Fort Point Review
Oct. 24th, 2007 01:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cthulhiaThe map of Fort Point Open Studios has changed dramatically since I first started going. Almost half of the original warehouse/studio buildings are now non-artist condos, most notably, the Revolving Museum, which used to contain the awesome studio of Wayne Viens and room enough to race around all the 3-wheeled toys built by Jeff Smith.
I don't know where Viens' studio is now. Jeff moved across the street, onto the same floor with Jim Kalambokas and Danny O, and they seem to be ok with the few 3-wheeled toys being all over the floor. (And are far more akin to what I loved about the Revolving Museum than what goes by that name in Lowell.) For folks on my flist who think they kick ass at collage, this guy PWNS you. Just sayin' And, Jim won me over with these (which was what I meant to mention totoonhead_npl at party 2 on Saturday, but drew a blank and mentioned Leisuretown instead, or whoever it was who did the perverse cereal box mascots... I can't remember now.)
This year, that floor also had an installation of sod area rugs. Since it was pretty hot on Sunday, and we'd been out for hours at that point, the grass was cool, fragrant and refreshing. And they were glad that some of the visitors knew enough to interact with it.
The reason it took so long to get there was because the map's changed. I had to start with Building A to visit Dan and Bebe. Building A has for years been The A Street Cooperative.
However, now a lot of the (richer) artists have drifted further south, to the new Midway Studios. The new Building A is shiny, posh newly refurbished warehouse. A lot of the artists there are doing really well, and, while these aren't always directly proportional, are really talented. Jennifer Lewis had Alice in Wonderland themed stuff, so I have to give it mention. Paul Stremple, the inventor of the Banana Bunker, lives there. Since I've had no end of amusing interactions since I first encountered one at the ICA, it was awesome to find out he's local.
And Paul Laffoley, who will blow your mind. He is possibly the weirdest person I've met. He has a scientific approach to modern comprehension of classical Pantheons. If you crazy kids in TAG don't already know this guy, then you need to find out about him. If you don't love him, I expect an insanely detailed treatise with full color diagrams explaining precisely why not. Really, really, check his stuff out. My companions had to come back and rescue me because I couldn't get a word in edgewise long enough to escape. And, well, who wants to anger a dude who figured out how to make an electric VooDoo machine? He has a lot on his mind, and I bet most folks think he's some new age nutjob.
Then we went to see Steve Hollinger, who I adore, and I like his art too. (o: The cutest artist we saw was Timothy Kadish. The girls were on the prowl and kept pointing out the hot guys to me. I have a bad habit of looking at the art and decor and not the people.
Our mob had dwindled to just Purple and myself by the time we got to Dan and Bebe's building, which is so familiar to me that I probably break speed records with how quickly I go through all six floors. The biggest impression was Martin Berinstein, whose current bubbles series decorates at least one whole wall of the fantasy bathroom I'll never be able to afford.
By the time we reached 300 summer street, the central building to the event, we were too burnt out to look at more than the gallery and cafe.
Then a rogue band of vegetarians dragged me to the falafel palace (a first for me), and I made it home too late to even consider checking out a concert. Too fried as well. The weekend had been team practice, head of the charles, making cider, birthday party E, harvest party, 6 hours of sleep, weight training, brunch and 5 hours of urban art hiking. Probably one of my busiest weekends of the year. Woo!
I don't know where Viens' studio is now. Jeff moved across the street, onto the same floor with Jim Kalambokas and Danny O, and they seem to be ok with the few 3-wheeled toys being all over the floor. (And are far more akin to what I loved about the Revolving Museum than what goes by that name in Lowell.) For folks on my flist who think they kick ass at collage, this guy PWNS you. Just sayin' And, Jim won me over with these (which was what I meant to mention to
toonhead_npl at party 2 on Saturday, but drew a blank and mentioned Leisuretown instead, or whoever it was who did the perverse cereal box mascots... I can't remember now.)This year, that floor also had an installation of sod area rugs. Since it was pretty hot on Sunday, and we'd been out for hours at that point, the grass was cool, fragrant and refreshing. And they were glad that some of the visitors knew enough to interact with it.
The reason it took so long to get there was because the map's changed. I had to start with Building A to visit Dan and Bebe. Building A has for years been The A Street Cooperative.
However, now a lot of the (richer) artists have drifted further south, to the new Midway Studios. The new Building A is shiny, posh newly refurbished warehouse. A lot of the artists there are doing really well, and, while these aren't always directly proportional, are really talented. Jennifer Lewis had Alice in Wonderland themed stuff, so I have to give it mention. Paul Stremple, the inventor of the Banana Bunker, lives there. Since I've had no end of amusing interactions since I first encountered one at the ICA, it was awesome to find out he's local.
And Paul Laffoley, who will blow your mind. He is possibly the weirdest person I've met. He has a scientific approach to modern comprehension of classical Pantheons. If you crazy kids in TAG don't already know this guy, then you need to find out about him. If you don't love him, I expect an insanely detailed treatise with full color diagrams explaining precisely why not. Really, really, check his stuff out. My companions had to come back and rescue me because I couldn't get a word in edgewise long enough to escape. And, well, who wants to anger a dude who figured out how to make an electric VooDoo machine? He has a lot on his mind, and I bet most folks think he's some new age nutjob.
Then we went to see Steve Hollinger, who I adore, and I like his art too. (o: The cutest artist we saw was Timothy Kadish. The girls were on the prowl and kept pointing out the hot guys to me. I have a bad habit of looking at the art and decor and not the people.
Our mob had dwindled to just Purple and myself by the time we got to Dan and Bebe's building, which is so familiar to me that I probably break speed records with how quickly I go through all six floors. The biggest impression was Martin Berinstein, whose current bubbles series decorates at least one whole wall of the fantasy bathroom I'll never be able to afford.
By the time we reached 300 summer street, the central building to the event, we were too burnt out to look at more than the gallery and cafe.
Then a rogue band of vegetarians dragged me to the falafel palace (a first for me), and I made it home too late to even consider checking out a concert. Too fried as well. The weekend had been team practice, head of the charles, making cider, birthday party E, harvest party, 6 hours of sleep, weight training, brunch and 5 hours of urban art hiking. Probably one of my busiest weekends of the year. Woo!
