Art in the streets of Kansas City.

I may be missing MOCA's Art in the Streets exhibit this month. But while I'm sad I won't see what Deitch throws together, I'm happy to report the Kansas City is presenting its own spectrum of art in the streets.

The big dog in town is Scribe. His art is fresh. It is unpretentious. It is unfettered by the inflated redonculousness that many LA street artists have fallen victim to.

 

A panel from Scribe's David and Goliath

Then there's KC's very own Alexander Austin. Curated and commissioned by David Ford, Austin has installed a mural size portrait of his signature Martin Luther King for America: Now and Here. The artist is quirky. He is kind. He is not much into 'schedules.' He dons a cowboy hat, it seems, all the time. And his work--well, it is incredible.

Are you out there, Rotko Petric?

In 1978, Rotko Petric created this sculptural piece of art. Rotko was in Kansas City from Yugoslavia. From what I gather, he was studying here. He knew KC artist Jim Leedy and Leedy, founder of the Leedy Voulkos Art Center, the hub of our America: Now and Here installation, kept this piece in his collection.

Walking through the Leedy Voulkos this week, I was informed that Petric's whereabouts are now unknown. Yugoslavia, the one-time kingdom, to later become 3 iterations of a Federal Republic, to finally become nothing of its former self, swallowed up any trace of Petric and the Leedys have heard nothing of the artist in years.

All that Kansas City's seen of Petric recently is this eyeball, atop a beautiful, armed, asymmetrical body of blue. Fantastic.

'On the Nail' Reading Thurs May 5th 2011 8.00pm

'On The Nail' Reading @ The Locke Bar, Limerick

Thurs. 5th may 2011 8.00pm

This Month (May) Launch of Revival Literary Journal No 19 PLUS Guest readers Patrica Byrne and Mae Leonard.

Patricia Byrne lives in Limerick and writes poetry, fiction and nonfiction. Her poetry collection Unstable Time was published in 2009. Her nonfiction book The Friar & the Felon will be published by Collins Press in spring 2012. The book tells the story of the Achill Island atrocity of 1894 involving the infamous James Lynchehaun, who was one of the influences on John Millington Synge in writing The Playboy of the Western World. Patricia writes a blog at http://www.patriciabyrnewrites.com/.

Mae Leonard is originally from Limerick now living in Co. Kildare: Writer, Writer in Schools/Libraries, Poet and Broadcaster. Winner of several short story and poetry literary awards including Scottish International, Francis MacManus, Belmont Prize etc. Publication: My Home is There, Tarzan Clancy, Six for Gold. Her new Poetry collection "I Shouldn't be Telling you This" will be launched on the night by Frank Prendergast. A collection of her Sunday Miscellany contributions is due out from Revival Press later on in the year.

Everyone is invited to take part in the open-mic after the main event, poets, storytellers, musicians and writers . Even if you don't write you are welcome to bring something along to read. The night begins at 8.00pm and admission is free. So join us on the night and make this event something special. NOTE: Our special authors book table will again be in operation, so if you want your book, CD's etc publicised make sure you are represented on the table. Contact Dominic Taylor at 087 2996409 to make arrangements. The Limerick Writers' Centre acknowledges the support of The Arts Council of Ireland. Further information contact: Dominic Taylor 087 2996409 email limerickwriterscentre@gmail.com web http://onthenailreadings.blogspot.com To view videos of the April reading go to: http://www.youtube.com/onthenailreadings

The Limerick Writers' Centre acknowledges the support of The Arts Council of Ireland.

Introducing America: Now and Here, Mark Bradford & a trip through the Midwest.

On Friday, I'll be leaving LA. Til the end of October. Yeah, you heard me right. That's 6 months on the road. The only thing that could tear this fairly new Angeleno (6 years is still new, right?) away from town for that long would be the sickest of projects. And this one's a doozy. America: Now and Here is a touring art show. And its participating artists are beyond, beyond, beyond.

As I travel through the Midwest this Spring/Summer/Fall, I'll keep you posted on my travels. And I'll also introduce you to the work of the amazing artists who've got pieces on our traveling caravan of American art. Some names you'll recognize (think: Chuck Close, Yoko Ono, Jasper Johns, Edward Albee, Jeff Koons, Damien Rice, Catherine Opie, Marsha Norman, and on and on) Some you won't. They are all incredible.

First up, meet Mark Bradford.

Soon, you'll be meeting Kansas City. Which may or may not excite you. I think it excites me.

Keep creating.

This week has been insanely busy. The kind of busy that makes you nearly lose your mind and want to crawl into bed for an undisclosed amount of time. The kind of week that certainly inspires no moves to be creative, no thoughts to pick up a pen or take a photograph or paint a picture. Because it would surely come out like poo. And no one likes poo. But sometimes creating poo is the beginning of something greater. And taking a risk is the only thing to do. And picking up a pen (or a keyboard) even though you're exhausted and would much prefer to fall in a heap is the only appropriate thing to do.

Mr. Brainwash agrees.