Great Guy’s Clothes
Uniform
511 Tremont St
Boston, MA 02116

Today was my second trip to this great little South End boutique. While Newbury Streets rents are reaching astronomical proportions and driving all the small shops away, the South End is blossoming. Five years ago, you would expect to find Uniform nestled in one of the lower level storefronts on that aforementioned, slowly fading street. Today though, the South End is home to the trendiest restaurants and most fashionable boutiques in the city and Uniform can be counted among them. This ulitmate men's casual shopping destination has great, big windows full of enticing clothes that you can’t find in most stores. And unlike all the chains in the rest of the city, Uniform offers a wide array of clothing from all different brands. Effectively, it makes us remember the type of store that most of us unfortunately have forgotten: the boutique.

Featuring brand names like Ben Sherman, True Religion, Blue Marlin, Penguin, Jean Paul Damage and more, the small store fills each of its racks with some of the best and most interesting menswear the city has to offer. An always pleasant staff welcomes all walks of life into the warm and friendly space. Whether it’s a pair of jeans or a new blazer that you need, you can find it here. I have my eye on a pretty snazzy Puma sleeveless sweater...

My trip was especially short today, as I was passing by between two meetings in the area. I am planning on going back soon, with my credit card ready!

•••• Also, they feature a great collection of skin care products for men and women ••••

Art Bar at the Hong Kong


Please read about our upcoming Comedy Charity Event at www.artbarboston.com/evenground

John Chamberlain… Randomly
Landmark Center
Park Dr and Brookline Ave
Boston, MA 02215

I have been meaning to comment about this for a while, but it kept slipping my mind. There are a few sculptures by American sculptor John Chamberlain on display on the second level lobby of the Landmark Center. If you are not familiar with Chamberlain’s work, he uses scrap metal and automobile parts to create his often large and colorful pieces. After reading the artist bio and carefully looking at the pieces, you may start to foster some appreciation of the work. But if you don’t, do not feel bad!

I am not usually impressed with modern and contemporary abstract sculpture myself, and my reaction to the pieces by Chamberlain was typical. The work toes the fine line between being a work of art and a literal hunk of junk. I pass by these works as often as I get a smoothie from the Fresh City right next door, and each time my reaction is the same. I simply don’t want to get it.

Chamberlain is influential in the Junk Art movement, and his work is heavily influence by his appreciation of the Abstract Expressionist movement and the sculptor David Smith. While his roots in Art History may be strong, Chamberlain’s work simply does appeal to me on any level –whether it be an ideological or work on an aesthetic one. I have posted some samples of his work, but these are not the ones at the Landmark center. (there are only a few there….)


If you need to swing by Best Buy, Staples or are catching a movie at the Landmark center, then go up to the mezzanine and check out the pieces. If you aren’t in the area don’t bother unless Chamberlain’s work is something you know you will like!

Memorial Day

Sorry for the delay in Blogs....BUT Art Bar is at the beach for a long weekend!

More Art, Food and Nightlife reports will come next week!

Stephanie's - Two Thumbs Down Yet Again!
Stephanie's
Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116

I have never been a big fan of Stephanie’s on Newbury St; my latest trip only reinforced this fact. My prep school was having a dinner for a few local young alumni in the area, and chose Stephanie’s as the place to meet, drink and eat. I will never understand the pretentious atmosphere of this restaurant that wants so desperately to be Sonsie and fails every step of the way. (and please, I am not even a big Sonsie fan!) The staff acts as if Stephanie’s is the finest, most renowned dining establishment on the eastern seaboard, rather than a restaurant that capitalizes on their patio and location to fill the seats.

Our group was small, only 6, and we all didn’t arrive together. The staff at Stephanie’s refused to seat us until all arrived, a policy which I can sometimes understand. Yet, this was not me waiting for a few stray friends. This night was a formal school function and I had no way of contacting the others in our group. Even after I explained this fact to the very rude hostess, she still refused to seat us and said that if the other members of our party came they would be seated separately.

The food, as always, was inoffensive. I had steak frites and was neither blown away nor repulsed – the meal was simply middle of the road. I think that is the best way to describe Stephanie’s; it is middle of the road. Normally its meritocracy would not bother me so much, but the arrogance and self-importance of the staff creates an unpleasant restaurant.

Go for the patio and maybe for a drink. A quick sandwich at lunch, if Sonsie and Armani are full can be in order, but the dinnertime food doesn’t cut it on Newbury Street. Boston is a city of many great restaurants, and Stephanie’s is not one of them.

Jennifer Amadeo-Holl
Judi Rotenberg Gallery
130 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116

As part of Art Bar’s ongoing coverage of the varied Newbury Street shows, exhibits and installations, Heather took a brief detour into the Judi Rotenberg Gallery. She recommends our readers take a trip, as well…

Almost daily, I pass the 2nd floor Judi Rotenberg Gallery. Though I’ve always been tempted to wander inside, the gallery was particularly tantalizing on my most recent trek down Newbury: The abstract pieces of Jennifer Amadeo-Holl (on exhibit until June 3rd, 2006) in the window invited me inside.

I was greeted by a charming associate who was eager to educate on the finer points of the art but was never overbearing. He allowed me time to linger and enjoy the artwork, understood when I had fully absorbed a piece, and instinctively knew when to approach me with additional insights. Though these images seemed “abstract” from the window, they were actually filled with much hidden imagery: Although the intense color was initially overwhelming, the longer that I looked at each piece the more these hidden images rose to the surface. In certain areas, Jennifer saturated her compositions with color, using palette knives and scratching techniques to allow the oils to drip and fade. Yet beneath these abstractions lay a trove of hidden imagery painted with such precision – and so seamlessly interconnected with the greater, abstract work – that I felt as though I was discovering a hidden treasure with each glance. In particular, I was drawn to “The Monkey’s Uncle.” (pictured below) My eye moved quickly among the eye-popping colors and the myriad hidden figures.


In addition to these intense abstractions, Jennifer had smaller work that was minimalist in execution; they were layered color and did not rage with the intensity and passion of her larger works. I wondered if a “life changing” event had occurred to create this shift in work. Though I would need to know more about this emerging artist to fully understand the minimalist calm amidst the bold storm, I was certainly inspired enough by her work that I plan to follow her career and development. I strongly recommend experiencing Jennifer’s work, and I encourage you – dear Art Bar enthusiast! – to visit the Judi Rotenberg Gallery before this exciting exhibit bids adieu.

Heated up at Bonfire
Bonfire
Park Plaza Hotel
Boston, MA 02116

Bonfire has never disappointed, maybe because it never pretends to be more than what it is. And what “that” is a fantastic steak house with a slight Mexican twist. Todd English, celebrity chef extraordinaire, brought us Bonfire a few years ago, and it has made itself and home and a name in Boston’s Park Plaza hotel. Compared to my meal at Avila on Monday, anything was looking good!

Bonfire is relaxing upon entering. The entire restaurant seems to glow in hues of red, a reflection of its name. The booths are welcoming, and once seated it is easy to slip into a your own warm little world. With attentive service (aside from one waiter who we termed the lifer – you will know him upon sight. He acts very important and busy, with awful thick rim glasses for emphasis), the dining experience is one of comfort, elegance and repose. I could have sat and sipped my martini for hours, and the waitstaff would have let me so. But alas, I was here to eat and my mouth had started to water at the smell of all the steak cooking!

I stuck with the simplest meal available; I got a 16 oz sirloin (medium of course) with the horseradish crema and a side of mashed potatoes. My dining companion, with whom I was sharing a 2 year anniversary, ordered nearly the same meal, substituting asparagus for the potatoes. I think my companion thought I would share my crock of mashed potatoes… even after two years, some people never learn! Both of our meals were excellent; the meat was cooked and seasoned to perfection and the portions were large and filling. The price level here is nearly identical to Avila, but somehow I don’t mind spending the money at Bonfire, where the food and atmosphere are perfect to share an intimate dinner for two, or a party of 20. (I have eaten here for a large prearranged dinner and really enjoyed myself).

Everything at Bonfire is enjoyable: the red décor, subtle lounge/house music, strong drinks, perfect appetizers (soups and specialty homemade tacos), and comfy booths. Regardless of the night already being special, our dinner at Bonfire made the night just that much better. It’s funny, when I like a restaurant I have little to say about it other than go there. Bonfire trades some of the quality of places like the Palm and Smith and Wolensky’s for an atmosphere that is not traditional steak house – and it’s a trade that is worth it! The food is fine and the experience is always pleasant.

A High Class Evening
Armani Cafe
Newbury St

Excelsior
Four Seasons Hotel

Decorated in tones of pale brown and white, Armani Café’s minimalist atmosphere provides just the right mix of trendy chic- the rest is made up in great drinks and all pretty decent food. In its constant quest to be the after work and nighttime hotspot for Boston’s young, hip socialite crowd, Armani was hosting yet another weekday party. And yes, this party was more than welcome. After a week of drowning in the rain, you might as well drown yourself in a cocktail! It was enjoyable evening of food and drink, but all good things come to an end, So as the NSL party started to break up, we took advantage of the brief reprieve from the rain and head toward Excelsior.

On the walk to Excelsior, we rolled up our sleeves and attempted to bask in the sun we hadn’t seen in days. Unfortunately, the sun came out just in time to set but whet our appetites for outdoor patios, walks through the park, and possibly a tan if we got a chance to go to the Cape or Newport. One of the girls in our group raved about the lobster pizza at Excelsior and described it as “an amazing gift from Heaven.” Despite the all but subtle push from friends to have the pizza I just wasn’t that hungry – I had already shared in, rather overindulged in some of the tasty passed hors d’oeuvres at Armani!

This was actually my first trip to Excelsior and I was pleasantly greeted by a welcoming staff and sleek black and glass interior. We could peer into their wine elevator and let me tell you that that is one cellar I wouldn’t mind getting locked in! My friends and I were seated promptly in their main bar area given and extensive mixed drink menu that more than rivaled other Martini Bars in the area. Excelsior claims to have “Bold and Contemporary American Cuisine with a touch of whimsy…” Maybe our ideas or whimsy are different as I failed to notice any as I ate my Asian Flair dish of “Crispy Crabmeat Spring Rolls with Nuac Cham dipping Sauce.” The dipping sauce had a sweet, almost pleasing taste and the meal was good – but it was nothing that I would order again. Although my friend got the Oyster plate featuring 2 of each type of oyster: Island Creek, East Coast and West Coast. The presentation for this oyster plate was A+ and judging from the ooh’s and ah’s elicited from my friend, the little shellfish hit the right spot… that’s why they call oysters and aphrodisiac!

Mosty importantly, their were great drinks… Raspberry Mojito, Strawberry Martini, and Gimlet – all proved to be first rate. I will definitely go back again for the drinks and with a hearty appetites, as their delectable menu made my mouth water with the likes of “Duck in Caraway sauce,” and “Sirloin Steak in a Madeira Sauce.”

Underwhelmed at Avila
Avila
1 Charles Street South
Boston, MA


When I heard Davio’s was opening a new sister restaurant a few blocks down the street, I was intrigued. Stuff@Night profiled the restaurant in their Summer Preview issue, but were not able to comment on the quality of food or the space since the restaurant only opened last Thursday. All I knew is that Avila was a new take on contemporary Mediterranean cuisine. Therefore, I took it upon myself to investigate. I called a friend who I hadn’t seen in a while, and she and I braved the rain and headed toward the Theater District.

Located right across from the Radisson and opposite Bennigan’s, Avila fits perfectly into neighborhood and its location alone will make it a fantastic before and after theater hot spot. Having been disappointed in restaurant décor as of late (see Radius, Great Bay and Via Matta), I will say I was pleased by the neutral colors that dominated the space. The bar was large, the kitchen partially open and the over ambience was one of great relaxation and elegance. Nothing was overstated, and even the plates and silverware followed this model of simple grace. Because of the weather, the dining room was nearly empty and we ere treated to a great seat right by one of the big windows that look over Charles St.

Our waiter warmly greeted us and offered to explain the menu to us, since half of it is “small plates.” We declined his offer; the small plate trend is something I have experience far too often and, in my opinion, is a trend that needs to cease and desist. Tapas (no matter what you call small plates, that what they are) belongs in a TAPAS bar! Now, both of us were very hungry and quite perplexed to see no salads or appetizers proper on the menu. Instead, we ordered two small plates: a beef tartare and salt cod fritters. Both were fine, if not overpriced ($15, $8 respectively). I have had better, but more often I have had worse. Before I get to the real food, I will mention that I was pleased that Avila carries Reyka vodka, and I greatly enjoyed my martini!

After carefully looking over the menu, my guest decided upon the Braised Short Ribs and I selected the evenings special, Mediterranean Spice Rubbed Duck Breast with Fingerling Potatoes and Asparagus. The menu was varied in both choice and in price; prices ranged from 25-45 for entrees, with sides all costing $8. Her short ribs were quite nice – the flavor and texture were perfect. Unfortunately, she should have ordered a side because the meal seemed to consist mainly of meat. My duck was a large meal, but seemed extremely lacking in the flavor department. I expected exquisite spices and I got a nice piece of duck that tasted as if it were salt and peppered. The presentation was phenomenal. It was simple, basic and the oblong rectangular plates help present the food in an appetizing fashion.

Dessert was good, but again nothing to make me salivate and want more. For example, the coconut bread pudding at Bomboa haunts my dreams…. The chocolate lava cake from Avila did not. My companion’s churros were tasty, but how hard is it to deep fry some dough. What I will say about the dessert course is this: Here was the first course where I saw the Mediterranean influence at work. Our fantastic waiter described each dessert and referenced which coastal country originated said dish. Throughout the rest of the meal the Mediterranean influence was found in the description alone – the food just didn’t capture that warm, flavorful feeling of Greek, Spanish, Italian and French foods.

With so many great restaurants in Boston, I wouldn’t rush back to Avila. Perhaps after their first few months, the place will improve. The staff is great, the venue is nice, and the food is decent, but at such high prices the food should be great! No matter how you look at it, $45 for a veal chop is very high and that type of price should only be charged by a restaurant that delivers impeccable food, full of rich flavor and texture – Avila does not do this… yet.

Pop Art at the Martin Lawrence Gallery
Martin Lawrence Gallery
77 Newbury St
Boston, MA 02116

Newbury Street’s Martin Lawrence Gallery is currently hosting a Pop Art show consisting mainly of Andy Warhol with a few Haring’s thrown in for good measure. Sound familiar? If it does, you must have read my entry on DTR Modern Gallery. The concepts of the two shows are virtually the same- the execution, however, is completely different. Looking to capitalize on the amazing boom in post WWII sales (a recent auction at Christie’s brought in over 140 million dollars with just under 100 pieces up for auction), MLG places two large Warhol’s in the window in a rotating display which they hope will lure people into the gallery.

One of the drawbacks of the MLG is that it simply does not look like a contemporary art gallery. The brownstone in which it makes its own is ornate with lovely architectural details and blends beautifully into the Back Bay neighborhood. However, this space would not seemingly mesh well with a collection of modern masters’ works - many of whose minimalist leanings seem out of place in such an architecturally rich surrounding. DTR, on the other hand, has their gallery window lit in fun lighting and a funky Pop picture, and when inside the space screams, “Look, hang some Pop Art here!” DTR takes a more museum like approach in their hanging, and it keeps the art well lit on white walls – enhancing the bold, in-your-face styling of the artwork.

While not hung as cleanly as DTR, the MLG show does give a far more accurate representation of how one of these Warhol’s or Lalonde’s may hang in your home, but only because the walls are covered in artwork and actually look like the wall you might find in your own house. When you enter MLG, you are able to see how a “modern” piece of artwork can be phenomenal in your home. At DTR, you may love the work in the gallery, but have a hard time visualizing what that Haring would look like in the same room as the French landscape painting. (Thank God for home shows!) I am sorry, but I can’t help but keep comparing and contrasting the two galleries. Maybe that’s just what MLG gets for choosing the same time as DTR to showcase Warhol and Haring.

When you walk into the space at DTR, you automatically think Warhol and Haring. When you walk into MLG, there is, for the casual art connoisseur, a small lapse before you say, “Wow, that’s a Warhol!” It is this very small, almost inexplicable difference between the two shows that makes the DTR show that much better. I had mentioned in previous posts that I wouldn’t pass judgement on art that is already established as “great” in order to avoid lengthy art historical discussions. But, I will say that on a personal level, I find the Haring and Warhol pieces at DTR more compelling and engaging.

To sum up MLG: the show is good. Go see it, but also go see the show at DTR. MLG’s staff was courteous, very helpful and extremely unpretentious. My time, while too short, was enjoyable in the gallery, and, as always, I will stop back in regularly to feed my need to constantly take in and process post WWII artwork. Their collection is strong and the gallery as a whole works well in the space.

All in all, I am looking forward to the Kerry Hallam reception on June 10th at MLG. His artwork has been a staple of MLG since its inception (in Boston at least), and I can see why. His fun nautical pieces feed my New England blood – I almost want to pop my collar and tie a sweater around my neck!

May Fair Reflections
Heather reflects on the day...

Thousands of local Bostonians gathered in Harvard Square this weekend for the May Fair. As always, this bi-annnual event (the fall counter part is a similar fair in October) provided a great collection of art, jewelry, food and fashion showcased and presented by local artists, designers and retailers. Art Bar showcased many of their local artists, glass blowers and jewelers. In part due to the gorgeous day, but mainly because of our collection of work from amazing artists, throngs of customers shopped our booth and made the day a huge success!

While we worked our way through this beautiful May day and scorched our white winter hides, we talked of our annual tradition of going to John Harvard's Brewery for Chicken Pot Pie. I know what you are thinking, not nearly as classy fare as the other establishments we frequent, but I can tell you, it's equally delicious. Our mouths were watering to sample one of their fine pale ale brews and devour the Chicken Pot Pie we remembered. We were not dissapointed, and no, it isn't because all we had to eat that day was a bag of Kettle Korn. When you are in Harvard Square and want an inexpensive dinner with exceptional beer swing by and hop on to one of their - first come first serve - barstools and dig in.

Devlin's Never Disappoints!
Devlin's Bistro
322 Washington Street
Brighton, MA 02135

I love Devlin's! It's that simple. Located in the perpetually up & coming Brighton Center, Devlin's has been a staple of mine for the past few years. The food is very good, the drinks are potent, and the atmosphere is great! Live DJ's mix music many nights and the bar is even conducive to a little bit of dancing. If the DJ's that mixed at Devlin's were at clubs like Pure, they would be packed!

Last night at Devlin's was as great as ever. My friend and I had gotten dinner at fellow Brighton hot spot SoHo, but decided that we would meet some friends from the neighborhood at Devlin's for a drink. Always bustling, the restaurant had a substantial crowd for a rainy, miserable night and we took a few seats at one of the two bars. While no one seems to be carrying the Reyka vodka that I fell in love with back at Dante, I did enjoy a few too many of my drink of choice - Grey Goose straight up with a twist.

The friendly Irish bartenders and the always pleasant staff, made the night relaxing and enjoyable despite the gloom outside the large windows facing Washington Street. If I hadn't already eaten, I would have treated myself to their "Potato Nachos" (a great combination of sliced, cooked potatoes topped with cheese, bacon, sour cream and more!) or some of the other great bar food. Whether its at the bar or in the dining room, the food never disappoints and ranges from fantastic salads and pizzas to creamy and rich pasta dishes and fish.

Devlin's claim to be "a little bit of downtown uptown" is well founded. Many nights, if I don't feel like leaving Brighton Center to head into the city, I opt for Devlin's. On the weekends the music is good, the decor is trendy and chic, and the clientele is young and hip. Devlin's delivers so much, so close to home that sometimes you might think, "Why leave?" With the patio opening in this great weather, there is even more reason to stop in for a drink or an entire night.

Check out Devlin's sometime soon, and believe me its worth the trek out of the city as much as its worth not having to go in if you are lucky enough to live close by.

Purely Awful
Pure (formerly Matrix)
Tremont Street (across from the Wang)
Boston, MA

I hadn't been so excited about a club opening in a long time. Saturday was the grand opening of Pure - an all house, all dance club that would be unique in Boston. For too long dance clubs have all reverted to playing too much hip/hop and bad top 40 music, and dance music has been forgotten. While I don't mind gettin' my groove on to the latest music, I truly miss dance music that wasn't all about grinding and humping on the dance floor. Pure promised to deliver...

The night started off all right. Despite the fact that the place was quiet, girls were dancing and the drinks were flowing. The space looks exactly like the matrix did - almost. With 6 weeks of renovations, you would think that the club would have looked substantially different. I guess what six weeks gets you these days are some white sheets hung all over the room and a few huge LCD screens that have digital fish swim across them. All in all, the club never escapes the same trapping as Matrix: somehow you can tell the club is in the basement of the Roxy.

In the beginning, the music was fun - a mix of the BPM (XM radio for those who don't know) play list and some progressive house tracks, veering mainly on the vocal side of things. People started to dance and soon enough, as the clubbed filled closer to midnight, the dance floor started to fill up. All to soon the DJ switched gears and the vocals were gone, as were the people from the dance floor. Then the impossible happened, or so I thought. In what seemed like a response to he empty dance floor, the DJ kicked in a high energy version of Bette Davis Eyes that got the crowd up and off those new IKEA couches and jumping! DJ's today are so full of themselves that they would rather play what they wanted to a vacant dance floor then play to the crowd. The next cut was another nonvocal house track and the dance floor emptied.

My companion went up to the DJ and begged for the new Madonna song or a classic anthem from Kristine W. The DJ's reply was, "I don't play that S*&^!" Well hey Mr. DJ, no one liked the sh^% you were spinning! We waited another 15 minutes and left to go to the Apollo in Chinatown. Halfway through our 1am meal, I remembered that I hadn't closed my tab at Pure. I went back to the clb, now about 1:15 (a time when a club should be pulsating with music and dancing) and found a nearly empty dance floor with people swaying because they were drunk, not because they liked the music.

When I closed the tab, the bartender gave me an understanding look as if to say "Tonight sucked, didn't it?" My tab was only 40 dollars, so he obviously took pity on me and yet another sign that even the staff thought the night fizzled.

Bottom Line: Pure is nothing to look at. So unless the music changes and the DJ learns to work his crowd, I wouldn't go back. That said, I would like to go back in a month or so and give it one more chance. The club's heart is in the right place.....

Newbury Street Won Out
DTR Modern Galleries
167 Newbury Street

Kidder Smith Gallery
131 Newbury Street

My First Friday was spent on Newbury St last night. And while it wasn't the best showing (of people or of art), it was an enjoyable evening nonetheless. I only made it to two galleries, because work was busy this week, not to mention my newly injured wrist. Wish I could say I fell down after too much fun at the Ketel One event last Tuesday, but instead it was a lame slip and trip on the stairs at work. I spent the majority of Friday in the ER waiting for an x-ray.... But in brighter news, one gallery on Newbury really caught my eye.

DTR Modern Galleries' "Revisiting the Flash of the 80's" was an enjoyable and impressive collection of Pop Art. The space was quite enjoyable, aside from the sales girl who asked, "who is your favorite Pop Artist?" A question such as this should never be asked of anyone simply because Pop Art is such a style that many people hate or even dismiss. Any true Art Historian wouldn't have asked such a question, but then again I have grown accustomed to the sales people in galleries being all sales and no art. Sure, she knew her Warhol and Haring factoids, since they were at the exhibit, but how would she have reacted if I countered her question with, "Oh for me it's Keith Haring, but what is your favorite school of German Expressionism?"



I didn't ask her this question, mainly because I was enjoying the show and didn't want to try to out art snob the art snob! The space is perfect to exhibit the large pieces by Warhol, Haring and Basquiat. I love when paintings by many pop artists are displayed together, because the evidence of how each builds off the other in terms of style and composition becomes so obvious. If you had thrown a few Lichtenstein’s into the mix, the small space would have rivaled, in terms of quality pop art, the miserable "Jasper Johns to Jeff Koons" exhibition at the MFA a few years ago. Bottom line, go check out the gallery if you enjoy Pop Art. I don't want to turn this blog into a debate or the validity or merit of past famous artists.

My experience at the new David Moore exhibit at the Kidder Smith Gallery was as disappointing as my previous show was enjoyable. Moore's large abstract pieces lacked feeling, depth or even decorative value. His ribbon like execution of his brush, created flat planes of color and shape that never seemed to engage the viewer. Most abstract paintings, even from so called masters lake Newman who I don't like, elicit more feeling than the contemporary paintings by Moore. Newman, who uses singular color planes with the "zip" that crosses them in such a way that, before the Moore show, i never thought could convey much emotion - but they do! Maybe that's why Newman is a master and Moore is trying to hawk his pieces for 10,000 a pop!

Yet, there is more wrong with Moore. My companion last night pointed out what I had been thinking in the back of my mind all night - there is no depth to these works whatsoever! If you look at the blue piece "Pulse" I have posted below, you can see the ribbons of color. What you can't see is that these pieces must have been hurriedly produced for exhibition because of one simple fact: the colors never cross or intertwine with one another. The blue ribbon is always on the same plane throughout the canvas and the black ribbon is on the plane above it and below all of it is a plane of white ribbon. Therefore, you create an amazingly flat surface, despite the physical amount of paint on the canvas. This effect, intended or not, renders the paintings emotionless.




The last failing of the Moore show was the final test i put all abstract pieces I dislike to before I shirk them off. I asked myself, "If I had a large room with a color scheme that matched this painting, could I hang it and enjoy it on the level of a decorative element?" The answer with Moore was a simple no. I would rather hang a blank canvas still in its wrapper and tell people I had a Duchamp.

First Fridays and a New Club
Newbury Street
MFA
Pure

First off, sorry for the lack of posting this week! Over at Art Bar we have been setting up events with numerous venues and are only a few days away from announcing the first of our summer events!

This Friday marks the return of 'good weather' first Fridays. I am not sure what to do with myself this Friday night. Almost every gallery on Newbury will open its doors and let the unassuming art lover browse, eat cheese, and drink wine - lots of FREE wine! And if tomorrow night's weather is anything like today's, I won't be able to pass up mixing and mingling with the artistes and their adorers.

The MFA, with its ever occurring 'mfafirstfridays', always provides an evening of great tapas, cocktails and live jazz music. Drawing an eclectic and lively crowd, mfafisrtfridays is where you can mix with the haughty, cultural elite or the pennysaving college student who used his College ID for free admission with the hopes of finding some poor (but rich) widow. The one drawback is all the tapas and drink will cost you. If this Friday weren't payday, I think that Newbury Street would win out!



Finally, This Saturday marks the debut of a brand new club called PURE. Replacing the dank hole that was the Matrix, Pure promises to be the one club where only House and Dance music are played. The staff of Art Bar is VIP for the grand opening, and we will surely give you the real scoop on whether or not Pure lives up to expectations. But let's face it, anything is better than the Matrix!

Pure's Website

Axelle Fine Arts
91 Newbury St
Boston, MA 02116

I figured it was about time that this blog had an Art entry. I was hoping to go to the ICA this week, because it has been too long. But, I never made it in time. I blame their limited hours! I did, however, stumble into one of Newbury streets newest galleries.

Axelle Fine Arts is simply lovely. There is just enough artwork, and of enough variety on the walls to make the space feel full yet sparse enough to be on Newbury St at the same time. Featuring many contemporary French Artists (namely Michel Delacroix), the art at Axelle is consistent within the context of the gallery and all artists beautifully fit with one another.

Axelle’s next show will open on May 13th and feature the work of Jean Daniel Bouvard. His work, created with a subtle and muted palette, seems to embody pure emotion and raw feeling rather than something so trite as subject matter. Whether it is a landscape scene or portrait, Bouvard’s canvases resonate with an intensity that transcends the subdued hues of his paint. Quite simply, seeing a Bouvard in person is an assault on senses and I guarantee you will talk more of what the painting elicits from you than the careful manner in which each subject is executed.

So on May 13th, head down to Newbury St and stop by Axelle. Hey! With a few glasses of complimentary wine and champagne, the evening will be great even if you hate the paintings (which you won’t).

Axelle Fine Arts