By Kate Brauer

Barnaby Whitfield's "1st Place (National Taxidermy Championships: Mammal)" is on display at SSNOVA.

This week I'm taking off my proverbial hat in appreciation of art that invigorates, wakes us up and invites us to shake our booty just a little. And where better to start than SSNOVA (2260 Central Pkwy., Downtown)? This is not your mother's art museum. On Saturday night, prepare to get funky and get some culture while you're at it as SSNOVA breaks down boundaries and invites even the uninitiated to enjoy some really exciting art. Take the work of New York artist BARNABY WHITFIELD. Typically working in oils or pastels on paper, Whitfield creates works that are sometimes fanciful, sometimes shocking, always vibrant and unique. In a conversation with the artist, I learned why he decided to pursue a show at SSNOVA. "Being that the quest for 'art star' status here in New York often gets in the way of the art itself, I was happy to have the opportunity to be part of a larger, far-reaching artist community." On Saturday, SSNOVA invites you to see an exhibition of Whitfield's work in conjunction with artists SCOTT FREDETTE, JULIET RIOS, DOUGLAS SMITH, JEN STEUBE, DANA HAMBLEN, and RACHEL RAMPLEMAN for a one-time showing of drawings, animated projections, paintings, "edible art" and reworked photographs. SSNOVA director EMILY BUDDENDECK promises me the show will be full of fun. I was particularly intrigued by Buddendeck's description of the edible art of Hamblen. "It will feature gross-out food, like 'tuna puff.' " Other highlights include several large-scale paintings and prints by Seattle-based Smith, and Rampleman's reworked photos taken from eBay auction images of dolls for sale. "She's collected all these images of dolls that are for sale, dolls that are absurdly presented and photographed by amateurs and professionals," Buddendeck tells me. "These are the kinds of dolls you wouldn't have known existed or that anyone in the world would ever want." If you like contemporary art with an attitude, this is one show you shouldn't miss. Complete with musical performances by DJ JEREMIAH and NICEDISC, the evening's entertainment is sure to get just a little wild. Plus, admission is free. Saturday 7 p.m.­1 a.m. Info: 513-929-9463.

... I stand up in defense of all the small, hole-in-the-wall galleries that try new things, fly in the face of tradition and strip us of pretension. As such, I'm loath to criticize art that pushes the envelope and invites us to redefine our sense of what art can be, particularly when that art is part of a goodwill cultural exchange. I will, however, make an exception this week. In this case, the show in question is an exhibition of "drawings" by GERMAN STEGMAIER at WARSAW PROJECT SPACE (3116 Warsaw Ave., East Price Hill). The exhibition is part of an artists' exchange between Cincinnati and Munich, Germany. This sort of cultural exchange, however, just might be sufficient grounds for a third world war. I'm all for experimentation, guys, but give us some substance here. The show seems ill-planned and thrown together, featuring pencil scratches that take the word "minimalist" to an absurd extreme. Art enthusiast TODD BALLISH of Madeira remarked, "The atmosphere is more like a barbeque than an opening -- no one is looking at the art." Indeed, gallery-goers that evening seemed more interested in socializing and in drinks from the bar than they were in the pictures on the wall. I could hardly blame them. After a quick breeze through the gallery, I was ready for a drink myself. Perhaps I am missing something here. Be your own judge. If nothing else, it will get you talking about what constitutes art. Hours: noon-2 p.m. Saturday, or by appointment. Info: 513-652-2349.

... I might not like every exhibition I see, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize how valuable it is to have independent art venues off the beaten path. Let's go even further off the beaten path now and turn our attention to CARL SOLWAY GALLERY (424 Findlay St., Over-the-Rhine). These days traffic at the gallery could be described as slow, and that's a shame. This is a spot worth discovering. Now through June 15, stop by to see Until Photographs could be Taken from Earth Satellites, featuring rare works by DAVID SALLE. If you're unfamiliar with the area, I suggest calling first for directions. The gallery has only a small sign on the door, and it's quite easy to miss. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, or by appointment. Info: 513-621-0069.

E-mail Kate Brauer

Crossing Boundaries (April 4, 2002)
Look Here! (March 14, 2002)
Vigilante Comic Book (March 14, 2002)
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