountain and the Professional Amateur Pinball Association (PAPA). I've seen these functional art pieces in promo shots, and I'm confident that they'll be absolutely stunning in person. You may have to wait in line a long time to play them, but there will also be twelve more vintage games to stick your quarters in. See what the kids of today are missing.

Guest curator Katherine Talcott has put together the 13th Gestures Show over at the Mattress Factory (1414 Monterey St., 7:30-9:30, $10). Included within is John Riegert's Sublet, a "gallery-within-a-gallery". These exhibitions are always worth seeing, if only to have a look at the individual aesthetic of a single art-world personality. I've seen some I've liked better than others, but they are invariably interesting (and very crowded... so get there early if you want to take some time with the work).

And if you have the time to stroll by Future Tenant starting on Friday, you can see a window installation called Planet Dragulon! by Scott Andrew and Michael McParlane. If you want to know what it's all about, there will be an artist Q & A from 9-10PM.

Saturday

All you really need to know is that Slim Cessna's Auto Club is playing at the 31st St Pub. Although Cessna himself has called the 'Burgh his home for more than five years, the rest of the band lives in Denver, and so their appearances in town are limited to 1-2 events annually. If you haven't yet had the honor to attend a performance of this Tent Revivalist stream of energy, spirit, and sound- by all means show up around 10PM and prepared to be altered forever. You may not get the chance to be told again.

Pittsburgh Weekend Art Events: 7/17-19/09.

Once again I have to apologize for being largely absent here at the blog this summer. Things are hectic, but I'm trying to keep up.

There is A LOT to do around town this weekend, and I'm sure to miss a lot. Here are some highlights:

Friday

If you have a functioning heart, you may want to consider stopping by Imagebox (4933 Penn, 7-10:30 PM) for a benefit for artist David Flynn. A pittance of 5 lousy bucks gets you beer, cookies, vegan pasta salad, and the chance to say that you are not wholly without compassion. Apparently Mr. Flynn has lots of hospital bills to pay, and is in desperate need of a replacement used laptop to replace one that was stolen. Bring your checkbook, as you wil have the opportunity to purchase some of his art as well.

The seasonal downtown gallery crawl is also happening Friday starting at 5:30PM. If you really want to find out what most of the folks in the region consider the "Cultural District" of the city, head for the smells and the traffic tie-ups of the Golden Triangle.

Meanwhile, at 8PM there will be hundreds of people walking around like zombies. But unlike every other weekend in the South Side, these will be in even scarier make-up. Celebrate the tradition of local legend Romero and shamble down Carson St. It's high satire, and there's supposed to be some party after the mass hike. Tell the entire drinking population of South Hills I said "Hi", and ensure that they continue to revel on the other side of town.

Saturday

Here's a shout-out to one of the 'Burgh's most unusual couples- whether considered separately or (most appropriately) together... Phat Mandee and Tommy Amoeba's Traveling Variety Show is jumping off at the New Hazlett Theater at 10:30 PM. I can only guess about the strange and wonderful sights they have for the lucky ones that show up for this event.

Saturday and Sunday

The SPF EXPO, for Pittsburgh's pre-eminent small press festival, is happening this weekend. There are two floors of vendors, workshops, panels, entertainment, and food. It's $5 for a weekend pass. If you just want to walk around aimlessly without participating in any cool stuff, there is no cover. Venture forth to the Regina Gouger Miller Gallery at CMU's Purnell Center for the Arts (5000 Penn Avenue). Best of all, you can watch me making a fool out of myself on Sunday afternoon, trying to moderate my first panel. What do I know about "art books"?! Here's the detailed schedule for the Expo.

Sunday

Head up Polish Hill (to the crossing of Brereton and Dobson Streets) for the 2nd Annual Art What You Got (Noon-8PM). Along with an artist and handicrafter's marketplace, you'll find ethnic grub like kielbasa and pierogies. Plus you can see some local bands, including one of my favorites- Timbeleza, a Brazillian drumming and samba outfit that got me moving one night over at Your Inner Vagabond. The organizers are convinced that they can avoid the hurricane winds that blew tents over at last year's gig. Go find out if they are prescient or merely plagued by hubris.

Bob Ziller Blooms Birmingham Bridge

I was surprised early Sunday morning to get a call from my friend Bob Ziller, as virtually everyone I know would expect to hear back from me late in the afternoon rather than actually get me on the phone at that time. For some reason I was awake, and that was fortunate. I don't really enjoy documenting other folks' projects, but for Bob I'm usually willing to see what he's up to. So I pulled myself together and drove down to the Hive to find out what he had in mind. I quickly learned that it involved ladders, and secretly began to regret my decision. But when I found out what we were going to do, I got excited.

Bordering Fitzpatrick Street in the Hill District (a stone's throw from the house where Andy Warhol was born), there is this abandoned building that greets everyone at the end of the Birmingham Bridge. Bob decided to make some neighborhood improvements, and he wanted me along for the ride.

While I helped schlep some stuff back and forth (and manipulate some ridiculously unwieldy ladders), I discovered that Bob was perfectly capable of installing his work himself. That left me free to shoot a series of shots that ended up being pretty fun. Here I've included the before and after shots of the property. I can't imagine anyone would have any serious objection to this particular brand of public art. Bob plans to continue this activity, so please keep a look out for the next entry in the series.

In the meantime make it a point to travel northward over the Birmingham Bridge (from the South Side) sometime soon, because there is no guarantee this is going to last and it is really best experienced in person.

PHOTO CREDIT: David Grim

Pittsburgh Weekend Happenings: 7/3-4/09

The great spectacle of the summer is upon us this weekend, and folks are finalizing their plans. I've asked myself what level of engagement I want with the outside world, and I've decided to make sure all of the signal lights on my car work. That being said, there is enough going on right here in the 'Burgh to compel me to stay close to home... so we'll see.

Friday

Do you want to know how the L-Ville got hip? Soul City Tours aims to tell you in their own walking tour of the Design Zone. Check out the upholstery store and the cupcake shop. Find 0ut what they consider a "Turkish Harem". And take a moment to spill a bit of brew for the long lost businesses that helped the neighborhood get where it is today (the Digging Pitt, Culpeppers, Ray's, La Vie, etc.). Make sure your guides show you where the ER Room is. You locals know what I'm talkin' about. The tour gets underway at 1PM. Call (412) 508-2942.

Contrary to my expectations, there IS a scaled-down version of First Friday Unblurred on Penn this month. And there is a handful of "must-sees". ARTica (5110 Penn) has Susan Constance, Michelle Gregio and a host of others. Garfield Artworks has Katie Jarrett, Jesse Best, and Masha Vereshchenko (etc.). And a definite highlight will be Through the Window with Sam Thorp and Carolyn Wenning at Most Wanted Fine Art (5015 Penn). Most of these events occur between 6 and 10PM, but show up at 7PM just to be safe.

Speaking of safe, Shadyside has their art walk Friday as well. I still can't understand why we can't stagger these monthly events instead of indulging in a pissing contest between hoods. WTF? Anyway, the Mendelson Gallery is featuring an opening for work by Ben Matthews & Alberto J. Almarza. There are some great promo images and a write-up at Bittersweet Harvest (a new blog dedicated to emerging artists in Pittsburgh- YAY!!). Also, you must stop in Gallerie Chiz (6-9PM, 5831 Ellsworth St.) for Laura Jean McLaughlin's Schlumpy Funk show. I feel like enough of an authority on the matter to say that she best embodies the virtues and attitudes as described in the manifesto of the same name.

Maybe a dance party is more your style. Brillobox has been bringing the good people Pandemic for several years, and for my money it's the most eclectic and interesting booty shake you'll find in town. Gypsy music, Brazillian Funk, and a whole lot of other stuff that will have you movin' even if you've never heard it before. Check it aht at 9:30.

The Big Butler Fair begins this weekend, and yes, it does have a demolition derby. See the link for details.


Saturday

Also, the Regatta is going on- but it sucks, so don't feel bad about pretending it's not happening. I blame it for the historical atrocities that happened at the Point during the last couple years. Find someone with a deck on the South Side slopes, and watch the fireworks from there instead. If you really need to see Three Dog Night in 2009, then I really can't help you anyway.

If you must give in to cliché and head to Mt. Washinton, I implore you to take a stroll down Shiloh Street and peep the "Art Marketplace". I don't know who is participating, but at least you'll be shopping local. It runs from Noon to Five (Sunday too), and includes bands.

Pittsburgh Art Events: Weekend of 6/5-6/2009.

This weekend arts summary is going to be a rush job, as I still have too much to do to prepare for my own obligations. Speaking of which- there is some unavoidable self-promotion about to happen, so bear with me...

Friday

Go to Unblurred (of course). For some reason, the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative schedule page is down and has been all day... so I suggest you juat show up somewhere along Penn (between Garfield and Friendship) and grab yourself a schedule. Make sure to stop at the Sprout Fund headquarters (5423 Penn, 5:30PM) for their annual social, visit ARTica (5110 Penn, where my friend Susan Constance is displaying some of her fine work). and come say "Hi!" to me at Imagebox (4933 Penn). Other highlights include Benedict Oddi at Modern Formations and Joey Kennedy at 5427 Penn.

Or alternatively, go on down to the opening of the Three Rivers Arts Festival. It will be jam-packed with sweaty cornballs eating fried foods and screaming kids with ice cream dripping down their chins. Seriously though- The Black Keys are playing for free, and (believe me) you'll have plenty of fun finding a place to park. If you do venture forth, you must see Tom Sarver's new installation, entitled "Bait & Tackle". It's great to have him back in the 'Burgh for the summer, while he's got a break from his fancy NY MFA program. Also, pop in at 937 Liberty for an AAP group show, and dig some pieces by my buddies Rick Byerly and Mia Tarducci Henry.

Saturday

Moxie Dada (1416 Arch Street, the North Side) has an opening reception for artist Connie Cantor's "Scribbling for Dummies", starting at 6PM. I don't know what crazy stuff she has planned, but Cantor has been laboring on the local arts scene for decades, and I'm certain that whatever she puts up will be worth looking at.

You should also plan on spending some time at the Zombo Gallery to see Eric Luden's latest batch of illustrative gems. Personally, I haven't missed one of his shows at the gallery yet, and I don't intend to start now. Busty chicks, gritty lizard-like con men, etc... who wouldn't want to take a gaze at that sort of thing? It's called "Chicks and Beer", and the opening runs from 6-10PM. There's also photography by Laura Petrilla, which I find fascinatingly odd, since our good ol' Michael D. insists that shutter-buggery isn't "real art". Perhaps he's had an epiphany?

If you need something to do during the day, check out the new thrift stores along Butler in Lawrenceville. Don't let the new crop of would-be hipsters get all the good stuff.

Pittsburgh Weekend "Art" Events: 5/7-8/09.

If you were considering taking a roadtrip out of Pittsburgh, the upcoming weekend would be a nice time to do it. Not surprisingly (given the onslaught of diverse options last weekend) there isn’t a whole lot going on over the next couple of days. I suppose this will give you a convenient excuse to hang out with your mother. Just don’t mention the great abyss in the schedule to her, and it will be a pleasant surprise.

Anyway, I suppose it’s all for the good. I had a hell of a time narrowing the highlights a week ago. So here we go…

Thursday, Friday, Saturday

I don’t know much about dance, but I’m assuming the NewMOVES Contemporary Dance Festival at the Kelly-Strayhorn Performing Arts Center is worth a look-see over the next three days. From the little I’ve read about it, it seems to be an opportune chance to see a diverse selection of newer works by local choreographers. Dance Alloy, Attack Theater, Point Park and independents will all be represented. Check out the program HERE.

Friday

Every year the Mattress Factory calls in a guest curator to put together “Gestures: An Exhibition of Small Site-Specific Works”. This year is the 12th installment, and the pivotal figure behind it is Katherine Talcott. Previously Talcott was responsible for the Three Rivers Arts Festival visual arts program, and she has also selected work to show at the 937 Liberty Avenue Gallery downtown. There are 19 participating regional artists, including Kenny Marshall, Atticus Adams and Rise Nagin. It all happens at the annex (1414 Monterrey St.) from 7-9PM. It costs ten bucks (which seems a little steeper than usual) for the rabble, and free for Pitt and CMU students with ID.

If fundraisers are more your speed, you can check out two of them in the L-Ville Friday night. Both support the Lawrenceville Resource Fair and Community Celebration- an event to occur in the Allegheny Cemetery on the last Saturday of this month. The fun starts at the New Amsterdam (6-8PM), and continues at Remedy (10-2PM). These will cost you a few bucks for admission, but you’ll get the benefit of the sounds spun by local DJ superstars. No one’s asking for any super-sized sacrifices- do something for someone else for a change, and drink cocktails while you are at it.

Saturday

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to see the inside of a modern-day operating room without a bunch of bloody victims lying around. You can get a chance at Allegheny General Hospital this Saturday at 8AM. This is presented in part by the Association Of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), the national association committed to improving patient safety in the surgical setting. For more information, call (412) 359-3808 or (412) 782-5439. They are even going to let you ask questions!!

After that, you might as well take in some sun (and good luck with that, my friend… I DID suggest a road trip, didn’t I?). The 12th Annual all-day Friendship Flower and Folk Festival is happening Saturday starting at 11AM. There will be lots of plants for sale, demonstrations, music, food, and raffles (why does anyone think those are a major draw?). It all goes down at Baum Grove (400 Roup Avenue). Come and find a healthy way to brown your thumb.

In the evening (6-9PM), make sure to visit Shawn Farester’s exhibition opening of sculptural pieces at Moxie Dada in the North Side (1416 Arch Street). The stuff’s made from metal and inspired by nature and “his interest in medieval times.” And Matt will likely be behind the bar, which in and of itself should be a major draw

Pittsburgh Art Events: 5/1-2/09

This weekend the art is jammed-packed into the evening hours of Friday. Apparently May 1st is such an auspicious date for openings that the galleries around town all seized the same moment to unveil their offerings. My advice to you? Pick-and-choose carefully, because you are bound to (once again) miss a lot of what there is to see.

Friday

I’ll get the vanity out of the way with the announcement that I will have a piece in a group show at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. It’s part of “SALIGLIA: A Seven Deadly Sins Exhibition”- which is juried and curated by Steven R. Mendelson, and presented by Pittsburgh Society of Artists. This is the first work that I’ve ever shown at this institution, so suffice it to say I am rather excited. Maybe I’ll even be nervous. Who knows? Meanwhile, there are seven additional exhibitions opening on Friday at PCA, including those featuring Christopher Kardambikis (of Encyclopedia Destructica fame) and Aasta Deth. This is an opportunity to see lots of diverse artwork while making just one stop. Come by 6300 Fifth Avenue, between 5:30 and 8PM.

While you’re in that part of town (from 6-8PM), you can jump into the Miller Gallery at CMU (5000 Forbes Avenue) for “From the Vault”- a selection of pieces by the 2009 BFA class, including Olga Brindar. These students are billing themselves as “panpsychists, selcouthists, paralogists, and strikhedonists.” Crack that code how and when you so choose.

Of course… since this happens to be First Friday, we have a full bill over in the Penn Avenue Corridor for the May Unblurred, Here’s the schedule. The presence of several unfamiliar venues is particularly conspicuous this month. There’s a new clothing store called Tweek (4913 Penn), tree photography at the storefront office of Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest (5427 Penn), and three shutterbugs (including my friend Allison Pochapin) at 5131 Penn. There’s also a display of post-apocalyptic architecture down at EDGE studio (5411 Penn, drive there if you have the option) and shots from Route 66 by Scott Roller at Imagebox (4933 Penn). Be sure to visit the anchors as well- Garfield Artworks, Modern Formations, and Most Wanted Fine Art. Most of the stuff happens between the hours of 6 and 10PM. Can you handle all that?

And we’re not done yet, boys and girls. Because some local film industry people have collected some stuff for display at Mendelson Gallery (5874 Ellsworth Avenue) in Shadyside. Jolene Elyse Drylie, Mark L. Gualtieri, Smith Harper Hutchings, Shawn Watrous & Kevin Wenner are included in “The Scenics”, opening 6-9PM. Good stuff indeed.

At the risk of sounding like Ron Popeil, I feel some obligation to mention the fact that there’s EVEN MORE to see. Because the Society for Contemporary Craft is hosting their first reception (5:30-8PM) in more than half a year- “Beyond Shared Language: Contemporary Art & the Latin American Experience”. Don’t let the swanky atmosphere of this Strip District location (2100 Smallman Street) put you off- you are welcome to browse, and I have enjoyed my previous visits there. If they let a scumbag like me in… well…

Finally, Zombo Gallery (4900 Hatfield St.) is once again rolling out the art. This go ‘round they have works by Kill Taupe. The show is called “Imaginary Friends Club”. I have no idea what that’s all about. But the reception lasts from 6-11PM, making this a possible last stop for your meanderings on what should be a very busy night.


Saturday

We’ve got slim pickings after the whirlwind of activity on Friday. But Boxheart (on Liberty Ave. in Blooomfield) has the opening for Kim Curinga’s “Legacy: Digital Paintings Reception”. Check it after 5PM. Have fun.

Pittsburgh Art Events: 4/24-27/09.

This weekend there’s a time management workshop on offer down at Duquesne. I’m not going to offer you the details, but I will have you know that this talk would have been useful for fitting in all of the great events happening over the next several days. There’s so much to do that you probably won’t have time to listen to a lecture about scheduling. But if you find yourself amenable to the suggestion, have a quick scan over my picks…

Friday

To be honest, I have no idea whether or not the seasonal Downtown Gallery Crawl has morphed into this thing called “One Night Stand”… but it sure seems like the Cultural Trust is in the mood for a makeover. Several galleries in the Golden Triangle are hosting receptions with live entertainment on Friday, and it might be an efficient use of your time to drive around for 45 minutes or so and look for a proper parking spot. Mary Mack will be spinning to a backdrop of Czech photos at SPACE, Netherlands-based Telcosystems will appear to support the “at times visually violent, sonically extreme and physically intimidating” art displayed at Wood Street, and there will be spoken word by Brian Francis at Future Tenant. Apparently there’s an after party at Remedy in Larryville. It all (and more) gets underway at 7:30PM.

Perhaps you missed Tim Kerr’s opening at Zombo Gallery (4900 Hatfield Street) a few weeks ago? The closing is Friday from 6PM to around 10PM (or so). Take your time and read the words on his paintings. It seems like a bit of a risky choice to write directly on your visual work. But in this case, I found it rather inspiring.

The Brew House Distillery program annually offers emerging artists six-month residencies at their facility on 2100 Mary Street in the South Side. Stop by at Space 101 (from 7-11PM) for the opening reception starring the latest batch of home-grown creators. Just get out of that hood before the suburban tools start to flood in with their cheap beer piss and whiskey-muscles.

Friday/Saturday

My buddy Tom Henry is performing his wryly wacky form of comedy at the Improv in Homestead for a three night stretch (starting Thursday @ 8PM, with shows @ 8PM and 10PM on Fri and 7PM and 9PM on Sat), opening for national comic T.J. Miller. It’s $15 per show, plus money enough for the two drink minimum. Drop in and show support for the local jokester. If you don’t laugh at least once, then… well, um… then you’re a douchebag?!

Saturday

Ok, I haven’t really ridden a bike in years. But I do appreciate it when I see others doing so. That’s why I’m mentioning the pancake breakfast at the East Liberty Whole Foods on Saturday morning (8 AM). It’s $7, sponsored by the Community Design Center, and offers guests a chance to register for Pedal Pittsburgh. I can only speculate, but I imagine there’s nothing more pleasant than having a stomach full of griddle cakes expanding in your belly as you two-wheel up-and-down the hills of the ‘Burgh.

If you need to sit after your ride, stop by (11AM) at Fe Gallery in the L-Ville and find out “how art stuff happens” @ the Workshop for the Working Artist. It’s $5 (which should give you an essential clue in solving the thematic problem posed herein), and features local scenesters including Jennifer Baron, Susan Blackman, Eric Shiner, and T Foley. Then at 2PM you can check out the Ralph Munn Creative Writing Workshop, led by photo-essayist and memoirist Sandra Gould Ford, @ the Carnegie Library in Oakland. That one’s free.

Permit me to say that one of the major highlights this weekend should be the reception for the one-week run of CMU –grad Olga Brindar’s “Sketchbook Release: Moments and Minutiae” at the Panza gallery in Millvale (115 Sedgwick Street). I’ve been checking out her drawings for a few years now, and I’m excited for her first solo exhibition. Olga is a young artist who’s not afraid to put herself on display, and we are all the better off for it. It is imperative that you fit this into your Saturday agenda (6-9PM).

The aforementioned Remedy (5121 Butler St) is hosting an opening/reception (from 11PM-1AM) for their in-house muralist Emmeric Konrad. The theme is “Drawings Done in Bars & the Paintings They've Inspired”. Make sure to visit the dining room and learn what his art does for your appetite(s). Have their fine cooks make you somethin’ good while you are at it. I recommend most everything.

Saturday/Sunday

Art all Night, Pittsburgh’s premiere non-juried visual and auditory extravaganza starts at 6PM on Saturday night and runs until Sunday @ 2PM. It’s a Lawrenceville annual tradition, and takes place at the Red Warehouse (3510 Smallman Street) this year. According to the “official” numbers, last year saw 810 participating artists and attracted over 10,000 guests. Get there early for parking and refreshments. And if you want to display your work, drop off is Saturday afternoon (Noon-4PM). See the website for all the details you need. And yes… it’s all free.

Pittsburgh Weekend Events: 4/17-18

Now that the unseasonably cold weather and grey skies have passed, it’s time to get outside and enjoy April. ‘He” has risen indeed and you Christians need not abstain from vice anymore (after all, didn’t he die for your sins?!) - take lots of showers and you know what will happen in a couple of weeks…

There are a lot of options this weekend… many of which are not specifically “art-related”, so what the hell- check ‘em out.

Friday

Did you know that The CMU activities board annually brings to Pittsburgh some of the best indie rock bands on the national scene? Did you know that you can show up on the CFA lawn and see super-group The New Pornographers and Ted Leo’s band for FREE? You can if you get there several hours before the 8PM scheduled show time. Bring plenty of liquids and whatever else you might require for the wait.

If happiness isn’t your bag, you can stop at the Warhol for a Depression double feature (including John Ford’s Grapes of Wrath and a Busby Berkely film). That’ll cost you $10. Check the listings for the times.

You could also consider taking an evening walk through Pittsburgh’s best neighborhood- the Lawrenceville Blossom Tour is here once again. There are 25 establishments giving out free seeds in honor of Earth Day. Get in touch with Maya Haptas of the Lawrenceville Corporation at (412) 782-5100 ext 103 for more details.

Maybe you want to continue spending time in the great outdoors? Consider checking out the Public Star Party at Mingo Creek Park Observatory. The Amateur Astronomers Association Of Pittsburgh supplies the telescopes. It gets underway just before sunset. I’ve never tried it, but I’m pretty sure I’d see a UFO.

There are also a couple of openings downtown at 707/709 Penn Gallery. Apparently Joe DeFerrari’s keeping tabs on Isabella Rossellini. He’s put together an exhibit (Ritual Decadence) examining animal mating rituals at Future Tenant, and the opening starts at 6PM. Over at 707/709 you can see Michael Ninehouser’s meditations (On This, The Land) on early man, familiar fables and gospel myths. That reception runs from 5-7PM.

Saturday

If you don’t stay out too late partying, you can take advantage of several events this morning. There are flea markets at St. Louise DeMarillac's LeGras Parish Center (320 McMurray Road, Pittsburgh), St Aloysius (3614 Mount Troy Road, Reserve Township), and Saint Gabriel Of The Sorrowful Virgin (5200 Greenridge Drive). Do a bit of hunting for the details if you are interested. If you can’t prepare yourself, then there’s no way you are going anywhere early enough to make the trip worthwhile.

Alternatively, you could nerd out with two other destinations. Grab your caped crusader costume and head out to North Park for the Superhero 5K Run/Walk. No, I am not kidding. It starts at 9AM and fittingly benefits the Parental Stress Center. The Superhero Foundation (which operates a similar event in Austin, TX) seeks to raise awareness about child abuse prevention. If you move quickly (like you should in a leotard) you can meet the regional "Star Wars" fan group Garrison Carida at the Warhol. They will be hanging out (apparently dressed as stormtroopers and such) to support the museum’s “Vader Project” exhibit). Show up at 1PM and they won’t sic the Death Star on you.

So yeah… geek out. But make sure you don’t beat yourself up over it. If you have that tendency (and you are a writer), you should take a minute (10AM) with psychotherapist Don Laird at the Greentree Public Library. Presented by the Pittsburgh Writers Project, Laird is hosting a discussion about the anxiety-ridden prospect of facing down your “inner critic”. That may be a debilitating thought, but what’s your alternative? (loser)

Once you get through with your daytime activities, ya might want to think about seeing the Squonk Opera at the Hillman Center for Performing Arts (7:20PM, $17-20). The expense might give you pause, but I assure you that this group is well worth seeing. I’ve done so myself on occasion.

Or if you’re feeling frisky… splurge on a ticket ($50 general, $100 Velvet Lounge, $250 Dirty Donor) for the Attack Theater’s Dirty Ball (8 pm - midnight 135 51st Street, Lawrenceville). You’ll be contributing to the dance troupe’s cause, and you might even get (un)lucky with a partner of your own choosing. Who says you gotta settle for free internet porn? The organizers promise that it will be luscious, flirty and salacious. And I believe that drinks and food are covered in the admission price. Damn, that’s tempting.

At the end of the night, I understand if you want to dance. You have a choice at 10PM. The Shadow Lounge has Classic Material #24-"These Are The Breaks" Edition, with the “Breakbeats that have shaped many classic hip-hop tracks.” And the New Amsterdam is offering the ultimate after-party with the production teams of Hijack and Humanaut, “teaming up for night of solid house and minimal”. Dress in layers, yo.

Pittsburgh Art Events: 3/13-14/09.

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th... again. 2009 is an extraordinarily rare year in that there are actually two of these "unlucky" days in subsequent months. For some that is reason enough to revisit the rather tepid series of horror movies that takes for its title the delineating characteristics that mark it on the calendar. Others will cast a glance or two over their shoulders, on the look-out for the bad luck that is supposed to accompany the date. There are even some (I am quite sure) that will go through their day as if it were any other. After all, there are folks who make every effort to approach life in a manner circumscribed by logic and rationality. But what fun is that? What fun is a world without magic?

Friday

It's ironic that (on such a foreboding day) that we should be so fortunate as to have the opportunity to check out the new work of Ben Kehoe. If I was forced to identify my favorite couple of painters around town, Ben would certainly headline my list. I'm not just whistlin' Dixie either... if you paid a visit to my house, you'd see my appreciation for Ben on my walls. There are very few artists (other than myself) who are better represented in my art collection. And I'm going to make it a point to get to the Beleza Community Coffeehouse on the North Side (1501 Buena Vista) early to see what Ben makes available from his new series. The actual reception for Watching and Wary runs from 6-8PM.

For years Kehoe has painted witty figurative images featuring medieval knights engaging in all manner of scallywag behavior. Some time ago he decided to shake things up and abandon that theme. Since the shift, I've only seen a few examples of his new direction. I'm anxious to see what he's come up with. If you can't make it, be sure to check out his website.

Meanwhile, Zombo Gallery (4900 Hatfield St, Lawrenceville) is featuring a doubleheader by Christian Breitkreutz and Ron Copeland. I've seen the work of the former at Modern Formations during a previous Unblurred. His stuff was reminiscent of the Kehoe brothers, and priced reasonably to sell. His latest group of paintings (Don't Let Me Die) apparently reflects his "struggles with death and dying", but no doubt there will be a substantial element of countervailing humor to offset the darkness. As far as I know, Copeland is relatively new to the local scene. Zombo's description of Another Broken Thumb makes the artist sound like he's obsessed with detritus. That sounds right up Michael's alley.

Saturday

It seems like forever since Moxie Dada (1416 Arch Street) hosted an opening reception. Well friends, the time has come once again. It's a bit of a shame that it's not scheduled for Friday, because otherwise only one trip to the North Side would be necessary this weekend. Anyway, Unveiled features virtually the full roster of the gallery's artists (including Mark Traughber, Randie Snow, Robert Huckestein, Jason Shorr, etc.) . Christine promises a mix of new and previously shown work. Make sure to stop by between 6 and 8PM.


Note: Sunday's Obscure Movie Night selection at the Double Wide Grill (2339 E Carson St.) is "Bad Boys", starring the foremost actor of his generation- Sean Penn! Come see how he distinguished himself as a young lion... it starts at 9:30PM.

Pittsburgh Art Happenings: 3/6-7/09.

Last week I wrote a post detailing a couple of events that were happening last weekend. I highlighted the anniversary party of Encyclopedia Destructica that was held at the Brillo Box. I did end up attending, but it was so crowded that my friend and I decided not to stay for the reading. Both of us simply bought a book instead. I would assume that there are still some copies of the second issue of the Coatlicue series available for purchase, and I recommend that you locate and pick one up. I started reading mine yesterday and have already found enough inside to justify the $10 expense. Unfortunately I never posted the draft promoting that show, so it remained unread and unseen by anybody but me. Ultimately I simply deleted it altogether.

This week I don't intend to make the same mistake. So without further ado, here are some things worth checking out this weekend.

Friday

For the second month in a row, I'm going to be hitting First Friday in Shadyside. Jenn Wertz and Mark Gualtieri are showing at the Mendelson Gallery (5874 Ellsworth Avenue ) under the title "Rubbing Sticks Together". It's a provocative title for a show, and it should be interesting to see what sparks they generate. Wertz is better known for her participation in the band Rusted Root, and Gualtieri has worked on movie sets and run a couple of galleries. While I have never seen any of the latter's work, I did get a sneak preview of Wertz's mixed media creations, and they are worth making the trip (6-9PM).

After I make my exit from Swellsville, I'll head over to the Penn Avenue Corridor for Unblurred. There's a group show of print artists (INKY PAPER: PRINTS FROM THE SNOWBELT) at Most Wanted Fine Art ( 5015 PENN AVE). Garfield Artworks (4931 PENN AVE) is rolling out their own collection of creators, ranging from painting to photography. And at Imagebox (4933 PENN AVE) there appears to be an exhibition of local historical images from Jacob Koestler.

But the highlight on Penn Avenue Friday night looks like it will be LOOKING FOR SEEDS: TINYART PART 2 at Modern Formations (4919 PENN AVE). If nothing else, the group exhibit there features the most names that I recognize- Katherine Young, Carolyn Kelly, David Bernabo, Jessica Fenlon and Beano among them. I'll likely stay awhile.

Also of Interest:

"Size Does Matter": Pittsburgh Society of Artists small works show @ The Framery (4735 Butler St., Lawrenceville), 6PM.

"Black/White": Multimedia exhibit featuring 21 artists @ Gallerie Chiz (5831 Ellsworth Ave, Shadyside), 6-9PM.

"Code Words": AAP artist and board member Lori Hepner @ Melwood Filmmakers (477 Melwood Ave, Oakland), 6-9PM.

Saturday

If you manage to avoid an art hangover on Saturday afternoon, take the time (11am - 5pm) to stop by the Luke & Eloy Gallery (5169 Butler Street) in Lawrenceville. My friend Susan Constance is participating in a group show called Double Vision, which purports to celebrate "13 Artists who express themselves in differing art and craft forms". I had a chance to stop by about a month ago and meet Gallery Director Brigitte Martin. We had an amiable conversation, and I'll be looking forward to seeing how her own instincts inform the 'Burgh arts scene.

I keep meaning to check out the Morning Glory Coffeehouse over in Morningside (1806 Chislett Street). This Saturday may be a good time to do it. They are having an opening reception (7PM) for the work of Maria Mangano. I couldn't find any of her images online during a three-minute Google search, but I have learned that she is a CMU grad, and is exhibiting "Intaglio Prints". Plus DJ Thermos is providing music for the event...

Sunday

"Retrospect: A Celebration of Color and Light": Mary Ann Gorka @ Panza Gallery (115 Sedgwick Street, Millvale), 2-5PM.

Pittsburgh Art Happenings: 2/6-7/09

Predictably, this first weekend of February is packed with openings after the typical January layoff. The feast or famine proposition is once again in full force... there's little chance that you are going to see everything, so take a miute or two to identify a couple priorities.

Friday

The first Friday of the month (almost) always brings Unblurred (on Penn Avenue between Garfield and Friendship), and as usual there is a lot to see. Your first stop should be Clay Penn (5111 PENN AVE), where Laura Jean has put together PRINTS N'AT, a collection of choice work by Bob LaBobgah, David Pohl, Bob Ziller and yours truly. I'm quite happy to be put together with these three distinguished artists, as they have many years of art-making experience between them. My contributions for the show constitute a photographic postmortem for the "American Dream". Stop by between 7 and 9PM.

Imagebox (4933 PENN AVE) is featuring the collages of Richard Schnap, in a show entitled "Strange Channels". If you've been a habitue of the local art scene for any length of time, you are already familiar with his work. Lauren Toohey entered the Pittsburgh consciousness relatively recently, but has been prolific in her output. She is presenting a steamy assortment of her paintings along with Elisabeth Scott under the title SEXUAL at Most Wanted Fine Art (5015 PENN AVE).

In recognition of Black History Month, Garfield Artworks (4931 PENN AVE) is offering "The Biko Museum Experience", as well as "Facemadics" by craftsman and artist Diamond Axe. I've seen Homewood resident Emory Biko's work at the Mattress Factory, and I recommend you take a breath or two before appreciating his hard-hitting social commentary. Meanwhile Ed Steck has some commentary of his own regarding the degradation of the American landscape. His reception for the METAL NJIGHT (4919 PENN AVE) series is at Modern Formations .


Due to my frequent attendance at Unblurred, I never make it over to Shadyside's monthly art walk. But I just might make the effort this time to see Thommy Conroy' solo of paintings over at Steve Mendelson's gallery (5874 Ellsworth Avenue, 6-8PM). Conroy used to be co-owner of the now defunct (but always spectacular) La Vie on Butler Street in Lawrenceville. There used to be a time when I saw him almost weekly, and I've often wondered how he's been spending his hours. This looks like the perfect opportunity to find out.

No doubt I'll end my art travels with a stop at Zombo Gallery for the opening of Adam Waddell's paintings. This guy is pretty brash. During last year's Art All Night he hung up a portrait of a smiling "Chinaman" accompanied by a "Rising Sun" flag. With this kind of geographical and cultural confusion as an example, I can only imagine what type of stuff his disordered mind can create. Good thing I don't have to speculate anymore.


Saturday

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts has turned over all of their spaces, and the opening reception for the new exhibitions are this weekend (5:30-8:00PM). Patricia Bellan-Gillen's ZOO.Logic+ looks intriguing, with her "vast planes of vivid color and masterfully drafted animal imagery". I love all creatures... big, small, and painted. God only knows what the Society of Yoruba Beads will offer with their Transformations... and "generative processes" by Los Angeles-based C.E.B. Reas and Berlin-based Marius Watz sounds equally enigmatic. But everything will certainly be brought under the blinding light of infinite clarity at the Associated Artists of Pitsburgh show, which celebrated its organization's longevity by asking their members to come up with pieces inspired by the theme "99". Overwhelmed patrons can check out the ambiguously titled Video Retrospective, 1990-2009.

Panza Gallery (115 Sedgwick Street in Millvale) is featuring the work of U. of Pgh art grads Adrian Chin and Julian Betkowski. I'll get a preview of the work tonight, but readers of this blog will have to make due with the promotional image for the show. I know it sparks my interest. The opening reception is from 6-9PM.

Pittsburgh Art Happenings: 1/30-31/09.

Due to an unusual amount of chaos in my life, I haven't been entirely accurate in my predictions for what I might do during the weekends. I have listed a number of events over the past couple weeks that I may have had the best intentions of attending, only to find myself waylaid by life's surprises. But somehow I feel grounded if I continue to identify potential highlights, so I'm going to forge ahead and mention a few places where I may be found over the next couple of days.

Friday

If you didn't go to the opening reception for "The Big Hang-Up" at the Zombo Gallery, you do get another shot to see the work at the closing (6-11PM). Michael's happy about the nice turn out and some "groovy" sales, so it's an ideal time to drop by and say "hi!". Maybe you'll even run across Jason Woolslare, who I am told has been offered a future solo on the strength of the work he contributed to this show. And if you get bored, Stinky's is across the street.

Fe Gallery has finally moved on from the rigors of planning, organizing, and executing their huge survey of local art. Now the gallery features the work of just one artist- Joshua Space. I don't know what kind of work he does, and I can't find a lot of documentation on the web, so all I can do is alert your attention to the opening on Friday night from 7-9PM. At least you heard about it somewhere...

I haven't been to the Society for Contemporary Craft (2100 Smallman Street) in awhile. That's mostly due to the fact that their last exhibition opened more than six months ago. With that kind of manufactured anticipation, the joint reception (5:30-8:00PM) for Bridge 10 (the three solo exhibitions opening this month) carries an air of heightened importance. Robert Briscoe (clay), Tom Loeser (furniture) and Christina Y. Smith (small metals) are the featured artists.


Friday and Saturday

People that know me well are aware that I don't go to see films in theaters. You can't smoke, there is always someone nearby doing something irritating, and no one will pause the movie if you have to go to the bathroom. Why not stay home and watch something on your own terms? Occasionally there is something so compelling that I have to go out to see it, and it's usually a work that I have little hope of seeing issued on DVD. Such is the case with "Fear(s) of the Dark", a collection of animated shorts focused on presenting the disturbing, the thrilling and the haunting. I don't recognize many of the creators, but Charles Burns is among them. That alone justifies the $7 ticket price at Melwood Filmmakers in Oakland (showtimes 7:30 and 9:30 both nights). As a bonus, Bill Boichel (of Copacetic Comics) will be on hand live on Saturday to introduce the production.


Saturday

In these trying economic times, we can expect to see all sorts of different approaches to selling art in the Pittsburgh region. Joan Barenbregge over at Élan Gallery (427 Broad Street, Sewickley) has decided to forge ahead with a series of monthly art auctions. The first of the series occurs this weekend. Show up Saturday morning between 9-10AM to preview the work, and bid on your favorites from 10AM-3PM.

And finally... Encyclopedia Destructica is releasing their latest book: Make Your Own Truth, which contains work by Jonathan Brodsky, Juliacks, Paus Akid, Alberto Almarza, Josh Atlas, and Rick Gribenas. As a bonus they have included some prints documenting some pretty fancy powerpoint presentations. To celebrate this issuance, they have an event at the Regina Gouger Miller Gallery on the Carnegie-Mellon campus, starting at 5:30PM. Get there on time and you won't miss the presentation of their "Flying Destructucate Award" to the aforementioned Brodsky.

Pittsbugh Art Happenings: 1/23-24/09

We're going to get a bit of a break in the weather, if we are to believe local weather forecasters. Perhaps the warmer temperatures will even stretch into Friday night. That would be ideal for those of you who have intentions of heading downtown tomorrow night for the seasonal Downtown Gallery Crawl. This time Cultural Trust organizers had the good sense not to plan their event to conflict with other First Friday activities around town. As a result, art appreciators don't have to make too many hard choices about what to miss. Naturally there are a few options that don't involve having to deal with the Golden Triangle- but if you plan it right, you may be able to hit them as well.

Friday

The Miller Gallery at CMU (Purnell Center for the Arts, 5000 Forbes Ave) hosts a "Winter Harvest Reception" (6-8PM) for Signs of Change: Social Movement Cultures 1960s, a collection of "posters, photographs, moving images, audio clips, and ephemera" documenting various international social movements spanning four decades. The exhibition is guest curated by Dara Greenwald + Josh MacPhee. In keeping with the spirit of the content, Artists Image Resource and the Andy Warhol Museum will be demonstrating live screen printing.

Downtown Gallery Crawl

During the last Crawl, Wood Street Galleries (601 Wood Street, above the "T") featured a line of people waiting outside the transit station for the elevator that provides the only access into the space. Despite the recommendations of several friends that said the work inside was "not to be missed", I refused to spend half of my night at one destination. Perhaps Chico MacMurtrie's 16 Birds and Inflatable Architectural Body won't present the same logistical nightmare. Having a look at his site, I kind of doubt it. Still, the images there do suggest that it would be worth a little bit of trouble to experience it in person.

Meanwhile, you can check out a survey of architectural images presented by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) at SPACE (812 Liberty Avenue). Those folks are encouraging visitors to come on down and vote for their favorite Pittsburgh buildings. 707 Penn has a sound installation comprised of remixes of Ramones tunes, and 709 Penn is offering Puppets, Wood Cuts, and Installation by Amy Trompetter. 937 Liberty has stuff on all three of its floors, including the Brew House Distillery Artists: A Sense of Place, photography by Tim Fabian and Bryan Conley, and a celebration of Latin American Culture (read: food! art! music!).

As always, there is lots of other stuff to stumble upon... much of which I have no comment on. I do want to mention ArtUp @820 Liberty, which is featuring Gritty 250: the Art of Work in Pittsburgh- ostensibly a recognition of this town's labor heritage.

Friday and Saturday

There's a relatively new venue in East Liberty that I have yet to attend. Art Dimensions Gallery (6000 Penn Avenue) has invited local artists to use vinyl records to create works for a juried show. Unlike most open calls for submissions, this solicitation included the prospect of winning prizes in two categories- paintings applied directly to the records and 3D or "multidimensional" creations incorporating vinyl. Festivities start tomorrow (from 3-8PM), including comedy, spoken word, and live musical performances. On Saturday evening (7PM-2AM) the prizes will be awarded, and there will be another full program of entertainment.

Sunday

Come on down to the Double Wide (2339 East Carson Street) at 9:30PM, to witness the postponed screening of Race with the Devil. I assure you... you don't want to miss this one.

These are the People in My Neighborhood...

It's been about five years since I first moved into my neighborhood, and I am still having difficulties fully engaging it. My (mostly) daily walks have helped a bit, but sometimes they make me feel more alienated than when I first started taking them. I guess I had certain preconceptions about how the place would (or might) develop, and these ideas look more and more naïve with my growing familiarity. Occasionally I'll catch a glimpse of what appears to be a young urbane couple, but for the most part it's mostly peopled with the type that I don't want to spend any of my free time around. This is a real shame because otherwise it has an awful lot to offer as a community.

We chose to move to our area because of the school system... or more precisely because we wanted to avoid sending any of our future kids to the public facilities that reigned in our favorite neighborhood. There's no way we would have moved out of the city proper otherwise. The most desirable sections of the 'burgh are expensive (obviously), and even in those parts the charter and magnet schools seem more desirable than the standard options. So we found the most gritty section of one of the best public school districts in Western PA. M. knew a lot more about it than I did, because her family had once lived there. She knew what we were getting ourselves into, and felt comfortable with it.

I'm moved to reconsider all of this due to an experience I had on my rounds the other night. A friend who lives in the next neighborhood over is looking to rent a space for a studio/collective project. She asked if I could look around and find a suitable place. I really had no idea how to start that search. I figured I could stroll about and look for signs in windows, etc. There are a host of properties that seem enticing, and they also seem to be empty. However there aren't many indications of who owns them, or how I can get in touch with whoever is responsible for managing them. I decided that I would have to ask around to see if anyone had any useful leads.

Unfortunately I don't have current phone numbers for the few folks who might be able to help. So I'm left to strike out blindly and figure out what bystanders might be able to provide assistance. On a whim, I stepped into a bar I had never been in before to get some local expertise. As soon as I entered, I knew I wouldn't get what I was looking for. There were about five guys and a torn-up looking woman at the bar, and everybody swiveled around on their stools to look at me directly. The closest dude started interrogating me before I could even let anyone know why I had interrupted their Monday night "revelries". I can't accurately reconstruct our short conversation, but I will say that he turned out to be the type with no love for the arts.

By the end of our exchange he started making primate gestures in an attempt to assert his alpha male status. To me he was just a fat slab of hick with an unrealistic image of his own potency and a loud mouth, yet that didn't keep him from shaking a bit as he pretended to prepare for a fight. His buddies were much more amiable and tried to calm him. That probably wasn't even necessary, as he was coming off like a melodramatic tweenie preparing for his role in West Side Story. If he truly wanted to fight he would have simply attacked without the show pony antics. Still I had no desire to escalate the situation, so I thanked everybody and walked out. It was absolutely the right move, but I was pissed off enough to imagine coming back with my aluminum bat to remove one virulent stain from my neighborhood.

Pittsburgh Art Happenings: 1/9-10/09.

A new year always brings the promise of an interesting and diverse selection of Pittsburgh art. It may take a couple of months for things to really get going (with the cold weather keeping people hunkered down at home), but sooner or later folks start itching to roll out their latest work. There are indeed a few events worth seeing this weekend, but some of them have been around for so long that you may have taken them for granted, and now you're in danger of missing them altogether. This weekend marks your last chance to see Life On Mars (the International) at the Carnegie Art Museum, In The Making: 250 Years / 250 Artists at Fe Gallery, and Inner and Outer Space at the Mattress factory.

If your tastes run more toward openings, you will have a few opportunities to get out and about to catch some receptions.

Friday

Check out Tim Menees ("You Still Can't Get There From Here") and Joan Iverson Goswell ("Journeys") at Gallerie Chiz in Shadyside (5831 Ellsworth Avenue), from 6-9PM. Menees uses acrylics and graphite to create imaginary travel posters and Goswell makes cool-looking books with a clear political slant.

Or perhaps you have the means to get to Sewickley? Mark Panza is having a one-man show at the Élan Fine Art Gallery (427 Broad Street). I've actually never been in the space, but I have met Joan, the proprietor. She seems passionate about showing art that she personally respects and enjoys. Obviously our tastes overlap, as I am increasingly a fan of Panza's photos and presentation. Get there between 6 and 9PM for "Structure Meets Nature".

But maybe you want to avoid "swellsville" this weekend? If so, just pop down to gritty Lawrenceville (4900 Hatfield Street) for the Zombo Gallery's 2nd Annual "Big Hang Up". It's Michael Devine's version of "Art All Night", and gives all creators a chance to show off their skills, regardless of whether or not they've ever shown before. That kind of format is always interesting because you never know what you'll see, and there is the potential for some very odd juxtapositions. It should bring in an eclectic crowd too.

Saturday

Boxheart (on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield) is having their 8th annual Art Inter/National Exhibition, with a reception from 5-8PM. This series explores the way that physical space affects the way artists create their work. Twenty lucky selections were chosen from among 220 applicants this year- all asked to "respond visually to the Hegelian Dialectic". Basically, this means that there were a couple hundred people who presumed to claim to understand what the fuck that actually means (you can read more about that here). Anyway I'm sure there will be lots of great things to look at, and I'm not likely to risk missing any of them.

Finally, I want to mention an opening (6-9PM) featuring the work of Bart De Paepe at the Morning Glory Coffeehouse in Morningside (1806 Chislett Street). I'm always interested in checking out new places to get my espresso fix, and this one isn't all that far from my house. They seem to have some nice things going on there, and I'm a bit surprised I haven't heard about it previously. Check out their site.

The 2008 Carnegie International.

A happy congruence led to my first (and likely only) visit to Life on Mars, the 2008 Carnegie International. It so happened that the parents of the father of my newest niece were in town from Southern France, and when I brought up the prospect of making a visit to the show this afternoon, they were easily convinced. My father and his wife were also in the 'Burgh, so we were able to muster a group of nine adults and two wee ones. We even chose a meeting time that was conducive to sleeping in. We made our rendezvous at noon at the back entrance. My sister-in-law was late, which actually turned out to be a good thing since I was in sore need of some espresso. I ran across the street to acquire my usual four shots.

It used to be that the Carnegie Museum had a coffee kiosk and a few chairs in the Hall of Sculpture. I don't remember how many years ago they had that, but I swear to it no matter how many folks say that I'm mistaken. Unfortunately the only option nowadays is to sit down for table service at the swank cafe near the entrance to the art galleries. And you can't walk around the place with a drink (and I guess that makes pretty good sense). So anyway, I had to chug the coffee drink quickly while I smoked a cigarette by the fountain. It was a beautiful day, with temperatures in the sixties, and so it was no sacrifice to be stuck outside. As soon as I poured the formula down my gullet I was in a much better mood.

I'm happy I was able to achieve an amiable mood, because I ended up being the guide. We focused on the Life on Mars stuff, as it is due to close down in a mere two weeks. This exhibition is a prestigious international survey of contemporary art, and I've read that it is one of the most important in North America. We should be grateful to have it on our town, even if it only happens once every few years. This collection of work was put together by curator Doug Fogle, with the assistance of Heather Pesanti (who has recently moved on to direct the Albright-Knox Gallery in Buffalo, NY). I had little idea about what to expect, as I had only a brief exposure to Fogle's tastes at an Associated Artists of Pittsburgh annual in 2006.

The last International was disappointing. I only remember an extensive collection of original R. Crumb drawings that I got scolded for trying to photograph. Perhaps that restriction soured my experience. This time around I had heard mixed reviews. When the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Biennial opened on the same weekend this past Spring, some people said that they preferred it. Still I wasn't going to miss the International. Ultimately though, I might be inclined to agree with the naysayers. It's not that I didn't see anything I liked, but rather that I felt that there must be stronger work on the world stage. I could walk around Chelsea in any given month and see more stuff I'm impressed by.

The clear standout of the entire production was Cavemanman (2002) by the Swiss-born artist Thomas Hirschhorn. This installation environment, made with recycled materials such as cardboard, aluminum foil and packing tape, was a multi-chamber journey into a post-modern, consumerist hell. All of us agreed that it was our favorite piece. After that the drop-off was steep. We lingered over some Bruce Connor photograms, and M. said she'd never forget the taxidermied kitten announcing its posthumous status with a hand-held placard reading "I'm Dead" (created by David Shrigley). Finally we stumbled upon another temporary exhibition that we all consider a can't miss- (it runs through January 19th) called World's Away. Alone, it would have been worth the rather steep admission price.

An Art Hotel?!

This morning on the radio I heard a segment about a hotel in Louisville, KY that features contemporary art as the bedrock of its amenities package. I resolved to check out the Internet for more information whenever I got the chance. I used to have a friend who loved to stay at a place in Toronto that had rooms customized by individual local and regional artists. I loved that idea when I first heard about it. It's difficult for art to find its way in the marketplace (especially stuff created in the last couple decades), and its integration in lodging seemed like a unique but appropriate marriage. How many times have you commented on the generic and bland wall furnishings in the rooms that you've stayed in over the years?

Instead of being surrounded by the typical designs aimed at the lowest common denominator, how would you like to sleep beneath an original painting produced by an actual struggling artist? There are plenty of places that you could patronize that make every effort to achieve complete anonymity. Why must depersonalization be such a large part of the hospitality industry? Do people really want to travel to a destination only to be sheltered in an environment that is completely interchangeable with anyplace else? Well, I know for a fact that there is a demographic that appreciates local and unique flavors. There are genuinely curious and adventuresome folk that seek experiences during their vacations that they can't find anywhere else.

Based on these criteria I thought I might like to visit the 21c Hotel/Museum in Louisville. The city is approximately 335 miles from Pittsburgh, and it's one of the few major destinations within a day's drive that I haven't yet visited. I've never even made an extended stop in Kentucky, and I'm hard-pressed to remember an occasion I had to drive through it. As far as Louisville is concerned, I only have a single association with the city- the Kentucky Derby. While I enjoy the idea of horseracing, I can't see myself traveling to that mess. But if I can find things to enjoy about Buffalo, Erie, and Cleveland, I'm sure I could find some amusement in a mid-size town in Kentucky. With a little bit of research ahead of time, I'd probably enjoy myself.

It wasn't hard to find the 21C site. As soon as I did, I realized that its offerings were on a scale that I hadn't anticipated. Apparently a non-profit entity controls the art display operations separately from the hotel. It bills itself as "North America's first museum dedicated solely to collecting and exhibiting contemporary art of the 21st century". It's not limited to American art, but rather includes work from a variety of international sources. From the website, I found it rather difficult to determine to what degree the art itself is incorporated into the accomodations. It seems as if there are galleries simply attached to the hotel, with a few pieces scattered about the public spaces of the building.

One thing that quickly becomes obvious is that the 21c is a luxury spot. Its Spring rates exceed $200 a night (and progress to $800 at the upper reaches). The 91 rooms do seem well appointed- with flatscreen television, minibars, iPods, poster art, silver mint julep cups, and "500 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets imported from Italy crowning the exquisite bedding". If that's not enough, you can avail yourself of their in-house spa, or high-priced luxury dining restaurant. "After all", as they explain in a description of their Got Art? Package, "being a starving artist is so passé". Of course that means that I probably won't ever be crashing at the 21c. Maybe I can book a night in the stables at the Churchill Downs?