This week’s Weekly has my first Friday roundup. Below is the copy with pictures.
Big news this First Friday: A new gallery, Marginal Utility , is opening in the Vox building. The six-story former factory building already houses Vox Populi , Copy , AHN/VHS , Progressive Sharing , Jeffrey Stockbridge Fine Art and Tiger Strikes Asteroid . With the addition of Marginal Utility on the second floor, the alternative art scene truly has a new center of gravity.
Ronnie Bass, still from The Astronomer, at Marginal Utility opening Nov. 6
Founded by Basekamp ’s David Dempewolf and Yuka Yokoyama —who also launched the recent art theory zine Machete—Marginal Utility has 700 square feet of space including a 500-square-foot gallery and a separate work space for artists in residence.
First up in the new space is “The Astronomer, Part 1: Departure From Shed , ” a nine-minute video projection and sculpture project by New York artist Ronnie Bass . The video—still in production—is a yarn about oppression and a better future acted out by a small cast which includes the artist. The piece is rooted in 19th-century French philosopher Charles Fourier’s writings on utopian societies.
Ronnie Bass, The Astronomer
Still images show the actors highlighted against a black background giving a sense of disembodiment and foreboding. Bass’ sculpture project, which will grow and change during the show’s two-month run, is a water fountain made with garage sale and dollar store purchases—highly un-utopian.
P. Timothy Gierschick, Golem, from his show at Tiger Strikes Asteroid
P. Timothy Gierschick ’s abstract paintings at Tiger Strikes Asteroid whisper like Morse Code tapping a quiet but insistent message. The works in ”Patch and Plot” subvert universal signs and symbols like rainbows and geometrical shapes twisting them into new designs that suggest something familiar without being clear. Is the rainbow edge around a cloverleaf pattern happy? Geirschick — a member of Tiger Strikes Asteroid collective — uses spray paint, house paint, enamel and collage on found furniture, scrap wood and cardboard.
Daniel Heyman, from the Shelter show at the Painted Bride
From the impresario of ”Welcome House , ” the recent temporary public art project in Love Park, comes ”Shelter , ” at the Painted Bride Art Center . Marianne Bernstein , an artist and activist, organized the group show to foster a dialog between artists and the public about social issues. Before the show, 14 artists were paired with 10 Philadelphia families to make art dealing with issues of family crisis and homelessness. The photography, painting, video and drawings that resulted are art as social activism by artists known for great empathy in their art. Printmaker Daniel Heyman created word-and-image portraits of veterans in transitional housing. Ricardo Rivera of the Klip Collective made a documentary video of a dying and bedridden woman, Gloria, and her devoted husband.
Bernstein, a filmmaker and photographer, also has great empathy for people. Her new photo book, “Tatted,” shows tattooed strangers she photographed in the alleyways behind the South Street tattoo shops. The works capture the personalities of the tattooed men and women with great care and love. Tatted, published by Grit City Inc, launches Dec. 4 at Pure Gold Gallery.
Jeffro Kilpatrick's The Nearness of You, in the Creature show at Brave New Worlds
Need more Halloween imagery? Check out ”Creature Double Feature” at Brave New Worlds . The show features original works by 20 artists who are affiliated with the Philadelphia Cartoonist Society. Concetta Barbera and Christian Patchell curated the show which will have small scale prints, drawings and books at reasonable prices
Ronnie Bass: “ The Astronomer, Part 1: Departure From Shed ,” Through Jan. 10. Reception: Fri., Nov. 6, 6-9pm. Marginal Utility, 319 N. 11th St., second fl. 917.355.4487.
P. Timothy Gierschick II: “ Patch and Plot ,” Through Nov. 27. Reception: Fri., Nov. 6, 6–10pm. Tiger Strikes Asteroid, 319A N. 11th St., fourth fl.
Marianne Bernstein: “ Shelter ,” Through Dec. 18. Reception: Fri., Nov. 6, 5-7pm. Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St. 215.925.9914.
Philadelphia Cartoonist Society: “ Creature Double Feature ,” Through Nov. 25. Reception: Fri., Nov. 6, 6-9pm. Brave New Worlds, 45 N. Second St. 215.925.6525.
2 Comments
A good group of First Friday shows. I liked Shelter and Gierschick especially. Shelter: Philly seems to have proportionally larger colony of homeless than Manhattan; they’re inescapable and more desperate in Philly. Gierschick deftly transforms simple materials, bringing out sometimes the absolute beauty of humble THINGS. 319 11th is also a good place to visit. It’s a hopeful place.
Do you really think so (about the homeless in Philly being more desperate)? They’re very visible, that’s for sure. A few years back the city did sweeps of center city and pushed the homeless elsewhere but it seems now that they are back and the city is not sweeping them out. It must be a policy change. Maybe Bloomberg has a policy for the homeless in NY that sweeps them out of Manhattan? We have a lot of homeless here but I remember being shocked a few years back at what seemed like an even greater number of homeless in San Francisco, LA…and then in Portland, OR, too. Only, the West coast homelessness seemed different–kids and stoners mostly instead of the poor, displaced and mentally ill. It’s such a problem and no city is really dealing with it the way it needs to be dealt with…I love that you found 319 11th to be a hopeful place…That’s a great way to put it!