Art Rock Cleveland is the latest exhibition at BK Smith gallery and ups the volume level once again with visual art pieces produced by Cleveland-based band members, curated by lyricist/vocalist Jason Byers of the thrashingly sonic Disengage. For fans of rock accustomed to hearing their fave local bands generate sounds, experiencing such visual creations as surveillance-camera installation, plush, stuffed-animal covered television sets, war tanks made from suet, or paintings both beautiful and disturbing should prove an entertaining enigma.
"The idea was really based on having Jason curate something," explains Bly. "My plan for the gallery is to hire a guest curator each year and I've been wanting to work with Jason for a long time; I love his artwork and totally respect him as a musician, so it just seemed like the perfect time. I gave him total artistic freedom...other than come up with the general theme, I didn't have to do much else -- the rest is all Jason, and the show totally, well, rocks."
Byers, who began Disengage 9 years ago, (the band's third full-length was just released in Japan, and it's second will come out in Europe in April) takes both his music and his art seriously--he also spins tunes in Cleveland, supports young bands, and studied art at college--and the attention really shows in terms of the quality and diversity of work on display at BK Smith.
"I limited the show to serious artists (must have shown or have working studios) who are currently recording music or playing out on a regular basis. They could have been in joke or noise bands because the emphasis is on the art rather than their music. The artists must also live in Northeast Ohio. After debating whether or not the show should be national I decided I wanted Clevelanders to get all of the exposure they deserve."
Miss Melvis, the tough-assed guitar hero for the band Chump, was one of the Clevelanders getting that exposure, as were Eric Rippert of Minibike and thehusband-and-wife team of Nathaniel Parsons and Kristen Baumlier, (two-thirds of DORC) all three multi-instrumentalists.
"I really liked the diversity and simplicity of the work," confessed Melvis." I mean that as a compliment to all. There were some nice, no frills pieces that really had clear definition and were quite playful! Many actually were very animated and whimsical. I especially enjoyed the edited live sex tape of the curator and her husband that ran on a loop though!"
Though the live sex tape piece was missed by this writter, Melvis' accomplished drawing of rocker Rick Derringer, completed when she was a scant 14 years of age, was not. Nor were the huge wooden placards of rock flyers produced by Parsons, or the film-footage-as-viewed-through-red-cone filmed by Baumlier during the Summer of 2003 in Germany. Both enjoyed the event. "There were lots of faces," gushed Parsons. "I saw musicians I had seen play when I was younger." "We opened each other's beers," confided Baumlier in a fan-grrl moment. "I was relieved there were not a million images of guitars."
"It sounds cliché and a bit pretentious to admit," began Rippert, whose surveillance camera installation greets viewers as they enter the gallery," but I was reminded of the music from the late 1970s, CBG Bs?-era,where art school students picked up guitars, learned those crucial three chords and made music. When did that sort of thing ever happen before? Beatles in Hamburg, maybe, but I’m no rock scholar. Again, it’s creative individuals being creative and not being restricted to one artistic genre. This exhibition is unique. Usually one has to frequent the innards of some unknown punk club to see art by musicians and musicians who create art. This venue is a respectable one."
The opening night event, which was sponsored by Pirate's Cove, Grog Shop, Peabody's, and Touch, was fairly happening. Kristin Bly-Rogers has produced a cd compilation featuring bands represented in the exhibition, which is for sale at the gallery and boasts a plethora of established and newer groups united in sonic creation. An essay with the cd, penned by Cleveland music writer Anastasia Pantsios, capsules musical history nicely. J. Scott Franklin provided innovative updating to the term "one-man band" with his balcony performance set, while stylish and nigh-classical music and movement pieces were performed by Amy Montonini and Mike McNamara.
All in all, a great time was had and it's a great exhibit; Art Rock Cleveland happens at BK Smith Gallery on the campus of Lake Erie College and continues until March 19. Admission is free. For more information or directions, contact www.lec.edu or 440-375-7461. Rock on. From Cool Cleveland music correspondent Daiv Whaley
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