Smallest art gallery in Kentucky to open in Lexington

Kentucky's smallest art gallery, a vintage cigarette vending machine, repurposed to dispense original works of art, will debut on Sept. 19. Called an Art-O-Mat, it is the 50th such machine in the nation and the first in Kentucky.

LEXINGTON, KY (PRWEB) September 4, 2003 --- Kentuckys smallest art gallery will open in downtown Lexingtons Victorian Square during the first Gallery Hop of the season, on Fri., Sept. 19, from 5:00 -- 8:00 p.m.

How small is this gallery?

Its the size of a cigarette vending machine. In fact, thats what it is. Its a repurposed and refurbished, vintage cigarette machine, called an Art-O-Mat. Insert a $5 token, pull one of 20 knobs, and out comes an original, one-of-a-kind work of art, a painting, sculpture, poem, or piece of jewelry the size of pack of Lucky Strikes. Each piece comes with its own story, the name of the artist who created it, and how to contact that person.

This Art-O-Mat will be the 50th in the U.S. and the first in Kentucky. Others are located in such distinguished venues as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Whitney Museum of Art and New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City, and the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art in Cleveland.

Art-O-Mats, each of which is a unique work of art unto itself, are also located in book stores, coffee shops, and cafes throughout the country. They have dispensed more than 10,000 mini-works of art since the first Art-O-Mat was created in1997 by conceptual artist Clark Whittington of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
   
More than 400 artists in 10 countries participate in the Art-O-Mat project, which is owned and operated by Whittington. Each artist is juried into the project by Whittington and several other artists on his staff. Among their criteria are effort, craftsmanship and originality. Accepted artists must adhere to strict guidelines for size and shape, and produce a minimum of 50 "art packs."
   
With only a $5 price tag on these artworks, many are outright bargains. And its clear that neither the organizers nor the artists are in it for the money. They are in it to be a part of this unique experiment to increase access to art and popularize its consumption, to promote themselves, and to have fun.

"This sparkling and inviting machine has brought in people weve never seen before," says Nancy Kinzinger, coordinator of the Suffolk Museum in Suffolk, Virginia. "Most are drawn by the curious nature of the encounter as well as the chance to acquire a tiny but potentially rewarding treasure."
   
Whittington says the Art-O-Mat is appealing because "it combines the worlds of art and commerce in an innovative form. We believe that art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable. What better way to do this than with a heavy, cold, steel machine?"   
   
Lexingtons Art-O-Mat is sponsored by Miki King, a visual artist and partner in King & Company Communications, a marketing company, and Egg Design, a graphic design firm. She also owns Soko, a high-fashion eyewear boutique in Victorian Square, where tokens for the Art-O-Mat can be purchased. Any profits that may result from this endeavor will help fund a scholarship established by King at the Living Arts and Science Center. It is to provide art lessons to a talented and deserving young man until he graduates from high school.
   
More information about the Art-O-Mat project, and photographs of many of its machines, can be found on the Web, at www.artomat.org.

Contact: Miki King
859.226.0559

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