short update on the last "Breaking the Habit" day

[likethebeer]

That's the name of the show, yo.

Today was just as satisfying as Fri. and Sat. night. A steady stream of people came through all day. The Swiss Miss were lagging and I've got a picture of 3 of the SM totally leaning on their arms at around 3pm today (we were open from 12-5). That photo is behind the cut.

We met some former Catholic School graduates who were in town for a class reunion. In their 60s, probably. One woman (who could have really been a friend of my mom) was saying that when she was in school, the convent was this mysterious place and to finally see it was a secret revelation (ok, my words; I can't remember exactly what she said).

For this reason, we momentarily turned off the computer screen with hardcore porn images. We realized we had the "afterchurch" crowd. We also had 3 pre-adolscent boys come through and I'm sure they were lookin' for boobs, 'coz they spent a lot of time there. Damn kids!

Someone else said that they were in Spring Green and heard someone say, "Have you been to The Convent?"

Ok, I'll only inundate you with 6-7 photos.

Graphics by nadine_a.

ok, so I'm stealing off of our own site. Fucking shoot me.


The outside of The Convent, with mda.




The room where we served drinks, food. The scarves on the left are by a woman that wi_c and another of the Swiss Misses, RS, work with. On the right is this awesome dress made out of upholstery fabric w/these cool buttons (a friend of RS's). The same guy who did that made these amazing metal sculptures that are articulated and resemble coffins or animals (those are on some shelves in the photo--FUCK I should have gotten those close-up).




A skateboard installation piece. I don't want to think about how many nails the guy used.




Another installation in the basement. Same artist. These are nails. I guess I really like his work. I can't really say why, though.




A photo with one of nadine_a's pieces in the background on the left. She got totally jazzed because she was walking around and heard someone say, "Look, there's another Nadine_a" (substitute her real name, a'course). I really wish I'd gotten her piece to come out a little lighter. I've got at least a few photos of her work, but I'm sure I missed some of them. mda really likes these wood/metal sculptures.




An installation in the basement with these anime/comicbook silkscreened girls with big boobs and guns. The bench was made by the bf of another Swiss Miss, EB (our accordianist). Apparently it's "a permanent installation" because it's so damned heavy.




Nadine_a with pink ruffle butt panties, followed by jujupees in same. I just realized how the difference in size between these photos makes the two women look like a 12" and 18" versions of Barbie dolls next to each other. I mean that in a good way.




Tired Swiss Miss


There are many, many spaces that I've not shown at all. I've only started looking at the photos of them and I'm as tired as fuck (I've been so all day--wtf am I doing up right now?). Our plan is to put them up on www.culturechurn.com and when we do, I'll send the URL.

Comments

[djymm.livejournal.com]

looks like fun! We were thinking of blowing off the confirmation reception we did go to this weekend and going to visit your show instead, but obviously we didn't.

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

It was fun and insane and very stressful and exhausting and fun.

I think there's a definite feeling we'll do it again next year, but we have to recover from our respective nervous breakdowns over the last couple of weeks. I don't think we hate each other, which is very, very good.

[em-porium.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! It's quite a feat to pull something like this off!

I love the pictures of the installations. And, having visited many convents in my day, I have to say that this is quite a transformation. For instance, where's the room with all of the recliners and the big TV? ;) :):):)

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

There were a couple, actually :) Most of the furniture was moved out of them. To our great regret, we used one of the back rooms for storage/private Swiss Miss space. That had sofas and tvs, as well as a confessional.

[em-porium.livejournal.com]

Oooo...a confessional... :) The convent that my aunt lived in had a small chapel. I remember her taking me to see the "gifts" when I was little. She meant the chalice with the hosts in them. I, of course, was crushed when there were no presents in wrapping paper. :)

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

The confessional was not nearly as elaborate as some of the ones I've seen in churches. The door where the priest went in seems to be one of those cheap foam-core doors. Of course, they're nuns, what do I expect?

I had another one of those I grew up Catholic!! moments during our set-up. Someone was noting that the largest suite must be for the priest.

Uh.

No.

Anyway, they were comparing the sizes of the rooms in that case, how small the nuns rooms were. And what came immediately to mind was, "That's because nuns take vows of poverty, and priests do not."

Still. Priests living with nuns in a convent. How silly can you get? ;>

[em-porium.livejournal.com]

Still. Priests living with nuns in a convent. How silly can you get? ;>

Yeah...then you would get sex scandals and stuff... oh...wait a minute... ;)

It always frustrated me that nuns take a vow of poverty and priests don't. But I guess that monks also take a vow of poverty and not all priests are monks, which would be the male equivalent of a nun. So, I guess it makes sense...kind of...

You know what's funny? Some of the best stuff that our family has came from closed convents! The best thing by far is our upright piano. But every once in a while someone will pull something out of a drawer and say: "Oh, this is from the convent." I think that one of my aunts, for instance, has a whole china set!

Convent

[(Anonymous)]

Congrats to you and all of SM on a stellar show. Thought-provoking and stimulating work.

CAW

Re: Convent

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

As I said, I was the cook & bottle washer. It was nadine_a, RS, and jujupees who really did a lot of the work getting the artists, thinking about the small things ahead of time and delegating things once the shit starting coming down.

Not that I wasn't v. happy to be cook & bottle washer. You always need 'em. Still, I'll take partial credit. I did write the press release, for what it's worth. And I stuffed some envelopes.

I was really happy with the quality of work overall.

knew i could count on you..

[nadine-a.livejournal.com]

for some pics today. i remembered to bring the camera sat night... but remembering to actually take photos is something altogether different. i can't wait to see the rest of them.

Re: knew i could count on you..

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

I'm all over putting images up. I'll try to remember to burn CDs for the Swiss Misses. Like I told Mark Cullen, I'm not a professional so I can't guarentee any particular quality, but it's some sort of documentation. And RS got real film, so that should be cool. I know there was someone else taking photos, too.