~OLD STONE HOUSE/BROOKLYN
G-TRAIN SALON: ‘THE OLD STONE HOUSE, NEW HISTORIES’ . . .
featuring intense new graphite ‘Lodge Portrait’ drawings by BORIS RASIN, and a new site specific collaborative video by BORIS RASIN & KENNY KOMER – ‘OLD GLORY’ – as well as – bringing to the table – some really interesting works in various media – by ANDREW ZAROU, KAREN SCHOELLKOPF, MASON SALTARRELLI, HENRY CHUNG, and ROBERT WALDEN – all of whom are artists residing in and working out of BROOKLYN.
the show runs: FEBRUARY 1 – 27, 2011
and takes places on the 2nd floor – of the OLD STONE HOUSE – a restored colonial Dutch farmhouse – an actual site of a famous War of Independence skirmish which is now a small, but wonderfully maintained New York City – landmark museum.
5th Ave at 3rd St – in PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN.
this show is presented & curated by: JILL BENSON & KRISTA SAUNDERS of G-TRAIN SALON
note: they’ve got a closing party scheduled for this SUNDAY FEB 27 from 4-6 PM !!
OLD STONE HOUSE – WASHINGTON PARK/J J BYRNE PLAYGROUND
5th AVE at 3rd ST – PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN
F TRAIN to 4th Ave/9th St
G-TRAIN SALON is a “roving, conversation-based exhibition series that made its debut in FEB 2009 – and is a collaboration between two independent curators – KRISTA SAUNDERS and JILL BENSON . . . the G-TRAIN SALON presents a series of intimate exhibitions in which each artist leads a discussion with the audience . . . . ‘The Old Stone House, New Histories’ is an opportunity to showcase talent around PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN.”
you can also follow them on twitter: twitter.com/gtrainsalon
yep, check out both links – !! – a way fun way to spend a dark snowy day in NYC !!
see: G-TRAIN SALON
see: OLD STONE HOUSE, BROOKLYN
HERE’S SOME PIX – FROM THE WONDERFUL & FUN OPENING NITE RECEPTION !! – FEB 1, 2011.
so, BORIS RASIN, a young artist we have followed, along with his frequent collaborator KENNY KOMER – for a long long time – invited us to the opening of the newest roving G-TRAIN SALON show . . . . ‘G-TRAIN SALON: NEW HISTORIES’, at the OLD STONE HOUSE in PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN. FEB 1, 2011.
how fun to find ourselves – in a snowy snowy park at dusk – at a historic site – in a corner of Brooklyn – we had never happened upon – before !!
the landmark sign that greeted us, said:
During the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn – (the Battle of Independence from the colonial Brits) – Maryland Continental Soldiers under General William Alexander waged a crucial battle at this site. This Dutch farmhouse has been reconstructed.
and it is known as: the OLD STONE HOUSE, City of New York, Parks & Recreation
yah, it w-a-s: magical.
the first floor was chockfull of historical information and colorful displays.
hi, Kate !!
being an immigrant myself – I vowed to go back & skim, if not read that book – one day.
DAVID McCULLOUGH – 1776.
The British Plan / The American Defense.
. . . and take the time to carefully read the beautifully presented – history.
there was even a most fun & intensely detailed diorama – of the Battle of Brooklyn at Old Stone House . . .
wow.
when all of a sudden, in strolls our host – BORIS RASIN (L), with his pal, WALKER FEE.
check out: BORIS RASIN/ronkom !!
WALKER FEE turns out to be a very interesting artist too, check out: his website/walkerfee.com !!
and don’t miss his: WALKER FEE – TAPE ART – LESSON !!
upstairs where the exhibit is – Boris introduces us to – the G-TRAIN SALON curators: KRISTA SAUNDERS (L) and JILL BENSON.
right off the bat – the BORIS RASIN & KENNY KOMER collaboration – a video projection – titled: ‘Old Glory’ 2011, catches our attention.
very simply, but very effectively, esp history-wise and graphic design-wise . . .
this video chronicles the transformation & evolution of the American flag, from its earliest days – even before the American revolution – when it actually referenced the Union Jack . . .
through – 40 incarnations. . .
the video was projected just above a reproduction Dutch colonial fireplace !!
note the wooden shoes.
and the Delft tile around the mantle.
on either side of the BORIS RASIN & KENNY KOMER video – is the work of HENRY CHUNG.
like all the artists in the show – Henry Chung lives in Brooklyn, albeit off the beaten path – G-Train Salon, get it ?
HENRY CHUNG.
he lives in South Slope, Brooklyn, and maintains a studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
his portraits are historical in nature – based on vintage phootographs he finds in flea markets and antique shops.
you can see more of his work & thoughts: on his website – henrychung.com !!
across the way – this historical-looking painting by MASON SALTARRELLI – catches our attention – next.
but it wasn’t quite typical of his work – which was way – wild !!
as seen here behind: Beatrice, Forever-Young Cho, and Alexandra W.D.K.
painting by MASON SALTARRELLI – all his paintings are dated 1979 – his birthday. as he explained in his brief remarks.
MASON SALTARRELLI, painting on a found canvas, the figure in the foreground – is his.
Mason Saltarrelli resides in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
see: MASON SALTARRRELLI/ArtSlant !!
MASON SALTARRELLI and photographer KAREN SCHOELLKOPF.
Karen Schoellkopf resides in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn – and contributed 3 very beautiful photos to the show . . .
you can follow her – here: Karen Schoellkopf !!
(behind them – collage design constructionist works by – ANDREW ZAROU)
KAREN SCHOELLKOPF, ‘Waterfront, Buffalo, NY (Boat)’, 2006 – present.
digital c-print 30 x 20 in. ($350)
. . . of her hometown – Buffalo – apparently the “2nd most populous city in the state after New York City”.
and apparently Buffalo has seen better days, economically – since its early days of glory during the opening of the famed Erie Canal in 1825 . . .
but seems to have a great deconstructionist rusty historical edge – for a photographer with a sensitive eye !!
KAREN SCHOELLKOPF, ‘Waterfront, Buffalo, NY (Bethlehem Steel)’, 2006 – present.
KAREN SCHOELLKOPF, ‘Waterfront, Buffalo, NY (Red and Green)’, 2006 – present.
photographer KAREN SCHOELLKOPF with friend JEFF BAILEY, at the opening reception.
that collage constructivist piece mentioned above is by ANDREW ZAROU, here with his pal, BLAISE KEARSLEY.
Andrew Zarou hails from Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
wall by ANDREW ZAROU.
WORK BY ANDREW ZAROU.
ANDREW ZAROU, aluminum + paper on paper, approx 19 x 19 in. (in the range of $800 ea.)
ANDREW ZAROU, detail.
ANDREW ZAROU, detail.
check out more of his work: ANDREW ZAROU !!
kind of taking the complete opposite tack – mysterious drawings by ROBERT WALDEN – very soft & very splintery and fluid at the same time – these monotone line drawings were a little hard to catch by camera . .
though this detail is a little more graphic.
Mr. Walden calls them – ‘onotological road maps’ – onotological means – the branch of metaphysics that deals with – the nature of being !!
he resides in “the burgeoning artistic community” of South Slope, Brooklyn.
you can see his work more clearly: here – Robert Walden !!
a little late due to work – in walks KENNY KOMER, who collaborated on that great flag video with Boris Rasin.
they both hail from Midwood, Brooklyn – though I believe they both grew up in the Coney Island area.
they have a wonderful website: KENNY KOMER + BORIS RASIN !!
and this is CINDY CHOUNG – a close friend of Boris.
speaking of which – BORIS RASIN also contributed some totally great, right-on drawings – that he initially got off the web – but brought to life – in a wonderful grainy hand-wrought graphite style.
BORIS RASIN – he said his aim was to keep in mind – the weird and often mystic, as well as politically incorrect – associations – of our earliest founders.
BORIS RASIN, ‘LODGE PORTRAITS’, 2010 – 2011, pencil on gessoed MDF ($200 – $400 ea … a steal, if I ever did see one !!)
BORIS RASIN, ‘LODGE PORTRAIT’.
BORIS RASIN, ‘LODGE PORTRAIT’.
male and . . .
female.
think we’ll give the BORIS RASIN + KENNY KOMER – ‘OLD GLORY’ – flag video the last word . . .
especially as that’s Boris’ sister – MARINA RASINA – a young architect – in the photo !!
and a first generation American – to boot. their parents immigrated here – from Russia !!
back outside in the snowy mystical winter night – my own first generation American – Kate – lobs a . . .
snowball – yah !! another great NYC night, historic Battle of Independence Old Stone House landmark, and all !!
PHOTOS COPYRIGHT: NANCY SMITH
UP-DATE: SAT FEB 26, 2011 – 2:57 PM – MORE ABOUT THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN & THE OLD STONE HOUSE . . .
BATTLE OF BROOKLYN/IMAGE COURTESY: OLD STONE HOUSE
from the OLD STONE HOUSE HISTORICAL RECORDS & BROCHURES:
THE BATTLE OF BROOKLYN: in August of 1776, the American Revolution erupted in Brooklyn.
The FIRST and LARGEST conflict of the revolution, the Battle of Brooklyn engulfed areas that are now familiar to all Brooklynites, including sites now occupied by the OLD STONE HOUSE and PROSPECT PARK.
3,000 American soldiers were surrounded by 25,000 British and Hessian soldiers intent on quickly ending the American rebellion. After a swift attack by the British, many Americans, in the hills of what would later become PROSPECT PARK, and along the GOWANUS ROAD near today’s Green-Wood Cemetery, were trapped behind enemy lines. Those who could, fled through muddy swamps and the Gowanus Creek in hope of reaching the American forts at BOERUM HILL, BROOKLYN HEIGHTS and FORT GREENE, but they came under fire from British cannons at the OLD STONE HOUSE.
To save them, an American general, William Alexander, Lord Stirling, led 400 young soldiers from MARYLAND and DELAWARE to cover the retreat.
Six times they attacked the 2,000 British soldiers at the Old Stone House. They captured the house twice, but with heavy casualties they had to give way. Their comrades ad safely escaped the British trap, and the remaining soldiers of the American army – 8,000 men watching from BROOKLYN HEIGHTS – were inspired by the young men’s sacrifice. There were 256 killed or captured at the OLD STONE HOUSE, part of the more than 1,000 casualties the Americans took during the battle. General Alexandr surrendered and was taken prisoner.
Despite the losses, Washington’s army remained largely intact, and two nights later was able to escape from BROOKLYN HEIGHTS to fight on and eventually prevail, die in large part to the history of the patriots at the OLD STONE HOUSE.
see: an interactive map – of the BATTLE OF BROOKLYN, here.
THE OLD STONE HOUSE – Site of the BATTLE Of BROOKLYN in 1776 & FIRST HOME of the BROOKLYN DODGERS in the 1880s.
J.J. BYRNE PARK/Fifth Ave at 3rd St – BROOKLYN
IMAGE COURTESY: THE OLD STONE HOUSE
. . . Originally built by CLAES ARENTS VECCCCCHTE in 1699 – this house – constructed solidly of stone, with high brick gables and a tile roof – is a landmark in American military and sports history, during the BATTLE Of BROOKLYN in August 1776, a regiment of about 400 volunteers form Maryland engaged a superior force of British and Hessian soldiers in a desperate defensive maneuver to enable other American troops to flee across the Gowanus marshes to the safety of Washington’s encampment on Brooklyn Heights. The Marylanders’ sacrifice became legend – a storied moment in a long war.
After the war’s end, the Cortelyou family owned the house for 1790 to 1850. In the following years, the land surrounding the old Vechte-Cortelyou farmhouse was filled to provide level building lots for fashionable row houses.
The square block around the battle shrine remained intact and became Washington Park in 1883. Its lawns were the summer home of the Brooklyn Baseball Club – later known as the Brooklyn Dodgers – which used the House as its first headquarters. In 1889 and 1890, the World Series was played at Washington Park, establishing the tradition of Brooklyn baseball.
Today, reconstructed from original stones near the original site, the OLD STONE HOUSE serves as an interpretive and educational center dedicated to Brooklyn history, as well as a cultural resource for the community.
Old Stone House is owned by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, operated by the Old Stone House of Brooklyn Inc., and is a member of the Historic House Trust. ~ above text from: historichousetrust.org
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