UnFair Continues, Exhibiting Eclectic Local Art

The St. James Court Art Show is this weekend, and artists from around the country are in Louisville to sell their work. But the local art scene down the street at the annual UnFair is still going strong.Behind the Magnolia Bar, people are drinking beer, listening to music and looking at art. The art is eclectic, ranging from paintings to prints to photographs to a giant statue of Ronald McDonald with dynamite strapped around his waist.The UnFair, as it’s known, was started about 12 years ago as a response to the high prices and increased commercialization at the St. James Art Show.“Not everyone likes Thomas Kincaid. The ‘Master of Light’ or whatever he’s called? There are no masters of light here,” says Paul Harshaw, the event’s organizer.“It’s just great," Harshaw said. "It’s a fun venue for a lot of artists who don’t have the means to get into St. James or would even be allowed in St. James because their art doesn’t really fit their profile of what they’re trying to get.”While artists pay about $500 to show their art at the St. James Court Art Show, UnFair artists just have to chip in to cover permitting costs. This year, that was about $20 each.