Bookmeat Benefit Auction for Side Street Projects

Bookmeat is an exciting event benefiting Side Street Projects on November 21, 2009 from 6 pm-10 pm at the Brick Building in Culver City . For those of you not familiar with Side Street Projects, the program founded by Karen Atkinson and Joe Luttrel in 1992, is a completely mobile artist-run non-profit organization, which teaches artists to be self-reliant with workshops such as "Get Your Shit Together" bootcamp for artists, "Best Professional Practices Podcast Series" and the "Equipment Co-op", which provides access to equipment usually too expensive for some of us artist civilians to access. What I find really wonderful is Side Street Projects own resourcefulness, operating out of Pasadena in two restored vintage trailers with a solar energy array, Side Street is completely wireless, mobile, and self-sustaining. I've been wanting to have my mobile studio for years and this is really an inspiration!
The Side Street Project Offices

For the Bookmeat, artists were asked to donate a book that had influenced them or played some part in their art practice. I was having the toughest time trying to think of what to give. I have a wide collection of books and authors who have influenced me in some way. Do I give the catalogue of Lari Pittman's paintings, an artist and mentor who has influenced and supported my work? Or do I give "Smart Women Finish Rich" a very useful book on how to survive capitalism , written for women by a man. Thanks mom! Or Do I something more theory-ish..like say Rosalind Krauss, Bachelors, which influenced an earlier body of work? I saw some of the fine examples of artists who had turned in their copies early ( You eager beavers!) and saw the wonderful drawings by Steve Roden and Christopher Russell. A light bulb went off in my head the inscription can be more like an annotation or drawings in the form of annotations......aaaahhhhhh....

My donation for Bookmeat is a bootleg version of Virginia Vallejo's Amando Pablo, Odiando Escobar ( Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar). For those of you not familiar with who she is, Ms. Vallejo was a TV announcer, news personality, model and one time Colombian icon of the 80's who was also lovers with Pablo Escobar, during those turbulent years in the 80's when he was running amok trafficking drugs and assassinating judges.
Amando Pablo, Odiando Escobar by Virginia Vallejo
Drawings in Amando Pablo, Odiando Escobar

The bootleg version of Amando Pablo, Odiando Escobar was given to me by my father. He bought the illicit copy from the street vendors in Cali, which I feel gives it another layer of meaning. Cali, the home of brothers Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez- Orejuela of the Cali Cartel were mortal enemies with Pablo and his Medellin Cartel. According to Virginia's book, a night spent in the arms of Gilberto was what launched an all out turf war between rival cartels. If you're intrigued, 2010 promises the release of the English version, Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar and if you contact me, I might personalize your copy. Oh yeah and please buy from an authorized dealer.