P004 → Exhibitions
2021
Jungle Boogie 2 : Portrait of the Artist as a Colossal Wreck at CoProsperityCatskill, NYJungle Boogie 2: Portrait of the Artist as a Colossal Wreck was a restaging of extant artworks, documents, and reclaimed materials derived from 13 years of artistic output of the artist, curator, and educator Brandon Alvendia, living and working out of Chicago. The artist portrayed himself in this solo survey as a corpse stranded on a deserted archipelago amidst the wreckage of a shipwreck scattering his smuggled wares.
2019
Nosebleed Section at Rainbo ClubChicago, ILSolo site-specific painting exhibition at the famed Rainbo Bar in Chicago.
“I sent a half-dollar down the line to the vendor, never expecting to see any change and only half expecting a beer. It came back full after passing through 14 pairs of hands, and I thought that either we are getting considerate of our fellow man in Chicago or else we’re going soft.”
Nelson Algren - Sun Times Chicago October 1959
2017
Standards Variance at Public AccessChicago, ILThe Standards Variance exhibition, held at Public Access from May 12 to June 10, 2017, curated by Brandon Alvendia and Greg Ruffing, showcased a diverse group of artists. It explored speculative urban proposals in Chicago, challenging conventional development narratives and highlighting grassroots perspectives. With contributions from over 30 artists, the exhibition featured installations and rotating displays, fostering creative discussions on alternative urban futures. The digital publication accompanying the exhibition, containing essays by the organizers, preserves the dialogue on the complexities of urban space and the possibilities it holds.
2017
IDLE HANDS at Pilot ProjectsPhiladelphia, PAIDLE HANDS - Further Adventures in Metaphysical Arbitrage: 100 Years of the Readymade, in collaboration with artist-run space pilot projects, reimagined Marcel Duchamp's Fountain for its centennial celebration. The project featured local and national artists in an open-call exhibition and readymade competition. On September 9th, the event seamlessly combined an opening reception and awards ceremony, with distinguished judges like Erica Battle (PMA), Blake Bradford (Lincoln/Barnes), and Kate Kraczon (ICA), alongside viewer participation, recognizing outstanding contributions with cash, trophies, and other prizes.
2015
The Great Good Place at threewallsChicago"The Great Good Place" by Brandon Alvendia is a collaborative project exploring the intersection of art and everyday life, showcasing exhibitions that transform ordinary spaces into sites of artistic inquiry. Drawing inspiration from Chicago's artist-run culture, the project reimagines spaces like garages and living rooms to address the loss of "third places" crucial for fostering social connections. Through exhibitions at threewalls' gallery spaces, the project engages artists and curators in dynamic conversations about community and civic engagement.
Exhibition was host to sixteen Chicago based collectives and featured over 100 artists include TRUNK SHOW, Michelle Grabner, ADDS DONNA, THE FRANKLIN, D Gallery, and others, contributing to a vibrant exploration of communal spaces and artistic expression.
2012
The Impossibilty of a Hangover in the Mind of Someone Drinking at The Hills Esthetic CenterChicago, ILThe exhibition, "The Physical Impossibility of a Hangover in the Mind of Someone Drinking," curated by Brandon Alvendia, featured artists Ben Fain, Claire Fontaine, Peter Hoffman, Martin Kippenberger, Selina Trepp, and Madame Vincent. It took place on Saturday, March 24th, 2012, at The Hills Esthetic Center in Chicago. The exhibition explored themes of reflection, recuperation, and renewal following revelry, featuring multimedia artworks and relics that blurred the line between art and everyday life. It also included rituals celebrating artist-run initiatives and offered handcrafted cocktails featuring Chicago's own Jeppson's Malört bitter.
2011
Friends Forever : The Legacy of Camp Gay (2001 - 2005) at Monument IIChicago, ILThis project comprised an immersive installation that featured a fragmented and loosely recreated version of the Camp Gay space in MONUMENT 2. The elements were partially crafted from hazy memories and partly derived from a plethora of less-than-archival-quality documentation, mostly of the camera phone variety. In the project space, featured a modest display of Camp Gay documentation and related materials.