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Art of the Day: Madame Twisto by Marie Roberts

Posted in art, sideshow, tagged Coney Island USA, Madame Twisto, Marie Roberts, sideshow banner, The Art Room on August 6, 2012| 1 Comment »

Madame Twisto Sideshow Banner © Marie Roberts. Photo by AmusingtheZillion.com

Artist Marie Roberts is a third-generation Coney Islander who has been painting the banners that emblazon the facade of Coney Island USA’s headquarters since 1997. Madame Twisto, the name bestowed on the girl who contorts herself inside the bladebox, was Marie Roberts’ very first sideshow banner. Countless Madame Twistos have graced the sideshow stage since the banner was painted. Honestly, we were surprised and delighted to see it again. Having first met Marie in 1999, the banner seems like an old friend.

This early canvas is one of dozens of the artist’s works from the past 15 years on view at the Art Room in Bay Ridge. At the opening reception on Saturday night, banners trumpeting the 2000 Mermaid Parade and Coney Island sideshow stars Insectavora, Scott Baker, Donny Vomit and the Black Scorpion mingled with a miniature banner line and recent paintings on Japanese paper. All of the work is for sale and may be viewed by appointment through August 24. You may also commission a banner portrait for your home, office, or stage persona. The Art Room will be open for Friday night’s Summer Stroll on August 10 and 17 from 6pm- 10pm.

The Art Room, 8710 Third Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11209. Phone 347-560-6572. Email theartroomnyc@gmail.com

Photo of the Day: Art on the Move in Coney Island

Posted in art, Photo of the Day, Photography, tagged Coca Cola billboard, Coca Cola Clock, Coney Island, design competition, Magic Clock, papier collé, Parachute Jump, Philip Tusa, Philomena Marano on July 6, 2012| 6 Comments »

Clock & Chute, Limited Edition Print by Philomena Marano on W 12th Street, Coney Island. June 9, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

On a recent Saturday, ATZ happened to see “Clock & Jump” by Philomena Marano, walking down 12th Street in Coney Island. We caught up with the artwork in front of a souvenir stand. It’s a limited edition print— one of 200 — made from the original papier collé, which is Philomena’s forte. The Clock in the print is the Coca Cola clock on a billboard that was a Boardwalk fixture in the 1950s and ’60s. The Jump is of course the landmark Parachute Jump, the sole survivor of Steeplechase Park.

“Coney Island has needed a clock since the hands fell off the Coca Cola clock some time ago. I guess in the late 70′s,” said Philomena in a comment on one of our previous posts about her work (“Art of the Day: Play Fascination by Philomena Marano,” ATZ, September 19, 2010). The face of the clock and the billboard are also long gone. “Philip and I are thinking about how to propose the clock project, seriously.”

In 2004, the artist teamed up with architect Philip Tusa to propose “A Pavilion with a Magic Clock” for the Van Alen Institute’s Parachute Pavilion design competition for Coney Island. There were 864 entries and cash awards of $18,000, but none of the entries won the commission to design the pavilion at Steeplechase Plaza.

Marano and Tusa gave their concept another go in 2008, when the Municipal Art Society asked the public to “Imagine Coney.” The section of their proposal titled “Reestablish Massive Clock” envisioned a clock that pays homage to Steeplechase with “a little Tilyou man at center, whose arms act as the arms of the clock and then will spin frantically every hour on the hour, perhaps accompanied by some whirring or whizzing sound.”

Philomena’s Magic Clock presented at BAM, November 17, 2008. Municipal Art Society Imagine Coney Island Idea #131 by Philip Tusa, Architect & Philomena Marano, Artist. Photo © Philip Tusa via flickr

Photo Album: Mermaid Avenue Murals and Public Art

Posted in art, Photography, tagged Coney Island, Funny Face, Mermaid Avenue, mural, Public Art, Steeplechase Face, street art on June 21, 2012| 6 Comments »

Mermaid Avenue Funny Face. June 18, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

In Coney Island’s revamped amusement area, hand-painted vernacular signage and public art are rapidly being displaced by custom lighted signs or painted over. Just a few blocks away on Mermaid Avenue, mural painting by local artists is still thriving. Walking from Stillwell Avenue to West 28th Street, ATZ came across work on almost every block, including a Funny Face touting “Parking for Puertoricans Only,” murals memorializing lost friends and a community art project celebrating growth and diversity.

Église Evangelique Haitienne, Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

One block north of Surf Avenue, Mermaid Avenue is the neighborhood’s shopping district, populated with stores, restaurants, churches and community organizations such as Astella Development and South Brooklyn Youth Consortium. As Woody Guthrie famously says in his song “Mermaid’s Avenue” written in 1950: “Mermaid Avenue that’s the street where all colors of goodfolks meet.”

Mural Memorializing Jose Chin, Five Deli Grocery, West 28th Street, Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The mural pictured above dedicated to the memory of Jose Chin is painted on a wall outside of Five Deli Grocery on West 28th Street and Mermaid Avenue. Coney Island artist Kwamin Serguson finished it on April 21, 2012, two years after Jose’s passing at age 22, according to an article in Astella Action News. The mural is one of several poignant memorials to lost youth that can be found on the sides of buildings.

Vision of Growth, created by Groundswell in collaboration with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium, is on West 27th Street at Mermaid Avenue. The 15 by 80 foot acrylic on cinderblock mural features images of Coney Island landmarks and highlights the diversity of the community. The project was part of Groundswell’s 2008 Summer Leadership Institute. “Artists Alex Pimienta and Jessica Poplawski worked with a team of youth to create a colorful mural celebrating the people, changing communities, and future of Coney Island,” says the project description.

Detail of A Vision of Growth: Groundswell in collaboration with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium. Mermaid Ave at W 27th St, Coney Island. Photo by Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The young mural artists from the South Brooklyn Youth Consortium are Mohamed Abdelrahman, Michael Coleman, Shani Coleman, Nicholas Collazo, Ahmathya Edwards, Mashayach Edwards, Michael Ferrera, Angel Garcia, Andrea Gil, Doris Huey, Emily Lew, Carla Pierre Paul and Ken Zheng.

Detail of A Vision of Growth: Groundswell in collaboration with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium. Mermaid Ave at W 27th St, Coney Island. Photo by Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr