Squonk Opera's return home to Pittsburgh for a special five-show performance of Mayhem and Majesty

Website Link.

Squonk Opera makes triumphant return from the West Coast for a little Mayhem and Majesty in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (February 28, 2011) … Following a rollicking fall and winter tour through five states, the far-from-inveterate musical maestros of Squonk Opera return home to Pittsburgh for a special five-show performance of Mayhem and Majesty. After wowing audiences around the country with its daring musical athleticism and visual exploits with a special appearance at Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival for a new CD release, the Squonkers are ready to bring home both the Mayhem AND the Majesty to the New Hazlett Theater on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

These special presentations of Mayhem and Majesty are generously supported by the Buhl Foundation, The Grable Foundation and EQT Foundation, as well as The Heinz Endowments. Media sponsor is Pittsburgh City Paper.The fun begins with a performance and Preview Party on Wednesday, March 30 at 6:00 p.m., followed by performances Thursday through Saturday, March 31-April 2 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 at 2:00 p.m. The Friday April 1 “No Foolin’” performance includes a post-show Q&A with Steve, Jackie and the gang. Preview Party tickets are $20; all tickets are $20 in advance, $10 for children, students, and seniors; and $25 at the door for adults. For tickets, go to ShowClix.

About Mayhem and Majesty

In Mayhem and Majesty, the sonic hooligans of Squonk Opera push the boundaries of musical athleticism and visual wizardry. They ask the question…”What does music look like?” Each song evokes different atmospheres and dynamics, which are made vivid through mesmerizing projections and constantly transforming scenery. One moment you are alone in a swarm of stars with a gently swaying keyboard and a sparse lullaby your only guide. The next, you see how romance is just a series of cell mutations set to post-punk beats. The Squonkers journey from the depths of moody minimalism to the heights of gypsy rock raucous delight. And our award-winning multimedia canvas takes your eyes to those wondrous places your ears have long kept secret.

About Squonk Opera

Over 15 years ago Squonk Opera created its first show in a gritty Pittsburgh junkyard with roaring choreographed cranes and earthmovers. A flexible interdisciplinary group of artists led by collaborators Jackie Dempsey and Steve O’Hearn with a combined interest in theater created from sound and image, Squonk Opera was inspired by a rust-belt love of spectacle and humor that could compete with Pittsburgh weekend fare - football, catholic ritual, and beer-fed bar bands. Since 1992, Squonk Opera has created ten original shows and has performed in more than 250 venues across the United States. In 1995 Squonk was commissioned by Marc Masterson of Pittsburgh’s City Theatre to create Night of The Living Dead: The Opera.

Bigsmorgasbordwunderwerk was an Off-Broadway hit in 1999, a show that Ben Brantley of The New York Times called “ingenious, hallucinatory, hypnotic.” The show was then transferred to Broadway in 2000, where it received an American Theater Wing Special Effects Design Award. Squonkumentary, a film about the company’s time in NYC, was produced by independent filmmaker Peggy Sutton in 2005. Squonk Opera has also toured internationally since 2003 - to Scotland, Belgium, Germany and South Korea, where they opened both the Busan International Performing Arts Festival and the World Music Theater Festival.

Next season Squonk Opera will return to the road with three shows – the big outdoor spectacle Astro-rama, their site-specific Hometown Operas and their newest production Mayhem and Majesty.

Media Contact: Steve O’Hearn

(724) 265-5235 – office (412) 496-6480 - cell

steve@squonkopera.org

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Dis[Locating] Culture: Contemporary Islamic Art in America, Michael Berger Gallery, Warhol Pgh PA

images of Shiva Ahmadi's "Oil Barrel #7", which is oil on steel and also Sandow Birk's "American Qur'an" which is ink and gouache on paper.

2 Events:

Dis[Locating] Culture: Contemporary Islamic Art in America

Exhibition Opening Reception on Friday, April 15, 2011 from 5:00–7:30 pm
at Michael Berger Gallery; Exhibition continues through July 30, 2011
Michael Berger Gallery is open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 12-5pm and by appointment

30 South Sixth Street, South Side, Pittsburgh, 15203; Free & Open to the Public
412-441-4282

Michael Berger Gallery will showcase some of the finest American Islamic artists—whether Muslim by faith or not. Dis[Locating] Culture aims to problematize stereotypes and challenge notions of cultural and religious homogeneity. This exhibition is designed to build bridges of intercultural understanding via the universal language of art. Some of the artists included come from the Islamic world but do not live there; some neither live nor have roots in the so-called Islamic world, but yet their works are classified under the Islamic umbrella as a result of their political, social, or even technical choices. Islamic art is conventionally thought of as a separate category from Western art, but these artists blur the categories. This timely exhibition is neither Islamic art by nature nor Western, per se; this is Contemporary Art.

Additionally, a symposium to explore the issues suggested by the exhibition will be hosted by Michael Berger Gallery, the Pittsburgh Middle East Institute, & The Andy Warhol Museum and will be held at the Warhol Museum Theater. By exploring contemporary Islamic art’s boundaries & borders—whether religious, cultural, or social—and asking participants which are to be respected, and which disrupted & dislocated, the symposium aims to upend the traditional narrative of civilizational collision in favor of the dialogue of collusion.

“We are living in a time of binary thinking and exclusionary conclusions. Based on manufactured boundaries between cultures, these barriers lead to ever more fear & mistrust. Mistaken notions about one another travel far and wide, sometimes carried by political & religious subtexts that inform both popular & ‘high’ culture.” — Reem Alalusi, co-curator

Michael Berger & Reem Alalusi, Co-Curators, will present at Michael Berger Gallery this timely & important exhibition in association with the Pittsburgh Middle East Institute.

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and

Dis[Locating] Culture Symposium

Keynote by Reza Aslan

Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 1:00–6:00 pm

at The Andy Warhol Museum Theater; Reception in Entrance Gallery
117 Sandusky Street, North Side, Pittsburgh; $35/$25 for members & students

In conjunction with Dis[Locating] Culture at Michael Berger Gallery, this symposium (hosted by Michael Berger Gallery, the Pittsburgh Middle East Institute, & The Andy Warhol Museum) will explore the issues suggested by the exhibition and will be held at the Warhol Museum Theater. By exploring contemporary Islamic art’s boundaries & borders—whether religious, cultural, or social—and asking participants which are to be respected, and which disrupted & dislocated, the symposium aims to upend the traditional narrative of civilizational collision in favor of the dialogue of collusion.

The symposium is keynoted by renowned scholar and best-selling writer Reza Aslan.

Michael Berger Gallery
30 South Sixth Street, Pittsburgh
Open Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays, noon to 5pm
412.441.4282

http://michaelbergergallery.com
Look for us on Facebook and artnet!

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Call for Artists: The 60/40 Series presents: Outspoken, a benefit for BikePGH

Call For Artists

The 60/40 Series presents: Outspoken, a benefit for BikePGH

Our goal is to inspire and subsequently tap into the creativity of local artists in accordance with Bike Pittsburgh's vision of establishing our city as increasingly safe, accessible, and friendly to bicycle transportation. All artwork that results from the culmination of our collective efforts will be displayed and offered for sale to the public at large during the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Spring Gallery Crawl on April 29, 2011. Outspoken will be taking place in a space donated to us by the Trust at 805/807 Liberty Avenue in the heart of the Cultural District. Proceeds from all art sales will be split between the individual artists and BikePGH, 60/40, respectively.

Call for submissions: We are seeking contributions of original works of two- and three- dimensional design. Artists may submit up to 4 pieces, of which 1 must be bicycle themed. Limited series prints are also welcomed. Show space will be designated on a first submitted, first placed basis. A limited preview will be available online at http://www.sixtyfortyseries.com leading up to the show on April 29th, 2011. An ongoing sale will also be available at this same web address.

Deadline for commitment to the Outspoken show is April 14th, 2011, by which point a description of the proposed submission with accompanying .jpg/sketch/draft along with name, email, and phone # should be sent to: submissions@sixtyfortyseries.com

Deadline for submissions to Outspoken is April 21st, 2011. Framed, finished works, fully ready to be hung and/or displayed should be delivered to the location as indicated in the commitment email.

The 60/40 Series is curated by Dave Baach and Kelly Carter, both of whom can be reached at submissions@sixtyfortyseries.com

For more information on our beneficiary, Bike Pittsburgh, please visit their website at http://www.Bike-PGH.org

Our show on April 29, 2011 is the first in a series of benefit art sales the 60/40 Series intends to hold on behalf of local advocacy groups and non-profits working to better the community we call home. Pittsburgh.

We look forward to your participation.

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Richard McWherter, Greensburg Pa Art Center

submitted by the artist:

The Highlands: Tactual Dreamscape Photographs
by Richard S. McWherter
March 12 through April 22, 2011
-Rowe Gallery, Greensburg Art Center

Richard McWherter's unique inspiration as an artist is clearly demonstrated through the images he creates with his camera in the Laurel Highlands and Chestnut Ridge areas near his home in Pennsylvania. His exhibition The Highlands opens on Saturday, March 12th in the Rowe Gallery at the Greensburg Art Center from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes a new book release and a charity event for the Westmoreland County Food Bank.

The exhibit and companion fine art book feature his new series of dreamscape photographs that blurs the lines between photography, drawing, and painting. ÒThese were always artificial divisions to me, so my motivation is in exploring how to erase any barriers between these mediums, says McWherter. Because of his efforts to break tradition, his landscapes reveal more than just a record of a particular time or place; they speak to much more universal themes.

McWherter is an artist who is continuously interpreting the landscape through new and inventive ways. He has been successful in exploring both traditional chemical and silver-based processes, as well as cutting-edge digital technologies. But his artwork is more than just beautiful pictures. He is an artist of vision, one who goes well beyond the technical mastery of his medium. His photographs have a spirit that goes much deeper than the surface of an image.

About the Artist:
McWherter is currently an art instructor and department chair at Derry Area High School in his hometown in Western Pennsylvania. He earned his BFA in Studio Arts at Seton Hill University and is a member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and the Silver Eye Center for Photography. He has also taught photography and digital imaging at the University, as well as other local art centers. His photographs have appeared in many regional exhibitions and publications and have also been reproduced in national magazines for fine art photography. With a career spanning almost four decades, he has received many awards for his photographic art, as well as for his innovations in teaching.

Gallery Details:
Rowe Gallery is located at the Greensburg Art Center and is just off of Route 30 (Greensburg bypass), Route 130 exit. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday evening 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Opening Reception is Saturday, March 12th, 7 pm to 9 pm. The exhibit runs to Friday, April 22. 10% of all Opening Reception proceeds are being donated to the Westmoreland County Food Bank, Inc.

For more information, please visit the centerÕs website at www.greensburgartclub.org, or call 724-837-6791.

ArtistÕs Email: eagereye@email.com
ArtistÕs Website: www.richardmcwherter.com
Exhibition and book preview: www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1974538

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

IDLE: A solo exhibition by Colin Noonan, Pittsburgh PA

IDLE: A solo exhibition by Colin Noonan

Opening March 4 Friday 6pm

March 4-April 3, 2011 - 709 Penn Gallery

Many of life’s every day moments of contemplation take place in an automobile. It’s a private, contained space where one can tap into a range of emotions. Pittsburgh fine artist and car enthusiast Colin Noonan’s collection of classically-inspired paintings drives viewers inward, revealing subtle nuances in color and form inspired by human introspection and expression.

Idle, Colin Noonan’s solo-exhibit of oil portraits on linen, canvas and plywood are purposefully cropped to depict sitters from the torso up. The still lives are further accentuated with tools and equipment from the German Motor Werks Garage, such as an oil pump, and a parts washer. Noonan works with an earth palette consisting of dark umbers and yellowish ochers for more dimly lit subjects. Many of the subjects in his paintings are lit from a lone light source reminiscent of baroque realism.

Idle refers to the state of the portrait subjects. They are not working or producing, but at a stand-still, detached from the narrative of time. The exhibition title also refers to a car being idle, relating to Noonan’s fascination with cars and the studio where he creates his art – the German Motor Werks Garage. These meticulous paintings are created layer by layer in oil, a slow process rooted in classical painting techniques. “I want to create a tangible presence through these people in their environment,” explains Noonan. “In a sense, they are portraits of the people they depict – not so much a narrative as a state of being, an idleness that sets the subjects apart from their environment. This idleness frees them of doing anything and allows them to think anything.”

About Colin Noonan:
Colin Noonan earned a BFA degree in Painting from Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute and he studied indigenous and contemporary art at Southern Cross University in Australia. Upon returning to the States, Noonan studied still life with instructor Chris Wright. The classical influence would serve as a starting point for much of his still life paintings. A mechanic’s apprenticeship in 2003 put his art career temporarily on hold. Though Noonan’s career as a mechanic was short lived, a car garage in Pittsburgh’s Strip District continues to serves as both his studio and muse.

GALLERY DETAILS
709 Penn Gallery is located on 709 Penn Ave. / Downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District
Hours: Wed. & Thurs. 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun.11 a.m.–5 p.m.

709 Penn Gallery is a Project of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Education & Community Engagement department.

For more information, call 412-456-6666

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Gallery 4 Call for Artists. Shadyside Pgh PA

click on the pic for more info

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Sandow Birk's The Word of God at the Warhol, Pgh PA

For five years Sandow Birk has been creating his epic body of work American Qur’an. In this ongoing series, Birk employs traditional Islamic calligraphy and painting techniques to illustrate the entire 114 Suras of the Qur'an. Using ink, gouache and a hand-lettered “font” based on graffiti tagging, he illuminates the verses with relevant scenes from contemporary American life. A selection of these Suras will be on view. This exhibition is the first in an ongoing series titled TheWord of God, which will examine major religious texts through the lens of contemporary art.

The Word of God Exhibitions and Project:

At a time when political parties fight viciously for the higher moral ground, when controversy reigns in the building of mosques, and when bigotry, abortion, and same-sex marriage are wedges of division in our culture there still remains room for interfaith understanding. The Warhol has, in its sixteen year history, presented difficult or controversial imagery and art in order to spark community dialogue. The dialogues and visitor experiences from such encounters with art and images are powerful and potentially community changing.

Read more at warhol.org: http://www.warhol.org/webcalendar/event.aspx?id=2625#ixzz1E4QiB2qW

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Currently available grants for art and environmentally related projects thanks to Bill Peduto

Pittsburgh City Councilman has a great list of resources for grants spanning a wide array of environmental and art related grants available now.

source.

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Pittsburgh Office of Public Art: Wood Street to Mon Wharf Design Team, call for artists

Office of Public Art Request for Qualifications Wood Street to Mon Wharf Design Team
ARTIST INFORMATION MEETING The Office of Public Art welcomes artists to attend an information meeting about the RFQ process on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 from 6-7pm. The meeting will be held at Point Park University, 201 Wood Street, in room GRW1 in the Point Park University Dance complex. To access the meeting space, enter Lawrence Hall at 201 Wood Street on the corner of Wood Street and the Boulevard of the Allies. Signs will direct you to the meeting location. The Office of Public Art will discuss the application process and respond to questions. This meeting is not required to submit an RFQ.
	OPPORTUNITY DETAILS Point Park University and Riverlife are working with the Office of Public Art to commission an artist to be a part of the design team to develop an innovative project that connects Wood Street to the newly created Mon Wharf Landing in downtown Pittsburgh, PA. The artist will be placed on a design team with La Quatra Bonci Associates, a Pittsburgh landscape architecture firm experienced in working with artists. Budget: $15,000 for the artist’s conceptual proposal fee Deadline: March 7, 2011 at 5pm Apply: Download a copy of the RFQ
For more information, please visit www.publicartpittsburgh.org.

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

East of Liberty by Chris Ivey

East of Liberty Public Screening

Feb 18,19 2011 @ 8pm

Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave, Pgh Pas 15206

Adults $10, Students $5


Chris Ivey:

“I was hired to document the tearing down of the high rises. At the same time I interviewed some of the residents who lived in the high rises and they weren’t happy at all because of the spectacle that was before them. They were really angry. It was their home, it was where they used to live, some for 30 years or more. Even though in many ways it wasn’t the best place to live it was all they had and to see strangers having fun by shooting paintballs at the block left them furious.”

Source

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Distillery 5 at the Brew House, March 5, 2011

Not to be missed! Distillery 5 at the Brew House, March 5, 2011 from 5:30 to 9:30. Closing March 26, 7 to 11pm with live music. By appt. via 814.490.3996.

The association has been struggling to stay afloat for some time now, but with about two years of hard work we are finally able to reopen the first floor of the building. So, it has been a long time coming since we've last been able to use our gallery, and it's time to dust it off and hang some work!

Fauxbook event page.

2100 Mary Street, South Side.

Aimee Manion
724.816.4401
contact(AT)aimeemanion.com
www.aimeemanion.com

Ryan Woodring
215.262.2144
ryanwwoodring(AT)gmail.com
www.ryanwoodring.com

Meghan Olson
503.703.2364
meghan(AT)clothespegpress.com
www.meghanolson.com

Kara Skylling
814.279.2261
kskylling(AT)gmail.com

Jaci Rice
412.999.3462
jacirice(AT)gmail.com
www.jacirice.com

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

artists Zhu Jinshi, Zhang Yu, Lei Hong and He Xiangyu, Frick Fine Arts, Pgh PA Pitt

Curated by Professor Gao Minglu / Featuring artists Zhu Jinshi, Zhang Yu, Lei Hong and He Xiangyu

University Art Gallery, Frick Fine Arts Building, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Opening: Monday, 14th February, 2011, 5-7pm
Show runs from 15th February - 18th March, 2011


PITTSBURGH – Contrasts Gallery is proud to present MIND SPACE, an exhibition curated by Gao Minglu that will feature the work of artists Zhu Jinshi, Zhang Yu, Lei Hong and He Xiangyu at the University of PIttsburgh art gallery. The exhibition will explore MAXIMALISM, the philosophical core of Chinese abstract art and a concept that places emphasis on the spiritual experience of the artist in the process of creation. Maximalism’s primary objective is to question and overthrow assumptions about the meaning of art.

In Maximalist theory, the meaning of a painting is not expressed by its surface or subject matter and a painting is not considered a unique and privileged product of human culture containing commonly held values of virtue and creativity. According to Maximalists, the meaning of art goes beyond language (yan bu jin yi) and comes from a dialogue between the artist and the material object. It is a response to the rapidly changing material world.

While the work in the exhibition is similar in appearance to modern or conceptual art, it has a different theoretical foundation. Most Maximalist artists consider their work to be incomplete and fragmented records of daily meditation. They do not adhere to compositional principles or ideas and their art is natural, repetitious and fragmentary. The work functions as what is often called a liushui zhang in Chinese, literally, “an account book of streaming water,” which means an everyday record of something that is extremely unimportant, micro-trivial and fragmented from daily life.

This exhibition was first presented at Contrasts Gallery in Shanghai in the summer of 2010, and will travel to Dallas, New York and Los Angeles, introducing the USA to a new realm of art and expression.

The artists included in MIND SPACE:

Zhu Jinshi has devoted himself to abstract painting for three decades. His installation work often involves Chinese rice paper (Xuan zhi) and ink. His installation in this exhibition is a metal container filled with ink and Xuan paper. The paper is half-submerged in ink. The top part of the paper will gradually turn dark, giving the audience a chance to observe the process of painting without human involvement. In addition, there are also a few of Zhu’s abstract paintings in the exhibition, which feature his diary and notes on the back.

For more than two decades, Zhang Yu has used random fingerprints, universal marks of identification, to make “ink paintings” on scrolls. By turning a symbol of human identification into a repetitious “abstract” mark, Zhang Yu’s fingerprints lose their traditional symbolic meaning and are transformed into universal symbols of beauty and infinity. Every touch is a dialogue with nature.

Lei Hong creates pencil drawings composed of dots, lines and squares that have certain characteristics of Western abstract paintings but not the rational structural elements. Instead, Lei’s drawings reveal a spirit of humanism. The dots and lines are not conceptual, but marks that relate to traditional Chinese ink painting. His works remind one of a “line of flying wild geese,” “chanting on a returning fishing boat at dusk,” and the “lonely smoke in the great desert” from his drawings. His marks suggest a narrative about his imagination and his feelings at a given moment.

He Xiangyu uses crystallized Coco-Cola as ink for painting and calligraphy. This process transforms an industrial, commercial product into spontaneous literati expressionism. Xiangyu’s art also imbues the process of mass reproduction with the spiritual quality of self-meditation.

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If you are reading this post anywhere other than the Pittsburgh Art Blog which is www.PittsburghGalleries.blogspot.com it means the content has been stolen.

Editorial content from this blog cannot be reposted in any way without the express permission of the blog admin, richard gott byerly.

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Fe Arts Gallery, Events and Call for Curatorial Proposals

It's good to see Fe Arts Gallery getting the word out about events via email so I can blog about it! Rick Byerly

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Fe Arts Gallery

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Art Lovers: A Speed Dating Mixer

Saturday, February 12, 2011

7pm, Fe Gallery

$5 Entrance Fee, Refreshments provided

Meet art enthusiasts and artists! You never know, it might be your lucky night!

To keep the conversations comfortable, participants don’t ask each other for contact information. When you meet someone you want to see again, you'll write their name on your dating card. If both parties are interested in meeting again, we'll provide you contact information so you can set up another date.

To sign up straight away, Register online (limited space available)

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Call for Curatorial Proposals

Fe Gallery is currently accepting proposals to be a Guest Curator for the 8/12-9/17 slot. The deadline to submit your application is Friday, April 1, 2011.

Please click here for more information.

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Currently on Exhibit: Getting Closer, curated by Lindsay Howard

What is the shape of intimacy in the digital age? What are its values? What does it mean to connect?

GETTING CLOSER brings together digital artists working with cutting-edge technologies who address connection across physical and metaphorical distances by producing new ways of initiating and exploring intimacy.

>>more info

>>press: Artists consider 'Getting Closer' on the web PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

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Spotlight On....RILEY HARMON

One of the local artists currently involved in "Getting Closer", we take a closer look at Riley Harmon and his body of work....

My creative activity originated in theatrical performance, visual
effects, and film. In my current work I seek to reverse-engineer
social and personal narratives through discrete objects,
installations, and electronic happenings. I am particularly interested
in the blurring of physical and virtual experiences, concepts of
authenticity, thresholds, and détournement. I often take on the role
of a researcher, and my output becomes a synthesis of the research
performed and experimentation with materials and ideas. Just as
western psychologist George Kelly metaphorically examines the
individual person as an experimenter, or scientist, V.F. Cordova,
Native American philosopher, also makes the same relationship, placing
an artist in the role of a scientist seeking to gain new
understandings and consciousness of the world around them. Cordova
writes, “the artist, like the scientist, is a seeker of knowledge. He
examines the world and portrays what he has learned in order to share
that knowledge with his community.”

Recent international exhibitions include Amsterdam, Vienna, Dublin, Portugal,
US, and the UK. Harmon has been published in a number of international publications, including Rolling Stone Italy, he has been a part of the permanent collection of the Fred
Jones Jr. Museum of Art, and has broadcast video works throughout the
United States and the Internet. Harmon has earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in
Media Arts with Distinction from the University of Oklahoma and is
currently at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh pursuing an
interdisciplinary MFA.

Upcoming:

Bakery Square, Pittsburgh - March 2011
Los Angeles - Summer 2011
Nikolaj Contemporary Art Center, Copenhagen - Fall 2011
Istanbul, Turkey - Fall 2011
Melbourne, Australia - 2012

To see more on Riley Harmon click here

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Love is in the air! 5 Reasons To Love Fe.....

SUPPORTS regional artists by increasing their visibility through exhibition opportunities

CREATES community based art programs that establish a forum for active dialogue between the artistic community & the community at large

PRODUCES nationally recognized exhibitions and catalogs

ENCOURAGES PA artists to stay in PA to propel us into the heart of the national art community

BUILDS a home for regional artists by creating a respected and well established gallery

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2011 Exhibition Schedule

1/21-3/8 "Getting Closer" curated by Lindsay Howard

3/18-4/23 curated by Vicky Clark

4/29-6/11 curated by Felicia Feaster

6/24-7/30 curated by Joshua Tonies

8/12-9/17 Call for Curatorial Proposals

9/23-11/5 curated by Katherine Talcott

11/11-12/23 curated by Ingrid LaFleur

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Our mission is to propel Pittsburgh into the heart of the national art community by providing exhibition opportunities to emerging and mid-career artists. Our goal is three-fold: to increase the visibility of regional artists; to enhance the art community by showcasing regional artwork along with bringing national and international artists' work to Pittsburgh; and to better serve Allegheny County by linking under-served non-art related populations with local artists to develop community based art programs which revolve around a visual art exhibition that promotes awareness through symposiums, poetry readings, workshops and performance art..

Contact Us:
address~ 4102 Butler St. Pgh PA 15201
email~ info@fegallery.org
website~ www.fegallery.org
like us~ facebook.com

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If you are reading this post anywhere other than the Pittsburgh Art Blog which is www.PittsburghGalleries.blogspot.com it means the content has been stolen.

Editorial content from this blog cannot be reposted in any way without the express permission of the blog admin, richard gott byerly.

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The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

"QUELOIDES" CATALOG SIGNING, Mattress Factory

Here's a good way to introduce or re-introduce yourself to the Mattress Factory:

(Queloides has received extensive intl media attention)

"QUELOIDES" CATALOG SIGNING

February 12, 2011

Saturday, February 12th, 2011
4:00 - 6:00 PM
Free

"QUELOIDES" BOOK SIGNING WITH CURATOR & EDITOR ALEJANDRO DE LA FUENTE 4-6PM. THE GALLERIES WILL BE OPEN.

Alejandro de la Fuente, Curator and Editor of Queloides: Race and Racism in Cuban Contemporary Art, will be at the Mattress Factory to sign the 172-page full-color bilingual (English and Spanish) catalog which contains four essays including “Introduction: The New Afro-Cuban Cultural Movement,” by Alejandro de la Fuente. The event will take place in our lobby from 4-6pm this Saturday, February 12th. The galleries will be open.

Source

Mattress Factory
500 Sampsonia Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
[ STREET VIEW ]
[ PARKING ]
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If you are reading this post anywhere other than the Pittsburgh Art Blog which is www.PittsburghGalleries.blogspot.com it means the content has been stolen.
Content from this blog cannot be reposted in any way without the express permission of the blog admin, richard g byerly.
...
The Pittsburgh Art Blog
The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.
the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

Daydreaming About Pittsburgh Art

A first in a series of : Daydreaming About Pittsburgh Art from Rick Byerly

aka Daydreaming with sidecars of cynicism and plugs:

February 20, 2008: This is when the daydream about jazz musician statues and sculptures started, actually it was around 3 in the morning on February 21 after the total lunar eclipse had come and gone. I was doing long exposure photography on the shore of the Allegheny River near the Law Enforcement Memorial across from Heinz Field. Looking across the river to the fountain at Point State Park I imagined myself standing amidst all the immense jazz musician legends who have hailed from Pittsburgh, PA.

I guess if I was a huge sports fan I would be thinking about more sports legends from the region but we already have a decent number in that category in the Pittsburgh area with Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Honus Wagner, Franco Harris and The Chief. And in other genres and contexts we have statues/sculptures of (the first two being controversial to many) Stephen Foster, Christopher Columbus, Johann Sebastian Bach, William Shakespeare, Gene Kelly, Richard Caliguiri, George Washington, the Doughboy, Beethoven, Panthers and others I can't think of right now...

But can you believe that there are no major statues or sculptures of a Pittsburgh jazz musician? Unbelievable, I think. I found a link at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh here which listed as a starting point over 57 jazz musician legends from Pittsburgh and below that hundreds more jazz musicians and composers from Pittsburgh. And the ones I know as a big jazz fan being Ray Brown, Roy Eldridge, Roger Humphries, Slide Hampton, Stanley Turrentine, Erroll Garner, Billy Strayhorn, Billy Eckstein, Lena Horne, Earl Hines, Henry Mancini and one of my personal all time favorites, the great Art Blakey. And many others I'm sure I've heard but don't recognize by name ( the 57 the Carnegie Library list I have below after this post).

With their instruments in hand I can visualize them along the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, bringing attention to the rich musical history in the Pittsburgh area, making the area around it more personal amidst all the concrete we currently find. I was lucky enough to see and hear the great Ray Brown at Manchester Craftsmen Guild before he passed away in 2002 with my father and it's a great memory to have, for many reasons, as well as seeing Stanley Turrentine at MCG. This daydream of seeing Pittsburgh jazz legends is an ongoing one and one I hope to see step into reality...

I don't mean one or two large sculptures of pgh jazz legends I'm talking about 30 or so. All created by Pittsburgh artists.

As a cynical person I assume this type of large scale project would never actually happen but the daydreamer in me persists. Apparently there's good reason to be cynical. According to this February 5, 2008 article a moratorium has been placed by the Sports & Exhibition Authority as far as the total number of memorials which can exist in the North Shore Riverfront Park. In fact two 13-by-37-foot sculptures which used to be with the former Manchester Bridge now stand in limbo as far as a future home. I've never seen them but they supposedly commemorate steel and coal workers, explorers and American Indians.

So we will be seeing monuments to World War II veterans and the late children’s television host Fred Rogers but apparently it's kaput after that.

The reason for the moratorium? It appears that in the name of green space the Sports & Exhibition Authority feels it necessary to limit the memorials in the park. That brings up a compelling argument or discourse of sorts. The first thing which it brings to mind to me is what does green space have to do with the walkway which extends along the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers? I suppose the zoning board would rear it's ugly head and prohibit statues from being placed there. And then I think of the uneccessary amount of concrete wasteland which exists on the North Side along the stadiums and wonder how different it would be with a more logical and efficient use of parking space. Maybe then I could really stand among Pittsburgh Jazz Legends looking out towards the Point?

Let's hope that there's enough philanthropy, money, desire, and optimism to make it happen and reasonable public officials who could let it happen...

Rick Byerly is a cynic, daydreamer, writer, and photographer who loves and lives in Pittsburgh, PA.

Image above photographed, edited and for sale from Rick Byerly here. Credit to the creator of the Roberto Clemente statue, which is an incredible sculpture, goes to Artist Susan Wagner, website here .

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Note to self: Make sure to do a blog about all the Pittsburgh area statues, sculptures, and monuments along with their creators because googling for comprehensive info wasn't too productive. These are the things I personally want to know. History is important and very much subject to the angle it's being looked at and from.
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Here are the 57 plus named as jazz legends from the Carnegie Library

Internationally Known* Pittsburgh Jazz Musicians

Accordion: Guy Klucevsek

Bass: Mickey Bass, Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Sonny Dallas, Dwayne Dolphin, John Heard, David Izenzon, Carl Pruitt, Wyatt Ruther, Eddie Safranski

Composers/Arrangers: Henry Mancini, Billy May, Sammy Nestico, Billy Strayhorn

Drums: Allen Blairman, Art Blakey, Cecil Brooks III, Kenny Clarke, Vinnie Colaiuta, Beaver Harris, Joe Harris, Roger Humphries, J. C. Moses, Jeff "Tain" Watts

Guitar: George Benson, Ray Crawford, Barry Galbraith, Jimmy Ponder, James "Blood" Ulmer

Piano/Organ/Keyboards: Geri Allen, Sonny Clark, Johnny Costa, Erroll Garner, Darrell Grant, Earl Hines, Ahmad Jamal, Dodo Marmarosa, Horace Parlan, Shirley Scott, Mary Lou Williams

Reeds (oboe, Eng. horn, clarinet, etc.)
Paul McCandless

Saxophone: Bob Cooper, Nathan Davis, Joe Eldridge, Steve Grossman, Eric Kloss, Babe Russin, Stanley Turrentine

Trombone: Slide Hampton, Grover Mitchell

Trumpet: Al Aarons, Roy Eldridge, Tommy Turrentine

Vibraphone: Steve Nelson

Vocals: Billy Eckstine, Lena Horne, Eddie Jefferson, Dakota Staton, Maxine Sullivan

Many more Pittsburgh native jazz musicians listed here

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If you are reading this post anywhere other than the Pittsburgh Art Blog which is www.PittsburghGalleries.blogspot.com it means the content has been stolen.

Content from this blog cannot be reposted in any way without the express permission of the blog admin, richard gott byerly.

...

The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.

The Art Auction Catch 22

This has been brewing in my cranium for a few years so it's had time to settle, collect, and perhaps ferment. Art benefit fundraisers often ask artists themselves to donate their work for the purpose of auctioning off the work to patrons. Sounds great but the issue most overlooked is why are artists the ones asked to donate their work, especially in Pittsburgh where it's known that few artists make a living based on their "non-commercial" art? I've spoken with gallery owners and artists over the past year on this subject and there exists a lot of questions.

Why is the artist leaned on to donate their work free of charge? Sure a lot of artists donate without looking critically at the larger picture due to their good natures and possibly think it's good exposure down the line. My biggest issue is why lean on artists given the inherent financial disadvantage most Pittsburgh artists experience. One prominent gallery owner I spoke with simply suggested the organizations should stick to events like private dinners and events which do not require artists to donate their work for auctions. There are a finite amount of art purchases in the region and the reality is that the significant art auction fundraisers take away from purchases which benefit the artists financially. The one exception I've noticed was Fe Gallery which had an option for the artist to retain a percentage. It gives the artist the option to choose. One could argue they have the option of just not participating at all but i think that to be an overly simplistic argument given the factors.

The exposure factor, meaning artists may not receive money but the exposure they receive helps them down the line. Tough to argue given the sheer amount of art at these auctions and the lack of probability further contact will be made.

Artists are generically known for giving more than they can necessarily "afford". Perhaps it's time to think why they are so often leaned upon? I think most will agree artists do a tremendous amount for their communities in their personal and job related activities. Do they really have to give their art away too?

Something to think about...

Another issue I'd like to blog about down the road is the degree to which businesses and other entities hit up artists to display their work for free based on consignment (if they actually sell). This is a practice artists themselves need to resist contributing to given the reality of the art world.

Rick Byerly

If you're looking for more info on Pittsburgh artists and how to support them check here.


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If you are reading this post anywhere other than the Pittsburgh Art Blog which is www.PittsburghGalleries.blogspot.com it means the content has been stolen.

...

The Pittsburgh Art Blog

The Pittsburgh Art Blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20,2007. pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.

the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh artist advocate rick byerly.