fairview liquor bottle art installation

I read about the installation in ADN a few weeks ago and went over tonight to have a closer look.

I have mixed feelings about the politics underlying its creation — the owner of Grubstake Auction, the storage yard fence of which serves to display the work was a vocal objector to the nearby Karluk Manor, a first of its kind for Anchorage ‘housing first’ facility for homeless alcoholics that opened this year.  Parts of the installation reference Karluk Manor [protest signs reading, ‘No Red Nose Inn in Fairview’ — Karluk Manor was formerly a Red Roof Inn motel; and a stop sign modified to read, ‘Please STOP ENABLING’].

I happen to believe that Karluk Manor and its operator RuralCAP have a good program and deserve a chance to succeed.  But its detractors have legitimate objections, as I previously noted.

While I was photographing the installation, a guy in a Grubstake Auction truck [I assume it was Ron Alleva?] paused to ask, “How do you like it?”. “Love it!!”  “Yeah?  Well, we created that!”  He seemed keenly proud.

And I do love it.  Most of my artist friends will probably not agree, but for me this project functions on multiple levels, and really makes the viewer think long and hard about the subjects undertaken.  All of the impact of successful visual art.

Most of the many local spring cleanup efforts are considered successful when they get rid of trash, not put it on display.  Some of it’s buried, some recycled — but it’s taken away, out of sight and mind.  Putting up the bottles on the fence is a metaphor of how alcoholism is dealt with, both by its sufferers and by society.  So many municipal commissions in the past have focused on how to get rid of the homeless, by moving them someplace where no one can see them.  [Astoundingly unsuccessfully, since the problem has reached an epidemic in recent years and today there are people with cardboard signs asking for money at every single midtown intersection.]

The piece is expertly placed for maximum exposure, both to the general public and to the homeless alcoholics it directly addresses.  The 6 ft tall chain link fence runs right along a sidewalk next to a road that’s used to bypass part of E. 5th Ave. on the way out of town to Eagle River and points north.  In the surrounding blocks are shelters, soup kitchens, gas stations, strip bars, sleazy motels… and garages, a paint store and storage lots with electrical transformers, lumber, trailer parts, cars and trucks.  It is a strange, forlorn part of Anchorage, except there is also a wonderful creek with a salmon run, and an excellent urban nature trail.  And a mill, feed and garden store, and a taco wagon or two.

‘<—JAIL?’, asks a fence section, spelled out in bottles and pointing toward the Anchorage Jail, a few hundred feet away on the adjoining property.  Other parts depict a skull, a cartoon heart, a liquor bottle marked with XXX, and a slogan, ‘NO TO BOOZE’.  The message is quick and recognizable, and cutting instead of cute.

One is struck by how many bottles — 1,500 or more according to the ADN story, which also says they picked them up in just a few days without having to range very far in their search.  The bottles hang from the fencing, shine in the sunset light showing ironic brand names [Rich and Rare, Monarch, Southern Comfort].

Harry Mezak deserves recognition for this effort.  I hope to see more from him in the future.  He is following in a great tradition of activist visual art, whether he knows it or not.

‘pop 11’ closes at MTS Gallery

A few people came by for the final day of Pop 11 at MTS.  The exhibition of Alaskan pop art was a part of the Pop 11 citywide mult-venue exhibit about Andy Warhol and the ’60s pop art revolution.

Multimedia installation by Nemo.

Mural on west wall by [l–r] Nemo, Esker, Alamander and Bisco, painted directly on the gallery wall.

Installation by Gariett Burtner.

Multiple works by Ferald and Kel explore homelessness.

Short film by Michael Walsh.

greetings from another alternate universe

Road sign for Mt. View Dr. — this one in Homer, AK.  It’s up in the foothills on the west side, fairly upscale.  Not too far away from another street called Fairview.

‘backyard, alaska’ at MTS

Scenes from a multimedia installation by Michael Walsh.  Featuring Alaskan vernacular artifacts; films with historic and environmental images; and soundscapes.  Visit MTS Gallery Sat. and Sun. noon to 4:00; Wed. and Thurs. 5:00 to 8:00 pm — through June 11th.  3142 Mt.View Dr.

art zine F covers gerstenfeld, street art

The May 2010 issue of F has two excellent articles about Mt. View.

A feature article about local octogenarian and self-described “Mt. View relic” Sol Gerstenfeld.  There’s a little bit about me in the piece, as well — I gave them the story tip.  She does a pretty good job breaking down Sol’s persona, without going too deeply into his philosophy and various endeavors and advocacy work. 

Sol can be a tough case, but he’s also a valuable asset in our neighborhood.  When the neighbors were discussing whether or not they wanted to be annexed by Anchorage in 1954, Sol was probably in the room and can still recall what was said.  He doesn’t focus on the past, though, like a lot of people his age — because it tends to steal energy from current projects.

F also has a story about the Mt. View street art project — how it was funded and planned; the selection process; a bit about the selected artists and installations; and thoughts on the likely impact after the pieces are installed in four or five locations along the length of Mt. View Dr.

Despite ten years of solid work on revitalization and renewal, Mt. View still has a serious image problem [partially deserved; mostly not].  The transformative effects the presence of artists and art making can have are beginning to show.

‘confluence/influence’ group invitational opens at MTS

A strong showing by a group of artists from the Talkeetna area, reflective of the wonderful natural setting they enjoy on a daily basis. 

See it now through April 10, noon to 4 Sat.-Sun. and 5 to 8 pm Wed. at MTS Gallery, 3142 Mt. View Dr., Anchorage.

Untitled, by Chris Bowman

'Coat-rack #4', by Jeff Lebegue

'Floating Forest', by Bill Barstow

'Orion and Canis', by Bill Barstow

'Happy Hour', by Jim Gleason

'Birches and Devil's Club', by Tony Crocetto

'River -- Don't Build Dams in Earthquake Country', by Julia March Crocetto

‘mark this’ fiber art exhibit at MTS

A group show by Alaskan members of the Surface Design Association opened Feb. 19th at MTS Gallery, 3142 Mt. View Dr.  The exhibit will be open for public viewing Sat. and Sun. noon to 4:00, and Wed. 5:00 to 8:00 PM.

'Colors Unfurled, aka If Betsy Ross Had My Stash', by Maria Shell.

'Fossil Fish In the Sand', by Mary Hertert.

'Peaks and Pops', by Wendy Smith-Wood.

'River With Poppies', by Ree Nancarrow.

light pollution

Night view of Brighton Park Apts. at Glenn Hwy. and Bragaw St., the entire vicinity lit up by the ridiculous high mast (baseball park type) lights that our overlords at the Alaska Dept. of Transportation and Public Facilities insisted we had to have, rather than something reasonable/less intrusive.

scholastic award 2010 at MTS

Images of work in the current exhibit at MTS — by secondary students around Alaska.
On display through Feb. 11th, Sat. and Sun. noon to 4:00 and Wed. 5:00-8:00 PM — 3142 Mountain View Dr.

"The Bird" by Tristan Grimes -- digital art.

"Plane Crash" by Leslie Ekert -- photograph, silver print.

"Eye to Eye" by Rachel Olsen -- scratchboard.

"Rhino" by Lauren Hedge -- ceramics.

"Betwixt" by Tegan White Nesbitt -- painting, acrylics.

denigration gap

Late last night an Anchorage police officer was shot five times while sitting in his cruiser on Medfra St. just north of 15th Ave., while filling out paperwork after an interview.  The case is mysterious, lacking an apparent motive and naturally has generated a lot of anxiety, speculation and strongly worded opinions.  I’m reluctant to consider comments on ADN‘s web site as reflective of mainstream community opinion, but one in particular is sticking with me [emphasis mine]:

jfries wrote on 01/09/2010 09:58:04 AM:

I firmly believe that Anchorage has some of the best police officers. Would very many among us want to respond to a call for help in that area at 2 a.m.? These officers serve with strength, respect, and dignity. Thoughts and prayers for the full recovery of this officer and to comfort his family and friends. I was touched by the following quote on the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial:
‘The policeman is a peace time soldier always at war. It is not how these officers died that made them heroes. It is how they lived.’

This post was the eighth most recommended [29 recommendations] out of 179 posts, before it was replaced late tonight by a newer version of the story [by the same reporter].

I would love it if whoever wrote this would discard their cloak of pseudonymity and expound on their negative opinion of Fairview a little bit.  Do they really have sheets of statistics that prove that Fairview’s a more dangerous place than the rest of Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska?  I’d like to see the documenation!

West Downtown, Inlet View and South Addition, immediately adjacent to Fairview are today generally considered “safe” areas, where Fairview is not, because they began to be populated with people of wealth and influence [or, what passes for same in Anchorage] who pinched their buddies on the Assembly and in City Hall to eliminate liquor stores in their neighborhoods.  This action did not eliminate the number of liquor stores in the city — the number of which is based on population — it simply pushed the stores to the boundary of the “safe” area, where they accumulated by the half-dozen along Spenard Rd., and Gambell St. in Fairview. 

That action [artificially] contributes to the urban legend that Spenard, Fairview and Mt. View are unsafe areas — becaue they are plagued by a bunch of drunks staggering in the streets and sidewalks, compared to the nearby “safe” area.  However,  the occurance of violent crime [such as the shooting of Officer Allen] is consistently random in the city at large, not confined to any one neighborhood.

I’m not trying to defend anyone who committed the crime  — they should be locked up — but the denigration of the neighborhood per se has to stop.  I’m not sure if jfries has much experience with Fairview, or has lived there or not?  That part of Medfra St., with well-maintained 1940s-50s era houses does not appear very much like a community that engeneders or tolerates random violent crime.  I have passed through there, between 15th and 5th innumerable times since the early ’80s.  I ride a bike through Fairview practically every work day.  I’d ride through there at 2 AM without a second thought.