Reflections On Local Art Chaos. Part 2.

Without a doubt I was more impressed with the quality of the art this weekend than I was last week. It started well with an impromptu stop at the Zombo Gallery for a look at Ian Green's new work. Michael and Julie (the gallery owners) are dedicated to presenting good 'lowbrow' art at affordable prices. Green is not known for selling cheap- he puts a tremendous amount of time and craftsmanship into everything he does, and he rightfully expects to be compensated appropriately for it. They were able to strike a very nice balance with a mix of tags ranging from 60 to several thousand dollars. There was truly something for everyone. Green's dystopian aesthetic was on full display, with Gandhi fighting asteroids, and baby-binky vitual reality implants. If you didn't get a chance to see it, be sure to make the closing on May 23rd.

Unblurred had a number of pleasant surprises for the discriminating viewer. Metamorphose continued a recent string of excellent shows with the paintings of Joana Ricou. In 2000 Ricou moved from Portugal to attend CMU. The 'Burgh is exceedingly lucky to have her. I first became aware of her work (which she describes as the intersection of biology and art) when she had a show with Stacy Gross at ModernFormations last March. She has been exhibiting lush depictions of the nude female form soaked in brash temptation. Her fiery color palette and sinewy brush-strokes collaborate in a body of work that is both reminiscent of the classical tradition and altogether fuckin' hot.

Across the street at ImageBox was another unexpected series of treasures. Brant Dykstra has been focusing on making rap music since his graduation from art school several years ago. He had actually taken an indefinite leave from painting until quite recently. His re-emergence caught more than a few eyes at his first solo last Friday. There is something vaguely 'day of the dead' about his imagery. His figures populate barren landscapes of muted color. They are stark, but exceptionally contemporary. He was present and accessible at his reception, and was gracious in representing his work. It seems that painting is in his blood. His older sibling Joren showed at the sadly-defunct Digging Pitt in February of 2007, as part of the excellent "Visual Grammar" exhibition of abstraction. I would be very surprised if we didn't see a lot more of both Dykstras in the future.

My post-Unblurred plans were stymied by the Brillo Box's decsion to hold an invitation-only party for the elite after the Carnegie International, and so I found myself with some other local artist schmucks down at Remedy. My sources tell me that things got a bit wild late night at the Brillo, despite the imposing velvet ropes guarding the esteemed entranceway. I guess those San Francisco graffiti guys can get a little out-of-hand. Any short-termed feelings of displacement melted away as I resumed my customary back-booth station on Saturday night. It was surprisingly slow- I guess everyone was at the fancy Piet Mondrian party at the Warhol.

The party for the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Biennial was relatively sedate. But I have to give props to co-curators George Davis and Laura Domencic for their shared vision- the entire exhibition was well-planned and engaging. I particularly enjoyed an installation by Adam Welch- a full library of 'books' painted powder blue, periodically jarred from the shelves by a mysteriously ambulatory power-drill vibration. Also outstanding were a series of ornate paper cutouts of mayhem by Bovey Lee, a battlefield landscape featuring a Sasquatch Army by personal favorite Jen Cooney, and an otherworldly topographical installation at Pittsburgh Filmmakers by Keith Tassick. There were elements of fancy and fantasy to a lot of the pieces that added a factor of delight notably missing from most group efforts. I was hard-pressed to find anything disappointing at the show, and will refrain from identifying the exceptions. You have to see it for yourself.

December First Friday 2007..

December is officially here with its short days, icy sidewalks and freezing cold temperatures. What better way to honor the weekend but by meandering down the wind corridor better known as Penn Avenue for this month's Unblurred? Y'know, I have to be honest with you- I wasn't very impressed by the November offerings, despite my intial anticipation. I guess it's inevitable that (occasionally) I will remain unmoved by the displays of certain local artists. It wasn't as if I thought everything was terrible, but rather that I didn't see anything that I'm likely to remember. I did hear from a few friends that they enjoyed some of it, so it could be that it was simply a matter of personal taste. Anyway it was hardly a waste of my time. Even a bad Unblurrred is preferable to Happy Hour with the 'weekend warriors'.

I know for a fact that I'm going to enjoy at least one spot this go 'round. Modern Formations is featuring Jairan Sadeghi. She won the Grand Prize in the gallery's annually-juried 'Spring Salon'. I saw that show, and voted for her work over all others. Then I caught a wall of her stuff at La Vie in Larryville. She has a graphic illustrative sensibility, and is one among a number of my favorite local artists who have managed to conceive and depict visual worlds that are both compelling and idiosyncratic. If you like modern surrealism and/or art comix, then I'm sure you'll enjoy Sadeghi's stuff. Props go out to the proprietors , who have helped introduce us to a number of excellent young artists.

I've also been previously exposed to the kabbalistic mandala paintings of Juliana Morris. Her work is part of a group show at Garfield Artworks. If you are frustrated with the disproportionate success of local artists who paint corporate logos for bad television sitcoms, Juliana's pieces will be refreshing. She gives viewers a chance to quietly reflect on a deeper spiritualism that is often absent in the pop-culture-infested wasteland we call home. C'mon and get quiet!

Aside from the above, I'm sure you will find plenty of other spots that compel you to stop in and consume free alcohol. The fine women at Metamorphose are promising to have hot chocolate on hand. The Clay Penn and Most Wanted Fine Art are rolling out holiday group shows. Carolyn Wenning's SPACE will be open as well. And if all of that isn't enough to call you out into the cold, I want to mention that Todd Pinkham is showing 'tarp paintings' at the new International Children's Art Gallery at 5020 Penn Avenue. Todd was included in a Carnival-themed show I curated awhile ago, and I think the kids will find his melange of pop iconography and free-form 'street' paint-strokes fulfilling.

And then comes Saturday! The art-appreciation fun continues at Digging Pitt on Butler Street (Lawrenceville). They are offering a reception for the first of two Pittsburgh portions of The Blogger Show (which began in earnest in November in Manhattan). Both of their galleries will be featuring work by artists throughout the US that write art-related blogs. The final opening reception for The Blogger Show happens at Panza Gallery in Millvale next Saturday (Dec. 15th). Meanwhile the Zombo Gallery on Hatfield St. is showcasing the work of local photographer Corey LaChat. He's known around these parts for showing large fuzzily color-saturated portraits of plastic toys. If you haven't been to Zombo's yet, then you are missing out on the 'lowbrow' capital of the 'Burgh.

Finally La Vie (36th and Butler) is having a Holiday-themed group show (A Few of Our Favorite Things), featuring the work of many outstanding painters and photographers that have appeared on their walls throughout the last year- including (but not limited to) Renee Ickes, Dallah Cesen, Eric Stern, Elina Malkin, Thommy Conroy, Mike Budai, Jairan Sadeghi, Jae Ruberto, Edgar Um, and Katherine Young. In addition, I'd like to announce that I will be showing a piece during this exhibition at La Vie for the first time. It's one of my favorite photos, and it's never been displayed before. The distinguishing trait of AFOOFT is that (unlike at most opening receptions) if you find something you like, you can purchase it and pull it right off the wall. Come out and purchase some (reasonably-priced and hip) art for the holidays!

October 2007 Unblurred.

Guess what? First Friday is here again, and the galleries and assorted establishments along Penn Avenue are featuring "fun and frolic". October is always a great time for Unblurred, and this should be no exception. True... we'll be having unseasonably warm weather, but that's certainly not going to keep people holed up in their homes. There's a lot going on this month, so come on out and play.

What's new this time? Well, the Sprout Fund has moved into their new headquarters at 5423 Penn Avenue, and they are holding an Open House. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging the community with public art. Their most high-profile project has no doubt been the mural program, in which they pay artists "competitive" wages to complete large scale paintings in neighborhoods throughout the city. But they are also involved in "civic engagement, talent attraction and retention, and catalytic small-scale funding". They've been known to support small-scale local projects with seed awards, some of which have been received by concerns as diverse as Jefferson Presents and The RiverCubes Project. Finally, they also sponsor the annual Hothouse party- perhaps the biggest art event/party of the year. What better way to find out exactly what they are up to then to hear it from their own mouths? Show up tonight, armed with questions. You'll get to eat some refreshments provided by Whole Foods, and soak up entertainment from Dave Bernabo, Ben Harris and the Zany Umbrella Circus.

The Clay Penn (5111 Penn Avenue) is back again! Stop by and say hi to Laura Jean, and check out new paintings and assemblages by Jorge Myers. He's a dedicated artist and advocate of the Hill District. While you're nearby, stop in at 5151 Penn- apparently reports of the gallery's demise were premature. Paper cut-up artist Linnea Glick has an opening for her solo exhibition tonight. She's demonstrated some facility with representing evocative seasonal symbols in silhouette. Her accomplishments also include being assistant director of Pitt Arts.

Back in the heart of the Penn Avenue Corridor business district, Modern Formations (4919 Penn) is rolling out another group show. This collection of work is dedicated to "celebrating the mysticism and varied symbolism of trees". If that sounds creepily hippie-esque to you, then know this... Lauri Mancuso is among the participating artists, and she ain't no hippie! While I don't recognize any of the other names in the show, the curators have a good collective eye and they put out a nice spread. Across the street, Metamorphose (corner of Penn and Gross) is rolling out their festivities- tonight they are featuring painter Susan Constance and Matt Dearboff (who apparently is inspired somehow by Frank Lloyd Wright). The former has a long tradition of toiling in the arts in the 'burgh. Come out and give her the accolades she desrves. Meanwhile there's also a band, featuring the ubiquitous Barrett Black (and an aquarium full of ice-cold beer). Oh yeah... check out the Autumn fashions of Marci Gehring and Monica Phillips.

You're down on Penn Avenue, and you might as well make it a point to see everything. Go straight to ImageBox (4933 Penn) and check out the New Age works Charles Smith. I suspect that they will be quite calming. And Jason Sauer over at Most Wanted Fine Art (5015 Penn) is no longer the Newest Kid on the Block. Check out his space to see if he falls prey to the dreaded "sophomore slump". Afterwards (if you know what's good for you), avoid clogging up the BrilloBox. I'd like to enjoy its extraordinary charms in peace.