ART IN DETROIT

“The Bitters, Fuck It” opens Friday, August 2^nd at the Whitdel Gallery in Detroit.

In the words of the curator, S. William Schudlich, “in all areas of life, occasions of expectation, trust or belief are often rewarded with letdown, lies and betrayal. Over time, this repetitive cycle can result in the development of mechanisms which aid in coping with ongoing disappointment. This exhibition looks to share examples of visual response generated by feelings of sarcasm, cynicism, and an overall disenchantment with things.” Detroit is such a hard, post-apocalyptic place, Schudlich words make perfect sense. It’s a city so bankrupt that the treasures of the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum may be sold off to pay creditors.

 

Two of my “Rust-Belt portraits are included in this exhibit: ‘Who Will Build the City Up Each Time?’ and ‘Here Comes the Shutdown Blues’. Schudlich decided these faces fit right in.

A NEIGHBORHOOD IN A BOX

I found a strange little figure on Northampton Street in Buffalo. On the web I discovered it was a movie tie-in named “Pleakey” from the Disney Lilo & Stitch animated films. It probably was a Happy Meal toy from the McDonald’s up on Main Street. Along with Pleakey on Northampton was an abandoned house marked with red codes.

Around the corner on Jefferson Avenue was a mural, a long piece of folk art that has now been demolished. I painted it in miniature on the side of a tossed out desk drawer. The toy, the house, the mural and the McDonald’s all come together to form a neighborhood in a box.

This piece is part of my “Toyology” series and will be on view at the Hallwalls Members Exhibition. The opening reception will be Friday, July 19th from 7 – 10 pm. The show continues through August 30^th.