“The Listening Post”

Want to bitch about your boss? Snitch on a two-timing girlfriend? Call Tim Brown, the artist behind The Listening Post. He has a free and anonymous say-anything call center, but its more than just random chitchat; its art. I used to work at a call center, andI started drawing portraits of the people I was talking to and portraying them in how I thought they might look, says Brown. I did about 250 of those and I started compiling them in different ways. The result? A large, original painting made up of 200 portraits that is the centerpiece of Listening Post. The exhibit also includes computers stationed in drab cubicle installations where you can sit and learn about call centers and Browns past experiences.

At the exhibitions opening, Brown will be taking live phone calls from Houstonians while illustrating their supposed features as they speak. I bought a Bluetooth and everything so I can be hands-freeand I look stupid, I think, but I use it anyway, says Brown. You know, the way that you can make a hipster the most uncomfortable, Ive found, is to wear a Bluetooth. Hipsters dont like Bluetooth. After the opening, Brown would appreciate having more calls for more material to add to his ever-evolving project. Call 1-877-EARS-KNOW to participate. Its hard finding a catchy toll-free number these days, Brown says.

The Listening Post opening reception and artist talk will be at 6 p.m. March 13. Regular viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Through April 18. Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main. For information, call 713-528-5858 or visit www.lawndaleartcenter.org. Free.

Saturdays, 12-5 p.m.; Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts: March 14. Continues through April 18, 2009