Gods Art or Satans Graffiti?

January 22, 2012









Gods Art or Satans Graffiti?

I came across this photo somewhere on the internet and found it humorous on many levels and I thought that it somehow ties in with the two wonderful art openings that I attended this week during the monthly Walk on White Street gallery stroll. The question was obviously meant as a witty insight into the type of spirituality pitting good members of the Victory church’s flock against those who may stray from the good path as well as non-members who might be heading for the darker path of Satan’s Graffiti.



Michael & Marta's piece



Among the many problems that I have with the sign is the assumption that there is a difference between art and graffiti (whether created by a deity, a respected artist or some kid with a can of spray paint). The two shows opening simultaneously at the Studios of Key West and Art Space lead me to think that the differences assumed by the members of the church (or at least of their sign maker) don’t really exist and that art is truly in the eye of the beholder.

Elena



The first show was the annual member exhibition at the Studios of Key West. I was particularly interested in this show because my mother, Marta Blades, became a member of the Studios when she last visited in November and had a piece featured in the show. The show was themed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the building Flagler’s railroad, which ran from Miami to Key West until it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1935.





Marta created a cool piece to commemorate the railroad and it was displayed in the main gallery along with works from a wide variety of TSKW members of various levels of experience. It is a cool show all around and there is plenty of diversity and quality to interest most art lovers. The show is up throughout January, so you may still have a chance to check it out if you are in Key West.

Marky & Michael





Erin & Liz

If the more traditional art at the Studios leaned toward the holy, then the show at Art Space that featured Graffiti, Tattoos and Pop Art was the devil’s playground. The show highlighted a totally different yet certainly related style of art. It was awesome and one of the central featured artists was the mysterious creator of the Key West Blob- a street art creature that has been popping up through-out the lower Keys in recent months.











Art Space had a number of the creations for sale and even auctioned off some as well. The pieces were in high demand and many among the throng that attended were there specifically to see the blobs. It was especially cool to see so many young children at an art opening- something about the blob really appeals to them. Guess I am a kid at heart cause I love them as well.







Cayman

I actually enjoyed almost all of the work featured at the Art Space show, there was a youthful excitement in the work and a hipness that did not seem manufactured in the slightest. It was a fun show, with great artists and hipster patrons who have made their openings become the happening place to be. Their next show seems likely to appeal to the naughty minions of satan as well as it will feature Erotic art, opening just in time for Valentine’s Day on February 9th. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next, though I imagine that there won’t be a flock of children at that show.





Jolly & Sherry

“Eroticize intelligence.”

January 15, 2012

Joyce Carol Oates

Gary Shteyngart



Rafael & Bob Graham

“Eroticize intelligence.”
- Douglas Coupland, “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture”

The 2012 Key West Literary Seminar is quickly fading into the past and I have been very remiss about posting in this blog in the aftermath. Each year, the seminar is the culmination of months of hectic activity for Kathy & I and by the time it is completed, we usually just want to crawl into our house and hibernate for a few weeks.

Nick & John

Jim, Janna & Colson

Janna Levin

Miles

That is what we have been doing for the most part for the early part of 2012. The seminar was really the focal point of early January. The concluding sessions were held on Sunday and included readings and panel discussions from Billy Collins, Gary Shteyngart, China Mieville, Margaret Atwood, Colson Whitehead and Jonathan Lethem in the morning session which is the official conclusion of the seminar. The final book-signing also included well-known Key West based writer Annie Dillard.

Gary & Annie



Gary



The afternoon session is not included for the paid attendees, but a free and open to the public session. Locals begin lining up for the session on Duval Street about an hour and a half before the afternoon session starts and hundreds were waiting this year as we filled the seats for the readings. The afternoon featured authors James Tate, Billy Collins, George Saunders, Margaret Atwood, Michael Cunningham, Dexter Palmer and Gary Shteyngart.

China & Gary









It was a wonderful final day and once the final attendee had left the auditorium, the staff had a brief annual champagne celebration on the stage to mark the conclusion of yet another seminar. The seminar was a huge success and everyone seemed pleased and certainly enjoyed the entire weekend. Personally, I cannot thank the wonderful volunteers and staff enough for making my part of the seminar such a smooth experience. Special kudos to Jim Gleick for an amazing program and for being the heart and soul of this year’s seminar and to Miles, Arlo, Ian, Jolly, Melody & Dan, Doug, Mike, Shayne, Alan, Kate and all the amazing volunteers who worked the seminar this year.









Lynn & David Kaufelt hosted the official Sunday evening after party at their lovely home and then there was a final party for the workshop participants at the Love Lane compound on Monday evening and it was all over. My friend (and former seminar volunteer coordinator) Bob Muens and his wife Jody arrived from Washington DC in time to attend the final seminar party.

Jody, Eric, Betsy, Bob & Rosie



Their arrival actually drew me out later in the week as a party was held in their honor by our mutual friends Mark & Nancy and though I was fairly exhausted, I made it out briefly to say hello and hang out with friends. They were in town for only about a week and I wanted to make sure to spend some time with them.







The only other event that I attended this week was the seventh annual Key West Seafood Festival at Bayview Park. This event just continues to grow and grow and this year they estimated that 10,000 people attended. The crowds that were there when I stopped by in the early afternoon gave me no reason to doubt those numbers. I ate a pile of delicious seafood and brought home some carry-out for Kathy, who opted to stay home and continue our low profile month.