Over the past decade, Kirk Suddreath's provocative "Jesus Christ Monkey Car" has been a fixture at the Houston Art Car Parade.
Heads turn when the '97 Saturn Wagon rolls by painted in "a swirling purple and yellow vortex with a large collection of images of monkeys, Jesus, and bananas arranged in humorous and thought provoking ways," according to a description on Suddreath's Facebook page.
The Houston artist plans to enter his vehicle in this year's May 11 parade, sponsored by The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. But he said he can't make any promises after that because of mechanical problems.
To that end, Suddreath has launched an online fundraising effort to drum up $2,500 to have the vehicle's transmission rebuilt. So far, the effort has raised $395, and the donations continue to trickle in, he said.
Suddreath lays out the reason for the fundraising campaign, "Help Keep Jesus Christ Monkey Car Alive," on his Web page.
"I've had some very expensive repair bills lately, and the looming need to rebuild / replace the transmission is threatening the future existence of the Jesus Christ Monkey Car," he stated. "People often tell me how much they enjoy seeing me driving around Houston on a daily basis. Can you please contribute to this fund to keep it running for a few more years?"
He elaborated in an telephone interview Friday.
"It'll be in this year's parade because it's running," said Suddreath, 42, also a musician and dog walker. "The question is the future. It's my daily driver and I use it to get to work and to get around. If I can't afford to keep it running, I might as well get another car."
And that, he said, is just the point of the fundraising effort - to keep the "Jesus Christ Monkey Car" on the streets as an homage to art and creative thinking.
Indeed, Suddreath's art car either draws praise for admirers or scorn from detractors. There is very little middle ground, he said.
Asked how the idea came about for the car, Suddreath deflected the question, saying he would rather people decide on their own what it means to them.
"People either really, really like it or they have a negative reaction to it," he said. "They think I'm wrong or they think I'm offending them. They take it personally. I get the finger all the time, but more often I get a thumbs-up."
To help keep the "Jesus Christ Monkey Car" running, visit fundrazr.com.
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