The Pinch

Salt Space Featured Artists

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:37:00 GMT

March-April 2011 | Hannah and Anthony Taddeo

Anthony Taddeo was born and raised in Cleveland OH. He moved to New York City to study Jazz Performance at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Since Anthony has been in NYC he has had the privilege to study and play with many accomplished jazz musicians One of his most recent achievements is playing at the Bern jazz festival in Switzerland in May of 2010 with the Melanie Charles Quartet and the Nitzan Gavrieli Trio.

Hannah is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art with a BFA in Biomedical Illustration and Design. She has had the honor of showing her work at various prestigious institutions including University Hospitals Harrington-McLaughlin Heart & Vascular Institute, the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, the Cleveland Institute of Art, as well as numerous private collections. She blends her passion for design with her foundation in science and technology and continues to explore the possibilities of new media.

This piece was created by Hannah as a visual interpretation of an inprovised jazz piece performed symultaneously by a quartet led by Anthony.

Art Collides with Christianity in Chelsea

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:47:00 GMT

This Thursday something incredibly interesting is happening, something that will intrigue both the secular art world and the evangelical church worldwide. New York is arguably the center of contemporary art worldwide, and Chelsea is the center of contemporary art in New York. The largest and most influential galleries in the world are located in that neighborhood. This Thursday, an exhibit by artist Makoto Fujimura opens in the heart of the Chelsea gallery district at Dillon Gallery. The show is entitled, The Four Holy Gospels. On display are paintings that were created for a project Fujimura worked on with Crossway Publishing in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Version (KJV) Bible in 1611. For the final incarnation of the project Crossway is producing an exquisitely designed and produced edition of the four canonical Gospels in the English Standard Version which features illumination by Fujimura.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you are an artist, a christian, or any combination of the two, GO SEE THIS SHOW! More information can be found on Fujimura's website.

Makoto Fujimura is an artist, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural influencer by both faith-based and secular media. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts (2003-2009), Fujimura has contributed internationally as an advocate for the arts, speaking with decision makers and advising governmental policies on the arts. Fujimura’s work is exhibited at galleries around the world, including Dillon Gallery (New York), Sen Gallery (Tokyo), The Contemporary Museum of Tokyo, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts Museum and Oxford House, Taiku Place (Hong Kong). He has painted live on stage at New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall as part of an ongoing collaboration with composer and percussionist Susie Ibarra. A popular speaker, he has lectured at numerous conferences and universities, including the Aspen Institute, Yale, Princeton, the Q Conference, and IAM’s Encounter 10. Fujimura’s second book, Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art and Culture, is a collection of essays bringing people of all backgrounds together in conversation and meditation on culture, art, and humanity. Fujimura founded the International Arts Movement in 1992.

December 2010, Nadirah Zakariya

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:46:00 GMT

Salt is excited to announce our new Monthly Featured Artist series. We believe this will be a great way for you to get to know some up and coming New York City artists who we feel are having a positive impact and are definitely creating some conversation.

I am especially pleased to introduce our first artist, Nadirah Zakariya.

Born in Malaysia, Nadirah spent her childhood in Texas, bravely struggled through adolescence in Kuala Lumpur, found her path in Japan, and realized herself in New York. The body of work presented is inspired by the absence of the concept of home throughout her upbringing to this day. Growing up in various places around the world, the sense of displacement of being neither here nor there was always present. Nadirah finds the concept of liminality compelling, as it means the state between two worlds. She conveys this theme of being in the liminal phase through her photographs by placing the subjects behind a stained glass.

This series can be seen on the artist's website here, as well as a physical installation in the Salt Space during the month of December.

Nadirah Zakariya, Liminars, 5 digital c-prints, 20x30 and 11x14, 2010.

Trust and Truth

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:36:00 GMT

Written by Kyle J. Smith

Much has happened at the Salt Space in the past two months- beads of styrofoam littering the floor and not-so-white patches on the wall are all that remain to remind us of the creative battles that have taken place. Two words, no, ideals, stick with me now, planted deep in my brain by farmers posing as poets and jazz musician and paper artists: Trust and Truth.

Did you read the newspaper today? Patrons of the Salt Space spent over a month petting a newspaper as the Paper and Pulp Exhibition graced the white walls of our creative tabernacle. The exhibition, curated by Grace Hwang and Leann Boyd of Pop-Up Art Studios, featured works of art made completely of paper. From a scene featuring two people and (roughly) one million tacks in the wall to a whale’s tail, the entire show had everyone staring at their recycling bins the next day with more creative energy than ever before.

Anis Mojgani, Buddy Wakefield and Mike McGee took the stage as the Night Kite Revival, poets who waltzed in with their own audience, die-hard fans who placed hope upon hope on the clothesline the poets assembled. Before the show, I listened as the trio planned their evening. Their fragmented sentences can be summed up in three words, “Let’s have fun.” Humbly, they laid themselves upon the altar, never treading upon each others’ boundaries as they composed one of the most effective, heart massaging, stupidly funny shows I have ever seen. They shared every moment like a true team, trusting each other’s instincts and the audience’s energy.

The first two installments in the Loft Lab Jazz Series, presented by Destination Out, left every audience member tapping rhythms with their shoes they never could have imagined alone. Musicians may never show up on time, but they do arrive with plenty of truth straight from the buffet of their lives. Joe Giardullo, Harvey Sorgen and Darius Jones spoke directly to the souls (and soles) of their audiences with styles hewed out of the marble of their talent by practice, time and laughter. Music penetrates any material, lifestyle, age, begging that its listeners find truth in their own breaths.

Enter the Salt Space with your wet umbrella, unfinished Daily To-Do List, and ceaselessly ringing cell phone, enjoy remarkable entertainment, then leave creatively invigorated. And take all that other stuff with you too. Our Lost and Found is already too full of dreams.

Loft/Lab Jazz Series

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:51:00 GMT

Destination: OUT is a website dedicated to adventurous jazz. We highlight startling and fresh music that upends the polite musical clichés of the genre. Our typical jazz offerings might sound more like rock, psychedelia, funk, classical, ambient, or electronic music. This music is both savage and beautiful. You won’t hear these tracks other places because we feature music that’s largely out-of-print. You may think you don’t like jazz – but you might think differently once you hear the selections on our site.

The website has been praised by The New Yorker, BBC Radio, Wired, The New York Times, and The Wire. We’re thrilled to transition from the virtual to the real and partner with the Salt Space for our Loft/Lab jazz concert series. Venues for live jazz in Manhattan have been steadily shrinking, so we're happy to buck that trend and offer more adventurous jazz in the city. Located in the old Tin Pan Alley district, the Salt Space is the ideal location for a jazz revival.

Destination: OUT’s Loft/Lab jazz series aims to recreate the feel and excitement of the great jazz lofts of the 1970s. It'll be a lab where adventurous musicians can try out new ideas, configurations, and compositions. It'll serve up live music without a net. We're keeping the prices low and only featuring our favorite acts. It'll be curated with the same hand-picked care as the site. We're proud to kick things off with a concert from saxophonist Joe Giardullo. He’s a formidable talent whose shows are legendary to those in the know. His music is also immediate and accessible enough to win over folks who know little about the genre. We hope you’ll take advantage of this rare opportunity to see Joe and get turned on to his music.

-Jeff Jackson and Jeff Golick, Destination: OUT

Through the Eyes of Hope Exhibition, Kigali, Rwanda

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:21:00 GMT

The Salt Space is excited about the upcoming exhibit featuring works from the Through the Eyes of Hope Project, opening on August 12.

Recently, Through the Eyes of Hope had the opportunity to open another show in Kigali, Rwanda on July 16th. The children from the project exhibited their photographs at Heaven Bar & Restaurant. The students participating in the project came from both the Muyuenzi and Kagugu School. Many visitors and friends came to show their support. It was a night of celebrating the photographers and their work as well as an opportunity to remember our dear beloved photography student Emile Iradunkunda who passed away last year.

Pictures from the exhibition in Kigali are below.

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Temperalia – Salt Stage Event

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:48:00 GMT

Written by Neil Brown

We're excited to announce our first Salt Stage event of the summer, Termperalia.

Join us for an evening of art and musical performance inspired by the loving energy of Tropicalia, the Brazilian art and music movement led by Caetano Velsos and Gilberto Gil in the 60s. Temperalia will celebrate our own hybrid urban existence through a genre-mixing, media-blending full sensory experience show. We have assembled musicians and artists from around the world who make New York their Home.

We have partnered with Yuko Torihara and Jesse Peterson, who have provided their talents to curate this event. Temperalia is Friday, June 24th at 7pm.

PERFORMANCES BY:

François Nnang
Mai Ueda with Pete Drungle + Brian Close
'Achieving The Good Life'
Davide Balula
Miho Hatori's New Optimism

ARTWORK BY:

Hanna Alvgren and Jose Vargas
Hisham Bharooch
Thomas Isaac
Evelyn Miles Keller
Yuko Torihara

Conversation as a Catalyst

Fri, 21 May 2010 20:16:00 GMT

Written by Neil Brown

As an Advisor to Monthly Design Review, it is a true pleasure to host the New York City "conversation" on the third Thursday of each month at the Salt Space.

Each month, I lock up the building around midnight and walk up Broadway to catch the subway home. Each month as I stroll through the greatest city I revel in the fact that I'm watching a new generation of creative, passionate individuals discuss how we can change our world. How we can impact our world. Positive impact.

Diverse backgrounds. Diverse skill sets. Diverse professions. We come together and wonder how we can work together. We wonder how we can influence. We discuss who we are. What drives us. Why we believe what we believe.

Each month I sit in awe as I listen to the hearts of 15 or 20 young, creative individuals passionately pursuing a life of worth. A life of impact.

We spend much time discussing why. Now I wonder how we will impact our world. Now I wonder what will we do.

Big City Storytime

Sat, 15 May 2010 18:40:00 GMT

Written by Leann Boyd

My older child prefers carrots to cookies. When given the choice, he picks carrots every time. This is to say nothing of my personal triumph as a parent or strong example of healthy eating habits. (I will usually pick the cookie—especially if it's oatmeal raisin.)

Ezra loves carrots because bunnies eat carrots and bunnies are cool. “Momma, I want to eat carrots like a bunny.” A few weeks ago at story time, the theme was bunnies. We read bunny books and sang bunny songs. We hopped like bunnies and made bunny ear headbands. We ate carrots. My son eats carrots because of what he learned and practiced and saw others practice at story time.

I am new to the stay-at-home mom deal. The contrast of a professional career against the demands of full-time parenting was startling at first. My children will not formally evaluate my performance at the end of each term. I feel the pressure of evaluating myself weekly, daily, hourly. Being at home with two people who need so much has drawn my attention to the beauty of living in community. I need to converse with adults. I need to give my children a safe platform to practice the social scripts we have rehearsed at home. I need to know that I am not the only one who has trouble or feels overjoyed by things that seems small to others.

Our family is not a self-contained unit. We need community. We have found a little bit of the community that is so vital to our family at Big City Story Time. Every first and third Friday, I pack up the boys and head to the SALT space to build relationships with other families. Story time has become an event to which we all look forward. At each story time, we read books centered around a theme. (Bunnies, ABC's, City Life, etc.) We sing songs, make a craft, and have a snack. But we also play and learn and teach and talk and love each other. We share stories and experiences that are shaping the people we are to become. Big City Story Time is meant to be a service to families—our own and those in our neighborhood. All caretakers of preschool children are invited to join us as we grow together every first and third Friday at 1160 Broadway, 5th floor from 10:30-11:30 A.M. Currently we have, on average, 7 families who participate. We look forward to meeting you and your family and sharing our lives and experiences with you.

Developing a Concert Series

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 03:21:00 GMT

Written by Neil Brown

When your knowledge of the music world stops with your iPod then you're probably not the right person to attempt to start a concert series. That's true even if you do have a venue readily available to you. However, I'm doing it anyway, but definitely not alone!

Reaching out to a few people, interest was easily sparked. It's not everyday someone receives a phone call with an offer of an open venue with stage, sound, lights and all. Thankfully, a few key individuals were and are up to the challenge. Welcome to the two founding members of Destination-Out. They have a large task ahead of them. Curating an ongoing, monthly jazz concert series in the heart of Manhattan at a loft space requires commitment.

Along the way, I have roped in a few trusted cohorts to aid in our endeavor of developing a concert series at the Salt Space, drawing from a variety of musical genres. One of our most immediate next steps is moving an upright piano from Roosevelt Island to the island of Manhattan. Through the subway! Who knew that $2 could buy you so much in New York City. We're so excited to receive our newly donated upright piano.

Over the next couple of months we will be solidifying our plans to officially launch the Salt Stage Concert Series. So, please stay tuned.

Guest Post – Why Does the Church Hate Art?

Sat, 15 May 2010 18:51:00 GMT

Written by Jonathan Rich

This is a serious question that I feel awkward even asking within the parameters of a one sided conversation spanning a few short paragraphs. However, in real life it seems I've been asking it about 4 or 5 times a week now for a month or two and so, to be consistent, it only seems natural to post it here. 1st let me try to establish some ideas about what art is and why the creative process matters, whether you consider yourself a creative (by hobby, trade, profession, etc.) or not. Then we'll try to have a conversation about the Church's approach or lack there of.

One of my best friends, Scott Erickson, is the only visual artist [painter] I know of in the world that has a full time job as a Pastor at his church. His job is, literally, to paint. A foreign concept to those of us churchgoers who grew up in modernity. But for students of History, it's easy to understand the principle that Ecclesia Church has adopted as a major value...Art Shapes Culture. For children of the industrial age this means that tv, movies, books & music create lifestyles, relationships, habits, and desires that we then adopt in an almost subconscious fashion. For history, that same methodology was calculated, but it used different variables including music (classical and mathematical), the visual arts, and the literary world (novels, poetry, short stories, and prose). There are a trillion examples to prove the principle. But one of my favorites has to do with American real estate. In the mid 1980's to mid 1990's America created, built, and moved to the suburbs. What Television shows were popular then? Family Ties, Mr. Belvedere, Growing Pains...all sitcoms about families living in the suburbs. In the mid to late 1990's America rediscovered it's love for urban living and the city. What shows were popular then? Seinfeld, Friends, Sex in the City, etc. Art shapes culture.

Now we could have a conversation about the validity of the art we consume in modernity and what's true art and what's manufactured art blah blah blah. No time for that...for the sake of this conversation we must assume that among the mess, true art and an honest approach to the creative process exists.

History tells us that in the Renaissance the Church really understood this idea that art is shaping culture. The church LOVED ART. In fact they believed in the creative process and it's importance in our lives SO MUCH that they gave a significant amount of time, energy, training, and money to make sure that they were making better art than everyone else. Think about the top five most influential and famous art pieces of all time. I bet atleast 2 of them were created by one guy...Michelangelo. I also bet that both of them ["David" the sculpture and "Adam" on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.] were payed for by...drumroll please.....the CHURCH! So I am wondering, OFTEN, what kind of art is the church paying for now?

If we can agree that art shapes culture and we can also agree that the Church should be in the business of doing the same...wouldn't it make sense to put creating, and sharing the created, at the top of our list of things to do?

From where I sit it seems like we don't really care much about art, if at all. We don't think about it, value it, pay for it, discuss it. The only thing even close to encouraging art that I can find happening currently in the American church, and it is happening ALOT, is we are sanctioning musicians to be really mediocre cover bands and sing each others songs. WE SPEND ALOT OF MONEY PAYING FOR CREATIVES TO SUFFOCATE THEIR CREATIVITY, PICK UP A NUETRAL COLORED CRAYON, AND COLOR INSIDE THE LINES. It's as if we flipped the call of Christ to be "IN the world, but not OF it." and we have decided to be "OF the world, but not IN it." We have got our own books, music, clothing, cartoons, television, radio, and movies. They all use language that we can understand and generate revenue validating our "OF"ness.

Derek Webb is very articulate on this subject and so I will end with a brilliant quote from a recent interview he did with the good people over at Mockingbird:

"As an artist, my job is to look at the world and tell you what I see. Every artist, regardless of their beliefs, has some way that they look at the world that helps them make sense of what they see. A grid through which they look at the world which makes order out of it. For me that’s following Jesus, for other artists it’s other things. It could be anything, but every artist has that grid. Most Christian art unfortunately is more focused on making art/writing songs about the grid itself. As opposed to writing songs about what you see when you look through the grid. I’m more interested in looking through the grid and telling you what I see."

Why does the church hate art? What's your answer?

"The job of the artist is to wake the viewer up." -Bo Bartlett

Monthly Design Review

Sat, 15 May 2010 18:53:00 GMT

Written by Neil Brown

Each issue of Monthly Design Review will examine different ways in which design can drive social change. For the first issue, we invited some friends to join us in sharing a personal turning point – a moment that changed our view of design.

Monthly Design Review is spearheaded by Tin-Ho Chow and Aaron Perry-Zucker of Big New Ideas LLC. This publication was started as an advisory program for Big New Ideas LLC to help steer the design studio towards engaging in meaningful, world-changing projects. In the process we had many conversations with designers, entrepreneurs, community organizers, non-profits, etc, about our shared understanding of design as a vehicle for social change and our various efforts trying to get others to understand this. Soon we realized that this conversation was important and should be made available to the public after it’s had a chance to be edited.

Every third Thursday of each month, the Salt Space hosts conversations facilitated by the management and/or advisory board of Monthly Design Review. These meetings are held across the country in various cities, including Providence, San Francisco, and New York, with the goal of developing a global community of designers and individuals focused on positive change for their own local communities.

So that’s Monthly Design Review: a monthly discussion concerning the design of businesses, campaigns, non-profits, social movements and ideas. We seek to create a broader understanding of how design is changing the world. Please join the conversation at the Salt Space.

Would you like another mimosa?

Sat, 15 May 2010 18:53:00 GMT

Written by Chris Mills

“Would you like another mimosa?” It was obvious my unexpected offer surprised her. Realizing her confusion I let her know, “You get two drinks with each brunch entrée so I was wondering if you wanted your second mimosa now.” She nods, and I now recognize that the look on her face has changed from confusion to inquisitiveness.

She asks me, “Where are you from?” I have heard this question many times before as each week I serve tables at a local neighborhood bar in Murray Hill. I begin to explain to her that I am from Nashville and that is why I have just a hint of a southern drawl in my voice. She laughs and begins to ask me more questions. These are the type of questions that always end up allowing me to share my story.

I recently moved here from Nashville, TN as a minister who has a heart for the people of New York City. I had visited NYC on several occasions before but it wasn’t until six months ago that I actually packed up my bags and made the move permanent. Since then I have begun serving in a local church, waiting tables in a neighborhood restaurant, and have recently began an outreach program to young adults in the Murray Hill, Chelsea, and surrounding neighborhoods. These activities have given me even a deeper passion and concern for people in the area that I have gotten to know. I have met people of all walks of life - artists, actors, shop owners, businessman, bartenders, and nannies. As I meet them and hear their stories it becomes even more apparent why God has placed me in New York City. He has given me a passion and need to help these people and at the same time meet their needs in a significant and intentional way that leads them to the Gospel.

I have recently partnered with the Salt Space and have found it to have a great vision for meeting the people that live in these surrounding neighborhoods. SALT is an art venue that seeks to provide for peoples needs in order to be able to give back to the community. It is faith-based in its nature as it works with the Gallery – a local church that meets at the Salt Space. I am really excited to see how my gifts of ministry and passion for the people in Murray Hill, Chelsea and the surrounding neighborhoods can come together in service with the Salt Space. It is my heart to meet the needs of the people within this community and the Salt Space provides me a great opportunity and venue to meet the people who comprise this community.

After sharing my story I then asked the woman why she was in New York City. She began to tell me that she moved here because she wanted to chase her dreams of becoming an accomplished jazz musician. After talking about jazz music for a bit I told her about the Salt Space. “You know I’m not just a server at a restaurant. I also work with an outreach center that is looking to provide different programs in the community. There have even been several who have suggested hosting jazz shows and I’m thinking you might be interested in possibly helping in that area?” She smiled and we swapped emails. As I was beginning to leave when she stopped me and said, “Thanks. This means a lot. I have been looking for something like this. And wow, here it is right in my own neighborhood.” She continued to smile and asked, “Can you also tell me more about the Salt Space.” I replied, “Sure, but let me first grab that mimosa for you!"

Rooftop Light Canopy

Sun, 16 May 2010 04:41:00 GMT

Light Canopy is an innovative structure designed specifically for the rooftop at the Salt Space by architecture students at Pratt Institute under the leadership of Mark Parsons of MCP Sculpture and Design, LLC and sponsored by Matt Sperry of Sperry Tents and Sails.

The Light Canopy's design includes “eyebrows” that allow the sunlight to peek through and produce an animated pattern on the floor of the roof! We were so thrilled to have this amazing structure temporarily installed on our roof. This was truly a rare opportunity in Manhattan, and we're proud to have been able to participate.

A Social Experiment on Community

Sat, 15 May 2010 18:59:00 GMT

Written by Grace Hwang

As the Salt Space continues to define its identity as a contemporary community art space, we solicited drawings and photographs from the streets and squares of New York for a ‘community exhibition’. An initial 349 drawings and 293 photographs were collected from this unusual call for proposals asking different communities in NYC for their participation and response to the question:

"What would you draw if you had one second for every year you’ve been alive?"

Modified granny carts-turned-art carts loaded with luscious Rives printmaking paper, charcoal pencils, stopwatches, and a can of fixative galavanted about Central Park, Washington Square, Tompkins Square, (and 4 other locations) with speakers blaring a playlist to provoke curiosity if not downright disarm NY-ers from their 9 to 5 workday. Asking people to sketch one second for the amount of years they’ve been alive was inspired by an idea Noah Ramey had as he turned 12 this year and calls it, appropriately: The 12-Second Sketch.

The second part of the experiment was a photo project, the mission: "Find and photograph “purity in the city.”

‘Purity in the City’ was initially a personal photo project of Neil Brown‘s that he graciously let us appropriate on a larger scale, that involved taking 25 white balloons from Riverside Park to The Highline to Coney Island.

The installation was collaboratively designed and built in three days by a team of volunteers, incorporating a hanging system of twine weighted by water balloons. Viewers are encouraged to become participants by arranging images or contributing responses of their own. Together we are organizing and defining communities as temporal, fluid, dynamic, interconnected; based on but not limited to demographics, experiences, memories, needs.