"I lied about being the outdoors type." - Evan Dando

 

Click logo above for A.P.E. Site

"Steve Snell's Alaska Wild! & Other Adventures in Contemporary Art"

At APE on Main Street in Northampton it's hard not to do a double-take when passing by. This huge painting in the entrance reminded me of the moon two nights ago and this inspirational shirt I saw on Amazon:

This shirt has inspired thousands judging by the customer reviews here.

Here's the deal on the actual APE exhibit after that bit of ....inspired frivolity:

First, he floated down the Connecticut River on a couch boat.  Then he met Alec Baldwin while journeying across the State on a ‘Thesis Quest’ for his Master of Fine Arts degree.  Now, he is back from an adventure to the Alaskan wilderness, and prepared to share with the Pioneer Valley all that he has learned and experienced on these adventures, which he identifies as ‘art’.

Beginning June 17^th and running until June 30^th, 2011, local adventure-artist, Steve Snell, will exhibit an installation of video, sculpture, drawing, and painting at the A.P.E. Ltd. Gallery at 126 Main St. in Northampton.  This exhibition will feature three separate adventures that seek to explore the mediated and physical reality of American popular culture and the artist’s relationship to it.  Snell has searched for meaning in the mountains of Western Massachusetts all the way to the wilds of Yakutat, Alaska.  He has floated rivers, walked backcountry roads, flown over remote glaciers, and kayaked into distant, pristine waters.  He has found eagles, otters, beavers, CNN, abandoned cabins, lost dogs, kind strangers, Alec Baldwin, and art.  Now visitors can have these experiences for themselves via this mediated installation at the A.P.E. Ltd. Gallery.

  

A closing reception will be held on Thursday, June 30^th from 5 PM – 8 PM.  Then, Steve Snell will vanish from the Northampton arts scene on a new, yearlong adventure into the deep south of the United States. He says he will return one day and claims “you haven’t seen the last of Steve Snell” (his voice slowly trails off).

Gallery Hours for this Exhibition:  Daily: 12-5,  Fridays: 12-8

Visit A.P.E.

A.P.E. at Window
126 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01060

Phone: 413.586.5553
Fax: 413.586-6819

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday, 12-5 pm,
Friday & Saturday, 12-8 pm,
Sunday, 12-5 pm,
Closed Monday 

To view a preview of this installation go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_RKLNgfut8

Daily Hampshire Gazette Feature

It's always a surprise when my casts out into the sea hook a little "mainstream" attention, dating back to the letter that Marvel Comics printed in Marvel Team-Up #54 back in 1976 when I first moved from Maryland to Amherst and discovered that the outside world included me if I chose to participate in it. Thanks to Phoebe Mitchell for noticing.

Two Northampton Institutions Ride Into The Sunset

It seems that after nearly 30 years (I think) our beloved Pleasant Street Theater Video store will become Northampton Wools in a matter of weeks. Rumor has it that the Forbes Library is interested in buying the amazing collection of films that has provided so many households with well curated evenings of cinematic joy, horror, thrills, laughs, groans, panic, and even utter disgust. (Did anyone rent Centipede? Yuck!!! The middle segment would definitely be the worst even though #3 got the least nutrition.) Let's hope so. the collection should remain in the town's bloodstream and if it helps increase traffic at Forbes, then all the better. There are no more video stores in Northampton. Thanks, technology! ! I will miss the conversations with Dana, Bill, Philip, Gene, Jennifer, Patty, Chris and the rest as well as the communal rapport that regular customers developed. It's the kind of store where people would feel free to offer unsolicited tips (or warnings) to total (or partial) strangers. Even the staff would discourage me from renting a movie sometimes. Not because it necessarily sucked but because they knew I probably wouldn't like it. Because they knew me.   So thank you, Pleasant Street Video staff, for your years of service and movie lists and good advice and wit and friendliness. (Painting by Robert Sweeney)

Back in the mid-80s, after a late night out dancing at the Northstar Seafood Bar to DJ's Jim McDee or Scotty Dread, or thrashing to the Pajama Slave Dancers and Watch The Teeth Kate at Sheehan's, everyone who was anyone showed up for breakfast at Jake's, which used to stay open until 3AM on weekends.  Aside from ditching the late night hours, Jake's stayed the course and remained largely the same for all these years. Frills? Never had 'em. Never will. This Wednesday is the last day of business as usual at Jake's so come in, get a turkey club, maybe with carrots instead of chips, and say goodbye. After all these years, the black and white photo of the most regular customer, Bruce, must come down. 

And what ever became of the Father's Day poster?

After I took this photo, someone bought one of these last two shirts right off the wall.

Beneath the Planet of the Return of the Night of The Living Dead's Chainsaw Massacre on Ice starring Lady GaGa and Sarah Palin as Search Engine Magnets

Life in the Nohodome has been in suspended animation for many months and with this post I intend to revive the blog and henceforth post several times a week. The goal is to record impressions of daily life in Northampton, Massachusetts in text, pictures (click for high resolution), and video. A travelogue without the travel. A man on  the street who peers down the alleys. A concierge at large.

The Gang's All Here

  One of a Kind

 

 

  

 Mother's Day 2011

 

 

 

  

Parting Shots

 

Fellow Local Blogger Tommy Devine. 

Check out his Cosmos Report.

Weekend Stroll through Northampton

CLICK any photos for larger views.

New Retro Genie location opened this weekend on Strong Ave. across from East Side Grill but next weekend will be the grander opening!

The basement at Retro Genie, decoration in progress. I'm feeling Greg Brady and Jack Lemmon at once.

I dream of Retro Genie....

 Comb-over in training.

Bumper sticker philosophies for passers-by...

 ...and passengers.

"Do you have a G-spot GPS?"

Mardi Gras season in evidence at Ultra Gal.

 

Your photographer at Jake's.

 

 

 

Dick and boob art is unhindered, and in fact enabled, by winter precipitation. No I am NOT the artist. I am merely monitoring the culture in whatever beer-fueled forms it may sometime take.

The Vegan Monologues...

The Roost, a great reason to come over to the other side.

Old time-punch clock for factory workers on display at the Antique Center on Market Street.

Mild Max.

 

Kate and Beth at the Roost.

 

Fine arf galleries.