The Sound of Singing Through Dust

Artist and Filmmaker Luther Price at Studio Soto

Studio Soto in collaboration with Mobius is presenting the work of local artist and filmmaker, Luther Price, who has taught at both MassArt and SMFA and who was the first of fifteen filmmakers presented at this year’s Whitney Biennial, and just last week was featured at the Views from the Avant-Garde film festival at Lincoln Center.


Peter Schjeldahl in the New Yorker referring to the Biennial described Price's films as "a blizzard of fantastically beautiful visual effects."  Roberta Smith in the New York Times called him "one of the Biennial's stars."  And Akiva Gottlieb in an article in the Nation titled Last Picture Shows: Film and Obsolescence said his work “made for an auspicious beginning to an ambitious, ambivalent goodbye.”


This is the second time this year that Studio Soto has shown Luther Price’s work, the first was a film program this spring.  For this exhibition, last Saturday night was the reception including his installation and screening of 5 of his films, but throughout the run of the show there will be several slide projectors projecting his 400 or so handmade slides along with some film loops.  Incredibly the slides are all from 2012, made the same year he was creating many of the 26 films screened at the Whitney. - Contributed by Douglas Urbank

"One of the Biennial's stars" ­- Roberta Smith, the New York Times

"A blizzard of fantastically beautiful visual effects" 

- Peter Schjeldahl, the New Yorker

Luther Price's technique is fascinating...he uses found footage, bleach, salt, ink, the shavings of film (photo above), liquid emulsion made from dissolved film; he cuts, smashes and mutilates, then tapes it all together and projects the original work. The sound is made by the imagery whirling by the optical track reader on the projector. Eye candy.  -Contributed by Kathy Chapman (All Photos © Kathy Chapman 2012)

An installation of hand-made slides and film loops by Luther Price

Saturday Oct. 13, 2012 - Sunday Oct. 28, 2012

Gallery hours: Fri. 5-7; Saturday and Sunday 2-5, and by appointment

Hours during Fort Point Open Studios 

October 19-21 Fri. 4-7; Sat. and Sun. 12-6

STUDIO soto

10 Channel Center St., Boston, MA 02210

(617) 426-7686  •  http://www.studiosoto.org/

FLUX. FORT POINT OPEN STUDIOS CLIFFS NOTES™

(Fort Point tunnel book, Laura Davidson)

Fall is in the air, which means cider doughnuts, pumpkins, increased heating bills, and a brand new season of Open Studios! I especially love when Fort Point artists open their doors, the neighborhood seems to come alive. With so many spaces accesible to the public and a plethora of participating artists, my friends over at FPAC asked me to share some of my do-not-miss picks for the 2012 Open Studios.

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Jennifer Lewis

(The Woodsman)

Studio Location:  Midway Studios, 15 Channel Center Street, Studio 320

Official Website: jennlewis.blogspot.com

What/Why:  You may recognize her illustrative style from FLUX. Offline–Jen and her husband Tom live in the Kuntz-Kamera of Midway Studios, and I mean that in the most endearing way possible.  Faux taxidermy heads and fanciful paintings of deceased animals are seamlessly integrated into their home decor. And I love that every Open Studios, Jen somehow manages to replenish her portfolio with new and surprisingly affordable work!  Nothing says ‘Happy Holidays’ quite like a disembodied pig.

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Nicole Aquillano

Studio Location: Midway Studios, 15 Channel Center Street, Studio 211

Official Website: ceramicsbynicole.com

What/Why: A recent RISD grad, Nicole threw up her cap last spring, packed her pottery, and moved into Boston’s Midway Studios. As a newcomer to the building, she has already managed to fuse her work and home life together-not many people can say they live with a kiln as a piece of furniture. Nicole creates extremely detailed and thoughtful ceramic works with illustrative embellishments that give each piece a unique feel.  There is something comforting about her work, like you want to cozy up by a fire and drink a hot
toddy chocolate out of one of her finely crafted mugs while pretending its the deep of winter.

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Lisa Knox

(Open Bureau Object No. 2, Her Hymn)

Studio Location: 249 A Street, Boston, MA 4th floor

Official Website: lisaknox.com

What/Why: Lisa’s studio is like a living classroom, in addition to being a place she calls ‘home’, the artist also teaches painting lessons out of her gorgeous space. Shelves are stocked with tchotchkes from projects long since passed. While canvases and paints seem to swirl around her latest still life, surrounded by thoughtful sketches alluding to the final masterpiece. You can tell the artist truly has a command over her medium, an almost magical way of enlivening even the most ordinary of subjects.

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Nathan Fried-Lipski

(The work of Nathan Fried-Lipski currently on view at Elsewhere)

Studio Location: Midway Studios, 15 Channel Center Street, Studio 618

Official Website: natephotography.com

What/Why: You may have seen Nate’s birdhouses and cabinets on view at Elsewhere at the Distillery Gallery, but he is one of those irritatingly gifted people who can build/make/do most things, and do them well. He needs a chair, and within a day he will have fashioned one out of an old crate. A pencil? Wittled in minutes. During the day you can find him snapping photos around Boston in order to afford his hoarder-like salvage habit. Be sure to stop by his studio and see what he’s whipped up for Open Studios, it’s sure to be incredible–maybe you’ll even pick up some DIY inspiration along the way.

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Laura Davidson

(Tourists and 2 Venus, Laura Davidson)

Studio Location: 249 A Street, Boston, MA 4th floor

Official Website: lauradavidson.com

What/Why: I love stopping into Laura’s space because although I don’t know her, I’d like to imagine she has the patience of a saint. She creates the tiniest of mosaics, intricate pop-up books, and small painted playing cards that I’m convinced are the result of
Cinderella’s mice long hours and a jeweler’s magnifying glass. Her studio is always inviting and filled with cabinets of old trinkets and tin toys that innocently hint at her sources of inspiration.

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Andrew Neumann

Studio Location: 300 Summer Street, 5th floor

Official Website: adneumann.com

What/Why: Andrew is one of those artists whose work makes me happy that the internet exists. Whenever I try to explain his kinetic Casablanca film loop installation, or 2001 Space Odyssey piece that automatically scans over text on a track, or his superimposed Psycho v. 1998 remake video..I’m thankful I can send along a link to his website instead of rambling off an incoherent recap of his complex endeavors.

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Dorothea van Camp

(Leonardo’s Lap (RW I))

Studio Location: 300 Summer Street, Unit 35

Official Website: unit35.com

What/Why: Dorothea van Camp and her husband Jeffrey P. Heyne have such an intriguing space chock full of otherworldly creations. Heyne creates motion inspired  works in the vein of Muybridge, while van Camp renders dream-like swirls and patterns that baffle on a technical level-it’s almost as if you’re looking at a sophisticated spirograph. After so many Open Studios visits to her home, maybe 2012 will be my year to finally sit down with the artist and pick her brain.

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Jodie Baehre

(Beech Nut Factory)

Studio Location: Midway Studios, 15 Channel Center Street, Studio 219

Official Website: jodiebaehre.wix.com

What/Why: When Jodie isn’t holding down the fort as founder of local Arts organization Glovebox, she is a wife, dog mom, and artist in a cavernous studio space on the 2nd floor of Midway. She beautifully renders scenes of familiar Boston landmarks, and not-so-familiar spots around the City. Even paintings of unknown alleys have an air of local familiarity that resonates with Bostonians-she is truly an artist with a deep appreciation for her City. I mean, her dog’s name is Allston, need I say more?

(Allston guarding the studio)

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Quick Tips:

• Don’t forget your checkbook! Some artists may not accept credit cards and wouldn’t it be nice to say you finished up your holiday shopping BEFORE Halloween?
• Stop by the group show in the old theater space of Midway Studios, over 15 participating artists!
• Welcome artist-run Made in Fort Point store to its new location at 30 Channel Center Street, pick up unique and affordable gifts while supporting your local art scene
• Grab a map. It’s extremely helpful in aiding your decision making process especially towards the end of the day when your head is spinning and there are 15 minutes left before doors start slamming shut.
• While in the neighborhood, be sure to grab lunch at Channel Cafe - everything on the menu is amazing. If you end up dining there, please fax me a BL&FGT (bacon/lettuce/fried green tomato) sandwich. Many thanks.

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Full list of participating artists here.

(Barbie with O-Rings No. 18 , Jeffrey Heyne)

Fort Point Open Studios will be held:

Friday October 19th: 4:00-7:00pm || Saturday October 20th – Sunday October 21st: 12:00-6:00pm

Hope this was a helpful guide–come by early so you have enough time to visit all the sites and make the most of your day! - See you there. ♥ 

Love this read? - Get your art fix all the time from FLUX Boston! 

Made in Fort Point - We're getting there!

MIFP's Midway street door and installation in process...we're getting there!  

Photos © Kathy Chapman 2012

Dance Spot

Get your Groove on with artist Elisa Hamilton as she converts the streets of Fort Point into a community wide dance floor.  Elisa’s public art project is supported by the Fort Point Arts Community and will be on exhibit October 8- November 10^th. The project will consist of five Dance Spots prominently located throughout the Fort Point neighborhood. Each Dance Spot will have a colorful dance diagram drawn on the sidewalk illustrating a specific dance routine that pairs with a specific song, and signage that will direct the public to the Dance Spot, where YOU can learn how to do each of the five dances via video and see the Dance Spots in action. The website will also have links to Grooveshark and iTunes so that you can listen to and/or download the songs and do the dances with music accompaniment right there on the Dance Spots!  During Fort Point Open Studios weekend Elisa will be out on the sidewalk dance floors breaking it down with you!

FPAC:  Talk about combining so many great ideas to have a “sense” – ation!  Public Art, exercise, and sound – How did you plan this project to use so many ways to connect with the public?

EH: It actually all started with walking.  I am a huge advocate of walking, and one of the things that I love most about Boston is that is truly is a walking city.  I walk anywhere from two to five miles a day, and as a serious lover of music, when I walk I’m usually listening to my favorite tunes, bouncing my head and walking to the beat.  These great big city streets have always made me want to dance!!  And I thought, how cool would it be to have a spontaneous dance party right here on the sidewalks of Fort Point?!

The idea took off from there.  The artwork that I make is grounded in the belief that in our ordinary lives we are constantly surrounded by reasons to be joyful; I wanted hone in on the raw joy that dancing together evokes in us in a literally pedestrian way.

 At first the concept included only the sidewalk art portion- the footstep diagrams- but as I discussed the notion with friends it became intensely clear that an online element was essential to the project.  The performance and interactive aspect soon followed and it became this wonderful full bodied project that both thrilled and scared me at the same time.  I knew that I needed to bring it to Fort Point.

FPAC:  With a huge craze of flash mob/dance happening all over the world, did these events influence your work? 

EH: Strangely they did not.  I love the idea of flash mobs (although I have never had the pleasure of being involved with one or experiencing one!), but this project truly manifested in its own deliciously slowball-like way.  It manifested itself directly from my everyday experiences in my day to day routine.

FPAC:  Are you planning to document the experiences?  If yes, how?

Chalk materials for Dance Spot

EH: Most definitely!!  As the budget for this project is pretty modest, basically all of the documentation I am doing is via iPhone.  As a painter, this project is literally a crash course in technology for me, but I’m totally amazed at how easy it is to take a picture or video with my phone and literally show the world- so amazing!!  This project is very social media based in the sense that it is a great way to spread the word, and posting pictures and videos pertaining to the project is a great way to do that.  I want the public to know that they are the intended guests of this great big sidewalk dance party!!

FPAC:  What locations in Fort Point are you planning to create the Dance Spots?

 

EH: There are five different Dance Spots locations.  I chose the locations in a way that is designed to draw one coming from South Station into the sensational Fort Point neighborhood.  Three of the Spots are on Summer Street- Dance Spot #1 is on the bridge over the Channel, #2 and #3 are on either side of the bridge that goes over A Street.  The other two are on A Street; #4 across the street from the stairs down from Summer Street to A Street, and the last one, #5, will be at Binford Street and A Street in front of Barlow’s restaurant.

FPAC:  OKAY… Can you let us in on one of the songs that you are pairing with a Dance Spot?  - Did you listen to songs and then create steps or vice versa? 

EH: The songs definitely came first, and I choreographed the dances afterwards.  Selecting the right songs for Dance Spot was actually really hard!!  There are some great dance songs that are awesome at a club or in your living room, but weren’t quite right for this project.  The songs had to be pretty much immediately danceable, they had to be innately fun, and I also really wanted each Spot to have its own dance concept and feel- so I tried to choose songs that would appeal to the public in different ways.

Elisa as a tiny groove dancer!

The spot I’ll let you in on is Dance Spot #5 which is “Pon de Replay” by Rihanna.  Each Spot not only has its own dance concept but also its own difficulty level; this one is the hardest.  The concept for this dance I imagine to be a sort of double-dutch-dance-off.  The spot is made for two sets of feet facing each other, as well as a surrounding “freestyle” area for spectators.  My longtime friend Megan Fitzpatrick has always been one of my favorite dance partners and she’ll be doing this dance with me in performance.

FPAC:  Lastly, Who would you love catch dancing?  The Mayor?  

EH: I would love to dance with the Mayor!  Honestly though, my greatest hope is that this project will draw friends and strangers together in a really fun, enjoyable way.  I strive to create art that is accessible, beautiful, and joyful- and I hope that Dance Spot achieves that.

Buckys on the Channel

Photo by Barry Cronin

FPAC is catching up with Carol Bugarin who is not only exhibiting some fun and exciting floating art on the channel, but also making us think a bit about design and the great inventor himself, Buckminster Fuller.  Her work is supported by Friends of Fort Point Channel and the Fort Point Arts Community, and will be exhibited on the Fort Point Channel from October 7th to November 10th.  A great chance to catch her "floating art" and other works by local Fort Point artists is during the FPAC Fall Open Studios taking place October 19-21.

Buckys on the Channel - A Buckyball is nickname for a geometric shape called a truncated icosahedron. It has 32 faces made up of hexagons and pentagons. Richard Buckminster Fuller popularized this shape in his Geodesic domes and architecture. This shape universally appears in design, art, math, science, medicine, technology and play. 

FPAC:  What drew you to Buckminster Fuller’s design of the Geodesic Domes for your floating art project?

CB:  I had a book in high school which introduced me to Buckminster Fullers Geodesic Domes.  I was fascinated by the structure and how it held together without interior supports.  I liked the repetition of pattern and how these simple individual shapes of hexagons, pentagons and triangles were used to create a more complex structure.

FPAC:  What has been the hardest hurdle so far in constructing these geo-domes?

CB:  The hardest part was using a material that has never been used before to construct the Buckyballs.  There was a lot of experimentation but I finally landed on a fairly good combination of materials.  What gives the Buckyballs its shape is “tensegrity”.  This is the push and pull on an object to create a continuous tensile force stabilizing the structure.   Each piece of pool noodle has 2 zip ties through the middle that attaches to another zip tie in an opposite pool noodle.  When the zip ties are tightened up tensegrity takes over and forms a ball.

FPAC:  Clearly, you needed a material that floated and pool noodles are quite bendable.  Do think it ironic that this kids toy is re-creating a concept by one of America's greatest engineers and inventors?

Photo by Barry Cronin

CB:  No.  I believed that Buckminster Fuller enjoyed inventing, creating and playing through out his life.  I’m just using the pool noodle like another building material.

FPAC:  When the project is completed, how many pool noodles will you have gone through?

CB:  For this project I created a combination of seven true Buckyballs and nine additional geometric shapes called icosahedrons.  An icosahedron is a combination of 5 interconnecting pentagons and is the predecessor to the truncated icosahedron / Buckyball.  I have used over 500 pool noodles.  Each of the large Buckyballs has 270 pieces.  The size of the ball determines how many pieces I can get out of one, 56 inch pool noodle.

FPAC:  Why do some of the Buckyballs look like they are made up from triangles?

CB:  This is called “stellation”  Which means dividing the pentagon and hexagon shapes in a star pattern.  This triangulation gives the structure more stability.  The pentagons and hexagons are still there you just have to look harder.

FPAC:  What do you hope the public will learn from your project?

CB:  I’m not sure that they need to learn anything.  I just hope they find it fun and enjoyable to look at.  I always like to see art in unexpected places.  That’s why I have enjoyed the floating art over the years on the Fort Point Channel.  I feel honored to be selected to create the floating art this fall.

Photo by Barry Cronin

 FPAC:  Lastly, we want to see if you "get down" with futurism - Do you, like Bucky, have a belief of Ephemeralization -  the ability of technological advancement to do "more and more with less and less until eventually you can do everything with nothing".

CB:  I don’t know about that but I do believe in what Buckminster Fuller has engraved on his headstone, “Call me Trim Tab”.  A trim tab is a small connector attached to a larger piece and with the slightest of movement can create an exponential effect on something bigger than itself.  Small changes can make big differences.

Floating art is sponsored by generous support of The Friends of Fort Point Channel, a nonprofit organization committed to making the Fort Point Channel an exciting and welcoming destination for all of Boston’s residents, workforce and visitors.  

MIFP Re-Opens October 9!

 Made in Fort Point

 The FPAC Store re-opens October 9, 2012

New location: 30 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA 02210

(617) 423-1100  http://www.fortpointarts.org/shop/

Exterior and street view photos © Kathy Chapman 2012