Keys to the Door: Owner/artist Randall Kallinen.
The Eastside is Back: Kallinen Contemporary’s grand opening drew crowds to rival Lawndale back in the day. This near-Navigation nexus’ cavernous 1940s-era building, which was originally a dress shop serving its Harrisburg neighborhood, has been reborn by civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen — part serious gallery and part stage for happenings and odd convergences. Kallinen’s debut, “Space Zombie Mayan Apocalyptic Human Sacrifice Uplift Mofo Party Plan Spring Break 2012,” suggests the curatorial brilliance and excesses of Paul Horn (yes, meister Horn exhibited and was involved in the roundup). The lineup melds Daniel Johnston, a heavy hitter with Whitney Biennial chops (who performed and debuted his new comic book), with UH/Cal Arts grad Ariane Roesch, Art Car type Beans Barton, Heights duo The Alter Girls, figurative painter Kelley Devine, aerosol man Gonzo 247, collector turned artist Lester Marks, the biblically monikered Solomon Kane and hallucinogenic quantum realist Paula Hawkins. Kallinen himself was also involved, his raucous yet dapper paint-spattered suit serving as performance art as captivating as his pointillist canvases. And here’s a tip: You don’t want to miss the wrap-up party, Friday, May 25. We’ll meet you by the Dandee Warhols. 511 Broadway, 713.320.3785.
IMAGE: John Paul Hartman, Ariane Roesch, Randall Kallinen, Paula Hawkins, Solomon Kane, Kelley Devine, Ingrid Breton. and Isabela Hartman-Breton at Kallinen Contemporar. Photo courtesy Kallinen Contemporary.