Ahh yes, August in Bushwick. A time when those that can escape the muggy dog days of summer retreat to the Hamptons, the Berskhires, or anywhere else that isn’t here, and the rest of us get to wade through thick muggy days of crazy heat, but also secretly love how empty the streets and subway cars become. In these days, the night rules, as the neighborhood comes alive once the sun goes down. This weekend, the Bushwick art world finally slows down a little and, for once, moves at the pace you want it to in August. The art picks this weekend reflect the jovial and relaxed spirit of these midsummer days, with four events that will make you happy that you don’t have that summer share at Fire Island…maybe.
#1 Zero Point @ Jackie Klempay (FRI, 7PM)
81 Central Ave #1A, Brooklyn NY 11206
Jackie Klempay kicks of the opening of the new Zero Point group exhibition with a night of live sound performance, featuring Delia R Gonzalez with Alice Cohen, and Bryce Hackford. The show, featuring a great selection of artists including Matt Connors, Mark deMuro, Elizabeth Jaeger, JoJo Li, Mariah Robertson, Sophy Naess, and Linnea Vedder, brings together artists that explore their various materials for the sake of the medium. As the press release quoting Anni Albers states, “Yes, art is useless, in a sense. But it has a restorative power that we need again and again,” the work in the show is meant to make the viewer reflect on the purpose in the purposelessness of art. Check out the gallery and see the potential power in art for yourself.
#2 The Whales of August @ Wayfarers (FRI, 7-10PM)
1109 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11221
An exhibition true to the gallery’s name, Whales of Summer references the 1987 movie of the same name, where Bette Davis and Lillian Gish are both “a million years old” spending potentially their final summer in Coastal Maine. While the show does not feature octogenarians nor whales, the four artists – Lorna Barrowclough, Joy Drury Cox, Hondartza Fraga, and David (Scout) McQueen – all work within themes of the ocean and reference a delicate attention to their craft.
#3 The Unglued Radio Workshop @ Odetta (SAT, 6PM)
229 Cook St, Brooklyn, New York 11206
This Saturday, relatively newcomer gallery Odetta will play host to Max Yawney and his gang for a curated evening of spoken word, sound, film and music, along with a special performance by Yawney’s group, The Unglued Radio Workshop. If you haven’t been to the gallery yet, Saturday is a great time to check out their current show, Eden, a group show featuring artists Michael Drury, Charles Geiger, Melinda Hackett, Lina Puerta and Sylvia Schwartz.
#4 Sight and Sound @ Apostrophe (SAT, 6PM)
345 Eldert Street, Brooklyn NY 11237 & 136 Moffat Street, Brooklyn NY 11207
As the name would suggest the Smith boys, Ki and Sei, of Apostrophe Gallery are taking a dualistic approach, with art and sound performances at two locations only minutes apart. Each venue, The first at 345 Eldert St, and the second at 136 Moffat St, will showcase visual and sound artists meant to create a full sensory experience for the viewer, disorienting and cacophonous. Visitors will also have an opportunity to donate to Apostrophe’s kickstarter campagn, as they work toward their goal to fund a permanent (and legal) venue in Bushwick. Here’s the link to donate.