Space 1026 has a members show up, a sort of warm-up for their gig at the Yerba Buena Art Center (here’s more info on that from Roberta in the Philadelphia Weekly), and it’s pretty typical Space 1026. In other words, it’s tough to see the forest for the trees–or maybe vice versa, if the trees are the works of art and the installation is the conglomerate.
The installation as a whole is a jumble, and the lack of labeling means I couldn’t really find my way to the new kids on the block. But there are jewels in there and if you can give the place some patience, you will find them.
Among the highlights are Becky Suss’s cheerful houses in the corner of the room that morph into Caitlin Perkins’ wallpapery interior with deer head and all. I also loved the drawings, especially the one with the drawn frame around it.
Ben Woodward’s ink drawing reminded me of Native American stretched deer skin paintings. It also had a homey quality, what with the laundry and all, and the spin-around perspective means the laundry is defying gravity–unless you spin the piece around. Either way, creatures and things are standing on their heads. I’m reminded of an old Japanese map with multiple orientations I saw at the Rosenbach Collection (see post).
Liz Rywelski’s explorations of patterns have blossomed into romantic portraits covered with the stuff, by some magic trick the portrait not breaking down amidst the details. I’m not sure what’s up with the deliberately dirty-drawing technique, but I’m still captivated.
There’s lots more to look at if you can keep focus, some of it really great, some not.
Others in the show include Max Lawrence with his resin-layered paintings, Thom Lessner with his fan-worship of Van Halen, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Aryon Hoselton, Rachel Sten, Adam Crawford, Rachel Vittorelli, Clint Woodside, Courtney Dailey, Matt Kosoy, Melissa Kramer, Jake Henry, Jeff Weisner, Jessie Goldstein and Francesca Gangi.
