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Arts
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| The North Stars |
| "Nightjohn," by Jerry Pinkney. |
In its 25th year, the Celebration of Black Writing Festival has transformed over the past few decades into a Free Library Festival-sized, three-day bonanza that puts a much appreciated emphasis on both local talent and getting children into books. It kicks off today and Friday, with events like an open mic night for Philly's best student writers and speeches by nationally renowned writers at local schools.
If you don't have kids, worry not Sunday is for everyone, with all sorts of lit and non-lit fun: drum-making workshops, book vendors, basketball tournaments, panel discussions on black writing, a talk with illustrator Jerry Pinkney (whose work is pictured), a class on how to examine your relationship with your father through letter-writing and a bunch of other stuff.
If you need more convincing, check out the full schedule here.
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| Akira Suwa | The Philadelphia Inquirer |
This weekend, I took a trip through Fishtown and Northern Liberties, but it might as well have been a trip through time: I first sifted through old clothes and kitchenware at a flea market run by longtime Fishtown residents. Afterward, I hopped over to the hip Trenton Avenue Arts Festival, and then I attended the hipper-than-hip opening party for The Piazza at Schmidt's.
Riding past the old, imperfect-but-lovable Bambi Gallery on Frankford Avenue on my way to NoLibs, and then coming across its shiny new incarnation at The Piazza, it was easy to feel like an angsty teenager whose favorite bands are all selling out. But that was just a fleeting feeling. I agree with most of what architecture critic Inga Saffron says about the new development:
The evidence might lead to the assumption that The Piazza is a cheap, cringe-worthy theme park. In reality, The Piazza, which [opened] this weekend, is anything but. Actually, it's pretty wonderful The Piazza accomplishes something rarely seen in new American developments: It feels like a real place.
Indeed, as much as it's not something that developed organically, the galleries, restaurants, clothing stores and JumboTron seem to mingle together in harmony the way something authentic would. (When I say "authentic," I simply mean that these businesses did not migrate into the neighborhood on their own, over time.)
I also dug the "five-minute neighborhood" aspect of it, as developer Bart Blatstein called it wandering easily and quickly from shop to shop, and getting free beer in between was nothing I could complain about. Still, I don't think I like the look of it it's very similar aesthetically to Blatstein's previous work at Temple University: monolithic, gray and kind of deadening. Any thoughts?
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It takes a certain kind of nerd to get all googly-eyed over fonts. (If you think I'm crazy already, you should probably stop reading now. You are not that type of nerd.) But for those of you who are, you know what I mean Helvetica, in all its simplicity, flexibility and purity, is so easy to love; a poorly placed decorative font is so easy to hate.
If you're feeling me, you should check out local font artist Robin McDowell, whose work is pictured above. Not only does she craft beautiful typefaces, she also gets witty about the text she features. Her work, along with her non-type related tees, are currently up at Art in the Age. (Which, we know, we are embarrisingly into. You can't decide who you love, OK?) But wait, Robin, Internet doesn't=real life? I'll have to sit on that for a while.
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| DCKT Contemporary |
I have absolutely no idea how Ryan Humphrey's exhibit (pictured up top) is going to get into the Moore College of Art & Design's Levy Gallery, seeing as how the ceilings are about a fourth of that size. But it is. Riffing off Duchamp's "Bicycle Wheel,"Humphrey's "Fast Forward" piece conists of 30 BMX bikes that local pro bikers are going to help install. In addition, Moore is hosting a slew of bike-related events to coincide with it, including bike tours, lectures on the benefits of cycling and bike parades. This is what the curators said, via ESPN:
"The exhibition celebrates Philadelphia's passion and commitment to the bicycle both as functional object and as a canvas for good causes, personal expression, civic mindedness and political beliefs. In Philadelphia, the bicycle is used in a daily commute to school or work, and in the summer as a prime outdoor activity along the Schuylkill River and Kelly Drive. Whether as a mode of transport, healthy hobby or a world-class sport, Philadelphians ride by the thousands on the road, on the track, on paths and pretty much anywhere two wheels can go."
Damn right. Too bad it's not coming to town until June 19.
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
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| Trishylicious |
If that photograph up top doesn't intrigue you, Carnivolution may not be for you. You also may be boring. It includes a man/clown in an angelic dress and Courtney Love-ish pink fishnets, Uncle Sam before he went gray, a cape decorated with what looks like a Salvation Army symbol, and a very beautiful mural, for chrissakes. This is all a fairly accurate representation of what Carnivolution which is in its fifth year, and opening for the first time in 2009 tonight is like. Missing from the photo are fire breathers, half-naked ladies doing burlesque, a tree house and The Hygrogen Jukebox playing music.
Coolest of all, though, is the fact that you get to troll around the Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum, which houses the work of the famed Tiberinos a family this paper accurately described as "the West Philly Wyeths." Since a few of them are always in attendance, you'll get to drink and chat with them too. Don't know what they look like? Just look for the beautiful people.
Every second Fri., 8 p.m., $5-$8, Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum, 3819 Hamilton St., 215-382-2003, tiberinomuseum.com.
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| PEX Summer Festival |
| Click to enlarge. |
For those of you who have been obsessively checking pexsummerfestival.com since word dropped that a Philadelphia Experiment-run music/arts/DJs bonanza would be going down this summer, I have good news: The lineup has been posted. It's definitely more Burning Man than Bonnaroo there'll be lots of fire breathers, yoga workshops and drum circles, and not so many big-name bands (Dr. Dog, I was crossing my fingers for you!). But still, pool parties every day, a giant fire on July 4 and a sexploratorium. Whatever the hell that is. Be there or be square.
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| Found in Philly |
| Mom, I'm serious! I want the laser background! |
To get in the mood for tonight's FOUND! with Sound event, y'all should take a look at Philly's version of the magazine and best-of book series that collects discarded pamphlets, notes and school pictures a Web site that's aptly titled FOUND in Philly.
The gem above comes from a local named Gina, who notes that she asked for her demise: As a wee little elementary schooler, she begged her mom for the laser backdrop. Other highlights include a nun chilling at what appears to be a Roxborough kegger, and West Philly soldiers from the '50s (or '40s? or '70s?). You're invited to contribute your own videos, photos and other ephemera to the site. And you should the Internet is a community, people.
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Don't know what do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
These crazy days, we don't like waiting and we have attention spans that our grandfathers would be very, very ashamed of. That's why we could just kiss events like On Stage Philadelphia on the mouth it'll feature 10-minute previews of local productions that are coming out this spring.
Everything dance, theater, film, music, comedy and improv will be on display, including Collingswood Excelsior Theatre Co.'s Magic Time, which was directed by James Introcaso, the same dude who did William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead, and Plays & Players' Camelot.
Following the abbreviated performances, you'll be able to schmooze with the artists and score discounted tickets to the upcoming shows. But what's the point of seeing the whole thing if you already saw the highlights reel? Just kidding, P&P.
Mon., May 4, 8 p.m., Plays & Players Theater, 1714 Delancey St., 215-735-0630, playsandplayers.org.
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| Philly Art Galleries |
| Lindsey Baker's pretty pink ladies. |
Bambi Gallery, the art spot that's run by City Paper girl crush Candace Karch, is getting the hell out of dodge er, Frankford Avenue. Her gallery, known for hosting super feminine, but slightly twisted works (like the pictured piece in the "Salon des Filles" exhibit by Lindsey Baker), will be missed in the 'hood. As will be Karch, who also bartends at Johnny Brenda's and is full of charisma, balls and charm.
But thank heavens Bambi Gallery isn't leaving Philly for a sec, when we heard rumors of it moving a few months ago, we got worried it'd dissapear for good. Here's the latest word on where she's going, which I got from Karch this afternoon:
bambi moved location yesterday...yay!
i am at the new schmidts piazza and the grand opening is the 16th (as you probably already know) for the entire piazza...but because my space is not ready yet and i am having a closing/opening party on the 15th of may for the "salon des filles."
Fair enough, lady. We'll see you May 15, but we'll be missing you this First Friday.
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| Mundie Art |
Other than some Bastille Days here and a few Meet-the-Prisoner events there, the Eastern State Penitentiary is like that aunt of yours you see her on one holiday (in ESP's case, Halloween; in your aunt's case, Christmas, Passover or another somesuch thing), and then she's gone for the rest of the year. Which is a real damn shame. Cause, when I saw Philly-area composers perform at ESP this Friday as part of the Chamber Music Now! series, it ruled.
The acoustics were great. The exhibits that decorated the space including one that featured cat sculptures and another that held tiny installations revealing lesser-known facts about ESP were a nice touch, and entertaining to look at during the intermission. Surrounded by cement and brick, it was freezing (on Friday, when it was bloody hot outside), meaning that AC costs would be nil during the summer. And, best of all, it was creepy as hell. As I was listening to a super-high pitched soprano sing about going mad in solitary confinement (many of the works were inspired by past ESP residents), I sat next to a completely dark cell, which meant I had an adrenaline-filled panic attack every five seconds. So, I'm asking you ESP: Can you hold more performances here? Like book Bjork or Portishead maybe? I feel they'd fit the space well. Or hold a dance party? Don't let those Making Time kids come, though. God knows what terrible things they'll do in the empty cells.
Oh yeah, and FYI: There are two more CMN! events taking place at ESP on May 1 & 3, at 8 p.m.
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