[Note: Greenovate has been moved to the front of the California Building in Northeast Minnesapolis for the big Art-A-Whirl celebrations. It will remain there until late May of 2009] As you drive down the north side of the railroad bridge into Northeast Minneapolis on 2nd Street, look to your left at 3rd Avenue and check out the latest in collaboration between ArtOrg and the Art Jones Gallery 2nd Street Annex art project “Sign of the Times”. Entitled “GREENOVATE”, it stands to honor people from the Cabrini-Green housing project in Chicago, Illinois. Modeled after a building which stood for fifty years at 1015-1017 North Larrabee St. on the near north side of town, the sculpture features relief-printed panels, found objects, and lots of wood and screws. Two windmills, solar power, and a floral “green roof” have been added to the structure. The solar power lights four small dioramas at night that feature Chicago native Kirby Puckett, and one of Art Jones Gallery director Douglas Padilla’s paintings. The word “Greenovate” combines the word Green with all its important au courant significance with the concepts of Reno-, Inno-, Moti-, Ele- and Acti-vation. ArtOrg Dave Machacek’s art sign has been up for a number of weeks and will stay up until the advent of Art-A-Whirl in Northeast, May 15th. Next will be the confabulatory speed painting art of JAO. For further reference: A photoset of the project, a news report about geese taking over the Cabrini-Green area, a historical account of the complex, and some photos of the last days of Cabrini-Green.

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History of the exhibit:

Interested in putting a personal touch on his support for the Obama campaign last fall, artist and Art Jones Gallery director Douglas Padilla hand painted the letters O-B-A-M-A in various colors on recycled real estate signs, one letter to the sign, and stuck them in his very public front yard at the corner of 2nd Street and 3rd Avenue in lovely Northeast Minneapolis. Unfortunately, the last night of the Republican National Convention someone decided that it was important to drive up into the front yard and mangle the signs with their vehicle. In response, Padilla decided to create something a little more substantial. He painted a 3.5’x7′ sign with “OBAMA” and set it on posts in concrete to guard against future dissenters. Thus was born the art project “Sign of the Times”.

A week or two after Obama’s election, Padilla pulled the sign down. Shortly thereafter he came across friend and sculptor Andrew MacGuffie. Remembering MacGuffie’s sculptural work in large welded letters creating words and phrases, he asked him to participate in “Sign of the Times”. Serendipitously, MacGuffie had a wonderful sculpture ready and available. The piece, “It All Matters”, was 36 feet long and four feet high and is a bicycle pulling a series of bike trailers with 6″ thick BY 4′ high welded metal letters.

Next, the art sign “Hooray! Way to Go! USA” was done for the Art Jones Gallery exhibition “Sign of the Times” by Northeast Minneapolis artist and internationally recognized fontographer Chank Diesel. Celebrating the historic election and inauguration of President Barack Obama and painted largely in good old American red, white and blue, it also featured the popular Chank character “Ding”. The sign has gone virile and can be found on the internet.

Subsequently, Art Jones Gallery 2nd Street Annex celebrated Valentine’s Day with a new art work by Jan Elftman and Dave Lewis. Up until March 15th (or so), 2009, the sign, “Love-A-Whirl”, references both LOVE and Northeast Minneapolis’ signature arts event Art-A-Whirl, all in red paint, glitter, and the sundry and delightful detritus of everyday life.

Exhibiting artists now include:Douglas Padilla, Andrew MacGuffie, Chank Diesel, Jan Elftman and Dave Lewis, Dave Machacek, Jeff Johnson, Amy Toscani, Jao, and Xavier and Tina Tavera. Art Jones Gallery is a pop-up gallery that has been in existence since the mid-nineties. Arising according to the whims and economic vagaries of director Douglas Padilla, Art Jones Gallery has occurred in cheap, free, or donated spaces across Minneapolis. Shows have included three highly attended erotic art exhibitions, numerous group shows of Minnesota artists, solo shows by Mark Wojahn and Douglas Padilla, and last years’ highly successful “Nuestra Frida” exhibition in conjunction with Minnesota Latino artists’ group, Grupo Soap del Corazon. Art Jones Gallery also acts as the home for the ongoing Salon Artisimo performance and discussion series.