Hipster Boise: Modern Art at the Modern Hotel

Save the date! First Thursday in May, 2012 (May 3): 

Modern Art at the Modern Hotel in Boise, Idaho. Yes: Boise.

Last week, Cinco de Mayo AND First Thursday in Boise, we went to "Modern Art 2011" at the Modern Hotel.

It's a great concept whereby the hotel invites local artists to be their guest and transform the design hotel’s 38 Mid-Century modern rooms into everything from...
mini-gallery spaces to
interactive pieces to
full scale installations.

What does this mean?  A crowd of art-hungry Boiseans descend on the Modern Hotel where artists show their art on the walls, the bed, above the toilet.

We tried to get there early, knowing how crowded it can get -- who knew there were so many groovy people in Boise? We went in and out of rooms (and bathrooms) where we saw:

Bruce Maurey's work: (yes, it's in the bathroom -- my camera flash kind of ruins the dark, gothy, dia de los muertos aspect)

Some very interesting pieces by Tom Bennick where everything was made of paper -- this photo doesn't do it justice. This was very cool stuff -- and you can commission pieces...

At this point, I was too busy chasing my kids, so I didn't grab the artists' cards. My apologies...

And then there was the performance art room. Slightly spooky for the kids: a room full of people, dressed in white and chanting:

Yes, there is mariachi music in the background.  I like this kind of performance/installation art.  Gets you thinking on a different level than everyday life.  The whole world is family?  How come only one of them has their eyes open?  Why wear white?  What do YOU think?

Then, there was Ben, who thought it was super cool to have my kids look at his art.  Isaac posed on the bathtub with Ben:

And another of Ben's pieces: (in addition to the photo at the top)

Some Swedish lady tucked my son into bed.  It was very exciting for him.  He got to take off his shoes.  She explained how it had something to do with Sweden and Honesty.  Honestly, I couldn't follow her reasoning.  (Even though it's written out on the sheet!)  But she was very nice to my kids.

When my kids had had enough of the art, for a mere $2, they got to go fish:



Who knew there were so many interesting artists in Boise?  I did.  Now, you do.