News

Here’s a conundrum: if the world ends, you won’t get to see any of the apocalyptic-themed art around town, but if it doesn’t end, the apocalyptic-themed art will be robbed of context, at least unless we can put it all in a time capsule for the next time someone puts forth another end date for the universe as we know it. How to reconcile this? I can’t give you an answer, but I can tell you that the shows at Arch Enemy and PhilaMOCA deliver the eschatological goods. Arch Enemy’s show, “The Day and the Hour Unknown” features the work of 17 different artists, with a heavy focus on sculpture and 3-dimensional work; the exhibition is accompanied by Doomsday Prepper-friendly disaster preparedness resources and support, a collaboration between Arch Enemy and The Escape Artist Initiative, a Philly-based arts activism collective focused on creative survival strategies. Meanwhile, over at PhilaMOCA (which, you know, is a mausoleum) tonight is the final night of their macabre three-day celebratory symposium. A panel called The End of World, Again: The Apocalypse in Media, Science, and Culture is scheduled, featuring Jarice Hanson (University of Massachusetts-Amherst), Osei Alleyne (University of Pennsylvania), Genevieve Gillespie (Temple University), and Barry Vacker (Temple University). Followed by the talk, there’s – what else? – an End of the World Party featuring music by S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D. and a countdown clock/farewell toast at midnight. Who knows? Maybe we’ll be happy we prepared for the End of Days in such style….

Our very own editor Erica Minutella recently entered the Philly DoGooder Hackathon, a new film festival that started this year. Her work with a local filmmaker on behalf of InLiquid is now one of the projects up for votes, through January 31. Although there were more than 80 submissions, there weren’t many arts organizations, so a vote for InLiquid goes a long way for art’s representation at the Hackathon. You can watch Erica’s submission and vote for her here! 

Art Alert, launched this year to glowing praise including Apple’s best iPad reference app of 2011, is now available for iPhones and iPads. Based on the Art Authority app line, it uses the Art Authority database to locate, preview and get to real art in the real world at over 500 locations around the globe. Cool stuff, definitely worth checking out.

Opportunities

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is gathering information for a press release listing all of the top happenings during Black History Month in February 2013. If your organization has any special programming, exhibitions or artists related to  Black History Month, please send Veronica Wentz any information by Friday, January 4, 2013. For each event please provide title, date(s), brief description (2 sentences or less), and photography if available. Caption and photo credits are required as well (for social media opportunities), along with any websites, telephone numbers and staff contacts. Plress releases and email databases can be directed to nveronica@gptmc.com
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The College Art Association is now offering updated digital versions of its directories of graduate programs in art history and the visual arts; eight program types are included. Arts Administration, Art Education, Conservation and Historic Preservation, Curatorial and Museum Studies, Film Production, History of Art and Architecture, Library Science, and Studio Art and Design can all be searched by criteria, and each program offered describes curricula, class size, faculty and specializations, admission and degree requirements, library and studio facilities, opportunities for fellowships and assistantships, student activities, and more. For more details and to order the 2011 print or ebook directories, visit the CAA website or contact Roberta Lawson at 212-392-4404.

The Cheltenham Center for the Arts is hosting its 72^nd Annual Members Exhibition on Friday, January 11^, 2013; the show continues through February 8, 2013. Juried by Deirdre Murphy, Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, the call for entries is open to all current adult CCA members. Each artist can submit one entry of any new work in any medium, created in the last two years and never before shown at the Cheltenham Center for the Arts; the size limit is 48” in any direction. Artists are responsible for hanging and framing. The complete prospectus is available online. They’re accepting work beginning January 2, 2013. Artists may also enter the show by becoming a member of Cheltenham Center for the Arts  – individual memberships begin at $45. The award ceremony is on Friday, January 11, 2013, with the opening reception from 6:30- 8:30pm. For further information please call 215.379.4660.

Artist News

Damian Moppett, who co-hosted a discussion at Tyler School of Art’s Temple Gallery with Philip Glahn in 2008, is having a major show in his home city of Vancouver. “Offsite: Damian Moppett” opened at the Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite November 8, and continues until April 1, 2013.

Lisa Kereszi is part of a group show, “Traces of Myth,” at Atlanta’s Hagendorn Foundation that opened on December 4 and continues until January 26, with an artists’ reception January 12 from 4-6 PM.

Wishing you all the best of holidays and a happy new year….if the world doesn’t end!