"We Will Dance Again" @ Melwood Screening Room.

The day of my reception has finally arrived. It's been a waiting game ever since I delivered the work to the gallery. Since then I've found out that several people showed up last Friday, expecting the reception to be on the actual day of the opening. It's a bit of a shame they missed out on the free refreshments, but I was gratified to learn that they cared enough to take a look. As far as tonight is concerned, I am experiencing very little anxiety. My last solo exhibit was recent enough to take the edge off of this one. So hopefully I'll arrive early, drink a couple of beers with some friends, and relax.

I figured I'd take this chance to provide a little context about the show. Here is the blog post I wrote last year after first visit to Asbury Park. It's hard to believe that almost an entire year has passed since that visit. I wanted to travel to this destination for several years before I actually got my act together. The sights I saw are still fresh in my mind, no doubt aided by the visual record I have put together. It's notable how few people in Western PA have any idea about what Asbury Park once was. For that reason, I thought that I might provide a basic outline of its storied history.

The land that Asbury Park sits upon was purchased by James A. Bradley in 1871. He named the community after Francis Asbury, the founder of Methodism in the US. Bradley had traveled extensively throughout Europe, and used his experiences as a foundation in the planning and layout of Asbury Park. Right from the very beginning, it had its own unique character among northeastern beachfront towns. It was actually the first seaside resort in America to benefit from a sanitary sewer system. It was an early adopter of trolleys and electric power, and was equipped with an operahouse and several fine hotels. By the last decade of the Nineteenth Century, a boardwalk and amusement pier with rides had been built.

Despite a horrible fire in 1917, Asbury Park continued to grow in size and prosper. The year 1923 brought a building boom, and several structures depicted in my show (including the Casino and Convention Hall) were constructed during that time period. Cookman Avenue, which has recently been rejuvenated through the latest round of development, was a bustling business district. But in the wake of the post WW-II years, social changes brought about an almost imperceptible transition in Asbury Park. With the completion of the Garden State Parkway, less and less vacationers used trains to reach their destinations, and the railroads that brought tourists to Asbury were becoming progressively empty. At the same time the construction of suburban shopping malls took a big bite out of the commercial activity on Cookman Avenue. Office parks on its periphery drew professionals away from downtown residences, and the opening of Great Adventure (a huge amusement park) presented overwhelming competition for leisure dollars. On July 4th, 1970 civic unrest turned into riots, and the declining fate of Asbury Park was sealed.

Although several rock clubs (like the Stone Pony, the Fast Lane, and Asbury Lanes) have played host to big name musical acts throughout the years, Asbury Park has been considered a seedy and slightly dangerous beach town for the past few decades. Bruce Springsteen immortalized this period with his seminal album Greetings From Asbury Park. It's been known as a mecca for populations as diverse as bikers, gays, criminals, drug addicts, and artists. Now as the last remains of Asbury Park's past crumble into ruins, a new future is dawning. The attention of investors has been naturally drawn to this underdeveloped beach-town only about an hour's ride from NYC. The modern explorer is met with the evidence of large-scale construction projects that will soon result in resorts of massive scale.

I was compelled to photograph Asbury Park on the cusp of what I perceive to be another lamentable example of the homogenization of the American landscape. Soon all evidence of a once unique and authentic city along the Atlantic shore will be wiped away forever. Like everything else of specific interest on the East Coast, the future of Asbury no doubt will be characterized by the suburbanization of our urban environments. Gentrification, driven through the commercial imperative, is bound to make Asbury Park look as blandly uninspired as the US itself. The structures I saw on my trip, despite their state of rapid deterioration, encapsulate a stark grandeur that seems to be forever receding into our past.

The Show is Hung... the Wait Continues.

My show at Pittsburgh Filmmakers is finally up on the wall. This is a bit of a strange situation for me, as I haven't even been in to look at the finished product. Of course it is a bit unconventional to have the artwork exposed to public view for a full week before the opening reception. It makes my promotional hot card a bit misleading. Originally the opening was scheduled for tonight, but it had to be pushed back by a week because of scheduling conflicts. Now it's going to happen a week from today, on "First Friday". I'll admit to having mixed feelings about that.

I've made my frustration about Pittsburgh event-planning pretty well-known on this blog. Weeks will go by without anything much of interest, and then there will be a flood of options packed into a single night. This weekend, for example, there is very little happening in the 'Burgh. Earlier this evening I attended the single thing I had identified as wanting to see- a multi-artist opening curated by Thad Kellstadt, downtown at the Space Gallery. Actually, considering the lack of entertainment opportunities, this event was sparsely attended. It was good to see Thad on the eve of his big move to Chicago. I'm sure he'll do well there. But while he's settling in there next weekend, there will be plenty of things to see here in Pittsburgh.

I anticipate that many of the folks who would ordinarily show up at my opening will be occupied with Unblurred on Penn. Hell... if I wasn't unveiling my own work that night, I'd be right there with them. Some of my friends have tried to mollify me by saying that the art walks in the summer are weak, but that wouldn't have kept me at home otherwise. The only thing that could work in my benefit is that everyone will already be out, and perhaps they'll jump around a bit. Either way I'm sure I'll enjoy next Friday with whomever shows up. If you've never been to an opening at the Melwood Screening Room, you'll be pleased to discover how great the spreads are at their receptions. If no one else comes, that just means more beer and food for me. I'll be the one laying in my own vomit in the lobby.

Actually the entire experience with Filmmakers has been wonderful so far. It certainly didn't hurt that I contracted the very competent Paul Roden and Valerie Lueth of Tugboat Printing (Lawrenceville) to frame my work this time around. They did an excellent job at an extremely affordable price. Between them and Panza Frame and Gallery, Pittsburgh artists and collectors are spoiled. You can't go wrong with either of these excellent shops.

George Davis and the entire crew at Filmmakers have also made the preparation for this show extremely pleasant. Despite the fact that they usually don't print cards for the outer gallery, they were tremendously accommodating in granting my request for them. They made them in-house and (thanks, Gern) they came out looking great. When I delivered the work on Wednesday morning, George and I organized the work through a smooth collaborative process. We laid the photos along the walls, and agreed on a meaningful presentation. I couldn't believe how smooth a process it was. After we were done with the layout, I was able to leave immediately. I felt completely indulged, knowing that competent professionals would hang and light the work. An artist could get used to showing at the institutional level.

While the inner gallery is considered a more prestigious space to show, the lobby of the Melwood Screening Room has some extraordinary benefits. It is impossible to go to see one of the many fine quality foreign or independent films without being exposed to the work in the outer gallery. Unlike a private gallery, this theater attracts a whole population of folks who otherwise wouldn't make a point of looking at art. While there is really no sales orientation in the facility, showing at Pittsburgh Filmmakers is a great way to broaden your appeal. I'm definitely looking forward to the reception, and I hope you will join me (if at all possible).


The opening reception for We Will Dance Again runs from 7-9PM on Friday, August 3rd. The gallery/screening room is located at 477 Melwood Avenue in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Contact Pittsburgh Filmmakers for further information at 412-681-5449. My work will be available for viewing through September 2, 2007.