Copious Notes

Dudley Webb gave a 15 minute prepared statement to the council then answered questions regarding the stalled Centrepointe development at a city council work session in Lexington, Ky., Tuesday, May 5, 2009. Thursday, three town criers will give their own take on Webb's statement. Photo by Pablo Alcala | Staff.

ELandF Gallery is back at it, announcing a line-up of three town criers who will read developer Dudley Webb’s letter to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council on Thursday.

Webb’s letter attempted to explain the apparently stalled Centrepointe project. In the letter, Webb stated that the project was still viable and he expected it to commence in the the near future. He also complained of being maligned by columnists, editorial writers, bloggers and others. Clearly, the ELandF criers won’t make the developer feel any better.

The gallery selected three criers, based on essays they submitted:

• Brittny Congleton, a comedic performer wrote, “By confronting this ridiculous letter of irresponsibility, we bring to the public a rallying point and reminder of broken promises, as well as our responsibility as citizens to communicate.” She said she hopes to wear a, “spectacular yellow dress — like a techni-color Alice and Wonderland (or a female Dick Tracy) searching the streets of Lexington for a purpose and a playground.”
• Elaine Parker wrote, “I can embellish the reading with snorts, groans, and eye rolling . . . “
• Alex Johns wrote, “The Centerpointe project was a huge blow to our local music scene. While both music locales and most the stores have found new homes, there is a different atmosphere and a lack of interest from the community.”

Demolition for the Centrepointe project dislocated numerous entertainment establishments including The Dame (now at the Main Street Live complex next to Thoroughbred Park) and Buster’s (relocating to the Distillery District later this year).

The Town Criers will begin their reading at Third Street Stuff Coffee, 257 N. Limestone, and then separate and read at various locations including the Centrepointe site until 1 p.m., when they will converge on the Puiblic kiosk at the corner of E. Main and Quality streets where they will read and post the letter.

The reading is the latest protest of the Centrepointe project from the gallery, which also sponsored a public mourner of the demolished buildings and other demonstrations.

ELandF Gallery has an intriguing little project up its sleeve. It is searching for someone to read a book, “a book that has extraordinary meaning to the reader,” in a parking space at the corner of Short and N. Limestone streets from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 24. According to gallery owner Bruce Burris, the parking space, “will be appointed with a nice rug, comfortable chairs and a very small but excellent library.”

Organizer Jenny O'Neill leads a "funeral procession" around the downtown block that was demolished to make way for the proposed CentrePoint project Sept. 13, 2008. Photo by Matt Goins.

The reading will be part of the gallery’s Small Projects Accelerator program, which funds small artist driven projects. Previous initiatives have included a poetry reading at LexTran’s Vine Street station and events mourning the loss of buildings demolished to make way for the CentrePointe project.

Burris said the reader can read out loud or to his or herself.

“I’m happy with whatever The Reader wishes to do - out loud or not - though I guess I’d personally enjoy the crowd pleasing spectacle of someone just reading to their-self,” Burris said in an e-mail. “I just like the idea of really watching someone read something that you know is important to them. But either way is really great.”

The reader will receive a $50 honorarium.

If you’d like to be the reader, apply April 15 by writing, “No more than 100 words on why you might like to read a book that has extraordinary meaning to you in a public parking space,” and send it to ELandFgallery@yahoo.com. Submissions will be accepted by e-mail only.