Curated adjective: carefully chosen and presented.
Mayhem noun: a state of rowdy disorder.
Mark Bloom is originally from London. He is an illustrator, designer, mosaic artist and collector of other peoples’ discarded artworks. Currently residing in Tucson, Arizona, he has been collecting the strange, the weird, the unconventional and the offbeat for over 20 years.
In his spare time he enjoys scouring local swap meets and thrift stores, collecting vintage vinyl records, altering old Paint By Numbers paintings and eating sushi.
Curated Mayhem is an outlet for me to share my passion for the unsung heroes of art: the weird & wonderful, the lovable & laughable, the pretty & putrid, the comforting & uncomfortable, the unique & unbelievable, the sublime & ridiculous.
I began curating art shows in 2014, featuring the discarded, original works of art I discover at yard sales, swap meets, thrift stores and in the trash. I avoid prints and reproductions, as it the uniqueness of an original painting that appeals to me.
The artworks are presented exactly as found. Occasional small holes or tears in canvases are signs of a life journey and should not be hidden. These paintings have had both adventures and probably misadventures. My only contribution is the addition of a title I feel is appropriate to the piece, or maybe it’s sometimes inappropriate.
Future Bitch
The Horse Wrestlers
Young Mona
This genre of art has been labeled as Outsider Art, Amateur Art, Art Brut, Primitive Art, Folk Art or just plain old Bad Art. I don’t consider myself a critic, it’s not my job to tell somebody else what they should or shouldn’t like, or give it a handy label. In curating many art shows across the globe over the years I’ve witnessed people reacting to every kind of art imaginable (and frequently unimaginable) in many different ways. I find all those reactions equally valid, magical, uplifting, life-affirming and positive. Except for one time… but that’s a different story.
Bisbee AZ
Presenting an art show of over 200 paintings created by 200 artists, whom I have (almost) never met, whose styles and skills are all very much open to debate is an experience that has energized my life, my mind, my body and indeed my soul.
Because Art is too important to have just one convenient label.
A short animation I made that hopefully explains the whole thing.
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”