In “Mainlining Urban Art – DISTORT, Jay Walker and Leslie Friedman at Main Line Art Center,” Edward Epstein writes about the show at the Main Line Art Center and the urban “detour” this work took to get to the ‘burbs. Epstein’s interpretation of the works is spot on. Friedman explained to me that her use of tile as pavement for ramps was a nod to urban skateboarding culture, but what’s really urban about her work is its unabashed Jewishness. Loud colors and patterns paired with unsubtle reminders of anti-Semitism reference a time when Jews did live on the other side…
Author: Leslie Friedman
‘Urban Pop’ Makes Metro
Spring Arts: Make It Pop by Julia West Artists Leslie Friedman and DISTORT take what they know about urban living and pop culture and turn it sideways. To view the entire article online, click here.
Urban Pop: DISTORT, Leslie Friedman, and Jay Walker
Main Line Art Center Twists the Traditional in Urban Pop 9th Annual Betsy Meyer Memorial Exhibition March 20 – April 12, 2013 Featuring Artists DISTORT, Leslie Friedman and Jay Walker Curated by: Amie Potsic, Executive Director of Main Line Art Center Artist Talk & Opening Reception: Fri., March 22 Artist Talk: 5:30-6:30 pm Opening Reception: 6:30-8:30 pm Closing Reception: Thurs., April 11, 6-8 pm HAVERFORD, PA (February 26, 2013)—Take what you thought you knew about Main Line Art Center and twist it. Start with classic artistic training, add in graffiti, skateboard half-pipe references, and then a layer of vinyl tape….
Jewish Voice & Herald Featured Leslie Friedman in January Issue
In the article Local Artist Returns Home with a New Show, Nancy Kirsch talks about how Leslie Friedman became the installation artist and printmaker she is today (and the stops she made on the way): A political science major at Brown University, she found deep satisfaction in making silk-screening posters of local rock-and-roll bands with whom she was friendly. In fact, her art work is one of the reasons she cited for not taking a junior year abroad to study. Having lived all her life in Rhode Island, she planned to travel around the world for a year after graduating…
Fun Guys at gallery (401)
Providence, Rhode Island is the birthplace of Leslie Friedman and the location of her next solo show. Fun Guys is an exhibition of modular, stackable sculptural pieces that reference the positive and negative stereotype of the Jewish people made of screenprinted tiles wrapped around wooden armatures. Though geometric, graphic, and colorful, this undulating wall sculpture suggest organic forms found in nature. Opening Reception Thursday January 10, 2013 7:00 – 9:00 pm Gallery (401) 401 Elmgrove Ave. Providence, RI 02906 Exhibition Dates: 1.10.13 – 3.7.13 The open hours are: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm…
Half Piped Ideas Gallery
After the fundraising, the emails, and all the posts on Facebook, many of you wondered “What ever happened to that project we heard so much about?” Well, the wait is over! Images from Half Piped Ideas are finally available! Thank you to everyone who supported, both financially, spiritually, and physically. In particular I would like to thank to very special interns, Andrea Savidge and Sofia Ramirez Hernandez. Andrea and I worked together all summer long to churn out tiles and Sofia helped me to mount the piece in Grand Rapids. Your endless hours of help made this project possible. Thank…
Leslie Friedman in ACTIONS: MUTATIONS: REVISIONS: FORMATIONS
Half Piped Ideas is included in this amazing show in Grand Rapids… ACTIONS : MUTATIONS : REVISIONS : FORMATIONS Inspired by the theatrics of ArtPrize, the Adoration curatorial team produced a site-specific exhibition, showcasing an array of multi-media artworks and performances. Using Calder Plaza and the Grand Rapids Police Department as a backdrop, an international ensemble of thirty artists has been brought together to stage the public exhibition Actions : Mutations : Revisions : Formations. For more details see the exhibition guide book (available in printed format during ArtPrize). Or visit http://www.adorationdetroit.com According to the press release: Leslie Friedman, Philadelphia,…
Visions & Vignettes
ArtWorks, Trenton, New Jersey September 7 – October 13, 2012 Leslie Friedman, Stereotems, mixed media, 2012. Artist Talks & Reception: Friday, September 21st 5 – 6pm Talks, 6 – 8pm Reception Curated by: Amie Potsic and Sean Stoops Artists: LEWIS COLBURN DON EDLER LESLIE FRIEDMAN DANIEL GERWIN REBECCA GILBERT KAY HEALY HEECHAN KIM JOHANNA INMAN MAMI KATO DANIEL KORNRUMPF MAGGIE MILLS JENNIFER WILLIAMS KIMBERLY WITHAM Visions & Vignettes is an exhibition by Career Development Program Fellows at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists featuring site specific installations, sculptures, prints, photographs, drawings, and paintings, which reference unique perspectives, created environments, and…
The Final Stretch – Half Piped Ideas
Fans, Friends and Family, We have 11 days left to raise funds for Half Piped Ideas. Many of you have already supported and many have shared this link with their friends, too, and for that, I am so grateful. We are at the halfway point of the ultimate goal of coming in just shy of $4,500. In order to fully fund this project, we need to double that. The good news is I have the under-structure completely designed and it is in the process of being built. Because the fundraiser has been pretty successful, I have decided to make the…
Pattern Pulp Posts about Half Piped Ideas
I am so honored the design-centric blog Pattern Pulp has covered my crowd-sourcing effort and upcoming project Half Piped Ideas. In the commentary, Pattern Pulp head curator Shayna Kulik says it best, “Bringing art to the masses for functional use is always a complicated endeavor, though her plan is impressive.” Thank you for the vote of confidence and for getting the project out to your audience, Pattern Pulp!










