Prelude to the Show
KD was invited to a free art show by local artist Jason Vaughn a few weeks ago. The invitation came via e-mail and it looked like a flyer for a party or another realtor trying to make a sale. It was almost immediately dismissed because it was judged by its cover and not by its content or character.
The invitation was not put in the recycle bin because it had probably originated from a Kinetics Direct e-mail. We extended our hand of courtesy and acknowledged Mr. Vaughn’s invitation as we do the rest of our contacts. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Mathew (7:12)
The invitation was read top to bottom and made a convincing argument. “Free drinks and live music,” was the phrase that sparked our interest and commitment to attend the art show. KD once again made a decision based on exterior makeup rather than interior value and process.
KD received a second invitation by Mr. Vaughn approximately two weeks later. This one read “Just wanted to remind,” his contacts about the art show taking place the following night, Saturday May, 12 2007. It was a “one night” event. Vaughn, once again, did not forget to mention the “free drinks and live music.”
Kinetics Direct spent most of that Friday stocking its Music Bar to the rim with everything from The Beatles to The Beastie Boys.
Directions to the Show
The team was later assembled and CA head out to Los Angeles by himself.
Long time friend and creator of the Destination Weddings piece regretfully announced her inability to make it home on time for KD to attend the art show.
S: Where is it?
CA: I don’t know. Let me see here. It’s in L.A. on Santa Fe.
S: It’s in the art district.
CA: There’s an art district?
The streets were dark and not knowing the area or that there was an “art district,” I proceeded to Vaughn’s show with precaution on my mind, a phone in one hand and directions in the other hand. I turned right onto Santa Fe and saw a better lighted street ahead.
I approached the address and noticed people walking in a certain direction along side a line of cars that covered the curbs surrounding my final destination. I parked about two blocks and I immediately thought the show was crawling with fans of the art scene.
My Experience at the Show
Space and the Human Condition: A Photographic Display by Jason Vaughn, was the title of the night’s event. The small area inside the L.A. red-brick building was packed with a generation of art fans that spanned from 22-36 years of age. A hallway led me into a large room with walls dressed in grey paint and a “hip” L.A. scene mingled amongst about while waiting for the band, Divisible, to play their set.
The room’s ambiance immediately made me more nervous than I was in my car just before I made sure to count 3 pens on my person. I couldn’t help but remember the incident with Mr. Jazzy Jeans and did not want to go through that again.
I noticed the gold sparkle of a bass drum with the word Divisible on its face. I quickly walked through the living area where a few guests lounged on a sofa while others just stood and or sat on the ground staring and waiting for the music to start. I made it across the room and through another hall and noticed empty boxes of beer on the floor by the door where I assumed Vaughn’s exhibit was displayed.
The crowd inside of the room stood around Vaughn’s installations and laughed while drinking one of many alcoholic refreshments located on a table situated in the center of the room. I didn’t notice too many of them pay close attention to the art they laughed and gloated around.
All the photographs were framed and arranged into different segments, each segment being a separate installation piece. The first piece that caught my attention and was surrounded by a few people was a small mound of broken glass gathered on the floor under a portrait of a fish. The fish was facing down as to be staring along the people at broken glass carelessly pushed aside to be left behind for the dangerous shards to fall in or around the wrong set of “Space?”
The next piece that I examined with my inexperienced eyes that can’t match color or scheme past black, white and red, was a frame set with a lot of green. The largest of the frames was a photograph of what I assumed was a guy feet dressed in Chuck Taylor Converse. The four frames were arranged in such a way that the green inside of them created a sphere like shape.
A kind woman directed me to the door where I was able to find a detailed map of the entire selection. That piece is called Earth. All of the framed art is named after a planet. And as I sit here and write this article I finally start to understand Jason Vaughn’s Space and the Human Condition.
The Art
Musicians filled the entire wall to the left hand side of the entrance to the room where the art was displayed. The montage had at least 40 portraits or different musicians performing live in many different venues. I was only able to recognize two of the musicians but only one name comes to mind, Jeff Beck. The map has all of their names and locations on the wall but I’ve decided to pay the art and its creator the respect of only writing about what has made me a fan of the work.
When I finally reached the wall, the wall reached out to me in a visually erotic manner. I zoned in on the crisp images that differed in size, background and location. I could not believe how many performances Vaughn must have attended to take so many pictures and create such a monstrosity of a montage. I crouched down to take closer look at one of the smaller portraits positioned near the bottom of the display. As my eyes focused on the piece, it was the musician with binocular shaped hands that was looking at me.
I stepped back and laughed, smiled looked around the room in a frantic display of aw. It was truly a modern day Mona Lisa, except for the fact that my experience was close up and personal. No one else in the room felt her (the musician was female), gaze but me.
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