Punks Plan Luxury Hotel Invasion

Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee’s Coalition of Photographic Arts (CoPA) has had it with incomprehensible artist statements and mind-numbing artspeak, and they’re doing something about it. On April 5, more than 70 photographers, models, stylists and performers will gather at two of the city’s most luxe hotels for a punk-themed photo shoot that pokes good-natured fun at the pretensions of the art world.

The photographs will be used to promote and market “Arty Bollocks,” a city-wide photo competition in which entrants take photographs that appear to match ridiculous artist statements available to the public at CoPA’s website beginning April 19. The top 100 entries and special awards will be celebrated on June 7 at the Arty Bollocks Ball at NO Studios.

“Our photographers go nuts when they have to write artist statements for exhibitions and shows. It’s a specialized language that uses a lot of academic $7 words to say nothing meaningful,” says CoPA president Pam Ferderbar. “Another CoPA board member, Kenneth Kornacki, told me about artybollocks.com, a wildly irreverent artist statement generator developed by a couple of Brits—so you know the stuff is wry—and boom! We decided to take the most pretentious verbiage on the planet and have some fun with it.”

Along with the creative team at artybollocks.com who are developing an artist statement generator tailored to the photographic arts, CoPA is joining forces with photographers, models, stylists and performers from underground arts collaboratives Truu Art and Plush Decay, under the direction of Plush’s creative director Bethany Price, to tell the story of 21st century punks

who think art should speak for itself—sans the *arty bollocks. The Iron Horse Hotel and the Pfister Hotel will serve as locations for the photo shoot in stark contrast to the graffiti and dingy alleys usually associated with the punk movement.

*(bollocks, British slang used to express contempt and defiance, became a household term in the late 70s with the rise of the punk movement in England.)

About CoPA: We are a 200-member 501(c)3 promoting photographic excellence through educational programs, lectures, workshops and exhibitions. CoPA forges relationships within the Milwaukee arts community through its Reverse Mentorship program, monthly meetings, portfolio reviews, gallery and museum tours, talks and more. Annual membership is $65, free to students.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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