Art Gladiators

Art Attack 3 is a perfect marriage between Oscar Wilde and Thunderdome. Let's explain: 32 artists submit work to the competition, but instead of a traditional auction, it's art vs. art in a head-to-head battle. Remember in Peter Pan when the kids resuscitate Tinkerbell by clapping or wishing or whatever? At Art Attack the applause-o-meter determines which painting wins. Except that the other doesn't just lose -- it dies. On stage. Any piece that loses its match-up is doomed to destruction via chainsaw or karate chop or a bear. However, if the audience wants to buy the painting out of certain death, they may. All art is quite useless, after all, and art that can't justify its existence through monetization should be burned -- while you dance to the irony in a live DJ spin. The gorgeous dystopian carnivale Art Attack 3 awakens at NEO (2801 Locust Avenue) tonight at 7 p.m.; tickets are $15, and proceeds from the art sales benefit KDHX (88.1 FM). Visit www.kdhx.org for more information on participating artists and for a sneak peek at the sacrificial paintings.
Fri., Nov. 18, 2011