The Monster Drawing Rally has something new this year: an El Tonayense taco truck, parked out front, dispensing protein. Otherwise, the fund-raiser follows its usual harried schedule, with four one-hour shifts during which artists create art that you, seconds later, can buy. Also as usual, the number of artists is staggering, more than 130, many of whom are regulars (Kyle Ranson) in local galleries (Amy Franceschini), but we wouldn’t think (Andrew Schoultz) of singling out just a few (Josh Keyes) so we won’t even start (Matt Furie). It works like this: When an artist completes a piece, the art is bagged and promenaded to the wall, watched intensely by attendees, like it is Mickey Rourke. Then a scrum forms, voices are raised, allegations are cast, elbows are weaponzied, small people complain, and, finally, after everybody draws a playing card, a yelp pierces the room — someone wins the opportunity to pay $60 for a piece that could be worth … who cares! You get a deal, regardless, and an excellent story to boot. The art that doesn’t get the scrum treatment remains on the wall, hopeful, as people complete the cost-benefit analysis of spending $60 when dozens of pieces remains to be created, posted, and fought over.
Fri., Feb. 27, 6 p.m., 2009
