Anthony C and Karen M use Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Aerosol Paint 12 Ounces-Flat Black
Read more about Anthony C and Karen M on the Side Arts art blog and DoNArTNeWs Philadelphia art blog.
DoN Brewer, Contributing Writer, Side Arts
Photograph and video courtesy of Anthony C and Karen M
Anthony C and Karen M have a cool YouTube channel called anthony51112.
Currently showing at the Asian Arts Initiative is an exhibition titled Witness: Artists Reflect on 30 Years of the AIDS Pandemic. After visiting the show, I was fortunate to be able to speak with David Acosta, the curator of Witness and a central figure in countless Philadelphia arts organizations and community arts projects. In this, part one of our conversation, Mr. Acosta speaks about his experience curating “Witness”, the purpose of the exhibition, and importance of utilizing art to start conversations about the social and political effects of HIV/AIDS on our communities. Stay tuned for part two of our conversation, in which he offers advice for artists interested in producing their own community arts projects.
George Apotsos - Faces Unseen
“Getting a really broad section of artists across age, race, gender, sexual orientation was a really important consideration [in curating Witness], and the other critical consideration was anchoring the show with some work that had been produced during the most difficult years of the epidemic. A lot of the artists were proposing new work which was very exciting, but I was really seeking artists who had worked through a period of very heightened preoccupation with AIDS and the politics of AIDS with federal policies, [or] the lack thereof, and so I went out very specifically to look for that work. I know HD Ivey who had done a lot of work in that period, [and] I specifically wanted some pieces I remember seeing many many years ago that had been produced in the 80s during the Reagan and Bush years at a very important juncture in the AIDS epidemic politically in this country, as well as socially. I really needed them to be in the show because I wanted to create that plane and that continuity.”
HD Ivey - The Victim // Corral
Acosta described Witness as “powerful and moving but not in a very in your face kind of way. A lot of people came to me and said, ‘[Witness] is not sad, it’s just really beautiful.’ Gabriel Martinez’s “Anthology” for example, which is a lovely piece – those are the 12 albums. He took his Donna Summer LPs and basically destroyed them to create this piece. But it’s just beautiful, and it’s a very moving piece because it’s red, and it’s evocative of blood and body fluid. There’s almost a danger to it, but then it’s also celebratory in the fact that this was the music that a lot of gay men were dancing to in the midst of the epidemic. I think even many gay men were dancing to this music unaware that HIV/AIDS had entered these community circles and would wipe out almost two generations of gay men. So there was an implicit trust in myself that the artists [might] create stuff that could be sad [but] I trusted them to be able to have some reflective distance about the epidemic. So the show allows people to reflect and to go into personal spaces about remembrance and love and loss but not in a way that’s overwhelming.”
Gabriel Martinez - Anthology
He explains that his purpose in curating this exhibition was “not necessarily to call communities to action but to ask communities to bear witness in their own way. Because there’s been 30 years of the epidemic, it’s difficult to draw people’s attention to something that’s been around for so long, [even though it] remains so incredibly central and devastating to some communities where its still having a huge impact – young gay men in this country, for example, [and] specifically young gay men of color. The infection rate [and] the prevalence in some of these communities is high and rivals in many ways some of the numbers that we see coming out of specific parts of Africa. And so it was a way to also have people recognize that it is still present, that it’s still very much a part of the fabric of our communities, however we define those. And also the title was [inspired by] a very important exhibition that was held in NYC [in 1989] curated by Nan Goldin called “Witnesses: Against Our Vanishing.” And that show remains one of the first and most powerful shows [addressing HIV/AIDS]. So in a sense I was also paying homage to that exhibition.”
Kwaku Osei - Untitled // Marta Sanchez - The History of Cascarones
Susan DiPronio - The Last Witness // Tay Cha - Helping Hands
“Witness” is showing through January 25 at Asian Arts Initiative (1219 Vine Street). It will be open for First Friday festivities on January 6, and the show will culminate in a closing program on January 25 that features performances by the “Shout” writing workshop participants, which is taught by one of the exhibiting artists, Susan DiPronio, and is offered in conjunction with “Witness” as a means to continue dialogue and reflection about HIV/AIDS in yet another expression of art.
Written and photographed by Carina Giamerese: Contributing Writer, Side Arts.
For the month of December Sean Martorana will have brand new ink drawings on display at Cafe Estelle. Above is a film of Sean painting the windows for the opening reception this Friday 6:00 – 9:00.
10-hour, outdoor, live visual art competition with a backdrop of musical performances and DJs!!
AUGUST 27th from 12pm-10pm
Back for the 2nd round!! The Battle of the Canvas is a live painting competition that encourages the involvement of emerging and professional visual artists to paint under a theme that will promote social change through artistic images. In addition to fusing diverse artists with different skill levels together, appreciating visual arts out of galleries and museums is our goal since this free event will allow the public to connect with and interact with artists as they paint.
Where is it?? – The Artists Piazza | 2nd and Germantown Ave. 12pm-10pm | Free |Kids Corner
Watercolor Original Paintings by Sean Martorana
“I often talk to people who appreciate my work but can’t necessarily afford it. So I decided to start a line of more affordable art. Instead of simply offering prints as a lower-cost product (which many people balk at, because they want something original), I began creating one of a kind originals on 11×17 watercolor paper utilizing watercolors, ink and what ever else is near by. They’re quick strokes of inspriation that anyone can afford. I will be releasing them three at a time over the next several months.” – Sean Martorana
All artwork is signed by Sean Martorana and shipped in between cardboard to keep it safe.
You can pick them up as well as other artwork by clicking here.
(The paper was not previously stretched so it might have wrinkles and be a little bit warped which is all a part of Sean’s spontaneous process.)
Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the world.
After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.
Check out this video from the 2011 Exhibition in Seattle, WA by Evan Moss
Anyone – from anywhere in the world – can be a part of the project. Get all the details here:
http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject
A clip of Sean Martorana writing on the windows inside IndyHall, a coworking space and community in Philadelphia.
Music by: The Muggs
Song: Motown Blues
Album: On With the Show
This is a time-lapse video showing Sean Martorana painting over 45 watercolor atmosphere elements for an interactive weather service WeatherwiseApp.com.
seanmartorana.com
@SeanMartorana
facebook.com/inthestudio
Music by: Archie Bronson Outfit archiebronsonoutfit.com/
Song: Dart for My Sweetheart
Album: Derdang Derdang
Sean Martorana has just released what is left from his social media experiment “What’s Your Favorite Animal?”. These are animal studies that were suggested by a bunch of people on Facebook after asking the simple question “What’s Your Favorite Animal?”. All of them were drawn on 27″ x 34″ flip chart paper using a large Pilot Super Color Marker. What is left of the original drawings are now available online at Sean’s STUDiO_STORE.
www.seanmartorana.com
www.facebook.com/inthestudio
Twitter: @seanmartorana
A glimpse into the Art and Designs of Sean Martorana that have been applied to his fashion and apparel line.
Only a select 100+ tshirts were chosen for this film and is here to be viewed in 39 seconds.
Available designs here: STUDiO_Apparel
“I am always inspired between the collaboration between the artist and the viewer. The interaction between fashion and the person wearing it is an amazing thing to me. That’s why I dabble in jewelry and apparel. I enjoy the look of a hand drawn design especially when it’s teamed up with apparel. Most of my designs in my STUDiO_Apparel store are hand drawn elements from sketchbooks & paintings. I do also include a variety of digitally produced designs as well. This is a “look book” video I produced just to show a small portion of a larger t-shirt portfolio that I have created.” – Sean Martorana
Purchase available shirts here: STUDiO_Apparel
