Chron: Commercialism and Art Cars

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Here’s an article against corporate infringement into the art car scene. It’s more invective because of it’s harsh title – which is just typical “journalism”. I heard a few discussions on this topic at the many events I was at. Mostly, the corporate cars don’t show for the quirky events and thus don’t effect the “counterculture vibe”. The parade is a media event, and I fully expect corporateness to show up for a 250,000 person crowd.

I heard one major complaint about the McDonald’s shoe visiting schools on Friday. It’s a reasonable complaint, though one not shared by all artists. The complaints about the Shoe’s stereo being too loud are much more common.

What humors me the most is the social elitism of the comments to the article on the Chron’s web site. (“It’s not art because I don’t like it.”)

Is commercialism driving off fun of the Art Car Parade?

A few say sponsors detract from the event’s counterculture vibes

By SARAH VIREN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
May 13, 2007, 9:57PM

Patrick Stanley exhausted his supply of souvenir hard hats an hour before Houston’s Art Car Parade started Saturday. Each bore the name of the construction company he works for, SpawMaxwell, just like his art car, a 1958 Edsel Pacer.

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Chron: Hit The Road

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Here’s an art car story that ran in the Chron prior to the parade. It’s a traditional feel-good pre-parade story. Very unlike the Sunday, post-parade attempt to stir the hornets nest.

HIT THE ROAD

Bumper-to-bumper funky – For many artists, Houston’s Art Car Parade is a chance to show off their skills in front of thousands

May 9, 2007, 7:02PM
By EILEEN McCLELLAND
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Giant electric toasters, dancing lobsters, fire-breathing dragons, pirate ships, life-size statues of ZZ Top.

You name it, think it or dream it, and you might see it on the road during Saturday’s 20th annual Houston Art Car Parade. This year artists from at least 16 states will send 250 vehicles of all descriptions for a ride down Allen Parkway.

Houston’s is the oldest and largest art-car parade in the world, a party put on annually by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. Last year, more than 200,000 people watched a flying saucer, a fat rat and a collection of penguins all ride into downtown.

Beyond striving to reach new heights of creative expression, artists also vie for $10,000 in awards in 14 categories. Awards will be presented during the Orange Show Brunch and Awards Ceremony, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday at the Orange Show, 2402 Munger.

Here’s a glimpse at what four regulars are working on for this year’s parade:

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Art Car Weekend 2007

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dancing queenArt Car weekend is always a great time, and there was no exception this year – the 20th Anniversary year. It started for me at the Art Car Ball which had moved to the Son’s of Hermann Hall on Heights/Yale. There was an “outlaw” ball this year at the Meridian, location of the ball the last few years. I suspect it was because planning had already begun on the Meridian’s part by the time the move was contemplated by the local artists.

There was a bit of rain (which is to say a massive torrential downpour replete with hail) that washed some of the attendees inside and definitely kept down numbers. It was still quite fun, though, and I met some people I didn’t previously know.

stripingFriday morning came early as I met with Big AL to drive one of his two cars in the Main Street Drag. This is a truly fun event that begins early in the morning at the zoo, as cars are divided up into packs of about 10 each and go on different routes visiting schools and hospitals. Two motorcycle police escort each team through town to keep the pack together.

Friday evening the symposium and all around gathering was held at the Art Car Museum with half of Heights Boulevard being blocked off. Several bands play outside. There’s some talks given inside. Some nice fire from cars which is not allowed in the parade. (Mark Bradford was driving/walking his cars around the citgo parking lot belching flames.)

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Art Car Weekend

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Here’s how the schedule goes, add what you will to your list: Thursday 7-midnight, Art Car Ball, $15, Sons of Hermann, cheap beer, bring a flask (they sell “set ups” – which of course you don’t need *wink*) (flyer pdf) You don’t need to go to the “outlaw ball” at the Meridian, this is the … Read more

VAST

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I wasn’t paying too much attention and then realized that VAST (site, wiki) was playing at the Continental Club last night only hours before it happened. I quite like the one album I have of this band – which is mostly a studio project – so I had to go to check them out. I … Read more

Smithville, Austin, and Dreams

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gothic smithvilleSaturday I drove out to Smithville and had a fabulous time at Glover and Judy’s with fabulous weather and a nice evening swim in the lake. Drove into Austin and stayed at Mary Ellen’s.

Sunday was the Houston v Austin roller derby with lots more fun, convincing Bob Hewett and Bill Fergerson to come out, and hanging with the roller girls afterward (even though they lost to an amazing Hot Rod Honeys team) and actually meeting a few of them I hadn’t previously talked to.

The drive home was bathed in yellow wild flowers almost the whole way. When I get home I have two emails from different friends who had dreams about me:

Subject: Hello?

Are you OK? I dreamed you died last night,

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