The show consisted of 90 plus galleries from around the world and I estimate that the four day attendance probably reached 60 to 75,000....which isn't bad considering this was a 4 game NFL playoff weekend. Although there were probably more women than men I have to say WE (males) were quite well represented which indicates a few things. Football is popular but not that popular and people will pay to see art. The cost of admittance was $30 for a a one day pass....which might have been the cost of attending a professional football, on the 50 yard line, about ten years ago.....maybe 15. This particular show, when it was in Santa Monica at the Airport about five years ago....cost $10.
I probably walked passed this one particular space at least ten times mainly because it was located in a center part of the floor plan. I had not stopped for various reasons that might or might not be important to this "article" but yesterday as I was perusing a certain space I happened to be standing directly in front of this previously ignored space, with my back turned. I happened to look over my shoulder and realized that there was an image similar to my first piece I did in 2013 (far fewer colors) when trying to create an explosion of protons in honor of what was happening at the CERN project in Geneva.
Also showing were six pieces that were obviously stimulated by Jackson Pollock but with oodles and oodles of less paint. I never thought I would use the word oodles but now I've used it three times and I hope it doesn't turn into an addiction.
I introduced myself and pulled out my latest business card.
The item you are now looking at is a 2 1/2 inch puzzle piece from 1993. There are approximately 70 to 80 other pieces of this puzzle either in a drawer or in the possession of a gallery owner or artist who attended the L.A. Art show.....I know this to be true because I just started utilizing the puzzle pieces on Saturday January 14, 2017....and so far I've handed out at least 20 pieces and ten out of the 20 said the same thing...."That's a lot of work for a business card." My response was the same each time, "Well, not really."
Side bar
In case you do not know the Puzzle story it's a good one and if you e-mail me at m1117mtm@yahoo.com I will be happy to share. My puzzle period ran from Dec 27, 1991 to Feb 3, 1994.
The back of the puzzle is magnetic tape....so it can instantly become a refrigerator item.
I only have about 750 puzzle pieces left, not counting the three large intact puzzles that will not be used as business cards but instead will be sold as pieces of art. (Since I sold more than 500 small per-magnetic puzzles and around 50 magnetic puzzles during my puzzle period I think it's safe to say that when the right person comes along my last few puzzles will be gone.)
Now let's get back to the Art Show because believe it or not this article was never about me but somehow I bent time and space and took it in that direction.
When I handed my card to KENJI MISAWA, the artist who painted the two pieces above, and explained that it was part of a large puzzle, he seemed impressed. And then I started talking about the first piece that caught my eye, which is called EYE CHAKRA, and how it looked like something I had done in the beginning of my CERN project and turned into THE OTHER GOD PARTICLES art show in September of 2014.
Then I glanced down at the table and noticed some books with his name on the cover of each book.
KENJI MISAWA
Each page in the first book showed what he has been doing since 1968.
KENJI MISAWA
Here are a few examples of work done by an artist that I originally thought didn't use enough paint on his Jackson Pollock type paintings.
As I turned the pages I went from feeling humbled to feeling honored to have been able to meet someone of his stature. What you are looking at are just a few pieces from his immense body of work. He even had one project, that if I understood him correctly, where he build a river so that it would make his sculpture look more in tune with the environment. HE BUILT THE RIVER!
There is another project he is currently working on where he is building a beach.
KENJI MISAWA
At one point he asked me about business and I said, "I apparently do everything for free." I'm
fairly certain at that point he probably considered me to be insane.
The art of conducting business that is centered on what I do creatively seems to be the total magical conundrum of my life and whereas I would love NOT to worry about finances IT SEEMS I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE IN THE MATTER.
SECURING A PATRON THAT ALLOWS ME TO CREATE LARGER PIECES AND CONDUCT MY SHOW, THE OTHER GOD PARTICLES, ON A SEMI-REGULAR BASIS, DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ON THE UNIVERSE'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS.
IT'S A TEST TO SEE HOW MUCH WORK I CAN DO BEFORE ENDING UP UNDER SOME OVERPASS TALKING TO HOMELESS PEOPLE ABOUT ART, THE CERN PROJECT, QUANTUM MECHANICS, AND SOUL AWARENESS DEVELOPMENT...along with my numerous left wing biased opinions on social and political events.
I honestly don't see myself lasting very long in that environment but if I don't get a sponsor soon for my numerous avenues of expression, it's possible that I could become a character in John Steinbeck's great grandson's new novel.....THE STUPIDEST RAISIN ON THE VINE.
********
Today is Martin Luther King's birthday and it's a National Holiday that probably doesn't get recognized by 90% of the people who don't like Barack Obama....and at least 60% of the people who voted for Donald Trump.
The art of generalization has gotten easier and easier during this last election campaign. Identifying people according to their political choices has never been so clear.
Friday January 20 2017 is a day that will live in ???????????????
But in the meantime I was able to meet an visionary master in the world of sculpture and the best thing about
Kenji Misawa
is the
simple fact that he is a
nice
man.
Truly an honor and for that I must thank that same Universe
which
keeps
me
wondering
if
I
will
ever
stop
worrying
about
money.
It really does derail the train of creativity and yet I have a versatile body of work
and besides that
you just finished reading a Mind Jazz piece and I was able to introduce you to a brilliant artist.
Happy Birthday MLK
Hope for extremely windy day on Friday
to see what President "Biff" really looks like.
Michael Timothy McAlevey
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