First Friday in Raleigh is always fun. It feels kind of like a carnival in that, lots of people are walking around downtown and everyone is relaxed and in a good mood. There is live music in many establishments, art galleries to visit, art studios, shops and restaurants to eat at. There are also a few museums to check out. Personally I love art, so last Friday I popped into CAM (Contemporary Art Museum).
Mainly, I wanted to see the new exhibit/installation by Phil America. It's called Failure of the American Dream. A very thought-provoking exhibit which runs through May 8, 2016.
Phil America calls himself a performative character, where he creates his art after living it. In this case, for one month, he chose to live in San Jose's The Jungle, which is the nickname for what was at the time, the largest tent city. An enclave of homeless people who live in tents, because one way or another they wound up homeless. It's a gritty look at what Phil America refers to as, the Third World within the United States.
Between May 4-8, Phil America will live in the installation at CAM, and will talk about his experiences to museum-goers.
Also on display is the Big Bent Ears installation. It's comprised of about a dozen artists. One that stood out to me was the large black & white wall mural by Kate Joyce, called Listening I. It's a beautifully captured concert scene of the various ways people listen, or maybe I should say, experience, music. Some of us photograph it, some sing along to it, some dance and others appear to be so deeply moved by either the music or lyrics, that they stand perfectly still and appear entranced.
Second and final stop was into Fox Liquor Bar for some drinks and late night bites. Great way to end First Friday.