All posts tagged: Frank Russo

AD HOC hurtles BKMIA to Miami right on Time!

When your van breaks down and dies en route to Florida from New York, you might get a little cranky and freaked out because you have 40 people’s art in the back and are somewhat behind schedule.

You haven’t met the Buxtons.

Ad Hoc and Eastern District in Miami Thursday Through Sunday
Ad Hoc and Eastern District are in Miami as BKMIA Thursday Through Sunday

Brooklyn gallerists Garrison and Alison from AdHoc found themselves at a U-Haul truck rental agency when it was obvious that fixing their jalopy wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

“Yeah we’re definitely making some tangy lemonade out of the lemons we’ve been collecting,” says he.

With a show to mount and open in 2 days (Today) in Miami, they asked for a 14 foot or 18 foot truck but U-Haul was out of that size. So they upgraded to the 26 foot, which made the whole process of moving art a lot easier, and together they steered the MIGHTY BKMIA SHIP southward.

“We just got another beautiful space today”, says Garrison, now that they’ve arrived with a truck of Brooklyn Street Art in the land of orange groves and mobs of art-hungry models in stilettos.  They are spreading out into their new giant space on 4141 Northeast 2nd Avenue, which is right across the street from their original space. They had a lot of people’s work with them, “Yeah there was no way it all was going to fit in the original space we had”

And the art itself?  One of the first things to be unpacked was this badass sculpture.

UFO and Ryan Doyle at BKMIA
UFO and Ryan Doyle at BKMIA (photo courtesy Ad Hoc)

This is an interactive kinetic piece by Ryan Doyle and UFO of 907 crew.

What'r YOU lookin' at? (courtesy Ad Hoc)
What’r YOU lookin’ at? (courtesy Ad Hoc)

According to the artists, it’s made of found objects and crafted using caveman spaceship technology. Amazingly similar to the squidlike image in the photo below, this sculpture is mechanized with two worm head, gear drive electric wheelchair motors, and is fully operational with a joystick. And yes, Martha, he does look like a writer (check out the fat marker in his tentacle).

Perhaps a sketch? (photo ©Jaime Rojo)

Perhaps a sketch? (photo ©Jaime Rojo)

Ad Hoc is partnering with Brooklyn neighbor Eastern District in a conceptual gallery called AE District to show off some of Brooklyn’s finest street artists, graff writers, and related contemporary artists in a 40+ name show. Names you might know like London Police and Gaia and Morning Breath will be joining talented newbies like NohJColey and Mario Brothers.

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7TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN ART SHOW @ MF Gallery

MF GALLERY RETURNS TO NYC

WITH THE 7TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN ART SHOW

Opening Party / Halloween Costume Party: Saturday October 24th, 7-10PM

213 Bond Street Brooklyn NY 11217

Joe Simko, Ed Repka, Sarah Sheil, Scott Holloway, The Death Head, Dennis McNett, Matt Siren, Nicole Steen, Mark Riddick, Aaron Tompkins, Mary Doyle, El-Rana, Martina Secondo Russo, Frank Russo

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MF Gallery has been in the forefront of NYC’s Underground Pop Art Scene for the past six years. Artists / curators Martina Secondo Russo and Frank Russo opened the first MF Gallery in the L.E.S. in June 2003, when the neighborhood still had a bit of its underground flavor. MF Gallery quickly became a meeting point where all kinds of misfit artists, freaks, and art collectors could enjoy new art, with surprise appearances by Zombies, Monsters or Mega-Sized Robots playing Death Metal!

Five years later, due to space restrictions and increasing gentrification, MF Gallery closed the doors on its L.E.S. location. But Martina and Frank have kept busy in the meantime, curating shows in alternative spaces around the city, and even opening an MF Gallery overseas, in Martina’s hometown of Genoa, Italy. Now the duo are returning to the Big Apple with a  bigger and badder MF Gallery, (A.K.A. The “Mighty” Fortress MF) once again pioneering an up and coming neighborhood- this time the underground arts area of Gowanus, Brooklyn.

The first show in the new space will be MF Gallery’s Seventh Annual Halloween Art Show. With artwork that is dark and scary, while still maintaining a Pop Art sensibility, this is a yearly group show that MF Gallery has kept up since the very beginning. This year’s Halloween Themed Art was created by a group of International artists such as:  Joe Simko, Ed Repka, Sarah Sheil, Scott Holloway, The Death Head, Dennis McNett, Matt Siren, Nicole Steen, Mark Riddick, Aaron Tompkins, Mary Doyle, El-Rana, Martina Secondo Russo, Frank Russo, and others; many of whom will be present at the Opening.

The Opening Party / Halloween Costume Party will be on Saturday, October 24th from seven to ten PM. Admission is FREE and open to All Ages. Refreshments will be served to a punk rock / heavy metal soundtrack. All  guests who come dressed in a Halloween Costume will get FREE BEER all night!

MF Gallery is located at 213 Bond Street (between Butler and Baltic Streets) in Brooklyn, NY. The Gallery can be easily reached by Subway- Take the F or G trains to Bergen Street, (Exit at Bergen and Smith, walk 2 blocks east on Bergen street. Turn right on Bond street. Walk south on Bond street for 3 blocks.) the A to Hoyt/ Schermerhorn, (Exit at Schermerhorn and Bond. Walk South on Bond street for 8 blocks.) or take or take the R train to Union Street. (Exit at Union and 4th ave. Walk west on Union for 3 blocks. Turn Right on Bond street. Walk North on Bond street for 4 blocks.) MF Gallery’s Seventh Annual Halloween Art Show will go on until November 21st. Gallery hours are: Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 7 PM, or by appointment.

The new MF Gallery itself will be an ongoing work of art. Murals by MF Gallery artists are planned for the hallways and a giant skull will be constructed to adorn the facade of the building. For more information, appointments, interviews, or high resolution photos, contact Martina or Frank at (917)446-8681 or info@MFgallery.net


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“Delineations” Drawing Show at Ad Hoc

IN THE FRONT GALLERY

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“Delineations”
a collection of drawings and illustrations from a diverse group of international artists.

Participating artists include: Alley Cat, Adam William Carnes, Gigi Chen, Fernanda Cohen, Molly Crabapple, Adam Collison, Cycle, Deseo, Bonnie Durham, Ezra Li Eismont, Ewelina Ferruso, EZO, Nate Frizzel, Yoko Furuso, Bob Gibson (TLP), Mark Gibson, GROW, Joshua Hagler, Fred Harper, Peter Herpich, Thomas Herpich, Nevada Hill, Phil Hollenbeck, Mike Houston (Cannonball Press), isuel isuel, Jeremyville, Katie Kaplan, Jane Kim, Hiro Kurata, Rafael Ladesma III, Laura Lee, Tim Hon Hung Lee, Tae Lee, Brian Life, Tommii Lim, Daniel Hyun Lim (Fawn Fruits), David MacDowell, Drew Maillard, Sara Antoinette Martin, Martin Mazorra (Cannonball Pres), MIHA, Melissa Murray, Gilbert Oh, Logik One, Pagan, Nathan Lee Pickett, Lady Pink, Lilly Piri, Anthony Pontius, Devin Powers, Carlos (MARE139) Rodriguez, Dorthy Royle, Martina Secondo Russo, Frank Russo, Allison Sommers, Robert Steel, Kevin Earl Taylor, TheDirtyFabulous, Elisabeth Timpone, James Turek, Connie Wang, Jaeran Won, Pippi Zornoza plus Mikey & Doyle of the Black Label Bike Club

January 16th through February 15th 2009

Opening Reception: Friday, January 16th, 7-10pm

Ad Hoc Art is proud to present “Delineations”: a collection of drawings and illustrations from a diverse group of international artists.  Drawing has been and will always be a fundamental part of the art-making process.  Starting as far back as the 1400’s, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Michelangelo, and Raphael used drawing as not only a starting point but as a way to communicate things which could not be accomplished in any other medium. Fast forward to the 1900’s as artists such as Max Beckmann, Jean Dubuffet, Arshile Gorky, M. C. Escher, André Masson, and Pablo Picasso not only continued this serious examination of drawing as fine art, but took it to incredible new places through their creativity and talent.  In more recent times artists such as Marcel Dzama, R. Crumb, Dan Clowes, Joe Sacco, Yoshitomo Nara, and Julie Doucet (among many, many others) again redefined how we look at drawing as not only a means to an end but an important and impressive end in itself.  Continuing with this amazing tradition, we present to you a new generation of drawers and illustrators who hope to not only add to this amazing lineage of artists but to also find ways to reinvent and reinterpret how drawing can be used to communicate and enlighten.

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