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Art Exhibit: Bagatelle, Pachinko, and Peggle, an Exhibition of Early Pins-in-a-Board Games
August 1, 2012
ALAMEDA, Calif., Aug. 1, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Pacific Pinball Museum (PPM) proudly announces the opening of “Bagatelle, Pachinko, and Peggle,” an exhibition of early pins-in-a-board games, and the digital extension of these games, Peggle.
“The Pacific Pinball Museum is proud to encourage more pinball artists to express themselves and share their discoveries with the public,” said PPM founder and executive director Michael Schiess. “The art and exhibits on our walls are designed to help visitors interpret the history, science and art of pinball.”
WHEN:
* Art Exhibit Opening: Friday, August 3, 6 – 10 p.m.
* Peggle Tournament: Saturday, August 4, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
* Show runs August 3 through September 30, 2012.
WHERE:
The Pacific Pinball Museum
1510 Webster St., Alameda, CA 94501.
WHO: The Pacific Pinball Museum and the PopCap Company present Bagatelle, Pachinko and Peggle. Curators: Melissa Harmon, David Volansky, Michael Schiess, Jem Gruber and the PopCap staff Garth Chouteau and Jeff Green.
WHAT: An exhibit of rare bagatelles and pachinko machines, with an opportunity to play Peggle, a digital bagatelle.
More Info: info@pacificpinball.org, 510-205-6959.
About Bagatelle, Pachinko and Peggle:
Bagatelles were the earliest form of pinball. Bagatelles were created by the French in the 1700s, and came to the United States when French soldiers fought alongside Americans against the British rule. Bagatelle games took many forms. Most used small nails or “pins” to deflect the balls into or around holes in the slanted board. Some had legs and looked like pieces of furniture. Others had arrays of holes at one end, and a cue type stick was used to shoot balls into the holes. Ironically, nearly a century later, a British ex-pat, Montague Redgrave secured the first patent for a spring loaded plunger creating the first American pinball.
Pachinko machines were first built during the 1920s, modeled after an American form of vertical bagatelle. Pachinko designers use colorful and eye-catching designs, cartoons, animals, and flowering plants as themes. Balls are launched with a flipper-like device which is the only control mechanism that the player can regulate. Most pachinko players shoot the balls as fast as possible, relying on luck to guide the balls into winning holes. All of Japan’s pachinko parlors were closed down during World War II but re-emerged in the late 1940s, and are still very popular.
“From antique bagatelles to modern PC virtual video games, this exhibit makes an exciting connection across the history of pin-board games,” said contributing artist Jem Gruber.
Since its first introduction in March 2007, the Peggle series of digital games has been downloaded more than 45 million times on the Web, and garnered more than a dozen awards from leading industry associations and trade journals. Combining elements of pinball and pachinko, Peggle players fire a metallic silver ball from the top of the screen, relying on gravity to propel the ball downwards while it ricochets off unique arrangements of orange and blue pegs. The goal is to clear all the orange pegs from the screen, while earning as many points as possible, before running out of balls. Power-ups include explosive area-clearing blasts, lobster claws that serve as pinball-like flippers and “fireballs” that cut through all pegs in their path.
“This is just one of several exhibits the PPM can make available to institutions and galleries to exhibit for a fee. Each show can feature beautiful pinball art alongside working exhibits and playable pinball machines,” Curator Melissa Harmon said. “This exhibit shows us the interplay of the modern day digital game Peggle with Bagatelle, a game from the 1800s, which I think is just astounding.”
About The Pacific Pinball Museum:
The Pacific Pinball Museum sponsors exhibitions such as this one to reveal the history of pinball games as they evolved into the digital age. The Pacific Pinball Museum is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to teaching science, art and history through pinball, preserving and promoting one of America’s great pastimes.
More information: http://Pacificpinball.org/ .
- Photo Caption: Heiwa Custom Pachinko circa 1970′s. Photo by Michael Schiess.
News Source: Pacific Pinball Museum :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com/ .
New York City Artist to Give Away Free Art for One Year
July 25, 2012
NEW YORK, N.Y., July 25, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — For the next year, Manhattan-based artist Keith Jensen will be leaving original artwork around the city and surrounding areas for community residents to stumble upon. Signs attached to the free art read, “If having this art will make your day better, then it’s yours.” As a means of giving back to the community, Jensen has vowed to not sell any art for at least 1 year and to continually produce new, original pieces that can be found and taken home for free. Most pieces of art are painted on high quality, framed canvas.
“It’s time to make strangers’ day just a little better,” says Jensen. “For such a creative and light-hearted industry, art catches a stuffy stigma. Art should be about making people feel something when they see it on their wall – and what better feeling is there than getting something valuable for free? I just hope people only take the art home if seeing it daily will truly bring a smile to their face, not just because it’s free.”
To determine locations free art will be left, Jensen has started a Twitter account (@paintpenart). So far two pieces of artwork have been left in the downtown Manhattan area and were picked up within a minute. Jensen will leave clues and sneak peeks of the art via Twitter before dropping it off so that interested parties can get a head start.
“Let’s make art fun again,” says Jensen. “I’ll hide, you can go seek.”
About the Artist:
Keith Jensen is a Manhattan-based artist and full-time creative director for a Florida health plan. Since 2004, Jensen has also been teaching night classes as an adjunct instructor at the University of Central Florida. In addition, he volunteers his time assisting with art classes for children living in homeless shelters around the city as part of the award-winning, nationally recognized New York City-based charity, Art Start.
Artwork, advertising, and photography by Keith Jensen can be found at http://www.clearlyk.com/ .
More information about the Art Start charity can be found at http://www.art-start.org/ .
- Photo Caption: Free art by Keith Jensen left on streets of N.Y.
News Source: Keith Jensen :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com/ .
World’s Largest Pinball Show Set for September in Marin County, Calif.
July 12, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 12, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Alameda’s Pacific Pinball Museum (PPM) and Novato’s Pinball Revival Company announce The Sixth Annual Pacific Pinball Exposition (PPE) to be held at the Marin County Civic Center Exhibition Hall in San Rafael, Calif., September 21-23, 2012.
Known internationally as the world’s largest pinball exhibition, the PPE attracts thousands of visitors over the three-day weekend. This event is the primary fundraiser for the PPM, the world’s premier non-profit pinball museum.
Who: The Pacific Pinball Museum.
What: The Pacific Pinball Exposition, museum fundraiser, world’s largest pinball show.
Where: 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, California, 94903.
When: September 21-23, 2012: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-Midnight, Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
“Private collectors have come together at PPE to create a unique view of Pinball History, from the rudimentary Bagatelle games to the just-released, cutting-edge game, Wizard of Oz,” according to PPM Board Member Ron Chan. “The show emphasizes all of pinball, from vintage machines, collections of rare games, and a large variety of modern pinball machines all ready to play without having to insert coins.”
The PPE features seminars from industry leaders, historians, scientists, engineers and hobbyists including special guests: George Gomez, Tim Arnold, Clay Harrell, Jersey Jack and Gary Stern. Industry reps and parts vendors will be on hand to sell their products to collectors. The annual PPE tournament attracts the highest-ranked players in the world, and has divisions for novices and children. PPE features pinball movies, tours of the exposition, awards, a raffle, and other surprises.
PPM Board Chairman Larry Zartarian said, “Our mission statement is to inspire an interest in science, art and history through pinball and to preserve and promote this important part of American culture.”
This year, the theme is Science and Pinball as the family-friendly expo highlights the science of pinball. To bring scientific concepts to life, PPM pinballogists have created a number of exhibits for PPE that display the inner workings of pinball science. Exhibits include: Jem Gruber’s exploration of the predictability of pinball’s “seeming randomness,” Melissa Harmon’s experiment into momentum; and, of course, Mike Schiess and Wade Krause’s “Visible Pins,” three different award-winning machines built in clear-plastic bodies that show off their inner workings.
The Visible Pin took more than a year from inception to creation and allows students to see what’s happening inside the game as someone plays it. Since its release, the Visible Pin has won Blue Ribbon awards at the 2009 Maker Faire and featured at the Bedford Gallery’s Illuminated Sculptures exhibition. The San Francisco Exploratorium, which recently purchased its own Visible Pinball exhibit from PPM, has provided a number of related science exhibits to PPE 2012 as well.
The PPM’s art department will receive $16,000 in donations this year to continue the mural painting program begun at the first PPE. From the first mural displayed in 2007, the museum’s collection of hand-painted pinball murals has exploded to more than two dozen masterpieces. New at the PPE this year are d’Arci Bruno’s “Slick Chick,” Ed Cassel’s “Domino,” Dan Fontes’ “Golden Gate,” and Eric J. Kos’s “Jungle Princess” and 20 more amazing backglass murals will all be on display at PPE6.
Sponsored by Autodesk, Chabot Space & Science Center, the Exploratorium, the PPE offers a 1-Day Pass: Kids $15, Adults $30 or a 3-Day Pass: Kids $30, Adults $60. All proceeds benefit the Pacific Pinball Museum, Alameda, Calif. – a 501(c)3 Non-Profit.
For more information, visit: http://www.pacificpinball.org/ .
Alameda, California is a sophisticated Bay Area island community with a small town vibe known for tree-lined streets and Victorian charm, low crime, a clean/green focus, natural beauty, abundant recreational opportunities, an excellent quality of life and high standard of living. In addition to its unusual status as an island city in the San Francisco Bay, Alameda is a residential community known for historic preservation, unique attractions highlighted by the USS Hornet Museum and historic Alameda Theatre, the Alameda Free Library, and the Pacific Pinball Museum.
* 300dpi print image downloads for media:
- PHOTO 1: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/12-0712-ppm1_300dpi.jpg
- Image caption/cutline 1: Pinball Historian/Documentary Filmmaker Will White enjoys the Wedgeheads at the PPE. Credit: PPM Photo.
- PHOTO 2: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/12-0712-ppm2_300dpi.jpg
- Image caption/cutline 2: With over 400 games available there is little waiting to play at the PPE. Credit: PPM Photo.
News Source: Pacific Pinball Museum :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Running of The Bulls in New Orleans Makes Super Move in 2012
June 8, 2012
NEW ORLEANS, La., June 8, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — If past years are any indication, the crowd of partiers may double for the 6th Annual San Fermin in Nueva Orleans 2012 (SFNO) from July 12 – 15, hosted by Nola Bulls, LLC. The New Orleans incarnation of Running of the Bulls features roller derby skaters Big Easy Roller Girls and roller derby skaters from around the world as RollerBulls™: horned-helmet wearing, plastic bat wielding, crowd chasers. This spectacle was enjoyed by nearly 15,000 participants in 2011 representing exponential growth since its humble beginning in 2007 during which 125 runners were chased by 13 RollerBulls™.
THURSDAY JULY 12th – 6:30 p.m.:
SFNO unofficially begins with the 2nd Annual Wine Dinner presented by Marques de Caceres of Rioja and 7 on Fulton Restaurant (701 Convention Center Boulevard New Orleans, LA 70130). A limited number of diners will enjoy a multi-course, wine-paired meal. Menu and Ticket information is available at http://www.nolabulls.com.
FRIDAY JULY 13th – 5-9 p.m.:
El Txupinazo (choo-pee-NAHT-so) officially kicks off SFNO 2012 in a SUPER new venue and presents an opening experience influenced by the traditional Spanish event in Pamplona. This FREE EVENT will be hosted at Champions Square next to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Since opening in late 2010, Champions Square has been the site of great events such as Mardi Gras festivities and sports-related extravaganzas. Nola Bulls is proud to present El Txupinazo in an environment that will allow thousands to party in style. Tapas, Stella Artois and other beers, Marques de Caceres wines and sangria will liven the party. Multi-award winning Latin Boogaloo band, Los Poboycitos (http://lospoboycitos.com), will perform as will local dance troupes and performance groups.
SATURDAY JULY 14th – 8 a.m.:
El Encierro (The Running of the Bulls) is the featured event of SFNO and will commence at precisely 8 a.m. This FREE EVENT will also be held at Champions Square. Over 400 plus RollerBulls™ (from around the world), wielding plastic bats, will chase down and “gore” the thousands of participants. Festival registration packages are being offered on NolaBulls.com for VIP access that enables reserved area access, open bar and festival merchandise.
El Encierro is a “run at your own risk” event. All ages are welcome, but participants under 12 and people with strollers are required to use the sidewalks. Arrive early to view the Procession of San Fermin which begins at 7:30 a.m..
Following El Encierro will be the Post-Encierro Fiesta at Champions Square, featuring live music and area DJs, food, sangria, and Stella Artois. This event is FREE and open to the public.
SATURDAY JULY 14th – 8 p.m.:
La Fiesta de Pantalones (The Pants Party) revives the weary bull runners with live music from local acts, hand spun DJ tunes and other entertainment at 12Bar (608 Fulton St., New Orleans, LA 70130 – http://12barnola.com). Artists are to be determined.
SUNDAY JULY 15th – 11 a.m.:
El Pobre de Mi concludes the SFNO 2012 festivities. This growing event features a recovery brunch of tapas and Ernest Hemingway inspired cocktails like “Death in the Afternoon.” Participants are invited to enter the laid back events, such as an Ernest Hemingway Look-a-Like contest and the Ernest Hemingway Jam, where multiple teams present their interpretations of randomly selected Hemingway works. 12Bar (608 Fulton St., New Orleans, LA 70130) will host this event.
ATTIRE:
Participants are requested to wear all white clothing with a red sash and neckerchief, or some other Spanish themed attire, for all events.
LODGING:
Discounted hotel accommodations are available at any New Orleans Hotel Collection properties, including the Hotel Le Marais, Bourbon Orleans, Dauphine Orleans, Hotel Mazarin, and Wyndham Riverfront.
PHILANTHROPY:
Nola Bulls will donate part of the proceeds from all events to charity. We continue to support Animal Rescue of New Orleans for their continued care and devotion in finding permanent homes for lost and abandoned animals. We are also contributing to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Louisiana, which helps over 4,000 individuals in the state of Louisiana impacted by MS to move their lives forward. They provide comprehensive support services and educational programs to people with MS, their family and friends, and raise funds locally to support the National MS Society’s research initiatives.
About Nola Bulls, LLC:
Nola Bulls, LLC was founded in 2007 and produces entertainment and cultural events in the New Orleans area. “Improving New Orleans Culture One Festival at A Time.” Their marquee event is San Fermin in Nueva Orleans
Contact Mickey Hanning for additional information and media requests. You may reach him at 504-247-3714 or mickey@nolabulls.com.
Nola Bulls, LLC, 828 Royal St., #501, New Orleans, LA 70116; 504-247-3714. Learn more at: http://www.NolaBulls.com.
News Source: Nola Bulls, LLC :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at the Send2Press for Journalists Portal: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Pacific Pinball Museum Opens ‘Pinball Oddity’ – an Exhibition of Rare Pinball Machines and Oversized Pinball Art
May 31, 2012
ALAMEDA, Calif., May 31, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Pacific Pinball Museum (PPM) proudly announces the opening of the Pinball Oddity exhibit, featuring a collection of pinball rarities and giant mural reproductions of pinball art. The exhibit represents the first in a series of scalable exhibits the museum offers for lease to institutions nationwide.
Pinball Oddity includes pinball machines that may be the last of their kind as most pinball games were simply thrown away and replaced with newer ones; machines from the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s are increasingly valued for their originality and rarity. Among the machines on display (but not available for play) is the only known surviving copy of Cargo, the Bay Area-themed Sky Rocket and a Korean War-era celebration of patriotism: Paratroopers. Rip Snorter and Teacher’s Pet include the rare depiction of children in pinball art and the Thing’s almost R.Crumb-style backglass tells a story unlike any other game.
Opening receptions for the exhibit take place June 8 and July 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Rhythmix Cultural Works K Gallery located at 2513 Blanding Avenue in Alameda. The openings are free and open to the public. Pinball Oddity features rare and unusual pinball games from the museum’s collection and pinball back glass murals by Alameda-based artists d’Arci Bruno, Ed Cassel, Eric J. Kos and San Rafael-based artist Dan Fontes.
Four hand-painted large-scale acrylic reproductions of pinball back-glasses accompany the games including: Sea Ray, Jungle Princess, 2001 and Mermaid in the 1,000 square foot gallery.
“These shows are unique in that they can be scaled up or down to fit a specific venue. Our large collection of machines and murals makes it possible present exhibits on many different subjects,” said Museum Founder and Director Michael Schiess. “The show can be made interactive or non-interactive depending on the desired configuration and whether we include playable games.”
Some of the themes of the collections are:
* Machines from the 1930s – technological and design changes of the Depression era. A discussion of the history of pinball and the introduction of art into the machine.
* Art Movements in Pinball: Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, Cubism and others are represented and discussed.
* Science Fiction and Fantasy in Pinball – A selection of games highlighting space travel, aliens and fantastic fictional worlds.
The Pacific Pinball Museum:
PPM is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to teaching science, art and history through pinball and preserving and promoting one of America’s great pastimes. More information: http://www.pacificpinball.org .
Pacific Pinball Museum, 1510 Webster St., Alameda, CA.
Contact: Melissa Harmon
510.205.6959
mharmon@pacificpinball.org
Photo Caption: Rare machines from 1938 are part of the unique show “Pinball Oddity” at Rhythmix “K Gallery” in Alameda, Calif.
News Source: Pacific Pinball Museum :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Pacific Pinball Museum (PPM) Receives Large Donation of More Than 100 Vintage Machines
May 11, 2012
ALAMEDA, Calif., May 11, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Pacific Pinball Museum (PPM) proudly announces the addition of more than 100 rare items to their massive collection through a donation made by business entrepreneur and renowned philanthropist Richard Foos.
The donated items, which include pinball machines, jukeboxes, vintage soda machines and much more, are worth an estimated $85,000 in total value making it one of the largest donations PPM has received, according to Michael Schiess, museum founder and co-director. “Richard Foos’s generous donation is extremely important for us as it fills a gap in our collection with some very rare William’s wood rails like Country Club, 4 Roses and 3D,” said Schiess.
PPM is excited about the donation because it allows them to further their goal of keeping the history and culture of pinball in the public’s eye. “What our museum is trying to do is make these items available to the public and encourage other people to do the same,” said Schiess. “Too many times items are getting bought and held by a single owner without the public getting a chance to appreciate the machines. This is an important donation in keeping the American heritage of pinball public.”
More than half of the items donated to PPM are pinball machines. These machines include: Apollo, Be Bop, 4 Horsemen, Blue Skies, Daisy May, Harbor Lites, Lovely Lucy, Magic Clock and San Francisco. “We’re going to restore some of the items and hopefully have them on display in time for our Pacific Pinball Exposition 6 in September,” said Schiess.
Learn more about PPM at: http://www.pacificpinball.org .
Foos, a Los Angeles native, co-founded Rhino Records, a record label that sold greatest hits collections of previously released recordings, in 1973. The company was later sold to Time Warner. Foos, a limitless philanthropist has always made it a point to donate his time, wealth and possessions to better the community. At Rhino, Foos gave employees paid time off to perform community service, encouraged employees to mentor disadvantaged youth and at one point donated two percent of Rhino’s pretax profits to combat AIDS, homelessness and other problems. From 1991 to 2001, the company gave an estimated $2 million to various community-based charities. In the years since, Foos has donated a substantial amount to charities that address poverty and education issues. Today, Foos sits on the board of Rock the Classroom, which offers music programs in Los Angeles inner-city elementary schools.
Pacific Pinball Museum, 1510 Webster St., Alameda, CA.
* Photo Caption: 4 Roses Pinball Machine Backglass (Williams).
News Source: Pacific Pinball Museum :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
Artist Dumpster Dives Kim Kardashian, Reveals Her Trash at Upcoming L.A. Event
March 13, 2012
LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 13, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Cory Allen Contemporary Art (CACA) announces that “Fear Google” artist XVALA will be revealing the recent dumpster dived trash of Kim Kardashian, featuring the celebrity’s collapsed basketball at a roof top event in Los Angeles this weekend.
“Slammed and Dunked,” a life-size sculpture of the basketball salvaged from the celebrity’s residential trash, was partially inspired by Kardashian’s recently failed marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries and the questioned authenticity of their acclaimed nuptials.
“Many people in this country are still very concerned with marital rights – after Kim Kardashian’s mockery of marriage, why should anyone take anything she does seriously, anymore?” asks artist XVALA.
The sculpture was created out of a ‘recycled resin’ formulated from remaining leftover garbage that was also collected from the Kardashians’ trash bin. Also, a part of the collection is candid mobile phone self-portraits of the reality star that she took for Twitter and Instagram, which are backed with aluminum, also partially recycled from her personal garbage.
“By deleting everything that reveals who she really is, Kim Kardashian actually reveals her true self,” said XVALA, “You can always learn something about someone by looking at their garbage, and Kim produces a lot of garbage.”
“I agree with Jon Hamm. Kim Kardashian should refrain from making any more reality shows,” said Cory Allen. “People aren’t too entertained by divorce and failed relationships in these economically trying times.”
Dumpster diving is nothing new to the artist or the mainstream media. Late last year, XVALA invaded the residential dumpsters of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Apple’s Steve Jobs, who passed away a day after the release of his personal trash. XVALA was also responsible for reconstructing celebrity Scarlett Johansson’s nude photos for his “Fear Google” campaign, posting the two hacked images all through the streets in and around the Los Angeles area as street art.
“The Kim Kardashian Party,” curated by The Site Unscene, will be held on March 17, 2012 in Los Angeles, Calif., on 1460 Naud Street, at the location’s roof top.
For more info, contact Cory Allen at 323-393-3115 or visit http://www.cacanet.com .
Media Contact:
Cory Allen
info@cacanet.com
323-393-3115.
No celebrity endorsement claimed or implied.
* PHOTO: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/12-0313-xvalakk_300dpi.jpg .
* Image caption: “Slammed and Dunked” by XVALA.
News Source: Cory Allen Contemporary Art :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
