What to do on First-ish Friday, January 8th

The first First Friday of 2016! Here’s some info to help you plan your possibly drizzly experience!

January 8, 2016; 12:03 PM • by RVANews staff

Photo by 1708 Gallery

It’s technically the second Friday of the month, but that’s quite all right! We will allow the fine gallery owners a New Years Day off, especially since they’ve rallied a good one for us tonight.

Here are the highlights for your monthly jaunt in the RVA Arts District.

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1708 Gallery

319 W. Broad Street

Sisters Lisa and Janelle Iglesias come together for “seasaw,” in which the works playfully speak to the back and forth of collaboration, approaching the studio as a site for multiple lenses and viewpoints.” We love puns, guys.

9WG

9 W. Grace Street

Artist Jordan Flower’s new show reflects the many landscapes he witnessed growing up in a constantly-moving military family–“from the mountains, lakes, and autumn colors of upstate New York, to the large, bustling cities of Seattle, San Diego, and Richmond, to the coastlines of Maine, Rhode Island, and Virginia.”

Ada Gallery

228 W Broad Street

“HAPTIC FUGITIVE” opens tonight. Do you know what haptic means? We did not! It means “any form of interaction involving touch,” which is a pretty neat idea. You probably knew that, and now we feel really silly. Anyway, local artist Tom Condon would like to show you direct positives, and whoever wrote this copy has a job waiting for them in our office: “fresh from the darkroom, these one-offs are the lensless, witchy offspring of material improvisation and long hours.”

ART 180

114 W. Marshall Street

What are those cool teens up to at ART 180? They’ve got fashion designs, they’ve got mosaics, and they were all done in tribute to their neighborhood. That’s the very neighborhood you’ll be walking around!

Candela Books Gallery

214 W. Broad Street

At Candela, you’ll find an exhibition by New York artist Andreas Rentsch, who will be in attendance! Like, in person!

Coalition Theater

8 W. Broad Street

At 8:00 PM, be sure to direct your path by Coalition Theater, as they’ll be doing their series premiere of a live sitcom that is, of course, improvised. The plot revolves around a guy who inherited a head shop called “High There,” and anything that involves a head shop can’t be unfunny. This’ll be a weekly event, but this is your chance to catch it from the beginning!

Elegba Folklore Society

101 E. Broad Street

Baltimorian Larry Stevens is a “natural talent,” says Elegba, which didn’t really tell me much. Or, rather, I thought it was telling me that there really isn’t much to say about him. I was very wrong! Stevens makes cool art that I would enjoy looking at for many minutes!

Gallery5

200 W. Marshall Street

It’s not all visual art and improv. It’s also rock and roll. Camp Howard, The Amphibious Man, Flying Colors, and yet more bands are bringing experimental and psychedelic rock to Gallery5. Doors open at 7:30 PM, show begins at 8:30 PM, and you are respectfully requested to bring $5.

Linden Row Inn’s 1708 Gallery Satellite Exhibit

100 E. Franklin Street

Linden Row is a cool place to see some art, I’ll tell you that. 1708 has set up Speed: New Ideas/Old Terrain, at the very historic set of buildings. “This exhibition focuses on the concept of literal and metaphorical movement. Using techniques spanning from painting and drawing to intimate and large sculpture, the artists examine vehicles of motion, the conveyance of energy, and concepts of time and transformation to construct a broad interpretation surrounding the word speed.” It’s only there for a few more days, so now is the time to check it out.

Richmond Public Library, Main Branch

101 E. Franklin Street

Then, cross the street and see the exhibits at the library (between 6:30 and 9:00 PM). You got your “Gathering the Light” (“large canvases featuring skyscapes and seascapes” by Terrie Powers). “Bytes & Pieces” (“computer parts and found objects upcycled/recycled into collaged art” by Emma Lou Martin). “TROPISM” (“multimedia collages that examine the journey of the ‘good girl,’ especially ‘good girls’ of color” by Darlene Anita Scott). “Russian Ornaments and Children’s Books” opens too, and of course you’ll see the permanent collections include works by David Freed, Helen and Alvin Hattorf, and Anne Newbold Perkins.

UNOS Gallery

700 N. 4th Street

“Wild Beauty, Near & Far” sure is a compelling name for this exhibit by Dr. Rob Sabatini, who photographs wildlife. This collection of photos brings Kenya, Brazil, Alaska, North Carolina straight to us! And also, Virginia, which we really can’t get enough of, let’s be honest. travels near and far photographing wildlife. Reception from 5:00 to 7:30 PM.

Virginia Repertory Theatre

114 W. Broad Street

If you haven’t seen it yet, this weekend is your last chance, it’s closing weekend for Gypsy at Virginia Repertory Theatre. We told you to go do this! You really need to start listening to us! We are trying to help your life be awesome! We kid, we know you’re paying attention and just haven’t gotten a chance to go see this superfun musical yet.

January 8, 2016 12:03 PM · in Greater Jackson Ward News and Shockoe News 0