Mahmood Rezaei-Kamalabad
Aladdin Auto Repair
Behind Fresh Pond Cinemas
Friday, October 12, through Sunday, October 13
Gallery reception on Saturday, October 13, 5:00 to 9:00 pm

Cambridge has always had a knack for making cars way more interesting to those who are not mechanically inclined. People without cars can enjoy NPR's "Car Talk," broadcast from Harvard Square.

But Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, have nothing on Mahmood Rezaei-Kamalabad, proprietor of Aladdin Auto Repair. Rezaei-Kamalabad is not only an honest repairman (read the odes to him on Yelp sometime), but he is also on a quest to realign the human spirit. This weekend, Rezaei-Kamalabad will continue on his multidisciplinary quest with an art showing--"The Truth of Spirituality Is Happiness."

The artist/mechanic has been the subject of numerous profiles and a documentary. The Phoenix quoted him on his basic approach to car care: "People come in and they are upset. So I try to heal them. I fix their car and their body and make them a cup of tea." Rezaei-Kamalabad also let the Phoenix writer use his Motion-Reaction Machine. Pagan Kennedy visited the shop for a Globe profile, but she declined to hop into the Motion-Reaction Machine and settled for some tea instead.

Speaking of this tea, it appears to be legendary. Nearly every profile and customer mentions it, and Rezaei-Kamalabad will be serving the precious liquid at his gallery reception.

Image of "Birth of the Moon" between two parked cars from promotional card. Image of Rezaei-Kamalabad from his website.