Posted by Erica Minutella
What do bulletproof glass, broken beer bottles, and vacant lots have in common? While your first inclination may be to associate these things with staging straight out of a murder scene from Law and Order, David Belt, of the design firm Macro Sea, may soon have you thinking otherwise.

GLASSPHEMY! photo by Carryn M. Golden

His new Brooklyn project Glassphemy! merges recycling initiatives and social experimentation in a 20 by 30 foot art installation featuring a room constructed from steel frames and bulletproof glass. The colossal structure allows visitors standing above the piece to smash beer bottles against the walls, thereby activating a lighting system set to go off in response to the vibrations created by the impact of the bottles.

Originally envisioned during a community design charrette in Philadelphia, Glassphemy! will be returning to the city of its conception, presented by InLiquid and Community Design Collaborative as a part of DesignPhiladelphia, in partnership with KSNAC (Kensington South Neighborhood Advisory Council) and NKCDC (New Kensington Development Corporation). The piece will remain on display in the Crane Arts Building, 1400 N. American Street, from October 12 through 17.

GLASSPHEMY! renderings by Vamos Architects

In addition, Glassphemy! will be part of two major events on October 17. From 11 am to 4 pm, the piece will be on view during CAFé, the Community Arts Festival presented by InLiquid at Crane Arts. Immediately afterward, it will act as the site for DesignPhiladelphia’s official closing party.

Tags: glass, glassphemy, installation, interactive, recycle, recycling, sculpture
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Posted by Erica Minutella

Detail from The New Jell-O Book of Surprises. CHF Collections.

The average American could probably rattle off a list of Jell-O trivia: from reenacting Bill Cosby pudding commercials to explaining how Jurassic Park has made the jiggling dessert synonymous with velociraptor attacks. On Friday, August 6, Philadelphians will be able to add an understanding of Jell-O’s chemical composition to their repertory – thanks to the Chemical Heritage Foundation.

Using the museum’s 1930 Jell-O Cookbook, CHF staff will offer a rundown of the company’s history, as well as samples of some of Jell-O’s more interesting mid-century concoctions.

“Mid-Century Cooking for the Jell-O Cookbook” is free and open to the public. The First Friday event will run from 5 to 8 pm at 315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. For more information, visit the CHF website.

Tags: chemical heritage, cookbook, events, jell-o
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Posted by Erica Minutella
The Raven Lounge, irrevocably associated with Edgar Allan Poe and his famous poem, already has a firm footing in the creative world. Most recently, with the addition of “Art in the Dark,” the Raven will now provide a monthly bastion for visual artists.

Founded by Niki Bombshell, a Philadelphia artist upset by the system of exclusion she felt was taking over art galleries and venues, “Art in the Dark” aims to provide a space for local artists free of charge. Every First Thursday at 9 pm, participating artists gather at the Raven to display their work to the accompaniment of drink specials and a DJ. Every few months, an additional show is held at Bob and Barbara’s Lounge.

This month will feature two “Art in the Dark” shows. The first will be held at Bob and Barbara’s, 1509 South Street, on August 2 at 9 pm. The second will take place on August 5 at the Raven, 1718 Sansom Street, also at 9 pm.

Tags: alternative, art in dark, bob & barbara's, niki bombshell, raven
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Posted by Erica Minutella
In the 1980s, while Americans were experimenting with colorful wardrobes and experiencing John Hughes movies for the first time, Taiwan was undergoing an environmental awakening.

As a part of this movement, Taiwanese artists have sought inspiration from the natural materials used in traditional Chinese culture. To celebrate this recent re-exploration of the natural world in art, the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education and the Asian Arts Initiative have partnered with the Taipei Cultural Center in New York City for the exhibition Going Green: New Environmental Art from Taiwan.

The opening reception for Going Green will be held at the Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street, on Friday, August 6 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. A panel discussion will feature visiting Taiwanese artists Chao-chang Lee and Ping-yu Pan, among others.

Guided tours of outdoor installations at the Schuylkill Center, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road, will take place on Saturday, August 7, 3 – 5 pm. Further works will be on view at Asian Arts. The exhibition will remain on display through August 20. More information can be found by clicking here

Tags: asian arts, environment, environmental art, nature, schuylkill center, taiwan
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The exhibition called Ancient Rome and America at the National Constitution Center is a little dumbed down. It makes a vivid but narrow comparison of American “Republican,” values with those of the Roman Empire, which fell in the Fifth Century. If Rome fell because of a mor Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: america, ancient, constitution center, exhibit, exhibitions, reviews, rome
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Posted by Erica Minutella, 5/10/10
This June 9 – 12, the City of Philadelphia will play host to Art in the Open, a city-spanning celebration that will allow artists to venture beyond the gallery walls and out beneath the summer skies.

Following in the nineteenth-century footsteps of en plein air pioneers, artists of all media will range along the banks of the Schuylkill River, stretching from the Fairmount Park Water Works and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, south to Bartram’s Garden. While drawing inspiration from the open-air environs, they will create works on-site, thereby enabling members of the public to witness the artistic process firsthand. Events include exhibitions at City Hall and the University of the Arts Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, book discussions, boat rides, and movie screenings, among many others.

Work by Nic Coviello, one the the artists participating in Art in the Open

The creative team behind Art in the Open includes artist Ed Bronstein, Executive Director of Philadelphia’s City Parks Association Deenah Loeb, as well as Mary Salvante, Director of the Rowan University Art Gallery in New Jersey and board member of InLiquid. InLiquid is one of many presenting partners taking part in the event.

Blaise Tobia will be one of the artists participating in Art in the Open

Art in the Open features 35 artists: Nancy Agati, Maria Anasazi, Cynthia Back, Laura Anderson Barbata, Michael Bartmann, Joan Becker, Ava Blitz, Harry Bower, Michele Brody, Nic Coviello, Laure Drogoul, Anda Dubinskis, Mindy Flexer, Candace Fong, Roy Andres Hofer, Warren Holzman, Ellie Irons, Diedra Krieger, David Lee, Don Lobdell, Joseph Mangrum, Ed Marston, S. Zachary Martin, Austin + Mergold, Norman Mooney, Daniel Petraitis, Christopher Pierro, Paul Santoleri, Diane Savona, Tremain Smith, Leah Stein Dance Company, Katie Tackman, Denise Karabinus Telang, Blaise Tobia, and Roman Tybinko

Tags: art in the open, Artist, outdoors, public art
Posted in InLiquid News, Philly Art News | 1 Comment »