two-twenty

kulture klub

Alas, the world is not made up merely of gossipy sound bites, ironic reruns of decades-old television, and Paris Hilton’s blurred out (or not, obvs) asscrack. Feeling that perhaps two-twenty had steeped itself too long in the bitter brew of self-consuming metapop, we recently set out to find a balance, a yin to our yang, if you will.

The perfect opportunity arose last night with an invitation to an event representing the low end of high art (baby steps, people): the 11th Annual Outsider Art Fair at the Puck building. And so it was that we left behind a one-hour Friends, Scrubs (with Tara Reid!), and a democratic debate sure to be rife with comedy to trek our ass downtown and get ourselves some (subba)cultcha.

Highlights: Henry Darger, Benjamin Jones, Scott Griffin, and the open bar. Darger, who some readers are probably aware of, clearly wins the “crazy obsessively religious dead guy who is so ‘out’ that his pieces go for $50k and up” award.

Most of Darger’s watercolors and drawings exhibited at the Art Fair come from the 15,000+ page opus he wrote and illustrated during his life, entitled, "The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco-Angelinnian War Storm, as Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion". 'Nuff said.

Examples of each of the above-mentioned artists, so that you may admire, snicker dismissively at, or decry two-twenty’s aesthetic sensibilities:

Henry Darger: "At Jennie Richee Waves Lure them From Stand and They Stand Still as Wave Recedes"

Benjamin Jones: "Tall Clown"

Scott Griffin: "Code Orange"

Phew. Time to go TiView. We all could use some Tara Reid after that. Once you have cleansed yourself in the purifying pop pool of Tara, consider sullying yourself again this weekend. The Outsider Art Fair runs through Sunday. Tickets are $15, and tucked amongst the overpriced kitsch (which is entertaining in its own right) are some real steals.