Since 1992, Native New York photographer Craig Wetherby been photographing various musicians, athletes and artists, capturing their personalities with a bold and colorful style. Tonight, he is opening an exhibition of his photographic work tonight at Milk Gallery (450 W 15th St, Manhattan) from 7 to 10 PM. Wetherby recently collaborated with Manik Skateboards on a set of skateboard decks and apparel, featuring his shots of Ghostface Killah, Slick Rick, Method Man, Gwar and Bad Brains among others, which will also be on display. Music will be provided by Prince Paul, Ricky Powell aka The Funky Uncle, Smoke L.E.S. and Trouble Andrew. Don’t sleep, because after tonight the show is off to someplace else.
Photo of Prince Paul and Ewa da Cruz by Craig Weatherby for FRANK 151 Magazine.
The NYC Cityracks Design Competition, sponsored by the NYC Department of Transportation, has announced ten finalists whose new bicycle rack designs will be fabricated and installed around New York City this fall. Some designs are practical, others are sculptural, and some are ready for extreme branding. We’re just curious to see how they handle the masses of bikes at locations like Bedford and North 6th St in Williamsburg. [CityRacks]
The latest issue of Paper Magazine asks, “Can the hipster ghettos of Brooklyn really replace Manhattan?” It’s really just a more sophisticated way of asking whether Bushwick is the new black. And after an afternoon investigation, Paper Magazine editor and publisher Kim Hastreiter has the answer: no. Though she enjoyed Bushwick’s colorful street art (some even not in a gallery) and tasty lunch at Northeast Kingdom, the “lone, yummy and cool restaurant in the nabe,” it was no match in her mind for the “powder keg of international culture, commerce, wealth, power, ambition, grit and danger” that is Manhattan, at least before it became “too clean, safe, uncreative and slick.”
Besides nostalgia trips and comparisons between apples and oranges, the August issue of Paper includes “Bushwicked,” a fashion shoot by photographer Jeffrey Kilmer featuring some “cute kids” from Bushwick. Two years ago, Paper would have called their vegan food cute and the kids dirty, but that was back when Bushwick was just “whiskey bars with iPod DJs and hastily but lovingly produced rock shows in little shit-hole venues,” not a “super-cool-kid ghetto” like it is now.
Tonight, Cinders Gallery opens the first solo show for photographer Tod Seelie, Slow Dancing to Slayer. The show not only draws on his work in New York City, but from travels along the Mississippi, across the country and around the world as well. You can preview Tod’s work and keep tabs on his enviable adventures at Of Quiet, Every Day I Live, and Suckapants. The show opens from 7 to 10 PM tonight and stays up through August 9th. (Cinders Gallery, 103 Havemeyer St, Brooklyn, NY)
Tomorrow night, friend and photographer Ryan MacFarland opens his first solo exhibition at Merge Gallery. “The exhibition titled “almost” is taken from the idea that we are almost always on the brink of full awareness and understanding. The somberness that is evoked from the futile endeavor of understanding the universe is elegantly juxtaposed by the hope of his young subjects and the humor of his oblivious non-human subjects.” The opening reception is from 6 to 9 PM tomorrow night, and the show remains on view through August 30th. (Merge Gallery, 205 W 20th St, NY, NY)
For the last month, artists Momo and Melissa Brown have been destroying each other’s work, every other day on the wall outside Espeis gallery. Tomorrow night at 7, Espeis is hosting a closing party but word is that the painting will remain on display through July 26th. Still, go check it out while the free booze is flowing. (Espeis Gallery, 70 Wythe Avenue at N 11th St, Brooklyn)
Friday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, tight pants-wearin Ninjasonik is throwing a party to mark the release of their “Tight Pants EP.” Japanther, Juiceboxxx, and The So So Glos round out the party, not that Ninjasonik needs any help. Photo by Ed Zipco [Suckapants]
Cinders Gallery hosts the first solo exhibition of photographer Tod Seelie aka Suckapants.
“The first solo exhibition of photography by Tod Seelie, “Slow Dancing To Slayer,” will feature work from the streets of NYC and his travels over five different continents. With almost 80 photographs comprising the exhibition, it serves as a window into the life of the photographer as well as a view of the various groups he finds himself with. Whether it be rafting down the Mississippi, moshing at a DIY rock show, witnessing the mayhem of a bicycle gang event, or a stunning landscape, the images capture the intensity of the subject in a unique manner.”
Opening: Thursday Jul 17, 2008 at 7:00 PM
On view: July 17 - August 9, 2008
Cinders Gallery
103 Havemeyer St.
Brooklyn, New York
The 
Friday night at the 
