DWELL, an installation by Simone Mantellassi & Zena Gurbo

I am excited to share with you the art of two up and coming young artists, Simone Mantellassi and Zena Gurbo. Their work is a marriage of the minds and the heart. This tandem exhbition explores their surreal domestic inquiries in Zena's oeuvre, small functional dwellings based on family, friends homes...and Simone's, small drawings and paintings that number up to 500+ that construct an environment of interior states of being that are frozen into frames of visual poetry.
Together they show us that "home is where the heart is."

Having read parts of Susan Stewart's book, ON LONGING, and Gaston Bachelard's, THE POETICS OF SPACE, these artists give us a post-modern commentary on life and love in the
21st Century that are very much in keeping with these books that have been a barometer for
art, literature, philosophical thinking for me and other artists like one of my favorites, Anne Hamilton.

Simone has shown in two biennials, The Everson Museum, where he won first place in 2006, The Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and in 2008 again at The Everson. Goggling Simone's work,
his kudos are listed.

Zena has designed sets for The Foothills Theater in Upstate, NY, her small dwellings function as stage sets to my eye, perhaps she is setting the stage for future play named "DWELL"...she also is very involved in the community of art and artists in Oneonta, NY. She currrently cooridinates arts, education and exhibitions at ARC in Oneonta, work she finds challenging and rewarding.

Please join us on June 6th, 6-9pm to welcome them both to our home, and to hear the musical stylings of up-and-coming group "Ones Left Behind" ...tentatively to be held in the East Theater.

Chris Bahr

BCC Student Films - May 20th at 8:00pm

Conversations at The Art Mission is proud to announce an evening with the student filmmakers of Broome Community College on Tuesday, May 20th at 8:00pm. Students from the Advanced Video and Digital Filmmaking classes will screen and discuss their work.

We will be featuring the work of Jake Hotchkiss, Sean Van Iderstine, Matt Pisani, Casey Staff, Gregg Bae, Alice Sounthala, Mike Micha, Cody Controis, Alyssa Krause, Todd Harmon, and more!

For more information, please visit www.artmission.org or call 607.722.6914

Art Mission/Magic Lantern Plug on WBNG

To promote the Magic Lantern Movie Festival this weekend, Mark Levy and Karen Kucharski made an appearance on WBNG, Channel 12. Great job to both of them!



The festival was also featured on the Saturday news at 11:00pm.

BU Senior Thesis Films - Phenomenal Success

I'm starting to think that Binghamton might have an actual indie film scene. We had record breaking crowds for the Binghamton University Senior Thesis films, running the programs in BOTH THEATERS simultaneously (and keeping the filmmakers busy with Q&A's in both).

I was really impressed with the quality of all the films, and it was great to hear the filmmakers' perspectives on their projects. Thanks everyone for making it an amazing two evenings! And support the local film scene!

An angle on Kelly McCossan's "Untitled Installation"

BU Senior Thesis Films - NOW TWO NIGHTS!!!!

Conversations at the Art mission featuring the Binghamton University Thesis Films will now take place over TWO EVENINGS. That's right. The creative output from BU is just TOO MUCH for one evening. So please join us for both programs.

Tuesday, April 29th @ 8:00pm featuring
"Untitled Installation" by Kelly McCrossan
"Diner" by Jack Wilson
"Detune" by Ryan Lee
"The Apparatus Clean" by Sean Cunningham
"RAE" by Casey Puccini

Wednesday, April 20th @ 8:00pm featuring
"Untitled" by Laura Bennett
"SEAK" by Andy Simek
" Juggernaut" by Nick Bongiorno

BU Senior Thesis Films - April 29th at 8:00pm

Conversations at the Art Mission is proud to present an evening with Binghamton University Seniors and their Thesis Films. Please join us on April 29th at 8:00pm to meet the filmmakers and watch their films.

Filmmakers Forum Rocks the Art Mission!!!!

Conversations at the Art Mission experienced another round of record crowds and our first event in the West Theater! It was a fantastic evening of experimental film and I want to thank all the filmmakers who were involved and everyone from the community who joined us.


I also want to offer a farewell to Jake Stephens, co-founder of Conversations, who is heading off to New Zealand to work at WETA. Good luck Jake! We'll miss you.

BU Filmmaker's Forum - April 8th at 8:00pm

Conversations at the Art Mission is proud to present an evening with members of the Binghamton University Filmmaker's Forum. Filmmakers will be in attendance to present their films to the public. We will be featuring....

Susan Elder - "The Vulture Eye"

Eliane Lima - "Djinn"

Ryan Zlomek - "Untitled Unconscious 16mm Animation," "Another Rant", "Failed Attempt"

Brian Murphy - "The Unthinkable Little Dream," "A Silver Cow Hatched from An Egg"

Laura Bennett - "Bobbidyboo"

and more! Please join us on April 8th at 8:00pm!

Press Sun Bulletin Review of Conversations/BOTH experience

Elizabeth Cohen at the Press and Sun Bulletin has written an incredible article about the "Blood of the Hog" Conversations event. Enjoy! Click HERE see the original article.

Indie-film screening is window into Tier potential

Take one frigid night, one tiny theater and one promising young filmmaker, and what do you get?

The night of pure delight that took place last Tuesday, when Nat Bouman, who grew up in Montrose, Pa., but went to high school in Binghamton, debuted his feature short "Blood of the Hog."

It was one of those ever lovely "hometown boy makes good" moments, with an added plus: It brought out so many of those involved in this hometown's arts scene. And it took place in Binghamton's new-ish Art Mission Theater.

It was just awesome all the way around and underscored, yet again, the promise that the arts are delivering to Greater Binghamton of renewed life-blood and energy. The momentum is here.

The event was set for 8 p.m., with the promise of a discussion with the filmmaker afterwards. That never really happened, because so many people turned out that the film was screened two additional times, and folks just mingled with the filmmaker (and some of the crew) on their own after the screenings in the reception/ gallery area.

I repeat: The film was screened three times. In other words, on a frigid Tuesday night in March in Binghamton, maybe 200 people (I approximate here -- it may have been more; some people came and, seeing the crowded lobby, didn't stay) came out to see Bouman's film. I would say that is something of a phenomenon for an event that was guerilla-publicized.

The storyline of Bouman's comedic film: A banjo player, who seems to be fixed in a time circa 1950, lives in the present day. His very hot Caribbean girlfriend does not appreciate his "classic" car, straw hat or overall shtick. He also has a little problem with a gambling debt. His debtor forces him to pay off his debts with a "job." (You see where this is heading ... ?)

Anyway, he does so and meets up with two Spanish hit men who make him play his banjo for them and then proceed to have a discussion about the meaning of life and the possibility of an afterlife during his performance, all during a shootout scene.

I won't give away the end. But I will say that Bouman, a Columbia Film School grad student, made a short comedy that features not only decent comedic acting but also stars a number of locales any Southern Tier resident would recognize. It was a blast to see it.

So, confession: This was my first experience at the Art. This is not a function of my lack of interest in film arts, but, rather, a function of the paucity of West Colesville babysitters. That being said, I have now been there, so I can say it: Bravo to Nat Bouman, bravo to the really fabulous Art Mission Theater and bravo to Binghamton.

I used to think of ours as "the little arts scene that could." But these days it is clear: it is the growing arts scene that can.

Record Breaking "Blood of the Hog"!!!!!

With every Conversations event, the crowds just get bigger and bigger. We were hoping the screening of "Blood of the Hog" would be successful, but we were not prepared for the huge response that we received. Nearly one hundred people were in attendance, filling the theater twice over. It was a fantastic evening!

Thanks again to Nat Bouman for taking the time to screen his film and the supportive members of the community who came!


Filmmaker Nat Bouman (center) with Conversations founders Jake Stephens (right) and Patrick Johnson (left)


The first of the evenings three screenings. Nothing beats the intimacy of the Art Mission!

Blood of the Hog - March 11th at 8:00pm

Conversations at the Art Mission is proud to announce an evening with Nat Bouman on March 11th at 8:00pm as he screens his film, Blood of the Hog.

"Blood of the Hog" is a dark comedy starring the musician Al Duvall as a fictional version of himself. He plays a down-and-out entertainer who owes money to a bookie/postal worker, loses his fiance, nearly gets shot by a pair of Ukrainian hit men, and comes into a pile of cash; all in one movie! It's a comedic, thrilling and tragic romp in the spirit of Truffaut's "Shoot the Piano Player."

Nat Bouman has worked on film productions for Maysles Shorts, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Hungry Man Productions. His director of photography credits include Peace One Day, a feature documentary produced for the BBC, as well as several Columbia University graduate student films. His most recent DP credit is for Hold Up, winner of the Audience Award for the 2006 New Festival and official selection for the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and Palm Springs Film Festival. As a director, he has made several short fiction films and documentaries, including; Come Home, From the Coop, and Trap.
Currently, Nat is completing an MFA in film production from Columbia University, where he has earned several merit scholarships. When he is not on set or working on a screenplay, Nat can be found chopping wood, distilling apply brandy or keeping woodchucks away from his tomatoes.

Conversations at the Art Mission would like to thank the Experimental Television Center for its generous support.

101 Ways to Retire - or Not! Feb. 5th at 7:00pm

Conversations at the Art Mission is proud to present an evening with Ithaca filmmakers Sue Perlgut and Chris Julian on February 5th at 7:00pm as they screen their film, 101 Ways to Retire - or Not!

101 Ways To Retire - Or Not! features real women and men in their fifties through their eighties, who redefine what it means to be "retired" and to be "senior citizens," as they live active and vital lives. This advice-filled documentary will change your ideas about retirement in the 21st Century. You can learn more about the film on its official website.

Sue Perlgut is a graduate of NYU with a MA in Educational Theatre. She has worked as a director, performer, storyteller, puppet maker, teacher, arts administrator and producer of theatre in colleges, public schools, community centers and alternative performing spaces in New York City and the Ithaca New York area. She is the author of a children’s book Randi’s Room and currently writes, produces and directs community theatre in Ithaca.

Christopher Julian earns his living as a freelance video producer/director and editor. He received a B.A. in 16mm Cinema from Binghamton University in 1994, and an A.S. in Communications at Tompkins Cortland Community College in 2004. His true passion is digital video editing, but he also pursues works in countless other art forms, including songwriting, painting, photography and woodworking. Chris is currently teaching video at Tompkins Cortland Community College and finished his first feature-length film, Invisible Ink, in 2006. For more information, please visit www.christopherjulian.com.

Conversations at The Art Mission would like to thank the Experimental Television Center for its generous support.

Ithaca Filmmaker Eric Lindstrom Jan. 8th at 8:00pm

Conversations at the Art Mission proudly presents an evening with Ithaca filmmaker Eric Lindstrom on January 8th at 8:00pm. Eric will screen a collection of work including short films Third Attack, Continuum, and music videos for musician BJ O'Malley.

Eric Lindstrom went from working in the newspaper business then to publishing. As Art Director of the Ozzie-award winning Finger Lakes magazine Eric C. Lindstrom met Laurie Linn. They soon discovered each other's talents and decided to start their own design and marketing firm. In 1991 Communiqué was open for business. The firms success is partly due to Eric's leadership and vision. Currently, Eric is working on numerous award-winning video projects including the recently released feature film, "Waiting on Alphie"

For more information about Eric, please visit the Communique website.

Art Mission & Conversations on WBNG

Amy and Chris made an appearance on WBNG-12's Around the Tiers. Take a look.

An Evening with Steve Monosson Dec. 11th at 8:00pm

The Art Mission is proud to present an evening with Steve Monosson on December 11th at 8:00pm. Steve will be screening selected scenes from his feature film "Log Jam" and discussing the process of making it.

Log Jam tells the story of NYC documentary filmmaker Hank Braddigan who is invited to Oneonta to interview elusive artist Art Angst. Gathering together his rag-tag crew, they embark into the wilderness to discover both the secrets of Art and also life changing realizations of their own.

You can learn more about the film on its official site http://www.logjam-movie.com/

Steve Monosson began his journey in visual arts with still photography, developing a long, fruitful association with the Superstock Photo Agency. He transitioned into advertising by taking a position of Advertising Studio Manager for several years for a small but vital agency, CMG Communications.

In 2006, Steve moved out of New York City to be able to be able to devote all his time to creative work. His first venture was to work as Co-Author/Digital Artist/Designer with author Jim Mullen (It Takes A Village Idiot) on a comic graphic novel, Hookline & Sinker. After Hookline, Steve finally returned to his first love — filmmaking. Determined to begin work on his LOGJAM script, it did not take long for him find another big city refugee creative, Joe Stillman, and begin preliminary production.

Conversations mentioned in Cheap Date!

Cheap Date visits the Art Mission and gives Conversations a plug! Thanks again Hannah and Andrei for stopping in and checking out the Art Mission. Here is their writeup!

Get a dose of art and film in one place

The weekend after Thanksgiving always can be counted on for some big movie releases, which sort of inspired our date this week.

Instead of heading to a big blockbuster film at a major theater, we instead went to see a screening of an independent film at The ART Mission and Theater, located at 61 Prospect Ave., in Binghamton.

We had seen the gallery/ theater during our First Friday Art Walk travels, but a reader also invited us recently to an event called "Conversations at the Art Mission." The event featured a discussion about a documentary that was shown Nov. 13. The "conversations" are part of a series, and you can likely find information about upcoming events like that at www.artmission.org.

The ART Mission and Theater is located in a four-story building built in the 1900s. It was originally a railroad hotel and former home of a publishing company, among other businesses. Now, the gallery and two theaters occupy the bottom floor and the top floors are rented as lofts.

We saw Tuesday's 9 p.m. showing of "In the Shadow of the Moon," a documentary by Ron Howard about America's late 1960s quest to put a man on the moon. It featured fascinating first-hand interviews of the astronauts who landed and/or walked on the moon. Unfortunately, you'll have to catch the release on DVD if it sounds interesting -- it was only in the theater for two days.

However, both the mob-thriller "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" and director Sean Penn's much talked about film "Into the Wild" will run through Thursday. Other upcoming films include "The Darjeeling Limited" and "For the Bible Tells Me So."

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students, members and matinees (before 5 p.m.). We were thoroughly impressed with the cheap concession prices. We each got an enormous candy bar for only $1, as compared to $3 or $4 at regular theaters. A bottle of water also is only $1.

In the theater we were in, there were about 40 seats -- giving it a very intimate atmosphere. We found it much classier than any other local theater we've been to, as well. There are brick walls and sconce lighting; however, the screen is slightly angled in relation to the chairs. We can't really figure out the architectural reasoning behind it, except that the actual wall must be angled and it was the easiest way to display the screen. The seats were definitely comfortable, however, although we preferred sitting in the back row or so for the best view.

We highly recommend checking out both The ART Mission and Theater when you have the chance. It's a great way to support local art and get a good deal at the same time. And, it's a good opportunity to see movies that are not shown in the major theaters.

Treasures of Long Gone John Nov. 13th at 8:00pm

The Art Mission proudly presents "The Treasures of Long Gone John" with film editor Patrick Johnson in attendance to speak about the film. Please join us on November 13th at 8:00pm to enjoy this wild ride through Los Angeles' underground arts scene.

The Treasures of Long Gone John chronicles the eccentric art and musical obsessions of a self-described anti-mogul of the music industry, indie record producer Long Gone John. In the past seventeen years, he has single-handedly released over 750 records without ever signing a contract and has helped launch the careers of the White Stripes, Hole, and Rocket from the Crypt. As an art collector, he has supported work by famed Los Angeles artists Mark Ryden, Todd Schorr, and Camille Rose Garcia.

You can learn more about the film by visiting its official site http://www.thetreasuresoflonggonejohn.com

An Evening with Chris Julian Oct. 23rd at 7:00pm

What would you do if your past turned out to be a lie? The lives of three people interweave as they are forced to confront unsettling discoveries about their respective pasts. But their quests threaten to undo their carefully constructed realities.

The Art Mission is proud to announce an evening with Chris Julian, Tuesday October 23rd at 7:00pm. Chris will be screening his feature film Invisible Ink and discussing it afterwards.

Ithaca-based filmmaker Christopher Julian earns his living as a freelance video producer/director and editor. He received a B.A. in 16mm Cinema from Binghamton University in 1994, and an A.S. in Communications at Tompkins Cortland Community College in 2004.

His true passion is digital video editing, but he also pursues works in countless other art forms, including songwriting, painting, photography and woodworking. Chris is currently teaching video at Tompkins Cortland Community College and finished his first feature-length film, Invisible Ink, in 2006.

You can learn more about Chris on his official site http://www.christopherjulian.com

You can learn more about Invisible Ink on its official site http://www.invisibleinkfilm.net

Owego Never Looked So Good

The inaugural Conversations event was a smashing success. Kenny Luby Jr. entertained the crowd with stories of his "On The Lot" experience and shared three of his films Malibu Myth, Edge on the End, and So Today (my personal favorite which unfortunately isn't online and makes Owego look absolutely amazing!).

The event was a great kickoff of the Conversations series. For those of you who may have missed it, stay tuned for more Conversations events. We'd love to see you there.

Here are some photos.

An Evening with Kenny Luby Oct. 9th at 7:00pm

The Art Mission is proud to present an evening with Kenny Luby, Tuesday October 7th at 7:00pm.

Kenny Luby, Jr. is a filmmaker & freelance painter from Owego, NY, who has made a number of short films in a variety of genres. He will be screening and discussing his work.

Kenny recently appeared as a contestant on the Fox reality show, On The Lot, produced by Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett. Out of 12,000 submissions, Kenny was selected as one of the 18 contestants. He is moving to Los Angeles to pursue his directing career and develop his next project.