After holding a two-man parade through seven blocks of New York City, creating a grid entirely of “American cheese product” and dragging a suitcase behind a truck for miles, there isn’t much The Art Guys haven’t done for the sake of being artistic.The Art Guys, Michael Galbreth and Jack Massing, met at the University of Houston in 1982. They use common materials to make unusual artistic creations spanning multiple media: drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, performance and video.The pair hosted a lecture Thursday night in the Design Building before a full auditorium.The presentation began with a slow motion video of an unidentified man shaking his head back and forth set to classical music. The grotesque, emphasized facial distortions of the subject drew laughter from the crowd.A one-hour slide and video presentation featured some of The Art Guys’ work since their official union in spring 1983. Assistant art history professor Darius Spieth called the lecture “the intersection of art and stand-up comedy.”The Art Guys often focus on creating sculpture from ordinary objects. One exhibit – comprising rings of empty water bottles, suitcases and carrots – emphasized the possibility of everyday objects becoming artistic creations.While living in San Francisco, Massing said the two observed a private trash dumpster across from their residence that appeared to be a neighborhood staple for trash deposit and drug deals. Under the cover of darkness, the two painted the dumpster gold, Massing said.”That was apparently the last straw for the owners,” Galbreth joked, adding that the next day the lot was cleaned up and the dumpster locked. Over the past week, graduate students were given half-hour sessions with Galbreth and Massing, who gladly critiqued and advised students’ finished projects and works-in-progress.”Force yourself to do something you don’t want to,” said Massing, advising one student to go beyond a familiar medium and habit. In a museum or gallery, Galbreth said, people walk in expecting art.”You’ve got your audience,” he said. “You can do anything and they’ll be willing to accept anything.”Galbreth and Massing made individual recommendations of artists to whom students could look for inspiration, giving students the name, technique, and suggestions of where students may be able to find the work. Jennifer Mayer, graduate painting student, said she liked that The Art Guys were more “commercially charged” than her professors, who she said focused more on the historical aspect of art.”Their approach is really anti-art world,” Mayer said. Although they make their living within it, The Art Guys said they don’t follow the rules of commercial art. Galbreth and Massing spoke to students about the importance of being able to present their art to a gallery. If students have amazing art but don’t know how to sell themselves, they have a decreased chance of getting wall space, Galbreth said.—-Contact Olga Kourilova at [email protected]