Version 05 - Harold and Anna

Here are two wonderful artists who have shown at Polvo and are participating in Version 05's NFO EXPO. Harold Mendez will have a solo show in June 2005. Anna Mayer is leaving chicago this fall to California to complete her studies.

As soon as I walked into the Zou B. Center(who lent the space for Version 05) I saw the Kuntshalle Exhibition on the first floor and was blown away. I was bombarded by all these new media experimental projects. I knew then this surpassed all the art fairs from this weekend. The 2nd floor was just as good with alternative spaces/collectives and NPR(Neighborhood Public Radio) broadcasting via the net. Check out the web site: http://versionfest.com/version05/festival/nfoexpo.html

family stuff

And after hanging out at Version05, I had to stop by my parent's house for my nephew Jaime's 6th birthday party. Here he is pretending to fall asleep after blowing out the candles.

Version 05

Here are more images: http://subaltern.org/pedro.htm

a lot of art events this weekend in Chicago

There are 3 art fairs happening this weekend:
ArtChicago/Stray Show: http://artchicago.com/
Nova Art Fair:http://www.novayoungartfair.com/
NFO EXPO: http://versionfest.com/version05/festival/nfoexpo.html

I'll definitely try to go to the NOVA and NFO EXPO(forget Art Chicago) and report back next week along with some pics.

NIU art gallery

I stopped by April 1st to see an interesting show of latina women artists at Chicago's NIU gallery/museum(http://www.vpa.niu.edu/museum). The show featured work by Edra Soto, Paola Cabal, Dianna Frid, Gisela Insuaste, and Jessica Almy-Pagan. These are some of the most interesting women artists of latin american origin who are doing innovative contemporary work at this point in time in Chicago. Most of them have shown at Polvo at one time or another and are good friends of mine.

After I walked into the gallery the installation that was in the center was that of Gisela's vertical organic looking sculptures(the picture above is from her show at Polvo http://www.subaltern.org/dec2004show.htm) Well I remember from her show, the scultural pieces can easily fall since the black shapes just rest and balance on top of the sticks, so any movement can tumble them down. Anyways when I walked up to see it, most of them where on the floor. I thought maybe this time Gisela intended for some to be on the floor. You know artists can sometimes change their statement or can conceptually bullshit about anything. It wasn't until I was talking to Edra that she told me some visitor brushed up against one the pieces and that created a domino effect until most of them where on the floor. Wow! talk about an opening night performance!