By An Uong Somerville, MA – A day both sunny and cool is a rarity during a New England summer. Last weekend falls under that magical category, which was lucky for Somerville's Artbeat 2014, which has been occurring annually for 25 years under the direction of Somerville Arts Council (SAC). The festival ran Friday and Saturday in Davis Square, welcoming individuals to explore crafts as well as visual and performing arts. From eclectic vendors to colorful food trucks, nothing was amiss. This year's theme was “hatch,” which alludes to the nature of Somerville's arts activity. David Blakeslee, who designed the event’s logo and general aesthetic, fleshed the theme out. Another artist, Nicole Duennebier, SAC's featured artist for the month, is currently displayed in the windows of Davis Square's CVS – otherwise known as Inside-OUT gallery. The installation draws inspiration from the … [Read more...] about Artbeat 2014 Hatches in Somerville
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Unifier: Connecticut’s Own “Burning Man”
By Kaveh Mojtabai Lebanon, CT - Music. Dancing. Art. Poetry. Gardening. Healing circles. Fire pits. Sound sanctuary. Sweat Lodges. Tea houses. Kids spaces. Yoga. Solar panels. Camping. Nature. Community. Humanity. This all happens at The Unifier Festival. What’s more, it’s all happening in New England. Unifier, an annual “Transformational Healing and Expressive Arts Festival,” made its debut on June 5 to span across four full days through a spacious 380-acre campground at Camp Laurel in Lebanon, Connecticut. This transformative festival is not the only one of its kind. This passionate movement is sweeping across the country: Burning Man in Colorado, Gratifly in North Carolina, Beloved in Oregon to name only a few. Transformative festivals like Unifier, however, are different from purely profit-venturing entertaining music concerts. Everyone participating, whether it be … [Read more...] about Unifier: Connecticut’s Own “Burning Man”
Power to the People: Three shows of work by Ralph Fasanella
By Nancy Nesvet In his centennial year, Ralph Fasanella, an artist who painted for thirty years before he was recognized as a great painter, is currently celebrated in Cooperstown, NY, New York City, and Washington, D.C. Each show illustrates his dedication to working people and the America he loved. Following 2013 exhibits in Lawrence, Massachusetts and at the Andrew Edlin Gallery in New York City, the celebration of Ralph Fasanella’s centennial continues. In Washington, D.C. the Smithsonian Museum of American Art’s exhibition, Lest We Forget, May 2-August 3, features Fasanella’s paintings of New York City, Lawrence, Mass., strikes, and laborers. There are paintings of political events as well, including the Rosenberg trial, the Kennedy assassination, and the McCarthy trials. Fasanella’s “Family Supper” borrows from the Ellis Island Memorial, “Modern Times,” and is a comprehensive … [Read more...] about Power to the People: Three shows of work by Ralph Fasanella
Outsider Art Series: Judy Taylor’s Maine Labor History Mural Part 3
By Nancy Nesvet When Judy Taylor was commissioned to create the History of Maine Labor mural, Governor Balducci was in office. He and the members of the Maine Commission on the Arts were proud of the history of Maine labor, as it is depicted in the murals and proud of union and government input into laws and policies protecting workers. The problem resulted when Paul LePage became Governor. On March 22, 2011, Laura Boyett, an official in Governor LePage’s administration, announced a planned removal of the mural to the Department of Labor staff. Over the weekend of March 26-27, 2011, Taylor’s mural was removed from the Maine Department of Labor building in Augusta, due to an order from the state’s governor, Paul LePage, a Republican closely aligned with business interests and a businessman himself. Governor LePage cited an e-mail he had received that said the mural was antagonistic to … [Read more...] about Outsider Art Series: Judy Taylor’s Maine Labor History Mural Part 3
Artscoped! Revisiting Robert S. Neuman
By Kimberlee Meserve The last time artscope caught up with Robert S. Neuman was in 2007, when his retrospective, Robert S. Neuman: Selected Work 1954-2007, was being shown at the Beard/Weil Gallery at Wheaton College. At 87 years young, Neuman is still a busy man. Since his retrospective at Wheaton, he has had many themed shows concentrating on specific bodies of work and a number of retrospectives. Last year, he had a major retrospective, Definition of Place: 1950-2012, which featured over 50 pieces of work, from comics he wrote to his first wife when he was drafted to the Air Force in the '40s, to pieces he made in college, along with his more recent paintings. The show was exhibited at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, Idaho Falls, Idaho and the Prichard Art Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. Definition of Place 1950-2012 was a retrospective in more ways than one. It … [Read more...] about Artscoped! Revisiting Robert S. Neuman
CORNERED: DAVID A. LANG
By Brian Goslow Natick, MA - David A. Lang has had a busy winter. His kinetic, found objects creations are currently on view at three locations — the Museum of Art at the University of New Hampshire, Fuller Craft Museum and as of March 12, Boston Sculptors Gallery, where he’s replicating his workspace in “The Shop,” where you can watch his creative process in-person throughout the exhibition, which runs through April 13. Artscope’s managing editor, Brian Goslow, “Cornered” Lang to talk about all of his projects at David Lang Studios in Natick, Mass. prior to him transporting its contents to Boston. To get an idea of what the works look like, visit davidlangstudios.com. WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THE CONCEPT OF TRYING TO REPRODUCE YOUR STUDIO AT BOSTON SCULPTORS GALLERY AND HOW DID YOU PLAN OUT HOW YOU’RE GOING TO DO THAT? Well, two and a half years ago, I had a show there … [Read more...] about CORNERED: DAVID A. LANG