Pittsburgh Art Events: 11/ 6-7/09.

Friday

For some reason, I've been particularly anticipating this month's Unblurred. The last couple of weekends have been dead on the local arts scene, and I'm looking forward to what the various venues will be putting out.

I'm most excited to find out that artist, curator, educator, and former gallery-owner Bob Ziller is opening up a book store! It's located at the old Red Star Ironworks garage at 4810 Penn Ave. Ziller says that he is starting with an inventory of 3400 books, and that everything will be priced at 50% listed price. He's also doing another installment of his Pittsburgh Beautification Project, so stop in and find out what that is all about.

Meanwhile, "Pigeon Pair" is at Modern Formations (4919 Penn Avenue), serving up the work of Christian Breitkreutz & Jason Rosemeyer. I've been keeping an eye on C.B., and I'm eager to track his development.

The building housing the misleadingly-named International Children's Art Gallery (5020) is opening all three of its floors. The second will feature recent stuff by James Maszle, and Richard Rappaport will be up-top.

There will also be music by Brass Chariot, Duane Jones Duo and Al Zavacky at the new Irma Freeman Center for Imagination (5006 Penn), a group show at Garfield Artworks (with Maggie Black from WV), Cory Bonnet & Ryan Dunmeyer at Most Wanted Fine Art (5015 Penn Ave), and creations on glass by Joseph Holtz at Imagebox.

Shadyside offers its monthly dose of openings as well. Gallerie Chiz (5831 Ellsworth Avenue) has a group show called "A Convivial Collection...New Creations" that includes work by Philippe Paulin Derville, Ben Oddi, Joyce Werwie Perry, Carlos Sanchez-Vegas & Randie Snow. It runs from 6-9PM. Patrick Ruane is over at Gallery in the Square (5850 Ellsworth Avenue), and the Mendelson Gallery has Bob and Paul Bowden (6-9PM).


Saturday

Zombo Gallery (4900 Hatfield St.) returns with another one of its idiosyncratic weekend shows. You get the opening on Friday, and if you miss that... the closing on Saturday (6-10 PM, both nights). This time around, it's "Lickity-Split!" with Craig Freeman , supplemented by sculptures by Seth LeDonne. Don't miss the madness of this space.

If you never made your way over to Moxie Dada at the Firehouse in the North Side (1416 Arch Street), this absolutely and without reservation will be your very last chance. The closing for "Dia De Los Muertos Y La Resurreccion: The Existencial Crisis" runs from 6-9PM. If you have been a regular habitue of the space, then I'm sure you'll recognize a lot of the creators represented. While it's sad to see such a stalwart of the local scene pass on, it will be exciting to see what the people behind Moxie Dada do next. Its proprietors have ensured me that they are not giving up, but just moving on to other projects.

Oh, and by the way... the Three Rivers Film Festival opens this weekend, and you can find a list of the events here.

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.

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 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.

Obama Fundraiser and Art Auction. Green Building Gallery, This Sunday!

We are now less than a week from the Pennsylvania Democratic Presidential Primary. Although Hillary Clinton's initial poll lead has narrowed, it still appears that she is the favorite. Of all the states that have already chosen their candidates, Pennsylvania probably has the most in common with Ohio. Unfortunately for the Obama campaign, he lost that contest. While the perception is that PA is a bit to the political left of OH, there probably isn't that significant a difference between Democratic party members in the two states. Whatever factors have been leading voters to favor Clinton will probably sustain themselves next Tuesday. Rasmussen has Clinton polling ahead by a 9 point margin.

So what can any of us do about it? The time when I had the most possibility for impact has passed. In Pennsylvania you can change your party affiliation up to a month before the election. There were several people who invested time into trying to persuade me to register as a Democrat. Although I felt that their arguments were strong, there was just no way I could do it. As I've written previously on this blog, I abhor party politics. The binary system we have in this nation lacks cultural sophistication. I'm not interested in being on one of two teams that have a chance of winning. With this system we are not voting according to our beliefs, but rather our identities. Sorry... I can't and won't accept that. The primary process is a sham anyway.

With that established, it's reasonable to ask why I would get involved at all. Perhaps I am simply exposing my naïveté, but I truly do believe that Obama would make a difference. If for nothing else, I would like to have a leader representing the United States that other countries might actually respect. Perhaps if Obama is elected, the world's citizens will contain their resentment, and actually take what he says at face value. If I don't really trust Hillary, then why would foreigners? I have to admit that I have a very strong preference in this race. It does matter who becomes the nominee. Aside from the fact that I strongly prefer Obama- I don't think that Clinton can beat McCain. If anyone can mobilize Republican voters in November, it's Hillary.

Because of my strong feelings, when my friend Bob Ziller asked me to donate some art for an Obama fundraiser- I decided to help out. I have to admit that I have never contributed to a political campaign before. The party machines are just too monstrous, and I never thought that any amount I could afford would have the slightest impact on the outcome. But I share with Bob the belief that Barack Obama is the first major candidate in a long time that I don't have to hold my nose to vote for. I don't think that offering a few framed pieces of artwork is going to affect our fates. However I can get behind this effort, and just for one single occasion believe that small gestures accumulate, and can ultimately 'make a difference'.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area, please join us on Sunday, April 20th. There will be a silent art auction at the Green Building Gallery (5515 Penn Avenue, Garfield), and the bidding starts at 2PM and runs until 9PM. Participating artists include Thad Mosley, Tina Brewer, John Sokol, June Seale, George Gist, Mary Martin, Bob LaBobgah, Jorge Myers, Laura Jean McLaughlin, Bob Ziller, Christine Bethea, James Shipman, Jill Larson, Peter Lambert, Amir Rashidd, Emory Biko, David Grim, Tommy Bones, Bill Pfahl (and more!). There will be jazz music in the evening, and some refreshments. The suggested donation is $10.

April Unblurred. (This Friday Evening).

Another long, cold winter is finally behind us and this month's Unblurred is waiting to welcome us into spring. We might get a bit of rain this Friday evening, but temperatures should be mild and a little bit of moisture shouldn't keep you away from seeing what the Pittsburgh arts scene has to offer. If you've never been to Penn Avenue (between Friendship and Garfield) for this event, you'll likely be pleasantly surprised by the amount of galleries that thrive along the street. You can easily spend a couple of hours meandering about. Have a cup of wine, maybe see a performance, and consider purchasing an affordable piece of art. There are several highlights you shouldn't miss this go 'round.

If the weather kept you home last month, you can still see the closing at The Green Building Gallery (5515 Penn Avenue). It features the work of two distinguished artists, one currently based in Pittsburgh and another who used to be a fixture here in town. James Shipman is president of the Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors, and creates mixed media edifices that suggest a hankering for long-past rural and industrial glories. John Sokol uses tar, oil, and acrylic to achieve classically-styled paintings featuring pastoral subjects, suggesting old-timey advertising on a large scale. The exhibition was curated by local favorite Bob Ziller, who has proudly sat the inaugural show of the new gallery for the past month.

Meanwhile, down at the Clay Penn (5111 Penn Avenue), proprietor Laura Jean McLaughlin is showing off a brand new series of paintings by the Mt. Washington-based Victoria Cessna. The artist is a particular favorite of mine, and I've been looking forward to another solo show of her work since her last one at Coca Cafe (Lawrenceville) in 2006. Previously Cessna's imagination has been stirred by old found snapshots that she has discovered in her travels. Her current batch of paintings (entitled Friendly Fire) have been inspired by a series of unfortunate events that have occurred to her and her family over the last year. With her postmodern-impressionist aesthetic, and a mix of forlorn nostalgia and dark humor, Cessna's work is absolutely something you want hanging on your wall. If you want a preview, check out her excellent website.

The other main highlight (as far as I'm concerned) is the Annual Spring Salon Juried Exhibition over at Modern Formations (4919 Penn). Jen and Devin have done an extraordinary job with this space from day one. Few in Pittsburgh know how genuinely difficult it is to run an art gallery- especially with no side business such as framing. Yet the proprietors here have consistently brought in interesting (and often excellent) artwork. There are quite a few young local artists that got there start here. In the years I've been frequenting the gallery, I've become acquainted with the works of the Kehoe brothers, Katherine Young, Jairan Sadeghi and Josh Tonies. I have no doubt that this year's salon will introduce me to some additional quality work.

As usual there will be other venues with entertainment and artwork. Although I'm not familiar with the featured artists this month, it's always worthwhile to stop in at Metamorphose (4922 Penn) and Imagebox (4933 Penn). Both locations are owned and operated by people who are dedicated to the viability of the neighborhoods they inhabit. Much the same can be said about the Attack Theater (4805 Penn), which regularly offers ten-minute previews of their new dance performances. Their space is also a good place to sit down for a bit with a beer or some wine, socialize with someone new, and play an old-school Atari 2600 videogame.

Why I don't like birds.

Last Saturday I went to a benefit show at the Zombo Gallery in Lawrenceville. A large group of artists brought bird-themed artwork to hang on the walls. The response was impressive, and there was a nice crowd packed into the modestly-sized gallery for the opening. There were also real live birds as well, including an owl. To be honest with you, I'm not entirely sure what organization was featured at the event. I would have stopped by regardless, but my friend Bob Ziller had submitted a series of pieces and I wanted to make sure to show my face in support of him. I recognized a handful of names as I went around and looked at the other pieces. I'm always on the lookout for bargains at benefits, and there was a wide range of stuff ranging from cheap to outlandishly overpriced. The truth of the matter is that there was only a very small chance that I would have bought anything. Frankly, I don't like birds.

It even sounds strange coming out of my mouth. Is it really true? Don't I like birds? No. I really don't care for them. And of course I was socially maladapted enough to announce my distaste for these creatures, while surrounded by their likenesses on all sides. Then I had to explain my reasons for not liking what amounts to a large segment of the animal kingdom. This was a bit difficult at first because I hadn't ever really reflected on it too deeply. The first thoughts that came to my mind were abstract. I guess I don't like dinosaurs, and since the bird kingdom represents the direct legacy of those extinct creatures- it naturally follows that I wouldn't find space in my heart for these winged beasts. They're too alien. They poop all over the place and spread disease. I remembered a time when one shat on my lower lip. I wiped off the taint of that experience for days, and I got chapped and dry.

Perhaps I was just jealous of the freedom they have to fly away from any nasty environment they encounter. I couldn't really put my finger on it. And then it hit me. It all goes back to a weekend I spent on a farm one New Year's Eve with an ex-girlfriend. I was in my mid-twenties, and I had only very limited exposure to rural life beforehand. We were visiting her best friend, who had married a man much older than she was. He had jealousy issues, and had dragged her ass out to nowhere so that he could escape that distraction. No one really liked him. He had virtually no friends. He was a professor at a local university, and researched water quality as part of his job. But his true passion in life was avian in nature. He identified so closely with his "feathered-friends", that everyone called him "Phil, the Bird-man". Somehow his personality seemed to fit his nickname.

Anyway I made a real effort to get to know the guy. While my ex was running around with her friend, I had plenty of time to crack Phil's defenses. I found out that he loved falconry. This meant that he actually bred and trained these predators for the purpose of hunting furry little rodents for sport. I found the entire hobby a bit barbaric, yet I was willing to ingratiate myself for the sake of something I'd likely never get a chance to do again. He actually suggested we go on horseback, but I decided that this would be overkill. We went on foot. We walked out into the tall grass, looking for rabbits. I was kind of hoping that I could psychically will any woodland creature away from the killing grounds. Of course this was impossible, and eventually Phil spotted a blur in the near distance. The falcon seemed to sense the presence of warm-blooded prey, and launched itself from Phil's gloved arm. It flapped its great wings two or three times and landed on my ankle, its talons digging into tender flesh. Despite the sharp pain, I tried to stay still. Phil had to come over and somehow coax it to release its grip on me. That took several minutes, and ended our adventure prematurely.

Later, back in the farmhouse, I put my feet up on a long sofa and rested while the girls talked in the kitchen. I thought I'd sleep there on the couch until it was time to go upstairs to bed. I woke up late in the night. It was pitch black and I heard weird sounds. A phone was ringing intermittently and someone seemed to be answering it without any further conversation. This went on and on. And then I heard strange screams and eerie scoldings. The voices were coming from the cellar. As far as I could understand, everyone should have been in bed sleeping. I looked at my watch and it was around 4AM. There seemed to be multiple presences just out of reach of the room I was in. I didn't know what to think. Maybe my ankle was infected, and a fever was causing auditory hallucinations? I drifted in and out of sleep. I didn't think it was my place to do any investigating. The next thing I knew it was morning, and I asked if the farmhouse was thought to be haunted. I should have known- it tuns out that Phil had multiple young gray parrots in cages in the cellar. They were adolescents and just learning how to vocalize.

I related my account of that strange New Year's Eve to a circle of friends at the Zombo Gallery. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of it. Possibly they thought that it was all some elaborate setup for a joke. But dear reader- I wouldn't make up any of this stuff. Believe me when I say that I don't like birds, and spare me the task of repeating the story.

How to spend a pre-holiday Friday night in Pittsburgh.

As one might expect, happenings around town this weekend are limited by the looming holiday. I guess it is assumed that most people will be expending all their energy and money on gift shopping. While I believe that's a fair assumption, it doesn't take into account the sizable minority of the population who have little or no inclination to observe Christmas. Likewise there are a number of folks looking to spend their time in non-traditional ways- such as going out to an art opening and/or seeing a show. Despite the fact that spending time with family is obligatory (for many of us), we should be forgiven for wanting a break from them. Before you write off the coming days as an opportunity to stay in and get drunk by yourself, allow me to make a couple of suggestions for tomorrow evening.

Bob Ziller and August Rolin will host an opening reception for their work at The Beehive on Friday night, from 6-9PM. Ziller has been curating the series of storefronts along Carson Street that make up this coffeehouse for as long as most of us can remember. As a result many artists have gotten their starts exhibiting on Beehive walls. Once in awhile Bob will book an already-established artist who isn't necessarily obsessed with selling his/her work. Although patrons have always been able to purchase artwork from the Hive, many who have shown there see it simply as an opportunity for greater exposure. Perhaps you have a series of pieces that doesn't jive with mainstream commercial intentions. Or maybe you just don't want the pressure of thinking about selling your art as "product". The Beehive is a niche that allows you to primarily focus on presentation and free expression. There's no cost to hang your stuff, and thousands of people will end up seeing it. Bob takes a loose approach to curating the shop, so don't let fears of rejection stop you. If you are looking to bring your work out into the public eye- get in touch with him. I know that now is a great time to get in on the action.

Anyway, Ziller has grabbed the chance to roll out some of his own work. I don't know what he's planning to exhibit, but chances are that it will be thought-provoking and contain a hearty dose of ironic humor. He's never been afraid of taking risks, and he doesn't get hung up in adhering to any particular style or form. Ziller makes conceptual art for the common man... not just for those with an MFA. Meanwhile, August Rolin's work is immediately identifiable as his own. His drawings are illustrative fantasy works depicting all manner of strange, humanoid, mythical beasts. They are vaguely reminiscent of Japanese calligraphy painting, but at the same time they create a visual lexicon that is personally idiosyncratic. Stop in and meet these accomplished creators, and let them know how much you appreciate the venue.

After you are done with the South Side (and given that weekend evenings get extremely irritating in that neighborhood... it shouldn't be an all-nighter), make your way over to the Brillo Box on Penn Avenue (Lawrenceville/Bloomfield). The proprietors have been kind enough to offer up a special treat tomorrow night. Slim Cessna (of Auto Club fame) will be performing with his son George. If you haven't seen Cessna's solo show- you should know that it encapsulates a bit of the magic that you've come to expect from the full band, but has an intimacy that you really can't get among an amped-up crowd of revivalists. It's a bit quieter and a mite slower, and that means you've got a better chance of digesting his message. Some have made the mistake of assuming that Cessna is merely a Christian rock act. In some ways, that couldn't be further from the truth. Not only is the idea reductionist, but also extremely narrow-minded. Still, the only way you are going to know the truth is to see him in person.

So come out an see what is on offer tomorrow. The Anonymous Schizoids and Corn Pone open up for Slim Cessna (and son!), and it all starts at 10 PM for just $5.