New exhibit gives studio-eye view of photographer Roy Lichtenstein

IN "Roy Lichtenstein in his Studio," the Gershman Y offers Philadelphia a glimpse into the private life of one of the 20th century's most iconic artists, all through photographer Laurie Lambrecht's lens.

The exhibit's photographs featured were captured while Lambrecht worked closely with Lichtenstein, from 1990 to 1992. Lambrecht had the rare experience of assisting Lichtenstein in New York and South Hampton before his 1993 retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum.

The photographs on display show Lichtenstein's studio, magazine scraps and cutouts scattered against black and white outlines, and the artist himself standing in front of blank and incomplete paintings. (On Oct. 18, Lambrecht will visit the gallery to discuss her time as Lichtenstein's studio assistant and will also be signing copies of her book.)

Along with Andy Warhol, Lichtenstein is credited as being one of the leading figures of pop art. Using vivid hues, vintage comic strip images, box captions, and Ben-Day dots, a technique similar to pointillism, the genre capitalized on material culture and gained popularity during the 1960s.

With her modern aesthetic and use of bright colors, Lambrecht's images have distinct stylistic echoes of her mentor, offering Lichtenstein-esque potency by incorporating a similar attraction to geometric shapes and strong lines. Lambrecht also captures the relationship between the artist and his craft while providing personal insight into the painter's creative process. "I didn't start out wanting to tell a story, have an exhibition, or publish a book," she writes in her book. "My picture making was a sort of nonverbal conversation with Roy and with his work."

It's appropriate that the Gershman Y is hosting the show. The venue has long been committed to contemporary art throughout, and has historically championed pop art.

"Some of the first exhibitions in the country featuring pop artists, including Roy Lichtenstein, were shown at the Gershman Y," said curator Miriam Seidel.

"Roy Lichtenstein in his Studio," Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St., gershmany.org.

-Amanda V. Wagner

Celebrate World Peace Day at Crane Arts

As of mid-September, there have been 253 murders this year in Philadelphia. Clearly, we could use a little more peace around here, and the city's art community is promoting that cause in at least one creative way.

To mark the U.N.'s international Ceasefire Day, also known as World Peace Day, on Friday, Crane Arts is putting on Films4Peace, an annual compilation of short films created and sponsored by PUMA.Peace.

The goal of this ambitious project is a safer, more peaceful, more creative world, according to curator Mark Coetzee. He's chosen 21 filmmakers, including Yang Fudong, Hank Willis Thomas, and Terence Nance, to create 17 original short works (they range from 30 seconds to two minutes), which will be free to download at the Films4Peace website, films4peace.com.

As part of this project, filmmakers have examined the idea of peace from every angle. South African artist Nandipha Mntambo, for example, believes the essence of peace is harmony and cohesion. In her film, she uses a flock of birds to exemplify the rules of attraction and repulsion as something that keeps the flock flying together, much the way working together as a community can create harmony.

Anabelle Rodriguez-Lawton, the screening's curator, believes that the Films4Peace initiative is an opportunity to start an urgently needed conversation in Philadelphia. She hopes to bring these films to schools throughout the city in the coming months. After the Friday debut, galleries will be encouraged to use their networks to get the word out about the film series though social media so that this year's Films4Peace is the most widely viewed yet.

Crane Arts, 1400 N. American St., 6 p.m. Friday through Sept. 29, 215-232-3203, cranearts.com.

- Amanda V. Wagner

A new photo exhibit at Gallery 339 has taken a cue from a new wave classic. Its title, "More Photos About Buildings and Food," is a play on the title of The Talking Heads' 1978 album, "More Songs About Buildings and Food."

The photographs in this group exhibit do focus on food and shelter, an unlikely pairing of subjects that creates an interesting dichotomy.

"We like the fact that they both represent basic human necessities," said exhibition organizer Martin McNamara. "There is something fundamental about both subjects."

Among the 32 artists featured in this exhibit is Zoe Strauss, who had her own exhibit earlier this year at the Philadelphia Art Museum, while other artists in the show include William Christenberry, Dominic Episcopo, and David Graham.

"More Photos About Buildings and Food" opens Friday, through December, Gallery 339, 339 S. 21 St., 215-731-1530, gallery339.com.

- Amanda V. Wagner

Everyone needs a pop music fix every once and a while, at least according Carolyn Haynes, bassist for Philadelphia-based fuzz-pop band Catnaps. Which is exactly what the band will try to provide at their show Sunday.

Throughout their four years together, the band has gone beyond the usual boundaries of pop music to include elements of rock, grunge, and indie-combining sounds from different genres to create fun, irresistible tunes.

Fans will actually have two opportunities to hear the band live: Besides Sunday's show, Catnaps will play again at PhilaMOCA on Sept. 27. New recordings are on the way, too. A third EP is currently in the works, and the foursome is also planning a special three-song winter release that should be available in just a few months.

"We're branching out with our sounds," said Haynes, who is eager to keep trying new things onstage and in the studio.

"We're a band that's still growing and I think watching a band during that time period is really neat to see."

Catnaps, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., Sunday, 6 p.m., admission, $8, 267-671-9298, catnapsband.tumblr.com.

- Nicholas Sukiennik