Love of Images

Local Design: Philographica

David Horton, Princial of Philographica was recently profiled by AIGA Boston, and their site is pretty clean and I realize they own the local designing of colleges such as Boston University, Harvard as well as MIT. A nice list of local clients. Checkout their small but nice website!

The Shakeout

Redrawing the Map of Hub Galleries
The Boston Globe

During tough economic times, Boston galleries are moving, on hiatus, subdividing and even closing for good. By the end of the summer fourteen of Boston's will be closed or changed in some way. Rhys of Rhys Gallery is expected to close the doors to his gallery space tomorrow as he is planning to open a new gallery in Brazil and soon after Los Angeles. He says the interest in buying art in Boston at this time is not strong enough to stay with extremely high rents on top of all of that. Bernard Toale Gallery is closing its doors on Saturday, which is one of my favorite galleries in Boston. Be sure to read the full article by Cate McQuaid at The Boston Globe. This gives me one more reason to keep writing as one of The Struggling Bloggers to show that even during some struggling times, there is plenty of art to explore in Boston, even if we are no New York or Los Angeles.

A Lot Late, Modernist Posters

A Century of Modernist Posters
International Poster Gallery - April 15 - June 23, 2008

So I am a little late, ok I am a lot late as the exhibit of 'A Century of Modernist Posters' wrapped up, but I still need to direct your attention to some of the work they have listed on their website International Poster Gallery. It has huge names ranging from Milton Glaser to the Stenberg brothers who grew to fame oddly enough during the Soviet Union in the 1920s whose style I could die for. The exhibit is over but you need to checkout the brief history of Constructivism and the Art Deco movement in poster design. I overlooked the International Poster Gallery, but will not again as this showing has amazing equality posters, by artists who laid down the foundation of the graphic design field.

50 Designers' + UNICEF

Fifty Designers' Current Favourite Typefaces
UNICEF - Create/Reject

Sometimes we need to go beyond Boston and look at the World. So we ask you, what have you done to save the world lately? Well you can help by paying 3 British pounds (5.9085 U.S. dollars as of today) for this book titled Fifty Designers' Current Favourite Typefaces which 100% of the the proceeds go straight to UNICEF's Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Children's Appeal in the wake of Cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar on 2nd May 2008.

Just look at all the contributors: 2x4 Adam Hayes Alan Dye (NB: Studio) Alexandre Bettler Angus Hyland (Pentagram) Antoine+Manuel Ben Freeman Ben Parker (MadeThought) Bibliothèque Cartlidge Levene Claire Warner (Browns) Domenic Lippa (Pentagram) Daniel Eatock Daniel Lock (NB: Studio) eBoy Eike König (HORT) Experimental Jetset Farrow Fernando Gutiérrez Fuel Hector Pottie (Third Eye Design) Henrik Kubel (A2/SW/HK) Hi-ReS! Hyperkit James Goggin (Practise) James Greenfield (BB/Saunders) Jeremy Leslie (John Brown) Jerome Rigaud (Electronest) Jessica Helfand (Winterhouse) Jon Dowling (SEA Design) Jon Forss (Non-Format) Julian Morey (abc-xyz) Lionel Hatch (The Chase) Matt Simpson (Stereo) Michael C. Place (Build) Michael Johnson (Johnson Banks) Mogollon Nick Bell Paula Scher (Pentagram) Paulus M. Dreibholz Pixelgarten Ralf Metzger (North) Simon Earith (YES) Spin Stefan Sagmeister The Designers Republic Why Not Associates Wim Crouwel Zak Kyes Zamir Antonio (Eat Sleep Work/Play)
Buy Now!

100 Percent Angus

Meat After Meat Joy

June 21 - July 20, 2008 - Pierre Menard Gallery

So there is a long explanation about the use of meat in art, and what it means on the Pierre Menard Galleries website. It says the skin is what protects the meat and without the skin the meat has no identity. Sometimes you just need look at the art and think its cool. Most of the time I like to view art that way as it is more fun that way. Learning the meaning of the art and what is behind it is extremely interesting, but sometimes you just need to step back a minute and say thats awesome. This exhibit of ten contemporary artists shows some funky stuff using meat and the idea of meat and how we think of meat titled 'Meat After Meat Joy'. The work ranges from now to the 1960's. Also this exhibits is at a new gallery (to me) named the Pierre Menard Gallery which is near Havard Square, right off of Mass Ave. If your a Cambridge resident like myself or not, I suggest you check this one out as it is a five minute walk from the red line stop at Harvard.

Lennon Prints in Newton

John Lennon, Yoko Ono - Prints

June 28 - 29, 2008 - Newton's Hotel Indigo

This coming weekend at Newton's Hotel Indigo there will be about 100 limited edition prints of John Lennon's art work for sale, from 200 to 18,000 dollars. All Beatle fans must take this opportunity, as it is only for this weekend. The piece above and other works for sale were drawn by Lennon, while Ono painted them in. Also read the exclusive interview of Yoko Ono by the Boston Globe.

People of NYC

Bremner Benedict, Peter Kayafas
June 11 - July 26, 2008 - Gallery Kayafas

To start another work week, or if your like most students you just woke up and about to turn on MTV, maybe for a change you can head down to the trusty Gallery Kayafas which a few days ago just put up a new exhibit including a family member of the owner, Peter Kayafas. Peter's photography is from all over the world, Romania, Cuba and my favorite of the collection the People of New York City. I love the vibe I get when I look at some of the photos. Bremner Benedict, as well has some great photography which is a must to checkout.

New Site, New Exhibit

Wang Wusheng - Robert Klein Gallery

This post is more about Robert Klein's new and much improved website. Meanwhile I found that the Robert Klein Gallery finally has a new exhibit, but since the site is so new they did not write down when it starts, or if it has started already. While your visiting the site you should checkout the exhibit of Wang Wusheng who has some beautful black and white landscape photography. Once I figure out when the gallery is finally open I'll let you know.

Wheelbarrows Never Looked So Cool

Cal Lane - Sweet Crude
Ends July 6, 2008 - Judi Rotenberg Gallery

Cal Lanes show titled 'Sweet Crude' could be the best exhibit all summer, and so far I think it has to be. Meanwhile the Judi Rotenberg Gallery is proving that Newbury Street can still dish out great exhibits as they had Pixnit right before the current show. Lanes pieces are unbelievable as he has made incredible detailed sculptures out of old wheelbarrows, shovels and oil cans upon other metal items. While it takes a lot to impress me with a great sculpture, Lanes didn't have to impress. His wheelbarrow has already sold as well as his three shovels. Checkout the gallery site for loads of photos.

15% off with Rainbows

Stormcloud, Bring Rainbows - Affordable Local Art

So the pieces that Stormcloud, Bring Rainbows are not so much on the affordable side, but it proves that Boston has lots to offer for the local art scene which you can actually buy. Pieces run from 85 to over 300 hundred dollars, but the clothes are gorgeous. They pieces are made by salvaged materials, and are original pieces made with extreme care. I personally need to get myself one in the near future, and I love the top photo above. Keep this in mind that when you purchase a piece during a thunderstorm or rainbow you will receive 15% off your purchase. Pretty sweet right, but you must prove it by a photo of the rainbow and he has a thunderstorm tracker, so no fooling him!

Identity Crisis

Chris Hauck - Identity Crisis Series
Ends June 28, 2008 - Gallery XIV

The biography for the show for Chris Hauck explains it best.

The Identity Crisis Series is Chris Hauck’s multi-mediated, UPC-coded commentary on modern identity that explores the commercialization of identity as constructed, adopted, broadcast, and discarded within a hyper-mediated environment. Chris Hauck’s current body of work involves paintings, installations, assemblage, and video.

“Identity Crisis: everything Is for sale” aims to infuse the thought of this generation’s own identity crisis by obviating the commercialization of the art world through the cash registers, clothing racks and even a changing room that infuse the gallery space.

Through a self reflective lens Hauck explores identity, “I am a product, in the General Mills or Procter & Gamble sense, of the first generation hyper-consumers. We are the post-boomer tweeners, nourished on a sugary diet of Saturday morning cartoons, Pink Floyd album covers, iron-on Tees, and Shit Happens bumper stickers… We found our identities on MTV, on billboards, in McDonald’s Happy Meals, and at the Chuck E Cheese video arcade in the pea-sized 5 acre suburban malls.” - Gallery XIV

Please check this show out ending on the 28th of this month.

Free AIGA Journal Release Party!

Annual Meeting and Journal Release Party
June 19, 2008 - Cloud Place

Now this I really reccomend! AIGA of Boston is having their Annual Meeting as well as their Journal Release Party which is hot off the press. Sean Adams of Adams Morioka with be speaking of his mistakes and habits, and the fear of failure and criticism that we all experience in the world of design. I best remember his companies work from the product below I received over a year ago at the speaking of the art director from Target. I use it all the time, which supplies any designer with measurements and tools they need in everyday designing. This event goes from 6:30 to 8:30 and it is FREE and open to all, so you must go! I will be trying my hardest to go for sure!

Urban LA Landscape Photography

Lia Halloran
Ends June 21, 2008 - LaMontagne Gallery

Lia Halloran has a great showing with Michael Velliquette ending this week, but I must tell you about it as I love the photography of Los Angeles showing urban cement areas. The photos show the time with the lines of light, as well as the dramatic shadowing throughout the photography. She also has pieces painted with oil mimicking the photographs down light streams throughout the piece as well. My favorite piece has to be Dark Skate, the one on the top left. The exhibit is no doubt recommended, the LaMontagne Gallery is located in South Boston, and the gallery is only open from Wednesday to Saturday 11 to 6pm so make sure to schedule well. This exhibit definitely marks Halloran 'The Struggling Blogger' Artist of the Month for June 2008!

Band-Aid Guns

Lucy White - Concealed Weapons
Ends June 30, 2008 - Locco Ritoro

I first want to apologize about not getting on this show earlier, much earlier. I found this show right before I left for a few weeks and was going to write about it as one of the 'must goes' starting in the beginning of May. Yet it is still up, there is not much time left as the show ends on the 30th of June. Why am I so damn pumped about Lucy White's work? Maybe because she didn't just paint on a canvas but uses Band-Aids (as well as the US flag and the NASDAQ newspaper) to develop the iconic shapes which develop images of sexuality, violence and humor all in one. White has had her work shown at the DeCordova, Shore ICA and one of my favorite Boston galleries, the Bernard Toale Gallery. The Locco Ritoro Gallery is also featuring two other exhibits by Steven Bogart as well as Catlin Rockman, which you should also checkout while your there.

Nashville's Hatch Show Print

Nashville's Hatch Show Print Saturday,
June 14, 2008 - Mass College of Art and Design

Jim Sherraden from Nashville's Hatch Show Print is coming to do two sessions of hands on workshops with Jim himself. Of course it being a AIGA event, it is pricey at 200 bucks for a member. If you do have the cash, you will be using 60lbs of letter blocks straight from the Hatch Show Print. MassArt's Vandercook cylinder presses will also be used with snacks and drinks for free, oh thanks AIGA! Your encouraged to bring in anything to print on such as shirts to bags. All the supplies are also included. Once again, it is a great opportunity, but that is if you got the cash. Checkout some work they have done.

Curious, Invented Relics

Gregory Gomez - The Weight of Light
June 6 - 28, 2008 - O·H+T Gallery

Gregory Gomez has returned to the O·H+T Gallery for his third one man show. His past shows have always included painting, yet he is changing things up a bit and will be showing all sculpture pieces. Curator of the ICA, Carole Anne Meehan calls Gomez' work "curious, invented relics" Curious in that you can not figure out if the pieces are 2D or 3D, drawings or sculpture. As for relics, he used timeless objects such as picture frames. Ass Professor from Wheelock College, he has had exhbits at the DeCordova Museum and the Mills Gallery at the BCA. He has also worked all over including commission pieces including Elevated Station and Chicago Branch Library, Chicago, IL, The Challenger Learning Center, Tallahassee, FL, and the Neuroscience Department at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Shopping Local

The Intuitive Garden - Affordable Local Art

While at the SoWa Open Market yesterday there are a lot of great thing to view and buy that you can afford, it is sometimes hard to find something that is affordable as well as cool but not super crafty. It got me thinking to add another element to The Struggling Blogger, I thought it would be great to tell you about great local artists handmade art in the area which you can actually afford for gifts or yourself. Will try and tell you places they sell or atleast where you can find them on Etsy.com to buy online and you'll know shipping won't be pricey.

The first great artist I found and actually stumbled upon a few months ago was an artist that goes by the company name of The Intuitive Garden. They make great gender neutral (most of the time) jewelry with original art work. All the pieces range somewhere around 12 to 30 dollars. When reading a little about the artist, oddly enough they have two dates to be at the SoWa Open Market on June 22 and July 13, 2008. So check them out at SoWa or make sure to visit their online Etsy.com store!

SoWa Every Sunday

The SoWa Open Market

Every Sunday, Today to October 26, 2008

Back in March i told you that you have to go to the SoWa Open Market, and its open now, every Sunday until the end of October. Guess what today is, Sunday, so go get some fresh food, some fresh art, and some fresh air on a gorgeous day. I need to get someone a birthday present for a birthday in about a week, so I know where I'll be today.

10 Artists, 10 Walls

Ten Artists, Ten Walls

May 29 - August 2, 2008 - Victoria Munroe Fine Art


Now there is no rush to go see this exhibition titled Ten Artists, Ten Walls at the Victoria Munroe Fine Art Gallery, as it was only put up about 10 days ago, and up for the rest of the summer, until the 2nd of August. I do recommend the show though as its a small but clever little show with a lot to offer. It can often be a little boring to see a large show of the same artist, which is a reason I love the mix of artists used for the show, with their wide range of different types of work. I always try and recommend a good multi-artist show if I see or hear of one and this is one. Two of my favorite pieces are shown above. The first one is blue painters tape and glue done by Christine Hiebert, and the second by Chuck Holtzman using graphite, charcoal, ink and colored pencils on paper.

Gourmet Typography

Gourmet Typography
June 13, 2008 - Pink Comma Gallery

Many designers know typography, but slim really know all that there is to know about typography. AIGA Boston is presenting after much success to bring back Gourmet Typography. From 9:30 to 430 on June 13th, Ilene Strizver, Founder of The Type Studio will lead a hands on workshop for the new to the veterans of typography. Yet like gourmet food, Gourmet Typography is expensive. AIGA members 250, but non-members will have to cough up 350. I would be all over it, if not for that hefty price tag. Checkout More!