Pittsburgh Art Events: 8/22-23/08.

Sorry that I'm getting a bit of a late start on this one. I just got back from my very first trip to Buffalo, which had a lot more going on than one might expect. I'll post a bit about that during the next few days on Serendipity. Meanwhile, back home in the jewel of the Rust Belt, I'm gearing up for a couple of can't-miss art events this weekend.

Friday

Yes, indeed. This is the very first art exhibition I will have ever attended at a bowling alley. Simultaneously this will also be the first time I have ever shown one of my own works at a bowling alley. On Friday night, between 6 and 9PM, you can witness the "First Showing" of Art Goes Bowling at Arsenal Lanes in Lawrenceville. Curator and gadfly Zombo asked 100 artists to transform 100 beat-up bowling pins, and the results will be displayed to the musical accompaniment of "The Whips". This will be the group's debut performance, and Zombo claims they sound like the Velvet Underground meets the Cramps. That actually sounds enticing.

I don't know what the others have done to their pins, but I promise that my creation will be one of the most low-rent spectacles available for viewing (and for sale- all pins are $25 each). Truth be told, I have seen a couple of pieces by Eric Luden... very nice indeed! I got a glimpse of them (and a few more) at Lucky, the Painproof Man's performance last weekend. If you weren't there for it, you really missed out. It turns out that Lucky has spent time with The Coney Island Circus Sideshow, and the experience is evident in the rapport he develops with his audience. He had the free funnel cakes and popcorn he gave out earlier churning in bystander stomachs. He's reprising his schtick on August 30th, at 6PM at the Zombo Gallery.

Saturday

Have you gotten your tickets to Pittsburgh's annual premiere art party? The Sprout Fund's Hothouse has steadily earned the reputation as one of the best events of the year. This installment brings a full bill of entertainment. Musical acts include Ben Opie's "The Braxton Project", River City 6 brass band, J. Malls, Lucid Music, Harangue, Hands Down, Assembly, Joy Ike, the Grackles, Keeb $, Pandemic and DJ Selecta. There's also a vaudeville carnival production by the Zafira Dance Company... and lots of great food and drinks provided by local establishments like brillobox, Double Wide Grill, Dozen, East End Food Co-op, Enrico Biscotti, The Pennsylvania Brewing Co., big Catering, etc.

But you don't go to Hothouse for the refreshments. The reason for the Sprout Fund's existence is its support of many local entities that work to make our city a better place. Hothouse showcases all of the stuff that the organization has helped to fund over the year. This includes such a diverse range of products and activities that I hesitate to even choose highlights. Suffice it to say, the following featured displays are personal priorities for me this Saturday night: Fe Gallery's preview for In the Making: 250 Years, 250 Artists, the Dr. Sketchy drawing session, the unveiling for the models of the Industrial Arts Co-op sculpture, the life-sized issue of The Original, Unsmoke System's multimedia show, large-scale Gigapan prints of previous Sprout Fund public art, and the sustainability games of Creative Reuse.

Don't forget that Hothouse is a fundraiser. General Admission is $50 at the door (which admits you from 9PM-Midnight). But if you have some extra cash ($150), you can also attend the VIP reception that runs from 7-9PM. And there's a silent auction offering up objects donated by the likes of Bricolage, the Carnegie Museum of Art, City Theater, Dance Alloy, Encyclopedia Destructica, Quantum Theater, WYEP 91.3, and artists like Mike Budai, David Montano, Josh Tonies and yours truly. The location for this year's Hothouse is the upper floors of The Union Trust Building at 501 Grant Street in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Saturday Preview (A Full Day in Larryville...and more)

I haven't done a "heads-up" for local entertainment in awhile. I realize that such a post only stimulates limited interest in many of the people who read this blog. I don't know many folks who look here to figure out what they want to do on the weekend. If that was the focus, then I'd probably end up doing a piss-poor job of it. When I have promoted some event, it has usually been on the day of- and thus constituted almost completely useless information. Besides, there are many weekends when I'm simply not that excited by what's on offer. But I sometimes think it would be helpful if there were more disinterested bloggers talking about such options. Finally, I've still been tethered to the trivia site I wrote about yesterday, and I don't have much I want to say otherwise.

First of all... I was struck by the almost absolute lack of anything compelling going on tonight. That's been a fairly rare phenomena around town this past year. The bars will always be there, but there's nothing particularly exceptional about a night out drinking. I'm certain you could find some worthwhile band playing out, but I'm not really up on that scene. So given this empty space on my social calendar, I naturally assumed that there would have been plenty of options for tomorrow (Saturday). Lo and behold, there are a couple of things worth mentioning.

The Mattress Factory has an opening reception tomorrow afternoon with artwork by the son of one of my friends. It's happening between 2 and 4PM on Saturday. The title for the show is called "Good Dharma- Factory 14s". I don't know much about it, but there is some fairly fresh-looking Hindu-style artwork on the invitation (which I can't unfortunately find an online link to). This is only a guess extrapolated from the title itself, but one might think that all the artists in the show are youthful. And it just might have some kind of tie-in to the Warhol, but I can't swear to it. For some reason, I can't find much info on the official website. It's great that the museum has made an effort to engage non-traditional streams of work, but I wish they could make a better effort to promote what they do.

Lawrenceville also offers a full day of enjoyment tomorrow. As if to consolidate their growing reputation as the center of the Pittsburgh arts, neighborhood galleries and boutiques are rolling out a block party. Last year a handful of new art-spots on Hatfield Street decided to hold an event to raise their public profile. I attended and was modestly impressed to see such activity happening on a backstreet block I had lived on for years. Back when I was there it was mostly frequented by junkies and prostitutes, but the area has really turned around. This year they are promising increased participation by businesses from all over the neighborhood, and even live performances (11AM-5PM). There is reason to expect that this will be a steadily growing annual phenomenon. It always feels good to be one of the first to discover something cool. While you're down there, make it a point to stop by at Lawrenceville's newest hot-spot- the Zombo Gallery at 4900 Hatfield Street. Check out the owner's multimedia phantasmagoria to get an idea of what you are in for.

After you are through with those activities, you can stay in the neighborhood and grab a bite or a drink. I recommend Remedy Bar and Restaurant at 5121 Butler Street. Then head westward to the Digging Pitt Galleries (on Butler St and 45th) for their closings of a trio of shows. The tail-end of an exhibition is always a good time to see the artwork in a mellow atmosphere. You don't have to jostle a bunch of scenesters simply to get a good view. Plus nothing lasts forever, and you have to make it a point to appreciate the things that will soon be gone.

You can close your Lawrenceville experience with a stop by La Vie Gallery (36th and Butler Streets). They are having the opening reception (7-11PM) for the second in a three-part series of shows that constitutes Endless Summer. This new segment is titled Midsummer Night. Proprietors Bronwyn Loughren and Thommy Conroy have brought their excellently sophisticated aesthetic sensibilities to the most impressive gallery to open in the city in several years. I have been consistently pleased by the quality of the work they have selected, and their openings have been lively and entertaining. This should be no exception, considering it features work by some of my local favorites: Kathryn Young, Jairan Sadeghi, Valerie Leuth, Mary Mack, and Josh Tonies. If you get a chance, ask Conroy about next Saturday's Hothouse- the preeminent art party (sponsored by the Sprout fund) in the Pittsburgh region. He's the event architect.