Artist: Pete Cuba

This evening I had the pleasure of a studio visit with Pete Cuba, a Chicago graphic designer-by-day, painter-extraordinaire-by-night. I've been a fan of his work for years, and I am excited about working with him again on a few new upcoming projects. A hand-picked selection of his paintings on wood will be hung very soon in Dusty Groove Records (1120 N. Ashland), which is below Corbett vs. Dempsey. When I say they are on wood, they are, in fact, drawn and painted on scraps of board. Furthermore, these paintings pertain quite often to nature and the very pleasant qualities of trees. And the very unpleasant qualities of people. Please come to see them in person, they are quite lovely.

You can see much more of Pete's work on his website, Two Horse Town, as well as on Flickr.

 

 

Opening: Territories

 

OPENING TONIGHT! 

April 1–May 14, 2011

5:00-7:00pm. 

The Untitled Gallery at Marwen

833 North Orleans Street, 2nd floor

Chicago, Illinois 60610

This catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition Territories, organized by Arielle Bielak for Marwen, curated by Julia V. Hendrickson, and designed by Scott Reinhard.

The exhibition's artists include Jessica Taylor Caponigro, Suzanne Caporael, Ryan Travis Christian, Austin Eddy, Maria Gaspar, Erika Hess, Ryan Ingebritson, Anne Elizabeth Moore, Matt Nichols, B. Ingrid Olson, Josué Pellot, Kevin Reiswig, Aurora Tabar, Russell Weiss, and Sara Zalek.

Catalogue writing contributors include: Arielle Bielak, Kate Blair, Jack Shelton Boyle, Beth Feldman Brandt, Evan Burrows, Danny Caine, Paula Clark, Carlos Colmenares, Alana Cuéllar, Zach Dodson, Jonathan Eliot, Victor Estrada, Chris Eves, Jason Foumberg, Fred Frederick, Maria Gaspar, J.M. Harper, Julia V. Hendrickson, Charlie Hogle,, Lindsey Huster, Andrew Gregory Krzak, Peterson Kuyk-White, Christopher M. Lee, Timothy Lehmann, Nate Long, Landon Manucci, Julianne Mentzer, Megha Ralapati, David Reale, Izabella Redzisz, Miguel Renée, Susannah Ribstein, Andrew B. Sartorius, Maureen Sill, Peter Stevens, Aurora Tabar, Bryn Tulip, Ina Weise, Russell Weiss, Justin Williams, Meredith Wilson, David Yontz, and Sara Zalek.

A discussion with guest artists Maria Gaspar, Theaster Gates, and David Schalliol concludes the exhibition on May 14, 2011.

[N.B. The first 40 copies of the catalogue will be made available for sale at Marwen starting in mid-April. After the first 40 have sold, it will be made available for sale online].

B. Ingrid Olson, Untitled (2011), grease pencil on paper

 

Josué Pellot, Aggressively Happy (2011), Acrylic on wood, baked polymer clay, found object.

 

Ryan Travis Christian, New Bikini Jam, 2010, graphite on paper.

 

Austin Eddy, Night time seat, 2011, oil on muslin.

 

Matt Nichols & Jessica Taylor Caponigro, The Feeling is Mutual, 2011

Plywood, primer, and magic marker.

...AND SO MUCH MORE...

Film: Scrappers

Scrappers Trailer from scrap movie on Vimeo.

If you haven't seen this amazing 2010 documentary yet (given two thumbs up by Roger Ebert), then make it your next movie viewing priority. Driven by a stellar Frank Rosaly score, and winding through classically Chicago alleyways, Scrappers steadfastly follows Oscar and Otis, two men who have made a living by collecting and reselling discarded scrap metal. Among many things, the film touches on the 2008 financial crisis, gendered economic production, class struggles, and immigration rights.

You can see some interesting post-production photos of the people in the film here (from one of the directors, Brian Ashby). Otis recently celebrated his 77th birthday!

Brian Ashby and Ben Kolak leave today on a Southern Circuit Tour, visiting 9 states (including Ohio and Pennsylvania!) for screenings over the next few weeks.

Lit: Catalogue for "Territories"

 Detail, in-progress screencap of Territories: a compendium

I cannot adequately express how excited I am about the progression of the last few weeks. Since the fall of 2010 I have been working on curating a group show called Territories, opening April 1st, 2011 at Marwen in the Untitled Gallery. The artwork is coming together marvelously, and I'm so happy with how the exhibition will look once we install everything in a week or so. All of this could have been enough, but for some reason I got a bee in my bonnett a few weeks ago, and I decided I wanted to do a catalogue as well. (!)



With the enthusiastic and invaluable help of my friends, designer Scott Reinhard and Marwen exhibitions coordinator Arielle Bielak, we are almost done pulling together a fantastic catalogue that was conceived, written, designed, and executed over the course of four short weeks. A few other people had a hand in it as well (an understatement) --- the catalogue not only serves as a document of the exhibition, but it is a compendium of texts on the subject of "territories" as well. In just one week, Territories: a compendium grew to over 130 pages, with forty-two contributors sending forty-six submissions from twenty cities all over the world. I am honored, touched, and proud to present the artists and writers who have contributed to this book. This is just a sneak peek at what's to come. Email me at sendmissiveshere [at] gmail [dot] com  if you'd like to pre-order a copy (we're only able to print a limited edition of 40, unless you order one in the next few days!)

 

Detail, in-progress screencap of Territories: a compendium

Video/ Dance: Amberley Productions & Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

These are a few dance-related videos that I can't get out of my head of late:


Ah! - Oval from Amberley Productions on Vimeo.

This strangely hypnotic one's from Amberley Productions in Berlin (although the band is on the Thrill Jockey label in Chicago-- a lot of cool videos on Thrill Jockey's Vimeo page), and I sure wish they had a few more projects out in the world, because I'm digging the German dish they're dishing.



This is from Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, (b. 1960, Belgium), originally choreographed in the 1980s. Below is a more recent piece, although you wouldn't know it to see it, given the pastel nursing home costumes and orthopedic shoes.

 

New work: "Increase Circulation"

Collage from Spudnik Press' monthly throwdown this eve. That kid is just so lonesome! And cold. Hoping to roll with this one, could be a cool print.