Mississippi May
Review of show on Port
Laurel Kurtz, Dave McDonald, and I all went to an art show in a building that was slotted to be torn down. Mississippi May was a Graffiti /Street Art show. The organizers brought several graffiti artists into a space and let them show some of their best works.
After looking around and enjoying the scene, I felt the urge to interact with the show, I wanted to graffiti the graffiti show.
I decided to paint the bottom of my shoes and walk across the center of the gallery floor. Laurel made a cellphone video of the action as I made my mark. A few of the gallery viewers noticed and probably thought that I was part of the show; one even asked if this was some sort of performance piece. I said yes and continued to track footprints of paint across the gallery floor.
I had to recharge my shoes with paint every 5-10 steps. I did this by smearing paint on my shoes using only my hands. I finished by signing my initials by one of my footprints and took photos of my work with my cellphone atop the show's statement.
Steve Beatty is an Important Artist; Intervention at Mississippi May
Portland, Oregon May 2007
