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"The Shape Of AZ/MEX Commenting On The Shape Of AZ/MEX"
Live assemblage art performance build series - I am a Severe ReConstructivist, specializing in a style called “Western Futurism” - In my series of socio/political statements - “The Shape of Arizona Commenting on the Shape of Arizona”, I create these sculptures in front of an audience, sometimes with musicians, poets, dancers, dj’s, etc. in my intention of conversations about America and it’s migrant policies, past, present, and future; as well as the insults and damages done to Native Peoples’ land and history along the border. I grew up in New Orleans, lived in Colorado for 12 years, and have lived in and experienced the border state of Arizona since 2018, with the border as the #1 topic, parenthesized by covid. In my exciting, sometimes bloody, fast paced builds (2-60 mins), I convey a yin/yang of the good/evil acts and intentions of corrupt/incompotent government, isolationists, negative forces… AND volunteers, humanitarians, positive movement, and intellectuals’ passions of Arizona, the Peoples, the border, and the river's and culture’s dividing lines. Using vintage found objects all screwed down into found plywood to build up a whole theme, I then finish the show by using an angle grinder to cut off the protruding screws in back, thrilling the audience with fire, and ‘heat’ contemplation. Severe instant art in one of a kind contemporary events and statements. Yuma Arts Center 9/2023-11/2023 ***Last created, posted at the top of this page |
“The AZ/MEX 3 Hump Heart” - You, me, and us… 46”x32”x4” $750 I built this piece, #23 in the series, at the Yuma Arts Center for my opening reception of my solo show for this entire series Sept. 22, 2023, in 35 minutes with DJ and videographer DJ Thirsty Kitty. On exhibit thru Nov 25 |
“Ditat Deus, Et Clamat” For the opening reception of the newest installations at this beautiful sculpture park, once again using fold out rulers to highlight the border, I express and expand on the motto displayed on the State Seal of Arizona - "Ditat Deus" meaning God Enriches, and using piano hammers as tear drops... 'and Cries' about the injustices and inhumanity of cause, effect, and enforcement in policies and treatment of migrants and their plight, including useless hot metal shipping containers and Texan floating balls with serrated saw blades meant to maim and drown. There is the yin/yang of beauty and evil once again, with 50 small metaphors and one big one. |
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“Loteria De Tucson” 50”x24”x2” 50”x24”x2” $750
Sept. 2023 for Arte De La Vida ‘Loteria’ art show, thru Nov 21 #21 Built live in my studio, but over days… not an instant build, but included in this ’Shape’ series. Based on the mexican cards game of loteria with numbered images |
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"The Border Is/Is Not As Ellis" #20 in the series built live in front of a great crowd at the Members Exhibition reception, Aug. 11, 2023 in 35 minutes, at the Tubac Center Of The Arts, Tubac, AZ, with the eclectic spontaneous art reactionary toneage and percussion of band FoolAloof from Bisbee, AZ. |
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"Add. add, add... Chop, chop, chop... Add, add, add"
38”x35”x4” $2000 #19 piece in this series of live assemblage art performance of AZ/MEX commentary on conditions and Peoples on the border and in life in the desert and America, built July 24, 2023 in 15 minutes on my back patio, with help from my film crew Thirsty Kitty and Moon Paddler. I work out the demons in this build and video, and culminates in the positives of inclusion and love, without taking any shit! I add, add, add the negatives that weigh on the soul of humans and planet in words and pictures, and in part 2, chop, chop, chop away all that is sinister, to reveal in part 3, the beauty of inclusive love and community, especially friends, family, and citizen LGBTQ folks, and beyond. “We are all, all colors and results of the palette, and the brush” in this world and the next. |
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"nacH20"
(nacho/notch-2-O) 48”x33”x6” $1000 50 lb. 12 minute edited version live video #17 in the series, built live June 19, 2023, in 33 minutes with videographer/dj Thirsty Kitty. Live Tucson, AZ backyard assemblage art performance build in the hose, under the stream of the hose, with intense hammering down of my neighborhood found discarded water bottle debris, with canteens and found objects nailed to an old gate. I built this representing use/waste/life/love/living with and about water in the Sonoran desert - running downstream to a dry end into the Sea of Cortez, and art, culture, and people going up river from Mexico, Central and South America. As always, Native American representation of cross border culture and family. |
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“Love It Or Cleave It”
(Turtle Island) ((by honor)) 32"x43"x3" $1000 Video #18 in the series, built live July 15, 2023, in 25 minutes at the Hitching Post, Bisbee, AZ, with band Let Alone from Phoenix Starting out with found plywood, picture frame, vintage stereo cabinet panel, and lawn chair repair vinyl in red, white, and blue as the Union Jack as the country we are most akin to because of, in spite of, and in defiance of… With my classic ‘AZ/MEX shape’ way back in the layers, with east and west coast cutouts loosely nailed, manifesting Manifest Destiny literally, then pulling the sections off and cracking off the states’ divisions and renailing abstractly as background and really pulling back the curtains of ‘border’, i.e. Hidalgo. Then building up starting with the title premise, with crossed cleavers and yin/yang imagery thru-out in our volatile cultural/social/political times, building out with the products of the great era of American manufacturing that actually destroyed the People and the land. But not all, and not all permitted permanently. I reconnect the disparate parts of this great and horrible country through my love of trains, which again, were perceived good and evil. As always I represent the 1st Peoples as we are all standing, and buying, and pilfering stolen land; and the border has only recent historical significance, and more recent abject insult and damage. There’s the sheep as cliche, there’s the homestead, there’s the pencils, there’s the ATF, there’s the ‘twin’… It is not about left and right, it is about what is true… not holy book truths or ‘I did my own research’ truth… but the actual compassion, which can be wholly giving or the sonic separation of (some) of the ages. Turtle Island refers to what the Native Peoples called North America before the settlers came... and for religious context, which seems to be more and more prior-pre-determinated absolute future by certain inhabitants - The Judgement Of Solomon. Look it up. |
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"Good-Byes To Bad-Byes"
44"x64"x5" 50 lbs #15 in this series of “The Shape Of AZ/MEX Commenting On The Shape Of AZ/Mex”. This piece was built live in 30 mins with the band The Bird Lords at the Hitching Post in Bisbee, AZ on Feb 18, 2023, an in the moment mayhem build of epic proportions! The title refers to the trauma and heartbreak of migrating north across the borders and all the separations endured, temporary and/or permanent, and the fortitude to get to a point of NOT having to say good-bye any more to loved ones or culture. I wanted to make my own art crucifix, and built this up with larger pieces and metaphors like a carved Jesus head, fish tray, shotgun blasted 'warning' sign and a 'no hunting' sign. A corn husker finger tool transposed with an 'I.C.E.' pick, Mexican flag rubber hammer, rat traps, and fold out ruler arrows pointing South but are also agaves. The feet are vintage tin AZ and Mex souvenir ashtrays. And always the recognition of the 1st Peoples who have occupied and straddled both sides of the border, with a sterling bell of a warrior and cornucopia. the sub title is "c.c.c." - chunky chollo crucifix |
“Personal Belongings”
33”x27”x3” $1500 #16 in the series. This piece was built live in one hour at the Sculpture Tucson office ranch house, Tucson, AZ Feb 22, 2023. Performing with Loren Dircks and his band Gila Bend, and variation of his other - The Classless Chaps. Starting with a property bag and my 2022 calendar from Hotel Congress, I wanted to create a expanding headdress of found materials, all screwed and nailed in, expanding on the expanding aspects of being cross border and cross cultural. Not just possessions, but feel and need of sense of place, and that it’s not always black and white… or brown and white. I have moved and changed many times in my life, and consider myself a citizen and artist of the whole world, commenting in this series on where I am now. And she is everywhere now as well, but focused on the Mexican/American placement in this sculpture. As usual, many small metaphors, one big one, and many parts and messages to decipher. |
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#13 in the series
VIDEOS - Full - |
“IN-Tuition…”
( #13 OF 48th, IN ’22, IN 3 ) $1000 Built live at Habitation Speakeasy |
“Black Ristra” 28”x18”x3”
$750 Built live at The Hitching Post, Bisbee, AZ, during 1st Festival, with Fool Aloof band, Jan. 1, 2023, in 30 mins Starting with a blank board and frame, I added foldout rulers for the ‘Shape Of AZ/MEX Commenting On The Shape Of AZ/MEX’ with the border. I nailed and built up multiple rubber cord protectors from steam irons used in previous art, creating the ‘string’ effect of a ristra bunch, as the black and blue bruises of migrant travels, troubles, and tribulations as well as the bruised Americans constantly adjusting to years of muddy immigration practices, foreign policies, and muddy waters… thus the representative canteen and rosary. As always in this series, there is the representation and metaphor of across borderlands of the 1st Peoples, always in flux, and seldom considered. |
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9
GREAT video by Auston Wimberly "AZ-VX-MX" 36"x30"x3" $1000 |
10
“A Night At The Races” 3’x2’x3” |
11 “The Cross and The Crossed” 41”x30”x3” $2500 VIDEO |
"Borders? What Borders? (means)" |
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5
“Baby Talk” 26”x22”x2” $500 *3 pieces built in one week in Jan. with Creative Improvisor Composer Brandon Bergman, FringeFest Tucson |
6
“Atasco Conexión” 40”x19”x5” SOLD *3 pieces built in one week in Jan. with Creative Improvisor Composer Brandon Bergman, FringeFest Tucson |
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“Hermosa Buena Suerte" |
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1.
AZ - CENTRIC SERIES, LIVE ART BUILDS, 2019/2020 “La Familia Humanidad” |
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“MEGA Inmigracion Ignorante” 48”x18”x4” $1000 |
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“MAL-I.C.E. - From The Cradle To The Cage” 36”x30”x6” |
Past live art events!!! New Orleans and Colorado
"The Bureau Burden Of Indian Affairs" 
This piece was built in 90 minutes onstage in Salida for a free show, with a DJ, kaoroke drummer, and onstage paintist. This was by donation by patrons and silent auctioned. The Mayor bought it, and got a second piece of art, the title painting by Brink Messick, to match. After expenses, the balance of the door went to KHEN community radio, the free people's Clinic, and the nonprofit ArtWorks. The title refers to the pain of Native Americans dealing with white man's depressing and exploitive beaurocracy.
Feb 2012 Instant Art Event, Salida, CO - VIDEO---(still pics here) SOLD
"This Train" 2013 
3 sections of a train, chained together, built onstage in Salida, CO. June 29, 2013 with Brinkley Messick & Mark "Eyeball" Kneeskern, in a 2 hour riotus event including DJ Dangerous Dave, Brian Rill, TR Price, Sandi Turvan - aerialist, and the Caboose Dancers. This art is 4'hx13'wx6"deep, and for sale at $7500.
RIP Mark... killed by a train in Iowa Aug. 31, 2014.
Pics page here
"ALT/WALK SALIDA, CO 
(page) June 27-29, 2014
by Jimmy Descant - Rocketman, and The Rogue Lot - Just Be. Man, Curtis Killorn, DJ Quicey Rit, Mel Lee, Shelby Cox, Mark "Eyeball" Kneeskern, TR, Brinkley Messick, DJ Dangerous Dave, The Space Cadets, Czestekov Sisters Sideshow, Shark
VIDEOS - Cobra Farm - Mark/Be.Man - SHARK - TR - Be.Man - Czestekov Sisters Sideshow - Space Cadets
"Skate You? Skate SIOUX!" 
July 2014 with Walt Pourier, Stronghold Society, Denver, CO Skatepark - Video
An all day Instant Art event for Native American kids being helped thru life by skateboarding and Walt, who is from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He is trying to prevent Native teen suicides. SOLD
LOUISIANA SERIES - 
"HI'm Alive!" This piece was built onstage once again with DiNOLA for a benefit for the largest oldest AIDS awareness org. in the South, NO/AIDS Task Force, at the Green Project in New Orleans which never had such an event. The art will be auctioned off at the New Orleans Museum Of Art on Dec. 7 at thier massive yearly gala. Video to come - May 2013 Pics here SOLD
"Get Your Inside, Outside" 
This piece was built in an hour show at Raphael Academy in New Orleans, as a fund raiser to build another school for autistic kids. Rocking out for the 2nd time with hard rock band DiNOLA. The title reflects on kids trying to make sense of the outside stimulus of the so-called 'real' world and the world they live in themselves.The event raised $10,000
May 2012 Instant art/DiNOLA/New Orleans/Raphael SOLD
"My Baser Self Lives Here" 
This piece was my first onstage mega event live art show with the band DiNOLA in New Orleans. I had an exhibition at the Ogden Museum Of Southern Art upstairs, and we rocked the live venue on a Saturday afternoon, and I donated the art to the Museum's permanent collection. The title refers to a hard living life in New Orleans before Katrina and now when I visit.
Jan 2012 Instant art/DiNOLA/New Orleans/Ogden Museum
"Amalgamated Debris Assemblage" 
Guild, Burning Man 2016 (link)
I created the premise for facilitating 'artist participants' in making assemblage art out in the desert for a week! Our Guild consisted of 6 members, and camped with our friends and colleagues from Salida, brought literally a ton of raw materials, hardware, and blanks of wood for folks to work on. Our table was severely built by Guild member 'Justin Aleutian' and when all was done, we helped 350 pieces, and then tore it all down and burned it with the Man! The most severe live art event I have done so far. SCENE VIDEO !!!!
"The Finger... Facilitates Hope"
Built, painted, and documented at Hope outdoor graffiti art gallery, Austin, TX. by myself and Curtis Killorn - March, 2018 3'x6'x3" 40 lb $1000 plus shipping
Video explanations by the artists: Jimmy Curtis Commenting on the art, artists, and viewers this famous outdoor expressive open work space, which was demolished and they moved to a larger venue. The finger is the key, moved by the brain, heart, and eye, with the paint can implied.