Music
The Cheaper Show: Less Dollars, More Sense
I was able to drop by The Cheaper Show Saturday night after Pink Martini's show at Orpheum Theatre. While I only caught the last twenty minutes of the show, I was extremely glad I was able to see what it was all about.
The Cheaper Show is a single-night exhibit (in it's eight year) that featured 300 pieces of art for a set price of $200.00 each. The idea behind it is straightforward: accessibility. Inexpensive prices enable more people to afford high-quality art. To add to this, newer artists are given a rare (equal) presentation alongside more established peers. An international array of 150 artists from many mediums were featured in the event. It was cool to see Basco Five's work back in town!
The Cheaper Show No.8 took place at the old Storyeum. I never went to the actual Storyeum, but the venue fit the exhibit well. I really enjoyed the evening and took note of some great artists. DJ Rico Uno played some cool mixes and the place was packed with funky people.
I really like what the organizers of the exhibit are doing and am already anticipating The Cheaper Show No.9. They say it best: "Buy Art Not Cocaine".
The Cheaper Show No.8 took place on June 21, 2008 at the old storyeum building in Gastown.
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I'm going to be the 'Debbie Downer' on this parade.
I've read several reviews about The Cheaper Show and I am wondering if we were at the same event.
There were MAYBE a dozen pieces of artwork that deserved a showing. The rest reminded me of elementary school drawing abilities.
Um, since when are dead skinned animals art? ...Remind anyone else of that 'Starving Dog' exibit everyone hates?! How about someone's old smelly t-shirt, complete with pit stains, stretched across a canvas? How about a photo of a woman's genitalia paired with muffy the cat. Can you say 'josey grossy' ?!
But say that is your taste... $24 000 worth sold that evening. Although, I don't know how anything got sold. People had to wait an hour and a half in the purchase line-up. Poor ventilation of the venue caused the temperature to rise significantly. I went in search of water, only to find another looooong line-up.
I left disappointed.
Thanks for sharing your views, Drafter! I can see where you are coming from (especially in regards to the ventilation).
While not all the art struck a chord, I'm enamoured by the idea behind The Cheaper Show and I was happy to find some great pieces.
Drafter,
If you seek negativity, you will always find it.
Congratulations on your discoveries.
If you want to talk about "elementary ...abilities" I would like to discuss the intellectual level of your critique. Debbie Downer, josey grossy, muffy the cat?
Terms that are best left to the snot nosed.
Further, you cannot compare a photo of a previously skinned animal to an artist that slowly methodically killed an animal in a gallery. The difference in intent and presentation are endless. Pull your head out of your rabbit hole.
For the record, the last time those t-shirts hung on a wall it was in the Vancouver Art Gallery proving that there is most likely some artistic merit just beyond the pit stains that you are missing.
I would suggest hiring a fact checker and a cultural expert to talk you through your next review so you don't come across Dafter, Drafter.
It was Cheaper 7 that sold 24,000 in an evening not this event. And for the over 200 pieces that sold to people who waited patiently in line to support the artists in this city despite experiencing some tropical indoor heat, I guess these people understood the breadth of the diversity and could easily read the talent on the wall.
But you, you keep moving.
Go home where it's safe and easy.
Saddle up to another vapid sitcom, Debbie.
It's easier this way.
Because if you are to attend another cultural event in this city that doesn't involve men on ice, you will always leave disappointed.
Ouch! Got to say TB got you there Drafter. Although, it was hot... very hot. I think though that this will just add to our collective memory of a really excellent night.
PS Drafter mentioned that "I went in search of water, only to find another looooong line-up."- go for a beer next time, it's more fun.
i was helping with the show 4 days in a row - and yes the ventilations was horrid, and yes the lines were long - but what do you expect when 1000 people and more are expected to come?
i think one needs to acknowledge that the magic of this event was the fact that so many artists were brought together and enjoyed by so many people.
for photos chec out http://juliakozlov.wordpress.com
what I LOVED was the insane line up (thankfully I was only third in line( - I waited and waited for hours to buy a speficific piece. Little did I realize that the two guys in front of me where taking money from the people that were working the event and scooping up all the pieces so that no one else would have a chance.
Once I realized that this was going on, I asked them if my number request was on their ever growing list. they assured me it wasn't. But they kept collecting the cash and making down the numbers requested.
Third person into the cashier and those morons lied and scooped my piece. I told them to just let me know. Scammers. Not to mention the hundreds of others in line who had no idea that this was even going on.
Next year fellas, this even should "cap" the numbers of pieces you can buy.