This Friday promises another perfect storm of collective efforts at the 78th Street Studios' popular Third Friday event. Among the openings and exhibitions taking place from approximately 5 to 10 p.m., E11even2 presents 27*, an exhibition inspired by the infamous "27 Club" of celebrities who died at the age of 27. This exhibition features work inspired by Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison and Amy Winehouse. 27* includes works from 15 artists who each created up to three new pieces for the show. Curated by E11even2 co-founder Billy Nainiger, the exhibition includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and mixed media.
Just down the hall, Zaina Gallery hosts al-Jiran, a new installation of sculptural work by Zaina founder Leila Khoury, who describes the work as "fragments of a partial upbringing in pre-war Syria." Aleppo Bath House and other architecture-based works inspired al-Jiran (which means, "the neighbors").
Around the corner, the Cleveland West Arts League hosts the Ninth Annual Brooklyn High School Art Show, featuring a diverse range of new work from young artists.
Forum Art Space presents the work of Phillip Buntin and Tony Ingrisano. Through very different methods, Buntin and Ingrisano explore and challenge our interpretation of information, and encourage viewers to "see more with less and less with more."
Tregoning & Company continues its impressive, large-scale retrospective of drawings and paintings by the late Anthony Eterovich. For more than 50 years, Eterovich taught life drawing at the Cleveland Institute of Art, and from 1962 to 1978, he chaired the art department at James Ford Rhodes High School. This retrospective is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Eterovich's drawings and paintings ever, and is part of joint effort with the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, ARTneo and the Cleveland Institute of Art, each of which is (or will be) hosting special exhibitions reflecting on the life and work of Eterovich.
On the second floor, Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery showcases the highly anticipated return of Troy Gua's Pop Hybrids series. Gua's work investigates themes of identity, celebrity and pop culture. His Pop Hybrids series features two superimposed iconic faces. Individually, these faces are immediately recognizable, but Gua dissolves the two into one subjective portrait. This juxtaposition creates psychological associations, as well as highlighting facial similarities in very different pop culture icons — like "Ubermensch," featuring Friedrich Nietzsche and Superman. The result is inviting, engaging and thought provoking.
While her own work currently hangs at the Maria Neil Art Project in the Waterloo Arts District, Hedge Gallery owner Hilary Gent presents Optic Environments, a group show featuring new work from Matthew Gallagher, Sarah Hayes, Ashley Pastore and Dott von Schneider-Lanza. Optic Environments includes detailed collages, mixed media works and Matthew Gallagher's large-scale field paintings.
Derek Hess Gallery hosts a one-night-only exhibition of nearly 100 rare and vintage concert T-shirts from the '70s, '80s and '90s. The collection belongs to Kansas native Erna Hammer, who began collecting the shirts while working as a DJ at the nationally syndicated radio station, Z-Rock. The shirts range from well-worn to freshly pulled from the printer, and chronicle a distinct period of rock history.
On the third floor, it's Frank Oriti's last Third Friday before moving his studio to the Screw Factory.
Additionally, Popeye Gallery (inside Survival Kit) presents the first large-scale solo exhibition and book launch for the Rust Belt Monster Collective, a group of six local artists who collaborate on live paintings at local events like IngenuityFest, Brite Winter, and Solstice and MIX at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The new 120-page hardcover book chronicles the four-year history of the Rust Belt Monsters. Quantities are limited, and the group has designed an exclusive slipcover signed by all six artists for the first 100 copies sold at the opening.
At 9 p.m., Extra Medium Pony and Sleepy Kid will perform live at Survival Kit. The performance is free, but donations are accepted.
And don't forget about the lower level, where ARTneo continues its Fundamental Gestures exhibition exploring how local artists capture the human form in unique ways.
Third Friday
78th Street Studios, 1300 W. 78th Street, 330-819-7280
78thstreetstudios.com
