Thursday, May 29, 2008

Saah Fan Since 2006

The Elusive Surrounding, soon to close at C. Grimaldis Gallery, features work that--for the most part--has to do with our physical environment. As it happened the last time I saw the work Christopher Saah, I felt his was the most interesting, and his pieces perfectly embodying the exhibition's title.

This is a review I wrote of Saah's work in the 2006 MICA MFA show
Lasting First Impressions:
Artist Christopher Saah’s DISPLACEMNTS project offers a deceptively articulate introduction to MICA’s 2006 MFA thesis show which, frankly, peters both creatively and aesthetically as you move past the foyer. Saah’s work is a series of vignetted, color, digital prints that address the minute details of housing complex construction. Saah managed to tap a visual goldmine and beautifully communicates the imprint of man on natural material and essence of limbo in the building process.
Despite initial, minor annoyances, such as the unforgiving glare caused by the space’s poor lighting and digital artifacts upon close inspection of the prints, Saah’s small body of photographs kept me captivated for twice the time given to the rest of the included work, which seriously included a gigantic, stuffed beaver—my reaction to which was only “perhaps the joke, and art, was lost on me.” The images, archival pigment prints, are displayed in a small space, and appear to be arranged by similarity of content. The vignettes of the prints meet a murky, black matte atypical of traditional photography exhibition, which usually favors a white or complimentary, light color. The lonesome, quiet images are heavily green and yellow in hue and offer an alien, sickly feel.
They speak to the stagnation of futures lived in identical boxes, the pattern and unavoidable repetition in both the elements of process (tire tracks in mud, silhouetted housing frames) and in product.

Embarrassing....
But, here are some other highlights from The Elusive Surrounding:

Hidenori Ishii

Hidenori Ishii's "T(r)ee Po(o)0l

Krista Steinke's photos which I was pretty into, minus the masks
see maskless pix here

Sara Seidman watches Steinke's video piece. Dennis Farber's pieces in back left

Mary Temple's spring light

Don Cook's mixed media poem/model sculpture

FOUND OBJECTS NEW BEGINNINGS - The Art of Trash @ Public Works Museum

Photos from the opening of FOUND OBJECTS NEW BEGINNINGS - The Art of Trash at the Public Works Museum on May 21, 2008.

Fantastic works by Char Brooks.


Pills in bubble wrap!

Dan Herman's paper airplanes.

Work by Emily C-D.

Annie Gray looks at Steve Bradley's wall of saran wrapped objects, reminicent of thrift store grab bags.

Tin can cowboy boots Leonard Streckfus.

Jesse gets down with art.

Rachel Bradley's Hellboxes.



Artist Emily C-D.

Amazing moving sculpture by Randall Cleaver



Artist Char Brooks discusses her work.

This shirt was created from saved recipts.

Scott Cawood's interesting take on high heels.

Works by Elizabeth Lundberg Morisette.




Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Laundry Masala Makes a Comeback!


Laundry Masala
Spicy New Art by Indian Explorers Emily C-D & Jessie Unterhalter

Opening SUNDAY JUNE 1ST from 6pm-close
@ IDLE HOUR
201 E. Fort Ave. in Federal Hill
Baltimore, MD

Saturday, May 24, 2008

600 Opens @ 2219 St. Paul and Looks Flashy

The Polaroid photograph is an aesthetic that has been recently ingrained in our culture as "cool." Despite its rapid irrelevance, Polaroids provide footnotes to parties, concert, blogs (as seen on gorrilla vs bear, and occasionally Gawker) and suggest their images reflect "hip" sensibilities. There is a certain, inescapable nostalgia that exists with Polaroids, their warm color makes everyone look like they're in the 70s, and creates a relative timelessness that is extremely attractive, both to viewers and subjects.
An exhibition entirely of Polaroids functions as an informal affair. Many taken with a degree of nonchalance, the collected images provide a glimpse into the artists' road trips, parties, and bedrooms. Essentially, "life" is the theme of a Polaroid show, its honestly and accessibility make the exhibition unpretentious, despite one's inclination to express Polaroid-presumption.

Exhibiting artist, Lesser Gonzales

Jake, Ryan, Caitlin enjoying the exhibit, and the wine

Alternative Polaroid Process


Exhibiting artist, Kyle Van Horn is so serious.


Michael Benevento admiring photos

Look, its Bill Murray

Moira Horowitz and Erin Schimtt
Andrew Laumann loves photography


Max Weselcouch, Bonner Sale and exhibiting artist, Ben Turner

Christine and Robert Tillman

Monique looks at photos

This guy was taking Polaroids during the opening

The 600 catalog, available for sale at http://stores.lulu.com/nancyfro

Exhibiting artist, Jordan Bernier is rich, in this photo

Are those Polaroids on the stairs?