Last Friday evening, SSG opened its doors for the first show of the 36th season. That's right, 36 years of contemporary art in Charlottesville. Though considered a bit of an institution, we're trying to stay spry and are ready jump into the blogosphere.
While the gallery welcomes a site specific installation by Brown and Scofield, Mountaintop, which addresses the controversial practice of mountaintop removal mining, and a film entitled "Faustus's Children," by Michele O'Marah with David Jones and Tim Jackson, our website welcomes a new voice, A Second Look.
We hope you'll stop by and see what's happening behind the scenes. Without a doubt, you'll get acquainted with another, even more colorful side of Second Street Gallery.
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So welcome to our first post. Let's rewind to last week's installation and the First Friday's opening.
Constructing the entry cabin with artists Jason Brown and Elizabeth Scofield.
Three cheers for Jason's dad, the expert dry-waller. The cabin marked the transition from "clean energy" meaning the invisible nature of electricity to the dirtier side of our power source.
You may be wondering what mountaintop removal mining is at this point. Basically, it's the practice of dynamiting entire mountain caps off to gain access to seamline coal. You heard me, no stuttering...entire mountaintops. A full explanation can be found here.
Soldered forms for the mountaintop shrouds.
The ridge lines on the wall are made of tar paper. This ridge is imagined from Google Earth specifications of Kayford Mountain as seen from Charlottesville. Images of mrm sites are mounted at the back of the gallery, taken by activist and friend of the artists, Denny Tyler.
Elizabeth and Jason stretching fabric.
Inside the mountain forms, a single, muted light bulb gives off a haunted, halo effect. Insider note: epoxy and staple guns are our friends, our very, very best friends.
Troughs are attached under each ridge line, much like a chalkboard tray, holding 140 lbs of coal.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, one American burns 140lbs of coal to power their lives each week!
Brown and Scofield want people to see the raw material since many people born in the last thirty years haven't seen or handled coal, aside from a detached understanding of its ties to electricity.
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Installation of the main show ran from Tuesday until a few hours before our members preview on Thursday night, catered by Greenwood Gourmet Grocery and Gabriele Rausse Vineyard. Throughout the week, we had the help of four fantastic UVA interns and four tireless Cville area volunteers. A million thanks to each of you and to our gracious vendors!*
After many hours of frenzied orchestration, construction, lighting, and curating, SSG welcomed over 360 people to our First Friday opening, catered by Bang! and Gabriele Rausse Vineyard.
Brown and Scofield during the artist's talk
Michele O'Marah and David Jones speaking about their film "Faustus's Children" showing in the Dove Gallery.
The film runs 40 minutes long and includes a range of source material including Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, Goethe’s version of the Faust legend, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope, and most notably, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.
Portraits of Ian and Claire. Gallery go-ers experience Faustus's Children.
The film has purposefully amateur sets and the actors are all artist friends of the creators. Michele and David both spoke to those choices being a direct comment on the the fact that this is a constructed reality that confronts the implausible Hollywood tradition of tidy endings.
Ian and Claire, er, getting to know one another...
The saturated colors and stereotypical, blue-blooded uniforms are present throughout the work.
First, First Fridays of the 36th Season!
The show runs from September 4-26. Please come by from 11-6pm Monday through Wednesday to see the exhibits for yourself.
from 2nd, ACJ
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