creative consulting for the art of life by Jason Jenn

creative consulting for the art of life by Jason Jenn

Saturday, May 10, 2014

HOT Couture

April Hava Shenkmen invited people to a performance "inside herself"

A theme for this month is HOT Couture, with various friends (& multimedia artist colleagues) displaying their custom fashion creations for gallery openings and performances. 

It started off when I made a quick cosmic cape for R. SKY Palkowitz, the Deulsional Diva's opening night of "Pancakes & Booze Art Show" the two day big crowd-pleasing art party, known for showcasing a lot of artists while serving up drinks and deluxe mini-pancakes (this time they had red velvet - my favorite). I had some pink sparkling and neon lime green fabric pieces just lying around waiting to be made into something out of this world, and Sky's showcase of her alien art was the perfect occasion to whip up some fun. I enjoy making my own unusual theatrical wardrobe designs from time to time, and am glad to put my modest sewing skills to use (coming soon: a new costume for "Planet Queer: Asteroid of Misfit Toys" on May 19).

SKY in front of some of her alien artwork
Then came international performing sensation Yozmit Avalokita's picnic in the park to celebrate his birthday. The surprise twist came when guests arrived to discover our picnic was taking place upon one of her very own custom made dresses. It's a great example of combining worlds of high fashion and performance art into a sublime transcendent experience, something Yozmit has made a great career of doing over the years. (check out http://www.theyozmit.com/ or search keyword "yozmit" in my blog for my artist profile and photos).

Yozmit prepares some homemade sushi for guests

And then there was the opening reception for the Iam8Bit gallery exhibition "Grace & Ritual: Hidden", in which April Hava Shenkman created a monument sized tent-like version of herself called "inside herself". She then invited guests to enter her giant dress, where a cute theatrical space existed for her to amuse audiences with an intimate durational performance piece. It was part stand-up, part cabaret, part Alice-In-Wonderland experience that was a major highlight of the gallery show. So wonderful to see her performance art merge with visual art and take it to a grand scale. 
(Again you can search my blog for a profile on her body of work.)

Once "inside herself" April delivers some of her trademark improv performance

The LA creative scene is always finding imaginative ways to combine fashion and performance. More HOT couture moments to come!
April comes from a very creative family


Jared Whitham: fiancé/creative genius/ technical supporter

Gathering for Yozmit's birthday celebration

Dogs were welcome and love picnicing on Yozmit's dress too
The Delusional Diva usually paints herself as colorful as her art




Friday, May 2, 2014

Announcing: Behold the Bridegrooms Revisited!

“Behold the Bridegrooms Revisited”
FREE
Saturday, June 21 at 7pm
Fiesta Hall – Plummer Park
7377 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
     
“Behold the Bridegrooms Revisited” is a poetic celebration of the wondrous words by award-winning filmmaker and poet James Broughton. Performance artist Jason Jenn brings to life some of James Broughton’s most inspiring, love-infused poetry set to live cello music by David Mergen followed by several guest artists (full list TBA) recreating a colorful staged reading of Broughton’s 1978 marriage to partner Joel Singer. The wedding text is full of lyric beauty and splendor that stands as a monument to queer love and sexual liberation.

2014 marks Broughton’s centennial year and this program is part of bringing greater awareness to this California cultural figure alongside the recent documentary “Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton.” Broughton was an original member of the Radical Faeries, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and a pre-beat poet who was part of the San Francisco Renaissance movement. 
More information and the movie trailer can be found at www.bigjoy.org. There will be a special screening of “Big Joy” at 8pm on June 10 in The West Hollywood Public Meeting Room Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Ave. Free (but donations encouraged).

The June 21 presentation will include a slide show of rarely seen photographs of James & Joel. “Behold the Bridegrooms: A Connubial Masque for James and Joel” originally took place on board the hundred-year old ferryboat SS Vallejo belonging to the Alan Watts Society for Comparative Philosophy. 

“Behold the Bridegrooms Revisited” is preceded by “A Midsummer Afternoon's Queer Wedding Reception” in the Fiesta Hall courtyard hosted by Apt 3F & Planet Queer from 2:30-6:30pm, so it will be a fully festive Summer Solstice program of events to remember.

This event is presented as part of the City of West Hollywood's One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, which this year celebrates marriage equality with the theme 'I Do' between May 22 - June 30, 2014. To see a full roster of events please visit www.weho.org/pride.