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FIRST FRIDAY AND SATURDAY; 05.05-06.06 John Pence Gallery: Douglas Flynt - Recent Oil Paintings; Edward Minoff - Recent Oil Paintings and Drawings. Comment: Double dose of academic realism-- still lifes, landscapes, seascapes, interiors, and so on. My favorite is a soft nondescript New York subway track scene, somewhere between stations, somewhere between buildings, by Edward Minoff (but my photo didn't come out so I can't show you-- sorry). Art. Douglas Flynt - Douglas Flynt. Edward Minoff - Edward Minoff. Art (nice). Art. Art. *** Limn Gallery: Leaving Atzlan. Artists: Jesse Amado, Connie Arismendi, Javier Carmona, Alex Donis , Christina Fernandez, Carlos Frésquez , Diana Guerrero-Maciá, Salomon Huerta, Chuck Ramirez, Rubén Ortiz Torres, Julio César Morales. Comment: The object of the show is to challenge stereotypic perceptions of Latina/Latino Chicano/Chicana art by presenting a diverse group of artists who create art in a broad range of styles. Mission accomplished. Art. Art. Fabric art (like it). Art. Art (like it). Art. *** Jack Hanley Gallery: David Godbold - More Darkness. Comment: Dublin artist David Godbold makes unassuming Old Master style drawings on translucent paper, a number of which are religious in nature, but sometimes he blends in contemporary pop imagery such as Pokemon or Tin Tin. Then he frames 'em up over pieces of found paper like shopping lists or receipts. Then he gives 'em kicky titles. Then he makes a boo boo. I ask Jack Hanley where Godbold is because I wanna take his picture, and he's nowhere to be found. We look and ask at both galleries. Zip. Hey artists-- your openings only last a couple of hours. That's not exactly prison time, so stick around. And I'm not talkin' about me and my photographs; I'm talkin' about the serious shit like suppose there's a curator or critic in the house or a buyer who likes to chat artists up before he whips out the wad. But you don't care... you've got better things to do, right? Update: So I write the above, admittedly a smidge strident, and Ava Jancar of Jack Hanley Gallery is kind enough to email that by a fortuitous fluke of fate, I inadvertently unknowingly include an image of Godbold and his wife standing in front of his art (cuz I don't know what he looks like; see below; caption accordingly amended). Excellent. Still, if you gotta do the skidoo at your opening, make sure you're covered. It's always OK to take a break; it's less OK to abdicate. Art (David Godbold and wife, left). Art. *** Femina Potens Gallery: Under the Microscope. Artists: Cheryl Coon, Sherry Koyama, Lucrecia Troncoso. Comment: The show's title tells it-- microscopic enlargement art. Cheryl Coon's curious little bacterial caterpillar sculptures fashioned from carpet tacks woven together with black thread are worth an inspection. She's showing a large carpet tack sculpture too, made slightly differently. Nicely done, and a concept worth pursuing. Carpet tack art (Cheryl Coon - like it). Petri dish art. Art. More petri dish art. *** Artists: Ben Adamo, Craig Anderson, Paco Bermejo, Bernard Bolter, Mario Camacho, Eric Carlson, Evan Crane, Elbow-Toe, Gunner Fox, Jack Lawrence, Maarten van Maanen, Jannemieke Oostra, Jamie Roper, Julia Sanders, Sami Tatani, Sergio Teran, Henk de Vries. Comment: An international contingent of artists kicks off a traveling variety-pak exhibition here at Space Gallery. I'm partial to Bernard Bolter's ultra space age digitally montaged metropolis-scapes. He takes all the pictures himself, then slices and dices. And he can tell you what and where everything is too, which makes 'em even better ($250 each). Art. Art. Bernard Bolter - photography (like it). Bernard Bolter - photocollage art. Art. Art. Art. *** AfterModern Gallery: Anthony Mastromatteo - Thought Patterns. Comment: Mainly still-lifes and tromp l'oeils, all painterly; a number of compositions are edged up with obvious and not-so-obvious editorial comment. I go to way too many realist shows where the sole justification for the art seems to be "I paint it because I can." That's pretty vapid. Anthony Mastromatteo's art goes beyond that, advancing the issue an essential effective step further to "I paint it because I reflect on my existence, here's what's important to me, and here's what I have to say about it." Much much better. Art. Art. Art. Art. Art. Art. *** Southern Exposure Gallery: Momentum - Annual Spring Fundraiser and Art Auction. Artists: Caitlin Atkinson, Tauba Auerbach, Kim Austin, Ellen Babcock, Amy Balkin, Michael Bartalos, Tommy Becker, J.D. Beltran, David Berman, Charles Beronio, Leo Bersamina, Eric Bodine, Rebeca Bollinger, Jaren Bonillo, Cari Borja, Brad Brown, David Byrne, Michael Campbell, Castaneda/Reiman, Enrique Chagoya, Thomas Chang, Kevin Chen, Jim Christensen, Adriane Colburn, Jonathan Collis, Randy Colosky, Nick Czap, Binh Danh, Lauren Davies, Marcel Dzama, Amanda Eicher, Jeff Eisenberg, Josh Feldman, Harrell Fletcher, Dustin Fosnot, Maizie Gilbert, Jim Goldberg, Lori Gordon, Belinda Gray, Doug Hall, Michael Hall, David Hamill, Tanya Hastings Gill, Liz Hickok, Amy Hicks, Todd Hido, Elisabeth Higgins O'Connor, Terry Hoff, Suzanne Husky, Misa Inaoka, David Ireland, Jason Jagel, Packard Jennings, Kora Junger, Kathyrn Kenworth, Keira Kotler, Noah Lang, Olivier Laude, Susan Magnus, Michelle Mansour, Kara Maria, Vanessa Marsh, Marc Martin, Jet Martinez, Christian Maycheck, Molly McCracken, Sean McFarland, Dennis McNulty, Cheryl Meeker, Rebecca Miller, Julio Morales, Apollonia Morrill, Jeff Morris, Paul Mullins, Kelsey Nicholson, Abner Nolan, Scott Oliver, Justin O'Neill, Kelly Ording, Jen Pack, Stephanie Peek, David Peterson, Joshua Pieper, Nigel Poor, Nathaniel Price, Tammy Rae Carland, Rex Ray, Al Reyes, Lisa Ricci, Ricardo Richey, Ben Riesman, Thorina Rose, Michael Rosenthal, Bayete Ross Smith, Kirstyn Russell, James Sansing, Emily Sevier, Sheri Simons, Sarah Smith, Casey Jex Smith, Tracey Snelling, Scott Snibbe, Jessica Snow, Chris Sollars, Lisa Solomon, Kathryn Spence, Susan Spies, Allen Spore, Jennifer Starkweather, Dharma Strasser MacColl, Maiko Sugano, Stephanie Syjuco, Jill Sylvia, Rebecca Szeto, Charlene Tan, Ryan Thayer, Tonya Thornton, Tony Tredway, Paul Urich, Gus Van Sant, Jamie Vasta, Andy Vogt, Sarah Wagner, Tom Waits, Jerad Walker, Lee Walton, Hank Willis Thomas, Megan Wilson, Jenifer Wofford, Lena Wolff, Kelli Yon, Arngunnur Yr, Heidi Zumbrun. Comment: I don't think any fundraiser auction in town gets as dilectable an array of creatibles as this one does. Plenty of good art by plenty of excellent artists, and for you artists just starting out, donating a piece here might be a way to make a little play for acclaim. Yes, the walls are crowded and the competition is intense, but the good stuff always gets noticed. And for you buyers on a budget, shop here to sweeten your stash while minimizing out-of-pocket suffering. Plus you get to feel righteous for supporting a great cause. Waiting to get in. Attendance partial. Art. Art. Lisa Ricci below her pencil drawing. Art. Art. Art. I burped one of these up once. *** Galeria de la Raza: Illegal Entry. Artists: Consuelo Jimenez-Underwood, Robin Lasser, Valerie Mendoza, Adrienne Pao, Nora Raggio. Comment: Persuasive creative perspectives on the current U.S. /Mexico border controversy-- who belongs where, who doesn't, what the politics are, and why. The Pick for me is "Mrs. Homeland Security - Illegal Entry Dress Tent" by Robin Lasser and Adrienne Pao, a military camouflage tent doubling as a dress, tripling as a lookout tower. A woman atop the tent, visible from the waist up, scans the horizon with binoculars while a military man in full fatigues guards the tent's entrance (and what's inside). You can't come in, you can't go out, you can't do anything-- unless they say so. Mrs. Homeland Security art (pick). Mrs. Homeland Security art in person at Galeria de la Raza. One more Mrs. Homeland Security art. Art (like it). Art. Art. *** Scion Dashboard Gallery, 580 Hayes St. at Laguna, San Francisco, CA: Artwork Rebels. Artists: Norm, Grime, Amandalynn (Amanda Lynn), Reyes, Holly Ellis, Yutaro Sakai, Stay High 149, Marcus Pacheco, Sever, Hense, Push, Joe Levin, Jason Kundell, Jason Grace, Retina, Reyes, Luke Stewart, Joe Leonard, Erik Reith, Henry Lewis. Comment: Urban art extravaganza curated by AWR/MSK principal Norm includes classic rhapsodies by Stay High 149, pastel letter sculptures by Push (like 'em), circular bird art by Henry Lewis, and a whole lot more. Interesting decorator note-- the longest wall in the gallery is accented by filling a fire extinguisher with house paint, pressurizing it with a bicycle pump, then letting the color fly-- and it works. In closing, let's not forget our gracious host Scion for their generous ongoing support of art and artists. Art. Art (Push - like it). Art (like 'em). Henry Lewis gets interviewed about his art. Art (Amanda Lynn). Art (Stay High 149). Sponsor Scion. Art. Floor plan. In the back. Not sure. *** Arspace Gallery: Night Gallery. Artists: Paul Madonna, Nathan Stapley, The Love Bandits, Hannah Stouffer. Comment: The series of late night events, ending May 27, is inspired by Rod Serling's Night Gallery. The National Alliance of Art Scenarios, whoever they are, presents and curates the events. One thing for sure-- the space is so jammed, you can hardly move. I have no idea how much art is selling or whether that's even an issue, but Arspace convincingly cracks the nut of getting warm bodies through the door. Art (Paul Madonna - like it). Art. Art. Attendance figures. *** Addendum: Jan Wurm paintings at Springer-Croke Fine Art. Jan Wurm - art at Springer-Croke Gallery. One more Jan Wurm pugilistica at Springer-Croke Fine Art. Kuan Chang & paintings at Chandler Fine Art. Sharon Hennessey photography at Chandler Fine Art. Mary Heilman & art at Crown Point Press. Mary Heilman aquatints at Crown Point Press. One more Mary Heilman prints at Crown Point Press. *** |
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