Craftism Declares New Art Movement in The Kenmore at Box 13 ArtSpace

Houston-based artists Edward Lane McCartney and Cat Coombes will inaugurate a new art movement at The Kenmore, located in Box13 ArtSpace, with Craftism: Preserving the Future of Art. The organization of the Craftism movement, unveiling of McCartney’s shrine to art, and presentation of the collaborative’s manifesto will occur at the opening reception of Craftism: Preserving the Future of Art, on August 6, 2011 from 7:00pm to 9:30p.m., and remain on view Saturdays from 1-5pm through September 10, 2011.

The exhibition will mix jewelry, installation, and performance in a context that demands audience participation. The physical aspect of the exhibition will center around the transformation of The Kenmore, a mini-Fridge curated by Emily Sloan, into a Plexiglas and gold-leaf, post-modern-gothic shrine to Craftism, holding a single, sanctified jewelry object, by Edward Lane McCartney. During the reception, Cat Coombes will present Craftism’s manifesto to begin the consolidation of the movement. As relics of the performance, the manifesto will be left on display, and viewers may wear jewelry objects bearing excerpts from the manifesto out into the world.

The artistic goal of the collaboration between jeweler and metal artist Edward Lane McCartney and conceptual artist and art historian Cat Coombes is to seek out a new relationship between “art” and “craft,” in search of an art that features “depth and humanity” as core values. The statement they make may provoke frustration, anger, or relief: “All art is craft. All so-called ‘art’ that is not craft is art criticism, industry, or empty posturing.”

Craftism Brooch, 2011, 24K Gold on Glass, 24K Gold Plate on Sterling, Paint, and Stainless Steel.

THE KENMORE
Not just another white cube, The Kenmore is a small, cold exhibition object measuring approximately 36" x 24"x 24". The Kenmore's mission is to keep ideas fresh through the opportunity of a unique exhibition context and the experience of collaboration. Inspired by exhibits such as "Cooler than Usual" at Aisen Caro Chacin's N Gallery, The Kenmore was initiated by Emily Sloan and is "run" (refrigerator humor) under her development and guidance. By its nature, The Kenmore remains a work in progress.

BOX 13 ARTSPACE
BOX 13 ArtSpace is an artist run nonprofit innovative environment for the creation and advancement of experimental contemporary art in Houston. BOX 13 artists create this environment through the offering of affordable workspaces for emerging and established artists, dedicating five interior spaces to the exhibition of artistic explorations, a window gallery for installations and an outdoor courtyard space. BOX 13 promotes dialogue among artists and the art community on current trends affecting the arts.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Opening reception: Saturday, August 6, 7:00pm to 9:30pm
Open Saturdays from 1-5pm or by appointment

CONTACT
Emily Sloan
The Kenmore
c/o Box 13 ArtSpace
6700 Harrisburg Blvd.
Houston, TX 77011
thekenmore@gmail.com
713-582-1198

A Movie with Marvin: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

For a Many Mini Residency at Skydive ArtSpace, Zarvin Mindler hosted a movie night with friends to watch “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” This movie and former Broadway musical is inspired by a brothel outside of La Grange, Texas that Houston investigative reporter Marvin Zindler, Zarvin’s hero, helped bring to its knees.


Above: Skydive ArtSpace, 2041 Norfolk St., Houston, Texas 77098

The show offers a glimpse of some Texas history including some references to Houston. The majority of the viewers had not seen the movie with a few people having seen it when it first came to movie theaters in 1982—almost 30 years ago.


Above: Emily Sloan's character Zarvin Mindler acting out a scene in which Marvin Zindler's character Melvin P. Thorpe is de-wigged.

A Movie with Marvin: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

This Thursday, July 14 from 10pm until mid-night, Zarvin Mindler is having friends over to watch "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (staring Dolly Partin!). This movie, whose story was once a Broadway musical, is inspired by The Chicken Ranch, a long running brothel outside of LaGrange, Texas, which investigative reporter Marvin Zindler had a hand in bringing to its knees.

This movie night is Zarvin's Many Mini Residency project and will take place at:
SKYDIVE
2041 Norfolk Street,
Houston, TX 77098
info@theskydive.org

Tactics for Napping in Rebellion

Sunday, July 10, 2011http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
1-3pm @ SkyDive ArtSpace
as part of a Many Mini Residency

“NAP Church: Exercises for Rebel Nappers”
Prepared by Emily Sloan

Above: prepared materials and extra pillows, ear plugs, and eye coverings.

REBELLIOUS USES OF NAPPING:

To protest. Napping as a protest delivers a message and is fast, easy, recordable, and free.

To avoid undesirable events. Napping can make travel seem faster, can delay meetings, can block entrances, can create confusion, can get you dismissed from jury duty, etc.

To avoid danger (rebellious if unsupported in work environment, etc.). Napping can prevent work-related injuries and accidents endangering the environment.

One of the beauties of napping is it is a benign. By its nature it is anti-spectacle, but in an unexpected setting or situation can become a mild spectacle. Also, though there is often a stigma of laziness or time-wasting associated with napping, but when a group comes together to nap, non-nappers can begin to feel uncomfortable or agitated.

Many situations will require adaptation. A comfortable environment for rest may not be available. Hard surfaces, loud sounds, and annoyed non-nappers are potential interferences. Eye coverings and earplugs (when appropriate to safety within the environment) can alleviate these problems.



References: Glitter Bombing, Buck Wild trial, How to Get Away with Sleeping at Work by Adam Dachis

For more information, please visit: www.nappingaffectsperformance.blogspot.com

NAP-related Clarifications

Clarification #1:
Neither NAP Church nor the yearly Southern Naptist Convention are operating as church-related get-rich-quick money schemes. Napping is FREE!

Clarification #2:
Despite flattering accusations, Napping Affects Performance, NAP Church and the Southern Naptist Convention have NOT made any claims to being a response to the Apocalypse...

...until NOW: Go ahead, sleep through the Apocalypse if you are lucky!

Clarification #3:
We DO advocate napping! We encourage a health-related sustainability practice, not unlike recycling and reuse encourage environment-related sustainability practices.

To learn more, please visit: www.nappingaffectsperformance.blogspot.com

"NAP Church: Exercises for Rebel Nappers"

Sunday, July 10, 1-3pm, at SKYDIVE ArtSpace as part of a Many Miny Residency.

"NAP Church: Exercises for Rebel Nappers" by Rev. Emily Sloan
Napping Affects Performance’s NAP Church will meet for a Sunday nap on July 10 from 1-3pm. In addition to napping, we will be discussing rebellious napping strategies. This B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Pillow...and blanket, yoga mat, whatever suits you) event of “two or more gathered” to nap is open to all faiths!

Location:
SKYDIVE
2041 Norfolk Street,
Houston, TX 77098
info@theskydive.org

About the Many Mini Residency:
Many Mini Residency is a short-term residency program operated in conjunction with alternative exhibition venues in Europe and the United States. The name 'Many Mini' encompasses two main components of the project which is hosted in one room 24 hours a day for one week. The 'Many' describes the open call for proposals and the resulting multiplicity of responses and participants. The 'Mini' component of the residency describes the limited amount of time available and the scale of the room.

About SKYDIVE:
SKYDIVE is an artist run exhibition venue unique to Houston. Its mission is to broaden the spectrum of the dialogue in Houston by bringing in artists from outside of Texas. The aim of SKYDIVE is to host a range of art practices that push the limits of their material forms, including non-traditional methods of sculpture, installation, video, performance, and works that engage the viewer through participation, as well as text and web-based projects.

SKYDIVE utilizes an open and collaborative model for producing its programming. A group of artists, curators, and other professionals function as Advisors to help create shows, invite artists, and collaborate in the mission and programming of the space. Participants in SKYDIVE will be invited to Houston for a sustained number of days, previous to the exhibition to make their work, interact with the Houston community and see the sites in Houston and surrounding areas.

About Napping Affects Performance:
Napping Affects Performance (NAP) and NAP Church are interactive performance projects by 14 Pews artist-in-residence Emily Sloan providing community naps in collaboration with various performances, including (but not limited to) collaborations with sound, word, touch, and the delivery of naps to various sites and/or contexts. In May and June of 2010, NAP operated out of Art League Houston with six weeks of continuous performances taking place during Art League’s regular hours of operation. Since then, followers and napophiles began meeting once a month for a Sunday naps and naptisms during NAP Church services.

NAP Church meets monthly for Sunday naps.

Salon des Refusés, People's Choice Cash Prize

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Salon des Refusés last night! Congratulations to all of the artists and a special congratulations to Emily Connor for winning the $400 People's Choice Cash Prize.