Now, in this piece, shot mostly with my iPhone we explore the edge between amateur/outsider and savvy insider. This frequently explored yet rarely documented gray zone demands attention. (The fact that I actually own a tripod and a better camera is made evident in this short digital documentary.) Thank you for viewing.
Last week. Last Tuesday. It feels like ages ago…
31 May 2013
It was the James Turrell exclusive donor opening, elegant guests were dressed in formal attire. Tall skinny European looking models waited to greet invited guests at the entrance to Los Angeles’s most esteemed art venue, the Los Angeles County Museum and we were outside LACMA, rather than inside, sipping Champagne… as we’d been IF we had so desired. Snow, had an invitation, after all. Yet, WE were OUTSIDE LACMA performing our fifth and most singular Intervention/Exchange in Skip Snow’s Art Project. Rather delightfully and in-line with narrative expectations, WE experienced our first BUST. In other words, this was the first Intervention that FAILED to relieve Mr. Snow of all six of his give-away original works of painted art on nicely labeled on stretched linen canvas, (professional gallery paintings, really).
I must admit that I benefitted by the lack of interest in our performance by the few guests that even cast a patronizing glance in our direction, I took home the penultimate painting. I wanted it at first sight. From the start of the evening I had my EYE on Snow’s Hammer. Truth be told: I’d have gladly paid Skip Snow good money for the piece; which is of a portrait of HAMMER with this wonderful digital scroll of binary code wrapped around it like smoke. I LUCKED OUT! I’m pleased as punch because I had my EYE on this piece the moment I saw it. I coveted it for MY (growing) ART COLLECTION!
Anyway… Todd Gray walked away, at THE END before THE END, which is always…a little sad.
Anyway… IT wasn’t an entirely “successful,” evening. Snow had to take one excellent little painting home with him and yet… we did it AGAIN! I collected some quirky and intriguing footage of the almost ideal performance outside LACMA during an exclusive event people by well groomed, the presumably, 1% crowd.
The well coiffed important people in formal attire did NOT bother to entertain SNOW’S sidewalk offer of a FREE painting.
He could NOT give ‘em away. You should have seen, the suspicion with which he was regarded. It was criminal, the way they regarded him as street vermin, and so blatantly mistrustful! Have these art patrons NO INTEREST in street art? It was LIKE we were BEGGARS: Skip Snow, Todd Gray and I. Frau Kolb in a sexy black leather jacket, standing in front of LACMA being pathetic and BEGGIN’ for attention, faithfully documenting the sweet people that went out of their way to show support to our creative collaboration. It was so sad. SO SAD! HEART WRENCHING! And yet… inspiring. AH! I’m so glad Snow invited me to document his work. It is a pleasure to behold the unfolding of this series of explorations of context and value, identity and worth. Excellent, really.
However, we will recover. ONE thing about us here at the TALKINGGRID is that we are quick to bounce BACK! WE are ready to move forward with the project, as we set our sights on our next and final target. Where will it be? Where will Skip Snow’s ART PROJECT Intervention/Exchange VI take us?
Well… hold ON TIGHT and stay tuned for more on the adventures of artist Skip Snow, Frau Kolb, and Todd Gray’s collaborative miracle, the ONE and ONLY, SKIP SNOW’s Intervention/Exchange Art Project 2013.
Much LOVE,
Frau Kolb