Musical Art Monster

Putto and Mark Southerland comprise a match made in heaven. And tonight, in the courtyard just west of the Folly Theater (300 West 12th Street), it may be hard to tell the two apart. All flailing tentacles and twisting limbs, "Putto 2x2x4" — a work by Kansas City-born sculptor Michael Rees — conducts an endless, perverse dance on a digital screen mounted on a wall outside the Folly, right beside an 18-foot sculpture of the treelike creature. Like freaks gathered at Burning Man, Southerland and his Urban Noise Camp compatriots will pitch their colorful tents at Putto's feet from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in order to pay tribute to Rees' creation with noise and dance. Expect to see people cavorting in body suits, occasionally doubling as living instrument stands for Southerland's twisted horn sculptures. Southerland's Wee Snuff free-jazz unit, which includes venerable local jazzers Jeff Harshbarger and Brad Cox, provides the soundtrack. The reception kicks off the Avenue of the Arts Foundation's summer program of setting up art along Central Street downtown. For more information, call the city's Capital Improvements Management Office at 816-513-2720.
Thu., May 21, 4:30-6:30 p.m., 2009