3.29.2008

"Home Vandal Network" review

Jeremy Abernathy, who writes a wonderful blog of his own: Ghostmap Microwave, was nice enough to write a response to the recent exhibit at MINT Gallery. Home Vandal Network.



Tentacles and dandelions: it’s a grand joke on yesterday’s bad art. With a cartoonist’s sensibility, Sam Parker’s Untitled (below) transforms an old still life into a man-eating hydra. But what makes the piece work is the faded blue ink and that antique style patterning. Details like that remind you that, yes, this was once hanging in grandma’s kitchen.

The piece serves as a nice, abbreviated summary of MINT Gallery’s latest group show, Home Vandal Network. It was like the inventory from some bizarre yard sale: doctored photographs, Jesus Christ relaxing at a strip club, and Fing Fang Foom. Some other pieces were a little less inspired; there were a few too many reproductions of Leonardo’s Last Supper.

Many of the pictures retain their original, gaudy frames. It was a good choice, especially for pieces like Thom Foolery’s homage to Dr. Seuss. Riffing somewhere between Green Eggs and Ham and Rococo artist Jean Fragonard, his redesigned paintings are good for a chuckle. But would you eat them in a house?

One of the strongest entries was called Help Me & My Pregnant Wife, submitted by Mark Parker (no relation to Sam). I was a little terrified. A seated female examines herself in the mirror with an open tabloid in her lap. Gazing with dark, self-critical eyes, an unexpected ghost image stares back. What could be an allusion to the legend of Bloody Mary becomes a kind of modern age vanitas.





3.26.2008

"Persona" at MINT

This Saturday, March 29th, four photographers take a broad and creative look at portrait photography. Jason Travis presents his subjects along with an organized spread of their everyday items. Lee Summers removes the subject and combines the idea of personality with the aesthetics of urban landscapes. Sunni Johnson's work also focusses on placing the subject in a specific setting while Karly Wildenhaus focuses on the "ornamental nature of young people's personal space."

Berly Diptych by Jason Travis

3.25.2008

Deep Dark Woods

This Saturday, March 29th at Beep Beep Gallery, three very different artists embark into the unknown.  Deep Dark Woods features new, arboreal work by Lisa Kemp, Baxter Crane, and Kim Feigenbaum. 8-11

3.24.2008

Youngblood Gallery's new space

is right by my apartment! Youngblood Gallery and Boutique, who recently closed their doors after 10 years in Grant Park, have announced that they are moving into a space on N. Highland between Ponce De Leon and North right next to APB Bikes. Needless to say, I am very excited about the new spot and the prospects of new exhibitions beginning as soon as this May.

3.20.2008

Updates: S.O.S., Youngblood, Click Clique

Sons of the South have added photos from their recent exhibits "Episode One" and "Episode Two" to their site.
Youngblood Gallery and Boutique has a blog to keep us up on their search for a new gallery/boutique space. They "might announce something next week."
Click Clique has been posting a lot of glimpses into tonight's show at Opal Gallery on their blog.

3.18.2008

Home Vandal Network

Chris Hamer/ UrbnPop present "Home Vandal Network" at the MINT Gallery this Saturday, March 22nd from 8-12. All of the work in this exhibit has been created on top of found art work. As usual with Chris's shows (Underdogs, Moonshine Christmas) there is a huge list of artists and the work will be sold via silent auction.

3.17.2008

Thursday?

Three art events are scheduled for this Thursday, March 20th. Here they are, in the order that I will be attending them.


3.13.2008

Live Art

More live art this Friday, March 15th, from Handjob Atlanta at the 5 Spot in L5P. As usual it starts around 9 and you get a few hours of live art accompanied by a DJ. This time around the artists are Drew Botts, Dominic Maschler, and Amanda Goodbread. $5

3.12.2008

Sons of the South: Episode One

Last Saturday's opening for Sons of the South: Episode One left me with mixed emotions. On one hand, its great to see Atlanta's big hope for wider recognition show some great work all around. And I do believe that is the idea behind Sons of the South, some of the bigger names in the emerging underground art scene working together to make a blip on a bigger radar. I could go into my opinions on each artists work, how they've improved or impressed me (they did both), but I'd rather mention something else. It seems that with both this exhibition, as well as the print show a few months back, all of the themes and concepts that are generally put into making a cohesive show have been replaced by a common goal of exposure for our emerging art scene. On paper this seems like a perfectly reasonable basis for an exhibition, but in person you realize that the content, style, and execution by each artist is too disparate to rely on cooperative motivation alone. With 13 artists coming together, one can hardly expect continuity of aesthetics. That being said, I think that this first group of artist (Bethany Marchman, BORN, Steven Dixey, Rene Arriagda, Dan May, and Tyson McAdoo) are a bit more varied visually than the group showing this Friday at Rabbit Hole Gallery (John Tindel, Dosa Kim, Charlie Owens, Michi, Sam Parker, and Omer). I think that we're going to see more continuity between artists this time around based on over lapping styles, but that doesn't make an exceptional show. I think what I'm trying to say is I'd like to see more focus to these shows than just "this is the best Atlanta has to offer in terms of emerging artists." Coordinating a group of artists in heavy demand is surely no simple task, but to put a show together that does justice to the talent of these artists would be something to make the art world take notice.
Episode Two is this Friday, March 14th at the Rabbit Hole Gallery. 7-11.

3.11.2008

Tap Water Mind Control

Fire throwing? Crimes? Ritual Suspension: a journey into the pit of post consumer waste monsters? Thursday March 13th at the Eyedrum? Your guess is as good as mine. $5.

3.09.2008

Call for Artists: Pullman Yard

Local photographer Bobb Lovett has been taking photos in the abandoned Pullman train yard across from his studio for a while now. Its home to some wonderful urban decay and a rotating gallery of graffiti. Bobb is organizing an exhibition that will "showcase art work created by the inspiration and infiltration" of the space in historic Kirkwood. For more info on the project, check out his call for artists on his blog.

3.08.2008

Everything Must Go!

Epidemik Coalition is having a sale on all of their tees for a limited time! 40% off most items in their online store! Get a free EC/ThoughtMarker shirt with any purchase while supplies last!

3.07.2008

The Saturday we've all been waiting for

I've already mentioned "The Face Show" at MINT Gallery going down on Saturday, March 8th, but there is also so much more. Eyedrum has some sort of twelve hour Draw Off going from noon to midnight. I don't know anything about it but what I've gathered from the vague flyer which I'll let you explore for your self. But my money for Saturday is "Sons of the South: Episode One" at Foundation One Gallery in Decatur. If you saw their disappointing print show at East Side Lounge you'll be happy to know that this show will feature all new work from half of the collective. Every artist on the ticket has the potential to wow and I think that we're gonna see some really good stuff. In addition, that little room in the back of F1 will display photos from The Atlanta Creatives Project. Judging by the number of times I've mentioned them here on my blog, I'm greatful for this addition to the show.

3.05.2008

Travis Smith at DressCodes

DressCodes in Decatur is currently showing new work by Travis Smith (does he still go by Mr. Purdy?). There is a reception for the show on Thursday, March 6th from around 6-9. No flyer, but here is a piece that I stole from his flickr:

3.03.2008

Alcove at it again

Typical fare from Alcove Gallery this Friday, March 7th from 7-11. "Cartoon Madness 3: Toyland" will display art by Alcove Gallery's usual cast of characters but look out for Joe Havasy's hilarious comic style, and both John Tindel and Bethany Marchman have impressed me lately. I also just noticed that musical guests Auditioning Alice will be playing so get there before 9pm to avoid the $5 admission.

3.02.2008

The Face Show Flyers

A little while back I put out an open call for people to create flyers for the next MINT Gallery event, "The Face Show". It goes down this Saturday, March 8th on the same night as several other events that I'll cover later this week. I'll post a few of my favorites, but you can see the rest of the Face Show flyers here. "The Face Show" consists of several photographic projects, each revolving around the face and more specifically facial hair. "Face Hair Face Off" documents competing facial hair compositions, "This is the Beard" documents 20 weeks without shaving, "Ugly Face Project" is self explanatory, and "Brett W. Thompson's 2007" is a video consisting of thousands of photos all taken by Brett W. Thompson last year. Click Clique will also be on hand taking old style polaroids for those interested.