BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.
To submit your calendar event, email us at [email protected]!
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Young Blood – Artist Panel Discussion
Thursday, July 21st : 5-7pm
Maryland Art Place
218 West Saratoga Street : Baltimore 21201
Every year MAP’s Program Advisory Committee (PAC) curates Young Blood, an annual exhibition of works by recent Baltimore-area Masters of Fine Art graduates. The exhibition includes emerging artists from area colleges such as Maryland Institute College of Art, Towson and The University of Maryland College Park.
This years Young Blood exhibition includes:
Tom Boram (UMBC, MFA Intermedia and Digital Arts)
Elena Debold (UMBC, MFA Intermedia and Digital Arts)
Sarah Eargle (Towson)
Taha Heydari (MICA, Hoffberger School of Painting)
Kei Ito (MICA, MFA Photographic and Electronic Media)
Andrew Paul Keiper (MICA, MFA Photographic and Electronic Media)
Dane Winkler (UMCP)
Jowita Wyszomirska (UMCP)
To date, Young Blood has provided an important post-graduate artistic platform for 72 transitioning Masters of Fine Arts students. Since 2008 this program has continually brought recent graduates together to make new connections and present special selections from their thesis exhibitions.
According to MAP’s former Program Advisory Chair, Cara Ober, “After achieving their Masters the next most important step for young artists is their professional debut in a reputable professional gallery”. Many Young Blood artists continue on to be nominated and/or are offered either the prestigious Baker or Sondheim awards, if not elected a finalist.
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In My Likeness – Artist Reception + Talk
Thursday, July 21st : 6-9pm
Silber Art Gallery
Goucher College : Towson 21204
In My Likeness will be on view in Goucher College’s Silber Art Gallery in the Sandy J. Unger Athenaeum from June 21 through August 14, 2016. This exhibit, which is free, open to the public, and accessible to all, can be viewed Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
An artist’s reception and talk will be held Thursday, July 21, 2016 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Please visit www.goucher.edu/silber for more information.
This is a satellite exhibition in conjunction with Artscape and the Gallery Network presented by M&T Bank. You may also want to attend the reception for Towson University’s Artscape exhibition titled, Mission Universe: A Curanaut’s Journey happening concurrently, July 21st, 2016 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
In My Likeness brings together six contemporary artists each of whom feature themselves as the subject in their works. Through sculpture, painting, performance, photography, and video, the artists; Mequitta Ahuja, Michelle Dickson, Kyle Hackett, Julia Oldham, Sheldon Scott, and Alessandra Torres, explore different aspects of self-hood that are far removed from the typical self-portrait.
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Kate MacKinnon: Maximum Value – Artist Reception
Thursday, July 21st : 6-9pm
Rosenberg Gallery
Goucher College : Towson 21204
Kate MacKinnon: Maximum Value, a solo exhibition of MacKinnon’s paintings, will be presented at Goucher College’s Rosenberg Gallery in the Kraushaar Auditorium from Tuesday, June 14th through Sunday, August 14th, 2016. This exhibit, which is free and open to the public, can be viewed Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a satellite exhibition in conjunction with the Artscape Gallery Network, presented by M&T Bank.
An artist’s reception will be held Thursday, July 21st, 2016 from 6 to 9 p.m. Please visit www.goucher.edu/rosenberg or call 410-337-6477 for more information.
Maximum value in a cycle is the extreme periphery of transition and change, the cataclysmic moment just before normalcy returns. For the past several years, MacKinnon has been observing the activity of Solar Cycle 24—studying satellite images of solar flares, as well as reading about any resulting geomagnetic storms that could bring about the appearance of the auroras. Contrasting the raw, fiery power of the sun with the cool calm beauty of the auroras is important to the color story she is creating. MacKinnon builds her paintings out of thin layers of transparent glaze, producing luminous color and a richness of surface that references industrial finishes.
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Mission Universe: A Curanaut’s Journey – Reception
Thursday, July 21st : 6-9pm
Center for the Arts Gallery
Towson University : Towson 21204
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Make Night: Bookbinding and Upcycling
Thursday, July 21st : 6-9pm
The Walters Art Musuem
600 North Charles Street : Baltimore 21201
Join the curators of Ink Press Productions for a bookmaking workshop where participants will create and bind their own unique books from a mixture of found, scrap, and recycled materials. This workshop will explore the ways material and content form a conversation about the conceptual potential in handmade books.
Ink Press Productions is a collaborative project devoted to the community of art. There are an infinite number of ways to be a book and strive to open this dialogue with as many people as possible. Ink Press is about monetary conservation, understanding limitations, and using one’s experience and resources to navigate the world.
Make Night is an evening blending good wine and craft beer, great company, and fantastic art-making experiences led by local creative minds. Each workshop begins with a free drink and a visit to the galleries. Advance registration required.
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First Cut: Nicole Mueller – Opening Reception + Artist Talk
Friday, July 22nd : 7-9pm
VisArts Gibbs Street Gallery
155 Gibbs Street : Rockville 20850
VisArts presents First Cut, a solo exhibition of new abstract mixed media paintings by Nicole Mueller. First Cut explores collage and painting as mediums and metaphors for potential. Mueller investigates the earliest stages of process where nothing is fixed and there is a sense of anticipation surrounding the initial marks or cuts that are made. First Cut also refers to the part of the process in film editing that establishes the structure and flow of a narrative, where the scenes are roughly organized though open to change. With colliding colors and shapes, Mueller’s paintings depict a world of continuous convergence, dissipating boundaries, and paradoxical relationships.
Trash: Eric Celarier – Opening Reception
Friday, July 22nd : 7-9pm
VisArts Common Ground Gallery
155 Gibbs Street : Rockville 20850
“Trash does not lie,” says Eric Celarier. “It can tell us, without passion or prejudice, what is ultimately important to us,” he concludes. In his solo exhibition at VisArts, Celarier explores the testimonial qualities of garbage to portray what humans actually do and to describe biological evolution in the wake of human existence. Crafting a swarm of creatures and environments from refuse, he lends form to the idea that all future flora and fauna can be seen as byproducts of our existence. His creatures generate a whimsical, but cautionary environment.
On July 31 at VisArts the artist will lead a workshop where participants can make their own creation out of trash and consider other artists who use discarded materials.
Gen-Y 3.0 – Opening Reception
Friday, July 22nd : 7-9pm
VisArts Kaplan Gallery
155 Gibbs Street : Rockville 20850
VisArts presents a juried exhibition of artists ages 17 – 27 in the Kaplan Gallery from July 22 – August 28, 2016. The annual Gen-Y exhibition offers young artists an opportunity to bring their artwork to the public and to experience the process of exhibiting in a professional gallery. Though there are many labels aimed at describing the current generation of 17 to 27 year olds, such as Screenagers, Millennials, and Echo Boomers, VisArts is maintaining the Gen-Yname for its annual juried group exhibition of aspiring artists in this age group. Drawing, photography, fiber, ceramics, painting, video, sculpture, and interactivity fill the Kaplan Gallery reflecting a variety of approaches to a wide range of content within the context of the digital age.
The 2016 Gen-Y 3.0 artists include: Sobia Ahmad, Katherine Akey, Susie Bae, Amy Berbert, Abbie Fundling, Jared Green, Ashley Ja’nae, Kern Lee, Emmanuel Mones, Richard Munaba, Angelique Nagovskaya, Raheel Raad, Yoon Sun Shin, Qin Tan, and Vivien Wise.
The annual Gen-Y exhibition offers young artists an opportunity to bring their artwork to the public and to experience the process of exhibiting in a gallery. The exhibition was developed to address this demographic of artists who are seriously making art and have little to no experience exhibiting their work in a professional gallery. Many are uncertain about how to proceed with a career in art or what it takes to be an artist. Many are under financial, social and educational pressures that might preclude further study in art. Others are committed to a non-art career track yet are passionate about making art. Most are working under the art world radar of the region.
A dedicated team of gallery interns and volunteers plan and realize the annual juried exhibition with guidance from the VisArts gallery staff. “From the call for entry to the preparation and installation of the artwork, the entire process is a learning experience- for the first time exhibitors as well as the organizers of the exhibition,” says Main. “Watching this exhibition take shape is inspiring. The interns embrace the vision to seek out the undiscovered young artists in our community. They are passionate about bringing their peers’ artwork into the public light.”
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10 Year Anniversary Party for Neighborhood Fiber Co.
Saturday, July 23 : 11:30 – 3 pm
SHAG Present: Haute Dogs Design and Discussion
Saturday, July 23rd : 11am-3pm
Stanley House
215 Central Avenue : Glyndon 21071
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Roberto Lugo Artist Talk
Saturday, July 23rd : 11am-12pm
The Creative Alliance
3134 Eastern Avenue : Baltimore 21224
Join Baltimore Clayworks and Creative Alliance in our Creative Alliance’s Lounge for a special talk by visiting Baltimore Clayworks artist Roberto Lugo. Lugo will present the story of his transition growing up in an impoverished Philadelphia neighborhood to making his politically charged, graffiti-inspired ceramic artwork. A self-described “potter, activist, culture-maker, rapper, poet, and educator,” Lugo is a strong advocate for social justice, and strives to empower young artists to achieve their visions. “I bring art to those that don’t believe they need it to see it and engage in deeper ways of knowing, learning and thinking.”
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Apparitions: Mohamed Khalil – Opening Reception
Saturday, July 23rd : 6-8pm
XOL Gallery
830 Park Avenue : Baltimore 21201
If black is the king of colors, as some would argue, then one can see how this color inflicts itself and delineates the abstracts as well as the figures of Mohammad Khalil’s repertoire. A student of German expressionism, the Palestinian visual artist, who hails from Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, deploys vivid blues, greens, yellows and violent blacks to depict his journey as a restless and stateless artist currently on his first visit to the United States. Color is form and form is color in the large expressionist abstracts that are currently on show at XOL Gallery in Baltimore. Themes of alienation at home, on the one hand, and migration to the four corners of the world, on the other, summarize the story of millions of Palestinians dreaming of a place they can call home. Jagged edges of paint, as if caused by explosions, splatter the space in his canvases in a stark, arresting and intense dialogue with the viewer. The colors strike you as “happy” at first, before a deep gloom sinks you into a different reality.
Mohamed Saleh Khalil completed his masters degree in 1988 at an art academy located in Dresden, Germany. After graduation, he headed back to Damascus, where he set up his first gallery show. After his exposition, he then made his way to Nicosia for work. During his 5 years there, Khalil was able to view and participate in several group exhibitions by Palestinian artists.
Through his experiences and gained art knowledge from Nicosia, he was able to develop his own art style, and therefore, set up several personal showcases. Upon the signing of the Oslo peace agreement in 1994, Khalil decided it was finally time to be in his homeland, Palestine.He completed a great number of Palestinian-inspired, abstract pieces. Since then, he has worked several art exhibitions in and outside of Palestine and won many awards. His most valued award is the Jury Prize from the 2000 Biennale of Alexandria.
Khalil still resides in Palestine, where he left teaching in the Department of Arts for the University of Jerusalem and founded the Young Artists Forum. Currently, he is also the art director of the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, and continues his attempt in developing the arts in the Palestinian society through his establishment, the Young Artists Forum.
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The “Yes and” Theory – Hip-Hop Improv Comedy Show
Saturday, July 23rd : 8pm
The Alchemy of Art
1637 Eastern Avenue : Baltimore 21231
On July 23rd the Alchemy of Art is hosting The ‘Yes And’ Theory Hip-Hop Improv show for a second time.
After the great response from our first show it only felt right to do it again. Merging Hip-hop and Improv Comedy in hilarious was so fans of both can laugh together. Talented Improvisers from the Baltimore Imporv Group (BIG) and Virt Ink, with DJ Matic 808, are creating a new comedy experience with huge laughs and positive vibes.
Using the music, styles, and culture of Hip-Hop as the ultimate inspiration for our improvisers to create a comedy show completely made up on the spot. No script, no rehearsal, all freestyled. The unexpected is our normal routine, guaranteeing every show truly one of kind. Don’t miss out on this again!
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To Be Black in White America – Artist Talk
Sunday, July 24th : 2-4pm
Galerie Myrtis
2224 North Charles Street : Baltimore 21218
Galerie Myrtis located at 2224 North Charles Street, presents To Be Black in White America curated by Aden Weisel as part of the Artscape Gallery Network. Opening Reception: Sunday, June 26th, 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Free and open to the public. Artscape Hours: July 15th – 16th, 12:00 – 6:00 PM. Artists’ Talk: July 24th – Sunday, 2:00 – 4:00 pm. Free and open to the public.
To Be Black in White America explores the politicization of the Black Identity in the United States. From legalized slavery to the most recent, hateful thing that Donald Trump said, a minority of Americans have been desperately and diligently fighting against a White power structure for equality throughout the nation’s relatively short history.
Social media is full users asking if we are back in the 1950s or ‘60s. The truth is that we never left the Civil Rights Era completely in the past. Institutional racism and personal vitriol—which we have seen plenty of during the presidential campaigns—have always been present. They crop up when vile words provoke violence or when an act of violence incites protests.
While the subject matter surrounding White power structures is as vast as the Middle Crossing, the artists featured in this exhibition are able to identify and clearly express difficult but highly specific aspects of this struggle:
