Slightly creepy, joyful, energetic and mischievous like the kid who pushed your sister off the monkey bars in 5th grade, Bortusk Leer’s street monsters don’t give a toot about your deep dark thoughts and ruminations, as they run past you and smack you on the fanny.  

The nursery class primary colors and the bold surprised faces on his monsters show up in the oddest places.  Or maybe the places weren’t odd until they popped up looking all belligerent, daring you to stick your tongue in that socket.  Go ahead!  It will make you Super Duper Powerful!!  I’ll do it too, but you go first.

His creatures and characters are disproportionately fantastical and multi-limbed; sometimes conjoined, sometimes deranged, and unnervingly happy-zesty-pesky and ready to steal your lunch, preferably with you chasing wildly after them, arms-a-flailing, screeching like like a chimp.  

Bortusk stays in the moment; and that moment is the day you plugged both your nostrils with modeling clay.  Or that moment when you made Bobby drink the rest of the cough syrup.  Or that moment when you licked all your mom’s stamps and spelled out your name on the paneling over the T.V. in the living room. That moment.

You leerin at Me? (Bortusk Leer) (photo Jaime Rojo)

I'm so happy I could pee right here (Bortusk Leer) (photo unusualimage)

  photo credit: unusualimage

What do I spy with my little eye? (Bortusk Leer) (photo Jaime Rojo)