Michi Meko, various mixed-media works. Several, including the "gourds" above, feature a sound component: Embedded speakers play an audio mix prepared by the artist.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
—The Declaration of Independence [emphasis mine]

I love the Fourth of July. Then again, I admit that in years past I’ve celebrated it with a degree of irony: At times laughter seemed to be the only recourse possible during a regime that did so much betray its own self-asserted patriotism, and did more to curtail the personal freedoms of its citizens, than any in decades. What does it mean to celebrate Independence Day, today? And the “pursuit of Happiness” … what does that mean?

Michi Meko’s solo exhibition at Beep Beep Gallery is called Fear Kills Pursuit. I considered looking into the etymology of “pursuit,” but to no avail. (The word’s meaning seems to have remained fairly consistent since before the Norman Conquest.) Fear Kills Pursuit, the sequel to last year’s Comfort Kills Pursuit, is a highly masculine show: Meko’s inspirations include the boxer Muhammad Ali and the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat, among others. The title, however, is inspired by a quotation by Meko’s real-life neighbor, describing the complexities of life, work, and … happiness?

Work of this type interests me since it attempts to address certain essential, national-scale abstractions (the pursuit of happiness, rural versus urban identities, the African American Experience, etc.), while at the same time attempting to transcend those historical categories by incorporating personal narratives (the neighbor’s quotation).

And, of course, Meko’s solo provides an interesting counterpoint to the America I AM show at the Atlanta Civic Center, a high-profile traveling exhibition whose purpose is to be explicitly national in scope. If you haven’t been to Wal-Mart in a while, check it out: They’re selling discount tickets en masse. Not your typical marketing strategy ….

Michi Meko’s artist talk is tonight, Thursday July 2 at 7PM at Beep Beep Gallery. The show closes July 5, so this weekend is your last chance!