Author: Julia Callis

Ben Burgess

Ben Burgess is a multidisciplinary artist based in Melbourne, Australia. Known for his documentary practice, he utilizes photography and writing as a process of cultural understanding. Exercising an anthropological approach his work not only examines what’s in front of the lens, but what occurs around the camera. Thus recognising the performative action of photographing as an integral part of the work. Ben completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Photography) at RMIT University in 2016. He has since had solo exhibitions in Australia and participated in group shows both in Canada and Brazil. In early 2017 he took part in an artist residency at Despina in Rio de Janeiro.

Camp Carpenter Residency

CAMP CARPENTER RESIDENCY
(July Only)

Camp Carpenter is a creative outdoor adventure camp for youth ages 7-14 that takes place in and around Popps Packing each summer. Neighborhood youth work alongside professional, local and visiting artists to create a unique play environment on Carpenter Street: Adventure Playground!

The ideal Camp Carpenter AIR should be interested in sharing their skills, knowledge and creative expertise with the next generation of artistic producers.

Some of the skills we are interested in: good at building stuff, sculpture, printmaking, performance art, physical theater, costume and prop design, clowning around, casting, music.  Experience working with diverse youth.

The selected resident will be required to work 20 hours a week during camp weeks (last 2 weeks of July) in exchange for a reduced residency fee. Artists live and work on site at Popps Packing and have access to studio, gardens and all of the resources and support offered by Popps.

Click here to learn more about Camp Carpenter.

NOTE: Select “Studio Residency” in the residency option field and mention Camp Carpenter in the “Contribution” field of the application.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Birdhouse)

OPEN (BIRD) CALL FOR SCULPTURAL BIRDHOUSES

Call for unique, modern, and non-traditional takes on the standard birdhouse to be displayed in the Popps Packing gardens and various outdoor spaces.

Finished houses must be move-in-ready, equipped for install, and dropped off at Popps Packing with completed intake form.

Repurpose an old sculpture into the perfect birdhouse, or maybe you have a bird house that is ready to go, or make something new! Ideally, your birdhouse will be weather resistant, be able to house an actual bird (or birds, or bats, or bees), and be unique. Check out this link for some advice on bird house dimensions if you want to design for a specific species.

Think outside the box! Be innovative! Birds don’t just live in trees.

Drop off dates: 

Mon. April 22, 12-6pm

Tues. April 23, 5-8pm

Wed. April 24, 12-6pm

Exhibition Opening: Saturday, April 27, 2019

Please RSVP via email if you’re interested in participating and for all questions. Email poppspacking@gmail.com

Popps Packing will take a 33% commission on all sales. Limit one birdhouse per artist. 

Why do birds use birdhouses?: Birds are looking for nesting cavities in which to build their nest. Song birds that use tree cavities are not capable of creating their own nesting cavities because their beaks are specialized for hunting insects or gathering seeds. In an undisturbed ecosystem songbirds such as wrens, chickadees and nuthatches look for tree cavities created by other birds such as woodpeckers. 

Tree cavities provide shelter for birds from predators. There are two kinds of cavity nesters: those that create their own nesting cavities (primary cavity nesters) and those that use pre-existing cavities (secondary cavity nesters). Insects or pathogens have also been found to assist in formation of cavities that are used by cavity nesters. 

“boundaries”

As a part of the College  for Creative Studies Craft Department thesis exhibition, “boundaries”, ranges in disciples from ceramics, glass, metal smithing, fibers, and furniture.

Featuring the work of artists Steven Kin, Liz Coy, Noah Mantei , Feather Chiaverini , Cai Steen, Erika Williams, Tyler Zibkowski, Taylor Thomas , Jaminely Emmanuelli, Alex Martin,Peter Caparaotta, and Jordan Rose.

 

Spring Artist in Residence

Popps Packing would like to give a warm welcome to our current artist in residence, Karin Karinson. Karinson is a sculpture artist, working primarily in clay and incorporating all stages, shapes and forms of the material into her work. Resting in the rivers of glossy glaze, she blends ready-made, found, porcelain objects with self-created sculptures;  shards of people’s desires and fantasies, things forgotten, and left behind protrude through a dreamy manifestation of the fragmented natural world.

The correspondence between material object and the personal relationship humans form with them is Karinson’s focal point: “…the individual mentally and emotionally incorporates the home and its objects, developing identification between them and the ego – an act that encompasses both aspects of security and self-fulfillment. In the relationship between humans and their environment there is an ongoing interaction where the environment is affected by human needs and values, while in turn the environment affects humans by giving stimulus, safety and comfort.”

Karin Karinson joins us for as a Studio Resident for March and April through an ongoing partnership with the Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.

https://www.instagram.com/muchmorelittleless/

 

March 8 / “boundaries” a CCS Craft Department Exhibition

Featuring work from artists: Steven Kin, Liz Coy, Noah Mantei, Feather Chiaverini, Cai Steen, Erika Williams, Tyler Zibkowski, Taylor Thomas, Jaminely Emmanuelli, Alex Martin, Peter Caparaotta, and Jordan Rose

The graduating seniors from the College for Creative Studies’ Craft Department and Popps Emporium present, “boundaries”, a thesis exhibition with work in fibers, furniture, metalsmithing, glass, and ceramics.

Opening Reception: March 8,  5:58 – 9:17 at

Popps Emporium
2025 Carpenter St., Detroit, MI 48212

https://www.facebook.com/events/2017386478360334/

A Conspiracy of Accidents

A group show curated by Detroit artist and writer Timothy van Laar. This show includes work by artists: Barbara Kendrick (Omaha, NE), Ryan Standfest (Detroit, MI), Michelle Wasson (Chicago, IL), and Timothy van Laar.

A Conspiracy of Accidents examines the use of collage in the work of four artists, Barbara Kendrick, Ryan Standfest, Timothy van Laar, and Michelle Wasson. Collage is an image making process that formally disrupts more stable contexts, offers startling reconstructions and hybridity, and questions assumptions about the original sources of its images. Since collage acknowledges both the previous meaning of an image and the rupture of that context into something new, collage promotes the multiple uses of images and the uncertainties that this multiplicity generates. This exhibition considers the nature of collage through four very different approaches to the medium.

Andrew Mehall “Clock Cage”

Andrew Mehall’s “CLOCK CAGE” aligns you with your senses, or at least bring you pause with your sense of the world. T.V. footage of swimming polar bears and modern-day music is disrupted by a massive leather sofa, a cumbersome lounging devise placed upon flesh-toned foam. A plaque listing dates sits amongst, the stars and there you stand by candlelight and peanuts.

https://www.facebook.com/events/221487848784383/

 

Dead of Winter Purge-It Fest

Join Popps and friends for the first ever Purge-It Fest, an installation and sale of indoor and outdoor objects, collectables and everyday items that have accumulated on our shores from the existential seas. This is a carefully curated selection of things we have enjoyed over the years: nick-nacks, whizbang, dialogues, consorts and many hats, literally… it’s a sculpturative shopping experience of lost treasures in the Emporium.

🥟We are featuring a Dumplings pop-up by Mastress Chef Yuen of Minion Corps on Wednesday (6-8 pm) and Sunday (11am-4 pm). Fresh homemade dumplings made to order with love.🥟

Come and fetch a deal… Come by and browse our racks, shelves and stocks and have a bite!

ALSO…

Norma Dream! Plays original songs and favorite ABBA covers for five-string banjo Wednesday from 5:30-7:30!

Kathy Leisen presents Beat Music straight from the crate Saturday at 4pm. Live performance, DON’T MISS IT!
https://kathyleisen.bandcamp.com/releases

November 10th: Double Header!

A Conspiracy of Accidents: Group show curated by Timothy van Laar
Featuring artists: Barbara Kendrick, Ryan Standfest, Michelle Wasson, and Timothy van Laar

Opening reception at Popps Packing on November 10th from 7-10pm and running through January 5, 2019. The gallery will be open to the public Saturdays from 12-5pm or by appointment at poppspacking@gmail.com.

A Conspiracy of Accidents examines the use of collage in the work of four artists, Barbara Kendrick, Ryan Standfest, Timothy van Laar, and Michelle Wasson. Collage is an image making process that formally disrupts more stable contexts, offers startling reconstructions and hybridity, and questions assumptions about the original sources of its images. Since collage acknowledges both the previous meaning of an image and the rupture of that context into something new, collage promotes the multiple uses of images and the uncertainties that this multiplicity generates. This exhibition considers the nature of collage through four very different approaches to the medium.

POPPS PACKING
12138 ST. AUBIN ST.
HAMTRAMCK, MI 48212


https://www.facebook.com/events/334584383764470/

Popps Emporium Presents:

Clock Cage, by Andrew Mehall

 

Opening reception November 10th from 7-10pm at Popps Emporium

Clock Cage will be on view through January 5th, 2019. The Emporium is open Saturdays from 12-5pm or by appointment at poppspacking@gmail.com.

POPPS EMPORIUM

2025 CARPENTER

DETROIT, MI

https://www.facebook.com/events/2413659842194261/