On October 21st Like The Spice held our monthly dinner! This time the theme was Asian Landscapes, featuring wonderful food and only slightly more wonderful art.
Our first speaker was bonsai expert Martin Haber (on the far left, slightly hidden by a bonsai). Unscheduled, but still just as important, was his wife, Ruth Haber (owner of the hand beside Martin). The pair spoke about bonsai with the sort of hilarious interaction you only find in two people with a deep love for both their subject and each other. Those tiny trees are in good hands.
Next was curator Eric LoPresti. Eric spoke on the role of curation and his decisions in making our current show, The Variegated Landscape, as well as his passion for landscapes themselves. It was a valuable insight into the "behind the scenes" of art.
Following Eric was Mary Mattingly, whose work "Advanced Forestry" is a arresting sculpture made from a variety of media, including sound, that represents the way nature and technology are coming to blows, specifically around the wild honeybee. As more bees vanish from the landscape each month, theories fly as to what is causing them to die. Mary forces us to confront one of the most popular, that it is our cell phone towers causing the damage to one of the most important parts of our food chain. It is a sobering issue and well worth the attention.
Finally Melissa Dubbin showed us a presentation about her art, from laser etching techniques to the use of video. She included a preview of her upcoming "Songs For Psychos" which left the whole dinner amused and excited.
We thank Zen Palate for catering the fantastic meal. It was a great night for every one of our guests, ranging from gallery owners to artists to bonsai fans, and we look forward to next month. You should join us then! Keep an eye on our home page for upcoming details.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Perfect For Tiny Climbers
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Grill Bill
On October 20th, come enjoy the clash of cultures as Like The Spice follows up September's
This delicious way to spend an evening will also feature Steve Robinson, Paul Whiting, Mary Mattingly and Melissa Dubbin, all three artists involved in our current show,
Also, and we cannot stress this enough, reservations are highly recommended. Contact us at info@likethespice.com or call 718-388-5388 to save your space.
(From the blog of Mary Mattingly)Advanced Forestry: to represent the prosthetic collision of nature and technology. These trees are a cross between cell phone towers and natural trees. Webs of copper wire and other braided or latticed semiconductors surround these hybrids, with satellites made from maps and with variety of metal antennas.
As we know, a recent connection has been made between cell phone towers and the harming of nature, specifically, the bee population. Scientists are stating that a 25% loss in bee population in eleven countries may be due to their homing sensors conflicting with the amount of cell phone radio waves running through the air. Maps from every country suspected of bee loss due to cell phone rays were used to make satellites and bee hives on Advanced Forestry.
Beep click BEEP click beepbeepclickclick.
On Friday, October 12th, as part of the Williamsburg 2nd Friday experience, Like The Spice welcomed noted DJ Tim "Love" Lee and began our new show, The Variegated Landscape. In keeping with the theme, Tim "Love" Lee filled the gallery with a aural ocean, populating it with the squeaks and clicks of imaginary dolphins as they mingled and enjoyed the art. And speaking of the art, The Variegated Landscape will have an artist's reception on Friday, October 19th, which would be an ideal time to come and see the sculpture, paintings and drawings. The Variegated Landscape runs until November 11th.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Like the Spice does Miami! Fountain style
Click this text to see our page on the Fountain Miami website.
The new website has launched please check it out and pass it on.
The avant-garde has always laid claim to history through its challenges and victories over the status quo. In 1917, at the unjuried Society of Artists exhibition, Marcel Duchamp unveiled the world’s most famous ready-made art object: “Fountain”. It is in this spirit of the unexpected that some of Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s most forward-thinking and cutting-edge galleries have collaborated to present "Fountain Miami." The exhibition will make its mark in a massive 5000 square foot wharehouse at: 2825 NW 2nd Avenue in the Wynwood Gallery District, in close proximity to various other international art fairs, the Rubell Family Collection and many local galleries. Fountian Art Fair will run Thursday Dec 6th until Sunday December 9th with a press brunch preview on Thursday morning Dec 6th at 9am until 11am and a reception for the artists on Friday Dec 7th from 7pm until midnight.
"Fountain Miami" is a guerrilla-style art fair - under the radar, but highly influential. "Fountain" was launched in March 2006 in New York, in an effort to leverage support for independent galleries largely overlooked by corporate-sponsored art fairs. In defiant contrast with both Art Basel Miami Beach, Pulse, Scope and the slew of other International art fairs, "Fountain" has received wide public support and critical acclaim for its independent slant. This independent aspect gives Fountain its edge: young galleries showcasing fresh work without official booth spaces or selection committee juries. In form and spirit, the artwork shown truly reflects the avant-garde and in-your-face attitude equated with the Dada movement.
Fountain Miami is currently featuring the galleries: Ad Hoc, Bipolart, Buenas Artes, Capla Kesting Fine Art, Front Room Gallery, Steven Gagnon, Gitana Rosa, Glowlab, Like The Spice, McCaig-Welles Gallery, Miguel Paredes, and Yum Yum Factory.
Come and experience the unfiltered, uncouth and enterprising excitement of Fountain. See advanced art as it was meant to be seen – without blinders, without “taste merchants" – straight from the source.
Media Contact - David Kesting 917-650-3760 or John Leo 917-292-8865
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Williamsburg Every Second, October 12th 2007, 6:30-10:00pm: Like the Spice presents Tim "Love" Lee and The Variegated Landscape
Like the Spice presents The Variegated Landscape and Tim "Love" Lee
Like to Spice plays host to the musical madness of Tim "Love" Lee and a preview of our newest exhibition The Variegated Landscape opening officially next Friday. Currently residing in New York City, Tummy Touch Records and Boy Scout Records head honcho, artist and international DJ extrordinaire Tim "Love" Lee released his latest studio album this past July. "Against Nature" is an inspired blend of cinematic soundscapes and idiosyncratic soul. Sit back and let your headphones take you on a psychadela-sonic journey. Tim will play a selection of new compositions, hits from "Against Nature" and whatever else he feels at the moment from 8:30-10:30 at LTS.
Within our lifetime, our understanding of the relationship of people to the environment has changed dramatically. The Variegated Landscape, curated by Eric LoPresti, showcases six contemporary artists: Paul Whiting, Peter Rostovsky, Steve Robinson, Mary Mattingly, and collaborative artist pair Melissa Dubbin & Aaron Davidson. While each artist in The Variegated Landscape is unique, together their works constitute a reflection on the contemporary landscape, a place where history, nature, architecture and technology are fused.
While each artist in The Variegated Landscape is unique, together their works constitute a reflection on the contemporary landscape, a place in which history, nature, architecture and technology are fused.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
One Great Event! post pics from the spectacularly successful 100 mile dinner.
On Friday the 28th Like the Spice hosted an amazing dinner, the first in a monthly series of dinners featuring inventive delicious food and talks by artists. This premiere dinner focused on issues of sustainability and climate change, issues explored in the current show, Anna Druzcz: Endemic Constructions.
Artist Eve Mosher gave a talk about her highwaterline project which marks the places in and around New York City likely to become unlivable in the near future because of climate change related flooding.
The food, catered by Urban Spring, was produced as close as possible to the gallery, most within 100 miles, making it low emissions and it was all farmed by small organic farms.
The combination of food, thought and art was very successful. The sold out event was a fun chance to meet interesting people in a relaxed setting with amazing thoughtful food. Watch out for the next installment of this monthly dinner coming to Like the Spice later this month.
House Of Malcontents Lecture Thursday October 4th at Like the Spice
House Of Malcontent
House of Malcontent is a Brooklyn-based art collective finding its inspiration in the possibilities of transforming mundane, everyday spaces in New York, and seeing what happens next. Due to the guerilla, non-permit-seeking nature of their work, it is uncertain how long the installations will remain intact, and how bystanders will receive them. The city of New York is as much a collaborator in their projects as the individual artists are.
The first project by House of Malcontents was the guerilla subway-redecorating scheme “No Train Like Home”, which took place on a single car of the F train in April. H.O.M. temporarily replicated a living room, inviting all who stepped into the car to feel more at home on their way to work, school, or wherever they were headed. Welcome mats affixed to the floor in front of each door greeted early-morning commuters. Curtains adorned the windows, flowers covered the overhead bars, and magazines were distributed for reading pleasure. “Family portraits” and images of bookshelves temporarily replaced subway ads.
H.O.M. followed that up with "Curiouser and Curiouser: Curiosities and a High Art Tea" in mid-July. “Curiouser and Curiouser was an Alice in Wonderland-themed guerilla tea party and art exhibition held in Central Park, along with games of croquet, refreshments, and musical guests on accordion, ukulele, and harp.
House of Malcontents plan to present a lecture, rather than a performance, but who knows? Come visit Like The Spice on October 4th at 7:30pm and enjoy.
