In contrast to the usual energy and excitement found in Station North, the atmosphere at January’s Final Friday in the North Avenue Market was exceedingly tranquil. This edition of Final Friday, Nap Time, featured ambient music, meditative art, and aroma therapy. Sticking with the theme of rest and relaxation, video installations played on loop, and a relaxation tent, hammocks, and pillow puffs were scattered about to encourage lounging.
Nap Time, which was produced by Station North Arts & Entertainment and the Contemporary Museum, was a preview for the Sleep Concert, “Drift State: An extended evening of audiovisual exploration”, held the following evening at the Soft House, at the Copy Cat. The Drift State artistic slumber party, also presented by the Contemporary Museum, featured live performances from more than fifteen musicians spanning twelve hours.
For those looking to kick their weekend off with a little more excitement, Load of Fun Gallery (LOF/g) (120 W. North Avenue) in collaboration with the i.e. Reading Series, hosted an opening reception for The Amsterdam New York Set or The End of the Far West, a silkscreen print exhibition featuring the work of Frank O’Hara and Jan Cremer. Poems and texts by Frank O’Hara were presented by the i.e. Reading series (Michael Ball and Chris Mason, Curators). The exhibition will remain at LOF/g until February 29th.
The new photography collective In (Parentheses) also joined in on Final Friday with a closing celebration of their inaugural show Fields of Vision at Urbanite@Case[werks]. The closing featured a panel discussion with Connie Imboden, Mark Alice Durant, and In (Parentheses) member Dean Alexander (recently named one of the top 200 commercial photographers in the world).
Final Friday will return in Station North, on Friday, February 24th at Area 405 from 5-8pm. February’s Final Friday will feature Slideluck Potshow, a potluck and 90 minute slideshow of work from 34 Baltimore artists. Final Friday will also feature the opening reception for “Apart”, a portrait series of the homeless by photographer Jonathan Rosser of City Arts. Bring a coat or clothing to donate to Project PLASE, a shelter in Station North. As always, Final Friday in Station North is a free event and open to the public.
