News

A taste of what’s to come in “MICROMANIA,” by Jules Ferraro. Performed by Julius Ferraro and directed by Robert Gross. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Jules Ferraro’s new show is one of those things that doesn’t beat around the bush, title-wise: MICROMANIA, opening as part of Collage Festival from May 8-10, 2014 at the The Community Education Center in West Philly, is billed as “an absurd reduction of tense interoffice relationships to a single issue, picking into the weird, wiggly world of the strangers we work with.” Described by Jules as a shoestring, high-concept spectacle, it’s also a breakout of sorts; it’s his first show production since graduating college. You can find more information at the Facebook event. Entrance to the festival is $5.

Little Berlin marches on: this spring, they’re launching The Annex, a 600 square foot space right next to the existing gallery in the Viking Mill Building in Kensington! This space is going to serve as the location for special events and pleasant, comfortable reading of the Little Berlin Zine Library, a collection of hundreds of artist-made books, plus feature film screenings, performances, talks, poetry readings, lectures, and workshops. While next door continues to hold exhibitions, the Annex is meant more as a low pressure environment for artists and curators to experiment. Not only is this happening, but the doors are open if you’ve been considering membership. As always, Little Berliners “shape their practice around regularly activating the space, and cultivating a community around it,” organizing and facilitating events, the Zine Library, help maintain the spaces, and contribute $30 dues monthly. if you’re interested, head on over and send them an email indicating your interest, plus a resume/CV or other indicator of past experience or accomplishments.

If fine art podcasts and artist lectures are a significant part of your daily commute, work routine, or just what you put on in the background, we’ve gotten word that some new avenues have opened up for your self-directed education. MFA Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts provides free video via YouTube of their weekly lecture series, for which faculty members and guest artists such as Marilyn Minter, Suzanne McClelland, and Keith Mayerson. MFA Fine Arts lectures are also available as free podcasts via iTunes U: . Elsewhere, the Whitney Museum of American Art also offers video of their public programs, including lectures from the recent Shared Spaced Symposium on social media and museum structures, as well as various artist lectures. Likewise, MoMA offers video of artist lectures and public discussions here. And going way back in time, The Frick Collection has voluminous recordings of lectures by prominent art historians, critics, and theorists.

Opportunities

Now that the worst (knock on wood) of this year’s winter weather seems to be a thing of the past, if you were eager to take advantage of the tranquil climate to move into new quarters, a great spot is waiting for you. Brought to our attention by Sara Hudak, a local studio space is available at in the Window Factory Arts Building at 9th and Dauphin ( a very cool space, we’re told). It’s a good deal, 150 sq ft for $150 a month, utilities included. Check out the Craigslist posting for more info, and get in touch with Sara at sara.hudak@gmail.com if you’re into it.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists is offering a great way to make a lasting impression when the time comes for sending in grant proposals. They’re hosting Placemaking: Opportunities for Artists, the second part of an ongoing conversation, on Thursday, April 24 at 5:30 pm at their 237 South 18th office. You’ll hear panelists Prema Gupta, Kevin Musselman, Sarah Sturtevant, and Jeffrey Tubbs discuss current opportunities and funding for artists looking to work as creative “placemakers.” There’s a $12.00 general admission, and pre-registration is required; individuals who have not pre-registered are not guaranteed a seat. To reserve a space, contact Genevieve Coutroubis by phone (215) 546 – 7775 x 11 or by email Genevieve@cfeva.org.

Artist News

Matthew Mazzotta’s "Open House" in motion. Photo: Architizer.com. — Matthew Mazzotta’s “Open House” in motion. Photo: Architizer.com.

Matthew Mazzotta’s victory in winning an Architizer A+ Award for Architecture and Urban Transformation has us thinking that his Open House, a public art project, would be a welcome addition to our own city. The gist: Open House transformed a blighted property in York, Alabama into a 100-seat, open-air theater, where the public now gets to take in performances, musical events and town meetings. Matthew was awarded by a distinguished jury that included Liz Diller of Diller, Scofidio and Renfro, Paola Antonelli, curator at the Museum of Modern Art and Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang; he and the other winners receive their awards in high style, with a gala at the Highline Stages in New York City on Thursday, May 15. Congratulations, Matthew! Sincerely hope to see more work on this level in the future. You can watch Open House materialize in this wonderful video.

Ellen Harvey’s “New Forest,” part of THANK YOU, 2014, installation view. Photo: Martin Parsekian. Courtesy of the Dodge Gallery.

Ellen Harvey is one of the stellar artists whose work is showing the Dodge Gallery out; as part of Thank You, the great gallery’s final show, she’s contributed “New Forest,” a starkly gorgeous huge piece with many of the qualities that captivated us about her show at Locks Gallery in 2012. Dodge’s place in the city, meanwhile and the dire situation of mid-size galleries got an incisive mention last week by artnet. Thank You opened April 10 and runs until April 24.