Art: Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em

Blowing smoke

By Erika Yowell

What to say, what to say...

As reported last week in this publication, Gallery Au Go-Go has a reputation for being "democratic" in its curatorial approach. At its current show Smoke 'Em if You Got 'Em, this philosophy manifests itself in an apparent wide-armed embrace of anything and everything, so long as it involves a cigar box substrate.

Some might, with some accuracy, describe the work in this show as "Outsider" art; others might simply call it bad. (For traditional examples of Outsider art, think of the stylistic mishmash and dearth of technical skill evident in the paintings decorating the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.) Still others might find the lack of identifying labels on about one-third of the pieces vexing. Furthermore, the--how to describe it?--casual arrangement of artwork in the gallery space pretty much eliminates the possibility of feeling any kind of reverence for it. As does the fact that much of the talent on display falls into the dominatrix-dominated, cartoon-drawing camp not seen in such dense concentration since you sat next to that stoner kid in middle school.

It's not that all art has to be serious or even demonstrate recognizable technical aptitude. It doesn't. This exhibit just looks like it could have been the recipient of a little more TLC in its execution. Perhaps its sheer lack of organization and concern for conformist aesthetics has something to do with the gallerist's ostensibly anarchic view of the world (his name's Dirk Vermin; he also runs the tattoo parlor next door). That's fine. It's just not that much fun to behold, frankly.

Smoke 'Em does have a few standouts. A sweetly earnest written explanation from Jennifer Spear declares her gratitude to the curator for his patience with her as she "struggled" with the imposed medium of cigar box art. Her trio of homages to old-school Hollywood glamour girls (titles: "Broken," "Bleeding" and some other bluesy-B word, "Betrayal," I believe) done in monochromatic palettes of purple, red and blue, respectively, are interesting, tight little pieces. So to speak.

An untitled work by an artist called Jessie is also memorable; it's carried out not on a cigar box but on some sort of humidor credenza (I'm not up on my cigar paraphernalia). It succeeds as an example of aesthetically pleasing, functional art and is far better executed than most of the cigar box pieces.