Heartworks

In April 2008, Philadelphia will be the destination for a lot of cool contemporary art when the works of photographer/sculptor Jack Pierson, painter/sculptor Andrea Zittel, photographers Ryan McGinley and Zoe Strauss, mixed-media artist Alex Da Corte, installation design artist Virgil Marti, painter/musician Devendra Banhart, self-contained video artist Tim Tate and loads more other visual and performing artists from the United States and London are featured in “HeartWorks,” a week-long event benefiting the Mazzoni Center, a Philadelphia health agency serving the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, specializing in HIV treatment and care.

Curator Christopher Veit (who is from my new hometown of Media, PA) credits the Mazzoni Center with saving his life and is taking the words of his mentor Pierson – “you only get back what you put out in life” – to heart in creating “HeartWorks.” He has decided to give the place and people who helped him get well a benefit of works and performances donated by his friends. All proceeds will support the Center. Lifestyle Magazine is a major sponsor for “HeartWorks.”

“HeartWorks” kicks off on Friday, April 18 with two-evenings of experimental multi-media and music, featuring innovative video art by Alex Bag, photography by Patterson Beckwith in collaboration with filmmaker Joshua Callaghan, musician Douglas Armour and rapper Tara De Long.

Then an exhibition of approximately 100 works of art will be on view beginning Tuesday, April 22, culminating in fundraiser/silent auction, featuring a performance by the saxophone ensemble, PRISM Quartet, on Saturday, April 26. “HeartWorks” will be held at the ICE BOX Project Space, 1400 N. American Street. Tickets for April 18 and 19 are $20; those for the April 26 fundraiser/silent auction range from $35 - $125. Patron packages, including limited prints by either Alex Da Corte or Jack Pierson, tickets to all “HeartWorks” events, and a patron event with the two artists on February 21, are $500 and $1,000. For information, visit www.inliquid.com/heartworks or call 215-563-0663.

Other artists contributing to “HeartWorks” include painters Elyce Abrams, Dave Bond, Anthony Campuzano, Jeff Elrod, Daniel Gonzalez, Robert Gutierrez, Ian Hokin, Pearl C Hsiung, Jackadandy, Michael Lazarus, Isaac Lin, Jay Schuette, Jeni Spota, Thaddeus Strode, Hiroshi Sunairi and Henry Taylor; sculptors Paul LEE and Jason Meadows; photographers Karl Hahn and Mary Pinto; mixed-media artists Shari Elf, Mark X Farina, Adam Helms, Thom Merrick, Sandeep Mukherjee, Michele O' Marah, Randy Polumbo and John Williams; fashion designers Paul Bernstock, Michael Costiff, Bettina Hubby and Thelma Speirs; jewelry designers Annie Costello Brown and Mikal Winn; video artists and filmmakers Zaina Alwan, who also creates murals, Tom Borgese, Paul Slocum, Jack Sloss and Kim Stringfellow; performance artists David M. Jones, Ann Magnuson, Kelly Marie Martin and Khembra Pfhaler; musician Chad Brown; and Ellie Greenwood, Gia Grosso, Tim Jackson, Daniel McDonald, Ji Shin and Lisa Sitko. Artist biographies are available in an accompanying document.

Mazzoni Center focuses on the healthcare needs of Philadelphia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, and specializes in the treatment and care of HIV / AIDS. For more information regarding Mazzoni Center, go to www.mazzonicenter.org.