Dennis Hollingsworth

PAPER BOMBS

Bart Exposito is curating a group show at Jack Hanley Gallery called "Paper Bombs". The idea has to do with an intentionally blurred notion of the plentitude of paper, of the urge to convey ideas (art) from one to many (hence the image of aerial propagation), of the role of paper and copious (machine-printing press) production, of the brilliance of manifold imaginative worlds (hence the bloom of bombs). And the bombs? Flowers bloom from this barrel.

The show reminds me of the MOMA Queens drawing show, this one being more colorful. There are a ton of artists in it, over twenty... and the Saturday night opening is going to be packed with people. Saturday will be a big night in ChinaTown, that night being the community open house where all the establishments there --galleries, stores, restaurants and bars will remain open into the evening. The place will be packed in a way that only ChinaTown can make graceful.

Working late into the night last night, I thought that that particular moment was an opening all of its' own. Artists brought beers, joked about Bart's task of arranging the work on the walls, took smoke breaks outside as they worked on their installation. ChinaTown streets, empty as midnight rolled around and Grand Star's young bar attracted kids unselfconsciously singing old skool rap in the street. It was a classic ChinaTown moment. The place has a good feel already.

Below the fold, early shots of the install: