20100410 Brewing a dialogue: Coffee talk inspires mix of 'Art and Politics'
By: Tim Brouk
A typical bull session outside of K. Dees Coffee on a sunny day has yielded a new art exhibition.
Lafayette artist Denise Hiestand's "Art and Politics -- The Dialogue" depicts a scene of seated men and women conversing in front of the downtown Lafayette coffee shop.
The participants in the conversation face one another in their chairs and are mid-discussion. In the real scene, Hiestand did not hear what was being discussed.
"I had wondered what they would be talking about," Hiestand said. "I though they would probably be talking about politics."
"Art and Politics -- The Dialogue" opens at 6 p.m. Friday in downtown Lafayette's newest gallery -- the James Werner Fine Art Gallery, 529 Main St. The show is open at 6 p.m. every Friday in April.
In the main scene, Hiestand added her own subtleties. A cross-legged man smokes a pipe in a thoughtful, listening pose while the rest are in the middle of giving their opinions. She added a girl in the coffee shop's window reading a copy of a book titled "Mr. Smith Haunts Washington." The book is an ode to one of her favorite political movies -- the classic Jimmy Stewart film "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
"I think everyone should see that movie," Hiestand said.
That 1939 movie will be a part of the run of "Art and Politics." The unique show is only open on Fridays starting at 6 p.m., but each Friday will screen a movie or provide "open mics" for people to give their political opinions. Other Fridays will offer nonpartisan panel discussions and platforms for candidates.
James Werner is leasing the gallery space with an option to buy. A local artist and a candidate for the Tippecanoe County auditor, Werner thought "Art and Politics" was a good show to open with.
Werner will have one painting in the show: "The Money Changers." The work was inspired by G. Edward Griffin's book, "The Creature from Jeckyll Island."
Werner may add more paintings, and he and Hiestand are inviting members of the community to submit their own political- or socially-themed two-dimensional art throughout the run of "Art and Politics."
"I'm not opposed to hanging salon style," Werner said. "We have a 20-foot wall -- why not cover it?"