Leading up to and beyond Independence Day, Phoenix is gearing up for Independents' Week, a community-wide celebration of locally owned businesses in the Valley. Between Sunday, June 29, and Sunday, July 6, Arizona residents are encouraged to shop at locally owned businesses.
And thanks to Modified Arts' upcoming exhibition "Independents' Week," artists too will be showing some local love.
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"Independents' Week" will be a mixed-media showcase of five local artists illustrating Phoenix's transformation from podunk desert town in the early 20th century to the mega U.S. metropolis it is today. Following that timeline, this show will explore the identity that Phoenix gained, lost, and is continuing to build.
Featured works in "Independents Week" will include early prints of Phoenix from photographer Jeremy Rowe, paintings of vintage Americana by James Angel, mid-century design prints by Jon Arvizu, corporate signage collages by Douglas Towne, and photographs from Arizona Contractor and Community Magazine that examine the Valley's early construction boom and suburbanization brought on by the growing mass production of cars.
"Independents' Week" will be on view at Modified Arts Friday, June 20, through Saturday, July 12. Opening reception is scheduled for Friday, June 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. Closing reception is scheduled for Friday, July 4, from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information on the show, visit www.modifiedarts.org. For details about Independents' Week, visit www.localfirstaz.com.