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Artscope Magazine | September/October 2023

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Community

EXPLORING NAT REED’S “BIKES MOVE US” IN HARVARD SQUARE

// Artscope Online, Community

by Sonia Richter

If you find yourself in Harvard Square any time before September 9, you may stumble upon multi-media artist Nat Reed’s striking yet simple new exhibit “Bikes Move Us” at the intersection of Mass Ave and Linden Street. Walk along the three windows, and you’ll notice found bike parts masquerading as furniture, wheels that both spin and draw themselves, and helmets protecting fragile lightbulbs. As part of the Behind VA Shadows project, Reed’s exhibit is the first of its kind hosted in 25/8 artspace and curated by Yolanda He Yang. It’s not only free to the public but open all day every day. At night, the blunt and mechanic pieces are bathed in a warm, almost romantic glow. Reed talked to Sonia Richter about her love for bikes and their role in her work in a similar way — warmly, almost romantically.   WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AS AN ARTIST/BIKER? I’ve been biking since I came to … [Read more...] about EXPLORING NAT REED’S “BIKES MOVE US” IN HARVARD SQUARE

CELEBRATING ART, HISTORY, AND ARCHITECTURE: NEXT AHA! NEW BEDFORD SCHEDULED FOR JULY 13

// Artscope Online, Community, Visual Arts

by Celine LeDoux

New Bedford’s AHA! (Art, history, and architecture) Night is a monthly community event that highlights the rich community of New Bedford with an emphasis on the arts. In honor of pride month, June’s theme was Pride. The city was buzzing and Artscope was there to check it out! June’s AHA featured three new exhibitions. Jane O’Hara’s “State of the Union” had its opening night at the New Bedford Art Museum. With a focus on animal advocacy, each state was represented in an acrylic painting highlighting animal rights within that state. Fifty-one thought-provoking paintings now hang on the walls and encourage museumgoers to think about animal rights in their state. This exhibit runs through August 20, 2023. “Ira: 30 Years of Standing Still” is a retrospective exhibition honoring Ira Cohen, who recently passed was a live model for art students at UMass Dartmouth for over 30 years. Cohen … [Read more...] about CELEBRATING ART, HISTORY, AND ARCHITECTURE: NEXT AHA! NEW BEDFORD SCHEDULED FOR JULY 13

FOR COMIC AND GRAPHIC ARTISTS, 2021 BOSTON FAN EXPO WAS A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THEIR AUDIENCE

// Artscope Online, Community, Visual Arts

by Jack Lynch

The 2021 Boston FAN EXPO took place from September 3-5 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. During that time, I met with many different comic book artists, both famous and up-and-coming, but all experienced. The most exciting part of this experience was watching one of the Expo’s sketch duels. These events are when three well-known comic book artists who are special guests at the expo all draw the same idea given to them by members of the audience and show their finished work at the end. The ideas given to the artists from members of the audience are generally famous comic book characters performing a specific action. During these events, the artists answer questions from the crowd on their experience in and thoughts on the comic book creating industry while working on illustrating the idea given to them. At the end of the event, a raffle is held to decide which … [Read more...] about FOR COMIC AND GRAPHIC ARTISTS, 2021 BOSTON FAN EXPO WAS A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THEIR AUDIENCE

A Day in Concord: ‘Dazzleship’ and ‘(un)seen’

// Artscope Online, Community, Exhibits, Visual Arts

by Sawyer Smook-Pollitt

When visiting Concord this summer, between stops at the Emerson or Alcott house, visit some of the art museums and galleries that dot this historic city. The Umbrella Arts Center and Concord Art are presenting poignant shows that explore the past and present of the human experience. The Umbrella Arts Center’s “Dazzleship” is a homage to seafaringvessels from the first World War that were painted with bold stripes and patterns meant to confuse onlookers. These “dazzle” patterns obscured the direction and velocity of ships on the water. The term finds renewed meaning with “Dazzleship,” a group exhibition curated by Michael MacMahon that – like dazzle paintjobs — aims “to toy with our perception.” Along with MacMahon, who also has a painting in the show, “Dazzleship” brings together 13 artists: Julia Csekö, Gage Delprete, Maya Erdelyi, Laura Fischman, Sarah E. Jenkins, Cody Justus, … [Read more...] about A Day in Concord: ‘Dazzleship’ and ‘(un)seen’

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SOUTH COAST ARTIST’S OPEN STUDIO TOUR’S FIRST WEEKEND

// Artscope Online, Community, Visual Arts

by Sawyer Smook-Pollitt

On Saturday, July 17, the weather in the South Coast was hot, humid and it did not let up through the weekend. Even so, art lovers came out in droves to attend the 18th annual South Coast Artist’s Open Studio Tour. Approximately 75 galleries and studios across Dartmouth and Westport, Massachusetts, and Tiverton and Little Compton, Rhode Island opened their doors to the public. Some opening for the first time since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with the stunning artwork on display, the real charm of the South Coast Artist’s Open Studio Tour was seeing the variety of workspaces used by artists across the region and learning about the behind-the-scenes processes that go into creating artwork. According to some artists participating in the tour, visitor turnout was equal to the last in-person open studio tour in 2019. Kelly Milukas, a multimedia artist based out of … [Read more...] about HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SOUTH COAST ARTIST’S OPEN STUDIO TOUR’S FIRST WEEKEND

THE ART SCENE. BACK TO NORMAL?

// Artscope Online, Community, Editorial, Exhibits

by Nancy Nesvet

New York held a ticker tape parade in honor of health care workers on July 7. Galleries are opening up in New York, Massachusetts, Paris, and more. The fireworks were phenomenal and well attended by joyous Americans eager to celebrate their liberation from pandemic restrictions, showing their smiles, hugging their friends, families and strangers. Amid all this back to normalcy, Artscope Magazine reviewed a photograph so representative of all that is happening that it made me believe we had emerged into a new and better world. Puerto-Rican Street photographer Ruben Natal San Miguel, in his first solo show, “American Beauty” opened July 4 at Gary Marotta Fine Art in Provincetown, showing a woman in the South Bronx, New York City, one of the country’s areas hardest hit by the Covid 19 pandemic. Dressed in patriotic red, white and blue, in ripped cutoffs, she embraces her young son, and … [Read more...] about THE ART SCENE. BACK TO NORMAL?