Art
Designer Profile: Nephi Garcia
I fell in love with Nephi Garcia’s designs before I ever met him. I first saw his dress – a red structured piece with alligator imprinted patent leather detail down the back and exaggerated high studded shoulders, at a party at Ulysses Salon. … read more
Joey Arias and Kristian Hoffman @ Urban Lounge 02.28 with...
Called the “demigod of the demimonde” by Time Out New York, Joey Arias has made a career out of following the twists and turns of drag and performance culture since 1976, when he drove from L.A. to New York with dreams of performing. … read more
Paul Vigil: Utah’s Second Magic Prophet
Paul Vigil’s weekly parlor performances are up close, casual and feature tinges of the supernatural, or as Vigil says, “It will make you go home and wonder what the hell just happened.” … read more
Coleman Barks with David Darling performing the poetry of Rumi
When I first read Rumi, the universe as I knew it exploded. Suddenly, I started realizing that the connections I share with others are bound by spontaneity, and I was opened to new levels of love. Reading Rumi is a transformative experience, and it’s something that I owe to Coleman Barks, a scholar who is well known for his translations of the Sufi poet. Although Coleman Barks doesn’t actually speak or read Farsi, what he’s done for the accessibility of this Sufi mystic—by re-translating the translations from AJ Arberry and Reynold A Nicholson—is something worthwhile to note. … read more
Joey Arias @ Urban Lounge 02.28
Joey Arias performed to an adoring crowd at Urban Lounge. Local drag troupe The Bad Kids opened the show. … read more
Gallery Stroll: Art for the Young and the Young Artist
It’s not hard to find good art in Utah. Here are two of my picks of Utah’s art offerings. … read more
Painted Temple: Tattoo Craftsmen to the World
When I first walked into Painted Temple Tattoo, I got the feeling that I had walked into the wrong shop. However, underneath this art gallery/tattoo shop is a world of pure metal manufacturing: acetylene torches, surface grinders and spare parts. It’s one thing to illustrate bodies—it’s another to craft the tools yourself. Dan Walker and Oak Adams, the owners and artists at Painted Temple, have been crafting their own tattoo machines (don’t call it a gun) since 2007, and business is good. … read more
Keith P. Rein: The P is for Penis
Imagine an artistic cocktail combining traditional and digital techniques, a dash of video games, some beautiful women in sexual situations, and the occasional popsicle. The result is the work of one-of-a-kind illustrator Keith P. Rein, whose exceptional Athens, Ga.–based studio, The P is for Penis, will be returning once again this year to the Salt Lake Tattoo Convention. … read more
Lightning Strikes in Salt Lake: An Interview with Joey Arias
New York City cabaret/performance art/drag icon Joey Arias is performing in town with fellow East Village art scene veteran Kristian Hoffman as part of a West Coast tour called “Lightning Strikes.” I spoke with Joey about trending performance art, Z chromosomes and alien pop stars. … read more
salt 6: Emre Hüner
The Salt Gallery is a cozy, dynamic space reserved for emerging artists like Emre Hüner, aiming “to reflect the international impact of contemporary art today, forging local connections to the global and bring[ing] new and diverse artwork to the city that shares the program’s name,” Tassie says. Tassie explained to me that Hüner created this video, sculpture and drawing installation specifically for this space. His approach to object making is enthralling, bizarre and poignant. In about 100 square feet, he attempts to dissect modernity, the ideal of utopia, and their falls from grace. … read more