Venice Beach Biennial, Epic Venice Weekend

If you ever wanted to visit Venice (and we call it Venice, not Venice Beach), California in all its glory, this past weekend was the time to do it. From actual carnival upside down rides, to the art that brought thousands down to the beach, to the sunshine that broke through to illuminate it all, it was truly one for the ages over here.

The Hammer Museum came down to put on the "Venice Beach Biennial" (which the materials all keep calling a "tongue in cheek" play on the Venice Biennale in Italy - Thanks, we get it.), where a bunch of "Museum" artists joined the Venice artists that are down on the Boardwalk every day, to showcase both styles of art. But art is ALL art, no?

There was a real old style Carnival in Windward Circle put on, interestingly, I thought, by the LAPD. Interesting, considering there are always talks about budget cuts and not enough officers to get the jobs done, but they can throw up a bunch of rides and man-power to watch all the additional people said carny rides bring out? Is it perhaps a little bit to help the image, or what? Interesting, that's all I'm saying.

I'm not that into rides that are thrown up in a few days, so that whole deal was pretty much a bike through all weekend, but I'm glad the little kids had fun.  The great thing for me was seeing the focus on ART again at the beach. On the beach artists, to be specific, as though the Hammer project brought their artists down, they were not nearly as visible as the people crafting and selling their work every day of the week down there. Aside from the big show pieces nearest Windward Circle, it was near impossible to differentiate who came from where ... it was just ALL art. And beautiful. If you couldn't get down there, let me now take you on a little stroll with me, yesterday. Imagine the sun warming your back as you walked, the sea salt breeze making it all perfectly comfortable, music everywhere, and the childhood smells of a day at the beach ... except with the sage, incense, and weed smoke moments of now.

The day was so gorgeous out, it was a piece of art unto itself. One thing about the Hammer works was that they weren't labeled or identified in any way other than a dot on a map they gave out, so people weren't really sure what they were looking at. So I guess just look at it and enjoy.

The pamphlet did say Weed Couch by Liz Craft, so I can tell you that the above is that. Lots of people stopped to chill on it and make it their profile pic today, I'm sure. It was not comfy, but was funny.

This seemed to be made out of dirt, and I think was Barbara Kruger's. It seems like her, anyway.

Currency by Erika Vogt.

Big Easter Island Moai sculptures by Alex Israel had everyone taking attention away from the skaters in the skatepark for a minute. So cool.

Big pink balloons marked booths where artists were being featured by the VBBiennial, but most of them appeared to be the people that can usually be found down there, like these colorful pieces by SKY (Stacey Kai Young).

I spoke to Arthure "Art" Moore who was the featured artist on the materials for the VB Biennial, with his Funky Pussy painting as the logo for the whole deal. He was stoked on it all, and said that the Boardwalk artists were selling more than ever, and really being recognized for their work. VENICE was being recognized as a destination for art again, and that was important to everyone involved. I saw plenty of people holding their own version of Funky Pussy, so Moore, with his homemade eye patch, was taking full advantage of his new celebrity.

In fact, we couldn't chat too long as we were constantly interrupted by people who wanted their photo with him. Moore was happy to oblige and offered up his signature middle finger (with a smile) to all passersby and tourist photographers. Very Venice, very awesome.

Thank goodness Rara Superstar was back from showing his art all over Ibiza in time to partake in the Biennial, as his colorful pieces are a crucial part of the Boardwalk landscape. He too was kept busy all day taking photos with people and selling them a new memory for their home collections, while reminding them that ""Love always wins".

The day could not have been more pristine, so it was a complete pleasure to amble along and spend more time than you normally would really looking at everything. The bright sunny mood was infectious, and people were open and friendly and into it. One of those days like what could be bad?

All the art looked great against such a beautiful beachy background, that it made you want to get a piece from everyone you passed by. I made a lot of notes on who to return to when I need a perfectly Venice gift for someone. I think a lot of that was going on, really. What better souvenir to bring someone back than a piece of art from someone most likely painting it right there off the sand?

There were street performers and Hammer performers (none of whom did I see all day), and I was stoked to get my own little rap from Dr. Geek ... Hey, Blondie, I like the way you wear your laundry ... Rad.

This piece was metal. Literally. Dug it.

I've always been partial to art with words. I'm sure there's some name for this affinity, but I just know I like it. Clearly.

Ibraham was performing in full voice and drums down by the Venice Bistro, and it gave the day a wonderfully authentic soundtrack of badassness.

Art showed up in all mediums, from paintings to jewelry to crazy little heads of figures from Bob Marley to Wilma Flinstone, if that was your thing.

Humor was everywhere - also very Venice - as even the Funky Pussy official materials were pretty funny. Some guys were hawking "Official Bum signs - For just 1 dollar you can own your own bum sign!" yelled some very official looking gentlemen who had made funny cardboard signs for your purchasing pleasure. They wouldn't let me take a photo. Of course. Then I saw that someone had made this piece, available for $2,500 - including delivery! I think it sold, as it wasn't there today ... It DID say "Today only"...

Bikes and funky pussy together! That's pretty Venice, of course ...

I had a lot of places to be on this Sunday, all of them the best. I saw the great Paul Chesne for a few songs at Primitivo ...

I had some mimosas at Danny's Deli in the heart of it all. I saw more friends and made some new ones as I headed back through the Carnival to get myself to the Hollywood Bowl in time for my favorite, Reggae Night (Ziggy! Toots!) ...

I was just beaming all day at how fun and cool life can be, especially here in Venice. I think the best thing I overheard all day was from a middle aged couple - clearly tourists -  walking down the Boardwalk. The man said, "I think we're going the wrong way." The woman smiled and said, "I think we're in the right place to be going the wrong way."

Exactly. She got it. I get it. In that moment, we got each other. And that's what days like these are all about.

My Brush With A Superstar.

RaRa Superstar is as Venice as it gets. He is an artist and drummer who plies his trade/s on The Venice Boardwalk, and around the world. We've been friends for a long time, but I never really knew his whole story until we sat down together yesterday in the golden afternoon, watching humanity go by together in front of his booth on The Boardwalk.

Ra was born in Oceanside, California but didn't stay there long. His was a military childhood, so he grew up all over the place ... Detroit, Cleveland, New York ... ("I grew up in 30 of the 50 States, but those were the ones I liked."), trying to figure out where he belonged all along.

Then one day "Circumstances led me to live under the Brooklyn Bridge", where all he had was a drum his brother had given him. He said he didn't know how to play it, but he learned quick - in a week - to throw down beats enough to eat. He was inspired by the kindnesses he was shown by passersby, commuters, fellow bridge dwellers - everyone would bring him food, smoke him out, share what extra they had - to where he realized that things weren't so bad, and that he was actually incredibly blessed. When one man that he saw a lot named Pep invited him to his apartment to hang out one night, Ra was dazzled by the paintings all over the walls of the place - jungles vines climbing, nudes everywhere ... mind blowing stuff. It was then (as up 'til then his form of expression - mostly to get girls - was poetry) that Ra decided to be a painter.

By then Ra had a daughter, Essence, and he was in Detroit with her when he hit the lottery. They took the money and bought art supplies, and Ra and Essence made his first painting together. Ra's name used to be 7 Guess, when he was doing rap, and after a bunch of soul searching, he realized that he wanted to be about the Sun and positivity, and changed his name to RaRa Superstar for his new phase as an Artist. (I still don't know his real name, and I kind of don't want to - the guy clearly IS Ra Superstar, and that's that. I didn't even ask.) It took him a while to get up the nerve to try to SELL his painting though, so he still did other things to get by.


Mostly, Ra played his drum and did astrology for people. He traveled city to city doing that ... meeting people, making enough money to get to the next place, and occasionally hitting the lottery right when he most needed to. He has a LOT of good karma. His first day back in New York, he met a guy who came right up to him and said, "YOU belong in Venice Beach." That seed planted, it didn't take long before Ra made his way West. His first day in Venice Beach, he saw that same guy from New York! "I made it, Man!", he yelled as they greeted each other incredulously. That was a good omen - and he's been here ever since.

Still doing drumming and astrology to get by, Ra had a hard time on The Boardwalk initially, as wherever he would set up his drum, someone with more seniority would be drumming right there and tell him to move. Same with astrology, until he kept getting moved down all the way to Brooks. He was working on his paintings all along - going through phases: Egyptian symbols, an all yellow and green phase, Venus and The Sun ... (now his son, Ra, had come along - from an Italian woman he'd met on The Boardwalk - and was the inspiration for the Venus phase), but still hadn't worked up the courage to put them out for sale yet. He was selling faux-Egyptian artifacts until his display fell over and they all broke and he pretty much HAD to start selling his paintings to be able to survive.


When he began selling them at the beach was when he began doing painting that incorporated his poetry and words into them. He started painting the frames when he had some that were all tore-up looking, and he thought he'd try and make them look better by carrying the painting over onto the frames. That's when they started to sell. That was 1999, and he's been down there earning a living off his positivity and colors from that day forward. Whenever people started copying him (and they do), he'd shake it up and try something new. He began doing smaller pieces on plain wood ... and then everyone down there started doing that, so now it's on to BIGGER pieces on wood. I commented that it seemed to follow the economy doing it that way, and Ra said there's a lot you can tell about the state of humanity being out there every day. Total anthropology. Ra said you can tell the time of year it is by just watching the people go by - oh, the French are on vacation, or kids are out of school, or these guys are here for the Rose Bowl, on and on.


With so much life and diversity going by every day, it's reflected in Ra's art, lifestyle, and even offspring. His newest baby, Princess, was born to him by his current girlfriend, who comes from Japan. And whom he also met when she was walking by his Boardwalk booth. It's no wonder then, that when asked what he loves most about life in Venice, he says simply, "The Boardwalk." He is OF The Boardwalk, and appreciates it all day, every day. Especially when in far off places, like his upcoming show in Amsterdam, followed by another in Sweden (where his "Absolut Venice Beach" piece is sure to be a hit with the Absolut Distillery). His YouTube Channel, "Superstar TV", takes you along on his adventures across the globe. That's a good place to send him messages too, and get in touch with him about the piece you'd like brightening up your place - if you can't make it to The Boardwalk yourself, that is.


Ra's art reflects the love he has for life, more than anything. In fact, he calls it the "Love More Movement". And who can't get behind that? His upcoming Amsterdam show's theme is "Life Is Beautiful, Just Add Color". In fact, he sweetly presented me with a piece that says exactly that on it ... and will serve to remind me of that truth, and also of its creator.

RaRa Superstar himself adds such vibrant color to Venice. His kindness, uplift, and enthusiasm for expression and people, confirm every time you see him (or his art) that life is indeed BEAUTIFUL.