by The Tears of Things
Speaking of fashion . . .
Where did everybody go?
On Saturday, October 22nd, The Paper Heart, a Grand Avenue gallery, presumably presented the 2005 Wearable Art Auction, sponsored by Artlink, and for the financial benefit of the same. Here's the blurb, from azcentral.com:
How many ways can one create art? When it comes to clothing --a lot. And that's what Artlink's Wearable Art Auction is all about. Think paint, fabric, found objects and more. The event features dozens of original clothing and accessories created by local artists. The pieces will be presented in true artful style by way of a runway show. Also on the bill are jazz musicians, a comedy troupe, a DJ and a silent auction of jewelry, spa packages and more.
Supposublee, anyway. A word coined by a dimwit landlord. Speaking of dimwit landlords --Scott Sanders, look at your calendars. Nothing posted for October 22nd. Nada, as of 10 PM on Thursday, October 27, 2005. Nothing happened that night, according to your own calendar --not even the tangoes you had previously scheduled as well. No photos posted later of the big event, with all the artists proudly posing with their dozens of model-worn creations.
As of this same time, the website for Artlink, artlinkphoenix.com, has been down for two solid days.
Before that time, if anyone checked on the Artlink forum, the last entry was for October 13th. There was no heads up about the fashion auction in the days leading up to it, though Artlink touted the event on its front page. No artist left a little note saying, Hey, Randy Slack here, check out my banana slacks at WAA 2005. Or Sue Chenoweth, with a straitjacket made out of post-it notes, or Grant Wiggins's lab coat of bleached coffee filters, or Carrie Bloomston's 100% pink Pima cotton yogawear --oh, don't get us started-- oops, too late. Did Kathy Cone auction off one of her lace tent dresses? (Hey, wait, isn't that a round tablecloth?) Did Beatrice Moore leap out of one her three-tiered cakes clad only in a tie-dyed bodystocking? Well, that tears it --we're done now.
After the auction, if it even happened --what, you think we attended? Get real: we're at the opera, while the self-loathing slummers hang out with the other losers-- nothing has appeared anywhere, on any blog or MSM outlet. Nothing in Phoenix New Times. Nothing in the Arizona Republic. Maybe it was cancelled. Who knows? Even before the Artlink, Inc. link went on the blink, they posted nothing anywhere on the forum after the event, though they had several days to do so: no comment thread, no photos (!), no nothing nowhere about the Wearable Art Auction 2005, Phoenix. Jerome checked every day, because he wanted to compare the artists' contributions to Catherine's creations. Nada, nada, nada.
We both checked out tomorrow's Yes section in the Arizona Republic, which covers local fashion. Nothing anywhere about Wearable Art Auction 2005, sponsored by the lame-ass Artlink, led by Shari Bombeck and Michael The Magic Number and some other knuckle-dragging chuckleheads.
Back in April, Labelhorde was yakking about co-sponsoring the event this year with Artlink. But they seemed to have had a parting of the ways. Boo-hoo. Now the words "Wearable Art Auction" will be found nowhere near Labelhorde's discussion forum or its website. Did the principals have a falling out? Don't ask us. We're just on the outside of all these loops, pointing out facts as they arise, and speculating where logic leads us.
Why does Artlink have no accountability or responsibility? Because they're volunteers? Perhaps they should volunteer their energies elsewhere, something more befitting their level of engagement and enthusiasm with reality --working in nursing homes, perhaps, or --the next step-- funeral parlors. They seem to have one foot in the grave already.
They just supposublee hosted a major fundraising event for themselves --but there is no public evidence that it ever happened. Why not? Weren't they proud of it? Why don't they have a picture of every damned garment? How much money did they raise? What was the high bid, and for what outfit? How many people showed up? Who was there? Usually, when you go to their forum, they have lame little photos of art openings and the Governor going gaga at eyelounge. Nada, nada, nada now. And no electronic note about why the site is down. How difficult could it be to devise that message, Artlink webguru, whatever your dumbass pseudonym is?
Imagine being one of their sponsors, one of their benefactors. We'd be embarrassed, but Artlink has no shame, only their hand held constantly out. They'll keep stumbling and fumbling along --remember the big bust in August? didn't phase 'em a bit, did it? So they have a few meetings and try to read city codes . . . dum-de-dum, dum-de-dum-de-dum . . .
Can't you hardly wait for Art Detour? That oughta be a whangdoodle. But you'd best mark your calendars now, because Artlink may not mention it much before, during, or after that wonderful weekend, whenever the hell it is.
Word of caution: Never forget the low caliber of people you're dealing with down there, and keep your expectations on the same level.
Posted by Jerome at October 27, 2005 10:45 PM | TrackBack