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.

Another Art-packed Weekend.

If you didn't get your fill of art events last weekend, there are several things going on during the next couple of days that may satisfy your longings. In fact, the opportunities coming our way may actually be more substantial than last Friday's downtown art crawl. Everything kicks off with another round of Unblurred along Penn Avenue in Garfield/Friendship. It seems almost unbelievable that an entire month has passed since the last 'First Friday'.

Pittsburgh Glass Center (5472 Penn Avenue) features an opening for an exhibition of 31 artists from southwestern Pennsylvania. Each of the works displayed incorporates both glass and steel- the two manufactured substances that have been at the heart of the Pittsburgh industrial economy for the last 150 years. Of course they will have demonstrations throughout the evening, and they will be open from 6 to 9PM. And while you are on that end of the street, stop by the Tunnel Gallery (5515 Penn) to see some sculptures from the Boston-based Anne Lilly. She makes kinetic pieces out of metal. (Check out her website).

As regulars know, the heart of Unblurred is located on the 49th and 50th street blocks, so get back in your car and find a space in that general vicinity. Down that way you'll find newcomer Matt Susko at the Garfield Artworks (4931 Penn). Meanwhile, next door at Image Box (4933 Penn), you can see the paintings of Brant Dykstra. What should you expect from these artists? I have no idea. I've never heard of them. That's what makes this so fun. I could come away pleasantly surprised, disappointed, or indifferent. What better way to spend a Friday?

Anyway, I'll make it a point to linger at Modern Formations (4919 Penn). Brett Davis is one of a trio of artists being shown there. Apparently Davis has been quite active recently, as he has just wrapped up participation in a group show over at the Brew House. He will be joined by Rob Katkowski and Jamie Adams (is this the Jamie Adams that had a show at Jack the Pelican Presents?). It seems like the curators are emphasizing the dark nature of these creators- the exhibition is called A Space of Resignation, and the press release contains descriptors such as "malevolence", "strange" and "discordance". Sounds yummy, I guess.

Don't stay out too late drinking your fancy drinks at the Brillo Box. You're going to want to save some energy for Saturday night.

I'm going to assume that you don't have the money to go to the "Gala Preview" of the Carnegie International on Friday night. After all, you haven't received your tax rebate in the mail, and you likely don't have $350 to spend on fancy cheese and sparkling wine. In fact, you probably aren't even going to the $75-per-guest three-hour late night event. But for a mere $16, you can jam your way through the crowds on Saturday afternoon, as thousands of art-lovers clamor to be the first of the hoi polloi to view Life on Mars. That's right. This year curator Doug Fogle decided that this world-acclaimed art exhibition needed a catchy little title. Something kind of "Glam Rock" perhaps...

Or indeed you could save your money and (for a third of the price) attend the non-gala opening reception for the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Biennial. This event is being held in two locations- the main galleries on 6300 Fifth Avenue and at Pittsburgh Filmmakers (477) Melwood) in Oakland. Among the artists included this year are Paper Rad, Kim Beck, Christopher Lisowsky, Adam Welch, Bob LaBobgah, Juliana Morris, and Tom Sarver. That's a pretty goddamned great start to a stellar line-up. The parties get underway at 5:30 PM.