“Alchemy” by Jeannie Motherwell

By Sanjeev Selvarajah 

It was a partnership built on premeditated actions, effortlessly begetting artistry; what Brickbottom Gallery bore, respecting the tradition of Open Studies, Joy St.’s doors blasted out – its own inclusive campaign – to change the way the community of Somerville viewed the Arts and Crafts, current and yore!

But the lead lies, because the event was equipped to the core with direction: Shuji Sato over Brickbottom, several in between, and a delightful artist who the remaining members passed the baton to, to tackle the committee seat and work with her own trade at Joy St and company; because of a personal matter the Director Rebecca Scott had to leave the country. So, late in November, the weekend before Thanksgiving, both Houses of Aesthetics displayed their collective artists who walked about as their pieces and parts, stood still, naked and open to see, hear, and feel – Somerville, Greater Boston, and a broad – come one, come all!

“Relationship” in media products is vital because the message more and more these days is deposited to the public as a marriage of the minds – what we often see are gatekeepers made up of one two three, or greater. The joint effort may seem like a turbulent terror, numbing those ears to the ground. But that train, that locomotive won’t tip, won’t topple – this time around – thanks to the relaying between Brickbottom’s Director Shuji Sato, and the stewardship of Rebecca, Director, and Jeannie, artist and surrogate who sits serenely in a vacant seat in the Open Studios, Joy Street Committee; the other members she shared the duty of Joy St.’s board with Rebecca Scott, Kimberly Huestis, and KB Breiseth, all four have experienced the demanding ‘art of explaining art’, to novices and rabble rousers.

“Explosion No 3” by Aret Gicir.

Shuji Sato is not just an administrator of Brickbottom’s Open Studios, he has been retaining an apt understanding of what it takes to show, and rarely tell. He’s on a mission not only to raise a family with his wife and partner: photographer Jamie Cascio, but also to generate word of mouth, that two seemingly competing galleries can join together to cry foul, evading conformity and its inherent boredom, as artists know how.

“When our son was born in October, my wife and I received a tremendous amount of support and love from the entire community. It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, and Brickbottom is our village. The same goes with Open Studios. It is the entire village that rises to the occasion and comes together to make the event happen. I played a role as Director of the event, but our whole community is responsible for the success of the fun-filled weekend,” illustrates Sato.

“I take a comprehensive and inclusive approach in general, so I usually like to push forward the whole of Brickbottom. I hope you don’t mind that I do that,” he adds.

Meanwhile, by the way: as if two, sons of Joy St.’s Muse Motherwell, Aret Gicir and Mark J. Stock stand to represent vastly different mediums: Gicir and his paint, Stock and his computer program(s).

When the latter divulged a manifesto of disgust for commercialism and the conformity; basically, he’s rebelling against any assimilation to orthodox schools of art. As Mark put it, beguiling clichés, and embracing the counterculture won’t do (he has adoration for the Japanese Anime Akira: the only singularity he stands by, adorning only that pop reference and decrying even playing a tune, to whistle as he works; there’s no reason to scream, ‘turn that music down!’ because this Joy St. craftsman won’t play any, in his workspace).

Gasp! spurts “Triple Fluid Collision,” his cylindrical, but bent gasket–and there goes “Chaotic Escape,” a second work – a result of the ol’ big bang – and what do you have then but a colorful, lively “CF!!,” a splash of the psychedelic; the altered state; a splash of liquid, intelligent design. This is indeed one spawning many, individual pieces begetting sequential framing, in affect … motion pictures.

“Isn’t it wonderful how novel technologies can blur the lines between fluid and structure, between ephemera and concrete object? Much of my earlier work explored this

“Harbinger” Jeannie Motherwell

dichotomy: that in order to numerically simulate ephemeral media (air, smoke, liquid) one needs to attach a (computational) structure to it, rendering it temporarily “solid” and thus amenable to computation,” offers Mark.

“Although the larger art movement is “New Media”, these works can best be described as “generative art” or “algorithmic art”. In generative art, the artist carefully uses chaos and randomness to develop the work, the final outcome of which is often not known until the system manifests. In a way, the art is “grown” from a simpler substrate. In “Algorithmic art”, the artist describes a process which another machine (or person) will manifest into a work. In both forms, process is critically important, and constitutes the primary concept,” explains Mark.

Aret Gicir, a worthy counterpart to graphic design and the computer programs that love it, makes motion too with form, tone, and color, even though his objects sit, as still as – yup, you guessed it–a statue; one wonders what his efforts with sculpture might achieve given he bends the contours and crevices like a behemoth, and doesn’t scream, instead boiling and simmering.  Gazing on his works, ‘Explosion’ and “Seated Man” comes with the shakes!

“In addition to your point on silence, I could add that my work also pushes against that silence, whether imposed or self-inflicted. In that regard, the adjectives you use, humming and alive, are right on point, ” adds Aret about the impressions “Portrait of Young Arshile Gorky” cries out plainly to any viewer with a set of eyes.

“Egads,” cries the Gnome, or Troll, heart beating fast having been pierced by Motherwell’s Spear of Destiny, christened at the crucifixion–like lit trees; Hanukkah menorahs; or Kwanzaas soulful sumptuous meals – here’s Holiday Cheer, thanks to Joy St.!

But it’s blistering cold out there; why visit the gallery? So then comes the backhand, and you wake up to Jeannie’s own creativity, works like “Alchemy” and “Harbinger” Colors over forms of geo-shifts and Earth’s blood, crashing and flooding, splashing on the shores of the Seven Seas ever ceaselessly evolving colors amidst–yet warmth exists, and humanity subsists, giving chemical pleasure seekers a reason to quit–given even her “Alchemy” belies a Rorschach, spiraling Dragon and even “Harbinger,” clouds atop, like the serpent-beast of “Alchemy,” there are three elephants, the middle one tusked ready to ram you off that wagon.

So, talk with her, and just like her piece “Jazz,” sun shining, beating the drummer boy who won’t leave his Big Band womb. “Cry havok! Cry havok!” laugh Jeannie’s pride and joy, two bright boys; one named Stock, the other Gicir. Thanks to the Doctor, out comes the newborn… WTF!? Who!? Congratulations go to Shuji Sato, Director of Brickbottom’s Open Studios for a new member to his growing Clan. Happy Holidays as the two teams bid adieu.

“Seated Man” by Aret Gicir.

“CF11_1179” by Mark J. Stock.

“ChaoticEscape” by Mark J. Stock.

“tfc_1of50_0360” by Mark J. Stock.

“Study for portrait of Young Arshile Gorky No 3” by Aret Gicir.