First Friday Focus

Lori Hill's First Friday Hit List


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Published: Apr 29, 2008

Rodger La Pelle

<i>New Moon</i>, Sarah Hunter, oil on canvas, 2008

New Moon, Sarah Hunter, oil on canvas, 2008

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Sarah Hunter constructs worlds full of drama and enchantment, where polar bears share space with turtles, and rabbits perch on castle walls. While she has a penchant for bizarre tableaux, Hunter is inarguably a talented renderer of the natural world. She makes beautiful studies of cardinals, dinosaurs, hummingbirds and turtles. She's like John James Audubon with a sense of the absurd. In her new show at La Pelle, the moods of the paintings run from goofy to morbid, while never sacrificing her subjects' nobility. She positions the animals within architectural ruins, or clinging to branches, or in front of volcanoes. Their situations are uncertain, even precarious, and we can't help but sympathize with them. For this reason, and her keen eye for the quirky beauties of hidden environments, Hunter is a young artist to watch; she has a unique vision with talent to match. Annelies van Dommelen, too, allows birds and other beasts to inhabit her more abstract paintings, although the level of abstraction depends on which of many mediums she uses. Her Night Moth Framed is a quiet, almost impressionistic take on the winged creature, while Flying Machine is a loud, busy scene full of mismatched parts and assemblages. Both welcome repeat close viewings, and demonstrate the range of the artist's creativity. Opens Fri., May 2, 5-10 p.m., through May 30, 122 N. Third St., 215-592-0232.

Silicon Gallery

Judith Schaechter could scribble on a cocktail napkin and I'd pay attention. Still, her latest show, an exhibition of a portfolio executed in collaboration with Silicon Gallery, holds new appeal. Schaechter is a visionary when it comes to her stained-glass work, which is legendary here in Philadelphia and which has gained her international renown. Her distinctive, often haunting portraits of people riff on the style of sacred stained glass, with elaborate borders and reverential poses, while the content is truly irreverent and challenging (The Little Dead Mermaid, anyone?). She translates these visions and dreams up new ones using Adobe Photoshop and a 3-D modeling program called Maya used mostly by filmmakers. As the gallery has pointed out, what's especially noteworthy here is the determination of an artist who normally works with such an ancient art form to tackle a 21st-century medium head-on and with such stunning results. Among the prints are images of little horned women in party dresses, a group of sad-eyed souls setting out on a snowy night, a gorgeous collection of Technicolor butterflies, a pile of skulls surrounded by fluttering birds, and a sheared sheep in an empty bathtub. The clarity and depth of the works are powerful, and if you're fortunate enough to be able to purchase a portfolio, the reward will certainly be in the complete package. Opens Fri., May 2, 6-8:30 p.m., exhibit through June 6, 139 N. Third St., 215-238-6062.

And Then There's ...

Continuing at InLiquid at the Bride is "World Headquarters," a show of Amze Emmons' deceptively simplistic paintings and prints. Emmons is concerned with issues of displacement and migration and translates these into images of huts, tents and less appealing lodgings as well as spaces left quickly. There's also a single Man Sized Vault we're sure has nothing to do with a certain clumsy quail hunter. Reception Fri., May 2, 5-7 p.m., exhibit through May 17, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St., 215-925-9914. ... Ron Meyers calls his pottery utilitarian, but that greatly underestimates its visual power. Wolves, rabbits and fish grace his earthenware vases and platters, now on view at Snyderman-Works, while the forms themselves look rough-hewn and appealingly natural. Also showing are the dizzying 3-D works of Xiang Yang, who incorporates gorgeously hued thread, antique Chinese temples and Plexiglas in most ingenious ways. Through June 15, 303 Cherry St., 215-922-7775. ... If you missed the grand opening of "Collective Imprints" at the Rotunda last night, don't worry. The impressive celebration of the space's mission will be on display permanently. The massive collaborative effort is meant to document not only the vibrant creative life of the community arts venue, but also "local history and folklore." With the mind-bogglingly diverse population of West Philly participating, we're sure they hit the mark. Permanent installation, 4014 Walnut St., 215-573-3234.

(l_hill@citypaper.net)