We’re not ready to announce this event in full, but it’s going to be our big year-end celebration (12/21 will be PhilaMOCA’s final event of 2012).  PhilaMOCA is handling the talent, the Center for Media and Destiny the scholarly aspects/art curation.  Read on…

IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD (AGAIN!)
An art show of apocalyptic proportions.
Opening Wednesday, December 19, 6:00 PM

Yes, it’s that time. It’s coming on December 21, 2012. It’s the end of the world, yet again! Is there a better place to await our demise than in a mausoleum, albeit one retrofitted as a gallery space for exploring the apocalypse in art, movies, and multimedia presentations?  You don’t need a Mayan calendar to imagine the end of the world, for apocalyptic scenarios have long been popular, from the myth of Plato’s Atlantis to movies like MELANCHOLIA.  This three-night event will explore why there are so many apocalyptic scenarios in the new millennium.  The art and presentations will provide mind-expanding ideas and apocalyptic fun as we explore the end of the world: why humans are so fascinated with doomsday and what it means, if anything.

The opening art reception of this three-night symposium will be held on Wednesday, December 19 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM.  The reception will be followed by a multimedia presentation on apocalyptic sci-fi and the evening will climax with a screening of the original THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL accompanied by a live theremin score by Mano Divina.

Submissions:  We are seeking apocalypse/end of the world-themed submissions from artists of all disciplines. To ensure a variety of art for the exhibition, preference will be given to submissions that focus on one of the twelve apocalyptic themes listed below.  Think of it as “12 Apocalypses for 2012.”

Continue reading “CALL FOR APOCALYPTIC/END OF THE WORLD-THEMED ART”

Popular local music blog The Swollen Fox will wear the curator hat for October’s PhilaMOCA-based Tuesday Tune-Out series.

October’s lineup, all films are TBA:

October 2 : August John Lutz II (Levee Drivers)
October 9 : Ron Gallo (Toy Soldiers) & Thom McCarthy
October 16 : DRGN KING
October 23 : The Lawsuits
October 30 : The Bailey Hounds [expect an over-the-top Halloween-themed evening]

Doors at 7:30, Musician at 8:00, Movie at 9:00, $5 donation

Tuesday Tune-Out is a weekly night of music and movies in which a rotating lineup of curators choose a month’s worth of bands, the bands in turn choose movies to screen.

The guest curator for November will be Jump: The Philly Music Project.

The Institute Bar, with assistance from their neighbors at PhilaMOCA, announce a free street-wide celebration that will take place on Saturday, September 22 from 12 – 8 PM.

Remember when the Mad Decent Block Party was held right outside of what is now PhilaMOCA?  Well, the fine folks at The Institute Bar have decided to bring it back in a new, family-friendly, arts-centric form.

Bands will be stationed on the south side of the block in front of PhilaMOCA, DJs will be on the opposite end of the block in front of The Institute.  The sidewalk will be lined with food and drink vendors as well as local arts and crafts vendors.

Bands scheduled to appear:
S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D.
Thom McCarthy
Post Sun Times (ex-Cranes Are Flying)
The Love Club
SKGB
TACO (local one-man mariachi)
+ others TBA

DJs scheduled to appear:
Lara
Lady Prowl
Achievement

http://www.institutebar.com
https://www.philamoca.org

Announcing the PhilaMOCA SPARKStacular, a one-night celebration of the music and career of Ron and Russell Mael aka Sparks.

Sparks’ career spans 41 years, 22 albums, and a half dozen genres…and they haven’t slowed down yet.  While the brothers Mael are spending their autumn touring Europe, PhilaMOCA curator Eric Bresler has decided to hold a public tribute to his favorite band, an opinion that is apparently shared by many…

The SPARKStacular will open with an art show/memorabilia reception, which will include everything from vintage T-shirts to rare photographs, stained glass portraits to a diorama of their classic appearance on Saturday Night Live.  Artwork is being shipped in from as far as Russia.

The reception will be followed by the premiere of VIDEO PIRATES: SPARKS, a one-hour career-spanning video comprised of rare live and television appearances from throughout the Maels’ career [Video Pirates is the VHS found footage project of PhilaMOCA Director Eric Bresler].

And then, the night’s main attraction, a host of musical performers from throughout the East Coast will take turns gracing the PhilaMOCA stage to perform unique cover versions of their favorite Sparks tunes.  The still-growing lineup will include:

Lushlife
Shawn Kilroy’s Weird Hot
Tom Persinos, an accordion player from Boston (video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bpZq2tOufo
Christen Hooks (Disco Machine Gun) and her string quartet
+ lots more, from experimental musicians to traditional singer-songwriters

The event will also be filmed for inclusion in Never Turn Your Back On Sparks, an Israeli-produced, feature-length documentary on Sparks fans that is currently two years in the making.

And if all that’s not enough, due to popular worldwide demand, PhilaMOCA will be live streaming the event on philamoca.org for the enjoyment of Sparks fans the world over.

In a fashion typical of both Sparks and PhilaMOCA, the SPARKStacular promises to be a gloriously strange and beautifully over the top event for both the diehard fan and the clueless uninitiated.

Doors at 7:00 PM, Entertainment at 8:30 PM; $10 donation

Free refreshments courtesy of Narragansett Beer Co.

Remember when the Mad Decent Block Party was held on our very stoop?  Well, the fine folks at The Institute feel that the time has come to bring it back.  Thus on Saturday, September 22, the street will be closed for a free public block party featuring bands, DJs, food and drink.  We’re hoping to pack the street with attractions so consider this an open call for artists/craftspeople to bring a table and set up on the sidewalk.  Interested vendors should e-mail Charlie Collazo to reserve their spot: charlie@institutebar.com

Not-So-Silent Cinema bring their original live score for F.W. Murnau’s NOSFERATU to PhilaMOCA this Halloween season.

“Is that your wife? What a lovely neck!” – Count Orlok, the vampire

Who could get away with such an awkward line?  Only Count Orlok, the world’s first and creepiest cinematic vampire.  Max Shreck’s portrayal of this arch-vampire in the 1922 silent-film Nosferatu has achieved the status of legend.  In October of 2012, for your listening pleasure as you travel into the ethereal Transylvanian mountains, you can experience the full horror of the film with a live quintet of Klezmorim as they blend a haunting tapestry of Klezmer motifs, Gypsy grooves, avant-garde textures, and classic horror effects.

Former Philly-based composer Brendan Cooney (West Philadelphia Orchestra, Rhinoceri Trio) has written an original score for the film to be performed live by a quintet of some of the finest musicians from the Klezmer, Balkan, jazz, tango, and classical scenes of both the Boston and Philadelphia areas.

There will be three complete screenings/performances at PhilaMOCA:

Friday, October 19, Doors at 7pm, Show at 7:30pm
Friday, October 19, Doors at 9:15pm, Show at 9:45pm
Sunday, October 21, Doors at 3:30pm, Show at 4:00pm

Advance tickets (available here) are $10; $12 at the door.

Presented by Cinedelphia.com.

On Sunday, September 30, Cinedelphia.com presents a screening of Michel Gondry’s ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND with a live score performed by the Bethlehem, PA-based duo XVSK.  The event will be held at the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art.

About XVSK:
Working with the shorthand moniker XVSK, cellist Trevor Exter and percussionist John Kimock have a unique chemistry as musicians, wringing the depth of drums and cello.  The music skirts the edges of indie rock, Americana, roots rock and improvisation that verges on jazziness. At once modern and tribal, melodic and in the groove, the rhythm section of the drums and bottom of the cello creates a foundation for Exter to weave melody and harmony– created with an occasional loop– from the high end of the cello and then solo with pizzicato and bowed solos.  The surprising range of sounds created by these two artists fleshes out the lyrics and reassures the listener that this is a song based duo, not just another experimental combo exploring the depths of left field and spaciness.  Thanks to Kimock’s creative, artistic drumming, the songs take on a life of their own, propelling the artists and their audience into the next mood or texture of the piece and giving the listener the impression of a full band.  The overall effect is somewhat reminiscent of Morphine or maybe The Black Keys, circa 2007, and it “…makes you feel like you found something you didn’t even know you were missing.
— BreakThruRadio.com

Sunday, September 30 @ PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12^th Street
Doors at 7:00, Film at 7:30, $10, advance tickets available here.

On Friday, September 28, Cinedelphia.com presents An Evening with Jeff Krulik at the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art.  Washington, D.C.-based filmmaker Jeff Krulik and his frequent collaborator John Heyn will be in attendance to narrate this cinematic retrospective.

The phenomenon that is 1986’s HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT, Krulik and Heyn’s portrait of Judas Priest concertgoers in the mid-80s, has spawned several thematic sequels (NEIL DIAMOND PARKING LOT, HARRY POTTER PARKING LOT, the Trio-based PARKING LOT television series) and follow ups (HEAVY METAL BASEMENT, HEAVY METAL PICNIC), but Krulik’s impressive filmography of short documentaries extends well beyond this subject matter.  Krulik has traveled in an R.V. with Ernest Borgnine (ERNEST BORGNINE ON THE BUS), toured D.C. with wrestling superstar “Classy” Freddy Blassie (MR. BLASSIE GOES TO WASHINGTON), and visited the home of the self-proclaimed KING OF PORN.  Krulik’s work has been honored at a variety of prestigious venues including the AFI and L.A.’s Cinefamily; his work has previously been screened locally at the International House and Trocadero Threatre where HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT was notoriously booed off the screen (footage of which will be shown during the PhilaMOCA program).

The PhilaMOCA program will contain both beloved and little seen works from Krulik’s filmography, everything from the short films that inspired him to footage from his time running a public access television station to unaired episodes of PARKING LOT.  Krulik and Hein will introduce each segment and provide behind-the-scenes commentary on their many unusual journeys.

Friday, September 28 @ PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12^th Street
Doors at 7:30, Show at 8:00, $8

PhilaMOCA hosts a screening of CHICKENHAWK with director Adi Sideman in attendance plus additional thematically appropriate short films.

On Friday, September 21, Cinedelphia.com and Film Threat present a screening of the notorious 1994 NAMBLA documentary CHICKENHAWK – MEN WHO LOVE BOYS with director Adi Sideman in attendance. The screening will be followed by a selection of thematically appropriate short films (all Philadelphia Premieres) curated by the evening’s host, local filmmaker Matt Garrett.

CHICKENHAWK premiered at the first annual New York Underground Film Festival (co-founded by director Todd Phillips) in 1994 and was quickly banned in several cities nationwide. The film follows several members of the North American Man/Boy Love Association as they defend their interests and campaign to be accepted by a greater cultural movement; NAMBLA supporter Allen Ginsberg briefly appears. CHICKENHAWK’s only home video release was on VHS back in the late 90s courtesy of event co-sponsor Film Threat. Since its controversial release, the film has gone on to screen for psychology, sociology, and criminology departments throughout the country and has also been screened for the FBI.

“CHICKENHAWK takes an unflinching and uncomfortable look at a subject most of us would rather not contemplate,” says Film Threat owner Mark Bell. “It’s a disturbing and significant documentary film, one that has been used to inform and educate in ways only the most daring of documentaries can.”

“The short films featured in this program offer decidedly different takes on some of the themes presented in Adi Sideman’s CHICKENHAWK,” says the evening’s host/shorts curator Matt Garrett. “What’s always interested me about CHICKENHAWK, and other films that broach similar territory, is they often offer shades of grey to a seemingly black & white issue, a personal favorite in this regard is Todd Field’s LITTLE CHILDREN. Make no mistake, the shorts included are graphic, upsetting and very confrontational, but not without an undeniable sense of artistry and purpose.

Shorts include:
TO MY MOTHER AND FATHER
9 minutes/2010
Writer/Director: Can Evrenol
Upon finding an ominous mask, a young boy hides in his parents’ bedroom closet with the intent of giving them a good old-fashioned scare. What he sees and the horrors that follow have had festival audiences across the globe squirming in their seats.

ELECTRIC FENCE
19 minutes/2008
Writer/Director: Matt O’Mahoney
Following a mishap involving an epileptic prostitute, a quiet and well-meaning man awakens from an experimental surgery with horrifying new sexual urges.

More short selections to be announced in the coming weeks.

Doors at 7:30, Film at 8:00, $7

PhilaMOCA to host SPARKSTACULAR: A Celebration of Sparks

(Philadelphia, PA) July 30, 2012 – On Saturday, October 6, the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art will host an evening entirely dedicated to the music and career of brothers Ron and Russell Mael, better known as Sparks.

It’s common knowledge that PhilaMOCA Director/Curator Eric Bresler is an obsessive Sparks fan who travels around the world without a second thought to see his favorite band perform live, from London to Los Angeles, Stockholm to Tokyo.  The likeminded aren’t legion by any means, but a Sparks fan is a faithful fan be their interest limited to the early days, the electronic years, or their current experiments in operatic repetition.

The Sparkstacular will occur on Saturday, October 6 and will feature a Sparks-themed art show/memorabilia reception followed by live performances of Sparks songs from local musicians and a screening of rare Sparks performance footage and television appearances presented by Video Pirates.

PhilaMOCA is instituting a CALL FOR ART:  Seeking Sparks-related work from artists that either depicts the brothers Mael or was inspired by their work.  Submissions are due by Friday, September 22.  Submission fee per artwork is $25, no commission will be taken from sales.

PhilaMOCA is also instituting a CALL FOR MUSICIANS:  Local musicians with an admiration for the music of Sparks are encouraged to reach out and reserve their spot in the parade of live Sparks covers.  Deadline for application is Friday, September 22.

“I know they’re a niche band,” admits Bresler to himself.  “And I won’t be surprised if the turnout is just me and a few musicians.  Honestly, this is the most excited I’ve been about an event since I took over PhilaMOCA six months ago.”

So artists and musicians:  reach out!  Come play a part in celebrating one of the greatest American rock bands of all time.  Time is short, beat the clock!

Contact:
Eric Bresler
ericbresler@philamoca.org