LIVE FROM MEMPHIS

You’ve probably gotten a group invitation on Facebook recently for something called Make Me a MOCA. No, they aren’t bad spellers; MOCA is an acronym for Museum of Contemporary Art, something that the hipper cities nearby like Nashville, St. Louis, and even Little Rock have, but Memphis lacks. The campaign is the brainchild of University of Memphis student James Inscho and his partner, Memphis College of Art alum Whitney Hubbard. Their big idea? Turn the old, abandoned, and in all regards forgotten Memphis Pyramid—once a hub for music events, touring art exhibitions, and local sporting events, now empty—into a contemporary arts center.

Following suit on Laura Jean's post, I thought I should pay some homage to the past year through pictures.

Here's my photo collage homage to 2009.

[click for a bigger version.]

This past week, I was forced to wake up considerably earlier than I wanted to, and to operate a motor vehicle at that, but rather than chasing the fantasy that bed might still be warm, I decided to power through the morning. I needed help though, so I stopped into one of my favorite midtown establishments, Otherlands, for a cup of a coffee and a bagel sandwich thing. Typically, I read as much of the Memphis Flyer as I can during the time it takes me to down a cup, inhale a bagel, and smoke a cigarette, folding the rest in half and tucking it under my arm with the idea I might actually finish it later. (Unfortunately, most of those newspapers are in the floor of the backseat of my car...) But instead, I decided to sit and slowly caffeinate, prepare myself for the day, and read the Memphis Flyer cover to cover.

This past Saturday, December 12th, marked the date of the annual P&H Art Bazaar, an arts flea market for fine Memphis art patrons and daytime drunks to shop for holiday gifts. Although the turnout was considerably less than previous years, the loyal attendees were treated to a badass interactive performance piece hosted by Gadsby Creson, wife of P&H arts advocate Dwayne Butcher, and one of my personal favorite MCA staff members.