July First Friday: Junk art, Navajo flute music, shiny figurines and more
Beat the heat at July’s indoor First Friday events in downtown Phoenix.
The Heard Museum and Phoenix Art Museum will host free admission for Friday evening. Five15Arts will host its annual show, “Plus 2,” which features exhibitors chosen by the gallery’s 12 members. Phoenix-based artist Pete Petrisko will showcase photographs of his “Shiny Happy PHX Happening” figurines, which paraded downtown Phoenix in 2014. And Alwun House will feature the works of Michael Farmer that depict the effects of technology.
Here is your guide to the July First Friday events.
Pete Petrisko figurines and Phoenix landmarks
Back in 2014, Phoenix artist Pete Petrisko scattered nearly 100 1-inch tall gold and silver figures across downtown Phoenix. Now, they’re back. Except this time, Petrisko is featuring photographs of the figures in front of iconic, “As seen in 2014,” downtown Phoenix backdrops. The project is the culmination of an eight-year project.
View the project at Buds on Grand at the July 1 opening reception.
Details: Buds on Grand, 1301 Grand Ave. #2c, Phoenix. budsglassjoint.com.
The story behind it: How these tiny figurines came to downtown Phoenix.
Five15Arts ‘Plus 2’
Five15Arts will feature its annual summer show of collective artists and invited guests. This year’s “Plus Two” exhibit will feature a wide variety of media, subjects and styles. Several works of art will be available for purchase.
Exhibitors include Bob Allen, Ron Bimrose, Kim Boege, Mark Carroll, Wade Carter, Tad DeSanto, Ed DuBrow, Daniel Friedman, Shaunté Glover, Kimberly Harris, Deb Hodder, Megan Johnson, David Knorr, Sarah Kriehn, Marlys Kubicek, Yunie LeNoue, Madeline Liu, Harold Lohner, Annie Lopez, Kell Nelson, Farraday Newsome, Elissa Nowacki, Paulette Olive, Cyd Peroni, Alexander Perry, Richard Pomraning, Daniel Prendergast, Jeff Reich, Susan Risi, Rebekah Rubalcava, Lynn Smith, Joan Thompson, Marissa Vidrio, Joan Waters, Wendy Willis and Danielle Wood.
Details: Five15Arts @ Chartreuse, 1301 Grand Ave. #2b, Phoenix. 602-228-0685, five15arts.com.
‘Daydreaming’ at Modified Arts
“Daydreaming,” a group exhibition at Modified Arts, will feature artists Angela Masker, Anitah Diggs, The Lady Egg, Bre Kohlmeyer and Rema Koebel. The exhibition dives into personal and universal narratives through works that aim to answer the question: “What is the role of the subconscious?”
Details: Modified Arts, 407 E. Roosevelt St. Phoenix. 317-755-7971, modifiedarts.org.
Navajo flutist Jonah Littlesunday at The Heard Museum
Beat the heat at the Heard Museum’s First Friday event, which is free from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and listen to Navajo flutist Jonah Littlesunday perform. Visitors can also take a “Mindful Gallery Stroll” to experience the newest museum collections through a new lens.
Details: Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave. 602-252-8840, heard.org.
‘Desert Rider’ at the Phoenix Art Museum
Desert Rider explores modes of transportation in the Southwest. Inspired by the counter-cultural developments of the 1960s "Easy Rider" phenomenon, this exhibition displays customized vehicles through the lens of wide open landscapes in the Southwest.
Blending transportation, industry, landscape and identity, the exhibit features large-scale installations, prints and sculptures by Latinx and Indigenous artists including Caro Romero, Douglas Miles, Margarita Cabrera and Liz Cohen.
Details: Through Sept. 18. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. 602-257-1880, phxart.org.
What to see: Lowriders as high art: See how they express family, culture and religion
‘Love Don’t Speak Like That’ at Eye Lounge
Phoenix-based artist Shorty Greene will show her first exhibition at Eye Lounge, which will feature mixed-media collages, photographs and her own collection of Polaroid postcards. All the pieces work together to produce a show highlighting the universal, human experience. First Friday event runs from 6 to 9 p.m.
Details: Eye Lounge, 419 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. 602-430-1490, eyelounge.com.
‘Technology will save us’ at Alwun House
Artist Michael Farmer’s new exhibition, ‘Technology Will Save Us All,’ features more than 30 collages, paintings and ready-made objects. The exhibition tells the story of how technology relates to our society today, melded with visual elements from Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Taoism. First Friday event will run from 6 to 10 p.m.
Details: Alwun House, 1204 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. 602-253-7887, alwunhouse.org.
‘Talking Trash: A Junk Art Exhibition’ at FOUND:RE Contemporary
‘Talking Trash: A Junk Art Exhibition’ will feature environmentally conscious works from Arizona artists Shari Keith and Claire Ploppet, all made from found objects. In each piece, the artists transform discarded materials like buttons, sunglasses, broken mirrors and road signs into creative compositions. First Friday event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibition will be open through Oct. 1.
Details: FOUND:RE Phoenix Hotel, 1100 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-875-8000, foundrehotels.com/contemporary.
‘Oasis on Grand’ at Sisao Gallery
Sisao Gallery, which is located in the lobby of The Oasis on Grand apartment complex, will host the works of its artist residents for First Friday. The event will run from 6 to 10 p.m.
Details: Sisao Gallery, 1501 Grand Ave. Phoenix. 516-603-1930, facebook.com/sisaogalleryphx.
Hazel and Violet Letter Press
Print a free poster on Grand Avenue at Hazel & Violet Letterpress, open from 5 to 10 p.m. on First Friday. The store also has cards, coasters, calendars and stationery available for purchase.
Details: Hazel & Violet Letterpress, 1301 N.W. Grand Ave., Phoenix. 480-544-2162, hazelandviolet.com.
Look down: The floor is art in the Phoenix airport's new Southwest Airlines concourse
Reach the reporter at sofia.krusmark@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram @sofia.krusmark
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Your guide to July’s First Friday events in downtown Phoenix
