For Immediate Release

For more information call 510-865-5060 or visit: www.rhythmix.org.

Pinball Oddity at

Rhythmix Cultural

Works

Alameda, CA, Friday, May 11, 2012 -- The Pacific Pinball Museum (PPM) proudly announces the opening of Pinball Oddity, an exhibition of extremely rare historic pinball games from the museum’s extended collection. Accompanying the games on display will be a sampling of the museum’s famed oversized acrylic paintings that reproduce art from various games. PPM has teamed up with Rhythmix Cultural Works (RCW) to produce the show in a celebration of the cultural art center’s fifth anniversary. As both groups seek to build strong community partnerships, the exhibit furthers the missions of both the Alameda-based non-profits.

The opening reception takes place May 11 from 6 to 9 pm at 2513 Blanding Avenue and is free and open to the public. Pinball Oddity features rare and unusual pinball games from the museum’s collection and pinball back glass murals by Alameda-based artists d’Arci Bruno, Ed Cassel, Eric J. Kos and San Rafael-based artist Dan Fontes. The Little House Café will be onsite serving up sweet and savory crepes from the petit chateau crepe-a-licious cart.

As most pinball games were simply thrown away and replaced with newer ones, machines from the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s are increasingly valued for their originality and rarity. Among the machines on display (but not available to play) will be what is thought to be the world’s only surviving copy of Cargo, the Bay Area-themed Sky Rocket and a Korean War-era celebration of patriotism: Paratroopers.

Four hand-painted large-scale acrylic reproductions of pinball back glass art will also be on display. These skillfully produced murals preserve their respective game’s individuality: Sea Ray, Jungle Princess, 2001 and Mermaid will be shown.

PPM is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching science, art and history through pinball and preserving and promoting one of America’s great pastimes.

High Five!  Rhythmix Cultural Works (RCW) is celebrating its fifth year in the East Bay since opening its doors in 2007 as a community arts center to bring people of all ages together for a wide range of high quality arts experiences. Only five minutes from downtown Oakland (just off Hwy 880 @ Fruitvale), RCW offers affordable space for live performances, exhibitions, arts education and cultural exchange for youth, families and adults. By providing a range of exhibits, workshops, classes and performances, RCW supports local, regional and international artists in the presentation of their work and strives to encourage community awareness through participation in the arts.  Plenty of free parking is available.

The Pinball Oddity selection of machines are:

Cargo, a flipperless machine,1937, Genco. Artist: Unknown. The Cargo backglass is an undersea tableaux of mermaids sorting through chests of gold for a figure who can only be Poseidon sitting on his throne.   The drawing and execution of Poseidon’s kingdom appears to be the work of a self taught visionary artist.   The work has complex brush strokes, a style seldom seen in pinball art.   The playfield is equally beautiful with a diver and a diving bell descending into the fantasia.

Sky Rocket, circa1939-1941, Exhibit Supply Co. Artist:Attributed to George Molentin. Sky Rocket was made to celebrate the 1939 San Francisco World’s Fair, which was also known as the Golden Gate International Exposition.   The backglass shows part of the Oakland Bay Bridge on the left, and in the center is the fair, located on Treasure Island.   And who doesn’t love the girl riding a rocket!

Thing, 1951, Chicago Coin. Artist: Unknown.    The theme of Thing is a series of cartoons about a “thing” in a gift box that nobody wants, and everyone, including the Devil, is trying to get rid of.  There are nine separate cartoon situations portrayed in the backglass, each one very funny.  The playfield features a giant red and white gift box, which, when the ball enters it gives the player a “mystery score”.

Rip Snorter, 1949, Genco. Artist: Roy Parker.    The marketing slogan for Rip Snorter was “A rootin’ tootin’ son of a gun that’s loads of fun for everyone!”  Very goofy kids with firecrackers and sexy cowgirls play on the same turf.   Giant letters spelling RIP are at the top of the playfield, leading to confusion about who died…

Paratrooper, 1952, Williams Mfg. Co. Artist: George Molentin.    Paratrooper is a post World War II machine.   Airmen and soldiers dodge curiously shaped bombs bursting in the air and somehow they make it all the way home to gorgeous blondes waiting for them with binoculars.   George Molentin is one of the best known pinball artists, famous for his portrayal of classic and fabulous women.

Teacher’s Pet, 1965, Williams Mfg. Co. Artist: Unknown.    Teacher’s Pet has cartoon artwork in which some kids behave badly and others idolize the teacher.  Child and teacher faces decorate the plastics on the playfield.   There are not many child themed machines because the arcades of the sixties attracted kids in their late teens and twenties.

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