Painter Tom Block peddles wisdom in unlikely places: on the sides of bus shelters and outside sleazy motels. Now, an exhibit lets him bring the show indoors.

Block’s “Cousins”, on display at Space 88 (8211 Mayor Ln), combines text from major-league philosophers with Eastern-inspired visual elements, all on the scale of a bus-stop advertisement. In fact, that’s where pieces from the painted series first appeared — mounted to bus shelters in Tempe, Ariz, in 2005.

And last year, 15 larger panels in the series were screwed onto an exterior wall of the Days Inn motel in South Silver Spring. Those images hang above eye level (it took a ride in a cherry picker to do the job) in an alley leading to the Kennett Street garage from Eastern Avenue.

“In terms of making them practically inviolable for graffiti artists, I think [the paintings’ positions are] a plus,” Block explained to The Penguin.

The free indoor exhibit cuts area residents a break, eliminating the need to crane one’s neck to read the paintings’ text elements, and saving one from schlepping to Tempe, Ariz.

“Cousins” by Tom Block, on display at Space 88 (8211 Mayor Ln) through June 1, 2008. A free opening reception takes place on Saturday, Apr 26, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Images courtesy of Tom Block.