ArtBUZZ: May 13-May 19, 2010
Courtesy of ROA/Factory FreshBUSHWICK
Friday, May 14, 7-10pm
Factory Fresh goes wild as it opens its doors to the zoetic art of Belgium-born artist ROA. The artist’s organic animal forms, huge in both their reputation and impact, will grace the walls of the gallery this May, reminding spectators of the forgotten natural world beneath the city’s streets.
Through his large-scale installations of very wild wild-life on the industrial canvas of the city, ROA produces a juxtaposition of the overtly natural against the mechanic that is both feral and nostalgic, a reminiscence of what the world used to be before cement and concrete. ROA is famous for his large black and white works that depict both the outer and inner appearance of rodents, bulls, roaches et al, who slumber on garage doors and cement blocks, copulate in abandoned alleyways and decay on brick walls. His work is sprawling and uncontainable, and will be filling Factory Fresh as such, barely pinned down to found materials, clustering in our corners and escaping out into our surrounding streets.
Opening Reception: Friday, May 14, 7-10pm
A two person show featuring paintings of figures in ecstatic states of becoming. These are depictions of the kind of tantric, violent thunder of the self that propels one upward, toward the divine. Figures in union, dissolving into one another, rupturing and dividing. Little Deaths is a show of experimental paintings by two artists, Ana Garcés Kiley and Myles Bennett, who have developed distinctive, individual approaches to their craft. Both artists live and work in Bushwick.
WILLIAMSBURG
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 15, 7-10pm
During his college career at Tyler School of the Arts, Philadelphia native Zach Puchowitz supplemented his education by studying with various professional glass artists. He spent his undergraduate years refining his technique, exploring art theory and expanding on known processes. Upon graduating, he moved to Burlington, Vermont where he worked in 11th Hour Glass Studio and also spent a year as the resident artist at The Allen Goldfarb Glass Studio. He is currently the owner and operator of Ouch Kick Studios, a hybrid studio for metal, ceramics, and hot glass and flameworking in Port Richmond, Philadelphia. Stop by to view his glass pipe art in the rawest of forms, up close and personal.
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 15, 5:30-9pm
Beyond “Stairway to Heaven,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” and even “Step by Step-” the conception of accession is deeply embedded in the human psyche, as are the ways in which we ascend, or descend for that matter. Escape From is Natalia Porter’s first solo show at Eye Level BQE, and the site-specific installation presents a succession of staircases that diverge in scale and materials. In Escape From, the ladders, steps, and staircases invoke both architectural function, and metaphoric symbolism. Traditionally stairs, ladders, and accession represent advancement, attainment, and accomplishment. However, the accumulation of miniature stairs and ladders provoke feelings of repetition, notions of time, structure and system, as well as to the every day passage of life.
PARK SLOPE
Work: Brendan CarrollUrban Alchemist Design Collective, 343 5th St. (off 5th Avenue)
Opening Reception: Friday, May 14, 7-9pm (Artist Q&A at 8pm)
A roving, conversation-based exhibition series, the “G-Train Salon” is launching its second season with Brendan Carroll. For his exhibition, One Foot’s in the Grave—the Other’s on a Banana Peel, Mr. Carroll transforms the space into a poignant receptacle of childhood memories/associations and imaginative musings using utilitarian materials such as gaffers tape, a Polaroid camera, and a Remington Sperry-Rand typewriter.
GREENPOINT
Saturday, May 15, 8pm
St. Cecelia’s, 21 Monitor Street (between Herbert and Richardson)
Opt-In will unveil a series of installations, video and otherwise, along with live music, performances, and DJs in a one night only event exploring the intersection of faith and technology. Local artists working in a variety of mediums have been invited to participate in this inaugural symposium, the first of many Opt-In curated events organized around a theme. The ultimate goal is to create an open and engaging environment in which artists, viewers, and revelers can feel free to drink, dance, and discuss at their leisure. To foster any inspiration that could arise from this stimulating environment, Opt-In will be designating space and materials for guests to come in and create. Participating artists include Opt-In co-founder Bryn Jackson, Brooklyn Art Project, DJ Tween Wolf, Anima Anonoma, the Modern Gypsies, and many more. Get there early for free beer, donated by the Climax Brewing Company
