mactruque by nathan thorin curator:gallerie negative zero
Yes, just Mactruque. That's all one word. And no, his parents were not hippies. In fact, Mac was named by his father after the forties song 'Mack the Knife'. His father was a reverend, and at age twenty, Mac followed in his father's footsteps and became a man of the cloth. You would never know by looking at him that Mac is a somewhat practicing minister, but then that's probably how Christ would have wanted it.    Mactruque is rather new to visual arts but has made a huge first splash. You have probably seen his artwork everywhere around Jax: from Fuel, to H.E.R.O.E.S, to Murray Hill Café, to murals in homes, and hung in salons. If you haven't seen his work you've most likely at least heard his name. Although Mactruque is one of the most visible artists in Jacksonville, his first official show is yet to come.    August 31, 2001 marks the night of the 'Culturati' show at Theatre Jacksonville in San Marco. This show promises to be a multimedia affair, and what Mac considers his first full showing of his work. He plans to be exhibiting paintings that are a strong deviation from works you may have seen of his before, in addition to performing on stage vocally and with a variety of instruments. The 'Culturati' event also features art by Alle Zivaljevich, the ethereal music of 1919 and more. Overall the 'Culturati' show intends to blur the lines between the performers, the artists, and the audience, making everyone attending a part of the event and atmosphere. This event also marks an important collaboration between two entities that have seen each other as competition of sorts in the past: the Brooklyn Arts Center, and Theatre Jacksonville. Mactruque was the in house art director at the now demolished Brooklyn Arts Center for most of its existence, and is playing an even larger role in bringing the new Brooklyn Arts and Design Center back to Jacksonville this fall.     The art community mourned the passing of this important, vibrant venue. It has been relocated downtown, and although it is a much smaller venue than before, there are many upsides to the new location. It is positioned right across the street from the Florida Theatre, which lends their visibility to the locale along with their support of the new Brooklyn Center.     At the time of this article Mac could not confirm or deny the new direction for the Brooklyn Center, although he did say that it was pushing for new avenues. He is very excited about relaunching the facility, which is slated for September 1st. Most of Mac's excitement comes from his appreciation for those who volunteered working for the new Brooklyn Center, and feels that and the 'Culturati' show is a step in the right direction for artists in Jacksonville truly working together to form a community. .      More Culturati info: www.antonioallegretti.com      More on Mactruque: www.mactruque.com      More on Alle Zivaljevich: negative zero