Category Archives: Uncategorized

Delivery, 2014

Small Sculptural Items for The Occasional Market

The Occasional Market, my new show of paintings, objects and actions opens on Friday, April 25th at 707 Gallery Pittsburgh.  The show blends the gallery experience with ideas about shopping.  Years ago, my grandfather ran a small neighborhood grocery store in the East End of Pittsburgh.  I grew up listening to stories about his shop.  This sparked my interest in independent neighborhood shops as important as centers of public interaction.  The show references some old-time stories, but I also address issues of consumer society today.   I will make occasional appearances for performances, actions and alterations to the space.  If you stop by, I may play shopkeeper and try to sell you something.

Pittsburgh in the Year 2050, oil on canvas (2-panel), 288″ x 84″, 2006

Like Nostradamus, my predictions  have been slightly off.  I predicted a giant Mallard, not a rubber duck floating in the Ohio River.  I predicted a renewed interest in drilling for oil, not gas.  I thought a Pittsburgh casino would be in Station Square rather than the North Side.  I predicted that the Steelers would be hovering over water in a flying stadium.  Flying over the Atlantic to play in London is a bit of a stretch.  But then there are the drones!

Here are some images from the show Crowdsourced at SPACE gallery Pittsburgh, which ended on September 1st.  A child in the audience for the opening night performance named the piece Asittle.

I started the day with a well-organized table of supplies.

One of the items delivered to me during the day.

View from the rounded window.

Kinetic installation at the end of the day.

Visitors watched as the installation was constructed.

Daytime view.

By September 1st, the kinetic elements no longer functioned.

A few years ago, Robert Raczka invited me to participate in 8 – Hour Drawings, a show at Allegheny College that involved artists creating their works directly on gallery walls as visitors watched (and sometimes participated).

In 2011, Raczka brought the idea to SPACE Gallery in Downtown Pittsburgh, orchestrating a Gallery Crawl night frenzy of performance and audience interaction.

This Friday, July 12th at SPACE,  the newest manifestation of the art making marathon will happen as Crowdsourced.  I will be participating along with eleven other Pittsburgh artists (Kim Beck, Matt Forest, Casey Droege, Corey Escoto, Gabe Felice, Lori Hepner, Renee Ickes, William Kofmehl III, Maritza Mosquera, Shaun Slifer, Barbara Weissberger and Paul Zelevansky).  I don’t foresee a lot of traditional drawing happening at this one.  Whatever is made, it is best to see it live.  The event is free and open to the public from 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

For my project, I’ll be developing a Duchampian wall of modified “everyday objects.”  Sixteen people will be delivering  junk objects throughout the day.  Objects will arrive every hour.  I will not know ahead of time what is being delivered.  I’ll have a small workbench and tools to modify objects.  The resulting pieces will be arranged on the walls.  At the end of the night, I aim to have a collection of sixteen objects. The results of the Friday event will remain on view as an exhibition through September 1, 2013.