Jan 10th Bar Deluxe – The Gipsy Connection

Juana Ghani is beyond excited to welcome Romanian artist and founder of the Balkan Expressionism art movement, Paul Hitter, to Salt Lake City for a night of Gypsy art and music at Bar Deluxe (666 S. State Street).

Born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, Paul Hitter studied art at the prestigious Akademie der Bildenden Kunste in Munich, Germany. While completing his studies there, he showcased his art with many world famous musicians and bands, including Gogol Bordello, Taraf de Haidouks, Rona Hartner and Fanfare Vagabondu. Exhibiting his art together with live music brought him instant recognition. An authentic underground art rebel, he still prefers to exhibit his art at live concerts rather than in traditional galleries. To him, “being inspired by Balkan cultures and all it can includes, a music band joining his visual art for the time of an evening is a full masterpiece, a travel to the authentic Balkan countries.” (https://popartxpert.blogspot.com/p/l-hitt.html) His paintings are a mix of folk art – inspired by Gypsy, Jewish, Romanian, and Slavic cultures – and pure expressionism, all united under the movement of Balkan Expressionism.

Juana Ghani is thrilled to provide the music for Paul’s masterpiece, along with good friends Folk Hogan.

Juana Ghani shows are known for fabulously infectious music that is “a savage, unrestricted mix of tradition, overlaid with rocking dynamism, suffused with unstoppable gypsy lust and dark desire, with an added touch of punk attitude.” (Tim Carroll, FolkWords) Accompanied by the area’s most amazing belly dancers and performance artists, it is more than a concert; it is a show. And Juana Ghani is more than a band; they are a community.

Folk Hogan “plays with an intensity that is almost exhausting to watch,” says Kelly Cannon of City Weekly. Their sets are always high energy, full of sing-a-long drinking songs and an unapologetic whiskey-soaked naughtiness that Richard Barry of Doldrums Entertainment describes as “like watching a pirate super hero group.”

Along with the rare opportunity to see the paintings of Paul Hitter, many of which will be available for sale, and to meet the artist, there will be a special showing of the film “EXIL: A Talk from Paul Hitter” – https://youtu.be/b4UkCnMAW1s

A limited edition “Crazy Kid” collectable poster, signed and numbered by artist Paul Hitter, will be available to purchase for this event only. All proceeds from the sale of this print will go to International Education Institute, a 503c foundation helping Roma/Gypsy kids get an education.

Sponsored by Salt Lake City Weekly, Five Wives Vodka, Underground Herbal Spirit, Porter’s Fire, American Musicians Radio, Coca-Cola Romania, Herberger, Piraeus Bank, Butan Gas.