First Friday Focus
Lori Hill's First Friday Hit List
Third Street Gallery
; "<i>Playing with Sand</i> by Andres Felipe Ducuara, at Third Street Gallery")
Playing with Sand by Andres Felipe Ducuara, at Third Street Gallery (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION) |
To Tony Rocco, photography is power. For years, he's been teaching people to use a camera like any other instrument of art, documentary and even change, with a special eye toward the untapped talents of children. Whether at Julia de Burgos Elementary School or through the Philadelphia Center for the Photographic Image's Exposure, he's taught children how to use something other than their Nokias to express themselves in photos. The results are extraordinary, as exhibitions of the students' work have proven. Since 2006, Rocco's spent time with the children of Agua Blanca, a poor neighborhood in Cali, Colombia, his mother's hometown. Rocco and a group of students and their families called Grupo Agua 0 collaborated on a collection of images documenting everyday life in the area, from fruit carts to waterway travel to domestic bustle. This month, Third Street Gallery hosts "Colombia: Nuestro Pueblo," a show of Rocco's own work while in Cali as well as selected images from Grupo Agua 0. The work of Rocco and the people he surrounds himself with never fails to surprise and engage, and this exhibition should be no different.
Opening reception Fri., Oct. 5, 5-9 p.m., artist's reception, Sat., Oct. 21, 1-5 p.m., exhibit runs through Oct. 28, 58 N. Second St., 215-625-0993.
Power Plant Building
A whole lot of folks have been working hard to make Philly a place that gives its cyclists not only room on the road, but respect. Every year, the Bike Part Art Show does its part for the cause. Encouraging artists to see beauty and innovation in old bike parts, the show's organizers have given the city fun, functional art as well as valuable experiences for kids. Proceeds go to Neighborhood Bike Works, whose mission is to expand opportunities for the city's youth through bicycling. Artists head to NBW to "raid" their collection of spokes, chains and gears that morph into jewelry, sculpture and collage. This year, a new organization called SpokesPeople has taken the lead for the show, setting up not only the exhibition but also bicycle-repair workshops and a social action forum. Look for more SpokesPeople events to come, but in the meantime, consider this: Students who complete a seven-week NBW class on bike safety, repair, fitness and city biking get a free bike, helmet and lock. A whole new generation of city cyclists is coming up, and for the price of a kickass pair of gear-inspired earrings, you can throw your support their way.
Art show and auction, Fri., Oct. 5, 5 p.m., art show and workshops all day Sat., Oct. 6, art show and forum, Sun., Oct. 7, Power Plant Lower Level (Second Street between Race and Vine). For more information, visit www.beaspokesperson.org or www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org.
And Then There's ...
Charles Burwell's richly layered paintings of controlled chaos and organic organization get the Bridgette Mayer treatment this month. See Robin Rice's review on p. 36. Reception Fri., Oct. 5, 6-8:30 p.m., exhibit runs through Oct. 27, 709 Walnut St., 215-413-8893. ... Turn your attention to curator John Freeborn's parlor game "Exquisite Corpse" in its last weeks at Painted Bride, featuring the work of Isaac Lin, Kris Chau, Jordin Isip and others. Through Oct. 13, 230 Vine St., 215-925-9914.
Also In This Week's Arts Section
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