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The latest from David Rees and 23/6.  I’m predicting an increase in sales (or thefts/lootings) of mattresses with built in safes and hidey-holes.

And like a fine meal needs a proper wine, I just got the image below sent to me by the always right and ever awesome Douglas McCulloh, who calls the image below “the first jpeg of 2008 actually worth forwarding.”

Technorati Tags: David Rees, Get Your War On, 23/6, Douglas McCulloh, Wall Street, Bailout

I’m having trouble with Wordpress, so I’ll keep this brief.

Friday, September 26

Bonnie and Clyde @ The Silent Movie Theatre.  Part of the Cinefamily’s Beatty in the 1960’s series, their descriptor for this film literally divides Post-WWII Hollywood into two periods “before Bonnie and Clyde and After.”  If that wasn’t enough, this movie has both Faye Dunaway and Gene Hackman, two actors who Hollywood really should be using more these days.  Starts at 7:30 PM.

Saturday, September 27

Scott Angus: Sweet Green Icing (image at top) @ California State University, Fullerton - East Galley.  This show grew out of Scott’s 2007 show, Little Boy Blue, in Downstairs Gallery at Angels Gate.  Bring your dancing shoes for the 18 minute dance party to the music of Donna Summer at 8 PM - should be just long enough for one pleasurable play of Love To Love You, Baby, if Scott thinks like I think, and I think he thinks like I think, at least where disco is concerend.  Reception is 7-10 PM.

Sunday, September 28

IMPRINT @ Gatov West Gallery (CSULB). Some of Jocelyn Foye’s Roller Derby work will be on display, as well as work by Laura Kramer, Dalia Monserrat, Tiffany Smith and Julie Williams. Reception is 5-7 PM

Women Art Makers: 25th Anniversary Exhibition @ Gatov East Gallery (also CSULB).  I cannot, for the life of me find my invite for this event, but it’s happening concurrently with IMPRINT.  WAM has been organizing shows and finding roles for female artists in Long Beach and beyond for a quarter century now.  A special shout out to my dear friend, WAM member Jean Clad, who yesterday was honored by the Arts Council for Long Beach, receiving their Distinguished Arts Leader award.  Reception is also 5-7 PM.

non-obstructive @ Irvine Fine Arts Center.  Group show of abstract works featuring Joshua Aster, Brian Boyer, Kent Familton, Carrie Leeb, Timothy Nolan, Shari Wasson and Allart Zoetman.  I’m a huge, huge fan of Tim Nolan’s work - go see it.  Reception is 4-6 PM.

Technorati Tags: Bonnie and Clyde, Cinefamily, Scott Angus, CSUF, Jocelyn Foye, Laura Kramer, Dalia Monserrat, Tiffany Smith, Julie Williams, Joshua Aster, Brian Boyer, Kent Familton, Carrie Leeb, Timothy Nolan, Shari Wasson, Allart Zoetman, CSULB, art, LA art

Last Friday, I attended Mare Serenitatis at the Aratani Theatre at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, part of the World Festival of Sacred Music. I was working during the performance, but I watched the final rehearsal from the wings of the stage.

Following the performance in the Aratani Theatre, the crowd came outside to see a blue and white striped field of vinyl that we had set up during the performance. Following Hirokazu Kosaka’s symbolic shooting of an arrow into the artificial moon generated by a rented spotlight (not being a full moon, Hirokazu brought his own), Butoh dancer Oguri (above) took a knot of thread, drawn from dozens of spools, into his mouth, and slowly (and I mean slowly) walked across the plaza to the sound of a lone harmonica player.  It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen, and the overheard comments from the crowd following would easily be mistaken for hyperbole by anyone who wasn’t there.

Here’s the Flickr set for the event.

Technorati Tags: Oguri, Butoh, Hirokazu Kosaka, JACCC, World Festival of Sacred Music, dance, performance

Via this interview on the Flickr blog, I encountered the above photo, of a North Korean soldier, by photographer Eric Lafforge (Flickr stream).  He visited North Korea in April of this year and the nearly 400 photos in the associated set are staggering and fascinating.  Explore and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Eric Lafforge, Flickr, North Korea, soldier, uniform, photography

Anyone who knows me, knows I love Nagel.  Patrick Nagel did more to embody the kind of corporate nihilism that made the American Psycho world of the 1980’s possible.  So when I saw the above in Bonnie Burton’s Flickr stream, I went a little nuts.  It’s by artist Craig Drake, and available for the low, low price of $49.95 (a way better buy than some cheap ass knock-off of For the Love of God, IMHO) from StarWarsShop.com.  There’s a great little story on the creation of the piece on Starwars.com to enhance the joy.

Technorati Tags: Craig Drake, Patrick Nagel, Princess Leia, Leia Organa, 80’s, Bonnie Burton, StarWarsShop.com, Starwars.com, lithograph, Star Wars, The Princess, print, poster, art

More Get Your War On from David Rees and 23/6.

Technorati Tags: Get Your War On, Rape Kits, Sarah Palin, Rape, politics, cartoon, video, David Rees, 23/6

Friday, September 19

In Black and White @ El Camino College Art Gallery.  Last day to see work by yours truly.  I’m scheduled to come in at exactly 2 pm and demolish the piece, so be there before then.

Mare Serenitatis @ Aratani/Japan American Theatre.  Part of the world festival of sacred music, and conceived by Hirokazu Kosaka, this happening involves Butoh, Zen Archers, Buddhist priests musicians and dancers. $25, starts at 8 pm.

Saturday, September 20

Victor Gastelum: “X-acto Mundo” @ OVERTONES.  Victor is the best artist working in stencil in LA, hands down.  In 2004 I had the priveliege of showing his work in cut on the dotted line… an exhibition of artists working in stencil at my old gallery, Walled City.  He’s a tremendously powerful artist with a gift for capturing the soul of things, without overdoing it.  Reception is 7 - 10 PM.

Masakatsu Sashie: Under Fluorescent Light @ GR2.  Masakatsu’s work (at top) was the strongest and most exciting part of last year’s Giant Robot Biennale at the Japanese American National Museum.  His reduction of urban space and frontage to smokestack laden gomi-spheres can be painful to look at, a post-Tom Wesselman dirge lamenting the mouse maze of modern life at the same time that it romances it.  Reception is 6:30 - 10:00.

Craig Kauffman: A Retrospective of Drawings @ The Armory Center for the Arts. Curated by Jay Belloli, this exhibition covers a half-century of the artist’s works, including works new to the public.  Also on in the Mezzanine Gallery is a show by video artist Marsia Alexander-Clarke.  Reception is 7-9 pm.

East of Eden @ Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery.  A multi-gallery project that’s only on view from the 19th to the 21st, East of Eden features contributions from La Luz de Jesus, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Black Maria, drkrm Gallery, Gallery Revisited, Ghetto Gloss, Junc Gallery, Materials & Applications, Metro Gallery, Thinkspace, Bert Green Fine Art, Acuna Hansen, David Patton, Farmlab and De Soto. Reception is 8 pm till midnight.

Sunday September 21

A1 Bassline, Captain Ahab & Anavan @ The Airliner.  Presented by Tilt, and featuring a pile of DJs, the ticket here is Captain Ahab and Anavan, two musical groups that I have a dear, special place in my heart for.  Loud noises and flashing lights for the spastic crowd.  Doors open at 9pm $5 before 11pm with RSVP.

Technorati Tags: art, LA art, Anavan, Captain Ahab, The Airliner, Masakatsu Sashie, GR2, Craig Kauffman, East of Eden, Mare Serenitatis, El Camino College Art Gallery, contemporary art

In Black and White goes kaput at 2pm this Friday.  That’s all folks.

The artist talk last week went really well.  I’m always a little (or very) nervous before that kind of thing, since you have no idea if anyone is going to be interested in the work, if they’re going to take offense and throw a fit.  I thought it went well.  I started the talk and then Angie Bray talked about her work and we finished with Pierre Picot.  During my talk, I got the brief chance to play fanboy to Harlan Ellison in response to a too good question from a visitor involving Ellison’s story The Deathbird.  I’m always amazed to hear Angie talk about her work.  Her work is so damn simple, and so involving on the part of the viewer, and she can really explain her process and the means by which her work developed.  I hadn’t met Pierre Picot before, and I like the cut of his jib - he’s got a sharp mind and an explorer’s fascination with the unknown.

I recorded audio of the whole talk, and you can download it right here.  Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Artist Talk, Marshall Astor, Angie Bray, Pierre Picot, In Black and White, El Camino College, El Camino College Art Gallery, art, art exhibition

While TIME’s Richard Lacayo won’t cover the Hirst’s Southeby’s auction, the NY Times’ Carol Vogel sure will.  I’m repeatedly hearing that the big buyers for contemporary works at auction, the ones who are driving the market, are non-Western capitalists whose economies are surging ahead while America is spinning its wheels in the mud.  Is Hirst (and by extension the top of the art market) playing the fiddle while the Western world burns?  Or is he the fiddle that’s being played?

Technorati Tags: damien hirst, auctions, art, contemporary art, Carol Vogel, Richard Lacayo

Technorati Tags: Sarah Palin, 23/6, Moose Meat, Get Your War On, David Rhees