“New Obstructions” at AS220

The closing party for “New Obstructions” at AS220 is from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 My review:

AS220’s exhibit “New Obstructions” is one of those right-on ideas that seem to come so naturally to the institution. In July, AS220 acquired the Mercantile Block on Washington Street, with plans to redevelop it much as they did with the Dreyfus next door. Over the winter they’ll begin turning it into studios, offices, and live-work spaces, with an anchor ground floor tenant like the Dreyfus’ Local 121.

But before they fix up the joint, artist and AS220 curator Neal Walsh enlisted artist Mike Taylor to help him organize a quick group art show in the former Cogens Printing Services at 135 Washington Street. It feels like a punky version of one of those old Hollywood let’s-put-on-a-show musicals, in which a plucky gang of performers band together to entertain despite a lack of money and time and everyone saying they’ll never be able to do it.

Read the rest here.

“New Obstructions,” AS220’s Mercantile Block, 135 Washington St., Providence, Sept. 26 to Oct. 17, 2008.

Pictured from top to bottom: Mike Taylor’s “Hallucinominium,” Richard Goulis, “Unfrozen Time Chunk,” and Jon Laustsen’s “In a World.”