First Free Agents vacated the District. Then, after only three weeks but a lot of graffiti, the Playahaters left too. The only thing we’ve got now is Career Day, and while that may pale in comparison to the MBNA Career Center’s Eco-Tourism and Aqua Socks Info Session, at least D.C. will have some idea of what it strives to be when it grows up-a more artistically appreciative city, sponsored by MOCA D.C.
If you haven’t heard, the MOCA D.C. is the district’s own modern art museum, run by some of the kindest ex-hippies you’ll ever meet, Clark and Felicity Hogan. It’s a non-profit organization that supports local artists, handing over their space (which is no bigger than the campground of the Sleepers for Peace) to aspiring middle- and highschool artists. Try walking over to Duke Ellington and see if they’ll display any of your shit. Doubtful.
But, what’s with all this Career Day nonsense? Well, currently on display at the MOCA is the annual contribution of one Roger Gastman, founder of the street-savvy magazine While You Were Sleeping. With one ear to the freshest in urban art, Gastman gathers five of his finest and sends them to the MOCA D.C. (among other MOCAs nationwide) for display. Last year, he invited graffiti legend and Andre the Giant admirer Shepard Fairey, who, as large Andre heads attested, made his presence known around the area.
This year, Gastman assembles a new crew, with some old favorites plus a few up-and-comers. First up is Richard Colman, a D.C. native with a playfully devilish influence. While most of his art encourages cynical laughter, his large watercolor and ink paintings also critique American sentimentalism. While Colman may draw you in with his anti-romanticist figures, Dalek will surely have you free-floating in an acid trip of an old Jetsons ‘toon. His brightly-colored hyperactive space monkeys with exaggerated facial expressions are “cute,” but more frightening than anything. No matter-Dalek has worked with the greats and seen the light; mostly with Takashi Murakami, the man from Japan that brought you huge plaster sculptures of Anime cowboys equipped with testicle-and-sperm lassos.
Stephen Powers, tag name ESPO, brings a graphic-art flair comparable to logo great Art Chantry. His pieces are short works of pulp fiction in a gritty-yet-accessible urban style. GIANT, not to overshadow the others, is a well-practiced tattoo artist from Albuquerque who recently opened his own publishing company and has previously designed decks for Think skateboards. He is best known for his slick graffiti style and love of the French.
Finally, comes the craziest of the bunch yet. NEWA (name taken from a run over One-Way sign) is a guerilla artist, accosting billboards left and right, such as taking a N’SYNC billboard and entitling it “Bever Fever.” His style is raw and seemingly amateur, but isn’t that how all those boy bands started out?
If this article hasn’t whet your palette enough, I suggest you get out of D.C. because clearly you have no future here.
MOCA D.C. is open Wed-Sat 1-6 p.m. and located at 1054 31st St. NW in Canal Square. Career Day runs until Apr. 16th.
