| VOX POPULI MOVES WEST
A Comparison of Recent Noteworthy Philadelphia
Shows |
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Institute of Contemporary
Art
118 South 36th Street
"The Architectural Unconscious" /
"East Meets West" |
Fabric Workshop & Museum
1315 Cherry St.
"Tom Friedman"
Vox Populi
1315 Cherry St.
"Not Yet Housebroken "
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Pennsylvania Academy of Fine
Arts
118 N. Broad St
"Virgil Marti" |
Vox Populi moves West
So far, it has been an interesting summer
on the Philadelphia art curcuit. There have been several shows that
make for some intriguing comparisons.
At the ICA, Curator Alex Baker's East Meets West
("Folk" and Fantasy from the Coasts) exhibition is placed
side by side with another current ICA exhibtion, The Architectural
Unconscious. This was a great example of the stylisitic highs
and lows within the artworld. It was up to the viewer to judge which
work was more appealing -the "street" art by younger artists
immersed in subculture (hippy, surf & skateboard) and seemingly
unaffected by art-analysis; or the cooler strategies of James Casebere
and Glen Seator.
Casebere's work has a long track record and it deftly straddles
some original post modern strategies while fitting into the wider
contemporary arena where the camera is used to record any number
of "illusions" for the art stage. Although slick, his
photographed dioramas are decidedly creepy. Seator's cerebral machinations
wrapped up in polished craft were the perfect match. Downstairs
in East Meets West, we could compare three SanFranscico artists
with three of our own. Though not as focused as last year's Wallpower
(another Alex Baker show that ended up at Deitch Projects in NYC
then on to the Venice Bienale) featuring Barry McGee, this show
has the same general attitude. Margaret Kilgallen steals the show
and confirms that scale is everything. Everyone else seems to be
following her lead. Considering the remit, the work here is fairly
diverse, each offering a unique "goofiness". It will be
interesting to see if Philadelphia's Jim Houser will follow his
mentors into the art world proper. He will need to work on his rationale
for "installation."
After seeing the impressive ultra-invisible Tom Friedman
show (through August 25th 2001) at the Fabric Museum, I attended
the Virgil Marti opening at PAFA. A connection with the ICA's
East Meets West can be seen immediately. Many artists of a certain
age have something to say about growing up in our trash culture.
But, some of the notions about the 70's decoration, headshops, black-lights
and teenage angst don't chime with the claims for historical precedence
made in the catalogue. Chief Curator Sylvia Yount makes comparisons
to Thomas Cole and William Morris and this is a stretch. It gives
the work creedance where it is not needed. The Marti piece worked
because of the contrast with the overwhelming Academy building -
not because of any forced similarities with Victorian aesthetic
and you can't go wrong with black lights. Do we fixate on the "daydreams
of youth" because we never actually grow up? A disheartening
thought.
Vox Populi's new close proximity to PAFA and the Fabric Museum
may help the co-operative gallery promote itself more independently
and the distance from the clutter of Old City may turn out to be
a boon. On First Fridays, the old space was often like an MFA graduation
party, lots of fun, but the work was often not in keeping with the
rough hewn space. It appeared a mish mash; maybe it was a context
problem. Now, for whatever reason, Vox Populi has landed on it's
feet. Not only does the art resonate better in the new space, but
it speaks well for the gallery and it's mission to show it's members
effectively, regardless of the difficult audience in the City. This
show, which includes a piece by each member, was put together to
celebrate the opening of the new space and to fill the gap where
the schedule was thrown off. This abitrary condition, showing all
it's members at once, is quite different from their normal agenda,
group shows - a lucky thing, too. Although without theme or any
other connecting idea, this work had a good reason for being there.
It served as a calling card for the gallery and it's "stable"
of emerging artists. Most of the show had a very contemporary feel.
The work of Marina Borker, Merrilee Chaliss, Klint Takeda, Joy Feasley
(also in East Meets West at ICA) and others seemed to resonate fully
in the new environment. Maybe the art that was seeking a white box
in which to shine has now found a home.
© James Rosenthal 2001 |
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