Sewickley's Crazy Mocha hosting '20/20 is Hindsight' art exhibition
When life gives you (covid-19) restrictions, make an art gallery.
That’s what management of the Crazy Mocha site in Sewickley decided to do recently when it partnered with Sharpsburg-based Zynka Gallery to put together an exhibition they’ve entitled “20/20 is Hindsight.”
The title is a play on the adage that hindsight is 20/20. The art tries to capture the heaviness people endured through the pandemic – lost jobs, defunct businesses, illness and uncertainties.
“We wanted something thoughtful to be able to chronicle our journey to push through circumstances beyond our control,” said Kim Garrett, general manager of Ed’s Beans, the coffee shop’s parent company. “I think our journey parallels with many others.”
Ed’s Beans, based in Cranberry, Butler County, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in October. The filing cited the covid-19 pandemic as the need for a reorganization of the company. The company owns 23 Crazy Mocha sites and also operates Kiva Han Coffee, a roaster and wholesaler.
Garrett said the company is still working through the bankruptcy process. In the meantime, the Sewickley site – one of four currently in operation – will look a little different. And hopefully, leave customers caffeinated and a little more reflective on a period in time that has impacted many facets of life.
A few of the more prominent pieces on display are wooden sculptures designed and built by Pittsburgh-based sculptor Jonathan Shapiro. Ed’s Beans’ business development manager, Ali Ayasso, said the pieces captured the theme of transformation.
“(Shapiro) uses found wood for his pieces – and they’re hand-carved,” he said. “So it’s a really labor-intensive process that captures transformation. It’s hard, can be arduous … but through hard work, you get a beautiful result.”
Ayasso said when he was approached with the idea to use the Sewickley site as an art gallery that he thought of Jeff Jarzynka right away. He helped Jarzynka open his commercial art gallery in Sharpsburg a couple of years ago, he said.
“The idea was for a customer to place an order and then have the chance to walk around and have a greater experience than standing there, getting on their phone and checking emails. The exhibition is more immersive,” Jarzynka said.
Jarzynka, 52, of Highland Park, launched Zynka Gallery in Sharpsburg in 2019. The pandemic hit him hard, too. He closed for three months last year. The chance to help out Crazy Mocha through this difficult period attracted him. And the chance to host an exhibition helped him reach a different audience, he said.
Some of the art pieces could be interpreted as “dark” – but Ayassa said he hopes customers take a second or third look. He hopes that leads to hope for a brighter future.
“There’s a lot of substance in these pieces,” he said.
The exhibition launched Jan. 22 and will last through March 1. All 37 pieces are available for purchase for prices ranging from $400 to $9,800 for some of the sculptures. For more information on each artist and piece, visit Zynka’s website.
Crazy Mocha in Sewickley is located at 417 Walnut Street and is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday. The shop is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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