HOT ARTWORKS NOW

The 2001 Hallwalls Members Show. Featuring work by artists including A.J. Fries, Bob Budin, Joyce Hill, Tim McPeek, Douglas DeBoth.

Call For Work: In a recent "Buzz" column, Buffalo News writer Mary Kunz reported that a Niagara Falls Boulevard watch vendor—inspired by the long lines at the new Krispy Kreme doughnut shop with its flashing neon "HOT DOUGHNUTS NOW" sign—hung up a sign in his window reading "HOT WATCHES NOW." No doubt more merchants will follow suit. Believe it or not, just days before, we ourselves had been similarly inspired in our choice of the theme for the 2001 Members Show, HOT ARTWORKS NOW. When we read "Buzz," we almost abandoned the idea. It had been done. It was no longer the cutting edge. It was, as it were, COLD DOUGHNUTS. THEN. (This despite the fact that our executive director had been caught on film by Nancy J. Parisi waiting in line on opening day! You can look it up in Artvoice, not to mention the letter to the editor the following week that as much as called our executive director and his fellow queue mates "cretins," "morons," and "cattle.") But then we came to our senses. (Or rather plunged back into the mass hysteria as if into a mosh pit of boiling oil.) More than ever we had to do this theme. It’s HOT. Right NOW. Even hotter than we thought. We can’t resist. It’s this week’s "Buzz." It’s this year’s "new millennium." It’s the "it" thing. And like it or not, it’s our theme for this year’s assortment of artwork by members. So box ‘em up. We’re cruising the boulevard and we’re hungry for HOT ARTWORKS. We’re hungry for them NOW.

Artworks by the dozen, i.e., in limited editions of 12. Artworks arrayed side-by-side in retro-style boxes. Artworks that’ll sell like hotcakes. Artworks that are tasty but bad for you. Artworks to drool over. Artworks to die for. Artworks that do not make your eyes glaze over. Artworks produced on an assembly line but original (as in "original glazed"). Ceramic artworks that are glazed and baked. (Get it?) Painted artworks done in "oil," or built up of layers of glaze. (You painters know what we mean.) Artworks that’ll show everybody what’s HOT in ART right NOW? (That’s supposed to be our mission, right?) Junk-food artworks. Serious, food-for-thought artworks about doughnuts or desire, consumption or commerce. Artworks that can catch passersby’s eyes like flashing neon, lure them off the boulevard, and satisfy their hunger, filling the gaping holes in their stomachs as if they were doughnuts themselves. Or maybe just nuts. Is it only a coincidence we’ll be presenting a honey-dipped Karen Finley live in performance earlier in the month? As the Krispy Kreme Doughnut said, "Shut up and eat me! I’m HOT!"

Some publications related to this event:
February, 2001. - 2001
January, 2001 - 2001