No venue? No problem. When Artomatic organizers couldn’t land a space this season, Jesse Cohen came through with virtual real estate on the artist-networking site, Artdc.org.
Submissions from roughly 290 area artists can now be viewed — and critiqued — at Artdc.org. The site, with its manifesto to fire up the local arts scene, was launched in 2004 — “10 p.m. March 28,” Cohen says from his studio in Northeast D.C., where he pursues “a different view of life” through alternative photographic processes.
Among the hundreds of Artomatic entries online:
» “Button Lady.” Already a video star, Alice is 36 inches of buttons, costume jewelry, wood and glue.
» “Me and My Memes.” Here’s a photo-artist’s conception of the components of “our initiation into the world of language, culture and information processing.”
» “Boats and Zebra Dogs.” This decorative acrylic sails to a more idyllic place.
» “Jellyfish.” The lyrical oil on wood comes with a lesson: “Every year 1000s of sea turtles, otters and dolphins are killed by mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish. Bags often get blown out of landfills and into the ocean. Just say NO to plastic bags.” The artist’s alluring double-door piece, “Whooping Cranes,” tells the fascinating story of the preservation of this species – which involved imitation mothers/migration leaders.
» “Mask #1.” Slab-built then pit-fired, this stoneware piece sports turquoise, feathers and waxed linen.
» “Pastry Skirt.” Reflecting this master in fine arts candidate’s mixed heritage, her intriguing piece mixes words and images to explore relationships and traditions.
» “rottin little childran.” A mixed-media painting done, notes the artist, during a stay at a “mental hospital.”
Warning: Don’t try to view it all in one sitting or you’ll risk sensory overload. For some, however, that could be the point.
Artomatic
Selected entries will appear in Mini-Artomatic exhibitions at Fraser, Heineman Myers, the Washington School of Photography, Creative Partners, Neptune and several other Bethesda galleries, with a joint opening receptions 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12. Most on view through January. They can also be seen online at www.artdc.org/gallery.
