Gabriel Brown at the MAC Performs an Act on our Social Conscience

When I first met Gabriel Brown, it was when he launched into Spokane's consciousness as "the guy in the suit" panhandling for such ridiculous things as gas for his Hummer. He was honked at, cursed at, and--improbably--given money. He made the news. And he made a dent in the daily routines of countless drivers along the busy Division Street offramp where he stationed himself for what was an exceptionally well-executed undergraduate art performance.

After graduating from Eastern Washington University, Brown went to Washington State University to pursue a Masters. Since relocating to Spokane, Brown has been popping up in unexpected places with performances like the one at Terrain, an alt-arts happening, and the 2009 First Night festival. Typically--if such as word can be applied to the inventive young artist--typically Brown works with recycled materials, performance and social commentary. As pointed as his works are, though, Brown is a consummate craftsman who, with a bit of a wry sense of humor, brings us into sometimes biting context of his work with deftness and subtle humor.

Such is the case with his latest venture: Great Tasting Goodness!, which opens at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture Friday, July 3. Expect sculpture, photography and, of course, performance by the inimitable Gabriel Brown.