Review: THIS IS MODERN ART at The Landing Theatre Company

What is art? Is it a carefully executed oil painting? A commissioned sculpture showcased in a public garden? A flick of paint spattered across a canvas? Or even a lumpy clay bowl that your kid made in art class?

Is graffiti art?

THIS IS MODERN ART is based on the true story of a group of graffiti artists who spray-painted a 50-foot mural on the entrance to The Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing in 2010. No doubt an act of protest and revolt, but it was also an act of vandalism. While the show raises lots of questions about class system and freedom of expression, it also portrays the fallout when street artists go too far.

Written by Idris Goodwin and Kevin Coval (of Louder Than A Bomb fame), THIS IS MODERN ART is a play that persuades its audience to accept graffiti as legitimate art -- a respectable art form that can be appreciated in the same way that modern art found in a museum is lauded. Okay, no problem. Graffiti can be beautiful, insightful and just plain fun to look at. But it comes at a price -- an expensive price for the victims of artistic freedom, namely the property owners who have to clean the "art" off. The play sort of skates over this issue, with characters insisting that graffiti artists are justified in their vandalism because they're repressed and ignored in a city that charges fourteen dollars for a ticket to get into the art museum. It's not a compelling argument in the least, but it does make you wish for more opportunities for artists, especially those artists who didn't grow up with a silver paintbrush in their hands and fancy art schools.

Directed by Stephen M. Miranda, the characters are an eclectic mix: the artists, the naysayers, and a girlfriend who supplies a getaway car. Anthony August plays Seven, a playful but soulful graffiti artist who vents his artistic frustrations on public property. August's performance is one of the strongest elements of this production. He is sympathetic, likable and sensitive as the leader of the band of artists. Playing Jose Clemente, a.k.a "J.C.", Giovanni Sandoval is another bright spot in the show. Sandoval's J.C. is passionate and spiritual, whether he's rhapsodizing about urban life or instructing on what to pack when you're going to "tag" or do a "piece." Estee Burks and Zac Kelty do a good job stepping into various characters, especially in the scene where they play commentators from the street and news anchors. Katherine Rinaldi is somewhat miscast in the role of Selena. Rinaldi's portrayal has a hesitant, self-conscious quality that doesn't work with Selena's thrill-seeking venture into graffiti art. Dustin A. Salinas gives a spirited performance as Dose, but most of his portrayal seems more like a stereotype than of an actual developed character.

Set designer Kevin Holden does a bang-up job of transforming a small space into the world of graffiti artists. The artistry on the set pieces is bright and eye-catching, and the chain-link fence adds a feeling of realism.

While the volume of the background music was a little loud on the evening I attended, I assume this was just a preview glitch that will be ironed out easily. Other than that, Cha Nwabara does a good job of providing a mood-enhancing soundtrack that works with the show.

THIS IS MODERN ART probably won't make you change your mind about vandalism or graffiti, but the next time you drive under a bridge covered with tags and "pieces," you'll wonder about the artist who held the spray-paint can.

THIS IS MODERN ART plays at The Landing Theatre from October 27 through November 19. For tickets, visit landingtheatre.org

Photo Credit: Stephen M. Miranda

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