“The Mermaid” promotional banner

Developed in 18th century Europe and further promoted by PT Barnum in his traveling “Museum, Menagerie, and Circus”, the visuals and spirit of the carnival side show served as inspiration for May’s assignment exhibition. To situate everyone within the month’s theme, we wanted to offer some context.

Side show boxers, unknown source

Early side show attractions included so-called “freaks”, who were typically men and women born with physical deformities or illnesses that affected their outward appearance. Dwarfism, missing or vestigial limbs, hypertrichosis, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, elephantiasis, and other disorders were put on display before they were even fully understood by the public, who were fascinated by the strange appearances of their bearers. Often people covered in tattoos, fire-breathers, sword-swallowers, magicians, and other performers were also part of the show. Barnum and other show managers weren’t above faking it, either, with supposed mermaid corpses and mislabeled “exotic” animals put on display in museum-like exhibits.

Fanny Mills, photographed by Charles Eisenmann

“The Tattooed Girl” promotional banner

As time passed, increasing knowledge of varying physical maladies and birth defects as well as the rise of television as a common diversion led to the decline of the side show as popular entertainment. But its colorful and sensationalistic imagery as well as its evocation of a certain era continues to reside in the public consciousness, and UFG’s current exhibit includes a number of works that directly reference that feeling.

Myrtle Corbin, photographed by Charles Eisenmann

“Jo-Jo the Dog-faced Boy” promotional poster

“Side Show” runs through May 26, 2013, so stop by this weekend to catch some fantastical works of art!

The post Side Show History and Imagery appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

Marnie Jain: Dream Houses, 2011. Magazine collage.

Based in Jamaica Plain, Marnie Jain is a frequent submitter to UFG exhibitions, and if you’ve visited the gallery it’s likely you’ve seen one of her stunning paper collages. Cutting apart magazine pages and re-organizing their images into complex, colorful, and remarkably fastidious creations, Marnie seeks to find interesting juxtapositions and inherent narratives. Her subjects range from abstracted natural scenes to meticulous architectural and figural compositions.

She will be giving a free Artist Talk and Demonstration on Sunday, May 26th at 1PM at UFORGE Gallery, and will also be teaching a UFG/Eliot School workshop in July. As a prelude to her free demo on Sunday she took the time to answer some questions for a UFG Spotlight.

Marnie Jain: One, 2013. Magazine collage.

1) How did you get started making collages?

“Years ago, I unsuccessfully tried a painting class, and the first assignment was actually to create a collage (which we were to then paint). I never made it to the painting part, but enjoyed the collage very much. It took off from there.”

2) I love the range of colors and textures you achieve in your collages. Are there certain publications or books you like to use for your materials?

“Largely I use high gloss fashion magazines There are several reasons, but the practical ones are they have such a great range of color, and the paper holds up well. But if I fall in love with a color or texture from a flyer, I’ll use that too.”

Marnie Jain: Eliot Imagined, 2013. Magazine collage.

3) You’ve participated in several UFG shows, which one was your favorite? Has working within assignment themes had any effect on your artistic process or approach?

“Working within assignment themes is a good fit for me because it forces me away from my default subject matter. The challenge for me is to do the assignments but still be true to my own sensibilities and style. Some have been more successful than others. The Mending Room, created for the ‘Stories’ theme, was one of the more successful ones, and this was also my favorite show. The themed assignments have helped me shake off my list of ‘shoulds’ and allowed me to have a lot more fun.”

Marnie Jain: The Mending Room. Magazine Collage.

4) Are there any techniques or media that you haven’t tried but would like to experiment with?

“I am trying to embrace opportunities, and doing something new or difficult is an opportunity, so I’d like to return and try painting soon. And, inspired by several local artists, I’d like to play with collage such as mixed media and maybe more three dimensional work. I also have a children’s story in mind that would be hard to collage, but that makes me want to do it even more.”

5) What do you do when you’re not making art?

“I love living in JP and there is always something going on that can pull me out of my studio. I try to take advantage of the great music and art we have right here and surrounding neighborhoods. The Arboretum is also a regular place for me to spend time, and nature is my largest artistic inspiration.”

Marnie Jain: Mother. Magazine collage.

You can see Marnie’s work in person at UFG’s May 2013 assignment show, “Side Show” and see a small gallery of her works at her JP Open Studios page.

And don’t forget to stop by her free Artist Demo on Sunday!

The post Artist Spotlight: Complex Collages by Marnie Jain appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

Ifé Franklin, Only the Enlightened Can Read These Maps. Detail.

UFG’s newest Revolver exhibition opened on Thursday, May 18, featuring an installation of Ifé Franklin‘s “Indigo Project.” Based in the South End, Franklin is a graduate of the SMFA and is now a teacher at the Eliot School. She has been working with textiles and dyes to create mutable, and often wearable art, and her current project fuses multiple media in a complex iconographical study of slave histories of the American South. Blending visual and tactile experience with social activism, the artist’s work serves as a “living testament” to those who suffered and died to make these primary materials: cotton and indigo. Franklin hopes to expose and share this history through her art as a means of connecting to and healing racial injustices still very much present today.

In its current installation at the gallery, the project features a wall of colorful works on paper in “spiritual calligraphy.” A number of painted sculptures made of wood and gourds are also on display, as is a scale architectural model. Ultimately the Indigo Project will be realized as a full-scale slave cabin covered in dyed fabric, and Franklin will continue to develop and apply her ideas within this framework.

Ifé Franklin, Only the Enlightened Can Read These Maps.

Ifé Franklin, The Indigo Project. Installation view.

Ifé Franklin, Slave Cabin Prototype.

Ifé Franklin’s “Indigo Project” will run through June 9, 2013, and the artist will be giving a gallery talk on Thursday, May 23. The reception is Thursday, June 6, from 6-8 PM.

The post Revolver Exhibition – Ifé Franklin’s Indigo Project appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

Anyone who’s attended one of UFG’s receptions has likely been struck by the many tasty hors d’oeuvres available. The edible offerings at our events are all catered by gallery intern/miracle worker Amanda Lomax, whose cooking and baking skills have helped make these nights special and memorable. We’ve received so many compliments and questions about her food that we’ve decided to share some of the most-talked-about recipes!

This month Amanda made a splash at our Side Show opening reception (where she also has a work on view) with her White Bean and Basil Hummus.

Ingredients:
1 can cannellini beans, drained
1 can butter beans, drained
2 Tbsp. tahini
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
Juice and zest of 1 whole lemon
1 handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. Old Bay
1/2 C olive oil, more if needed
salt and pepper

Place everything except olive oil in food processor or blender and puree. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while blending to emulsify until consistency is very smooth (more oil will make the hummus smoother). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grab some pita chips or veggies for dipping, and enjoy!

The post Reception Recipes: White Bean and Basil Hummus appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

A lot of artists- especially those working in the 20th and 21st centuries- have incorporated other works of art or referenced other styles in their works, often through re-interpretation and transformation. Artists can explore another artist’s technique or subvert a known masterpiece, adding their own vision to a work that inspires them. It can be funny, it can be mocking, it can be loving, it can be experimental, it can be conceptual- a great thing about contemporary art is that anything goes! Below are some examples of works that look to other artists for their subject/style/composition.

Takashi Murakami fuses Disney, anime, and traditional Japanese print imagery in many of his works.

Joe Webb references Surrealist René Magritte’s iconic bowler hat in his collage, “Magritte’s Great Escape”.

Wang Guangyi blends Communist propaganda and advertising logos in bold Warhol-esque paintings.

Kate Beaton comically re-interprets Fragonard’s “The Swing”.

Beatriz González creates Pop reproductions of famous artworks, often affixed to furniture.

Artists can also pay tribute to their peers through portraits, hoping to capture something of the subject’s creative drive and personality.

Salvador Dali was obsessed with Johannes Vermeer, here creating a Surrealist landscape for the mysterious Dutch master

Alice Neel paints Andy Warhol in her expressive, confrontational portrait style

Andy Warhol often took Polaroid portraits of his peers, including painter Jean-Michel Basquiat

If you’re unfamiliar with contemporary artists, the best way to get inspired for UFG’s assignment is to experience some contemporary art!

If you’re in the Boston area, here are some museums and galleries you can visit:
Boston Center for the Arts – Mills Gallery
Boston University Art Galleries
DTR Modern Gallery
Ellen Miller Gallery
Gallery 263
Institute of Contemporary Art
Museum of Fine Arts – Contemporary Wing
Peabody Essex Museum
Rose Museum at Brandeis University
Tufts University Art Gallery

There is also a wealth of online resources, here is a sample:
Artist a Day
Big Red & Shiny
Black Contemporary Art
Booooooom
Contemporary Art Daily
drawdrawdraw pinterest
Hyperallergic
Museum of Latin American Art tumblr
Slow Art Day
Supersonic Electronic
Whitney Museum tumblr
Who Killed Bambi?

The post Assignment Inspiration: Contemporary appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

James Flynn, Boat House

Caroline Melia, Opening Day- To Me

Richard Youngstrom, “Jamaica, plain, please” (It’s All About the Rum)

Barbara Watkins, Backyard Fence, JP

Anne McCaffrey, To the Moon and Back

The post Best in Show: “JP to Me” appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

This Thursday UFG’s newest assignment exhibition opened, titled “Side Show”. Collecting together 19 works from local artists, there’s a host of bearded ladies, conjoined twins, lizard men, carnival games, circus performers, and other oddities on view. With a mixture of paintings, photographs, collage, figurine sculptures, and even Barbie Dolls, the show is a colorful, playful mix of artworks. Included with May’s exhibition is a Boston-inspired “Make Art Now” project for anyone who would like to contribute thoughts or drawings. Thursday’s reception featured popcorn and cotton candy in the carnival spirit, and many exhibiting artists were present to discuss their pieces- including Mohammed Daoudi, whose Revolver exhibition “Finding My Way Around the Familiar” of remarkable Scotch tape collages is currently on display.

Below are some photos from the opening reception, as well as a full list of participating artists. Stop by the gallery this month to see these bizarre and interesting works, and add something of your own to the Make Art Now wall!

“Side Show” is on view through May 26, 2013. “Mohammed Daoudi: Finding My Way Around the Familiar” is on view through May 12, 2013.

Side Show Artist Anne McCaffrey and her daughter start off the Make Art Now wall

Revolver Artist Mohammed Daoudi and his wife in front of his work, “The Promised Land”

Side Show Artist Frank Nagorka in front of his works, “Bearded Lady Barbie,” “Tattoo Lady Barbie,” and “Circus Sword Swallower”

Side Show Artist Gunars Viksnins in front of his work, “Bridge Side Birch”

Side Show Artist Cheryl Polcaro in front of her work, “Siamese Twins”

Participating Artists in “Side Show”

Brian Patrick Adams
Rob Festa
Berit Fehrenbach
Amy Hitchcock
Marnie Jain
Amanda Lomax
Daniel MacInnis
Anne McCaffrey
Frank Nagorka
Cheryl Polcaro
Phil Ryan
JoAnne Steeves
Jack Thrombly
Gunars Viksnins

The post UFORGE Exhibitions: “Side Show” appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

UFG’s new assignment exhibition, titled “Side Show”, collects together artworks inspired by carnival and side show culture, with many artists including funny, sensationalistic, and bizarre elements in their pieces. It’s a colorful, eclectic group- sure to entertain and amaze! We will also have a Boston-inspired Make Art Now project on display, open to anyone who would like to add their own thoughts or images.

The show opens on Thursday, May 2, with a reception from 6-8PM in conjunction with the Revolver exhibition, Mohammed Daoudi: Finding My Way Around the Familiar. For a preview, check out some photos of the install below!

The post Behind the Scenes: Side Show Installation appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

The exhibit, which included artwork from seven artists ranging from mixed media, photography, collage and painting will be on display in the Rees Room through June 29th.  To prepare, artists had the opportunity to explore the house’s nooks and crannies for inspiration earlier this month in order to complete a new work.  The Tuesday Club’s Collections Committee were on hand to offer more insight about the Loring Greenough House, JP’s only remaining Georgian country estate and the history of the JPTC.

Exhibiting Artists: Kasey Appleman, Brian Crete, Patricia Dognazzi, Amy Hitchcock, Marnie Jain, Robin Lee, Chelsea Revelle

The exhibit will be on view in the Loring Greenough House April 20 – June 29. The space will be open to visitors Sunday afternoons from 1pm – 3pm, as well as during all public programs. Please visit loring-greenough.org/events/calendar for event dates.

The post UFORGE Collaboration: Assembling JPTC’s Past and Present appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.

Amy Hitchcock: The Longing, 2012 (detail). Assemblage.

Jamaica Plain-based Amy Hitchcock is a self-taught artist working in a variety of assemblage-based media. She combines vintage photographs, glass bottles, paper cut-outs, wooden boxes and frames, string, and other found objects into eclectic and complex assemblages that evoke dusty attics and long-lost loved ones. Her deft blending of color, image, and object make for compelling works, playing with memory, allusion, and history in unexpected ways.

Amy Hitchcock: Record of Attendance, 2011. Assemblage.

Amy will be giving a free Artist Talk and Demonstration on Sunday, April 28 at 1PM at UFORGE as a precursor to her June Workshop. She took the time to answer some questions about her work for a UFG Spotlight:

1) In using found materials, how do you connect certain images and objects in your finished assemblages? Do you find it’s more for aesthetic reasons or driven by a feeling?

Ultimately it’s driven by feeling. Often I start with an idea based on aesthetics, but as the story/assemblage emerges, images and objects often just fall into place. Sometimes these found objects seem totally unrelated, but within the assemblage they seem to work together.

Amy Hitchcock: A Man on the Move, 2012. Assemblage.

2) A lot of your work involves vintage photographs, where do you usually find these? On the same note, has pursuing your work made you an instinctive collector of interesting objects?

I was a collector of found objects long before I started making assemblages. Some of my collections came from my family. My mother was also an antique dealer, and a lot of the small and often “banal” stuff she would give to me. This is how I ended up with so many old photos and postcards. Today I often find photos at antique markets and thrift shops. Recently I just bought a bunch of photo booth photos from WWII on Ebay.

3) You’ve done several pieces for UFORGE exhibitions. Was there a theme that you enjoyed the most? How do you like working within certain parameters versus working more freely?

At first the assignments were hard for me, and I chose the ones that I was comfortable with like the Stories assignment. More recently I’ve done assignments that are more challenging for me like Album Covers and the upcoming Sideshow assignment. In some ways these last two assignments were more satisfying. Sometimes it’s good to try different things.

Amy Hitchcock: The Wheel of Love: The Ultimate Collection of Love and Breakup Songs, 2013. Assemblage.
Part of UFG’s “Album Covers” exhibition.

4) Are there any techniques or media that you haven’t tried but would like to experiment with?

I would like to knit a sweater!

Amy Hitchcock: Knit One Pearl One, 2012. Assemblage.

5) From your online bio I see that you studied art history in college. Do you have a personal favorite movement or artist? Are there any specific artists who have fueled your imagination or inspired certain works?

In college, I liked the work of Edouard Manet, Arthur Dove and Wassily Kandinsky. In terms of my assemblages, I’m obviously inspired by the work of Joseph Cornell (as discussed in a previous interview). But my all time favorite artist (since high school) is Edward Gorey.

You can see Amy’s work in person at the Loring-Greenough House and at UFG’s May 2013 assignment show, Sideshow. You can find out more about her and see works she has for sale on her website.

And don’t forget to stop by her free Artist Talk on Sunday!

The post Artist Spotlight: The Intricate Assemblages of Amy Hitchcock appeared first on UFORGE Gallery.