[van-announce] MECCA NORMAL art exhibit

[Mecca Normal]

Mecca Normal
Art Exhibit
by Jean Smith & David Lester
"Inspired Agitators & The Pantomime Horse"

March 26-April 25
Opening Night Friday, March 26, 8 - 10 p.m.
Mecca Normal will not be performing at this event.

XENO GALLERY (dadabase)
183 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 1WL
Tel: 604.709-9934
http://galleryxeno.com
xeno at dadabase.ca

Jean Smith and David Lester of the underground rock duo Mecca Normal have collaborated on "Inspired Agitators & The Pantomime Horse" -- a one act play in the form of a two dimensional art exhibit. Lester is a political cartoonist and graphic designer. Smith is a painter and the author of lyrics and novels. The art show and the theme of the play it represents both explore the production of art with political content. Using storyboards, paintings and posters Smith and Lester outline the inspiration, anxiety, and compromise that artists face while moving from concept to presentation. Within the context of the exhibit, Smith's two series of paintings "Empty Rooms in the South of France" and "Horse & Rider" intend to pose the question, "Do people like political art because they agree with the message?"

More details:
Inspired Agitators & the Pantomime Horse
http://InspiredAgitators.blogspot.com

*******
Spring and summer:
"How Art and Music Can Change the World"
Mecca Normal will be on tour in Ontario and BC presenting their workshop, performance, and art exhibit in galleries, libraries, rock clubs and classrooms. "Inspired Agitators and the Pantomime Horse" will be part of the touring exhibit.

More details: 
"How Art and Music Can Change the World"
http://meccanormal.tripod.com/press.html

Jean Smith's art:
http://mecca_normal.tripod.com/art/jeanart03/index.htm

Newtopia Magazine article on David Lester's art:
http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/content/issue13/newart/noircanada.shtml

Artist bios:
Jean Smith is primarily known as a woman of many words in the acclaimed literary rock duo Mecca Normal, and as the author of three novels. Jean grew up in a house with two painters for parents, where she, as a matter of course, developed a keen visual sense. Recent themes in Jean's paintings include alcoholism, how women and girls perceive themselves, and Native land claims issues. Her art is also about a physical world of light, colour, and composition. Jean's work has been used on book covers, in zines and magazines, and on more than twenty-five CD and 7" covers. Her paintings were shown at the Word On The Street festival's Moat Gallery exhibit. Thirty years of self-portraits (from age 13) were shown at Ladyfests in Olympia, and Los Angeles as well as many one night exhibits on Mecca Normal tours.

David Lester's paintings, graphics and cartoons have been exhibited across North America. In 2003, David was the curator of a five person art show at Word On The Street. His multi-panel Noir Canada -- a cautionary tale of how fascism spreads -- was featured in Broken Pencil, Canada's magazine of underground culture. David's cartoons introduce a cast of characters who demonstrate the best and the worst of society; they run regularly in the San Diego Reader. David is the publisher at Smarten Up! & Get To The Point, a small press devoted to poetry, experimental fiction, politics and artwork by community activists.

To contact the artists for images or interviews,
call 604-253-8106 or email meccanormal at hotmail.com

http://mecca_normal.tripod.com