DREAM-CUM-TRU: September 13 - October 25, 2008

Clifton Childree, winner of the first Annual Hilger Artist Project Award, begins in July his two-month transformation of the Locust Projects artspace for his site-specific installation “DREAM-CUM-TRU.” The exhibition is set to open Saturday, September 13, 2008, 7-11 p.m. and features a live performance by the artist at 8 and 10 p.m.

This is the first year that Austrian-based dealer and private collector Prof. Ernst Hilger has teamed up with Miami’s alternative non-profit space Locust Projects to support emerging artists. Childree was selected for the award out of 32 applicants to receive a $2,000 cash prize and the opportunity to create a seminal work within the artspace.

The first exhibition of Locust Projects’ 10th Anniversary 2008 season, Childree’s installation will take patrons on a journey through the ruins of an old and abandoned adult-themed amusement park once called DREAM-CUM-TRU.

“Nature has scraped away at the glossy paint and decomposed the wooden collapsed structures to release a new texture, an inner life of freaky self-sufficient automata,” said Childree.

A local Miami artist and experimental filmmaker, Childree is best known for his black-and-white vaudeville slapstick horror movies. DREAM-CUM-TRU, a singular world of burnt-out roller coasters and sadistic arcade games will bring the irreverent hallucinatory spirit of his films to life.

WATCH PERFORMANCE HERE

WATCH FILM HERE

READ INTERVIEW WITH CURATOR HERE

A woman in a red dress is performing on stage in front of an audience. The audience members, including several men and women, are seated and watching her performance.
A person is using a stylus to draw or write on an interactive whiteboard or touchscreen. The display shows a woman with dark hair, wearing a white sleeveless top, with a dog in her arms, and what appears to be furniture and household objects in the background.
Indoor scene with a sandy ground, decorated with tall dry grass and a wooden counter marked 'Sir Komsucian,' illuminated with warm, dim lighting.
Indoor scene with tropical decor, including a sign that reads '? KISSIN KUSSIN' and sandy floor, illuminated by warm yellow and orange lighting, with plants and rustic furniture.
A dark, empty room illuminated by a red light, with wooden benches and a vintage film camera on a tripod.
Indoor display with seashell and pirate-themed decorations, including a wooden sign, sand floor, and pirate props.
A person in an orange shirt and black hat uses a long stick to remove a projection from a pink wall in a dark room. The projection displays the phrase "...Jack-of-all" and part of the word "Fables."
Person with long curly hair in red pajamas, holding a black bucket upside down over head, standing on a dark, worn floor in front of a pinkish-red wall, with a vintage film camera and a yellow bucket on a wooden table nearby.
A man dressed as a vintage showman or performer, wearing a top hat and red costume, operating an old film projector against a red background, with a shadow cast on the wall.
Indoor scene with a small wooden fenced area and signs for snacks like "Tootsie Roll" and "Loco-Choco Treat." Artificial plants and a colorful striped canopy over the fence are also visible.
A wooden sign with a top hat icon and the words "Sir Komsician" on a beach, with sand, plants, and a striped canopy in the background at night.
Indoor exhibit with two large yellow flotation devices resembling the shape of pears, hanging from a life preserver mounted on a colorful, textured wall with the word 'NUTRITION' painted on it.
Person using a pointer to illustrate features on a large screen displaying an anatomical or medical image.
Vintage bar sign with ornate border, partially illuminated in red, with plants in the foreground.
A man with black face paint and messy hair, wearing a red button-up shirt open to reveal his chest, is standing in a dimly lit room with black and gray walls, appearing sweaty or wet.
A black coffin with white writing on it, surrounded by sand and tropical plants.
A spooky haunted house-themed attraction with wooden walls painted red, featuring a sign with a yellow teardrop shape and the words "Nut" and "Tuit". The house has three arched doorways covered with curtains, and a glowing orange-red lighting creates an eerie ambiance.
A spooky room decorated as a haunted house scene with a bed, dim lighting, a black fence, and red lighting, creating a sinister atmosphere.
A performer dressed in a red costume and black top hat stands in front of a vintage movie projector on a tripod, with a red wall backdrop and several audience members watching.
A stuffed raccoon toy lying on a wooden dock at night, with a dock post and a chair visible nearby, and some straw or dried grass in the background.
A person with long dark hair leaning over a black table or counter, wearing a red and white jacket, in a dimly lit room with red and black decor.
A shadow puppet show projected onto a wall, featuring a character with pointed ears and hands making peace signs, with a red curtain or backdrop.
An old black wooden chair with a worn, dusty padded seat in a dark room, covered in cobwebs and dust, with some scattered debris on the seat.