~SAFFRON/TWELVE AND UNDER/OPENING NITE
this diverse group show at SAFFRON, a new storefront gallery, art, vintage, and flower shop in Fort Greene – was so fun, mostly because of all the fresh faces – and new voices. the theme was organized around work – 12 inches and under – in scale – hence the name: ‘TWELVE AND UNDER’.
the opening party took place – last Friday Oct 22, 2010 – the show remains up thru Dec. 31, 2010.
on the right: KANA TOGASHI, co-curator of the ‘TWELVE AND UNDER’ show, and a co-founder with her mom of the store. that’s her mom – MIHOKO, on the left.
many of the mostly young artists in the show – are friends of Kana’s.
Kana wanted to do something special to celebrate the first anniversary of the store – and she thought, what better way than to give a platform to her many talented friends.
above on the left: that’s KANA TOGASHI – herself a painter and a pretty good photographer, and now a storefront entrepreneur !! and it appears, a curator and patron of the arts. next is ROBYN – who is a writer. and, at the right is KATE CERIGO – painter and graphic designer.
two artists in the show – JENNIFER WONG and DANIEL GOERS.
JENNIFER WONG – her three – full-color spectrum photographs had an interesting Kodak-moment intensity – that lasted way longer than a first impression usually does . . .
and which offset the initially deceptive snapshot casualness, esp with the documentary/hand-held feel, and – color ‘bleeds’. JENNIFER WONG.
check out: myrtleavenuebirdtown.com
DANIEL GOERS’ piece was completely off the wall, or rather, off the tree ! titled ‘Bracket Fungus’ it is 100 % living fungus -in a frame. which made me wonder: it could live forever – in a frame ?
you can read more about his work – in 2 very sharp and bright art/design sites:
see: his own – scrap ecology
and for sure, check out: designsquish
just to the left of his work, was this intense little puzzle of a scribble of a Celtic knot . . .
by KRISTIN REGER.
changing gears – this duo of color photographs was on the facing wall.
strange and mysterious, yet so detailed – I was drawn to them over and over again.
Photos of Hong Kong – by WINNIE AU.
detail, photo by WINNIE AU.
detail, photo by WINNIE AU.
and just outside on the street, how fun to meet up with WINNIE AU, herself.
back inside, GABRIEL SMITH.
collage and acrylic paint by GABRIEL SMITH.
detail, GABRIEL SMITH.
photographer TOMOKO DAIDO.
a friend of TOMOO GOKITA, TOMOKO DAIDO is a member of the Tokyo-based artist collective 35minutesmen – aka – 35mm !! in fact, she and 6 other members of what looks to be a photography collective – will be featured in a show, aptly titled ’35minutesmen’ at FORDHAM UNIVERSITY’S CENTER GALLERY, Lincoln Center Campus, 113 West 60th Street at Columbus Avenue, NYC – opening soon, actually: NOV 6, 2010 and running thru Dec 19, 2010. the opening reception for the show is FRI, NOV 12, 2010/from 6-8 PM.
the show, ’35minutesmen’ is curated by STEPHEN APICELLA-HITCHCOCK & ANIBAL PELLA-WOO.
the Fordham University Center Gallery is open from 8am – 8pm every day.
see: Fordhamvisualarts.blogspot.com/
and for sure, check out: 35minutesmen.com/
black and white nature photograph by TOMOKO DAIDO. it a classic ‘capture’ of icicles coming down leaves, and was shot in Europe. it was fun to learn that Tomoko has a book out on her black and white photography – called ‘White Elephant’ !!
BRANDON PILCHER.
BRANDON PILCHER – a unique cyanotype with wax.
meet: SELDON YUAN.
SELDON YUAN, his piece defies photography – a shimmering assemblage of tiny mirrors that alternately pixelates and then, comes together to form a portrait – depending on different light sources, distances, and angles.
you can see the portrait aspect – better from a distance here, at bottom right – that’s JIM at the counter.
Kana’s brother SHUNYA also helps run the store. and, he also has an interesting art studies background, but as far as I got this busy night – was one word: Argentina !!
this super interesting conceptual design piece in the window is by JON SCHRAMM, a friend of TETSUKI NAKATOMI, who is the show’s co-curator along with Kana. Tetsuki is – a student of architecture.
JON SCHRAMM teaches architecture at Parsons.
the piece says: but is it a home / drawn by jon schramm / font berhold akzidenz grotesk
see: jonschramm.com
and check out: flickr.com/points-and-lines
also by JON SCHRAMM, it says:
sharpen pencil
do not let loose graphite fall to the paper
grab the pencil, feel it’s weight and rotate between your fingers
place pencil on paper
hold a breath
move your whole arm
let it out.
intense composition by JJ MANFORD.
graphite drawing and paper collage by NICKOLA POTTINGER.
another strange and compelling multi-media work on canvas – by NICKOLA POTTINGER.
NICKOLA POTTINGER.
KANA TOGASHI, KATE CERIGO, NICKOLA POTTINGER and GABRIEL SMITH – all first meet up as students at New York City’s LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Kana went on to study at Pratt, Nickola and Gabriel went to Cooper Union, and Kate went to SVA.
speaking of which – here is an array of small photo-based canvases by KATE CERIGO – a true colorist if I ever did see one.
and where did she get that love of family album pix from ?
she must have grown up surrounded by photos and art !!
KATE CERIGO – paint on canvas: friends in the lake – when we were young.
KATE CERIGO. yep this is Theo – back in the day !!
KATE CERIGO, photo-based painting on canvas.
NICKOLA POTTINGER and KATE CERIGO.
can I get in a few more pieces ?
here’s a super graphic photo duo by – KATIE WHITE.
a mysterious photo landscape by MAKI KAORU.
and an equally mysterious and compelling photo – by the musician AKI ONDA.
a quirky and yet, sly composition by FUMIHIRO MATSUZAKI.
ELISA SOLIVEN’S painting.
a wall of work. a photo-collage on cardboard of an embroidery by NANCY SMITH (ok. that’s me), 2 pieces by JUNKO WATERHALL, and at the right, a striking and very sharp, fun black and white composition by DAISAKU YAKABE.
NANCY SMITH, photo-based paper collage on cardboard.
NANCY SMITH, paper banner.
KEIGO TAKAHASHI at the opening.
NORA DEMENUS made the scene as well.
the show’s co-curator TETSUJI NAKATOMI, in a hand-knit poncho by guess who.
ok. I told you already – just call me crack (of all trades) . . . NANCY SMITH.
a good luck SAFFRON – thrift-shop find – cat !!
another one of Kana’s lucky cats . . .
at least it’s silver and not feral – a little inside joke, I cannot resist.
(Josh Harris – and Greenberg the cat – coming up soon.)
‘TWELVE AND UNDER’ – A GROUP EXHIBIT curated by KANA TOGASHI and TETSUJI NAKATOMI
in honor of the store’s first anniversary – running through DEC 31, 2010
SAFFRON – 31 HANSON PLACE – FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN
ALL PHOTOS OF EVENT: COPYRIGHT NANCY SMITH