Best of the Season
Summer Festival Preview
by Jay Blotcher, May 28, 2008

Connoisseurs of art photography and dance will find nirvana at the first summer season at Mount Tremper Arts, a 100-seat performance and exhibition space dedicated to classic and contemporary expressions of these artistic forms. Nestled among the Catskills in northwestern Ulster County, this fledgling project, cofounded by Mathew Pokoik and Aynsley Vandenbroucke, promises to be a summer arts colony for bohemians. In addition to exhibitions, there will be artist talks, workshops, and post-performance gatherings. Evidence of the eclectic range of Mount Tremper Arts: The summer calendar offers dance music by ethno-fusion musicians and DJs, as well as a photography exhibition of work by 20th-century American stalwart Walker Evans.

The Mount Tremper Arts season bows on July 19 with an opening night party showcasing multimedia pieces for adventurous tastes. The photography exhibition titled “Signs” showcases the work of Evans and the contemporary photographer Stephen Shore, and has a heady premise. From the organization brochure: “‘Signs’ investigates language within photography, the interplay between word and image, and the appropriation of found objects.” Whether that come-on puzzles or invigorates you, there’s more on July 19: an installation by jill sigman/thinkdance with dj Joro Boro, and the music of Golem, intriguingly described as klezmer/punk. Ambition of this caliber should bring Mount Tremper Arts deserved fans. The seven-week festival runs through August 31. Link to complete article.