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
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Posted by David Richardson
This weekend I attended my first Machete seminar. I traveled to the warehouse at 319 N. 11th Street Saturday night not to better understand how to cut;  I went to sharpen a blade.

Machete Group at Marginal Utility

Is Machete a group of Amazonian tour guides? Are they a nonprofit advocating for the implementation of mazes in Philly’s overgrown vacant lots? Well, no. But they are in the business of trailblazing. Machete is a collection of philosophers, artists, and thinkers of all kind who come together under the mantra “theory without practice is empty and practice without theory is blind.” Their focus is the critical engagement of aesthetic practice. They are finding new ways to navigate through art and the universe.

Machete is manifested in two primary forms: a discussion group and a newsprint publication. The discussion group meets about once every two months to discuss the philosophy, history, and politics of art, with a focus on 20th century and contemporary works. They provide a suggested reading list for all attendees (and post convenient PDFs of all materials on their site) so as to ground the conversation. Each meeting begins with a talk by two or three of the Machete leaders, typically Gabriel Rockhill, Avi Alpert, and a resident artist/thinker. From there, a question & answer portion ensues. Beer is provided.

The publication/zine is a collection of critical essays and interviews with local men and women with new ideas. It varies from one to five pull-out sheets and is one-hundred percent free. Copies of the newsprint, as well as back-issues, can be picked up outside the Marginal Utility gallery space at the address listed above (while you are at the warehouse, be sure to make a stop at Vox Populi on the third floor).

Saturday’s meeting was a great way to start the night. I will most certainly be heading back for the regular discussions. To read an interview with founders Yuka Yokayama and David Dempewolf, head over to Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof’s ArtBlog.

Tags: aesthetics, conversation, critical, dempewolf, discussions, machete, marginal utility, philosophy, publications, yokayama
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