PHX

© Franco Mondini-Ruiz detail "Porcelain Party," April 9, 2009, Matador restaurant, Phoenix

March (and April) madness ended last night with a blow-out "Porcelain Party" by Franco Mondini-Ruiz. The project--curated by Joe Baker, with help from me and Peter Held--set up at the Matador restaurant in downtown Phoenix was part (early) rave, part flea market, part Tupperware party, but mostly a complex complement / commentary on the NCECA conference in town this week.

Franco dips into the clash of his own hybrid background--Italian and Mexican--by creating mixed objects gleaned from local antique stores (with some pre-fab resin food stuffs). The objects comment gleefully on art's high and low, and on the specific recipe of class, race and gender issues of Phoenix.

This project brought together multiple communities--Latino, Native American, art world and music--to give the NCECA visitors a truly unique impression of the city. April begins with a bang.