Monday, November 23, 2009
Music and eclectic art crossed paths Saturday evening when an art show called “Take Two and Call Me in the Morning” opened in Love Garden, a local record store. It was the first art show to open in Love Garden’s new location, 822 Massachusetts St.
The show, which will remain on display until Dec. 18, features local artists Kenneth Kupfer, Clint Ricketts and a street artist known only as b. d. eek. For Love Garden, which relocated in August and will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in January, the show was an opportunity to familiarize people with its new location.
“I feel like this is the beginning, so we’re just testing it out and we’re going to see how it goes,” said Alicia Kelly, Sapulpa, Okla., senior art student and curator of the exhibit. “This new space is kind of like a new project; they’re growing up.”
She said the show was unique not only because it was the first show in Love Garden’s new location, but also because it was a showcase for the work of the mysterious street artist b. d. eek. The artist, who sneakily posts his work in public places, is vigilant about remaining anonymous — even Kelly doesn’t know eek’s identity. She said she had only communicated with eek through e-mail, and was not even certain whether eek was a man or a woman.
“He has someone bring his work and pick it up, so I don’t know who he or she, who this person is,” she said. “I think, being a street artist, he or she wants to remain anonymous.”
The show’s organizers said eek could very well have attended the show, but they wouldn’t have known because none of them could identify him or her.
Love Garden, which opened in 1990, was formerly located at 936 ½ Massachusetts St. above the Toy Store. It was only accessible through a small staircase opening onto the street. Owners said the new location was more visible and accessible.
Aaron Marable, Love Garden employee, was in charge of organizing art shows in the old location. He said it would take time for the record store’s fans to appreciate the new location.
“A lot of people are really attached to the old space, so nostalgia weighs in heavy in people’s response,” he said. “Like anybody who’s human, we’re all resistant to change, especially when it’s a good thing that you’re leaving.”
But Kenneth Kupfer, one of the artists featured in the show, said events like this helped him become more accustomed to the change.
“I was afraid to come to the new Love Garden for a while because I didn’t want to think that they moved,” he said. “But I think they’ve already fit in perfect. The Love Garden’s more than just a building, man.”
The show features art with figures “doing weird positions and doing weird things,” Kelly said. All the artwork was on paper, and most was done in pencil or marker.
Follow Justin Leverett at twitter.com/schmendric.
— Edited by Brenna M. T. Daldorph
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