As most of you know, on the first Friday of every month there is an influx of art exhibits and cultural events that celebrate how awesome Phoenix is and how much it has to offer.
As fewer of you know, First Fridays are my favorite days of the month. Every month I go out and try to find something unique, or at least something that catches my eye.
This month, First Friday snuck up on me a bit because I’ve never understood the month of February, but I had just enough time to find a bizarre show to attend.
Now, I’m new here (sort of) so I had no idea that the exhibit I visited (which had many a piñata made by various community members) was an annual event. (I also didn’t expect it to be so difficult to find out how long the show has been running. There seem to be many different answers, ranging from four to seven years in the running, so we’ll compromise and call it an annual event.)
The Mutant Piñata show took place at the Frontal Lobe Community Space & Gallery in the Bragg’s Pie Factory Building at 13 Avenue and Grand Street. The show debuted on First Friday this year and stayed open to the public during the weekend for Phoenix’s 25th annual Art Detour. However, if you missed out this weekend, you can see the exhibit again on Third Friday, March 15, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Frontal Lobe Community Space & Gallery hosted this year’s Mutant Piñata Show. Photo by Alexandria ConradSo having experienced this exhibit, I think I can provide you with a few tips on how to view it properly.
-If you arrive at the exhibit carrying any blunt object with which you would usually hit a piñata, leave it at the door. Trust me, you’ll be too tempted.
A beautiful and highly apropos Phoenix piñata. Photo by Alexandria Conrad
One of my favorites: Cecilia, a bug of some sort cut in half from the tail. Photo by Alexandria Conrad-Go to the exhibition with no desire for candy whatsoever. If there is even a hint of a sugar craving in your body as you enter, browsing the piñatas will only bring on flashes of joy from your childhood and cause you to go on a sugar-deficit driven rampage in search of candy inside the piñatas. You will promptly be kicked out . . . or at least frowned upon by onlookers.
A very difficult-to-look-at-because-I’m-too-short Eye-Ris piñata. Photo by Alexandria Conrad-Lastly, prepare to be amazed . . . but also shocked. Some of the piñatas are very fun to observe and will leave you chuckling as you walk away, while others will cause your jaw to drop or leave you questioning whether your extreme desire to break the Titanic piñata in half is morally OK.
Am I the only one that thinks a Titanic piñata might still be too soon? Photo by Alexandria Conrad
I couldn’t find a title for this one, so I named it myself “An Ever-lasting Everlasting Gobstopper.” Photo by Alexandria ConradFollowing these simple rules will bring you greater enjoyment from the Mutant Piñata Show. Trust me.
If you’d like to reach me with comments, concerns or suggestions you can email me at anconrad13@gmail.com or tweet me at @alliectersely
