Its hard for me to hear the words video artist without thinking of The Big Lebowskis giggling David Thewlis, but real-life specimens like Leon de la Rosa are saving the genre from pretension and self-parody. In his latest VideoRant installation, Sometimes I Surprise Myself by Having Nothing to Say, the Mexican artist has compiled a series of experimental video clips on different screens, all punctuated by his slam poetry instead of dialogue or narration. Tonight, his performance is preceded by poetry from Seattle Poetry Slam and Youth Speaks. On Friday at 6 p.m. hell also give a presentation about his craft. It sounds like something even the Dude would abide. 911 Media Arts Center, 402 Ninth Ave. N, 682-6552. www.911media.org. Free. 610 p.m. ANNA ROTH
Fri., Aug. 22, 7 p.m., 2008
