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Mingering Mike Exhibit & Artist Reception 

Mingering Mike was discovered in 2003 when a record collector stumbled across his albums in a flea market. The unknown artist had recorded more than 50 albums between 1968 and 1977; however, to be clear, these vinyls are not the kind you put on a record player, drop the needle and listen to. These albums are handcrafted cardboard representations of the imaginary world of an idealistic ghetto teenager from Washington, D.C. Mingering Mike created an alternate reality and drew a collection of uncannily "real" albums with covers, inserts, liner notes, grooves and even shrink-wrap for authenticity, and he became a star on a stage of his own devising.

Mingering Mike's fascinating world will be part of the Nasher Museum of Art's exhibit The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl. Previews begin tonight; the show opens officially Sept. 2 and runs through February 2011 (see www.nasher.duke.edu).

To welcome Mingering Mike to Durham, Pamela Gutlon, proprietor of Outsider Art & Collectibles, is hosting an artist reception from 5–9 p.m. with music by Mel Melton & the Wicked Mojos and The Wigg Report and food by Parker & Otis—think pimento cheese and ham biscuits—and the OnlyBurger truck. On display will be 13 museum quality, limited edition archival prints; they are on loan and not for sale but they can be ordered. Gutlon is excited to welcome Mingering Mike to the South with a "real Durham-centric event; local bands, local food." She hopes he'll grab a mic and sing along, but most important, she wants to expose the local art scene to his eccentric, fantastical world where dreams really do come true. —Rebekah L. Cowell