In this barren musical wasteland of conveyor-belt acts that is all but completely devoid of anything even resembling Rock ‘n’ Roll, I’ve become so uninterested in what the pop charts have to offer that I never even considered the wildly nostalgic potential pull of a band that is willing to revisit the grunge rock era. And then I heard this week’s video clip, which is “Company Man” from New Jersey power-rock trio, Cyclone Static. And this was a reminder to me to never, ever underestimate the pure joy that comes from music that does not sound like it came from a can. Cyclone Static are not magical Wizards. They are not from Outer Space. They are simply three guys who love music, and it shows. Continue reading Video Clip of The Week: Cyclone Static, “Company Man”
Tag Archives: jonathan levine gallery
Delusional: Jonathan LeVine Projects Launches First Ever Artist Competition!
Hey what’s up. I’ve got some good news for all of my artist friends out there who wish they could catch a break when it comes to finding exposure for their art, or the elusive gallery representation. Our very favorite art gallery, Jonathan LeVine Projects (now located in beautiful downtown Jersey City) has issued an Open Call to Artists! It is pretty sweet.
It is no secret that LeVine has been the go-to destination for the very best in contemporary Pop and Street Art for over a decade. If you’ve ever thought that your art would be a perfect fit for the gallery, now’s your chance to get in on the action. Jonathan LeVine is looking for the world’s next great artist and wants to see if you have what it takes. The gallery’s first (of what will become an annual) art competition is now open to artists ages 18 and older, and from all backgrounds and levels of experience. Whip out your portfolios and show off your best stuff!
To submit your work, you’ll have to visit This Link. Artworks will only be considered if they are submitted via this platform.
Here are the major guidelines:
- There is an Entry Fee of $45 for 3 submissions ($10 for each additional submission)
The following must be included with each submission:
- CV/Bio
- 1 image for two dimensional works and 2 images for 3 dimensional works
- Work details (title, year, medium, dimensions, price). There is a size limit of 6 x 6 feet for Paintings and 6 x 4 feet for Sculptures.
More information is available at the link above. Once the deadline has passed and all artworks are received, a selection of submissions will be chosen for exhibition in Delusional, a group show highlighting the finalists. Delusional, will open on August 9th, 2017.
Jonathan LeVine will personally choose first, second and third place winners and award the following prizes:
1st Place – Solo Exhibition at Jonathan LeVine Projects
2nd Place – Participation in a group show at Jonathan LeVine Projects
3rd Place – A week of promotion via Jonathan LeVine Projects website and social media platforms
The Submission Deadline is July 5th, 2017, so get to work! Good luck to all!
Jonathan LeVine Gallery Presents Aron Wiesenfeld’s Unwind the Winding Path
Night Grove By Aron Wiesenfeld (All Photos By Gail)
The most rewarding art viewing experiences are those that present a simple visual that provokes so many narrative possibilities that it encourages the breadth of imaginative extrapolation generally considered to be accessible only through the most wildly imaginative novels. That’s the experience I had while perusing Unwind the Winding Path, a series of new works by California-based artist Aron Wiesenfeld, up now at Jonathan LeVine Gallery.
The River
Looking at this series of seemingly mundane, yet subtly disquieting images — a girl standing on the edge of a forest, two people in a canoe, a picnic — I kept thinking, is it really just about what I’m seeing on the canvas, or is there something just below the surface that I should be paying attention to?
Canoe
In this way, the paintings in Unwind the Winding Path (the exhibit’s title comes directly from the poem Byzantium by W.B. Yeats) reminded me of illustrations inspired by a collection of short ghost / horror stories that I read when I was a teenager, called Lonesome Places by August Derleth. Specifically, they gave me an uneasy feeling I associate with one story in particular, The Lonesome Place, which gives the collection its title. That tale is about two little boys who have such vivid imaginations with regard to a desolate area which they consider to be haunted, that they literally conjure a living monster from their fears alone. And when you think about it, isn’t the most visceral horror about what goes on in our minds? Whether or not this is Wiesenfeld’s intention, he is on to something that is both deeply unsettling and attractive simultaneously.
Bunker
A painting entitled Bunker appeared to creep out the majority of fans attending the opening reception. In Bunker, we see a young woman or girl, barelegged and wearing a summer dress despite the implied chill of grey skies, laying back stoically in tall grass adjacent to what looks like an overgrown Bunker structure. Is she dead? Has her body been dumped there? Or is she just resting? What exactly is going on in this picture? I like that there is no clear answer.
The Handmaid
The Off Season
Daughter
Aron Wiesenfeld was present at the opening, and I made a point to introduce myself and engage him in a conversation about his amazing art and its mysterious allure. I asked him about the painting above, Daughter, and he said that the woman is “growing out of the forest.” I like it. Aron was super nice and so was his wife. I told him about The Lonesome Place, and I am sure he has forgotten about it, but if he reads this post, maybe he will look it up.
Artist Martin Wittfooth Chats with Gallery Owner Jonathan LeVine at the Opening Reception
Aron Wiesenfeld’s Unwind the Winding Path will be on Exhibit Through December 17th, 2016, at Jonathan LeVine Gallery, Located at 529 West 20th Street, 9th Floor, in the Chelsea Gallery District.
Jonathan LeVine Gallery Presents: Alessandro Gallo, For Some Reason
Elevator By Alessandro Gallo (All Photos By Gail)
If you are intrigued and delighted by the idea of perusing an exhibition made up of hyper-realist sculptures depicting Humans with Animal Heads, then you will love Italian artist Alessandro Gallo’s latest body of work, For Some Reason (the follow up to his 2014 show, Strani Incontri) up now at Jonathan LeVine Gallery. Continue reading Jonathan LeVine Gallery Presents: Alessandro Gallo, For Some Reason
Jonathan LeVine Presents: Masakatsu Sashie, External Effect
Corner Pocket By Masakatsu Sashie (All Photos By Gail)
Jonathan LeVine Gallery is currently hosting External Effect, a series of new works by Japanese artist Masakatsu Sashie. This is Sashie’s second solo exhibition at the gallery, and I somehow neglected to write about his first show, so I didn’t want to fail twice at sharing a series of artworks that is really special.
Continue reading Jonathan LeVine Presents: Masakatsu Sashie, External Effect