The "Dirty South," as a concept, has been around for years now.
First, rappers in Atlanta and New Orleans popularized the term. Then Athens rockers Drive-By Truckers named their 2004 album with the phrase.
Both camps meant to underscore the sometimes seamy underground in Dixie. It's not all cherry blossoms, church picnics and pageants around here, you know.
And now Miami artist Dustin Orlando is staging a First Friday event called "The Low Down and Dirty Artshow" to capitalize on a cadre of young, urban artists in the Southeast.
The 30-year-old Orlando has had a gallery, Objex Art Space, in Miami for four years. He came to Macon to stay with his mother and work on a solo exhibition. But he couldn't resist organizing something for local artists while he was here.
Orlando has secured the 4,000-square-foot former Bright Ideas Group space at 484 Cherry St. to serve as a gallery for tonight's event.
"More or less what I'm doing is bringing artists from the Southeast together to show together," Orlando said. "It's going to be an art party."
Two local DJs, DJ Tagg from Warner Robins and DJ Tofu, a Mercer University student, will spin music. The $10 admission includes free beer and wine, and artwork from 15 artists will be on display. Local participants include Eric Wakefield, Brian Nolen and Carl Phillips. Others are coming from south Florida, Athens, Atlanta and even Chicago.
"I'm not just showing any old art," Orlando said. "Most of the art that I represent is contemporary and influenced by urban culture."
The pieces draw from the visual language of pop culture, such as Tim Burton's movies, comic books, Japanese anime, Dr. Seuss, Mondrian, African tribal masks, Alice in Wonderland illustrations, photojournalism and graffiti.
Orlando said being in Macon has helped him recharge his creative batteries.
"I feel like I get a lot of inspiration here," he said. "I have a digital camera, and I fill up my memory card every time I go out, taking pictures of corroded bricks and things like that."
He hopes the event will enable him to keep the space going so he can continue to stage events there. Orlando will be splitting time between Miami and Macon as he prepares for shows and curating duties before taking over a new gallery space in December.
"The idea would be to have a gallery as well as a boutique as well as artist studios and possibly a rehearsal space for bands," Orlando said. "It could be similar to what I did in Miami. We held corporate meetings and private parties there."
Though Orlando originally came to Macon in part to escape the hustle and bustle of the art scene - "I hadn't taken a vacation in three years" - he said it's in his nature to stir things up.
"I don't feel like I'm starting from scratch this time," he said. "I'm just picking up where I left off."
Tonight
What: The Low Down and Dirty Artshow
When: 7 p.m. to midnight
Where: Former Bright Ideas Group space, 484 Cherry St.
Cost: $10; includes free beer and wine
Phone: 743-8121
