The hallways of The Keyhole Gallery, located at 1903 Wyandotte in the Crossroads, were littered with “Big brother is watching…and he’s bored” flyers throughout the evening of March 4 for their First Friday Mardi Gras celebration “The Gatecrashers Ball.”
The exhibit featured photographs from local artists and collaborating members of Camera Krewe Kansas City (CKKC, Camera Krewe) Roger Goldblatt, Fred Trease, Bryan Lloyd, Linda Teeter, Noshaba Bakht, Ken Mountain, Brenda Phillips, Katrina Wilson, J.W. Helkenberg, Jessica Logsdon and Joseph Maino.
Though its focus was on still images, The Keyhole collaborated with SVOBODA KC to broadcast the event in a series of live streams throughout the evening.
According to curator and UMKC alumna Jessica Logsdon, taking still with live images created a performance art aspect which added to the atmosphere of the evening.
The Keyhole puts on events like “The Gatecrashers Ball” with its main objective in mind.
“We don’t filter anything,” Logsdon said. “We don’t cater to anyone to increase dialogue, which leads to more complex shows.”
Though “The Gate Crashers Ball” was in celebration of Mardi Gras, the photography exhibited wasn’t specific to the theme. Some pieces featured elements of New Orleans, La. fashion, while others ranged anywhere from Kansas City graffiti to portraits, still life and snapshots.
Because looking at a photograph is a voyeuristic act, the Big Brother element highlighted human nature’s propensity to peer into privacies, by peering into our own interactions, mannerisms and reactions.
The Keyhole participates in First Fridays and also features musicians, performers and live painting competitions throughout the year.
To view footage from “The Gate Crashers Ball” visit http://svobodakc.blogspot.com/.
klawler@unews.com
