A quick round-up of some of the interesting things happening in the Massachusetts art-o-sphere…
Big Red & Shiny
Big Red & Shiny is back! This region’s art scene is shiny indeed, and it deserves the thorough – and idiosyncratic (see video art, above) – exploration this online journal/blog is known for.
A little background: until 2010, Big Red & Shiny was a key force in the New England art scene. The online journal and blog delved into this region’s art from the POV of its artists. It explored news, offered reviews, discussed issues, and wittily observed the local scene, all with a unique and at times fiery collection of sensibilities. But by 2010, after more than six years of publication, BRS’s founders announced they were discontinuing the journal.
Now it’s back. Its founders are now board members, and the editorial staff is new. They’ve started a Kickstarter campaign to support the relaunch, and there will be events at Boston Center for the Arts (Mills Gallery, 9/29, 6 PM) and MIT (Bartos Theater, 10/27, 4 PM).
Schooled by massmouth
In this land of hallowed academic institutions, we appreciate a good schooling. Massmouth wants storytellers to consider the theme “schooled” for its next story slam. Similar to poetry slams, massmouth holds story slams that encourage storytellers of all experience levels to lay it all out, in narrative fashion, before a live audience. Their fourth story slam season begins Sept. 9, 2012, 6:30 PM, at Doyle’s Café in Jamaica Plain.
Ten audience members will be selected at random to tell a real-life story. Future story slams will take place at Club Passim in Cambridge, Rosebud in Somerville, and Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline.
Congratulations, Creative Activists
Congratulations to Clara Wainwright, textile artist and founder of First Night, and Eryn Johnson, director of Cambridge’s Community Art Center. Both were honored with Creative Activist Awards by ArtCorps. From ArtCorps: “These two outstanding leaders are being recognized for using the arts to engage, educate, empower, connect and inspire.” ArtCorps will honor Clara Wainwright and Eryn Johnson on September 20, 2012 at the Raising Spirits gala at the Willowdale Estate in Topsfield, MA. The event will also mark the launch of Clara Wainwright’s Welcoming Quilt.
Transcendent Landscapes
Meanwhile, art is transforming the landscape of the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massachusetts. Artist-in-residence Andy Moerlein has created large-scale sculptures inspired by the natural world, installed throughout the premises of Fruitlands, the former utopian community founded by Amos Bronson Alcott (father of Louisa May!). This month, a panel discussion of “Art and the Transcendental Landscape” will feature a host of prominent curators and New England artists (including Moerlein, his partner Donna Dodson, and others). The discussion is on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, 1 PM.
Help Assets for Artists help artists
Assets for Artists is a great program to help artists grow their careers, with grantees participating in an innovative matched savings grant program, financial/business training, and home ownership assistance. Now you can help the program (which is administered by MASS MoCA) help artists. To continue and expand their funding and service, they’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign.
Media: Kickstarter video for Big Red & Shiny.
Leave a Reply