Think Locally, Act Globally!

Pocket Utopia is pleased to present a closing reception for our international artists in residence: Silvina Arismendi (Uruguay), Mauricio Limon (Mexico) and the collaborative team of Martin y Sicilia (Canary Islands)

Wednesday, April 29th 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Pocket Utopia, 1037 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237

Organized by Omar Lopez-Chahoud

notice Pocket Utopia is a non-profit residency, exhibition, archive project run by Austin Thomas.
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Now

Art-making is about now-making.

Above are pictures of Pocket Utopia which is occupied by the artists in residence for the next 2 weeks.

Pocket Utopia is pleased to present a two-week international artist residency organized by Omar Lopez-Chahoud and culminating in a one-day exhibition. The participating artists are: Silvina Arismendi (Uruguay), Mauricio Limon (Mexico), and the collaborative team of Martin y Sicilia (Canary Islands). Pocket Utopia will be open daily allowing the public to view work in progress and meet the artists.

Silvina Arismendi’s work captures personal and private moments as she navigates through her living space, cataloguing the things around her. Arismendi is interested in making conceptual work that triggers ideas rather than creating objects.

Mauricio Limon creates urban landscape drawings that explore the ills of population growth. Limon’s drawings capture the unfinished concrete block houses, public landfills, and construction sights of Mexico City. Limon also makes portraits of marginal people, particularly those who have slipped into dementia or other altered mental states triggered by such living conditions.

Martin y Sicilia (José Martin and Javier Sicilia) have been working as an artistic duo since 1995. Their work is mainly pictoral and photographic. The tradition of painting converges with photography, cinema and advertising as Martin y Sicilia produce theatrical installations. Martin y Sicilia’s recurrent themes are the disappearing accountability of societies--especially political entities--issues of migration and immigration and how popular culture reshapes new political realities.

Opens April 29 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Buying art the old fashioned way--benefit auction!

momenta art benefit 2009

preview at momenta 359 bedford avenue brooklyn, ny april 24 – may 3 thur-mon, 12-6 auction & raffle at sara meltzer gallery 525-531 w. 26th street, new york, ny wednesday, may 6th preview work starting at 12pm event begins at 5pm auction at 6:30 pm followed by raffle ticket price: $225 each a ticket guarantees you a work of art and entrance for two to the silent auction and raffle drawing  held at sara meltzer gallery on may 6 ($50 discount on tickets ordered before april 24).

Auction Artists: Kamrooz Aram Adam Fowler Joanne Greenbaum Mary Heilmann Chris Martin  Dan Walsh Michael Waugh Rob Wynne and The Brodsky Center  for Innovative Editions Femfolio featuring  work by Emma Amos Eleanor Antin Nancy Azara Betsy Damon Mary Beth Edelson Lauren Ewing Harmony Hammond Joyce Kozloff Diane Neumaier Faith Ringgold Miriam Schapiro Carolee Schneemann Joan Semmel Sylvia Sleigh Joan Snyder Nancy Spero May Stevens Athena Tacha June Wayne and Martha Wilson Raffle Artists: Alyson Aliano Amanda Alic David Ambrose Kristin Baker Michael Ballou Bengala John Bjerklie Josh Blackwell Andrea Blum Lee Boroson Leslie Brack Joe Bradley Sarah Braman Susan Breitsch Christopher Brooks Melissa Brown Lordan Bunch Ken Butler Sari Carel Carter Janice Caswell Anne Collier Jeri Coppola Ethan  Crenson Mark Dagley Blane De St. Croix Steve Defrank Louise Despont Jim Dingilian Marianna Ellenberg Lori Ellison Redmond Entwistle the eteam Simon Evans Rochelle Feinstein Brendan Fernandes Keltie Ferris Glen Fogel Alexa Forosty Paul Gabrielli  Chris Gallagher Marc Ganzglass Jackie Gendel Chris Gentile Bill Gerhard Tamar Halpern Kirsten Hassenfeld Susan Havens Karen Heagle Sean Hemmerle Oliver Herring Daniel Hill Alex Hubbard Andrew Hurst Yoko Inoue Jason Irwin Mathew Paul Jinks Jane Kaplowitz Jennifer Karady Jennifer Keshka Scott King Elisabeth Kley Chelsea Knight Aaron Krach Peter Krashes Larry Krone Fay Ku Pam Lins Michael Mahalchick Stephen Maine David Mann Ari Marcopoulos Robert Marshall Patrick Martinez Keith Mayerson Tom McGrath Martin McMurray Maureen McQuillan Margery Mellman John Melville Terrence Miele Jeff Morris Erik Moskowitz and        Amanda Trager James Nelson Odili Donald Odita Eung Ho Park Sean Paul Ian Pedigo Leanette Peles Marsha Pels Gelah Penn Gary Petersen Danica Phelps Heidi Pollard Barbara Pollack Ross Racine Robert Ransick Halsey Rodman Bea Romeo Kay Rosen Theo Rosenblum James Rosenquist Monique Safford Rafael Sánchez and       Kathleen White Heidi Schlatter Mira Schor Eugene Schroeder Zoe Saldaña Sheehan Chelsea Seltzer Diana Shpungin Philip Simmons Judy Simonian Josh Smith Suzy Spence William Steiger Joshua Stern Rodger Stevens Barry Stone Kikuko Tanaka Gwenn Thomas Austin Thomas Joanna Tully Joanne Ungar Kathleen Vance Venske + Spänle Sarah Vogwill Don Voisine Sarah Walker Julie Weitz Alan Wiener Faith Wilding Jonas Wood and White Columns Portfolio  featuring work by  Peter Doig Dave Muller Kay Rosen and Adam Pendleton The raffle will also offer a special  limited edition print by  Eve Sussman printed by  Luther Davis – Axelle Editions Momenta Art presents its fourteenth annual benefit to support its ongoing mission to exhibit the work of emerging and underrepresented artists. A ticket guarantees you a work of art and entrance for two to the silent auction and raffle drawing held at Sara Meltzer Gallery on May 6. Tickets are limited to the number of artworks included.  Tickets may be ordered online at http://momentaart.org for a $50 discount through April 24. ORDER NOW AND SAVE. Momenta’s 2009 benefit will present work by both emerging and known artists. Raffle tickets may be purchased until all the tickets are sold. The work will be on view at Momenta for two weeks, and then it will be re-installed at Sara Meltzer Gallery, located at 525-531 W. 26th Street in Manhattan, for the event. The benefit event will be held on May 6 beginning at 5PM. At 6:30 PM the live auction will begin, continuing until all works have been offered. After the auction, the raffle will begin, with the first randomnly drawn ticket giving its holder first choice of one work displayed. The drawing will continue with each ticket holder choosing until all tickets are drawn. We recommend that all ticket holders attend the preview and make a wish-list of 20-30 works before being called upon at the event. As a not for profit exhibition organization, Momenta depends on the contributions of people like you. We sincerely thank all participating artists, ticket buyers and auction bidders for their generous support.

Auctioneer: Cary Leibowitz Raffle Emcees: Christopher Gaillard Laura Parnes Event Sponsors: Ann Fensterstock Atelier 4 Luther Davis – Axelle Editions Director: Eric Heist Assistant Director: Michael Waugh interns: Nicole L Kuprienko Kikuko Tanaka Kevin Yu Benefit Committee: Daniel Aycock  Jeff Bailey  Heather Balke William Cournoyer Rochelle Feinstein Ann Fensterstock Matthew Higgs Ingrid Bromberg Kennedy Nicole Klagsbrun Sara Meltzer Erik Moskowitz Risa Needleman Sara Jo Romero Lisa Schroeder Claude Simard Herb Tam Margaret Thatcher Richard Timperio Amanda Trager Alun Williams Pavel Zoubok Board members: Christopher Gaillard Aunrico Gatson Elisabeth Kley Bob Marty Valerie McKenzie Laura Parnes Jude Tallichet Advisory board members: Michael Ashkin Huma Bhabha James Elaine Omer Fast Jason Fox Kathy Goncharov Peter Hopkins Kristin Lucas Wangechi Mutu Odili Odita Janet Phelps Calvin Reid Ellen Salpeter

Momenta Art is supported by the Harriet Ames Charitable Trust, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, The Greenwall Foundation, Greenwich Collection, Ltd., The Jerome Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and individual contributors.

Easter

For weeks, I've been telling Grant to be good for the Easter Bunny. Grant wanted the Easter Bunny to bring him a solar powered rainbow catcher that he first glimpsed when we went to buy pottery from Sister Jane Omlor at the Sisters of St. Francis in Tiffin, Ohio. One the sisters' website, one can even find movie reviews and a section on eternal life. I just ordered a rainbow catcher.

I decided to go running this morning (as I have decided to go every morning). Being a little too windy along the water, I headed inside to walk around Chelsea Market for a half hour. The place was unusually quiet and warm. Lining the walls were pictures of people from around the world holding glasses of water. The display was organized by Charity Water. I learned that ONE IN SIX PEOPLE ON THE PLANET DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE, CLEAN DRINKING WATER (caps theirs). I also learned that by giving $20 one person can have clean, safe drinking water for 20 years. I donated $20.