Wednesday, January 02, 2008

The Blogger Show. Iron City Brew.


Susan Contanse, detail

When I was in Pittsburgh I took a wayward 91A bus out to Digging Pitt and Digging Pitt Too galleries to see the Pittsburgh installments of The Blogger Show. I am soooooooo glad I made it out because it turns out that this is the swan song show for John Morris' pair of galleries. (See Susan Constanse's sweet farewell to Morris' mighty endeavor here.) The bus went off-route and dropped me at the wrong spot. It was pouring down rain, and my umbrella was falling apart as I made my way down a Pittsburgh-steep hill. Yet, it was still worth the trip. While the NYC Blogger Show had the feeling of an intimate salon show, the Digging Pitt leg of the tour opened things up and gave the works more room to breathe on their own. It worked.

I got kind of obsessed with this piece by JT Kirkland. I loved the work that he had in the NYC portion of the Blogger Show, and this one was even better. The wood smells good too. It would be a great base for one of Comme des Garcons' more abstract fragrances.




It was nice to see this piece by Steven LaRose in the reals. I was quite enamored of the jpeg, and it looked even more stunning when I was standing in front of it.


Around the corner and down the block at Digging Pitt Too, Susan Contanse and Bill Gusky shared the room. They looked especially good together on this wall (Gusky, above. Constanse, below.) . . .


Constanse . . .


Gusky . . .


One last note. The thrills continued when I started to investigate the gallery's flat files. The flat files were a big part of what Morris was trying to do with Digging Pitt. I hadn't had this much flat file fun since my first trip to Pierogi. Pittsburgh. I love ya, but you blew it. Digging Pitt will be missed.

One note after the last note. You can catch John Morris' amazing work at D'Amelio Terras, opening this Saturday night. He was part of a 4-person show at the gallery back in April, and I fell fast and hard for it then, and it's continued to impress ever since.

Oh, and I have a mad crush on these chairs by Marci Gehring. . .

6 comments:

Susan Constanse said...

Hi Brent,
It was great to see you at the gallery. The Digging Pitt Blogger Show was an amazing experience. And you're right; Pittsburgh blew it.

Oh, by the way, the chairs are by Marci Gehring.

Heart As Arena said...

It was great to see you guys as well. And those hoagies!!! Rockin'! And thanks for the artist's name. I will correct now.

Steven LaRose said...

Thanks for paying attention.

fisher6000 said...

I like Bill Gusky's paintings!

libby said...

My god, you are everywhere!!! I have to say the minute I saw that JT Kirkland piece on line, I had to let him know how much I loved it. High five!!! As for Bill Gusky, I can't get enough of him, too. All in all, great stuff.

Heart As Arena said...

I was so happy I got to see the show, Libby. The only drag is that I somehow missed YOUR piece. I was looking for another pile, and that's how I think I looked over it somehow. Everybody likes Bill Gusky's paintings.