If you have never heard Syd Barrett‘s solo work, I highly recommend you track down some of the songs from The Madcap Laughs. Its his first solo album after he left Pink Floyd (uh, after he started going catatonic at concerts and doing things like detuning his guitar during a live set). Especially good is the very odd “Here I go”.
A R T F U L wednesday (a day late)
Last night at REDCAT Theater I saw a screening curated by Nancy Buchanan called Still Radical: Feminist Video from the 70’s. I first met Nancy at Gallery 825 when we were both founding members of the Video 825 curatorial committee. At the time I had no idea who she was and that she was a key figure in pioneering early video and feminist art. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. The screening included works by Martha Rosler, Susan Mogul, Nancy Angelo, Eleanor Antin, Cynthia Maughan, Lynda Benglis, Ilene Segalove and Buchanan herself with a candid panel discussion afterwards between Buchanan, Mogul, Eungie Joo (REDCAT Gallery Director and Curator) and Andrea Bowers, who’s exhibition is currently on view at the REDCAT Gallery. It is much better to see these works while in an audience, however you can still watch them by yourself online or in the media library at your local art school.
There is something inspiring about the history of feminist art in LA, as if the whole genre began here at Womanhouse. It reminds me of the many reasons I was drawn to LA instead of NY. There was a sense of community, collectivity, sharing and support among artists that I didn’t see in the established art world of NY. I am not sure how much of that still exists here, perhaps the myth is over, but everyonce in a while I find pockets of artists who are generous and willing to share information and ideas without feeling threatened by each other.
Now I wish I had all sorts of expendable cash to buy this sweet Firehouse on the South Side of Providence. For what you get, the price is right.
Sorry the blog was down all weekend. But if you noticed, what the hell were you doing looking at the computer anyway? You should have been outside, at the beach or something, or shooting off fireworks.
Sorry the blog was down all weekend. But if you noticed, what the hell were you doing looking at the computer anyway? You should have been outside, at the beach or something, or shooting off fireworks.
A R T F U L wednesdays
Yesterday, Michiko sent me an anouncement about her cover art for a new book published by Cloverfield Press. Looking at what other books they have published I came across Miranda July‘s work. I then spent hours wandering through her web project Learning To Love You More, which is basically a database of written and visual “reports” uploaded from all over the world in response to “assignments” such as “14. Write your life story in less than a day.” or “34. Make a protest sign and protest.” or “50. Take a flash photo under your bed.” It held my attention for so long perhaps for the same vouyeristic reasons people read personal blogs, however it was more engaging because of the variety of people responding to each assignment. While looking for that site today, in order to write about it, I came across another web project by July that is more affecting: How Will I Know Her is a collection of photographs of teenage girls holding photographs of someone they miss and haven’t seen in a long time due to circumstances beyond their control with text written by the girls about the person in the photo they are holding. My description may make it sound sentimental, but I think there is something more to it than that. It is about sharing experiences and giving others a venue to publicly say “I miss you.” even if the person they miss can’t hear them.
responding to Musical Tuesdays…
I found Os Mutantes. Nice! You should also check another group on Luaka Bop – Zap Mama. I heard them when I was in college from my cousin’s huge music collection and have been hooked ever since.
If you haven’t been checking our Calendar of upcoming Rise events, here is a head’s up about my opening tonight: Sweater is a collaborative installation with me, Arthur Pembleton, Sharon Kagan, Meeson Pae Yang, Neil Fenn and Sophia Allison under the guidance of Tim Hawkinson. It will be up until July 21 at Gallery 825 in LA – don’t miss it!
People, people, people… my buddy Aaron is looking to win a comic contest. Can you help? I really want to see him win, at least win this current Round Three so he can get his #0 issue published. That would be a milestone for him and his main goal with this contest. He’s just under the cut-off line for achieving this, voting ends this Sunday, June 25th, and the other contestants are showing more online-clout/ readers than actual quality of comic-work. But everyone in the contest has recognized that Aaron’s is one of the best (just read the comments he’s received in the forum). BUT…he just needs more people to vote “Yes” for him by Sunday, June 25th. So click here, get reading, and vote!
A R T F U L wednesdays
I have always loved the work of Hirokazu Fukawa, ever since I was introduced to it when he was my sculpture professor at Hartford Art School. His installations combine an autobiographical motivation (a Japanese man born after WWII, a father of two Autistic children,) intellectual research and skilled craftsmanship that are not only beautiful to look at but also engaging visual poetry that you think about long after you have left the gallery. Recently Hiro sent me a link to his new website. You can view documentation of his installations through the gallery link. Or you can play around with sort of creepy flash animations of skeletons and skulls that take you through a various games, quotes and images about the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings during WWII. Every once in a while you have a choice of three identical skulls to click on. It is almost frustrating when you forget which one you have already been to, but quite rewarding when you find something new.
Oh yeah…and the second show I mentioned last week…at the California Museum of Photography at UC Riverside: Supervision includes work by Nicoline van Harskamp & Jill Magid. What stood out the most for me was van Harskamp’s three channel video installation “To live outside the law you must be honest” combining interviews with 30 residents of Freetown Christiania just outside of Copenhagen. According to the museum’s wall text, it was originally a social experiment set up by the Danish government in 1971 on a former military base to see if people could survive in a self governing society and it is still functioning. Very fascinating.
First of all, these are the funnies jokes in the world. They ought to be, the author was only four years old so had not learned to suck yet.
But then, I was looking around in that website more, and found the “Steve, Dont Eat It!” series of posts. Now I am crying (the silent, giggling, laughing type, not the sad type though). Here is a small sample for you:
“In closing, the only silver lining to this dark dark cloud is I have figured out why so many dogs lick their own assholes. They are trying to kill the taste of Beggin’ Strips. (By the way, it doesn’t work.)”
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