Unchained

Many of you have undoubtedly heard about the Chain Letter Show. The idea was a robust one—using the existing network of artists, create an international, artist-curated, pop up event at several locations around the world all at the same time. Ten artists were asked, and then they asked ten more, who then asked ten more. It is easy to see how you get to exponentiality very quickly, making this an idea that was clearly both crazy and very fun. How could I not go along for the ride?

On the day designated for dropping off work, my friend George Wingate and I arrived with our own work plus pieces by several of our friends at the Boston location, Samson Projects. By noon there were art objects stacked three and four deep, and a line of artists was starting to form in front. (By some accounts Samson ended up with over 1200 at the end of the day.) It was clear to George and me by mid day that this wasn’t a venue that would work for us or for our friends.

So there we were in the South End, our arms full of gorgeous pieces by artists we love. Then George and I had a “Salon des Refusés” (although in this case the “refusing” was self-inflicted) moment: Let’s decouple from the Chain Letter event and just have our own show: UNCHAINED. The first version of Unchained is here on Slow Muse, followed by a second “in the flesh” installation in George’s beautiful barn gallery in Wenham, just north of Boston, later this summer.

Here are the artists included in this first exhibit: Deborah Barlow, Kelvy Bird, Dennis Cowley, Pam Farrell, Patty Hanlon, Robert Hanlon, Don Howard, Elizabeth Mead, Holly Meade, Paula Overbay, Anne Pelikan, Mary Smith, George Wingate.

Enjoy.

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Deborah Barlow
Pyrre
18 x 18″
mixed media on wood panel

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Mary Smith
ancient string/fairy
12 1/2″ x 13 1/2″
Collage on paper

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Paula Overbay
Penelope’s Handkerchief
12 x 12″
mixed media on wood panel

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Elizabeth Mead
Internal Organs
Misc. sizes
Porcelain on wood shelf

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Pam Farrell
Chinese Whispers
18 x 18″
Beeswax over oil on mulberry paper on wood panel

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Kelvy Bird
untitled
20 x 20″
Mixed media on paper

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George Wingate
Adam Grows a Beard
8 x 10″
Acrylic on panel

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Patty Hanlon
Blue Scenery
5 x 6″
Plexiglass CD box, latex gloves, pigments

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Robert Hanlon
The Decision
5 x 10″
Pigment and shellac on panel

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Holly Meade
Young Man Trapped in War
12 x 12″
Woodblock print

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Don Howard
2010 Christmas Card
5 x 7″
Collage, paper, feather, paint, pen

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Anne Pelikan
The Lookers
4 x 6″
Paper postcard with sections cut out

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Dennis Cowley
View from Browns Island 2010
4 x 5″
silver gelatin print (pinhole)