PLAYING AGAINST TYPE...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:

"Talkin' Trash Behind Blood Ghost's Back" by the M.S.Co. Part of the new Clubhouse
maze wall (photo by Arthur Corey)

The Company is once again taking advantage of their absentee slumlord's chronic neglect and doing a little creative restructuring of the layout in the M.S.Co. Clubhouse. Plans include a permanent maze leading up to the gallery space, complete with all manner of traps and pitfalls.
All week, the misanthropes have been knocking down old walls and putting up new ones using scavenged, freecycled and generously donated building materials.

The Clubhouse maze, in progress (photo by Lydia Caulpepper)

Today, however, construction was put on hold for the Company's regularly scheduled Sunday conference. Still, a large portion of the drawing session was spent decorating the exposed drywall; the objective being to provide a little atmosphere for next week's exhibition.

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Those of you regularly in attendance at Clubhouse events may have picked up on the trend of a new instrument appearing the Company Orchestra's arsenal with every exhibition. It turns out this upcoming show will be no exception.

Voting on the name for this newfangled instrument remains deadlocked (photo by Heywood MacGillicuddy)

The Company's Chief Engineer and Musical Director surprised their colleagues with the unveiling of their latest development: A line of old typewriters modified into a variety of odd-sounding musical gimmicks.

Some are electrical, some accoustic. There are seven variations in total, though only two of the Orchestra members know how to play any of them thus far. And with Hallowe'en only one week away, it appears the misanthropes have their work cut out for them.

(music for unmodified typewriters)

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Typewriters in need of some Company love (photo by Reverend Aitor)

It should be noted that Company policy strictly opposes the wanton destruction of typewriters [article 289A-2002]. These particular instruments were made using parts from some of the irreparable machines the Company keeps on hand for spare parts.

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THIS WEEK'S PRODUCTIVITY REPORT
Number of projects initiated: 10
Number completed: 8
Number inducted: 4
Carried over to next week for completion: 4

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RHODE TO RICHES...

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:
Though Hallowe'en has yet to come and go, it is already time for the members of the M.S.Co. to begin preparations for the Christmas shopping frenzy.

(promotional artwork courtesy of Craftland)

Among the motions passed at last week's meeting was the proposal to participate in the 9th annual Craftland pop-up department store. Consequently, most of this week's meeting was spent concocting an assortment of handmade goods to ship down to Providence, Rhode Island.

The Company busts out the embossing tape and sets to work on message cards (photo by Tallulah Lastname)

This will be the first time the Company will be peddling it's wares at Craftland. It's been whole-heartedly endorsed to the misanthropes by various friends over the years, so, after a bit of deliberating, the Company has finally decided to give it a go.

(photo courtesy of ann-dabney)

For those of you in the Providence area, Craftland runs November 26 through December 31. Stay tuned for further details as the date approaches.

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THIS WEEK'S PRODUCTIVITY REPORT
Number of projects initiated: 8
Number completed: 5
Number inducted: 2
Carried over to next week for completion: 3

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VISIONARY POSITION..

by Erkuden Sakana, Company Secretary:

The AVAM (photo courtesy of Judit Bosár)

Though the Company doesn't officially reunite until tomorrow's Sunday meeting, many of the misanthropes are down in Baltimore, showing their support for Reverend Aitor, at the opening of
the American Visionary Art Museum's new exhibition, What Make's Us Smile?

The Reverend wows them with his mubled ramblings about ugliness (photo courtesy of thefrontrowe)

The Company is very proud to announce that the good Reverend's Unflattering Portraits form part of the museum's 15th anniversary show, curated by Rebecca Hoffberger, Gary Panter, and Matt Groening.

Matt Groening loves his Unfalttering Portrait (photo courtesy of the Baltimore Examiner)

The AVAM describes its exhibition as "a playful celebration of human joy", wherein visitors can romp through a warren of mini-galleries to explore different key aspects of humour. There's even a room dedicated to fart jokes throughout human history. It's been brilliantly monikered the Toot Suite, and features a surprisingly comfortably bench upholstered with self-inflating whoopee cushions.

Thats right: SELF-INFLATING (photo by Reverend Aitor)

Among the other featured artists Aitor's portraits have the honour of rubbing elbows with are Pedro Bell, Tom Wilborn, John Waters, Chris Roberts-Antieau, Patty Kuzbida, Anado MacLauchlin, and the late John Callahan. What Makes Us Smile? runs until September 4th, 2011 -- so if you find yourself in the Baltimore area sometime in the next year, be sure to drop by the American Visionary Art Museum.

the PBS News Hour has something to say about the show

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