Rare Visions/Detour Art Exhibit...Opening Night
(Erika Nelson's "World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things" from Lucas, Kansas)
Rare Visions. Detour Art Exhibit
March 6, 2009 - May 1, 2009
2100 Walnut
Kansas City, Missour
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(Bob Smithy "Angel" from the collection of Kelly Ludwig)
Opening with record-breaking crowds (they stopped counting at 750) this exhibit has been named one of the "10 to watch for" this year by Kansas City Star art critic Alice Thorson. There are over 160 pieces of outsider, folk and visionary art currently on display, making it quite possibly one of the largest, if not the largest exhibit, of this genre of art west of the Mississippi.
After a snow just 5 days earlier, the 65+ evening brought everyone out. The night couldn't have been more perfect. On the first floor of the old brick building, Erika Nelson brought the "World's Largest..." out of retirement and handed out hundreds of wooden nickels, despite those old warnings. Ed Root sculptures that had been saved by the folks at KGAA and now cared for at The Grassroots Art Center were on pedestals. Masks by Jerry Coker, a flag by Ab the Flagman and sculpture by John Woods also greeted guests. Good friend, Narrow Larry Harris made the trek from Houston for the opening and shared his Orange Show "Eyeopener" tour stories.
As the freight elevator reached the 3rd floor, you could chose to go first to the "Midwest" Gallery or the "Rest of the Country"...but you had to walk through the rest of the country to get to "Hell" a gallery filled with devil imagery.
(Jesse Howard bed frame from the collection of the Kansas City Art Institute)
Midwest Gallery
Some of the artists represented:
* Clarence & Grace Woolsey, Lincoln, IA
* "M.T." Liggett, Mullinville, KS
* Jesse Howard, Fulton, MO
* Robert E. Smith, Springfield, MO
* Bob Smithy, Plevna, MO
* Ralph Lanning, Republic, MO
* Dr. Evermor, Baraboo, WI
* Kathy Ruth Neal, Kansas City, MO
(Minnie Atkins Animals, from the collection of Kelly Ludwig)
"Rest of the Country" Gallery
Some of the artists represented:
* Howard Finster, Summerville, GA
* Mose Tolliver, Montgomery, AL
* Purvis Young, Miami, FL
* Minnie Adkins, Isonville, KY
* Homer Green, Murfreesboro, TN
* Karl Mullen, Philadelphia, PA
* James Harold Jennings, Pinnacle, NC
* Melissa Polhamus, Virginia Beach, VA
* Mamie Deschellie, Fruitland, NM
* Gregory Blackstock, Seattle, WA
Linvel Barker, "Rabbit" and Squirrrel" from the collection of Kelly Ludwig
Ronald Cooper "Devil with Too Big Shoes"
Artwork in photo on the right by Ronald Cooper, Theresa Disney and more from the collection of Kelly Ludwig.
"Hell" Gallery
Some of the artists represented:
* W.C. Rice, Prattsville, AL
* Leroy Almon, Tallapoosa, GA
* Sulton Rogers, Oxford, MS
* Carl McKenzie, Nada, KY
* The Coopers, Flemingburg, KY
Stanley Greer "Bird on a Nest", from the collection of Kelly Ludwig
Melissa Polhamus, Paul Darmafall "The Baltiore Glassman" and Bill LaCivita, from the collection of Kelly Ludwig
Kathy Ruth Neal, "Mrs. Audobon's Lament" from the collection of Susan Sanders
John North, "Harpist" from the collection of Mike Murphy
Rare Visions' Mike Murphy and myself, Kelly Ludwig, curated the show, which is exhibiting over 160 pieces from their personal collections, plus borrow works from artists and organizations including The Kansas City Art Institute and The Grassroots Arts Center of Lucas, Kansas.
Contact
mdickens{at}belgerartscenter.org at
for tours and addtional information.