Sunday, August 31, 2008
THE COLISEUM
Address:
2923 Streetsboro Road
Richfield, OH 44286
(216) 659-9100
Capacity (basketball): 20,273
Capacity (hockey): 19,756
Former Tenants:
Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA): 1974-1994
Cleveland Crusaders (WHA): 1974-1976
Cleveland Barons (NHL): 1976-1978
Cleveland Force (MISL): 1978-1992
Cleveland Lumberjacks (IHL): 1992-1994
Cleveland Crunch (MSL): 1992-1994
Cleveland Thunderbolts (AFL): 1992-1993
Built in 1973 at a cost of $36 million, the palatial Coliseum in Richfield, OH stood in the center of Northeastern Ohio’s population. Over 6,000,000 people live less than an hour’s drive from the site. The building was situated on a parcel of land which exceeded 100 acres in size. The structure itself required 8 acres of land, while the remaining land was used for landscaping and parking lots.
The Coliseum opened to a Frank Sinatra concert on October 26, 1974, and throughout it’s existence was a highly regarded concert venue and a sought-after stop for major concert tours ranging from the Led Zeppelin to Whitney Houston.
In addition to concerts, of course, the Richfield Coliseum hosted many of Cleveland’s professional sports teams during its 25-year life. The National Basketball Association’s Cleveland Cavaliers and the World Hockey Association’s Cleveland Crusaders both moved from the downtown Cleveland Arena to the Coliseum, beginning with the 1974-75 season.
The Cavaliers prospered from their new home, while the Crusaders did not.
1976, often called the Miracle of Richfield season by Cavalier fans, saw a surprising Cleveland squad make the NBA playoffs for the first time, move to the second round, and sell out all seven home games in the process. It was about at this point that the Cavs firmly established themselves as the Coliseum’s #1 drawing card.
Dwindling attendance at the Coliseum and the arrival of the National Hockey League in 1976 forced the Crusaders to relocate to the Twin Cities, where they folded during the 1976-77 season.
Cleveland’s second attempt at major league hockey came when the NHL’s California Golden Seals were moved to the Coliseum for the 1976-77 season. They were renamed the Cleveland Barons in an effort to rekindle memories of a successful minor league team that operated under the same name from 1937-1972. However the financial problems that bit the Crusaders towards the end of their run also did in the Barons. After only two seasons, the Barons merged with the Minnesota North Stars. This merger left the Coliseum without a major league hockey team for the next fourteen years.
The NBA was the Coliseum’s only major draw throughout the 80’s, although concerts, the circus, and a successful indoor soccer team called the Cleveland Force also brought revenue to the building. Brothers George and Gordon Gund purchased controlling interest in the Coliseum in 1981; they would purchase the Cavaliers two years later.
Throughout the early 90’s, the Richfield Coliseum was a hotbed of activity. The Cavaliers continued to play there through the 1993-94 season before moving to the new Gund Arena in downtown Cleveland. Professional hockey finally returned to the Coliseum when the International Hockey League’s Lumberjacks moved from Muskegon for the 1992-93 season. They would play two seasons in Richfield before moving to Gund Arena. The Force folded in 1992, only to be replaced by the Cleveland Crunch who also played two seasons in the Coliseum before moving downtown to the Cleveland State University Convocation Center. The Coliseum also saw the brief existence of the Cleveland Thunderbolts, an Arena Football league team.
After former Who frontman Roger Daltrey held a concert in the Coliseum on September 1, 1994, the Richfield Coliseum closed its doors for good.
Over the next five years, the Coliseum laid dormant in it’s location just off of I-271. During most of this time, its fate was uncertain. Popular rumors included conversion of the building into a prison or possibly a shopping mall.
Finally, on January 6, 1999, a sales agreement was reached between the Gunds, the National Park Service, and the Trust for Public Land. The Gunds sold the Coliseum and it’s surrounding facilities for $10 million, and agreed to pay for the demolition of the once-majestic Richfield Coliseum. The land, once the building is razed, was slated to become a part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, which had previously been adjacent with the Coliseum property.
2923 Streetsboro Road
Richfield, OH 44286
(216) 659-9100
Capacity (basketball): 20,273
Capacity (hockey): 19,756
Former Tenants:
Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA): 1974-1994
Cleveland Crusaders (WHA): 1974-1976
Cleveland Barons (NHL): 1976-1978
Cleveland Force (MISL): 1978-1992
Cleveland Lumberjacks (IHL): 1992-1994
Cleveland Crunch (MSL): 1992-1994
Cleveland Thunderbolts (AFL): 1992-1993
Built in 1973 at a cost of $36 million, the palatial Coliseum in Richfield, OH stood in the center of Northeastern Ohio’s population. Over 6,000,000 people live less than an hour’s drive from the site. The building was situated on a parcel of land which exceeded 100 acres in size. The structure itself required 8 acres of land, while the remaining land was used for landscaping and parking lots.
The Coliseum opened to a Frank Sinatra concert on October 26, 1974, and throughout it’s existence was a highly regarded concert venue and a sought-after stop for major concert tours ranging from the Led Zeppelin to Whitney Houston.
In addition to concerts, of course, the Richfield Coliseum hosted many of Cleveland’s professional sports teams during its 25-year life. The National Basketball Association’s Cleveland Cavaliers and the World Hockey Association’s Cleveland Crusaders both moved from the downtown Cleveland Arena to the Coliseum, beginning with the 1974-75 season.
The Cavaliers prospered from their new home, while the Crusaders did not.
1976, often called the Miracle of Richfield season by Cavalier fans, saw a surprising Cleveland squad make the NBA playoffs for the first time, move to the second round, and sell out all seven home games in the process. It was about at this point that the Cavs firmly established themselves as the Coliseum’s #1 drawing card.
Dwindling attendance at the Coliseum and the arrival of the National Hockey League in 1976 forced the Crusaders to relocate to the Twin Cities, where they folded during the 1976-77 season.
Cleveland’s second attempt at major league hockey came when the NHL’s California Golden Seals were moved to the Coliseum for the 1976-77 season. They were renamed the Cleveland Barons in an effort to rekindle memories of a successful minor league team that operated under the same name from 1937-1972. However the financial problems that bit the Crusaders towards the end of their run also did in the Barons. After only two seasons, the Barons merged with the Minnesota North Stars. This merger left the Coliseum without a major league hockey team for the next fourteen years.
The NBA was the Coliseum’s only major draw throughout the 80’s, although concerts, the circus, and a successful indoor soccer team called the Cleveland Force also brought revenue to the building. Brothers George and Gordon Gund purchased controlling interest in the Coliseum in 1981; they would purchase the Cavaliers two years later.
Throughout the early 90’s, the Richfield Coliseum was a hotbed of activity. The Cavaliers continued to play there through the 1993-94 season before moving to the new Gund Arena in downtown Cleveland. Professional hockey finally returned to the Coliseum when the International Hockey League’s Lumberjacks moved from Muskegon for the 1992-93 season. They would play two seasons in Richfield before moving to Gund Arena. The Force folded in 1992, only to be replaced by the Cleveland Crunch who also played two seasons in the Coliseum before moving downtown to the Cleveland State University Convocation Center. The Coliseum also saw the brief existence of the Cleveland Thunderbolts, an Arena Football league team.
After former Who frontman Roger Daltrey held a concert in the Coliseum on September 1, 1994, the Richfield Coliseum closed its doors for good.
Over the next five years, the Coliseum laid dormant in it’s location just off of I-271. During most of this time, its fate was uncertain. Popular rumors included conversion of the building into a prison or possibly a shopping mall.
Finally, on January 6, 1999, a sales agreement was reached between the Gunds, the National Park Service, and the Trust for Public Land. The Gunds sold the Coliseum and it’s surrounding facilities for $10 million, and agreed to pay for the demolition of the once-majestic Richfield Coliseum. The land, once the building is razed, was slated to become a part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, which had previously been adjacent with the Coliseum property.
10 cent beer night
FROM WIKIPEDIA - 10 CENT BEER NIGHT
Ten Cent Beer Night was an ill-fated promotion held by the American League's Cleveland Indians during a game against the Texas Rangers at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on June 4, 1974.
The idea behind the promotion was to offer as many eight-ounce (237 mL) cups of Stroh's beer as the fans could drink for just 10¢ apiece, thus increasing ticket sales. Ultimately, the game was forfeited to Texas on the orders of home plate umpire Nestor Chylak because of the crowd's uncontrollable rowdiness, and because the game could not be resumed in a timely manner.
The game had a special significance for both teams, as there had been a bench-clearing brawl in a Rangers/Indians game one week earlier at Arlington Stadium in Texas, during a "cheap beer night" there.[1]
In Texas, the trouble had started in the bottom of the fourth inning with a walk to the Rangers' Tom Grieve, followed by a Lenny Randle single. The next batter hit a double play ball to Indians third baseman John Lowenstein; he stepped on the third base bag to retire Grieve and threw the ball to second base, but Randle disrupted the play with a hard slide into second baseman Jack Brohamer.
The Indians retaliated in the bottom of the eighth when pitcher Milt Wilcox threw behind Randle's head. Randle eventually laid down a bunt. When Wilcox attempted to field it and tag Randle out, Randle hit him with a forearm. Indians first baseman John Ellis responded by punching Randle, and both benches emptied for a brawl. During the melee, the intoxicated crowd became rowdy and threw beer on the Indians' players.
Six days later, the Ten Cent Beer Night promotion induced 25,134 fans to come to Municipal Stadium for the Rangers/Indians game. The past season's average attendance had been 8,000.
[edit]The game
Early in the game, the Rangers took a 5-1 lead. Meanwhile, throughout the contest, the crowd in attendance continually misbehaved. A woman ran out to the Indians' on-deck circle and flashed her breasts, and a naked man sprinted to second base as Grieve hit his second home run of the game. A father and son pair ran onto the outfield and mooned the fans in the bleachers one inning later.[2] The ugliness escalated when Cleveland's Leron Lee hit a line drive into the stomach of Rangers pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, after which Jenkins dropped to the ground. The fans in the upper deck of Municipal Stadium cheered, then chanted "Hit 'em again! Hit 'em again! Harder! Harder!"
As the game progressed and the crowd became more inebriated, more fans ran onto the field and caused problems. Ranger Mike Hargrove (who would manage the Indians and lead them to the World Series 21 years later) was pelted with hot dogs and spit, and at one point was nearly struck with an empty gallon jug of Thunderbird.
The Rangers later argued a call in which Lee was called safe in a close play at third base, spiking Jenkins with his cleats in the process and forcing him to leave the game. The Rangers' angry response to this call enraged Cleveland fans, who again began throwing objects onto the field.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Indians managed to rally and tie the game at five runs apiece, but with a crowd that had been consuming as much alcohol as it could for nine innings, the situation finally boiled over.
[edit]The riot
In the ninth inning, a fan attempted to steal Texas outfielder Jeff Burroughs' cap. Confronting the fan, Burroughs tripped, and Texas manager Billy Martin (thinking that Burroughs had been attacked) charged onto the field, his players right behind, some wielding bats.[3] A large number of intoxicated fans – some armed with knives, chains, and portions of stadium seats that they had torn apart – surged onto the field, and others hurled bottles from the stands. Realizing that the Rangers' lives might be in danger, Ken Aspromonte, the Indians' manager, ordered his players to grab bats and help the Rangers. Rioters began throwing steel folding chairs, and Cleveland relief pitcher Tom Hilgendorf was hit in the head by one of them. Hargrove, involved in a fistfight with a rioter, had to fight another on his way back to the Texas dugout.
Among the Indians players suddenly running for his life was Rusty Torres, who was on second base at the time (and represented the winning run). In his career, Torres wound up seeing three big-league baseball riots close up; he was also there at the Senators' final game in Washington in 1971, and would play for the Chicago White Sox during the infamous Disco Demolition Night in 1979.
The bases were pulled up and stolen (never to be returned) and many rioters threw a vast array of objects including cups, rocks, bottles, batteries from radios, hot dogs, popcorn containers, and folding chairs. As a result, umpire crew chief Nestor Chylak, realizing that order would not be restored in a timely fashion, forfeited the game to Texas. He too was a victim of the rioters as one struck him with part of a stadium seat, cutting his head.[4] His hand was also cut by a thrown rock.
As Joe Tait and Herb Score called the riot live on radio, Score mentioned the lack of police protection; a riot squad from the Cleveland police department finally arrived to restore order.
Later that season, the team's promotion of three additional beer nights were changed from unlimited amounts to a limit of four cups per person. American League president Lee McPhail commented, "There was no question that beer played a part in the riot."[4]
Ten Cent Beer Night was an ill-fated promotion held by the American League's Cleveland Indians during a game against the Texas Rangers at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on June 4, 1974.
The idea behind the promotion was to offer as many eight-ounce (237 mL) cups of Stroh's beer as the fans could drink for just 10¢ apiece, thus increasing ticket sales. Ultimately, the game was forfeited to Texas on the orders of home plate umpire Nestor Chylak because of the crowd's uncontrollable rowdiness, and because the game could not be resumed in a timely manner.
The game had a special significance for both teams, as there had been a bench-clearing brawl in a Rangers/Indians game one week earlier at Arlington Stadium in Texas, during a "cheap beer night" there.[1]
In Texas, the trouble had started in the bottom of the fourth inning with a walk to the Rangers' Tom Grieve, followed by a Lenny Randle single. The next batter hit a double play ball to Indians third baseman John Lowenstein; he stepped on the third base bag to retire Grieve and threw the ball to second base, but Randle disrupted the play with a hard slide into second baseman Jack Brohamer.
The Indians retaliated in the bottom of the eighth when pitcher Milt Wilcox threw behind Randle's head. Randle eventually laid down a bunt. When Wilcox attempted to field it and tag Randle out, Randle hit him with a forearm. Indians first baseman John Ellis responded by punching Randle, and both benches emptied for a brawl. During the melee, the intoxicated crowd became rowdy and threw beer on the Indians' players.
Six days later, the Ten Cent Beer Night promotion induced 25,134 fans to come to Municipal Stadium for the Rangers/Indians game. The past season's average attendance had been 8,000.
[edit]The game
Early in the game, the Rangers took a 5-1 lead. Meanwhile, throughout the contest, the crowd in attendance continually misbehaved. A woman ran out to the Indians' on-deck circle and flashed her breasts, and a naked man sprinted to second base as Grieve hit his second home run of the game. A father and son pair ran onto the outfield and mooned the fans in the bleachers one inning later.[2] The ugliness escalated when Cleveland's Leron Lee hit a line drive into the stomach of Rangers pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, after which Jenkins dropped to the ground. The fans in the upper deck of Municipal Stadium cheered, then chanted "Hit 'em again! Hit 'em again! Harder! Harder!"
As the game progressed and the crowd became more inebriated, more fans ran onto the field and caused problems. Ranger Mike Hargrove (who would manage the Indians and lead them to the World Series 21 years later) was pelted with hot dogs and spit, and at one point was nearly struck with an empty gallon jug of Thunderbird.
The Rangers later argued a call in which Lee was called safe in a close play at third base, spiking Jenkins with his cleats in the process and forcing him to leave the game. The Rangers' angry response to this call enraged Cleveland fans, who again began throwing objects onto the field.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Indians managed to rally and tie the game at five runs apiece, but with a crowd that had been consuming as much alcohol as it could for nine innings, the situation finally boiled over.
[edit]The riot
In the ninth inning, a fan attempted to steal Texas outfielder Jeff Burroughs' cap. Confronting the fan, Burroughs tripped, and Texas manager Billy Martin (thinking that Burroughs had been attacked) charged onto the field, his players right behind, some wielding bats.[3] A large number of intoxicated fans – some armed with knives, chains, and portions of stadium seats that they had torn apart – surged onto the field, and others hurled bottles from the stands. Realizing that the Rangers' lives might be in danger, Ken Aspromonte, the Indians' manager, ordered his players to grab bats and help the Rangers. Rioters began throwing steel folding chairs, and Cleveland relief pitcher Tom Hilgendorf was hit in the head by one of them. Hargrove, involved in a fistfight with a rioter, had to fight another on his way back to the Texas dugout.
Among the Indians players suddenly running for his life was Rusty Torres, who was on second base at the time (and represented the winning run). In his career, Torres wound up seeing three big-league baseball riots close up; he was also there at the Senators' final game in Washington in 1971, and would play for the Chicago White Sox during the infamous Disco Demolition Night in 1979.
The bases were pulled up and stolen (never to be returned) and many rioters threw a vast array of objects including cups, rocks, bottles, batteries from radios, hot dogs, popcorn containers, and folding chairs. As a result, umpire crew chief Nestor Chylak, realizing that order would not be restored in a timely fashion, forfeited the game to Texas. He too was a victim of the rioters as one struck him with part of a stadium seat, cutting his head.[4] His hand was also cut by a thrown rock.
As Joe Tait and Herb Score called the riot live on radio, Score mentioned the lack of police protection; a riot squad from the Cleveland police department finally arrived to restore order.
Later that season, the team's promotion of three additional beer nights were changed from unlimited amounts to a limit of four cups per person. American League president Lee McPhail commented, "There was no question that beer played a part in the riot."[4]
Muni Stadium info
Municipal Stadium Cleveland, Ohio
Tenants: Cleveland Indians (AL); Cleveland Browns (NFL)
Opened: July 1, 1931
First Indians game: July 31, 1932
First night game: June 27, 1939
Last Indians game: October 3, 1993
Demolished: November 1996
Surface: Bluegrass
Capacity: 78,000 (1931); 74,483 (1989)
Architect: F.R. Walker of Walker & Weeks
Builder: Osborn Engineering Co.
Owner: City of Cleveland
Cost: $3 million (1931); $5 million (1967 renovation); $3.6 million (1974 renovation)
Cleveland Indians tickets:
Viewpoint Tickets - Best prices on Indians tickets, MLB tickets and MLB All Star tickets.
Location: On the shore of Lake Erie between the lake and downtown Cleveland. 1st base (S) W. 3rd and Cleveland Memorial Shoreway; 3rd base (W) Erieside Ave., Lake Erie and W. 3rd; left field (N)Erieside Ave. and Lake Erie; right field (E) Cleveland Memorial Shoreway.
Dimensions: Foul lines: 322 (1932), 320 (1933), 319 (April 27, 1947), 320 (June 6, 1947), 321 (1948), 320 (1953); corners where fence meets stadium walls: 362 (June 6, 1947), 360 (1980), 370 (1991); power alleys: 435 (1932), 365 (1947), 362 (1948), 385 (1949), 380 (1954), 400 (1965), 390 (1967), 395 (1968), 385 (1970), 395 (1991); short left-center: 377 (1980), 390 (1991), 364 (1992); deep left-center: 387 (1980), 400 (1991), 375 (1992); grandstand corners: 435 (1932); bleacher corners: 463 (1932); corners where inner 8-foot fence meets tall 16-foot straightaway center fence: 417 (1991); center field: 470 (1932), 467 (1938), 450 (1939), 468 (April 1947), 410 (April 27, 1947), 408 (1966), 407 (1967), 410 (1968), 400 (1970), 415 (1991), 404 (1992); deep right-center: 395 (1980), 400 (1991), 370 (1992); short right-center: 385 (1980), 390 (1991), 360 (1992); backstop: 60 (1991); foul territory: very large.
Fences: Left and right field: 5.25 (concrete, 1932), 5.5 (wire, April 27, 1947), 5.25 (concrete, June 6, 1947), 6 (concrete, 1955), 9 (wire, 1976), 7 (wire, 1977), 8 (canvas padding, 1984); center field: 12 (concrete, 1932), 5.5 (wire, April 27, 1947), 8 (wire, 1975), 9 (wire, 1976), 8 (wire, 1977), 8 (canvas padding, 1984), 16 (for a 36-foot-wide are in dead center, angling down to the lower fences in the alleys, canvas padding, 1991), 8 (canvas padding, all the way around the outfield, 1992).
Proposed as a symbol of great civic pride, Cleveland's voters approved of building Cleveland Municipal Stadium by a margin of 2-1 in November 1928. However, a series of lawsuits and newspaper articles soon revealed issues which soured the public view of the stadium. By the time the stadium formally opened on July 1, 1931, it was generally regarded as a mistake.
The Indians played in Cleveland Municipal Stadium from July 31, 1932 to September 24, 1933. After that, the Indians usually played only their Sunday and holiday games there until Bill Veeck finally moved all of the team's games to the massive facility in 1947. On September 12, 1954 against the Yankees, the Indians played in front of their largest crowd in history, 86,563. It was the largest crowd for any team until the Dodgers started playing in the Los Angeles Coliseum. For most of their years at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, however, the Indians fielded losing teams and attracted small crowds which contrasted with their enormous ballpark. The stadium was demolished in November 1996.
Trivia:
A.K.A. Cleveland Stadium, Municipal Stadium, Cleveland Public Municipal Stadium, Lakefront Stadium and "The Mistake by the Lake."
The original budget for building the stadium was $2.5 million, which was exceeded by approximately $500,000.
It has been said my many, including this site, that the stadium was built to attract the 1932 Olympics. Research has revealed that this was probably a myth.
Teepees were erected in 1946 in the center field bleachers.
Site of the 1981, 1963, 1954 and 1935 All-Star games.
Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak came to end here on Thursday, July 17, 1941.
On September 23, 1949, Bill Veeck and the Indians buried their 1948 pennant in center field before a game, the day after they were mathematically eliminated from the pennant race.
The center field bleachers were called the "Dog Pound" during Browns football games.
On Beer Night, the Indians forfeited their June 4, 1974 game when unruly fans took over the field and would not leave.
The Indians enlarged the field of play significantly in 1991, believing that this would help their defensively oriented team, but the strategy didn't work and the fences were moved back in 1992.
No player ever hit a ball into the center field bleachers.
Nothing Rotten about the Big Plum
Nothing Rotten about the Big Plum
Monday, Jun. 15, 1981 from Time Magazine
George Voinovich, 44, is a shy man who shuns the headlines. Yet late last month, after a year and a half in city hall, the slight, sandy-haired Republican mayor of Cleveland indulged himself in a bit of well-earned whimsy. At a Cleveland Indians' home game against the New York Yankees, Voinovich showed up wearing a garish T shirt under his neat sports coat. NEW YORK'S THE BIG APPLE, proclaimed the shirt, BUT CLEVELAND'S A PLUM. Breaking out in a sheepish grin, he then tossed a real plum to the Indians' catcher
If Cleveland is a sweet plum of a town to live in these days, it is due largely to Voinovich. Three years ago, the city was strictly persimmon as it puckered its way through an attempt to recall its abrasive Democratic child-mayor, 31-year-old Dennis Kucinich. Then, in December 1978, Cleveland failed to pay $15 million of its debt, thus becoming the first major U.S. city to default since the 1930s. Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-to-1 in Cleveland, but Voinovich nevertheless managed to trounce Kucinich by a vote of 56% to 44% in 1979. "I've got work to do," said Voinovich after his election. "My war will be to save one of this country's greatest cities."
Work he did. Voinovich quickly made peace with the city's business community and persuaded eight local banks to buy back $10.5 million in defaulted notes and lend the city another $25.7 million at 8⅞% interest. He also launched a campaign to prop up the city's faltering services by asking voters last November to approve a ½% increase in the city's income tax. When the measure lost, the mayor announced a host of budget cuts and threatened not to run for a second term in 1981.
"During the 1970s, our taxes stayed low, our services declined and the city lost 24% of its population," said Voinovich. "At that rate, the city will be extinct in the 21st century." The voters got the message: last February they voted for the tax hike by 62% to 38%.
A native of Cleveland, Voinovich graduated from Ohio University and received his law degree from Ohio State. Despite Democratic domination of Cleveland, he won a series of elected posts: state representative, Cuyahoga County auditor, county commissioner and finally Lieutenant Governor under Republican James A. Rhodes. A penny pincher in private as well as public life, he lives with his wife Janet and three children in a modest frame house, and once bragged to a friend that he went five years without buying a new suit. He relishes his reputation for dullness; aides joke that he is so low-profile no one can ever find him. Still crushed by the death of his nine-year-old daughter Molly in a 1979 auto accident, he spends as much time as possible with his family and reserves most Sundays for outings with them.
Not everyone gives Voinovich high marks.
"I don't think anything has changed, except people are paying higher taxes," grouses ex-Mayor Kucinich. Yet most observers rate Voinovich a shoo-in to win a second term this fall.
Not only is the budget balanced, but Voinovich proudly announced last month that the city was facing a $3.9 million surplus. Says Cuyahoga County Democratic Chairman Tim Hagan:
"Right now he is unbeatable." Voinovich is already talking like a campaigner as he describes his dreams for the Big Plum. Says the mayor:
Monday, Jun. 15, 1981 from Time Magazine
George Voinovich, 44, is a shy man who shuns the headlines. Yet late last month, after a year and a half in city hall, the slight, sandy-haired Republican mayor of Cleveland indulged himself in a bit of well-earned whimsy. At a Cleveland Indians' home game against the New York Yankees, Voinovich showed up wearing a garish T shirt under his neat sports coat. NEW YORK'S THE BIG APPLE, proclaimed the shirt, BUT CLEVELAND'S A PLUM. Breaking out in a sheepish grin, he then tossed a real plum to the Indians' catcher
If Cleveland is a sweet plum of a town to live in these days, it is due largely to Voinovich. Three years ago, the city was strictly persimmon as it puckered its way through an attempt to recall its abrasive Democratic child-mayor, 31-year-old Dennis Kucinich. Then, in December 1978, Cleveland failed to pay $15 million of its debt, thus becoming the first major U.S. city to default since the 1930s. Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-to-1 in Cleveland, but Voinovich nevertheless managed to trounce Kucinich by a vote of 56% to 44% in 1979. "I've got work to do," said Voinovich after his election. "My war will be to save one of this country's greatest cities."
Work he did. Voinovich quickly made peace with the city's business community and persuaded eight local banks to buy back $10.5 million in defaulted notes and lend the city another $25.7 million at 8⅞% interest. He also launched a campaign to prop up the city's faltering services by asking voters last November to approve a ½% increase in the city's income tax. When the measure lost, the mayor announced a host of budget cuts and threatened not to run for a second term in 1981.
"During the 1970s, our taxes stayed low, our services declined and the city lost 24% of its population," said Voinovich. "At that rate, the city will be extinct in the 21st century." The voters got the message: last February they voted for the tax hike by 62% to 38%.
A native of Cleveland, Voinovich graduated from Ohio University and received his law degree from Ohio State. Despite Democratic domination of Cleveland, he won a series of elected posts: state representative, Cuyahoga County auditor, county commissioner and finally Lieutenant Governor under Republican James A. Rhodes. A penny pincher in private as well as public life, he lives with his wife Janet and three children in a modest frame house, and once bragged to a friend that he went five years without buying a new suit. He relishes his reputation for dullness; aides joke that he is so low-profile no one can ever find him. Still crushed by the death of his nine-year-old daughter Molly in a 1979 auto accident, he spends as much time as possible with his family and reserves most Sundays for outings with them.
Not everyone gives Voinovich high marks.
"I don't think anything has changed, except people are paying higher taxes," grouses ex-Mayor Kucinich. Yet most observers rate Voinovich a shoo-in to win a second term this fall.
Not only is the budget balanced, but Voinovich proudly announced last month that the city was facing a $3.9 million surplus. Says Cuyahoga County Democratic Chairman Tim Hagan:
"Right now he is unbeatable." Voinovich is already talking like a campaigner as he describes his dreams for the Big Plum. Says the mayor:
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
KRK RYDEN @ ASTERISK - OPENING AUG 29
Asterisk Gallery proudly Presents:
works by KRK RYDEN
a DEVO inspired exhibition
Opening Reception - Friday, Aug. 29th
6-11pm
Show runs through Sept. 10th
2393 Professor Ave.
in historic Tremont
www.asteriskgallery.com
* KRK Ryden’s art is a record of mongrel pop culture. His aestheticis informed by comic books, punk rock, and cartoons, while hisworldview is strictly DEVO. KRK's work embraces everyday absurdity anda cartoony view of reality. His paintings are colorful and visuallyappealing reflections on discarded icons, and his graphics arewell-realized snapshots of cartoon life. For over thirty years KRK hasbeen creating illustrations and paintings for underground bands,publishers, and institutions.
* Website - www.krkland.com
* MySpace - www.myspace.com/krkryden
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
KOCARLSON - ART OF GEORGE F. KOCAR and JOHN W. CARLSON
KOCARLSON
THE ART OF GEORGE F. KOCAR and JOHN W. CARLSON
Differing greatly in artistic style, the works compliment one another
with their unified use of figure to communicate the world of today.
Please join us.
OPENING RECEPTION: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th - 6 to 9
SHOW RUNS THRU OCTOBER 11
THE ART GALLERY
4099 Erie St.,
in Historic Downtown Willoughby, OH 44094
440.946.8001
NEO ART STUDENTS - CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Impress local curators! Win money!
The CWRU Graduate Art History Association (GAHA) invites currently enrolled art students at Northeast Ohio colleges and universities to submit samples of their work for presentation at STUDENT SLIDESHOW @ MOCA, 6 p.m., Wednesday, October 22, 2008, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.
The Student Slideshow @ MOCA provides a forum for emerging artists to expose their work to and gain feedback from Cleveland-area curators, gallerists and arts professionals. Selected participants will give five-minute Powerpoint presentations featuring 8-10 slides of their work. Monetary awards will be given to the top three artists as selected by a jury including MOCA Associate Curator Megan Lykins Reich, Dana Depew of Asterisk Gallery, and Paul Sobota of the Front Room Gallery. A total of $300 will be presented to the top three artists as selected by the jury--$150 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for the third-place artist.
For submission requirements, please see http://www.slideshowatmoca.com. Submissions must be e-mailed to slideshowatmoca@gmail.com by September 22.
This event is made possible by the generosity of the CWRU Department of Art History and Art, the CWRU Friends of Art and MOCA Cleveland.
http://slideshowatmoca.com/
The CWRU Graduate Art History Association (GAHA) invites currently enrolled art students at Northeast Ohio colleges and universities to submit samples of their work for presentation at STUDENT SLIDESHOW @ MOCA, 6 p.m., Wednesday, October 22, 2008, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.
The Student Slideshow @ MOCA provides a forum for emerging artists to expose their work to and gain feedback from Cleveland-area curators, gallerists and arts professionals. Selected participants will give five-minute Powerpoint presentations featuring 8-10 slides of their work. Monetary awards will be given to the top three artists as selected by a jury including MOCA Associate Curator Megan Lykins Reich, Dana Depew of Asterisk Gallery, and Paul Sobota of the Front Room Gallery. A total of $300 will be presented to the top three artists as selected by the jury--$150 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for the third-place artist.
For submission requirements, please see http://www.slideshowatmoca.com. Submissions must be e-mailed to slideshowatmoca@gmail.com by September 22.
This event is made possible by the generosity of the CWRU Department of Art History and Art, the CWRU Friends of Art and MOCA Cleveland.
http://slideshowatmoca.com/
Monday, August 25, 2008
Experimental Film Night "Dark Side of the Rainbow"
Contact:
Standing Rock Cultural Arts
257 N. Water St.
Kent, OH 44240
Phone: 330-673-4970
http://www.standingrock.net
info@standingrock.net
WHO: Standing Rock Cultural Arts
WHAT: Experimental Film Night
- “Dark Side of the Rainbow”
-Victor Fleming’s “The Wizard of Oz” Film set to the Soundtrack of Pink
Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”
WHEN: Thursday, September 4, midnight.
WHERE: The Kent Stage, 175 E. Main St., Downtown Kent
CONTACT: 330-673-4970
Admission: $5 General. $3 Students/Seniors
www.standingrock.net for updates
You may have heard of an urban legend that points out how well the Pink
Floyd album, “Dark Side of the Moon” synchronizes with “The Wizard of
Oz.” Here’s a chance to see for yourself. Regardless, it’s an amazing
match to see the twister spinning across the Kansas prairie with the
same intensity of the song titled "Great Gig in the Sky." (The song that
features a soaring voice instrumental by British female vocalist, Clare
Torry.)
Synchronicity?
So how did this stunning coincidence come about, if the Intent theory
remains unproven? Well, enter another theory. Perhaps the connection
between Dark Side of the Moon and the Wizard of Oz simply evolved out of
the creative Ether. This theory tends to rely on non-local, non-linear
connections between all things and places and times. This is the basic
idea of synchronicity
Much has been written on how such unbelievable events can coincide,
especially when greatly removed in time and space. Carl Jung was one of
the first to write about the collective unconscious, a major contributor
to the idea of synchronicity. Robert Anton Wilson, author of The
Illuminatus! trilogy as well as a number of non-fiction books on ideas
of this nature, would say that synchronicity transports us into the sublime.
"Jung, of course, prefers to regard it as synchronicity -- his own label
for an alleged resonance in nature, or between nature and its various
parts, including us -- a resonance which creates seeming 'coincidences'
so startling that most of us, fundamentalists excluded, sense deeply
that they require an explanation."
-- (The New Inquisition, by Robert Anton Wilson, pg. 96)
"Jung described synchronicity as an acausal connecting principle that
manifests itself through meaningful coincidences. There are no rational
explanations for these situations..."
-- (The Tao of Psychology, by Jean Shinoda Bolen, pg. 6)
This idea of synchronicity holds that connection, the resonance, between
the two is beyond the linear concept of intent, and lies within the
basic intelligent potential of the universe.
- From the www.synchronicityarkive website
Thank you for supporting the Arts!
For information: http://www.standingrock.net
Contact: info@standingrock.net
Phone: 330-673-4970
Standing Rock Cultural Arts
257 N. Water St.
Kent, OH 44240
Phone: 330-673-4970
http://www.standingrock.net
info@standingrock.net
WHO: Standing Rock Cultural Arts
WHAT: Experimental Film Night
- “Dark Side of the Rainbow”
-Victor Fleming’s “The Wizard of Oz” Film set to the Soundtrack of Pink
Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”
WHEN: Thursday, September 4, midnight.
WHERE: The Kent Stage, 175 E. Main St., Downtown Kent
CONTACT: 330-673-4970
Admission: $5 General. $3 Students/Seniors
www.standingrock.net for updates
You may have heard of an urban legend that points out how well the Pink
Floyd album, “Dark Side of the Moon” synchronizes with “The Wizard of
Oz.” Here’s a chance to see for yourself. Regardless, it’s an amazing
match to see the twister spinning across the Kansas prairie with the
same intensity of the song titled "Great Gig in the Sky." (The song that
features a soaring voice instrumental by British female vocalist, Clare
Torry.)
Synchronicity?
So how did this stunning coincidence come about, if the Intent theory
remains unproven? Well, enter another theory. Perhaps the connection
between Dark Side of the Moon and the Wizard of Oz simply evolved out of
the creative Ether. This theory tends to rely on non-local, non-linear
connections between all things and places and times. This is the basic
idea of synchronicity
Much has been written on how such unbelievable events can coincide,
especially when greatly removed in time and space. Carl Jung was one of
the first to write about the collective unconscious, a major contributor
to the idea of synchronicity. Robert Anton Wilson, author of The
Illuminatus! trilogy as well as a number of non-fiction books on ideas
of this nature, would say that synchronicity transports us into the sublime.
"Jung, of course, prefers to regard it as synchronicity -- his own label
for an alleged resonance in nature, or between nature and its various
parts, including us -- a resonance which creates seeming 'coincidences'
so startling that most of us, fundamentalists excluded, sense deeply
that they require an explanation."
-- (The New Inquisition, by Robert Anton Wilson, pg. 96)
"Jung described synchronicity as an acausal connecting principle that
manifests itself through meaningful coincidences. There are no rational
explanations for these situations..."
-- (The Tao of Psychology, by Jean Shinoda Bolen, pg. 6)
This idea of synchronicity holds that connection, the resonance, between
the two is beyond the linear concept of intent, and lies within the
basic intelligent potential of the universe.
- From the www.synchronicityarkive website
Thank you for supporting the Arts!
For information: http://www.standingrock.net
Contact: info@standingrock.net
Phone: 330-673-4970
Sunday, August 24, 2008
POP SHOP SEEKING ARTISTS
Hello fellow Artists, the Pop Shop is inviting you to participate in its largest show ever! On January 17th, 2009 the Pop Shop will host its "50 Dolla-Holla Show". It's a show where the theme is based off the price (all works will be $50). We will be accepting up to 5 pieces from each artist, with no prescreening of the work (anything goes). This show is planned to help artists for many reasons. With works being priced at $50 each, it's a great price point for clients and collectors, and it's a great way to get rid of old work that you don't show anymore, and don't know what to do with them. I anticipate 50-100 artists participating in the show. If you or any other artists are interested in this show, please let me know and I will add you to the list. Other themed shows coming up include "4th annual Sugar Coated Show (Halloween/Fall Theme) Oct. 11th and "4th Annual True Value Vintage Show (Toy, Games, Childhood Memories show) Nov. 29th. If you're interested in any of these shows please email jpg.'s to thepopshop@gmail.com THanx much, Rich
The Pop Shop Gallery and Studio
17020 Madison Ave,
Lakewood Ohio, 44107
Ph (216).227.8440
www.popshopgallery.com
The Pop Shop Gallery and Studio
17020 Madison Ave,
Lakewood Ohio, 44107
Ph (216).227.8440
www.popshopgallery.com
Ghetto Intelligentsia - Ongoing @ Vision
In Search Of Intelligent Art
Ghetto Intelligentsia And The Arts Collinwood Show Explore The 'hood
By Douglas Max Utter
At least 100 artworks of all kinds are on view at Vision Gallery, which for the past six months has occupied True Art Gallery's former storefront space at the corner of Waterloo and 156th Street in Collinwood. But the first thing you see may be the most memorable. It's hard to miss, since it hangs about a foot off the floor, just opposite the front door, and is roughly the size of a large hot-water tank. Actually, it was a hot-water tank until artist Dana Depew got his hands on it. At this point it's a cross between a chandelier and a blimp - something Depew calls a "Seussian Spotlight." This is a genre of object Depew invented years ago and first exhibited at Jean Brandt Gallery. Cleveland arts audiences have seen examples there and at Asterisk Gallery in Tremont, where they are on more-or-less permanent display. Part of the fleet is now hovering at Vision, made from various kinds of skinny or squat tanks, painted in funky colors and sometimes trimmed with fur and sprouting light bulbs and frilly glass shades. Are they oversize spuds, changed into interior decor by someone's fairy godmother, or starships from a galaxy with a sense of humor? Whatever they are, they're both funny and uniquely Depew's.
Curators Sunia Boneham and Michael DiLiberto explain that the show's title, Ghetto Intelligentsia, refers to "the Jewish ghettos in Europe and the idea of the underdog coming back - people who have to be very resourceful, with the wider perspective and insight that comes with that." DiLiberto adds, "All the artists in the show are friends. They know each other from Cleveland's neighborhoods, and most haven't shown together before. For me, I guess 'ghetto' refers to poverty or to the facts of lower-middle-class life. What brings these works together is that they're accessible to anyone."
A little bit of everything is stuck on the walls or dangles from the ceiling. Thematic coherence isn't the goal here - just a presentation of creative ferment. Viewers are invited to dive into the mix, weaving between wildly various inner visions as they dodge around Depew's light fixtures. Miss JenMarie's four large, dark oil-on-canvas paintings, for instance, deal with issues of emotional isolation and love's weary ambiguities.
Titles like "It's Almost Like We Died Entwined" and "We Are Forgetting How to Feel" explain imagery that might otherwise be hard to interpret. They describe two roughly 4-foot-square canvases, the first of which shows two stags lying head-to-head, their antlers twisted together. In the second, two grizzly bears lie near each other; one looks depressed, the other frustrated.
If you've ever rocked out at Collinwood's Beachland Ballroom or the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights, you've seen Jake Kelly's work. Following in the footsteps of Cleveland artists like Derek Hess and Clay Parker, the phenomenally prolific Kelly has produced more concert advertisement images than he or anyone else has bothered to count, covering an enormous imaginative range and filling an often anonymous but exciting niche jammed between art and music. Several of Kelly's larger, typically phantasmagorical marker-on-paper drawings are on display in the front gallery, while in a smaller room in back, a photocopy 'zine of 420 recent Kelly flyers is for sale. The collection is entirely mind-boggling.
Monsters, zombies and undead freaks of all stripes (sometimes they really are striped) congregate in these masterly works, often muttering off-the-wall soliloquies or snippets of dialogue. In an illustration for a Beachland show where the band Frank Black & the Catholics had top billing, Kelly presents an X-ray-like drawing of two skeletons doing their best to make posthumous love. One says to the other, "You bored yet?" Overall, the humor is more Goya than Charles Addams, but another Beachland flyer owes something to both: Kelly shows a girl singing Phil Spector's 1958 classic lyric, "To know, know, know him …" as she cradles a man's severed head against her plaid shirt.
Some of the art at Vision walks a wobbly line between categories like outsider and curbsider, resembling garage-sale items that you know you'll be able to pick off the berm the next trash day. But that just makes the viewing challenge of the show - which at times is startlingly like an East Village punk bazaar a couple of decades ago - all the more interesting.
Don't mistake the anonymous Sign Guy's art for stuff in the curbside category, even though its usual venue is the street. As his pseudonym indicates, this artist improvises signage, which he attaches to Tremont fences and utility poles, intending to inform, enlighten or just amuse passersby with cheery, talking cartoon animals, most of which have something trenchant to say. Some warn against drugs or crime, like one called "Gangland Birds," which features two little birds in backward baseball caps, mugging a third. Or there's the bird with no self-esteem issues, chirping "Vote for Me". Cleveland Scene's Michael Gill recently wrote a piece about the Sign Guy's contributions to public art, and if that piqued your curiosity, the show at Vision is the place to check out a wide selection of his work.
While not exactly a survey of Cleveland's alternative art and music scenes, The Ghetto Intelligentsia hits some of the highlights, showing not only Kelly's crossover art but some remarkable paintings by Scott Pickering, who has been one of Cleveland's better-known underground figures for a couple of decades. His splashy, semi-grotesque figures, which could be called a little bit Basquiat and a lot Dubuffet, are always among the most interesting paintings in any show that includes his work. There are many, many others worth at least a quick look, and any left out are likely to be found across the street at Art Collinwood's annual Members' Show, another exhibit packed with surprises. Several of Cleveland's best artists - Randall Tiedman, Scott Pickering (again), Joan Deveney, Jacob Wesley Lang, William Schwartz, Paul Sydorenko and 26 more - will be on view in that location through September 13.
The Ghetto Intelligentsia was advertised as The Coup on Waterloo, but as curator Boneham observes, "People were nervous about showing here" following the break-in and theft of an entire exhibit, which forced co-gallerists Joan Deveney and Jim Tomko to shut True Art Gallery's doors early this year.
As Boneham says, "The real coup was to bring this gallery back."
The Ghetto Intelligentsia, Through September 15, Vision Gallery, 410 E. 156th St., 216.409.1031
Call for Artists: At The Cellular Level
Call for Artists: At The Cellular Level
A cell phone photography exhibit
Independent curator Daiv Whaley and Brandt Gallery of the Tremont District in Cleveland, Ohio announce an open call for submissions of cell phone photographs for the first At The Cellular Level – Cell Phone Photography as Art. The exhibit, which will open in November 2008, will feature cell phone photography from professional and amateur artists from around the world and promises to be a stimulating visual dialogue on the use of convenience technology in the twenty-first century.
“Considering that not so long ago photography wasn’t viewed as a fine art, I wanted to up the ante and really challenge the professional photography crowd to work in this more limiting medium of cell phone photography and see what kind of amazing images they can come up with,” explains Whaley, himself a Polaroid photo enthusiast. “Also, where once upon a time only photographers were lugging around camera equipment, today the majority of people carry small phones that can capture images that often find their way into news stories online and even on television. I personally have not heard of an exhibit with this theme before, and I’m excited to see the kind of work “amateurs” are making on a daily basis. This is going to be fun!”
At The Cellular Level opens at the Brandt Gallery in November of 2008. The longest-running gallery in the Tremont district, the space has a history of maverick and unconventional shows and is the originator of the Tremont ArtWalk that has revitalized the once-declining neighborhood. Whaley, himself an exhibiting visual artist, has previously curated exhibits on propaganda, lightworks, and large-scale paintings.
To submit cell phone photographs for consideration for At The Cellular Level, please send up to 4 images saved as jpgs or gifs to cellphonephotoshow@yahoo.com. Please include artist’s name, title of each image, and city and country of residence with your submission. Please refrain from computer manipulation of the images, and send all images at the size they were created using the cell phone.
Artists will be notified upon acceptance in the exhibit.
Deadline for submissions is October 25, 2008.
A cell phone photography exhibit
Independent curator Daiv Whaley and Brandt Gallery of the Tremont District in Cleveland, Ohio announce an open call for submissions of cell phone photographs for the first At The Cellular Level – Cell Phone Photography as Art. The exhibit, which will open in November 2008, will feature cell phone photography from professional and amateur artists from around the world and promises to be a stimulating visual dialogue on the use of convenience technology in the twenty-first century.
“Considering that not so long ago photography wasn’t viewed as a fine art, I wanted to up the ante and really challenge the professional photography crowd to work in this more limiting medium of cell phone photography and see what kind of amazing images they can come up with,” explains Whaley, himself a Polaroid photo enthusiast. “Also, where once upon a time only photographers were lugging around camera equipment, today the majority of people carry small phones that can capture images that often find their way into news stories online and even on television. I personally have not heard of an exhibit with this theme before, and I’m excited to see the kind of work “amateurs” are making on a daily basis. This is going to be fun!”
At The Cellular Level opens at the Brandt Gallery in November of 2008. The longest-running gallery in the Tremont district, the space has a history of maverick and unconventional shows and is the originator of the Tremont ArtWalk that has revitalized the once-declining neighborhood. Whaley, himself an exhibiting visual artist, has previously curated exhibits on propaganda, lightworks, and large-scale paintings.
To submit cell phone photographs for consideration for At The Cellular Level, please send up to 4 images saved as jpgs or gifs to cellphonephotoshow@yahoo.com. Please include artist’s name, title of each image, and city and country of residence with your submission. Please refrain from computer manipulation of the images, and send all images at the size they were created using the cell phone.
Artists will be notified upon acceptance in the exhibit.
Deadline for submissions is October 25, 2008.
Jocko Dome-o
Jocko Dome-o
Jocko Dome-o is a charitable event in which professional andup-and-coming artists from around the country have been invited tocreatively alter their own Energy Dome—the classic headgear made famousby new wave band DEVO, and featured in their 1980 music video ‘WhipIt.’ Participating artists include, but are not limited to:
Kimberly Bailey Bradley Cahill
Sarah Doyle
Kristin Edwards (She-vo)
Laszlo Gyorki
Sharon Iglai
Robert Lara
Julie Marton
Josh Mcleod
Robert Miltenberg
Bruce Perry
Robin Reneé
Mal Rorrer
KRK Ryden
Winston Smith
Rev. Ivan Stang
Susie the Floozie
Jeff Warmouth
Byron Werner
Rev. Nickie Wild
The finished pieces will be on display at the Asterisk Gallery onAugust 29th, and will include a variety of styles and techniques, frompaint and collage to fantastic and even utilitarian artwork. The showwill run as companion to KRK Ryden’s Devonian Art Show opening on thesame day. Displayed pieces will be up for sale to benefit the RachelBevilacqua legal fund.* The show hours will be 6-10 pm, and it will beone day only!
*Rachel Bevilacqua (a.k.a. Reverend Mary Magdalen) lost custody of herson after a conservative custody judge was outraged at the fact thatshe is a member of the Church of the SubGenius. As a result ofappearing in a mature natured parody of Mel Gibson's 'The Passion ofthe Christ,' custody of her son was taken from her and awarded to theboy's father (the couple was never married). Rachel and her husbandhave fought a long, expensive battle to win custody of their son, whileher ex-boyfriend's legal costs have been entirely handled by a pro-bonolawyer (who is a friend of his). Legal costs have skyrocketed,exceeding $140,000 as of August 2007.
In a somewhat recent development in the case, however, custody of Rachel’s son has been returned to her, yet the fees remain.
For the full story, go to http://www.modemac.com/cgi-bin/wiki.pl/Reverend_Magdalen
Opening Reception - Friday, Aug. 29th Show runs through Sept. 10th
LABOR AND INDUSTRY - SEPT 12
Labor & Industry – The Art Show
Labor & Industry debuts for Tremont’s Art Walk on September 12th and proceeds through the month of September showcasing works of local artists based on the themes of Labor & Industry through a variety of mediums from photography, painting, sculpture and film.
Last September, Ohio Canal Corridor introduced Labor & Industry to celebrate the historic contributions of both coinciding with Labor Day of 2007. The exhibit, featuring a series of photographs by Roger Mastrionni, was held in an empty warehouse in Tremont and extended over a period of one month – from September to October, 2007. It was well received as it coincided with Tremont Art Walk events and the Tremont Art& Cultural Festival. Free Times gave it a full-page review.
For 2008, Ohio Canal Corridor looks to enhance “Labor & Industry” by expanding the offerings in a larger venue in Tremont - the Asterisk Gallery. The idea is to continue to associate the exhibit with Labor Day and use Tremont’s current position as a destination Art District for promotion.
Rather than one artist, however, Labor & Industry 2008 will accommodate a range of artists and art works. The goal is to produce a gallery exhibition that mixes subject matter both historic with modern within an ambiance of video, industrial soundscapes and live artistic demonstrations. It is a tribute to Labor and Industry and looks to include art from men and women – self-described laborers. To that end, there is a dedicated outreach effort to union tradesmen and laborers in search of art for the show with help from the AFL-CIO.
This project is grounded in the goals associated with the development of the Ohio & Erie Canalway – National Heritage Area. These goals are themselves a product of more than 75 public meetings. A central mission/goal for the Canalway is to provide interpretation of identified themes that are intimate to the story of the development of the region. In this regard, the story of Industry is recognized as a major theme for Cuyahoga County – especially noted within the Cuyahoga River Valley. The human side of Industry is obviously Labor.
The show is supported by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association.
There is a growing list of participants, which includes the following:
Historical Graphics - Vintage editorial Illustrations- Various artists
Book signing by local author Chris Dawson - "Steel Remembered", KSU Press,
Photographs from LTV Steel Collection - (Some book images displayed)
Industrial Design - Tribute to Viktor Schreckengost, the father of industrial design.
Film + Video - Footage from Inside Mittal Steel. Historic footage of industry in Cleveland
Hullets etc.) as well as Hollywood's take on theme (Deer Hunter etc)
Photography - Roger Mastrianni,Open Heart Surgery + Dan Morgan, Handmade Local
Products
Political Industrial Pop Art - Derek Hess, selections from new book, “Please God,
Save US”
Amateur Art - AFL-CIO members Art Contest
Contemporary Sculptural Art - Steven Yusko - represented by William Busta Gallery
Authentic Blacksmithing Demo - Larry Chiverton
Music / DJ - Adrian Bertolone - “Industrial Music”
More to be announced!
KRK RYDEN @ ASTERISK - OPENING AUG 29
Asterisk Gallery proudly Presents:
works by KRK RYDEN
a DEVO inspired exhibition
Opening Reception - Friday, Aug. 29th
6-11pm
Show runs through Sept. 10th
2393 Professor Ave.
in historic Tremont
www.asteriskgallery.com
* KRK Ryden’s art is a record of mongrel pop culture. His aestheticis informed by comic books, punk rock, and cartoons, while hisworldview is strictly DEVO. KRK's work embraces everyday absurdity anda cartoony view of reality. His paintings are colorful and visuallyappealing reflections on discarded icons, and his graphics arewell-realized snapshots of cartoon life. For over thirty years KRK hasbeen creating illustrations and paintings for underground bands,publishers, and institutions.
* Website - www.krkland.com
* MySpace - www.myspace.com/krkryden
Thursday, August 14, 2008
triumvirate - Depew, Ferris, Schwartz
triumvirate
1. An association or a group of three. Also called troika.
2. A group of three men responsible for public administration or civil authority.
3. A group of three individuals: three, threesome, triad, trine, trinity, trio, triple, triune, triunity, troika.
The term triumvirate (a law)(from Latin, "of three men") is commonly used to describe a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals.
New works by:
Dana L. DepewRick FerrisWilliam Schwartz
Dana L. DepewIn my recent work I impose my being on the pre-constructed world. I attempt to resurrect the old and rejuvenate the mundane through the use of vintage chenille bedspreads, afghans, and other fabrics. I initially wipe these materials clean of their past colors and connotations leaving a rich yet colorless textured landscape in which I reinvent into a series of contemporary and active works. Through the use of vibrant colors I create an exciting bridge between a forgotten textile and painting.
Rick FerrisA limiting of the extraneous, a focusing into one aspect of everyday stimuli, informs the work to reveal transcendent material. The discipline of the camera and the editing of days into hours into minutes, the compression and manipulation of experiences to create and potentize the simulacra I create.Informed by Buddhist experience and spiritual mysticism I navigate among everyday routines, deadlines, and responsibilities to capture momentary revelations. For example, the noticing of a thistle on the side of the road – its simplicity, beauty, and ordinariness reveals an opportunity for reflection and celebration.
By highlighting, focusing, and distorting, isolating, and juxtaposing moving images and audio, I find release in expression of feelings. To labor with the sacrosanct, to scoop up the primordial and shape it, to play with the sacred, this is what I am interested in sharing.
William SchwartzWhat is real and what is illusion; and which illusions do we accept and abide by in our everyday lives? The pieces I have created for this exhibit deal with the influence American culture has on our personal identities. In my brand of political-Pop conceptualism, I make various attempts to either strip down or intensely exaggerate familiar items and symbols we encounter and relate to on a daily basis. My hope is spark a sort of internal dialogue within the individual; a self-interrogation about what freedom really is.
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