Pyromania

a group exhibiton

January 9th – 24th

Pyromania, an idea so exotic that we need to reach beyond English to the language of archetype to contain it. In a group show this January 9th-24th, gallery members will explore its meaning in permutations ranging from hearth and home to smoldering libido to Miltonian abyss.

And you thought only firemen were closet pyromaniacs…

Third Thursday Reception:
January 15th, 6-9 pm

Gallery Hours:
Fridays and Saturdays, 2-6pm or by appointment.

Cool and Distant

new work by Michael St. Germain

December 6th – 28th

Atlantic Works Gallery is pleased to present “cool and distant”, a quiet and quirky exhibition of smaller-than-life paintings, drawings, and objects by Michael St. Germain. “Cool and distant” reveals the unexpected, humorous and poignant visual adventures of an artist more versed in artistic process than emotional self-awareness.

Opening Reception:
Saturday, December 6th, 7-9 pm

Third Thursday Reception:
November 18th, 6-9 pm

Gallery Hours:
December 12-20: Fridays and Saturdays, 2-6pm or by appointment.

Paper Rock Scissors:

Collaboration by Rick Dorff and Bo Petran

October 4th – 25th

Atlantic Works Gallery is pleased to present a process-oriented collaboration by Rick Dorff and Bo Petran in which Dorff and Petran will carry on an intense dialogue in the spirit of play using a variety of found and scavenged materials and a host of miscellaneous objects, lasting from inception until the show’s last moment. By means of interactive play, including games and mess-making, they will explore how influences such as chance, competition and inspiration can determine their interactive processes and outcomes.

Czech-born Bo Petran uses abstract expressionism as a springboard from which to create site specific installations which make use of non-traditional materials and methods. His interest is in reconfiguring the process of art making and viewing.

Rick Dorff works in the realms of sculpture and installation, shows work at AMP Gallery in Provinetown, MA, and works with the Fort Point Theater Channel, Boston.

Opening Reception:
Saturday, October 4th, 6-9 pm

Third Thursday Reception:
October 18th, 6-9 pm

Gallery Hours:
Fridays and Saturdays, 2-6pm or by appointment.

Numinous: In the Spirit of Things

September 6th – 30th

What does “Numinous” look like? Two Boston visual artists take on the challenge and bring form to this idea in concurrent solo exhibitions. Artists John Kennard and X Bonnie Woods bring us wit, whimsy, and wonder with their two- and three-dimensional works.

Kennard and Woods are long-time colleagues. The theme of these exhibitions allows the two artists to delve into their notions of spirit, wonder, and play.

Woods has shown her works in the U.S. and Germany for many years. Her paintings explore the medium of traditional Japanese inks on paper in map-like conceptual pieces. She has also worked as a documentary photographer. She says of this new exhibition, “Perception and puzzles are the key. I like finding the edges between painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, and words.“ Her work is in many corporate and academic collections.

Primarily a photographer, John Kennard’s work has been shown at a variety of venues over the years. Kennard says, “In addition to photography, this offering presents works made with materials such as eggshells and tea bags, exploring the spirit of these normally discarded items.”

Opening Reception:
Saturday, September 6th, 6-9 pm

Third Thursday Reception:
September 18th, 6-9 pm

Gallery Hours:
Fridays and Saturdays, 2-6pm or by appointment.

 Boston Biennial 3:

 a Biennial Project Production

Since it’s inauguration many years ago The Boston Biennial has become a cherished and much anticipated New England institution – not unlike Opening Day at Fenway or the Pops on the Fourth, gifting the public with exposure to cutting edge contemporary artistic practice, as well as serving an important role in invigorating and democratizing the Boston area creative community.

For The Boston Biennial , the Boston Biennial Selection Committee will again showcase a variety of the best work being produced in New England and the world, as well as to shine a spotlight on the collective that has clearly raised the bar for artistic production and theory in the area covered by the Original Thirteen Colonies (not to be confused with the Original Six NHL Franchises or the Seven Sister Colleges), namely THE BIENNIAL PROJECT.

A large screen projection will illuminate the work chosen for The Boston Biennial 3. The work chosen for the recent ArtVenice Biennale and the Biennial Roadshow Marfa will also be displayed digitally.

Additionally, the ever-expanding and dynamic membership of The Biennial Project will develop several new site specific installations and conceptual works while hopped up on diet coke and cheetos.

Don’t miss the social event of the summer season!

Gala Opening Reception
Thursday July 17th, 6-9 pm

Gala Closing Reception:
August 21st, 6-9 pm

Giant Gala Garage Sale:
Saturday July 26th, 2-6pm

The Biennial Project Retrospective:
40 Years of Our Art Special Gala Reception:
Thursday August 7th, 7pm (black tie encouraged)

Join us as we kickoff Eastie Week and Open Studios with a special event tonight at 7pm.  Be the first to get a look at AW’s June show ENGENDERED before the official opening on Saturday and try some homemade ice cream!  Also, Eastie Week guest artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh will give an artist talk about her series, “Stop Telling Women to Smile”

Plan 9 from Outer Space

An Atlantic Works Gallery Film Studio and Movie Shoot

This group show will recreate Ed Wood’s masterwork: Plan Nine From Outer Space. The visual aspect of the show will interpret aspects of the film, and the gallery (and environs) will be transformed into a film set. The film will then be acted out by Gallery members and friends, and taped in HD video. The film will be edited and shown at the gallery, YouTube and perhaps other venues.

At the opening and Third Thursday receptions there will be refreshments, art and shooting of crowd scenes and green screen videos. The gallery will be open during normal hours, and filming of scenes will be going on.

Perhaps, on your way home, someone will pass you in the dark, and you will never know it… for they will be from outer space.

Exhibition Dates: May 8 – 31, 2014
Show Opening and Shooting Crowd Scenes Thursday May 8, 6-9 PM
Scheduled Film Shoots Saturdays May 10, 17, 24 & 31 2-6 PM
Fourth Thursday Green Screen Shooting: Thursday, May 22 6-9 PM

Photographic Practices:

group show of lens-based artworks

Photography as a practice is in a state of flux. In the past two decades it has shifted from a process that interacts chemically and organically with its surrounds, to a new medium based around the interpretation and manipulation of code. Traditional photographs required access to the darkroom and an ability to previsualize results. Modern digital cameras now provide instant feedback, and can be published to millions of viewers in minutes.

This new technology has awoken a visual avarice that impedes communication as much as it facilitates it. The prevalence of cameras and recording devices has spawned a tide of images multiplying exponentially in our daily lives, forcing us to address issues of ethics, surveillance and manipulation. Whether the erosion of the photograph’s credibility troubles you or frees you, image creation and contextualization are increasingly in the hands of amateurs and outsiders.

From shooting to preserving, from acquiring to sharing, photographers’ motivations in this new era of image making are as diverse as their means. This group exhibition embodies the richness of contemporary photographic practice, and features work from artists using both traditional and experimental techniques.

Third Thursday: April 17th, 6-9 pm
Poetry Reading: April 24th, 6-9pm
Closing Reception: May 3rd, 6-9 pm

Terra Incognita

Featuring the new artists at Atlantic Works

Terra Incognita is the Latin term for lands that are yet unknown or charted, that lie beyond the edge of the map.

This month at Atlantic Works we are celebrating our newest members Andrew, Leigh Hall, Suzanne Mercury, and Jess Stambaugh and launching an exploratory voyage into the uncharted lands of their latest works in performance, painting, assemblage, and visual poetry.

Come in from the cold and join us!

Exhibition Dates: February 3-26, 2014
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 6th, 6-9 pm
Valentine Event: Friday, February 14th, 6-9pm
Third Thursday Reception: Thursday, February 20th, 6-9 pm