Work! We Are No Strangers exhibiton currently showcasing at the Crane Arts building. Photo courtesy of Rebekah Templeton.

Following the collective’s move from the Crane building, Nexus’ former gallery space is now a temporary venue for some of Philadelphia’s other artist-run spaces. With artists from Grizzly Grizzly, Marginal Utility, Rebekah Templeton, and Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Work! We Are No Strangers provides an opportunity for the artists to showcase their recent creations through July 31.

The religious scene in Mike Ellyson’s “Christ Taking Leave of His Mother” is at first unrecognizable. Constructed of puzzle pieces that are attached to wires of various lengths, the image is broken into various planes, and the figures are reduced to abstract shapes. The search for each figure is like the search for spirituality and reflects the desire for the concrete and symbolic.

Other works from Grizzly Grizzly artists include: Mary Smull’s “Old Mill Farm #2,” a partially completed needlepoint kit with a sense of relief, Jacque Liu’s “Mesocyclone #3,” a mathematical drawing that reveals the complexity of natural phenomenon, Josh Weiss’s “Garden,” an oil painting that reflects an interest in organic structures, Dennis Matthews’ “Not now but right now,” a painting of layered materials, and Cindy Stockton Moore’s “Hover III,” a watercolor—painted directly on the gallery wall—that freezes a moment.

David Dempewolf is the only artist representing Marginal Utility with his video, “Kitchen.” The camera scans lines of a philosophical text, but the reading is interrupted by scenes from the artist’s memory that continuously fade in and out. The words and memories blend together to create a new experience that offers more insight than if Dempewolf had remained completely focused.

From Rebekah Templeton, Dan Schank and Tyler Kline create works that embody destruction and chaos. Dan Schank’s “Thick Skin” depicts a crumbling, lifeless city that speaks to urban blight and environmental crisis. Tyler Kline’s “Red Robin, Red Robin, fly away home…” is a mixed media installation that combines industrial materials with the organic and speaks to the threat that humans pose to the ecosystem.

In Work!, the artists of Tiger Strikes Asteroid are the most numerous. Jaime Alvarez’s Polaroid “Con” depicts two small busts that resemble playthings in conversation. Nora Salzman’s “Forgive me, but the body is the devil” looks at perceptions of the body and sexuality. Alex Paik and Caroline Santa each create colorful and playful abstract compositions. Alexis Granwell’s “Castaway” resembles a map and an attempt to create an order. Anne Schaefer’s “10×16 (honeycomb)” pulsates with color and an implied three dimensionality. Ryan McCartney’s “Drag strip” and Matthew Sepielli’s “Wrapped Razor” are concerned with the relationship between surface and medium. Rubens Ghenov’s “A Reconciliation of Sorts” transforms a pair of dress shoes into a pair of adidas and speaks to a dissatisfaction with formality and rigid, workplace expectations. Terri Saulin’s “Juno-Walton” depicts an entombed figure with multiple arms and reflects an interest in mythology and ideas of birth, death, and resurrection across cultures.

Although Nexus has left the Crane building, the nineteen artists prove that the space will continue to be a place for artists to showcase their work. While the future site of the city’s oldest artist collective is not yet known, the current show highlights the inventiveness of artist-run spaces.

Tags: aaron levy, alex paik, alexis granwell, anne schaefer, caroline santa, cindy stockton moore, dan schank, david dempewolf, dennis matthews, jacque liu, jaime alvarez, josh weiss, marginal utility, mary smull, matthew sepielli, mike ellyson, nora salzman, rebekah templeton, rubens ghenov, ryan mccartney, terri saulin, tiger strikes asteroid, tyler kline, work! we are no strangers
Posted in Front Page, Philly Art News, Reviews | No Comments »

Posted by David Richardson

Exploring the multitude of Philadelphia arts venues/collectives/organizations is a rewarding endeavor. There is an incredible diversity of approaches and attitudes towards aesthetic practice here in the city. About a year ago I was introduced to the Slought Foundation by a professor of mine. Just now am I realizing the scope of the Slought Foundation’s projects and the nature of their inspiring mission.

Slought Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia that engages the public in dialogue about cultural and socio-political change. As an institution, it occupies a unique and perhaps voided space between artistic/cultural practice and political activism/civic engagement.

Certainly Slought is not the first organization to simultaneously engage these entities, but they are exploring the relationship between the two bodies of discourse in a notably rigorous fashion not often executed: Slought projects seem to understand both sides of the conversation to be ends in themselves – art and aesthetic practice are not a means to a political discussion, and political discourse is not a means to art. Both are of equal standing and have the potential to change each other. Slought seeks to understand this potential as a site for positive change.

A current project of particular interest is entitled “The Perpetual Peace Project.” It is an ongoing joint initiative with the European Union National Institutes of Culture (EUNIC), the International Peace Institute (IPI), the United Nations University (UNU), and the Syracuse University Humanities Center. The project is rooted in some way in Immanuel Kant’s foundational essay Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch (1795). Most basically, it aims to start a conversation between philosophers, practitioners, and governing bodies about the potential for peace as a sustainable reality. The project will take on a variety of forms, including a symposium, an exhibition, workshops, and a film. In this way, the project embodies inclusive collaboration and a high standard of critical engagement. For more information on the project visit either slought.org or perpetualpeaceproject.org

Slought is located on the northwest corner of 40th and Walnut in West Philadelphia. Check it out.

Tags: aaron levy, cultural, nonprofit, perpetual peace, political, slought, slought foundation, social, west phiadelphia
Posted in Philly Art News, Reviews | No Comments »