5chw4r7z:: the ethos of downtown Cincinnati

Some people think Cincinnati is getting real. Screw that, Cincinnati is unreal!
I think it could even be surreal.
"Surrealism is the magical surprise of finding a lion in the closet when you were expecting shirts." I think Frida Kahlo may have said that.
"Surrealism is the magical surprise of finding beauty in an alley when you were expecting ugly." I said that.

Surreal could also describe some of the art events that Maya Drozdz has been organizing lately. You may know Ms. Drozdz from her wildly popular Ledge Gallery series hosted in "Tiny Town", her small OTR apartment. Last week she took that show on the road to Coral & Drum Alleys for an imaginative installation called Kleingassefest! A tiny ally celebration.
I found it interesting how Ms. Drozdz's installation overlapped an Art Academy art show held last year. If I hadn't been to that show I might not have known where one began and the other ended. Well, I probably would have but maybe a more casual observer wouldn't have.
Kleingassefest featured tiny paintings from Phil Armstrong, cool little urban plushies created by Kira Geer, succulents from Gia & the Blooms among a number of others. The paper city on the bed created by Christian Schmit was amazing.
Of course all this reminds me of another quote,
"Art is what you can get away with" ~ Andy Warhol
Ms. Drozdz keeps upping the ante, I can't wait to see what she gets away with next.
UPDATE:I need to add this event couldn't have happened without Christian Huelsman and Spring in Our Steps. Chris has been an alley advocate through SiOS for almost five years. These alleys and most others in OTR have been cleaned and maintained by Mr. Huelsman and volunteers. So props to Huelsman for his vision to hold an alley art show, pre-planning and prepping the alley for its use.
And also to Chris Glass and Photocorps for organizing A photowalk of area alleys that happened in conjunction with the art event.