Artist J.J. Weinberg’s latest work will be debuted during a special event in Three Oaks, Michigan this weekend.
Weinberg will present a red carpet premiere for the multimedia triptych “I Am Your Huckleberry…Fin” on March 29 at The Vickers Theatre in Three Oaks, Michigan. Doors open at 8 p.m. Eastern and the event begins at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
“I Am Your Huckleberry…Fin” is a work that was inspired by actor Val Kilmer’s “God Panels” work.
Weinberg said his “I Am Your Huckleberry…Fin” was in the works for about two years. It is a blend of poetry, time lapse art, technology, music and metaphysics.
It stemmed from his involvement in 2021 with the NFT/Blockchain Art Space, which he began to explore. He then got involved with doing various projects for celebrities and others who were interested in his art.
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“I did a piece for George Lopez,” Weinberg said, adding it was a work that depicted Lopez’ life and his journey to making it in Hollywood. It was a piece to be donated through Lopez’ foundation which helps those with kidney disease.
Weinberg said Lopez was greatly touched by the work.
Soon after, Weinberg started working on actor Val Kilmer’s first asset for the digital blockchain. That asset was a project created for Kilmer’s TwainMania Foundation. It was during that time that Weinberg had the opportunity to see Kilmer’s “God Panels” work.
“I made a digital ticket for him (for his work),” Weinberg said. The artist said there were plans to collaborate with Kilmer on various art projects but due to the actor’s failing health, that wasn’t able to be arranged.
“He kept having challenges with his health and he wasn’t able to physically work on them,” Weinberg said.
So, with the inspiration he got from exploring Kilmer’s work, Weinberg decided to proceed with his own piece related to the actor’s “God Panels.”
“I realized I could use digital technology to tell this story,” he said. Weinberg said he’s always been interested as well in the concept of “meaningful coincidence” in life.
Weinberg’s multimedia triptych explores the question “What is God?.” He said it connects the ideas of spirituality and intuition.
“Because God is an abstract concept, I felt that doing it in this way, it was meditative,” he said, about “I Am Your Huckleberry…Fin.”
Weinberg said he’s long admired Kilmer’s work as an actor as well as the art he creates. “I’m a huge film buff,” he said, adding that “Tombstone,” which Kilmer stars in, is a favorite movie. He also admired Kilmer’s work as Mark Twain in a film adaptation of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
“Film is fascinating to me,” Weinberg said. The characters an actor plays or the masks actors wear, he said, are fascinating to uncover and learn more about.
Weinberg feels his art work “invites others to follow the trail of breadcrumbs of Serendipity in their life, to dig a little deeper and ask, “Who am I when I remove the mask, who’s behind this role I play?”
During the “I Am Your Huckleberry…Fin” premiere event, Weinberg said there will be a showing of the multimedia piece, a question and answer period as well as a viewing of actual canvases.
Weinberg has been interested in art since he was 10 years old. In addition to his work as a visual artist, he’s a musician. He grew up in Knox, Indiana, and resided in Valparaiso for much of his life. Weinberg currently lives in LaPorte. He’s also involved with his girlfriend Kelly Carey’s Silver Stray organization (silverstray.org) which offers pet assistance in Gary.
FYI: The red carpet premiere of “I Am Your Huckleberry…Fin” will be presented on March 29 at The Vickers Theatre in Three Oaks, Michigan. Doors open at 8 p.m. Easternwith the event beginning at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. For tickets and more information, visit vickerstheatre.com
