Little Berlin held the closing of its exhibit “The Western Lands” at its repurposed textile mill in North Philly on Friday, Dec. 2. The air might have started to get chilly, but there was a huge room of art, live music and some hot toddies to warm up with at the reception.

On Little Berlin’s website, the venue is described as “an undefined exhibition space.” This assertion, especially after visiting the show in question, seems to be pretty accurate. The way into the building is lined with all manner of odds-and-ends, splashes of art and abandoned cars. From the courtyard, the distinctive smell of the cinder block-encircled campfire is noticeable from blocks away. Inside, the building is a huge room, which undoubtedly does well to serve many functions for the artists at work in this collective.

The show on display was “The Western Lands,” named after the third book in the “Cities” saga by William S. Burroughs. All around hang sheets of cardboard covered in art and graffiti, somewhat reminiscent of forts or tree houses constructed by children— except on a much grander scale. Entire full-sized rooms-within-rooms confront the viewer as they stride through the DIY corridors, each full of its own unique set of creations: video projections, a sparse living room with cupcake walls, kinetic sculptures and Lego versions of the Last Supper.

More than a dozen artists contributed to the winding installation, which was curated by Tyler Kline. The serendipitous exhibit is part two of an ongoing series of shows based on the trilogy by Burroughs. The homemade environments and constructions on hand “mark the break down and reformation of linguistics, symbolic thought and ritual,” according to Kline. Throughout the show, the boundaries are blurry between individual art-making processes and communal practices.

Back outside, the attendees sipped their drinks around the fire to the wild, electronic blips of 8-bit musician SKGB armed with a pair of Game Boys. The manic soundtrack held everyone’s attention, and, by the cheers from the audience, everyone was impressed. Other performances included an acoustic set by Lincoln Line and Drum Corp Associates (featuring James Travis and Jim Huebotter). At one point, a man ran in and deposited stacks of loose, fake money and mentioned something about throwing them into the fire, to which many people complied. There’s probably some type of metaphor about capitalism in there somewhere.

In any case, Little Berlin sure knows how to have a good time. Everyone around was extremely friendly, and there are no shortage of sensory spectacles when their doors are open. Stay-tuned for when 2012 inevitably ushers in the final part of the William S. Burroughs trilogy.

Little Berlin is located at the Viking Mill, 2430 Coral St. in Fishtown; [email protected].