This offensive new Mexican stamp is causing all kinds of highly deserved uproar, and once again proves the enormous power of the visual image, especially (and unfortunately) when coupled with deeply offensive messages such as this one is.

Read the WaPo story here.

Little Queen of Spades

By Robert Johnson

Now, she is a little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be
Mmm mmm mmm, she is the little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be
Everytime she makes a spread
hoo, fair brown, cold chill just runs all over me

I'm gon' get me a gamblin' woman
if the last thing that I do
Eee hee ee, gon' get me a gamblin' woman
if it's the last thing that I do
Well, a man don't need a woman
hoo, fair brown, that he got to give all his money to

Everybody say she got a mojo
now, she's been usin' that stuff
Mmm mmm mmm, 'verybody says she got a mojo
'cause she been usin' that stuff
But she got a way trimmin' down
hoo, fair brown, and I mean it's most too tough

Now little girl, since I am the King
baby, and you is a queen
Ooo hoo eee, since I am the King
baby, and you is a queen
Le's us put our heads together
hoo, fair brown, then we can make our money green

Calm (NOT) Before the Storm

I am so tired! Early wake-ups all this week; plus late nights at Warehouse for the hanging of Seven.

A couple of small disasters today: One of Rebecca Cross' delicate ceramic pieces fell off the wall and broke; time to scramble and see if Rebecca can replace it with another work.

Then a major piece by a very good artist could not be hung due to weight and size, and now we are left scrambling trying to figure out what to do; things will resolve themselves by tomorrow.

And then there's the artist who wanted his work "hung just so," and so we reserved a very special place for this person, and so far the artist has not delivered any work or returned several messages. Where are you?

And (as anyone who has ever curated a show from slides knows), there's the "surprise."

The "surprise" is that piece of artwork that looks great in a slide, but that once you see it, it... well, uh... disappoints.

Oh well.... one surprise from 67 artists is not bad.

On the pleasant side, Alessandra Torres continues to astound me on the good side; seldom have a seen a young artist be so full of energy and zeal and talent. I predict good things for her.

And Kathryn Cornelius damned near made me a convert to video art; wait until you see her video piece (Titled "Resolve" and being projected on opening night at the top floor - all by herself - and later on a flatscreen in the second floor gallery).

And I predict that Scott Brooks and Samantha Wolov are going to raise some eyebrows (and maybe other body parts on Wolov's case).

The opening is tomorrow, Thursday June 30 at 6PM.

See ya there!

Distracted Driving

About 90% of the works have been delivered to Seven, and the show is shaping up nicely.

Today Graham Caldwell installed a spectacular set of glass pieces on the second floor gallery walls.

As I was leaving the gallery, my cell phone rang and as I answered it, the cop car next to me at the stop light waved (I thought so anyway), so I waved back as I talked on the phone. He turned his lights on and pointed for me to pull over.

Mmmm....

So the cop comes over (after about an uncomfortable five minute wait, while -- I guess -- they're checking in their computer to make sure that I am not a wanted ax murderer or a dead beat Dad).

"Hang on a sec," I say to the person with whom I am talking on the phone. "What's the problem officer?" I ask in my best Hank Hill voice.

"Driver's license and registration please," the cop says curtly. He's a little, wiry, short guy.

"What did I do?" I say putting the cell phone down and reaching down for my wallet while in my mind Richard Pryor says silently: "I AM REACHING INTO MY WALLET FOR MY LICENSE! - 'CUZ I DON'T WANNA BE IN NO MOTHERF&*%^ ACCIDENT!"

He ignores me.

"What did I do?" I say again, my voice a little louder.

"I'll tell you in a minute," he says gruffly looking at my license and registration.

"You were using your cell phone," he accuses.

I look baffled.

"You WERE using your cell phone," he almost shouts as he walks away.

"Aw, crap." I say to myself... "this is DC and it is illegal to use your cell phone while driving."

Summary: $100 fine for Distracted Driving (Cell Phone).

Congratulations

To Tracy Lee, whose work has been included in The Mammoth Book of Illustrated Erotic Women.

You can see some of Tracy's very moist work in Seven.

Kriston on Kirkland

G.P. reviews J.T. Kirkland.

Read it here.

Seven: Installation Day One

As with any large, multi-gallery exhibition, there were some hiccups on the first day of Seven's installation, which forced the move of a very visible spot to another area (thank God for a very flexible artist); plus the mysterious move of some artwork from one area to another; and the selected artist whom we all forgot to add to the master list; and the usual last minute broken glass...

Sarah Wegner installing her cement furniture and kissing tea set

And Mark Jenkins' tape sculptures have somehow moved from the tree in front of the buildings to the building itself!
Mark Jenkins' Tape Sculptures on the facade of the building
I like the guy looking down from the corner of the building

And below is Kelly Towles painting a wall in the second floor gallery...