Sam Dew’s ‘bad art’ creation, Featherston’s superhero Feathy Man. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED
HAYLEY GASTMEIER
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Art is subjective.
But Featherston’s Sam Dew says if the creator of the artwork thinks it is hideous, then that puts the piece into the “bad art” category.
And she is encouraging people to muster together the ugliest work they can, and enter it into the Featherston Bad Art Exhibition.
This is the second year running she has put on the exhibition, which is aimed at people “with a hilarious lack of artistic talent”.
“Bad art is just like good art, it’s totally open to personal opinion . . . but to me bad art is if you create something and look at it and go ‘god that is awful’ then it counts as bad art.”
Miss Dew is a zine artist, who goes under the pseudonym Murtle Chickpea, as well as being a professional dog carer.
She said the artists submitting works in the show should be embarrassed by their pieces, which was the case with her creation.
‘Feathy Man’ was fashioned from an old Ken doll covered in clay.
Despite donning David Bowie’s facial features, Feathy Man was “so ugly”, she said.
“He’s a Featherston superhero, and he’s really bad.
“He’s got my hairbrush hair and some cat hair mixed together for his wig.”
The exhibition will be launched at an event on Saturday night and run for several weeks at Loco Coffee and Books.
Ms Dew said bad art was a trend that had caught on in other parts of the world, and there was even the Museum Of Bad Art, founded in Boston in 1993, dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating all forms of bad art.
Last year more than 60 canvases were entered and upwards of 40 were sold on opening night, most for between $5 and $20.
The profits from the artworks sold went straight back to the artist who created it.
So far, six photographs had been entered into this year’s exhibition, as well as 19 clay pieces and 49 canvases.
Tomorrow is the deadline for artists to have their artworks registered for the show.
For $5, those registering would receive either a photo frame, a lump of air drying clay, or a small canvas.
Saturday’s opening event, which includes a silent auction, runs from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, with show-goers encouraged to dress in “garish outfits”.
There would be spot prizes for the “best worst dressed” people.
Miss Dew said she was no art critic and as a rule she respected all artworks.
“If someone’s done a portrait and they’ve done the eyes all wonky and it’s just a disgrace then I think that’s just wonderful.”
