Usually working in the gallery on a Sunday sucks, BUT not every Sunday do you get hang out with Alex Pardee while he hangs a new show. It's totally insane. Alex is creating a "Disneyland-esque" atmosphere that is totally shrouded in secrecy. But he's allowed to us to post some work/words on the blog today, so maybe checking out art blogs on a Sunday isn't all that sucky either.
Who better to hear about this show from than Alex himself. Here's what he let us know last night...and some pics...
------
It's Sunday night. I just got to LA and am in a swanky little Ramada Inn above a diner called Whispers where it's either legal to still smoke inside, or the multiple-personalitied bowlers that took over the place just don't give a fuck. Either way, it's pretty rad. For the next 3 days I will be setting up and installing my largest, most focused solo art show that I have ever created.
The show is called "Hiding From The Normals" and it takes place at GALLERY 1988 in LA (on Melrose & La Brea). (Its all ages, free of charge).
I haven't said much about it, and unfortunately, i still don't WANT to say much about it, because I really really want you to be able to get a new experience if you are able to go check it out when it opens this Tuesday, October 6 @ 7pm.
However, with so much cool stuff going on in LA constantly, I would like to let you in on a little info and background surrounding the show, because it's a little different than my other shows, and there's A LOT to it.
Here's a few, short secrets that will hopefully get you excited about coming by to check out the show:
1. The entire show is based off of the beliefs of a man who recently went missing in real life. The man was a supposed crackpot and believes that there is another world living under ours filled with mutants. It is not known if this man is still alive or not.
2. In addition to creating paintings inspired by this missing man's beliefs, I have managed to get my hands on some actual evidence supporting the existence of this world. The evidence will be showcased alongside of the artwork.
3. I have recently become obsessed with this world that I jumped into, and I really hope that this showcase generates some interest in this universe called "The Marrow" so that this whole underworld can be expanded into something larger, like a film or an animated feature (hint, hint). So if you can't make it out to the show, but know anyone in the area, send them down!!
4. There will be BOTH a super limited PRINT release, as well as a limited CATALOG/BOOK release, called "Digging Up The Marrow: Excerpts from the Journals of William Dekker" Prints are signed and limited to 50. Books signed and limited to 200.
3. Because of the theme/inspiration and the time of the year, i am taking full advantage of October, which means that I am dressing up! And we are encouraging people to dress up in awesome costumes, both so I don't feel super stupid and outcast, AND because there is a cool prize for THE BEST COSTUME (judged by me). I think it would be cool to have 2 winners, a BEST GIRL & A BEST GUY, so let's do that. Come dressed up!!!!!
4. In conjunction with MY show, at G1988, right next store, at the same time, the insanely awesome writer/director Mike Dougherty is hosting his DVD release costume party for his new anthology horror film, "Trick R Treat" which is rad.i.cal. Also, as a little extra fun thing, I teamed up with Mike this week and drew up some Trick R Treat art that we are releasing at my show as a Limited shirt! (I think there's less than a hundred of them available)
5. This show is going to be my LAST solo show for over a year. I will be participating in a few group shows, but 2010 is going to be full of some different kind of adventures) Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, there were a few glimpses of the work from the show. But trust me, you need to come see it in person. Myself, Dave Correia, Paul Bustamante, Damon Alcorn, and Jensen & The Gallery 1988 crew have worked really hard to put together a show that pictures just won't do justice to. But nonetheless, I will take a ton of photos and try to share them with ya soon! Word.
------------
Going to be epic. I just heard one of Alex's friends say "If you want, we can cut off her feet, cause the dirt will be under her" and I have NO IDEA what they are talking about. All very, very cool.
Tomorrow we'll reveal the Trick R Treat Pardee shirt here FIRST! Be on the lookout. It'll be a Monday, so that's probably better for both of us.
Jensen
G1988: LA
