The Sarah Bereza/Fall On Your Sword collaboration was one of my favorite installs at the Spring Break Art Show in Chelsea this past year. Their collaboration the previous year was no snoozer either – that’s an understatement really – I spent the bulk of my time in the midst of their exhibit “The Darkness Turns To Light”.

In a dimly lit room you approach a lawnmower sitting vintage pretty on a square of fake grass. Grabbing the handles of the mower and cranking it up somehow syncs you into a film – a world of nature and symbolism that quickly turns dark and weirdly fun as you step outside the light and into the darkness of blue sweatshirt wearing witches. Stay there and experiment long enough and you’ll discover different scenarios await you.

Déjà vu kicks in as you walk away from the film and pass Bereza’s giant paintings whose subject matter mirrors the objects and characters you encountered in the film.

Sounds flipping cool right?!

So you understand how badly I needed to exhibit this in my hood – if you’re in Philly do stop by Paradigm Gallery + Studio and experience this crazy Lynconian wonder world on loan to HAHAXPARADIGM and renamed “The Garden of Alternate Histories”.

*Full Disclosure – I’m not only a Art Nerd contributor, but one-third of the Community Arts Program HAHAxPARADIGM. We bring interactive projects to Philly for public consumption. Yum.

THE GARDEN OF ALTERNATE HISTORIES
paintings by Sarah Bereza
video by Fall On Your Sword

July 25th – August 23rd

Closing Reception: Friday, August 22nd • 5:30 – 10:00pm

Gallery Open Hours: Saturdays • 12:00 – 6:00pm

Open by appointment 7 days a week:
info@paradigm-gallery.com • (267)266-0073

Location:
PARADIGM Gallery + Studio
746 S. 4th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147

www.hahaxparadigm.org/projects

photo credits: Gallery Image – Sara McCorriston, Mower Image – Sarah Bereza