Monster Supper, Wendell Kling and Brian Dick Southwestern College

Monster Supper: Art Gallery at Southwestern College 900 Otay Lakes Road, San Diego
http://www.swc.cc.ca.us/

Matisse created "sacred" and healing environments in his bedroom and in the Chapel at Vence. Wendell Kling and Brian Dick have taken Matisse's cue but added hilarious absurdity. Walking into the entrance hall of the gallery at first fools the viewer-you see some giant unassuming but intricate cardboard cut-outs covering the walls. Curious sounds emanating from the main gallery cause you to hurry inside (is that Leon Berry on his Wurlitzer???) As you pass the entrance hallway and turn into the main gallery, an overwhelming force of colors, shadows, shapes and sounds totally surround you. Monster Supper is art as a complete environment. On the inside of the gallery, those cardboard cutouts seen just seconds ago have become huge stained glass-like windows profusing with reds, yellows, and blues and mingling with the secondary colors here and there. Faces and bodies of monster-like forms appear in the immense windows. Between the iconic, monster themed windows are striking sconces activated with motion. The center of the gallery floor holds a grand feast table set with molded cardboard plates, platters, and cardboard and string foods, all set under beautifully colored cardboard lights. At the far wall, a curtained screen draws in the viewer with a raw, edgy movie looking something like a samurai/Native American fight with stylized dance movements-a strange monster movie. The space demands the viewer to just stand for a while to receive the load of sensual input-color, shape, sound, movement and take in the abundant details before the parody and enchantment hit the limbic system with a brain rush of delightful comprehension.

This collaborative effort began three years ago when Wendell Kling and Brian Dick invited some friends over, gave them recycled cardboard, colored plastic and duct tape and had them create monster costumes. After the creating, and a homemade soup lunch, Wendell and Brian filmed super 8 movies of their friends, who were rather spontaneously playing in their monster costumes. This was the first part of the Happening. Monster Supper evolved from this.

Wendell Kling incorporates the food element in his performance art in order to bring comfort and togetherness to a gathering. What a fresh and inspirational direction to take art and Happenings-not towards unending snobbish elitism, but towards a FRIENDLY community-oriented atmosphere! Brian Dick's interest is monsters-monster movies, monster costumes, and even monster plates in this show. Monster Supper is the aptly titled collaborative union of the two men and their ideas.

The artists' inspiration came from many areas including Maurice Sendak's wild monster rumpus in "Where the Wild Things Are." Both artists studied under Allan Kaprow, legendary creator of "Happenings" in the 60's. Kling and Dick carry on Kaprowian ideas of environment, producing a theatrical production eliminating the audience/artist by placing them as direct participants.

This show will leave your mind with laughter and place a mark your soul (as only presence in a room full of saturated colors can.) A trip to Southwestern College's Monster Supper is an engagement with a sacred space of hilarity.

For the full on Happening-join the artists on Thursday February 23rd at 11:00 a.m. when they will be holding a "Monster Feast" for the shows' closing.

New Orleans in A New United States- Toxic Art Show

L'art Noir- A New Orleans gallery owner speaks about his business situation after the flood.

See links list at the right for the hyperlink to the movie if URL is not clickable below.

Quicktime movie.

http://55broad.video.blip.tv:8000/FluxRostrum-KatrinasToxicNewOrleansArt106.mov