Openings and activities in and around Baltimore- July 2014

Area 405
Macricrocosm
Reception: July 11, 7-10pm
Exhibition: June 20 – August 15th

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Area 405 is pleased to present Macricrocosm, featuring the artwork of Sondheim Prize 2014 applicants and others.  These works can be perceived as both cosmic and cellular placing the viewer in the position of being either omnipresent or insignificant.  This mixed media exhibition runs through Summer 2014.

Artists: Helen Elliot, Lisa Marie Jakab, Paul Jeanes, Jarah Moesch, Brandon Morse, Julia Pearson, Dan Perkins, Ginevra Shay
Curator: Stewart Watson

Baltimore Threadquarters 
Generative Presence
Reception: July 12, 4-7pm
Exhibition: July 1- August 31

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This exhibition showcases fiber and mixed media installations from two 2014 Sondheim Prize applicants.

Artists: Rania Hassan, Mihaela Savu
Curators: Allison Fomich, Marlo Jacobson, Matt Saindon

Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Gallery
INSIDE/OUT
Reception:  July 11, 5:30-7:30pm
Exhibition: July 11 – August 30 (Open Fridays 1-7pm and Saturdays 11am-4pm)

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The yin and yang of the artists Vincent Carney and Matt Klos’s works reflect not only the interior versus the exterior, but the pristine versus the derelict– yet their work is so cohesive (as is visible by the hues used by both artists), you may think they shared the same palette.

Artists: Vincent Carney, Matt Klos
Curator: Betsy Stone

Center for the Arts Gallery, Towson University
Artscape 2014: Home:Human = Cage:Cockatoo
Reception: July 12, 2-4pm
Exhibition: July 10 – August 9

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The artists in this year’s Towson University Artscape exhibition define home through different approaches to discomfort.  For David Page, home can be threatening and torturous; for Ben Marcin, it is abandoned memory; for Katherine Sifers, it is postmodern vanitas; for Margaret Rogers, it is fantasy; for Avi Gupta, it is familiar but alienated; and for Mary Beth Muscara, it is fusion.

Artists: David Page, Ben Marcin, Katherine Sifers, Margaret Rogers, Avi Gupta, Mary Beth Muscara
Curator: Cheryl Harper

C. Grimaldis Gallery
SUMMER  ‘14
Reception: Wednesday, July 16, 6pm-8pm
Exhibition: Wednesday, July 16 – Saturday, August 23

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The C. Grimaldis Gallery is pleased to present “SUMMER ’14,” a group exhibition featuring works by selected gallery artists and Sondheim Prize applicants.

Artists: Chul Hyun Ahn, Grace Hartigan, Hidenori Ishii, Dimitra Lazaridou, Eugene Leake, Ben Marcin, Neil Meyerhoff, Raoul Middleman, Bernd Radtke, Zhao Jing & others
Curator: Constantine Grimaldis

Creative Alliance
Glue & Glitter: Skeletons, Flowers,& Jellies- A Retrospective of Tommy Tombo ODea
Reception: Thursday July 10th 6-8pm @ Amalie Rothschild Gallery
Exhibiton: July 5-26th
Gallery hours: Tue-Sat, 11am-7pm

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Self-taught, visionary artist Tommy O’Dea is a third generation longshoreman and until recently a life-long resident of Fells Point. To aid in his recovery from drug addiction, Tombo (as he is known on the waterfront), started making artwork.  Over the next 18 years he created a vibrant series of images crafted out of unique media. Tommy referred to himself as a “glue artist.” He painstakingly layered glues and epoxies, many bought from a marine store, creating richly textured surfaces.  He worked in series, carefully framed the work, and often gave it to his friends and family. Fish skeletons, sunflowers, pineapples and jellyfish were his favorite motifs.  Vibrantly colored with acrylic paint, magic markers and glitter, these pieces remain treasured gifts.

Gallery 788 
Gallery 788’s Fifth Annual Photography Show
Reception: July 3, 7pm
Exhibition: July 3 – July 26

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Gallery 788’s Fifth Annual Photography Show will exhibit of all things photography-related, highlighting some of the best photographers from the region, and beyond.

Artists: Katherine Sifers, Jing Zhao, and others
Curators: Eduardo Rodriguez and Charles Hofsommer

The Gallery at CCBC, Catonsville
Spectrum
Reception: July 11, 6-8pm
Exhibition: July 11 – August 31

Without light, art does not exist.  The visible spectrum of light through the human eye is what allows us to perceive beauty, thus making it an appropriate medium for these artists to express themselves.  Similar to the process artists like Itten, Rothko or even Newton used to explain color theory.  The artwork in this show uses light not as a mere consideration for their work, but as a medium in and of itself.  Their individual sculptures combine to create one environment where the visible spectrum of light and its role in the spaces they create is the main focus.

Artists: Tommy Bobo, Melissa Burley, Laure Drogoul, and Stephen Hendee
Curator: Kevin Cook

The Gallery at CCBC, Dundalk
Imaginary Friends
Reception: Thursday, July 17, 6pm-8pm
Exhibition: Thursday, July 17 – Sunday, August 31

Delving into the abstract fantasy world of imaginary friends, this collection embraces the subtle and strange.  With tiny worlds existing in each palette, patrons can fill in their own blanks, recalling their own imaginary friends and placing them in each abstract environment.  With colorful fantasy, nostalgic innocence is conjured in these delightful works.

Artists: Pam Rogers, and others
Curator: Liberty Carter

Gormley Gallery, Notre Dame of Maryland University
Contested Divisions 
Reception: July 11, 6-8 pm
Exhibition: July 7 – July 26

Contested Divisions presents images made from the materials of photography and that employ mixed media to explore the medium’s indexical mode.

Artists: Elizabeth Crisman, Amy Finkelstein, Todd Forsgren, Muriel Hasbun, Kyle Tata, and Ding Ren
Curator: Geoff Delanoy

MAXgallery
Dissolution and Transformation
Opening Reception: June 26 (time TBA)
Closing Reception: July 31 (time TBA)
Exhibition: June 26 – August 2

Creation arises from the dissolving of forms and concepts. The artwork in this exhibition represents the dissolving of contemporary beliefs through a diverse array of subject matter. Dissolution of belief establishes the foundation for Transformation. This exhibit establishes the strong correlation of end to its counterpart, beginning. This forges an alternative way of seeing for the viewer.

Artists: Kini Collins, Jessica Damen, Megin Diamond, Michelle Dickson, Annie Farrar, Cianne Fragione, Pat Dennis Giroux, Artemis Herber, Daniel Herman, LaToya Hobbs, Ruth Pettus, Maxine Taylor, Sandra Wasko-Flood Curators: Jessica Damen, Pat Dennis Giroux, and Maxine Taylor

 

The Windup Space
Logical Magic
Reception: Wednesday, July 16, 7pm-10pm
Exhibition: Wednesday, July 9 – Thursday, July 31

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The Windup Space is pleased to present “Logical Magic,” featuring new paintings by Se Cho.  The subjects of Cho’s work are based on geomorphology, engineering, modeling, and general scientific concepts like accuracy vs. precision, optical illusion, etc.  Cho says of her work: “My paintings are a representation of what I learn and experience in my life, most importantly subjects of my scientific research.”

Artist: Se Jong Cho
Curator: Jason C. Hoylman

A throwback to Nina Simone’s song “Baltimore” which was part of her 1978 album also titled as such. The song was composed by Randy Newman and originally appeared on his 1977 album Little Criminals.

 

 

This is the thirty-first in a series of interviews with each of the Sondheim Award Semifinalists. Finalists have been announced, and will be on exhibit at the Walters Art Museum June 21 to August 17; those not selected as finalists with be exhibited at the Decker, Meyerhoff and Pinkard Galleries at MICA  July 17 to August 3, 2014.

Name: John Zimmerman
Age: 27
Website: www.johnzimmerman.com
Current Location: Waverly- Baltimore, MD
Hometown: Waldorf, MD
School: University of MD, Baltimore County

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What is your day job? How do you manage balancing work with studio time with your life?
I am currently a dog walker as well as a bartender. I try to string together both jobs and work as many hours as a can for a few days, and then have off for a couple days afterwards to decompress and think about my art. On a good day dog walking can serve as both work and time to contemplate life, as well as allow me to take photographs.

How would you describe your work, and your studio practice? I mainly work in photography. For me, the power of photography lies in its ability to flatten real world objects. The viewer interprets the image as a three dimensional space, but the composition is intrinsically rooted in the flat dimension. I try to compose my images, whether they are portraits or landscapes, as a minimal spatial study. Lately I have been working on sculptures and paintings that similarly explore these flattened dimensions.

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What part of artmaking to you like or enjoy the most? The least? Editing photographs can be tedious, but at this point I embrace the meditative qualities of it.

What research do you do for your art practice? Reading a lot helps, as well as taking in and processing the mass of imagery that bombards us everyday.

Do you ever get in creative dry spells, and if so, how do you get out of them? Of course. Whenever I do I find its best to let it run its natural course. I go exercise, and enjoy my life for a few days, or a week, or a month. Eventually a good idea will come my way, and it won’t have the appearance of being forced.

How do you challenge yourself in your work? I think the poster in the office of our guidance counselor’s was on to something when it read “push yourself” or “give it your all” or whatever. I have post-its around that egg me on. Again, like I said before, you don’t want to force yourself to be creative. That said we all need motivation, and post-its criticizing me seem to work. I also find it is good practice to be as meticulous and overly critical of a final product.

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At the corner of Lombard and Gay streets in downtown Baltimore is the Baltimore Holocaust Memorial. Having driven by it many times, we decided to stop and investigate the installation and do a little research about this memorial.

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From the Monument City blog:

One of the more ominous spots in the city, the Holocaust Memorial sits just a few blocks north of the Aquarium and takes up an entire city block. In the 1970s a ninth grade Baltimore Hebrew class told their teacher, Alvin Fisher, they didn’t believe the Holocaust occurred. Mr. Fisher promptly took a proposal for a memorial to Charm City’s Jewish Counsel, hoping to erase the unfortunate misconception. They granted his wish and the site was chosen, an area downtown owned by the Baltimore City Community College.

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The memorial consists of a monolith resembling a train with a   steel gate symbolizing the internment of Jews in concentration camps. On the ground leading up to the large structure is a series of railroad tracks, tall grass growing from between the rails. At the southern end of the park a statue was erected, in 1988, that has since become the center-piece of the memorial. photo 8

Two Baltimore businessmen and philanthropists, Melvin Berger and Jack Luskin, donated funds for the monumental flame. Dedicated in memory of the Night of Broken Glass, the 1938 destruction of Jewish homes, communities and synagogues by the Nazis, the sculpture is the creation of artist Joseph Sheppard and displays the bodies of victims engulfed in fire. Sheppard also sculpted the Pope John Paul II statue near the Basilica of the Assumption.

It was constructed in 1980 at a cost of $300,000 and consisted of a grassy mound and two 80 foot blocks of  concrete. The stark scene became a haven for the city’s homeless and a plan to re-design the area was presented in 1995. Architect Jonathan Fishman was commissioned to create the empty rail yard that exists today. A plaque, it’s inscription written by author Deborah Lipstadt, was dedicated in 1997 upon completion of the project. Several Holocaust survivors attended the ceremony.

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Sight Unseen is excited to announce a new series of workshops that will focus on various filmmaking techniques. With support from the 2014 MICA LAB Award and Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, Sight Unseen has developed a new workshop series that will host national and international filmmakers, visiting Baltimore to facilitate these workshops at the Current Space Darkroom.

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Presented by Kevin Rice and Andy Busti of Process Reversal Film Collective

TIME
Saturday July 12 & Sunday July 13th 12-8 pm

LOCATION
Current Space Community Darkroom
421 N. Howard Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

DESCRIPTION
In this two day workshop, participants will study the craft of producing black and white, silver gelatin emulsion by formulating, mixing and coating emulsion onto cellulose acetate and various other materials. Theories concerning emulsion chemistry and emulsion production will also be explored in this workshop, providing participants with a foundation to develop their own processes and methodologies.

REQUIREMENTS
Previous experience working with film is not required for attending the workshop, though some film processing experience is recommended — In any event, we will do everything possible to clarify questions that you may have before, during or after the workshop.

Additionally, participants are encouraged to bring in film negatives or positives for contact printing, or objects for photogramming.

COST
$30

REGISTRATION
Please pre-register by July 8th via Paypal

The workshop is limited to 10 people.

PREREGISTER HERE

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The Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts previewed the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize: 2014 Finalists Exhibition this past Friday, June 20th.

The Sondheim Artscape Prize is a $25,000 fellowship awarded each year to visual artists living and working in the Greater Baltimore region. M&T Bank has partnered with BOPA to establish the M&T Bank Sondheim Finalists’ Awards, which provide a $2,500 honorarium for each of the remaining finalists not selected for the fellowship.

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Organized by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts in conjunction with Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival, the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize: 2014 Finalists Exhibition will be on view at the Walters Art Museum  June 21 – August 17, 2014. Now in its ninth year, the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize recognizes the achievements of a visual artist living or working in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Southeastern Pennsylvania. The winner of the $25,000 Sondheim Prize will be announced at a special ceremony and reception at the Walters Art Museum, Saturday, July 12, 2014 at 7 p.m.

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2014 FINALISTS:       

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 Lauren Adams (Baltimore, MD)                               Kyle Bauer (Baltimore, MD)

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     Stewart Watson (Baltimore, MD)                        Marley Dawson (Washington, DC)

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      Neil Feather (Baltimore, MD)                              Kyle Tata (Baltimore, MD)

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   Shannon Collis (Baltimore, MD) 

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The Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize is made possible through the generous support of the Abell Foundation, Alex. Brown & Sons Charitable Foundation, Baltimore Festival of the Arts, Charlesmead Foundation, Ellen Sondheim Dankert, France-Merrick Foundation, Hecht-Levi Foundation, Legg Mason, M&T Charitable Foundation, Henry & Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation, John Sondheim and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.

The exhibition and opening event at the Walters Art Museum have been generously supported by the Talkin Fund of the Columbia Foundation, Time Group Investments, Rachel and Joseph Rabinowitz, The Zamoiski, Barber, Segal Family Foundation, and the Greif Family Fund.

Patterson Park

Proposals due no later than 5 PM, Friday, July 11, 2014

I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Baltimore National Heritage Area (BNHA) seeks a company, group, or artist to install a temporary illumination installation in Patterson Park from September 4 to September 18, 2014 to commemorate the attempted land invasion by the British 200 years ago. This installation will be part of the Star-Spangled Spectacular when Maryland and Baltimore will be on the national stage, commemorating Maryland’s pivotal role in securing America’s independence in the War of 1812, and subsequently giving our nation two of its most enduring icons—the national anthem and the flag.

II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Baltimore Heritage Area Association, Inc. is the management entity of the Baltimore National Heritage Area. The heritage area is a state certified and federally designated heritage area consisting of approximately 22 square miles in Baltimore, Maryland. The heart of the heritage area is at the center of the city and the Inner Harbor. From this central location, the heritage area expands to include sections of the city with high densities of historic, cultural, and natural attractions for both visitors and residents. BNHA’s mission is to promote, preserve and enhance Baltimore’s cultural and historic legacy and natural resources for current and future generations.

Through a grant provided by Star Spangled 200 (SS200) and Maryland’s War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the heritage area is working with various partners throughout Baltimore to educate and inspire residents and visitors during and leading up to the bicentennial’s culmination in September 2014. SS200 is the not-for-profit entity that has supported the fundraising goals of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission since September 2010. The three-year Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial kicked-off in June 2012 with the Star-Spangled Sailabration, which attracted 1.5 million visitors and generated $166 million in economic impact for the City of Baltimore. Events continue at War of 1812 battle sites through the Chesapeake Campaign, and will culminate with Star-Spangled Spectacular held September 6 through September 16, 2014. Like 2012’s Sailabration, the Spectacular will feature visiting international tall ships and grey hulls, performances by the Blue Angels and other air show acts, waterfront festivals, Baltimore’s largest fireworks display, live concerts, and an amazing array of free entertainment. Additional information can be found online at www.starspangled200.com.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

The contracted company, group, or artist will be responsible for designing, planning and executing a temporary illumination installation in Patterson Park. The goal of the installation is to visually represent the 15,000 plus citizen soldiers who defended our young nation in 1814 by building a large entrenchment that ran through today’s Patterson Park. Citizens ranging from the poor to wealthy landowners, slaves, and free blacks all gathered together in Baltimore to create a defensive line against a potential land invasion. By digging a trench that partially ran through today’s Patterson Park (then called Hampstead Hill) the city of Baltimore and our young nation were preserved as the British approached the line of defense and then turned away.

The installation should inspire today’s residents and visitors, helping them to understand what an amazing accomplishment it was 200 years ago to protect the city and our young country. The installation should commemorate and visually represent the following: approximately 15,000 citizen soldiers who defended our country; the entrenchment that was built by the citizens (free and enslaved); and the British forces who approached and then turned away. Special consideration will be given to proposals that successfully combine the use of recycled materials, low energy use, low impact on Patterson Park and the residents/communities that surround it, and the ability to create the “WOW” effect on people who come to see the installation.

The installation should be fully installed and functioning by Thursday, September 4 and removed by Thursday, September 18.

Technical Note:

Ultimately, it will be the company’s responsibility, working with BNHA’s guidance, to secure all the necessary permissions and MOUs to use a pre-determined section of Patterson Park, including any arrangements that need to be made to power the luminary aspect of the installation.

IV. PROPOSAL COMPONENTS

Proposals should include:

 Company, group, or artist history and successes (one page or less),

 Two case studies of installations similar in scope and size, with visual attachments and references/contact information,

 Resume of the principal lead/s that would design, plan and execute the installation (one page or less),

 Overview of any significant subcontractors/collaborative partners relevant to making the proposal a reality, and

 Description of how your company would conceive and execute this once-in-a-lifetime installation, using a budget not to exceed $10,000.

This working budget of $10,000 has been provided to give prospective bidders a level playing field for designing their proposals, and to assist with consistency during the review process. The actual installation budget could be lower or higher, depending on variables such as negotiations between the company/group/artist and BNHA’s fundraising successes and the ability to secure in-kind donations.

The budget should be turn-key for all elements specific to the contractor’s responsibilities for producing the installation, including but not limited to staffing, labor, and crew; professional expenses including travel, hotel and per diems; all production costs (materials, equipment, generators, security, lighting installations, subcontractors, etc.), permits and licenses, insurance, etc.

Insurance Requirements

The successful bidder must furnish BNHA with a Certificate of Insurance prior to commencement of work. The required coverage shall not be less than the following:

 Workers Compensation: Statutory Requirements, including USL&H

 State Disability: Statutory Requirements

 General Liability: $1,000,000 occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate

 Automobile Liability: $1,000,000

 Commercial Excess Umbrella: $10,000,000

Insurance certificates shall name BNHA, SS200, the Governor and State of Maryland, and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore as additional insured parties and shall state that all coverage shall be primary to any insurance coverage held by BNHA, SS200 and/or the City and State with respect to acts or omissions of the licensee. This information about insurance requirements is provided as a general overview. Final insurance requirements will be negotiated between BNHA and the contractor.

State Business Certificate

BNHA requires contractors not incorporated in the State of Maryland to produce a Certificate to Do Business in the State of Maryland prior to execution of a contract. In addition, a vendor must be in good standing with the State of Maryland for the duration of the terms of the project agreement.

V. SELECTION CRITERIA

In reviewing proposals, interviewing and making its decision, BNHA will be looking for the proposal that best demonstrates:

 Creative vision and wow factor,

 Technical expertise and professional execution,

 Ability to work well with the BNHA, Friends of Patterson Park, Baltimore City Department of Parks and Recreation, and volunteers,

 Appreciation, respect, and passion for this project and American history, and

 Understanding of the installation’s potential as a marketing tool for Baltimore and Maryland.

VI. RFP PROCESS AND SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

RFP Process Timeline

RFP Released Friday, June 20, 2014

 Q-and-A period for registered bidders Friday, June 20 to Friday, July 11, 2014

 Deadline to register intent to bid Tuesday, July 1, 2014

 Site tours available for registered bidders Monday, June 23 to Thursday, June 26, 2014 and Monday, July 7 to Thursday, July 10, 2014

 Proposals due Friday, July 11, 2014 by 2pm

 BNHA/stakeholder review Monday, July 14 to Friday, July 18, 2014

 In-person interviews/presentations Monday, July 21 to Wednesday, July 23, 2014

 Decision Friday, July 25, 2014

 Company awarded first right to negotiate Wednesday, August 6, 2014

 Contract executed Friday, August 8, 2014

 Award announcement Tuesday, August 12, 2014

BNHA reserves the right to adjust the RFP timeline/process as necessary.

Submission Guidelines

Bidders shall register an intent to bid to BNHA by July 1, 2014. The intent to bid may simply consist of an email message from the bidding organization notifying BNHA of their interest. Only bidders who register their intent to bid will be included in the question-and-answer period. BNHA will only take questions in writing (via email) from registered bidders and reserves the right to not answer a question by responding “decline to answer.” All questions and all answers will be shared with all registered bidders in periodic email updates. Registered bidders may also request a site tour. To register, ask questions and/or request a site tour, contact BNHA Executive Director Jeffrey Buchheit.

Candidates should submit their proposal by 5 PM, Friday, July 11, 2014 to:

Jeffrey Buchheit

Executive Director

Baltimore Heritage Area Association, Inc.

100 Light Street, 12th Floor

Baltimore, MD 21202

Email: jbuchheit@baltimoreheritagearea.org

Submissions by email (preferred; Adobe PDF) or mail are acceptable. BNHA will confirm receipt of all proposals it receives. All proposals submitted to BNHA will remain confidential. No phone calls, please.