Alumni News: Andy Bablo ’07 Exhibition at Mingo Gallery

Vintage signage on exhibit at Beverly’s Mingo Gallery, The Beverly Citizen

Letterforms, a two-­fold exhibition of vintage signage by Montserrat College of Art alumnus Andrew J. Bablo ’07 will be on view at Mingo Gallery in Beverly until July 2.

Letterforms originated with the discovery of a 30-foot letter “A” in a barn in upstate New Hampshire. The letter was intended to appear in the hillside signage of an amusement park that never opened in the Berkshires of Massachusetts circa 1960s called Treasure Island.

The letter was transported to Beverly and restored to the state in which it currently exists in the gallery. A small portion runs right through the front window.

In addition to the gigantic letter “A”, are five newly constructed signs made by Bablo, designed and hand­-carved to reflect the aesthetic and craftsmanship of the signage and typography of the ’60s and ’70s.
The pieces are specially treated to give the appearance of prevailing from the same era.

Letterforms is a play on collective nostalgia and Americana while challenging contemporary standards of design that are often built to be disposable. This work aims to reflect the substance and experience of design and craftsmanship of a bygone era.

Through his work, Bablo hopes to “challenge the viewer’s perceptions of the ephemeral state of business and industry in today’s society.”

Bablo is the creator and director of Steez Magazine, a quarterly cultural publication, and Steez Design, a comprehensive conceptual development company specializing in a broad range of production.
He is a graduate of Montserrat College of Art and has exhibited in multiple Boston and North Shore venues.

Mingo Gallery, a contemporary art gallery and frame shop, is located at 284 Cabot St.

The gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.