Seven Minutes in Heaven: Officially Fox Motel
Seven Minutes in Heaven in my current project, the largest I have taken on. It is an erotic group show, that will be held in a motel. I came up with the concept and am head curator of the event. It all began with an article about an erotic show in NYC that kept getting the police called on them. I found this upsetting. Why was this a problem in New York? It turned out to be in a conservative, religious neighborhood. Still, I thought this should not be an issue, it’s the twenty first century. My idea grew from there. Discussing my project to have an erotic show in San Antonio was met with positive reactions. There really hasn’t been anything sexually exciting since Danny Geisler’s Peep Shows. I became determined to create this event. Linda Arredondo wanted to work on this project also, becoming co-curator. This was in March. From there, exciting things began to happen. All the artists I discussed this with were excited and wanted to be a part of this. The artists list has been confirmed since August.
Linda Arredondo, Alfonso Espronceda, Ana Fernandez, Catherine Garrant, Jessica Garcia, Wesley Harvey, Mira Hnatyshyn, Barbara Justice, Jung Hee Mun, Kelly Reid Walls, Matt van Hellen, Vincent Valdez, & John Cody Williams
There are a total of thirteen artists that will be showing their work here. When I am curating a group show, it is very important to me to have different mediums. I hate nothing more than walking into a huge show and seeing all paintings or all drawings. If there is a group show, I want to see the diversity and creativity that each artists brings with them. I am very happy with the projects the artists are presenting. Performance, video, installation and mixed media will all be represented at the Fox.
I decided to take the approach of freedom. I just discussed the idea of erotic art with each artist and left it up to their interpretation. Eroticism and sensuality are very subjective topics, and I am really looking forward to see how each artist approaches it.
Linda and I scouted motels months ago and fell in love with the Fox Motel as the perfect location for Seven Minutes in Heaven. It represents the seediest elements of sex and erotica. It is two blocks from Broadway and located between a dead end street and the underpass of a freeway. We are renting out the entire eight room motel. Perfect for an event like this!
The Fox Motel
Today I am confirming the venue. This is very important because we can’t start advertising without a confirmed location. I am leaving 50% of the total cost to officially confirm the location, making this official. We went yesterday, but the owner that Linda had previously spoken to was out of the country. So Savi, the woman who was there, wanted to confirm over the phone with her before taking our deposit. When Linda originally went, there was kind of a language barrier, she wasn’t quite sure it was clear we were having an event there. So in our best interest I drafted up a small contract stating our intentions for an art show, rental period, agreed price, etc. It was a little difficult to convey no one would be spending the night but a couple hundred people may be there for a few hours. The Fox Motel is the perfect venue, small enough to rent out the entire place, large enough to host a huge party!
This is the biggest project I have worked on to date. I mean, where I was in charge. It is a little overwhelming, but very exciting. The show is two months away and I am just beginning to have something to do every day. Working with twelve other people can get very hectic. I think I am talking to at least one or two of them every single day now. I know I will just continue to get busier as the event gets closer.
How Not To Make A Living As An Artist 