Up for an Artistic Adventure?

by karen Krolak


At the moment,  Nicole and I are gathering our wits for today's performances at the DUMBO dance festival and gearing up for tomorrow's dress rehearsal for Dance in the Fells. It is unfortunate that we are so busy as two of our favorite visual art collaborators, Hannah Verlin and Cynthia Roberts, have exhibits that I want to see before they close. 

I'd love to hop over to the Boston Sculptors Gallery before October 6th to see Hannah Verlin's Fates & Furies: America. You may remember how Hannah's handwriting drew you in to the installation she designed under the steps at Springstep during our first Against the Odds festival. In this show she uses historical records, letters, collected data, and some original text to explore the mythic sagas of American history. 

I am also eager to view Cynthia Roberts’ new series of paintings The Inhabitants/Les Inhabitants on display up at Endicott College. She developed them during a sabbatical period in Le Havre in 2012 when she was also designing projections for Back Going No Going Back. Through our collaboration, my curiosity grew as she shared stories of how she peeled back layers of the French city through individual visual inquiries into its people and places.  Also on view will be video documentation of The Diver, a collaborative dance she created with company French La BaZooKa that premiered at the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art.

Hannah VerlinFates & Furies: AmericaSeptember 4 - October 6, 2013
SOWA First Friday ReceptionsSeptember 6, 5 - 8pmOctober 4, 5 - 8pmGallery HoursWednesday - Sunday, 12-6pm(or by appointment) 

EXPANDING THE FIELD
CYNTHIA ROBERTS | LARRY VOLK

Spencer Presentation Gallery
Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts at Endicott College
Friday, August 30 – Friday, October 11, 2013
Reception:  Thursday, September
Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Weekend and evening hours will resume of September 14, 2013
Exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

Hannah Verlin's Knowing Not Knowing

by karen Krolak

When I mentioned Hannah Verlin's upcoming sculpture show, Knowing Not Knowing, in yesterday's post, I forgot to include any useful details for people who want to witness the next incarnation of Between Wave & Sky. Jason and I are planning to be at the Artist Reception so perhaps we will see you there.

Knowing Not Knowing

May 25 - June 26, 2011

Artist Reception

May 28, 4 -7PM

SOWA First Friday Reception

June 3, 5 - 8PM

Boston Scupltors Gallery 

486 Harrison Avenue

Boston, MA

Against the Odds Echoes On

by karen Krolak

Although it ended over a month ago, Against the Odds: Stories of Adaptation, Translation, and Survival continues to provoke discussions at dinner parties, rehearsals, and apparently around the Internet. In the past few weeks, Against the Odds has been mentioned in a webinar from the Center for Arts Management and Technology at Carnegie Mellon University called Inspiring Online Audiences: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive and in Toronto's Creative Trust blog. In the webinar, Lisa Niedermeyer, Virtual Project Manager for Jacob's Pillow, explained that Monkeyhouse's use of Dance Interactive in Against the Odds is "hands down the deepest level of engagement that [Jacob's Pillow' Dance Interactive] could hope for."  I am truly humbled to hear such praise for our ideas from an organization that recently won the National Medal of Arts.

Oh, and starting next week, Hannah Verlin's installation for Against the Odds, Between Wave & Sky, will appear in her solo show, Knowing Not Knowing, at the Boston Sculptor's Gallery.  I loved that Hannah referred to this show in a recent email as "continuing the evolution" of Between Wave & Sky.  

Earlier in my career, I would often measure the success of a performance by the ticket sales or reviews. Since launching Monkeyhouse, however, I have discovered that these unpredictable reverberations provide much more satisfaction and are re-shaping my definition of success. Please contact me if there are other ways that Against the Odds sparks conversations or influences artistic works. I would love to know more about them.

The Against the Odds Rockstar of the Day -- Hannah Verlin

by Nicole Harris

While I have yet to have the opportunity to meet Hannah I have seen the beautiful installation she designed for Against the Odds.  For the first two weeks it is hanging under the stairs in the Springstep atrium so it can be seen from the medium studio during performances.  (It's going to be part of Adumbrate at Friday Night Out #2 this weekend!  Buy your tickets now!)  For the final two weeks it will be in the performing space in Hawkins Hall.  You don't want to miss this gorgeous piece of art!  For more information on Hannah's work, click here!

Against the Odds: 

Stories of Adaptation, Translation & Survival

March 18th-April 15th

Springstep, 98 George P. Hassett Drive, Medford, MA

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit our website!

 

Against the Odds is supported in part by the Medford Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Thank you to Springstep for its support of this event.