Abstract Art and National Lager Day

It's the perfect gift for mom and dad.

This weekend only, you can go ahead and cross everyone off your Christmas list, without going near the Staten Island Mall.

At the bitter end of Hylan Boulevard one of our borough's finest cultural institutions is holding a holiday art and craft fair - or something to that effect.

At The Alice Austen House you can find vendors with homemade stocking stuffers, doo-dads, binglebots, and bejewelments for all the members of your extended family.

Mom/gf/wifey: feminist collage art. Artsy brother's dorm room: abstract oil paintings. Grandma: handmade mittens. Rover: gourmet dog biscuits. Also, something called typewriter soap(?).

Check, check, check, and check.

Gano Grills at the Alice Austen House (video)

A tipster sent in this video of local artist and actor Gano Grills speaking at the Alice Austen House Museum on Saturday.

Gano is known for his graffiti work and acting in television shows like 'Law and Order,' 'Oz' and movies like 'Cadillac Records' and 'Bamboozled.'

The event was a benefit to honor volunteers and community leaders who assist the Universal Temple for the Arts, an organization based on Jersey street in Staten Island.

Some of the honored recipients were people who have devoted their time to teach and inspire young artists in the under served community and help the organization further its mission: Robert Sievert, Sharon Broadnax, Mary Bullock, Gano Grills, Lorenzo Hail, Edward Ladner.

Each honoree received a certificate citation for their service from Assemblyman Matthew Titone and Congressman Mike McMahon.

Here is a short video of Gano speaking at the event:

Mission Statement

We here at The Dump want to inform and possibly entertain Staten Island and, maybe, in the process enlighten the rest of the city (world?) about some of the finer aspects of this misunderstood borough.

We have touched on some of these tropes in the past: guido culture, white people, politics, indie rock, hipsters, sports, art, crime, fine dining.

We can not figure out Google Analytics. (We had our entire staff working 24/7 on this but just can't seem to crack it.)

But, we are pretty sure we have somewhere between 10 and 17 avid readers.

So to those people we'd like to ask a question:

What should the Dump focus on more?

We want to hear from the loyal readers. We promise to give the best in-depth reporting you can find on a shitty Staten Island blog.

 Again, we could totally ignore what you people vote on, but at least your voice will be heard (then politely ignored).

So, what will it be? The poll is posted. The onus is on you, dumpers.

Do we need to choose a side in this?

A recent piece in the SI Advance went after the grant-giving process over at COAHSI.

'Local grant process survives review, personal ties'

Basically: some people got grants, some didn't.

The piece boils it down like this:

Two opposing camps formed. A mostly 35-and-under group endorsed Shulick, and the awards made under her supervision. A somewhat older faction asserted that favoritism contaminated the process.

...In some instances, thanks to Facebook, it was also clear that the young newcomers and the 28-year-old grants director are all part of the same social network.

really? is it that simple? if so, what camp are we in?

The Dump never signed up for a 'camp' and we are afraid we might get left out.

Are we automatically connected through the 'Facebook?' idk, we need to check all our contacts and make sure.

In fact, if there is a war and all the grants go to one side, or the other, we think we should at least pick one side so that we can maybe win the fight.

(Hopefully, it won't flare out into the wider conflict with Williamsburg!)

So should we side with the older faction, or the younger one? Which one is cooler, more artistic?

Such a tough decision.

Check out the latest internet meme

Hey guys, we were just checkin in. What's been going on the past few days? Anything good?

Heard sumthin' bout a storm. There's a new pretzel shop at the ferry! Then there's that congressional race that's heatin' up!

Let's see, what else? Well there is this new internet sensation. A woman(?) has been releasing video via the tube of You and they are really effin crazy, but kinda good zany music. here's what we found about her:

the ephemeral, transient sounds coming from iamamiwhoami are nothing short of mind-numbing. the airy, surreal vocals and haunting spacious soundscapes leave lots to the imagination and implant nearly-permanent impressions of a unknowable and frankly unreal commodity.

One of the artist's most successful feats has been maintaining her anonymity. With so many people ready to exploit and critique any artist who attempts to exist solely under their work, this particular character has the honor of having her art judged on its own merits - instead of the whims of whatever minor flaw the blogoshere can find with her (music or otherwise).

Wow, that's hard to understand but sounds crazy -- like this video. check it out below, and let us know if you can understand what it is about.

In light of the recent Snug Harbor developments

Some lady who nobody likes is leaving Snug Harbor. Whatevs.

The Dump wanted to share an interesting YouTube clip for the New York ONEz.

It's an oldy, but a goody.

Second Saturday Art Festival

Tonight there'll be all sorts of art, music, performance pieces, drinking, debauchery (maybe) in St. George just a walk away from the Ferry.

The event, called Second Saturdays, is billed as an arts exhibit intended to draw crowds to the Island's north shore, boost tourism and showcase artists living and working in the neighborhood.

We are especially curious to hear some of the bands performing including Whistlin’ Wolves and SI rockabilly band Nick Williams & the Anteaters -- who knew?

January might not have been the best month to start this, the forecast says 24 degrees, but it should be interesting. Schedule is pasted below. (Warning: the Cargo Cafe sched is a bit misleading, The Budos Band is not playing.)

Assembly Room
15 Corson Ave. 2nd Fl.
Directors/Curators: Brendan Coyle and Amanda Curtis
Artists: Katie Torn, Tom Ronse, Demetrius Felder, Brendan Coyle, Amanda Curtis
Reception: Jan. 9th 6pm-12am
Open House: Jan. 10th 1pm-5pm

Blue Mohawk Lounge
9 Corson Ave. 3rd Fl.
Directors/Curators: Johann Rublein and Leilani Pickett
Artists: Johann Rublein and Leilani Pickett (Staten Island); Eliza Bazilian (Manhattan)
January 9th 6pm-12am

SelzeRez
180 Corson Ave.
Screenings and Artists: pending
(times)

Château de Dada
123 Scribner Ave.
Directors/Curators: Mary Campbell and Vivian Vassar
Activities: Day De Dada Art Recycling Program
Screening: Videos from the MWF Video Club Archive
January 9th 4pm- 7pm

ETG Cafe
208 Bay St.
Directors/Curators: Stvn Jns Daughs
Live Music: 8pm Whistlin' Wolves - 9pm Wahoo Skiffle Crazies
Paintings: Carl Avidano

Nick Fevelo
33 Central Ave. 6G
Director/Curator: Nick Fevelo
Exhibition: Screaming Nutcracker
Artists: Brendan Coyle, Amanda Curtis, and Alma Benussi
Times: 6pm-9pm

15 Cent
15 Central Ave. #2A
Directors/Curators: David and Jen Bianco & Sabrina Mazza
Exhibition: Live Music, Living Sculpture, Performances TBA
Times: 6pm-9pm

SHOW Gallery
156 Stuyvesant Pl.
Director/Curator: Theo Dorian
Exhibition: GLAM!
Artist: Mick Rock
6pm-9pm

Top Flight
100 Stuyvesant Pl. 5A
Director: Don Porcella
Curator: Ginger Shulick
Exhibition: 5 Artists 5 Boroughs
Artists: Laura Napier (Bronx), Jason Douglas Griffin (Queens), Brian Leo (Manhattan), Sergio Coyote (Brooklyn), Nick Fevelo (Staten Island)
Times: January 9, 4pm-10pm; January 10, 12-5pm

Mandy Machine
100 Stuyvesant Pl. G-1
Director: Mandy Morrison
Installation, Performance
Times: January 9th, 4pm-10 PM

NorthxSouth
47 Hamilton Ave.
Director: Mercedes Duff
Curator: Ginger Shulick
Exhibition: North Meets South
Artists: Blanka Amezkua and Ray Sell
Times: January 9, 4pm-10pm; January 10, 12-5pm

CPG Gallery, (Creative Photographers' Guild)
814 Richmond Terrace
Rear View
Featured Photographer: Marilyn Kiss
Times: January 9th 5pm-8pm

Art at Bay
70 Bay St.
Director: Tim Moran
Artists: Kristopher Johnson, Jonathan Leiter, Matt Long, Mike Ruffo, Leon Stewart, Julius Wasserstein, Sharon Wasserstein, Linda Wasylewski, Janet Wenger
Times: January 9th 6pm-9pm

Staten Island Museum
75 Stuyvesant Pl.
Free admission

Cargo
120 Bay St.
Artists: Rudolph Montanez, Dave Derwin, Mike Shane, Adam Bridgewater, and The Budos Band on the exterior.
Mikhael Antone: To A Man Documentary 9pm
Times: After party
Food served until 2am open til 4am
Food and drink specials for Art walkers. A slip will be available at galleries for free admission to the After Party

Artists Rally Around Local Grant Director

Young artists from the Staten Island's local scene have rallied around COAHSI's (Council on Arts and Humanities on Staten Island) grant director Ginger Shulick, who appears to be headed out the door. People have been lighting up the Facebooks and Twitters with a petition to try and save her job.

"If u know Ginger Shulick then u probably have been inspired to create more art on staten island. People want her fired. Don't let them."

via FB

The issue seems to be the grant-giving process, and some perceived "bias" on the panel that distributes the grants. Complaints have been made from some in the community about latest COAHSI grant process. Though like many things on Staten Island it's been boiled down to two groups. These people and these people.

A town-hall meeting was set up to address the issue, but has been rescheduled. Here is the statement from COAHSI.

"There have been several rumors circulating in the community about how the panel process is structured and how decisions on grantmaking are made, and we encourage you to engage in this dialogue on the process as we continually create panels that are as fair and unbiased as possible."

So it seems that people are mad about the grant process, those people wanted a meeting, a meeting was postponed until Wednesday, January 13th, and now what?