News

ICA@50 is wrapping up its anniversary celebration on August 17 with a reverse countdown, a reflection, and a musical celebration. A film by Korean artist Jeamin Cha, the Group ZERO exhibition, and a serenade by Bardo Pond and DJ LIGHTHEAT all come together for the closing celebration on ICA’s terrace. Lil’ Pop Shop popsicles, a variety of snacks, and beer are amongst the edible offerings.

The Pew Foundation’s Friday web feature is a weekly spotlight on what’s going on in the lives of their Fellows. On deck this week is 2012 Pew Fellow Dan Murphy, who runs Megawords with Anthony Smyrski. If you want to catch up on how the duo’s been doing for the last few years, check out Murphy’s interview – it’s got him talking about Megawords’ work with Creative Time and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Some startling news from the William Penn Foundation: Managing director Peter Degnan is departing after only six months. Degnan came to William Penn at the beginning of March, having previously served as vice dean of finance and administration at the Wharton School.

Beautiful Times, a traveling charity art project by artists Amanda Marie and X-O, is coming to Philadelphia and working with our friends at HAHAMAG and Paradigm Gallery. Held in support of the Morgan Adams Foundation (pediatric cancer research) and the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, you can learn more about and help with this project by following @HAHAxPARADIGM for Philly coverage and @BKStreetArt for coverage on the whole project.

Opportunities

via Kari K Scott – There’s a new call for entries from The Art Center at Highland Park. Voices and Visions IV- Standing on the Bridge between Health and Disease, running from September 5-October 25, is curated by Caren Helene Rudman 2014. The deadline for entries is August 9, and the exhibition is open to all artists whose work includes issues pertaining to cancer, including survivors, previvors, caregivers, sons and daughters, and anyone who has in anyway been touched by the disease. Open to all media, except video / film, and all artists 16 years and older.

chashama in NYC, known for their unique storefront window productions, has issued a call for entries with an August 15 deadline. They offer free window space to selected artists, along with marketing, technical and administrative support for their exhibitions; some exhibitions may receive a small stipend. The window spaces can also be rented at subsidized weekly and monthly rates. To apply, fill out an online application; before you start, round up 3-5 images of work samples, a CV, and a $5.00 processing fee (unless you submit your application via mail, which means you can forego the fee.

Artist News

Rescue or Destroy is the perfect antidote to that nagging feeling of indecision you get when you just don’t know what to do with your old art. On August 9, Gallery Bar in Chicago (734 N. Clark St) is hosting the playoffs of RoD’s first tournament, featuring four of their winning artists from the Spring Session (Jeffrey Conroy, Ryan Blume, Mike Gricus, and Wem). On August 19, Fulton Market Kitchen holds the second tournament, with CJ Hungerman and Keith Brownlee competing in the Main Event. Guest artists include Jason Davis, Lynn Tsan and Allen Vandever. Rescue or Destroy continues once a month at both venues, and by the end of the evening, all of the art featured meets one of three fates. Some of it sold, some of it saved for a future event, and some of it – literally – given the ax. If you love it, vote to save it, or bring it home. If you hate it, fold your arms, check out the ceiling, go buy a drink, and let the ax fall. CJ Hungerman and Keith Brownlee both gave interviews on Rescue or Destroy, and the pure catharsis it undoubtedly provides.

via Michelle Post – The commissioned sculptures Michelle Post is creating for Grounds For Sculpture are going fantastically: they’ve been all cast in aluminum and are heading to the paint department after being sand blasted. Updates to follow!

Diedra Krieger sends us some summertime greetings from Anchorage, Alaska, where Plastic Fantastic is visiting the Gyre Exhibition!  There, as you may remember from a post a while back, Diedra’s created a dome from discarded plastic bottles as part of a conversation about environmentalism and waste.

Columbia College Chicago’s A+D Gallery is currently showing Cargo Space: Chicago/Milwaukee, running Aug. 14 through Sept. 20. Alternating between galleries in Chicago and Milwaukee and on a refurbished 27’ diesel transit bus traveling between the cities, founders Christopher Sperandio and Simon Grennan conceived the project in order to promote exchange between artists outside of major cities. Cargo Space: Chicago/Milwaukee is organized by Sperandio and Duncan MacKenzie, an assistant professor at Columbia College Chicago and founding member of Bad at Sports. Scheduled stops include the Walker Art Center’s Open Field and The Poor Farm in Manawa, WI, and the final two are INOVA in Milwaukee and A+D Gallery in Chicago. Running from August 14 – September 20, the reception is on September 19, 5-8 PM at the Averill and Bernard Leviton A+D Gallery. The participating artists in Chicago are Judith Brotman, Alex Chitty, Heather Mekkelson, Erik L. Peterson, John Sparagana, Wacom TX; the participating artists in Milwaukee are Sara Daleiden, Sarah Gail Luther, Ashley Morgan, Paul Druecke, Shana McCaw and Brent Budsberg.

via Gallery Joe – Mia Rosenthal’s drawings are on display in the 12th National Drawing Invitational: Outside the Lines at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, through October 5. They’re also acquiring her drawing Google Portrait of Philip Guston for their permanent collection! Mia’s planning on giving a talk and workshop at the Center on September 12 and 13. More information and an online catalog including an essay by Ann Prentice Wagner, Curator of Drawings at ndi.arkansasartscenter.org