Sung Hwan Kim, Queens Museum of Art

Ahh, the Queens Museum of Art, which is currently under construction when I strolled in on a that random hot day in March. While I was at the Museum of Science of New York in Queens, NY. I was told to check out the Queens Museum of Art. I literally left out the back door of the science museum. After crossing the bridge it is a two minute walk to the entrance of the museum.

Asking for the newest exhibit I was directed to a small dark room filled with fun house mirrors and television sets. One television showed a human dressed as a dog and the owner reclining in a robe holding a dog leash. Across the room another television juxtaposed a real dog running back and forth.

The exhibit that is on display by the artist is named: From the Commanding Heights of the Earliest Natural Fortification to the Architectonic Innovations of the Watch Tower the Development of Observation Balloons Satellites Surveillance there has been no End to the Enlargement of Field of Perception Whether I Know You or not Matters Less than How You Appear to the Objective Eye.

The exhibit which runs till August 11, 2011
This awesome pamphlet which turns into a poster is a describer of the pieces from the contemporary artist Sung Hwan Kim.

Very interesting...

plus after viewing Kim's show you can see the panorama of NYC which was built in 1964 from the World's Fair, the detail of this piece is RIDICULOUS. Many call the panorama the coolest and a must when in New York, a real gem in the city.

Front of Sung Hwan Kim Leaflet

Back

The Banana Factory

Bethlehem, PA

(All the video footage we took that night, WHICH WAS AMAZING, HAS BEEN LOST, DUE TO TECHNOLOGY...EVIL TECHNOLOGY)

So instead I present to you photos...a different format.

Here is the story: While on Spring Break I went art show hopping, from gallery to gallery, but nothing was anything like the BANANA FACTORY.  A not so hidden gem in the area, which I got completely schooled on by half of the town (upstanding citizens that know their stuff/history). My accomplices Candice and Christian on this mission.

Event: The Red Show
Basically the resident artists open their doors of their rented spaces to showcase what art they have been up to. Its like a gathering of artists and curious people. Its called the red show because the hallway walls are red, simple, but too much fun.

(All Photos were taken by Candice Semente, an OUTSTANDING lady that happened to bring her iPhone and started taking photos in between eating all the shrimp and drinking all the wine.)

Never have I encountered such a welcoming group of artists that just wanted to talk about their work with the rest of their community.

Rigo Peralta "Dancing Thru de Metal"

Rigo Peralta "De frente al futuro"

Heather Sincavage

Heather Sincavage

Heather Sincavage "Resonance"

Heather Sincavage

Rick Holt "No Title"

Rick Holt "Guarded Innocence"

Adriano Farinella

Adriano Farinella

Adriano Farinella

The studio of Nessa Grainger

William G Middleton + James Harmon + Dr. Weinstein 

On the Artists

I overheard a conversation that the contemporary artist Heather Sincavage was having about her obsession with hair and how she likes to incorporate it into her pieces. She then laid on her couch and we I got to interview her on her works.

I first saw Adriano Farinella standing in the corner of the room observing everyone while sipping on wine. I later met him that night through Heather Sincavage, he is a second floor resident artist at the Banana Factory. We adventured to his studio on the ghostly third floor. He sat comfortably on his brown leather grand chair talking about how the clouds are actually emotions and are envisioned. 

Next door to Heather is photographer R.W. Holt, who went to Ethiopia and took photographs of the natives.

Artist Nessa Grainger supplied the floor with amazing shrimp.

Dominican born artist Rigo Peralta standing at well above 6 foot tall looked down at me when I asked what music he was playing. I was in adjacent studio when I heard the sound of Spanish music being played from an LP. The new building that ARTSQUEST is building will have Peralta's painting Dancing Thru de Metal as one of its centerpieces. Once a steel town and now an art town, Peralta really captured Bethlehem.

A very interesting piece that I really enjoyed comes from William J Middleton + James Harmon + Dr. Weinstein.Using neon pieces to capture human anatomy is ultra cool. The nervous system and the ear piece were especially amazing, NEON ART I LOVE NOW.

Thank You Banana Factory

Women's Film Festival

Have you ever sat in a theatre watching a movie and thought, "WOW, this crowd is awesome!" Chances are probably that does not happen too often.

Brattleboro, Vt, might be the best place ever to watch a movie.

As the crowd reacts audibly to a documentary. Yes, the audience was making all kinds of sounds during a DOCUMENTARY.

We were no longer the audience, as corny as it sounds you felt like you were actually there.

Silence over took the Latchis Theatre when while watching Bhutto (not so much of a spoiler) was assassinated. The Latchis which is an actual theatre but is presented like a mini Opera House.

The film itself was SUPERB, telling a complete and wonderful story, but is really hard when your subject is truly amazing?

We were sad when Bhutto's family was sad, we laughed when the inane happened, and smiled when the people of Pakistan overcame.  

At the end of the movie there was a Q & A session with one of the commentators in the doc, Vermont Senator Peter Galbraith. A close college friend of Bhuttos' during her time at Harvard.

I caught up with the Senator after they ushered out the remaining folks, another film was about to show, there was a line, which I have not seen since the 90s.
 

On my way out I asked the concession stand attendant is it always this busy? He said, "OH YEAH."

Special Note: The doc was a part of the Women's Film Festival which was being put on by the Women's Freedom Center. It used to be called the Women's Crisis Center, but they've changed to FREEDOM, empowering change.

Dali found at Second Hand

Brattleboro, VT

     I had walked through the streets of the artsy Brattleboro looking for second hand stores. Someone can always find goodies within the Salvation Armies and Goodwills of art towns. I ran across the street blindly when I found TWICE UPON A TIME shoppe. I opened the door and got slammed in the face with the most spectacular surprise. For about five minutes I stared at this blend of colors on the wall. It looked very familiar. Where have I seen it before? I know that I have seen it?




     My companion said to me, "It looks so Dali." In fact it turned out to be DALI. I felt like a sludge, because my friend would not let go of the fact that she spotted it first. The Wailing Wall was hung up in an old golden rusted frame. The frame was used, and you could tell that whoever put it in the frame merely just found one and inserted it in and hung it up. How convenient that the SIGNED print was overlooking the cash registrar. Lying there as if it did not know of its importance. Supposedly the workers have been trying to sell this piece, but no fish will bite. The price has gone down due to the recession a significant amount, but still nothing. The boy at the counter if he does sell it will make a commission, like all art dealers do. What will he do with the money? "Buy a prohibition gangster suit."

Click Here to see a picture of the Wailing Wall. 


   Though I never got the full story on how the print was actually acquired, it was a spectacular gem to find.

Taken from Twice Upon a Time's web description-

"It is marked EA which is a limited edition artist proof. It is an original Lithograph and not a repro or copy with artist hand signed in the margin.

This lithograph was included in the portfolio of 25 prints titled, Aliyah, published in 1968 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Israel. The image is after a mixed media painting by Dali."

   Putting the Dali aside the stores abundance of items will make you feel like you have ADD, just because there is so much and you want to touch it ALL.

in the meantime Eva Hesse

Here are some interesting pieces to hold you over until our next post.

Eva Hesse (Pictured below): "Untitled" 1960. Oil on Canvas, 18 x 15. MOMA

Interesting fact: After ten years of art she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, ultimately cutting her life and art work short.

Episode 3: Wild Flag Boston

WILD FLAG ft: Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney, Mary Timony of Helium, and Rebecca Cole of the Minders.

What an awesome time, for real. 

Shepherdess + Yellow Fever live at Brighton Music Hall 03.07.2011

Story: Took a friend, drove two hours to Boston. Got carded at the door, my companion did not have an ID, we improvised. About to leave the area because I left something in my car that was parked behind these garbage cans in a back alley, real sketch. But I didn't make it to my car, why? Cause I ran into the band.

First Friday's Brattleboro Art Walk

Brattleboro, Vt

The first fridays are an exciting time for the communities that put together art walks or showcase new galleria openings.

The closest one which was 45 minutes away from Rindge, NH was in VT. We walked down the artsy town to be greeted by a Mardi Gras band and some circus performers. Walking into some galleries and then stopping at Mocha Joe's for some coffee, greeted by art and friendly faces all around. I was very surprised by the level of galleries, turning spaces that would not usually be considered into something different.



Episode 1: Boston Printmakers 2011 North American Biennial

Student Article for Show

 The Boston Printmakers 2011 North American Biennial is now exhibit at the Danforth Museum of Art in Framingham, MA.

The setting was busy with older people on the first floor of the Art School/ Museum. Working my way through the crowd of onlookers. Many people were explaining the techniques used in the pieces, not just mere on lookers.



After the first floors opening exhibit installation and the main home exhibits (which did not have many people in them)

We are interesting

Welcome to Two Shows a Week


a New site about art in and around the New England area

 and sometimes I venture into the 'city'

I will be Exploring two different shows a week
everything from Art houses, indie films, the best coffeehouses that HAVE books 
as I hope to bring you the best that surrounds us


IF I THINK ITS GOOD THEN YOU'LL SEE IT

Thanks Again
Andrea