Last July I visited Millvale to meet John Riegert. I was contacted like many Pittsburgh artists to partake in an exhibition about a man I did not know, curated by a person I had never met. The idea of this mystery exhibition started to take shape revealing a great concept with a whole lot of heart. I requested that John provide me with some photos of his life and show me the most important images of his youth. I wanted to get an idea of who this person was, not just what he looked like but his whole journey.
My mixed media portrait of John will be on display at Space Gallery starting this Friday, June 24th. For my piece I chose to illustrate John's existence and story through photography and portray his struggle through the use of a video clip of John experiencing pain from his 1999 performance of Spray, a piece he did with Edgar Um Bucholtz while they were classmates at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Art. I really enjoyed working on the project and can't wait to see what other artists have created. The press release is below:
In February 2015, Brett Yasko asked 252 Pittsburgh artists to create a portrait of the same person: John Riegert. What followed has been a journey through studios, restaurants, group sittings, museums, universities, parks, cemeteries, fishing holes, artists’ homes and John’s own home. The culmination will be an exhibition at SPACE in the summer of 2016 where, among the portraits, John will act as docent—telling stories of each artist and their work, as well as stories of his own.
A full-color catalogue will be produced. It will feature all 252 portraits, an essay by Eric Lidji (who has followed the entire project as a fly on the wall), photos of the interactions between John and the artists, as well as a section dedicated to John’s art and writing.
The Artists:
Edith Abeyta Cate Rassman Afrooz Andrew W. Allison John Altdorfer Scott Andrew David Armbruster Stephanie
Armbruster David Aschkenas Genevieve E.T. Barbee-Turner Patricia Barefoot Jennifer Baron & Greg Langel
Mark Baskinger Mary Bates Kim Beck Robert Beckman Pat Bellan-Gillen Gavin Benjamin David Bernabo Aaron Blum
Brandon Boan Cory Bonnet Paul Bowden Robert Bowden Terry Boyd Jeremy Boyle Danny Bracken Lauren Braun
Dee Briggs Jeff Brunner Edgar Um Bucholtz David Burke M. Callen John Carson Nick Caruso Tony Cavalline Ashley Cecil
Kim Chestney Angelo Ciotti Kevin Clancy Richard Claraval Seth Clark Lenka Clayton Brian Cohen John Colaric
Matthew Conboy Sandra Conley Lisa Considine Lex Covato Chris Craychee dadpranks Doug Dean Kathleen DePasse
Sean Derry Dave D’Incau Jr. Amy DiPlacido Christiane Dolores Laura Domencic Ron Donoughe Tracey Donoughe
James Duesing Jim Dugas Cecilia Ebitz Ian Finch Matt Forrest Kim Fox Toby Atticus Fraley Mark Franchino
Abby Franzen-Sheehan Craig Freeman April Friges Jon Funari Paul Leroy Gehres Fabrizio Gerbino Bonnie Gloris
Scott Goldsmith Jenn Gooch Sarika Goulatia Elizabeth Raymer Griffin Jamie Gruzska Steve Gurysh Peggi Habets David Hahn
Kate Hansen Adrienne Heinrich Aaron Henderson Ryder Henry Lori Hepner Ben Hernstrom Al Hoff
Deborah Kiss Holtschlag Christine Holtz Mundania Horvath Deborah Hosking Jennifer Howison Leo Hsu Robert Huckestein
Tate Hudson Andi Irwin Lisa Marie Jakab Natiq Jalil Delanie Jenkins Tom M. Johnson Rob Katkowski D.S. Kinsel
Paula Garrick Klein Kristen Letts Kovak Yelena Lamm Ryan Lammie Rick Landesberg
Jill Larson Judith LausoZack John Lee Eric Lidji Tom Little Cara Livorio Michael Lotenero Carolina Loyola-Garcia
Dale Luce Duncan MacDiarmid with Scott Hunter & Terry Young Julie Mallis
Peter Mandradjieff Maria Mangano Ross Mantle Penny Mateer Anni Matsick Christopher McGinnis
Jeannie McGuire Dale McNutt with Mike McQuaide Clayton Merrell Constance Merriman Kyle Milne Travis Mitzel
David Montano Heather Mull Julie MullJennifer Nagle MyersRisë Nagin Stephanie Neary James Nesbitt Celeste Neuhaus
Matthew Newton Leslie Nutting Meghan Olson Annie O’Neill Chris Pacione Mark Panza Leah Patgorski Donna Penoyer
Terri Perpich Kurt Pfaff William Pfahl Greg Pierce Debra Platt David Pohl Susan Laansma Pollins
Linda Price-Sneddon Dylan Priest Deborah McLaren Priore Jack Puglisi Heather Joy Puskarich Robert Qualters
Shawn Quinlan Robert Raczka Caroline Record & Ricardo Iamuuri Robinson Jake Reinhart
Martha Ressler Fiona Riegert Larry Rippel John Ritter Rachel Rodkey Steve Root Elizabeth Claire Rose Paul Rosenblatt
Renee Rosensteel Ann T. Rosenthal Philip Rostek Christopher Ruane Jon Rubin Jim Rugg Benjamin Saks Diane Samuels
Tom Sarver Jason Sauer Paul Schifino Elana Schlenker Janice Schuler Travis K. Schwab Kurt Shaw Phiris
Kathryn Sickels Blaine Siegel Rabecca Signoriello Louise & Sarah Silk Carol Skinger Kara Skylling Susanne
Slavick Becky Slemmons Shaun Slifer Sarah Smith Jason Snyder Richard R. Snyder Julie Sokolow Lizzee
Solomon Joshua Space Ivette Spradlin Emilie Stark-Menneg Julie Stunden Andy Sujdak Mia Tarducci
Benjamin Thomas Lenore Thomas Sam Thorp Mark Threefortyseven Anne Trimble Laurie Trok John Tronsor
Judy Tulley Kristin Turcsanyi Scott Turri Jude Vachon Laura Vinchesi Justin Visnesky Dylan Vitone
Andy Vogt Lorraine Vullo Susan Wagner David Wallace Kent Wallisch Norene Walworth & Rob Capaldi Mary Weidner
Barbara Weissberger Hannah Welsh Carolyn Wenning Susanna Weyandt & Ian Brill Diane White Lauren Wilcox
Debra Williams Sharon Wilson-Wilcox Teresa DallaPiccola Wood Alisha B. Wormsley Bec Young
Paul Zelevansky Bob Ziller Kathleen Zimbicki
