Modern poetry & art by the contemporary Cleveland artist & poet Steven B. Smith
10 CoolCleveland.com blurbs 2003-2007
CoolCleveland.com 9.12-9.19 2007
excerpt from article on
Markk Kuhar of deep cleveland press
Preserving d.a. levy and Cle's poetic historiography
On ArtCrimes:
And then there’s the matter of ArtCrimes. Kuhar inherited the venerable “who’s who in Cleveland poetry and literature” series from Smith, who created and curated it. Smith’s ArtCrimes anthologies spanned 20 years and 21 editions. Smith left Cleveland with his wife Lady during the last year; when they decided to leave the city, “[H]e gave them all to me to sell,” Kuhar says with a smile. “He said, ‘You’re the man that’s gonna handle it!’ and he gave me 20 boxes worth of those poetry anthologies. Dave [Ferrante, owner of Visible Voice] said he wants to get some of those up on his shelves.”
If you haven’t experienced ArtCrimes, you are missing the quintessential cult classic journal of the region – a blunderbuss of independent thoughts and ideas from the pens of current and former Clevelanders. The limited edition lit/art publication began during the mid-1980s and came to an end with last year’s final (and in some ways, most impressive) missive, Duck & Cover. Since that time, Kuhar has thought about reviving the dormant series, but the time has to be right. “Steve told me that he’s done putting them together, but said if I ever want to revive ArtCrimes to go ahead and do it. We may do that at some point through deep cleveland press, but we are booked with projects through next year, so ArtCrimes needs to rest on its laurels for now.”
ArtCrimes features work from writers Charles Bukowski and the late poet laureate Daniel Thompson through Cleveland’s present day writers; their insights will rock your world. All 21 volumes of ArtCrimes are available through deep cleveland press, and are discounted when sales are bundled. And once they’re out of print, they’re gone forever. For details, visit DeepCleveland ArtCrimes.
CoolCleveland.com 8.22.2006
Walking on Thin Ice Cleveland poet Steve Smith gives up a life of ArtCrimes, his 20-year poetry book series that ended with Duck and Cover, published 7/06 (get it at DeepCleveland.com), gives up a life of drugs, gives up his cancer, gives up being an American, gives up his possessions, and wanders London, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Prague, Croatia (or thereabouts) with his new beloved wife Lady, "in search of decent art and honest poetry," giving readings and avoiding the immigration police. Fascinating and more real than anything you're gonna watch on TV tonight: WalkingThinIce.com
CoolCleveland.com 3.8.2006
Prison Break Steven B. Smith, the Agent of Chaos is about to hop the pond with his beloved; but before he departs for Europe he will be selling 40 years worth of his art - collage, urban assemblage and sculpture - in his last American Show. Get incredible art at greeting card prices during the opening reception on Fri 3/10 from 6-9PM and enjoy Couple/ts from the wound of my mouth with Mary Weems, Wendy Shaffer, Kate Sopko, R. A. Washington, Lady, Steven B. Smith, part of the Labor Poetry Series, at 8PM. Inside Outside Gallery, 2688 West 14th Street.
Wine and poetry/art/dance
Slam is finally landing at the always intimate Grovewood, and if you perform, a free glass of house wine is yours! Spend time with a group that knows how to give good verbal play: Emily Tan, slammaster Michael Salinger, Joan of Art, Steven B. Smith of Art Crimes, CMA's Cavana Faithwalker, David Schwartz, Charlene Coates, and other poets of all varieties crawling out of the woodwork Wed 11/10 at 9PM Wed 11/24. Call 531-4900. Grovewood Tavern & Wine Bar, 17105 Grovewood Ave.
Split Whiskey Reading The New Yorker isn't the only publication that regularly features the "f" word. Experience avant-garde open mic poertry with Jim Lang's Split Whiskey "bagozine" reading, including some of Cleveland's best: Russ Vidrick, Wendy Shaffer, Terry Provost and transgressive poet Steven B. Smith. Sat/21 at 3PM. Bookstore on West 25th. 1921 W 25th St. 566-8897
Cool Cleveland.com 01.07-01.14 2004 - Tisha Nemeth, senior editor
Cool Cleveland Writer: Steven B. Smith
Steven B. Smith is founder of the underground zine ArtCrimes, an outspoken poet, and inveterate artist with transgressive art works collected by renegade art enthusiasts and mainstream corporations alike. His magnetic style has extended to the web with his AgentOfChaos site, featuring an impressive archive of his art and poetry. With over 900 pages, it's reached 200,000 pages viewed since its inception in 2002 and contains guest poets along with guest artists' photos and content. In the spirit of communal art creation, Smith is participating in Spencer Tunick's famous mass nude shoot for MOCA this month. Smith says, "I figured it was my job to make the art...and the art's job to survive." Read his poetry below, and visit his unpredictable site http://www.agentofchaos.com.
The Bisque Buddha by Steven B. Smith
What good this dusty truth I hold in hand
To gain immoral ground in other's land?
What use the pure of heart when acts of need
In escalating schemes the living seed?
Truths change naught though they scurry so
While new lies easily sought hurry low
Themes rhyming jism to rhythm within
All going nowhere in wisdom or whim.
If truth to be told takes who, how, and when
Why the eraser at truth's other end?
Why all the viewpoints and let's make amends
When no truth's all truth and all truth's a sin?
For all gain's no gain less all gain as well
(a story told truly too often to sell).
Mac's Backs Poetry Reading
featuring Wendy Schaffer, Jeffery Bowen, Angel Roundtree, and the intrepid Steven B. Smith 8PM Wed 10/8 at Mac's Backs. For info, call 321-BOOK. At 1820 Coventry Rd. in Cleveland Heights - www.macsbacks.com
Agent of Chaos That would be Steven B. Smith, the man behind Cleveland's cult classic journal ArtCrimes, a limited edition lit/art publication that emerged during the mid eighties. Now you can order up your own at Steven's agentofchaos website, launching literary outrageousness, entertaining criticism, art slide show, plus 900 pages of collage, mixed media, photography, guest artists and everything your mother warned you about. He has consistently refused to be conditioned by the public, and it's a good thing; we love his contagion of undiluted underground art/lit/philosophy/abuse. http://www.agentofchaos.com
Cool Cleveland.com 04.30-05.07 2003 - Tisha Nemeth, senior editor The Art of Poetry or The Poetry of Art?
New and used works by Steven B. Smith will be presented in a new show titled Sacred Lies - Love Honor Truth Family at the Brandt Gallery in Tremont. The opening reception will be Sat 5/3 from 6-10PM. The show runs through 6/13 so the gallery will be open for two Tremont ArtWalks, one Fri 5/9 and one Fri 6/13 from 6-10PM. There will also be two poetry readings, one on Sat 5/10 and Sat 6/7 beginning at 3PM. On 5/10 will be Beth Wolfe, Brother Hashim, Jim Lang and Smith himself. The 6/7 show will feature an Open Reading the will include the ArtCrime Poets. See Smith's website for more of his art and poetry, plus guest artists and poets. Brandt Gallery 1028 Kenilworth Ave 621-1610 -
http://www.AgentOfChaos.com
Page Me: the art of 'zines, comix and other artist-made books
Curated by Christa Donner of SPACES and Chris Conti of the Wexner Center in Columbus, check out work from over 100 artists working in the fertile field of self-published comics, one-of-a-kind handmade books and 'zines. by artists like Clevelanders Derf, Harvey Pekar, Steven B. Smith, Beth Wolfe, and others from across the US. Thru 2/21. Also: Land Laid Bare by Ethan Murrow in SPACElab. Opening Fri 1/10/2003 5-9PM SPACES, 2220 Superior Viaduct, 621-2314
