Urban Art: Surviving the White Wash

I realize it's been a while... but this weekend I had some great encounters with great urban art around Boston.  So... here are a few...

 

 

Chorus Gallery | When Art and Bicycles Come Together...

I have recently acquired a new addiction: biking.  It's not about style or going green.  I fully admit that it came as the final solution for my final problem: boredom.  Being a recent graduate and "funemployed" all of a sudden was not that fun. My bicycle not only became a distraction in itself, it also led me to find new and bigger escapades.  Now I openly pledge my love for the two-wheeled vehicle.


Of course, when I heard Open Bicycles had reopened its doors in Somerville, I was lured to visit the store.  What came in as a true surprise was to see that the store had a gallery as part of its complex, the Chorus Gallery.  


It is a rather small exhibition space, much too small for my taste.  But it's never been about quantity, its about quality, right?  Upon navigating the interwebs and doing a little research, I noticed this gallery dedicates its space to eclectic, contemporary art.  Its artists have a clear design-related background and tend to focus on the city.  Broad enough?  Well, by "the city" I mean it has an urban feeling - the themes, the subject matter, the colors, or just the vibrancy of the metropolis present in the style.


The current exhibition Momentum is dedicated to Matt W. Moore known for his vektorfunk psychodelia.  Appropriately enough, Moore transfered his kaleidoscopic geometry to four bike frames, which accompanied his canvases.  I must admit I am an not a fervent follower of his style, but there is something about this exhibition that happened to attract me... a lot.  The canvases were static but there was an undeniable sense of movement in them.  An orderly chaos.


So by the time I parted, I was stuck with these rather interesting visuals.  On my ride back I couldn't help but think how dull some bike frames appeared to me... they needed some color, some vektorfunk in their lifes.

OPEN BICYCLE

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Camera Obscura... Nothing Could Harshen This Mellow

It seems summer in Boston is coming to its end and, even though it got here pretty late, I think its legit to say we were blessed with great shows this season.

In a mild attempt to catch up with the many happenings of this short hot summer, i'll start with Camera Obscura.

Boston received the Scottish band on June 25th.  The setting was quite appropriate: good old Somerville Theater at the center of Davis Square.  This venue complemented the band's music with its small stage and vintage interiors, giving off a quasi-nostalgic vibe.

The band covered many of their fans favs including, "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken", "Swans" and "If Looks Could Kill", although "French Navy" was perhaps the highlight of the night, as it broke the ice and brought the crowds to a dancing frenzy.

My personal favorite? "Razzle Dazzle Rose".  I was especially delighted to listen to the final orchestral bridge - no gimmicks, just them.  Pure bliss...

Tracyanne's voice was sweet and delicate and always in tune... The title of their latest album, My Maudlin Career, seems to describe the after taste of their show pretty accurately. It's hard to translate this experience into words, but I'd say I left the theater overemotional, feeling gleeful and slightly light-headed, like a broken hearted 15-year old girl, but ever so in love with love.

Please, don't miss this Glasgow band live, should you get the chance...

CAMERA OBSCURA

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