Keeping Time opens Thursday

I am not sure how many folks know what work goes into putting together an exhibition at a small place. With a staff of four, I am not only the curator, registrar, pr person, wall text and label designer, opening food getter, assistant installer, packer, but also the art transporter. This past Thursday, I did my roughly 4 times a year drive to New York City and back in a day in a brand new Enterprise van. The amazing intern Caleb Cole (hire and show this emerging artist!) helped me navigate and kept me company on his official last day.

After a late start filling up the huge tank, we got into NYC about 12:30 and had to made our way down to Michael Mazzeo Gallery. I've seen Michael several times now at portfolio review events and we always have a good time and he has a great stable of emerging artists. Michael is showing Chris McCaw's work, which I first saw at Photolucida in 2007. I was immediately transfixed (and should have bought one then!!). Michael kindly bought us sandwiches and we caught up. (FYI - it's easy to park in NYC with commercial plates, although I am still a nervous wreck driving and parking in the city.) Chris's work looks amazing in his solo show; he's now started working with a 16 x 20 camera and the results are stunning.

After that, we headed uptown to Bonni Benrubi to pick up Matthew Pillsbury's work. Picking up here is much more difficult than Chelsea, but luckily we found a commercial muni spot. Lou and Thom helped me once again and after tying everything down, we headed home, only to be stuck in traffic in CT for over an hour. I woke up at 5am and about 17 hours later, I was back at home. I am still exhausted.

The gallery is painted a beautiful Benjamin Moore historical color (Templeton Gray) and Vinnie and I install on Monday. I am very excited about this show and I think it will be beautiful. All of the artists are great and I am very proud of them and the show. Come on out Thursday, November 6th from 5:30-7:30pm to see the product of all of our labors. If you are not in town, you can poke around the online component. Click here or on the image above to read my essay, see all of the images and artist statements (just click on the individual images). I will post installation images later. Whew...now back to work.

ABOVE IMAGE: Sharon Harper (Cambridge, MA), Moon Studies and Star Scratches, No. 9, June 4 – 30, 2005, Clearmont, Wyoming, 15, 30, 20, 8, 5, 1, 5, 2, 1 minute exposures; 15, 8, 10, 14 second exposures, Digital C-print from 4x5 transparency, 50 x 40 inches, Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Roepke, Cologne