Spread Art

Michelle Matson opens at Whitdel Arts May 17th

 Spread Art X Playground Detroit Spring 2013 Detroit Artist Residency Exchange artist Michelle Matson has been hard at work here in Detroit creating on a new body of work that opens on  May 17th.  Michelle arrived on April 17th and quickly settled in to her new studio accomodations in the 555Arts complex.  Following a welcome brunch at the Spread Art Resdiency House, Michelle has been busy preparing for the opening on the 17th.  Michelle has also been keeping a photo journal during her month long stay here in Detroit.

 

Spring 2013 Detroit Artist Residency Exchange:
Michelle Matson @ Whitdel Arts

This brand new body of work explores systems of humor, social and sexual themes.  
The intricate sculptures featured in this exhibition combine facsimiles of common everyday objects and figures into darkly humorous, sexually charged, dreamlike totems and tableaux.

In the site specific installation "Grim Reaper" a figure camouflaged almost completely by household plants guards a large scale abstract sculpture.  Reminiscent of ancient Egyptian statuary and architecture this piece borrows snippets of its vernacular from far flung corners of popular culture and art history.  One can see references to artists Nick Cave, Tom Friedman and Tony Smith, along with references to stereotypical "women's interests" gardening, fitness, and protecting the sanctuary of home.  Both absurd and haunting, Matson leads the viewer subtly into a surreal tableaux via exaggeration and misinformation: errors in the hard lines of branding logos, distorted body parts and jarring coloration. Using a limited palette of commercially manufactured colored paper and household construction materials, Matson creates dream-like shadow selves of the world we know.

In her "Tickle" sculptures, Matson employs geometric plaster forms, handmade plaster bananas and paper ferns to create delightfully humorous and sexually charged totems.  These smaller scale sculptures are complimented by entertaining and macabre drawings, which delve further into the surreal miasma of Matson's psyche.

Michelle Matson (b. 1981) received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts, New York in 2005.  Her work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in New York and Los Angeles including the Zach Feuer Project Space, Postmasters Gallery, Stux Gallery, Flux Factory, Youth Group Gallery, Kravets Wehby Gallery, China Art Objects, Family Business Gallery and the Torrance Art Museum.  In 2011, she was selected to compete on the internationally syndicated Bravo reality television series "Work of Art, The Next Great Artist".  Matson was recently awarded a residency at Yaddo.  Her work is currently on view at The Parlour, Brooklyn, NY. 

Spread Art is an artist-run creative incubator designed to foster new works through residencies and collaborations with artists, curators, and organizations from around the world. Spread Art supports emerging artists through residencies, group and solo exhibitions, music events, and performance showcases, and also facilitates opportunities for youth and adults to explore their creativity and increase self-awareness through art. Spread Art supports the creation and evolution of art festivals and cultural collaborations locally, nationally, and internationally. www.spreadart.or 

Playground Detroit is a non-profit creative platform whose mission is to enhance Detroit’s artistic reputation by connecting artists, entrepreneurs, and influencers to opportunities within international art markets. By establishing a link between artistic communities in these cities, Playground Detroit seeks to inspire, elevate, and power leading lights of America’s creative economy. Through the presentation of inspirational art, engaging online media, powerful music, provocative educational events, and unique residency opportunities, Playground Detroit promotes artists, investment, and effective action for growth in Detroit’s internationally connected arts community. www.playgrounddetroit.com

Whitdel Arts: A division of CAID, Whitdel Arts is an 1800 sq. ft. professional exhibition space that showcases the work of local and international established and emerging artists. Whitdel Arts is located at 1250 Hubbard Street, Suite B1, Detroit MI 48209. Whitdel Arts is also located on the web at www.whitdelarts.com

 

 

Art Basel 2012 & A Sneak Peek into 2013

It's that time of year again! Spread Art is in Miami for all that surrounds Art Basel 2012...

We'll be stopping by Fountain Art Fair and checking out the exhibitions and performance art curated by Grace Exhibition Space.  If you are in Miami, do not miss the Non Grata Performances on Friday and Saturday nights! 

As always, the Wynwood district will be full of street art, murals, galleries, people, food and all night extravaganzas.  Other fairs Spread Art will be hitting up include, Select, NADA, Context, Miami Project, Pool, Verge.

Spread Art has been busy preparing for an abundance of creativity 2013.  Here's a quick look into next year:

Expanded Residency Opportunities:
Spread Art recently purchased a house in SW Detroit that we are rehabbing for artist residencies, as well as exhibitions and performances. The combination of the existing space at 2572 Michigan and the new house in SW Detroit opens a world of new possibilities. Its too soon to tell exactly what will manifest from the abundance of space, but we know that 2013 will see Spread Art facilitating more artists' work in Detroit and beyond.

Anti-Auto Show
Detroit Contemporary invited Spread Art to curate the Anti-Auto Show exhibition.

Upcoming Performance: July 28 "You Are Here"

Remote Control Tomato (Thomas Bell and Christina deRoos) will perform Saturday 7/28 from 3pm - 7pm at Secret Project Robot (Brooklyn, NY) as part of the You Are Here Festival (aka The Maze)). Six projectors!!!

The ‘You Are Here’ festival, takes place in New York City approximately once every two years. The festival consists of 4 weeks of performance and time- based arts events in a life size maze installation.

 

 

Trouble, Sam Hillmer and Laura Paris – the art duo responsible for ‘You Are Here’ - designs and builds an actual maze into a gallery space accompanied by light, projections, sound, sculpture, and of course, a myriad of performance and time-based arts events.

The ‘You Are Here’ festival interrupts the performance rituals of the arts communities it inhabits. Artists who present are, primarily, members of these communities. Audience members arrive at ‘You Are Here’ with the intention of catching a particular presentation, but intentions are frustrated and transformed by the labyrinthine construction the festival provides. Artists and audiences alike are invited to question the expectations that arise around performance in the context of community.

Performers this year include Laurel Halo, Miho Hatori's New Optimisim, Ann Liv Young, Dustin Wong, Hunter Hunt Hendrix, Noveller, Mick Barr, Jack Quartet, Lucky Dragons, JG Thirlwell, Babycastles, Extralife, and many others...

Read more here.

 

Spread Art opening new 4000 sq ft creative center in Detroit

 

104 Meserole St. -- Spread Art Brooklyn.
Jan 2008 to July 2012

After 4 and ½ years of successful exhibitions, events, workshops, and residencies, Spread Art has wrapped up activities at 104 Meserole Street in Brooklyn as of July 1st 2012.  It has been an amazing time with many wonderful memories and we would like to thank all of the artists who were a part of Spread Art’s events, exhibitions and residencies during our time in Brooklyn.  As one door closes however,  another is opening and in a big way.  Spread Art has moved its headquarters to Detroit and has taken on a much larger physical space. This transition enables Spread Art to continue working in collaboration with artists and spaces throughout Brooklyn and New York City, while also expanding operations and activities in Detroit.

 

Spread Art Detroit - 2572 Michigan Ave
-- July 2012

In January 2012, Spread Art laid down roots in Detroit’s creative Southwest district and now occupies a new 4000 sq ft creative space available for residencies, workshops, classes, events, performances and exhibitions. The new Spread Art location is housed in a 3- story turn of the century storefront space on Michigan Ave and 18th St in the historic Corktown neighborhood, minutes from downtown and two blocks away from the renowned Michigan Central Station.

Co-Directors, Thomas Bell and Christina deRoos are hard at work getting the new space set up and ready for use.  The ground floor offers an 900 sq ft light filled multi-use space space with a full wall of mirrors that is perfect for dance, yoga and other social gatherings. In addition to 20 ft ceilings the ground floor storefront offers two rather large window installations that will certainly be changing often.  The downstairs space is comprised of a 1600 sq ft gallery and performance space with an 18ft bar, projector and sound system, a 350 sq ft residency room,  750 sq ft of studio space, a bathroom, washer and dryer and the Spread Art offices.

Over the next few weeks we will be announcing our residency opportunities beginning in the  fall of 2012, updating our website and posting information about new partnerships that are developing with organizations in Detroit.

The former Spread Art location at 104 Meserole is in the exceptionally creative and capable hands of Esther Neff and Brian McCorkle of Panoply Performance Laboratory, and Valerie Kuehne of SuperCoda.  Esther, Brian and Valerie were the final three Spread Art ‘Artists-In-Residence’ at the 104 Meserole St location in Brooklyn (May - June 2012). 

Compendium: Technics
is a public micro-conference with performances taking place over the course of two days:

Join us at CPR this Friday and Saturday!

Compendium: Technics
is a public micro-conference with performances taking place over the course of two days:

Friday, June 22, 6pm-10pm
Saturday, June 23, 3pm-10pm
Panel discussion: June 23 at 4pm

Suggested donation $5-15 at the door only.
All are welcome!

Center for Performance Research
361 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn
(L to Graham Ave.)

Performances by: Whitney Hunter, Jorge Rojas, Sister Sylvester, drearysomebody (Lindsey Drury), Anya Liftig, Hiroshi Shafer, Emily Wexler, Ivy Castellanos, Alejandro T. Acierto, Jessica Pavone, Charmaine’s Names, Brian Zegeer and BabyCopperhead, Toby Driver, and others.

The Compendium invites these artists to research their relationships with technology, technicalities, and technics. Artists across disciplines manipulate, access, and utilize objects and systems, interacting with technics that are present in performance situations, both as part of the technicalities of presentation, and as instruments, tools, devices, visibility and amplification aids, and as part of documentation, methodological means, and aesthetic and political vehicles.

We ask, how do artists use technical means to their ends? How are techniques and technology related and/or unrelated? How are technics/technology/techniques developed and chosen as part of artistic practice, using what kinds of concerns? Who has access to technology and techniques/technics and how do they commodify/become commodified and/or de-commodify/become de-commoditized?

In an exploration of these considerations, artists will present work to the public during two nights:

 Friday June 22: Hiroshi Shafer, Alejandro Acierto, Lindsey Drury, Charmaine Names, Ivy Castellanos, Amy Wexler and Sister Sylvester will perform in the CPR spaces in the absence of colloquially-defined “technology,” sans electricity, sans amplification, stripping the work of all forms of technics, even in some cases, attempting to perform without “technique.” Audiences must be present in the space to experience the work. Documentation will consist of written descriptions.

Saturday, June 23: Lindsey Drury, Sister Sylvester, Jorge Rojas, Rafael Sanchez, Anya Liftig, Jessica Pavone, Ivy Castellanos, Whitney Hunter, and Alejandro Acierto have access to CPR’s “cutting edge” technological array, including multiple projectors, sound system, and lighting grid, and may bring in their own technological devices, set-ups, electronics, and mechanisms. Audiences may view streamed performances from computers all over the world and performances will be documented on digital video.

A public round-table discussion on Saturday, June 23rd at 4pm will allow us to reflect on the collective research performed, involving the artists from the project and including other voices in live performance. Come be a part and see these incredible artists present new work!

About the Compendium

Over the course of 2012, The Compendium initiative will experiment with hybrid modes of curation, exchange, and presentation, producing exhibitions, performances, publications, and more.

The Compendium is comprised of artists who are deeply engaged with their communities. Organizing both as artists and as directors of alternative arts spaces, curators, members of ensembles and collectives, arts writers, and as agents of cultural influence, we form a “living compendium” to channel multiple agendas, intentions, and ideas into concrete support for artists and grassroots arts organizations.

The Compendium functions via face-to-face meetings, sharing time, funding, space, critical analysis, materials, transportation, residencies, publicity, skills, and other resources.

The Compendium organizers on this project are (in alphabetical order): Thomas Bell (Spread Art),Ian Colletti (Vaudeville Park), Christina DeRoos (Spread Art), Valerie Kuehne (The Super Coda), Brian McCorkle (Panoply Performance Laboratory, Varispeed), Esther Neff (Panoply Performance Laboratory, PERFORMANCY FORUM), Paul Pinto (thingNY, Seven Immediacies Series, Varispeed)

 

Bushwick Open Studios 2012

Spread Art Announces three events for Bushwick Open Studios 2012

 

Spread Art Summer Group Show V 

Spread Art’s 5th annual “Summer Group Show” will include the works of multiple visual artists working in a variety of mediums and feature the works of Spread Art’s current artists-in-residence,Thomas Bell, Christina deRoos, Valerie Kuehne, Brian McCorkle,and Esther Neff. Also on display will be works by , Ventiko, Erin Partridge, Erika Sabel, Panoply Lab, Jorge Rojas, Nicholas, Burgess, Aimee Chappell Hertog, Alix Maubrey, Justin Orvis Steimer, Christian Stolarz, Abigail Weg, Lara Goetzl, Michael Blase, Michael Pawlus and more. Installations, Photography, Painting, Video, Street Art, Drawing, Sculpture, Mixed Media.

Expanding on the single performance at last year’s Summer Group Show, Spread Art will host performances on Friday night from 8pm to 10pm and Saturday from 4pm to 10pm. Performances are curated by Spread Art’s artists-in-residence and include Live Music, Performance Art, Sonic Works, Live Video Streams and more. Participating performers include: Elinor Thompson, Esther Neff, Heather Warren Crow, Felix Morelo, Valerie Kuehne, Brian McCorkle, Kanene Holder, Rafael Sanchez, Miles Pflanz, Amy X Neuburg, Jane Gabriels, Diamond Terrifier with Visuals (Trouble).

You can watch the Live Stream Feed on Spread Art’s U-Stream Channel.   http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spread-art-bklyn

Dates & Times
Friday June 1st, 2012, 6pm - 10pm (performances at 8pm - 10pm)
Saturday June 2nd, 2012, 12pm-10pm (performances at 4pm - 10pm)
Sunday June 3rd, 2012, 12pm-6pm

 

"Spread Art Outdoors" at The Morgan Stop

“Spread Art Outdoors” will bring the art to the people!

Beginning on Saturday at 1pm, “The Parade of Art” will gather outside the Morgan stop L train on Bogart st and make its way to The Animamus Art Salon at the Starr Street Studios above the Bushwick Starr (207 Starr St 3rd floor) Come Join the Parade of Art Work and the ‘Speaker of the Dead’ gypsy brass folk punk band as we march throughout the neighborhood. To participate please email: Thomas@spreadart.org. 

“Live Stream Interviews” will be happening during “The Parade of Art” as well as in and around the Morgan L stop on Saturday from 3pm to 4pm and on Sunday between 12 and 7pm enjoy, "Speading Art Outdoors.   Join Spread Art Founder and Co-Director, Thomas Bell as he interviews festival attendees, artists and just about anyone else he sees on the streets.  You can watch the Live Stream Feed on Spread Art’s U-Stream Channel.   http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spread-art-bklyn

Begun at the first Bushwick Open Studios in 2006 and continued for Beta Spaces in 2009, for the third installment of “Bushwick Is…”, let us know what Bushwick is! When you see the “Live Stream Interviews” happening, that is your time to let Spread Art and the world know what you think “Bushwick Is…” in 2012.

There will be also be Live Performances both days in and around the Morgan L train stop!

Dates and Times:
Saturday June 2nd, 2012, 1pm - 1:30pm and 3pm -4pm
Sunday June 3rd, 2012, 12pm - 7pm

 

The Parade of Art

Beginning on Saturday at 1pm, “The Parade of Art” will gather outside the Morgan L train stop on Bogart St and march to The Animamus Art Salon at the Starr Street Studios above the Bushwick Starr (207 Starr St 3rd floor) Come Join the Parade of Art Work and the ‘Speaker of the Dead’ gypsy brass folk punk band as we march throughout the neighborhood. Live Performances along the way! The Parade of Art will also be streamed live to the internet. You can watch the Live Stream Feed on Spread Art’s U-Stream Channel.   http://www.ustream.tv/channel/spread-art-bklyn

Dates & Times
Saturday June 2nd, 2012, 1pm -2pm

 

 

The Tronic and Anya Liftig performances @ Summer Group Show IV

As part of the Summer Group Show IV, The Tronic performed at 20min set of improvised sonic environments with Circut Bent instuments and plenty of looping.  Live video manipulation and projection by Christina deRoos.  Anya Liftig also performed a 15min solo work.  Watch both videos below!

Spread Art

Summer Group Show IV
Brooklyn, NY

 

The Tronic / Spread Art / June 18, 2011 from Christina deRoos on Vimeo.

 

Anya Liftig - "Want Me Like Time" - Solo Performance

Anya Liftig, Want me like time from Christina deRoos on Vimeo.

 www.anyaliftig.com

 

 

 

Summer Group Show IV - BOS '11 and NOS'11

Open during both Bushwick Open Studios and Northside Open Studios, SPREAD ART presents...

Summer Group Show IV

On View: June 4th, 5th and  18th,19th / 12pm - 6pm
Artist Reception + Live Performances: June 18 / 8pm - 11pm
-- Live performances by Anya Liftig and The Tronic

Painting-Photography-Video-Mixed Media-Installation-Performance

Featuring work by: Anya Liftig, Avoid pi, Thomas Bell, George Brock, Christina deRoos, Enzo & Nio, Maria Gotay, Kasper Jeppe Jeppesen, Davide Montecci, Leila Morrissey, Len Morroz,
Nite Owl, OneDR, Jorge Rojas, Erica Sabel, Keith Schweitzer, Michael Shannon, Veng

Directions to Spread Art:
104 Meserole Street (b/w Manhattan & Leonard)
L to Montrose or J/M to Lorimer


Maria Gotay

Keith Schweitzer




 Leila Morrissey

Davide Montecchi

 

Anya Liftig

 

Thomas Bell

Kasper Jeppe Jeppesen

Christina deRoos

VENG



Jorge Rojas

George Brock

EriKa Sabel

Enzo & Nio

Avoid pi

Irina Adam

ArtzGarage presents its 1st Sculptural Exhibit curated by Lisa Inman

 

ArtzGarage

Founded for the artists by an artist. Principle of this artist community is about us thriving, evolving and bringing our work to the masses. ArtzGarage will be collectively branching out throughout the 2010 calendar year in various pop locations. Call it a Cultural Revolution, opinion's, ideas of those whose creativity is fueled by industrialization, urbanization, of enormous populations with the most active, committed and obsessed minds. 

Opening Reception:

Friday January 22nd         

7-10 pm
Also on view Saturday Jan 23rd from 2pm to 5pm               

Spread Art Gallery 

104 Meserole St. Brooklyn NY 11206

East Williamsburg, Brooklyn

(Btwn) Manhattan Ave. and Leonard Ave.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Rob Pirretti - Painter
Robert Edward Pirretti explores what weapons of the future will look like after nano technology. I combine The animal kingdom with military hardware to form super weapons of the future. Robert Edward Pirretti currently works and lives in the city of Brooklyn, borough of Kings. 
 

Lisa Inman – Sculptor
Stiletto wearing, chisel baring, stone slinging sculptress, don't try and mess with this finesse. Cinnamon skin Moroccan, paging Michael Jackson, she got the moves that’s poppin. Firebird, not the raceway- the Russian mainstay, shooting flames out her studio doorway. Long lashed eyes and hands made to create, she don’t eat red meat she drums to her beat.

Fred Fischer         
Brooklyn based artist Fred Fleisher uses his multi media work to address all that is good and bad in the world.


Shannon Tamsin - Sculptor

Anna Mara - Painter
What lies within, one must not do without.


Matt Callinan - Sculptor

A few Spread Art shows that just ended

"Numbers" Installation @ Chashama Film Festival

Spread Art directors Thomas Bell and Christina deRoos installed Numbers, an installation that highlights human costs of the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan that are rarely reported in mainstream media. See photos of the process of installation as well as the final result here.

The installation consists of flag draped coffins and numbers stenciled on paper then covered with bubble wrap. The width and placement give viewers a choice between walking across and popping bubbles or making a small but extra effort to jump across and avoid interacting. This parallels the ability those of us in the United States have to avoid witnessing the impact of the government policies carried out in our name. It requires a bit of effort, although not much, to avoid the messy reality of our ongoing policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

*****

Numbers used include:

32,907 Weight in tons of bombs dropped by the U.S. Air force in Iraq & Afghanistan through 2007

6129 American and coalition military casualties in Iraq & Afghanistan

120  American military casualties since Obama was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2009

46% The percentage of air raid casualties that are women are girls

766 The number of journalists and academics that have been killed in Iraq

1395 The number of contractor employee deaths in Iraq

102,083 Documented civilian deaths from violence in Iraq (Estimate is 93,552-102,083)

39% The percentage of air raid casualties that are children

>100 thousand The number of American military wounded

$7500 The amount the U.S. Army paid to two children whose mother was killed inside a taxi that ran a checkpoint. Both children were also in the taxi, and were shot and injured.

Thank you to Iraq Body Count, AntiWar, and iCasualties for maintaining databases that make these and many more numbers readily available.

*****

Popping bubble wrap generally evokes enthusiasm from people regardless of age. With Numbers, the excitement of walking, jumping, or otherwise popping bubbles is tempered by the reality of stepping on representations of victims of violence.

Numbers also presents an opportunity for participants to reflect upon the myriad impacts of war, including responses to loud or surprising sounds, such as the pops of bubble wrap. For child and adult survivors of war, loud noises can trigger intrusive memories, nightmares, hallucinations or flashbacks, sometimes resulting in exaggerated responses. As one Iraq veteran explains, "any little noise and I'd jump out of bed and run around the house with a gun." In the same way, the sound of an airplane flying overhead can cause stress for survivors of aerial bombings, while it is of no consequence to others. 

Lastly, Numbers is provides a visual reference point for the ongoing violence as the total number of bubbles in the installation is approximately the same as the total number of tons of bombs that have been dropped on Iraq and Afghanistan to date.

Castle Braid Exhibition - ended Oct 31st

 Spread Art had an exhibition at the Brooklyn Artillery show at Castle Braid.  Works by Thomas Bell , Christina deRoos and Heather Garland.

Overall, there were about 20 galleries involved and a lot of great work. 

See photos of the Spread Art exhibition here .

Above (Left to Right):

1) Cessation of Suffering, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
2) Waiting, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
3) Pain, 48"x48", Acrylic & collage on panel, Thomas Bell, $1000
4) Hope Remains, 30"x30", Acrylic, fabric, metal on canvas, Christina deRoos, $1200