According to its organizers, the lovely ladies of Cudzoo, The Bad Art Party was created with the intention of celebrating

1.”human creativity in its most unacceptable and morally objectionable forms”

and

2. “the art we pour our hearts into, only to realize it sucks.”

In my opinion, they succeeded at the first but could have upped the gasp factor, and should be commended for making an attempt at the second. I came expecting odd-ball folk artists displaying the kind of art you’d maybe find for sale in a lonely strip-mall hallway kiosk somewhere in middle America. What I found was that most of the art on display was intentionally awful, and mostly hilarious.

Rather than celebrating creative fuck-ups, it felt more like a reclamation of the way we experience art by demystifying it through blatant irreverence, heavy drinking, and a warm embrace for all who came through the door. If you’re like me, you’d rather hold your loved one under the covers while farting than spend an excrutiating night holding in your discomfort in the name of decorum. In much the same way, it just feels healthier to boo an artist (encouraged at this event) for her mediocrity rather than hold your breath at a fancy exhibition of garbage (literally) for fear of your own stupidity (imagined or real) leaking out (like so much methane).

If you’re still with me after that simile, I salute you and encourage you to keep an eye out for future events sponsored by Cudzoo.

If said ladies are reading, however, what was with the pop music and TVs playing sports? Are there no bad video artists? I mean, are there any video artists that are not bad? Or, not not bad? Is there no awesomely bad music in the world? The competing media was confusing, and at one point I thought I overheard the bar regulars discussing mutiny.

In the general spirit of the evening, I give you my final summary: BOOO. Go back to art school you losers (I kid!).