Tonight Gateway: Japan opens at the Torrance Art Museum, a gathering of Japanese and American artists curated by Yuko Wakaume, Ei Kibukawa and Max Presneill. Among the American artists in the show, three of them, Jocelyn Foye, Macha Suzuki and Devon Tsuno number amongst my favourite people and artists.  I spent yesterday previewing [...]]]>

Tonight Gateway: Japan opens at the Torrance Art Museum, a gathering of Japanese and American artists curated by Yuko Wakaume, Ei Kibukawa and Max Presneill. Among the American artists in the show, three of them, Jocelyn Foye, Macha Suzuki and Devon Tsuno number amongst my favourite people and artists.  I spent yesterday previewing the show and shooting film and photos of the assembly of Jocelyn Foye’s monumental clay sumo ring (seen above, artfully concealed under protective plastic), where at 8pm tonight, wrestlers Daishochi and Wakanoho will engage in their own monumental battle, right in the middle of the gallery.  It’s going to be epic.

Here’s a brief preview via Mike Boehm of the LA Times.

Participating artists include:

Masaru Aikawa, Taku Anekawa, Shusuke Ao, Jocelyn Foye, Shingo Francis, Gajin Fujita, Tomoo Gokita, Yuki Hashimoto, Mitsuko Ikeno, Ichiro Irie, Minako Kumagai, Gil Kuno, Nobuhito Nishigawara, Satoshi Saegusa, Keiko Sakamoto, Akira Shikiya, Macha Suzuki, Devon Tsuno, Kenichi Yokono, Akihiro Yasugi, Yuki Yoshida

Reception is 6-9pm, tonight, March 26.  Sumo performance at 8, it will be tight and crowded, arrive early get a good spot to see the performance.

Yoshimura Masunobu, a founder of the Neo-Dada Organizers, has died.  I do not know if he is a victim of the earthquake or if he has simply passed away.  He was a key figure in the Anti-Art movement and took part in the seminal Yomiuri Independent Exhibitions that shaped avant garde art in [...]]]>

Yoshimura Masunobu, a founder of the Neo-Dada Organizers, has died.  I do not know if he is a victim of the earthquake or if he has simply passed away.  He was a key figure in the Anti-Art movement and took part in the seminal Yomiuri Independent Exhibitions that shaped avant garde art in Japan during in the postwar climate of the 1950′s.  Yoshimura was also indirectly responsible for the “white make-up” aesthetic associated with Butoh.

The photos from the Cypress College Class of 3011 robot prom were unforgettable, and the teaser for what I think it’s safe to describe as the most anticipated robot dance party film of the coming Oscar season is an accelerated cardboardstorm of pure joy.

My prom involved rocking the world’s most fabulous, glam pants only to end up double booked at my table, left with no seat or food for me and my lady, being tailed by a hotel detective and discovering that the Poorman was the DJ.  I doubt I was in the building for more [...]]]>

My prom involved rocking the world’s most fabulous, glam pants only to end up double booked at my table, left with no seat or food for me and my lady, being tailed by a hotel detective and discovering that the Poorman was the DJ.  I doubt I was in the building for more than an hour before heading on to other pursuits…  So I’ve got a serious case of unresolved prom issues, and like all puny, meatbag humans, I’ve got robot envy.  So damn you Devon Tsuno, Kiel Johnson and Cypress College Art Gallery for breaking my heart with your awesome robot prom, the end result of all that awesome workshopping.  I can practically here the laughter and joy from here…

Anyways, although I’m sure that all of our minds will be vacuumed right out of our skulls later when this gets video-ized, but for now, we can all play voyeur to a night of love and cardboard via the 212 photos in Devon’s Flickr set from the event.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one not invited to robot prom…

818 photographs of the New York Jazz scene, 1938-1948, courtesy of photographer Down Beat magazine photographer William P. Gottlieb, via the Library of Congress.  There’s a total of 1600 in the archive, and they’re adding more to Flickr each month, so if this tunes your piano, keep checking back for more.  Everyone is [...]]]>

818 photographs of the New York Jazz scene, 1938-1948, courtesy of photographer Down Beat magazine photographer William P. Gottlieb, via the Library of Congress.  There’s a total of 1600 in the archive, and they’re adding more to Flickr each month, so if this tunes your piano, keep checking back for more.  Everyone is covered here, from Billie Holiday to Cab Calloway to Louis Armstrong.  That’s bass master Eddie Safranski getting intimate with the strings at top.

A big ” information wants to be free” shout out to Gottlieb, whose wishes were that these photos would enter the public domain for all to enjoy.

February 4-7

Actions, Conversations and Intersections @ Municipal Arts Gallery. A host of events are taking place daily as part of this project.  Check out the February 4-7 schedule on their site for lots to do all weekend.  Of particular [...]]]>

Been a bit of a busy week for the arts in LA, eh?

February 4-7

Actions, Conversations and Intersections @ Municipal Arts Gallery. A host of events are taking place daily as part of this project.  Check out the February 4-7 schedule on their site for lots to do all weekend.  Of particular interest is Nicola Atkinson Does Fly’s 101 Cup Thoughts event taking place Saturday, February 6 @ 7pm.  Email her at buzz@nadfly.com to get on the list.

Thursday, February 4

Slobodan Dimitrov: The Longshore @ La Salle Lofts.   Slobodan’s mural is unveiled.  See my adjacent post for details.  At 4:30 pm, 255 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA.  Join me at the unveiling, grab some early chow and then check out 1st Thursday in San Pedro.  4:30pm, 255 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA 90731.

Amy Thornberry: Truce @ The Loft.  Amy Thornberry will be exhibiting a new series of works at The Loft.  This is the first show that’s being supported by the San Pedro ACE District and co-sponsored by Angels Gate Cultural Center.  Look out for more exciting programming at The Loft coming soon.  Reception is 6-9 pm.

Night Flight Presents: A Tribute to New Wave Theatre @ Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theatre.  I owe all my aesthetics to USA’s 1980′s and 90′s late night programming.  New Wave Theatre was Southern California’s videopunk answer to the Reagan Era.  Go for the Suburban Lawns, but stay for the FEAR.  $12, starts at 8.

Saturday, February 6

Performing Public Space @ La Casa del Tunel (Tijuana).  Group show featuring lots of LA folks, curated by Owen Driggs.  “Bodily actions that interrupt the structuring of Public Space” by Anne Hers & Bill Wheelock, Ari Kletsky, Fallen Fruit, Finishing School, Jane Tsong, John Geary, Lauren Bon, Los Angeles Urban Rangers, Nancy Popp, Paul Pescador and Portable City Project.  3pm – 7pm.

Mexicali Biennial 09/10 Panel Discussion @ OTIS/Ben Maltz Gallery.  Panelists Ed Gomez, Luis G. Hernandez, Dr. Amy Pederson, Nick Kersulis, Sergio Torres-Torres and Marco Vera will discuss the exhibition, followed by a no-host lunch at a local restaurant.  2-4pm.

BC Space: Mything in Action @ Cal State Fullerton Grand Central Art Center.  Curated by Andrea Harris-McGee and Mike McGee, this group show highlights the 37 year history of BC Space.  Featuring work by Marsha Adams, Roger Armstrong, Steve Axelrad, Barbara Berk, George Blakely, Angie Bray, Jerry Burchfield, Jack Butler, Mark Chamberlain, Jim Cokas, Eileen Cowin, Darryl Curran, Jorg Dubin, Greg Erf, Jacques Garnier, Suda House, Graham Howe, Mark Johnstone, Harold Jones, Robert Ketchum, Lynn Kubasek, Victor Landweber, James Lerager, Greg MacGregor, Mary Ellen Mark, Douglas McCulloh, Jerry McGrath, Patrick Nagatani, Thomas Neff, Jocey Neimanus, Kenda North, Sheila Pinkel, Susan Rankaitis, Andrew Savulich, Lonny Shavelson, Ilene Segalove, John Sexton, Clayton Spada, Partick Sparkuhl, Jim Stone, Arthur Taussig, Richard Turner, Jo Whaley, Andy Wing, Mihoko Yamagata and Eadweard r. York.  Reception is 7-10 pm

Daises & Bad Biology @ Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theatre.  Daisies (excerpt at top) is Vera Chytilova’s “art girl” cult hit, an aesthetic bomb that’s been influencing aesthetics, both on and off film for four decades. An earlier and less nihilistic If, perhaps?  Bad Biology is the newest thing from Frankenhooker director Frank Henenlotter.  Tickets are $10, Daisies at 7:30 and Bad Biology at 10 pm.

Sunday, February 7

Sculpture in LA @ Jose Drudis-Bia Gallery at Mt. St. Mary’s College.

POSTWAR ART @ MOCA.  Finishing School will be allowed near families and children to investigate MOCA’s postwar art collection in a hands-on workshop.  Busy weekend for these boys.  1-3pm.

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