At the PMA

"Here and Now: Prints, Drawings, and Photographs by Ten Philadelphia Artists"

September 10, 2011 - December 4, 2011

"The works featured in this exhibition are a lively, arresting, and timely celebration of ten Philadelphia artists, ranging in age from 25 to 50, who are currently making art on paper.

Each of these artists is represented by a small group of works demonstrating the strength and diversity of talent that exists in the city today. With ingenious, elaborate details and the inventive layering of materials, a number of artistic techniques and processes can clearly be seen. Still, there is an underlying seriousness of purpose and a desire to confront the dilemmas of today’s world that is prevalent throughout."

"The ten artists on view are Astrid Bowlby, Steven and Billy Blaise Dufala (who operate in collaboration), Vincent Feldman, Daniel Heyman, Isaac Tin Wei Lin, Virgil Marti, Joshua Mosley, Serena Perrone, Hannah Price, and Mia Rosenthal. Some of them are also known for their work in other mediums, such as installation, video, sculpture, and painting."

(Image above by Isaac Lin)

Drawing Week 2-Kate

collage!

Martin Wittfooth- Kate

I've been into M. W. lately. He makes dark fantasy paintings that comment on environmental politics and are interesting enough to land him on the cover of HI-FRUCTOSE.
http://www.martinwittfooth.com/
-KP

Poetics of Space- Kate

            The chapter was very readable and lyrical. I loved the excerpts from poetry and Henri Bosco’s L’Antiquaire. I feel like Bachelard transforms the idea of a house from an inanimate building to a kind of benevolent character. I agree with his idea that we all have a connection to the primitive shelter, which probably goes back eons (p.4). The part about the childhood home as a place for daydreaming really spoke to me. As an only child I spent ages dreaming and writing little stories and creating epic scenarios for my dolls. I agree with his idea of letting a child experience boredom in order to nurture creativity (p. 16).

            A lot of Bachelard’s imagery about the house is very womb-like. He seems to have a personal attachment to his childhood home that I would personally more associate with the people in my family than in the house we lived. I loved the part where he talks about smelling the drying fruit, and how we all have a somewhat indescribable memory or connection to the spaces we know intimately. Everything he says about the cellar as the dark, frightening underbelly of the house is spot-on. My favorite section is where he quotes Bosco on page 25, because not only does it fit in perfectly with his “stone plant” metaphor, it is a gorgeous passage that I would have never otherwise stumbled upon.

brian m viveros - returning art to the unclean

"Returning Art to the Unclean"
Known for his strong and sensuous depictions of women, Viveros is a master of contemporary iconography paying homage to the femme fatale. While he almost exclusively paints portraits, within the expressions of his women is conveyed such deep emotion and overwhelming sexuality that his work is undeniably erotic.

meghan dunn - weekly drawing

meghan dunn - working method

Initially, I collect a variety of images that catch my eye, from other artists' work to candid photos of friends. I focus on what draws me to each image and think about the possible relationships between neighboring images. Another large inspiration for me is the imagery I recall from my dreams, nightmares, and anxiety attacks. I like to reproduce what I've imagined because it's a uniquely personal interpretation of the outside world. Subject matter is vital in my work. I'm drawn to exploring the effects of certain psychological states on a person, as well as the destructive and/or enlightening methods of coping with them.

Usually my ideas are executed through the use of figures and portraits, due to their capacity to portray abstract concepts of humanity. More often than not, I decide which medium would be appropriate for a given project after the idea's been fully developed. Sometimes I also find myself inspired by the materials themselves. This mainly happens when I'm working outside of the two-dimensional plane and with non traditional art materials.