When art worlds collide

Much like CineVegas art-scene docs The Cool School (Ferus Gallery, LA, 1950s) and Beautiful Losers (Alleged Gallery, New York, 1990s), Tuesday's "Marginal: Art for Its Own Sake" panel was both colorful and chaotic. With Billy Al Bengston, Ed Moses and sometime-artist Dennis Hopper representing Ferus, Stephen Powers, Jo Jackson and Geoff McFetridge representing Alleged and critic Dave Hickey thrown in for good measure, dominant themes included creating in a vacuum, placing a monetary value on works and leaving a legacy. Though Losers is the superior film, the Old Schoolers enjoyed themselves far more, cracking each other up as they gossiped, kvetched and broke down into insider sub-groups, while the remainder just tried not to embarrass themselves. The highlight, however, was easily the no-holds-barred Moses, who offered such nuggets of wisdom as "If it doesn't ream your a**hole out, let's move on!" and "Ninety-eight percent of everything is bullsh*t. I'm being generous."