Upcoming events at new Gallery 305K in Bridgeport

Gallery 305K
305 Knowlton St., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Upcoming events:
Sun., Jan. 23, 3 p.m.: Historical talk with Mary Witkowski and Charles Brilvitch.
Tues., Jan. 25, 7 p.m.: Views on Bridgeport's future.
Sun., Feb. 5, 3 p.m.: Grand Opening Show reception.

Press release

The New Gallery 305K, Art and Cultural Center. (formerly the Gallery at Black Rock) announces it’s move and grand opening event schedule.

In celebration of the gallery’s move to the City of Bridgeport’s vibrant East Side we are having three grand opening events. The gallery’s move is part of its mission to bring arts and culture to Bridgeport Residents. The historic factory space at 305 Knowlton Street has considerably more space so that we are able to show a much more broad array of arts, music, film, dance, etc. The building, a newly renovated and restored 19th century bicycle and automobile factory, houses the studios and workspaces of architects, filmmakers, fine artists, fine furniture makers and decorative painters as well as the new gallery. The gallery aims to become an integral part of the east side neighborhood and plans to provide programs and art events that will serve and be of interest to its residents, as well as the wider Greater Bridgeport area.

Sun., Jan. 23, 3 p.m. • Charles Brilvitch and Mary Witkowski will speak on the history of the east side of Bridgeport and the Armstrong factory in which the gallery is housed. Mary Witkowski runs the Bridgeport History Center at the Burrows Library. She is the current Bridgeport City Historian. Charles Brilvitch is a past Bridgeport City Historian and a noted expert in the architectural history of the city of Bridgeport.

Tues., Jan. 25, 7 p.m. • The gallery will host students from the University of Munich in coordination with Nils Weisenmuller of Bridgeport Design Group who will showcase their views for Bridgeport’s future including ideas on sustainable development.

Sun., Feb. 5, 3 p.m. • The Grand Opening Show reception! The show will feature a sampling of art from the Black Rock gallery artists, as well as some artists work who we will be featuring in the future. It is an open themed show that will allow our artists to show their newest and best work and will set the tone for the gallery’s future exhibits.

Some artists included will be Joan Fitzsimmons, Liz Squillace, Marcella Kurowski, Felipe Soltero, Mark DeRosa, Jessica Bajoros, Michelle Beaulieu and more.

The gallery will have regular Business hours beginning Thursday Feb. 10, Thurs.—Sat. from 11:30 a.m.—5:30 p.m.

Futurism show opens Saturday at Gallery at Black Rock

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Futuria
Oct. 16—Nov. 6, 2010
Note: Show will be at 51 Crescent Ave., Bridgeport
Artist reception: Sat., Oct. 16, 3:30—7:30 p.m.

Press release

The Gallery at Black Rock is proud to present Futuria, a contemporary look at futurism. The show is being held at the gallery at 51 Crescent Avenue on with an artist reception on Sat., Oct. 16, from 3:30—7:30 p.m.

The future seems more uncertain than ever. The environment, political tensions, economic worries make contemplation of the future a sometimes scary exercise. The gallery asked artists to do just that.

The show will look at the differing visions of artists ranging from the darkly lonely paintings of Harrison Love to lighthearted Science fiction-influenced work. Futuria will include installation, painting, 3-d design, sculpture as well as drawings and music.

Participating artists include, Harrison Love, Mark Derosa, Allan Wittert, Liz Squillace, Michael Johnson, Marci Kovaks, Allan Neider, Robert Beam, and Donald Mctonic.

The show will open with an artist reception on Sat., Oct. 16 from 3:30—7:30 p.m. The Show will be held at the Gallery at 51 Crescent Avenue in Bridgeport’s East side. The show will run for 4 consecutive Saturdays at the space from 12 noon—5 p.m. and by appointment.

Friday night opening at Gallery at Black Rock

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Marcella Kurowski: Improvised Miscreation
Sept. 17—Oct. 22, 2010
Opening reception: Fri., Sept. 17, 6—9 p.m.

Press release

The Gallery at Black Rock will open its 2010 season: Improvised Miscreation, featuring the work of Marcella Kurowski. The show opens Sept. 17 with an Artist Reception from 6—9 p.m. Kurowski, a Bridgeport native has been part of the Connecticut art scene for over 15 years and has often worked under the pseudonym “Looketha." She will be working under her given name, signaling a new phase in her artistic work.

The show is grouped together by Kurowski’s process in which she begins painting freely—letting the paint hit the canvass in an uncalculated but intuitive way. The organic elements are then dissolved and amplified creating a dominant central image juxtaposed with the more vague and emotional elements of the painting.

The work cumulates in forms with human figurative qualities that draw the viewer into an alternate reality evoking both an original unique being as well as communicating an unseen and emotive visual message.

Kurowski’s canvasses are visually rich and filled with movement and emotion. Her figures can be lovable and approachable or otherworldly and dissonant. The show will seek to transport the viewer to a world where things are not always as they seem and emotion and movement create a space alive with possibility for the participants imagination to delve into.

Marcella often paints as part of a duo with her husband Christopher Cavaliere. Recently voted Best instrumental musician by the Fairfield County Weekly readers, he will be composing an original piece titled "Adaptation To Improvised Miscreation" for the shows opening.

The show opens at The Gallery at Black Rock on Sept.17 and will run through Oct. 22. For more information, please call the gallery at (203) 814-6856.

Amber Maida show opens Friday at Gallery at Black Rock

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Amber Maida: A Labyrinth Line Existence
June 4—July 23, 2010
Artist reception: Fri., June 4, 6—9 p.m.

Press release

If you like David Bowie, chances are you'll like the new Labyrinth solo show at the Gallery at Black Rock. The show opens with a reception for the artist, Amber Maida, on Fri., June 4, from 6—9 p.m.

Anyone who went to the White Space Gallery when it was on Chapel Street in New Haven has seen Maida's work hanging by Dali's.

The Naugatuck artist's work has been featured in Art World News Magazine (September 2009) and Ink magazine (January 2008). A suite of her paintings were selected by Richard's of Greenwich for the 2009 Art to the Avenue exhibition in Greenwich. Her work has also been in juried exhibitions at AIRS in New Haven, the Housatonic Museum of Art, the Silvermine Guild of Art in New Canaan and Lazy Pear Gallery in Montpelier, VT.

Her new body of work, A Labyrinth Line Existence, alludes to a quote from David Bowie's interview on the 1993 Black Tie White Noise film. She plays Bowie's music often while in the studio. "Bowie has been a strong influence on my work, which has developed into a visual vocabulary on the canvas," Maida says.

The work is simply stunning, particularly her mixed-media paintings.

"I create tactile counter-environments that express myth and uncover the mystery hidden within reality," Maida explains. "I juxtapose dualities—fragility/strength, ancient/contemporary, external/internal—to exploit a tension..."

"My materials are carefully chosen and strongly symbolic," Maida continues. "My work contains recurring motifs and materials including golden labyrinths, fluid backdrops, crackled textures, vintage books, silks, feathers, eggshells, and line drawings of suspended worlds. I hope that my images take viewers deeper within their own realm of realization."

"Supermen and Scoundrels" opens Friday at Gallery at Black Rock

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Matt Sesow: Supermen and Scoundrels
Apr. 23—May 29, 2010
Artist reception: Fri., Apr. 23, 6—10 p.m.

Press release

The Gallery at Black Rock is proud to present Supermen and Scoundrels featuring the work of artist Matt Sesow. The show will open with an artist reception at 6 p.m. on Thurs., Apr. 23, 2010.

Sesow most recently showed in the Arte Vistas Gallery in Albi France and has shown extensively internationally and nationally. Sesow, a Washington D.C.-based artist, has been labeled as an "Outsider Artist" but has found a great deal of success in the art world. In his career he has overcome many personal obstacles, most importantly the loss of his left (and dominant) arm to a freak accident in which he was hit by a plane as a child.

Sesow's colorful and energetic painting style lends the subjects a somewhat menacing quality while often portraying benign subjects such as bunnies and pandas. In this show he will explore the dichotomy that exists within public figures. It is often unclear as to which is a superman and which is the scoundrel and ultimately it will be the viewer who decides which category the subject best fits into. Sesow will be showing all new work, much of which has been painted specifically for the Gallery at Black Rock show.

Call for art from The gallery at Black Rock: "Contemporary Futurism"

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Call for art: "Contemporary Futurism"

Press release

Calling for art for a "Contemporary Futurism" show. What do you see as the future? Looking for sculpture, installation, painting, assemblage, film and video art. Or any other medium that you can dream up.

Please submit no more than 4 jpegs and a brief statement on the work to thegalleryatblackrock [AT] gmail.com.

The show will open in mid June in the 51 Crescent Avenue location. The show is wide open to interpretation so go nuts.

First anniversary show opens Thursday at Gallery at Black Rock

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Charlie Walsh 2.0: Works on Paper
Dec. 3, 2009-Jan. 7, 2010
Opening reception, Dec. 3, 6-9 p.m.

Press release

The Gallery at Black Rock in Bridgeport celebrates its first year anniversary with a show opening this Thursday, Charlie Walsh 2.0: Works on Paper.

The gallery's Holiday Gift Show opens the following day. Both shows will run concurrently through Jan. 7, 2010.

Graffiti round table Thursday night in Bridgeport

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Off the Grid
Through Nov. 19, 2009
Roundtable & live art: Thurs., Nov. 5, 6:30—9 p.m.

Press release

This Thurs., Nov. 5, from 6:30—9 p.m., there will be a discussion with artist from the Gallery at Black Rock's current show Off the Grid. The Artists will discuss graffiti culture, graffiti code and techniques.

Following the discussion the artists will be available to customize your t-shirt or any article of clothing you bring. Some t-shirts will be available for sale at the Gallery.

The Artists will also do your name or sentiment graffiti-style. Suitable for framing. This will make unique and beautiful gifts. Custom work $25.

They bombed in Bridgeport: Street art show with a mission

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Off the Grid
Through Nov. 19, 2009

According to Eileen Walsh, director of the Gallery at Black Rock in Bridgeport, there used to be a legal outlet in the city for graffiti writers to practice their art. Called "Fame City," she says it was a truck bay on Boston Avenue.

"The kids made great use of it," Walsh tells me as I check out the street art-oriented show Off the Grid in the gallery. "There was so much of it that the paint is so heavy it's literally coming off the wall. There's like 40 layers of paint."

But that location is locked now. Walsh says the Off the Grid show has something of a mission: "We want to get the city to devote some walls for free expression. There are so many abandoned buildings here," she notes. These are canvases going to waste! Walsh adds that some cities have done exactly that, creating tourist attractions in the process. (Walsh details the process of putting the show together on her blog.)

With the exception of "legitimate" artist Peter Consterlie aka "Pete from Across the Street"—Consterlie is influenced by graffiti style—all the artists in the show are "active graffiti artists," according to Walsh.

"If you're around Bridgeport, you'd recognize recurring names and recurring characters," says Walsh. She adds that a couple of them have issues of "property damage outstanding that they want to avoid dealing with."

"They've absolutely learned in the street 100 percent. There's no education in art for any of them," she says, referring to all but Consterlie.

The works are displayed in the small two-room gallery "visual assault style." The participating artists, besides Consterlie, are Sketch, Filth, Snook, Equip, Mercedes Espinoza and Greg Brown. Equip and Sketch are the standouts. Equip is from Norwalk; the other artists are from Bridgeport. All the works, according to Walsh, were created within the month prior to the show's Oct. 16 opening.

Equip's works are painted on ripped "canvases" of drywall. The torn edge aesthetic suits the spray paint-on-the-run imagery. He is notable because he works with a subdued color palette. Using stencils and layers of color he creates an illusion of depth. "Landscape" delicately balances two seemingly contradictory sensibilities—the urban and the pastoral. As the title indicates, it is a landscape, a sunrise on the horizon over a river bounded by soft green shores. But the color is built up through stencils, spray painted tags, suggesting perhaps a yearning for the garden amid the city. All of this is bordered by the ripped, crumbling edges of the drywall panel. Others of his paintings feature stylized imagery of club deejays or skateboarders; one has a convincingly rendered portrait of the rapper and actor Ice Cube.

Much of this work is graphic shorthand and self-promotional imagery indebted to a now international subcultural language. It is influenced by the goofiness of TV cartoons but with a twist of the macabre: skulls and x-ed out eyeballs are recurring tropes.

The use of repetitive elements and bold colors derive from the need/desire to grab attention quickly. This is important when your canvas is often a surface glimpsed by viewers traveling at 65 miles per hour. But a desire to snag eyeballs isn't necessarily accompanied by concessions to easy readability. The paintings by Sketch owe the most to and are most typical of iconic graffiti style. They feature both a signature recurring cartoon image of a "monster"—a head with a wide open mouth with big teeth, x's in circles for eyes in a helmet-like head covering—and almost unreadable convoluted lettering. His text features three-dimensional characters that jostle and writhe around each other like riders in an overcrowded subway car. Most often these letters spell out "Sketch" but in his Obama portrait, they spell out "hope." There is also a table in one room that displays one of Sketch's sketchbooks showing how meticulously planned his imagery is.

It's a thought provoking show even if much of the work has a distinct amateurish tinge. Graffiti is a decidedly mixed phenomenon. It is true that most of it amounts to little more than another layer of blight in districts already marginalized by postindustrial capitalism. But where the serious writers take the time to exercise their explosive craft, the work can be a bracing visual element in a decaying landscape. And much more rewarding than that other graffiti that spreads like kudzu through our physical and psychic environment: advertising. Here's hoping Bridgeport can meet these artists halfway and designate some free spaces for grassroots artistic expression.

Show of Street Art opens in Bridgeport Friday night

The Gallery at Black Rock
2861 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, (203) 814-6856
Off the Grid
Oct. 16—Nov. 19, 2009
Opening reception: Fri., Oct. 16, 6—9 p.m.

Press release

The Gallery at Black Rock is proud to present Off the Grid a show featuring local graffiti and street artists. In keeping with The Gallery at Black Rock's mission to bring art to everyone in Bridgeport we have decided to produce a show that celebrates Street artists. Like it or not, street artists are here amongst us and have survived and flourished in the withering economy.

Bridgeport has long had a street art culture under the radar of many. There are talented artists who prefer to share the work they do for free most of the time. The gallery is working with local artists to give a voice to these artists in a more appreciative environment, and to provide options for them to show work.

The shows will be hung in a visual assault style and will seek to speak to the environment that these artists often work in.

Off the Grid will feature the work of Equip, Sketch, Greg Brown, and Snook among others. Special thanks for curation assistance goes to Keith Rodgerson and Liz Squillace.

The show's opening is Fri., Oct. 16, with an artist reception from 6—9 p.m. The show runs through Nov. 19.