Sexion Q_23

Art Baba 2001, a Tribute to Babalu Aye
Ghetto-Glamorous Afro-Cuban Deity Honored in Miami
By Solace Pryde
On Friday, December 14, lab6 & PS
742 present Art Baba 2001, the 5th Annual
Tribute to Babalu Aye, the Afro-Cuban
deity of healing, master over infectious
diseases, protector of the poor and
downtrodden and, most recently, patron
saint of those left jilted at the altar.
Known popularly as Saint Lazarus,
the purple and gold clad deity burst forth
on America’s consciousness in the 1950’s
during a Ricky Ricardo rumba on the I
Love Lucy Show when Ricky called the
pop star Orisha down from Afro-Cuban
Olympus to ensure prime time success.
In honor of the invincible purple
caped crusader and his avenging sidekick
canines, the corner of SW 6 Street and
12th Avenue in Little Havana promises to
become the epicenter of an anxious South
Florida art scene during the prestigious
Art Baba 2001 Extravaganza.
The event will provide local denizens,
serious art collectors and international
visitors alike the rare opportunity to
engage in a Babalu Block Party
Pilgrimage while partaking in a communal
feast featuring a whole roast pork, slowcooked by artist Carlos Alves.
The public is invited to attend in their
finest purple and gold regalia and visually
gorge upon a never before beheld multimedia collection of artwork, allegorical to
the majestic and miraculous Babalu Aye.
Participants in Art Baba 2001 can also
indulge in copious quantities of spirits and
libations (free all night long, yee haw) and
dance into the wee hours during this
ghetto-glamorous soirée in Miami’s most
exclusive alleyway while DJ Le Spam
whips the swaying crowds into a trance
from a makeshift rooftop mezzanine
accompanied by spontaneous bata
combustions. T
The Afro-Cuban dance rituals of
Elena Garcia and Iroko Afro-Cuban
Dance Theatre with a flyby concert by
Roberto Poveda will also take place.
Visual artists participating in the
convention shattering Art Baba 2001
include Bill Billowit, Gloria Lomas,
Vivian Marthell, Carlos Suarez De Jesus,
Eugenio Espinoza, Rocio Garcia, Miguel
Angel Giovanetti, Leandro Soto, Alekxey
Sabido, Sergio Garcia, Carlos Alves, JC
Carroll, Alejandro Guzman, David
(LEBO) Le Batard, Gerardo Gonzalez
Quevedo and Morgan Chesonis.
This historical mojo-media event and
feast will take place from 8pm until the
rooster crows, Friday, December 14, at
lab6 and PS 742, located at 1165 S.W 6
Street, Little Havana and is free and open
to the public. The exhibit runs through
December 28, 2001. Gallery hours are
from Tuesday through Friday 1pm to 6pm
and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.
For more information, call
305.324.0585,
email
at
lab6@bellsouth.net or pray very while
dancing around on one leg.
Montage from the
Pet Shop Boys
Montage, the new live DVD
from the Pet Shop Boys,
hit store shelves
on November
20,
released
t h r o u g h
Sanctuary Records
Group.
Montage
in
comprised of film
footage shot on their
1999/2000 Nightlife
world tour and features
live footage presented
simultaneously over layers
of backdrop projections and videos.
Some of the songs performed on the
video include West End Girls, Vampire,
Discoteca, You Only Tell Me You Love Me
When You’re Drunk and many others.
The main concert footage was filmed
over two nights in Germany and was
augmented with material collected from
various sources. The DVD includes footage
from newscasts and shows on the American
leg of the tour.
The DVD also utilizes the original
projections used in the show as well as
segments of their music videos and other
films.
The Nightlife tour production was
described by the London newspaper
Independent of Sunday as “A hi energy disco
sequence in Kubrick’s 2001, or a production
of West Side Story as conceived by
Almodovar…”
Pee-Wee EnquiredUnder Suspicion Again
Actor Paul Reubens, better known to the
world as Pee Wee Herman, is once again involved in a strange case dealing with his apparent love for pornography.
On Friday, November 16, Los Angeles
police obtained a warrant and raided the 49year-old comedian’s home based on a tip that
Reuben’s spokesperson claims is a “moneydriven accusation.”
A national tabloid, the Enquirer, plans
to publish a front-page story this week with
images they claim show several polaroid
photos possibly containing images of young
boys practicing lewd acts.
Reuben’s spokesperson says that no
charges have been filed against Reubens yet,
and that the confiscated material is nothing
more than his “substantial collection of vintage erotica and kitsch art.”
Q2
www.ExpressGayNews.com • December 3rd, 2001