* above: ALIX SMITH - PHOTOGRAPH (detail) *
* (with gallery ambience !!) *
* in 'PORTRAIT OF A LADY' - at ALLEGRA LaVIOLA *

* MONDAY MARCH 14: * still eating brains ? *
* then check THE BOMB !! - POSTERS !! *

* MONDAY MARCH 14: and, hell yeah - down with the MOMA, too *
* see the up-date in the BOMB *

* SAT MARCH 13: HELL YEAH !! TAKE THAT NU MU - DOWN !! *
* see: THE BOMB *

* MARCH 11: 'PORTRAIT OF A LADY' - OPENING PIX - JUST POSTED !! *
* so fun !! *
* see: ART LOVERS PHOTOS !! *

* MARCH 10: CHRIS BIDDY and MR. BRAINWASH weren't the only ones to explore - PORTRAITURE - in the beginnings of our newest century !! *
* 'PORTRAIT OF A LADY' - a group show of 8 artists *
* is still up !! - thru MARCH 20th *
* a very fresh and diverse offering, including both paintings and photographs *
* ALLEGRA LaVIOLA - on the LOWER EAST SIDE !! *
* 179 EAST BROADWAY - NEAR CANAL/EAST OF ESSEX *

* MARCH 4: R. CRUMB - RULES !! *
* see: THE BOMB *

* THURS MARCH 4: ok, so here's the low down on the fairs. SIMON CERIGO reports that he crashed both the ARMORY and the SCOPE openings last nite & surprise surprise - he is happy to report that both shows are totally commercial only . . . with glasses of champagne coming in at $16 bucks a pop and beer at $8 at both venues. the only thing free at the ARMORY INVITATION-ONLY 'vernissage' (6-9pm) - was a free cup of ILLY espresso in the VIP ROOM !! oh how the mighty art world has fallen !! *
* the SCOPE FAIR at least redeemed itself - with an after-party at the trendy STANDARD HOTEL - where the vodka, even though watered-down - "well, you could taste the vodka - put it that way" - was free - until 11:30 pm - a fact that ANTHONY HADEN-GUEST was well aware off - he was seen drunkenly spinning *
* around the dance floor - early on *
* with what looked like a hooker, but don't tell Simon we said that - we weren't supposed to !! *
* ANTHONY HADEN-GUEST was also telling anyone within hearing distance, that "the Whitney Biennial this year - was the worst - he'd ever seen !!" .. amen *
* at least the NY TIMES was smart enough this year - to spare us the usual CAROL VOGEL rave *
* from an art point of view ... SIMON says SCOPE'S offering was more juicy - and a little more experimental - while the ARMORY'S presentation reminded him of "expensive European furniture". translation: not too profound *
* he goes on, . . . I guess it's not too surprising since most of the participating galleries were European with deep pockets and slim art smarts - actually Simon corrects me here for jumping the gun - he was going to say: " ... and slim gallerinas" !! *
* as for the WHITNEY, he crashed that opening last week, using a well-known art world persona's name - who must have shown up - because Simon was chased down and bounced, on his way to the bar - before he even had a chance to see the show. Whitney security must have made note of his bright orange trucker cap !! Simon, come on. don't ya know enough by now, ya gotta change that cap, pronto - just like the NYC street dealers do. anyways he didn't even manage to score a drink - but, at least the booze was free. he thinks. he didn't make it that far. at this point he gets a little testy and says - "it wasn't even worth crashing" - and according to the buzz bubbling up from the art 'wise-guys' on the street, he's not the only one to come to that sad conclusion. take it from Simon - who's hit every Whitney Biennial opening since 1980 - and never been bounced before, I might add - a sure sign of the times - "it's all business, it's all about money now." *

* o.k. so, for myself I'd rather watch a great doc on ZORA NEALE HURSTON - the PBS produced - 'JUMP AT THE SUN' - which features truly heart-stopping, serious. historic clips & genuine insight into her world - shedding new light on her previously perceived as politically incorrect - 'pro-JIM CROW' stance and her HOO DOO - as in VOO DOO - initiation - which has been downplayed & kinda of glossed over in the past - while her more academic pursuits were trumpeted. most beautifully the PBS production includes - rare 'archaeological' footage - of her own taking, ZORA !! behind-the-camera - than spring for whatever ... that played-out Whitney Biennial ... is dishing, period. black & white over gray - any day. *

* MON MARCH 1: the Brucennial pretty much delivered, huge energy and tons of new takes & new names - in all mediums - well, at least at 350 WEST BROADWAY - think the 3-D stuff was the strongest outing . . . pix to post later this week - the opening was huge, fun, mostly young - and the beer flowed freely. in the meantime, check out their website: Brucennial - HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER !! *

* heard the SAT evening event at 350 was a wild wild par-tay !! - supposedly everybody had (small) bottles of whiskey tucked into their back pockets - or so the word went ... with lots of wild crazy dancing & celebrating !! - right on *

* VITO'S show - with BHQF - at 350 WEST BROADWAY - IS THE ONE EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT - & - APPARENTLY IT WILL RUN THRU APRIL - WITH PUBLIC VIEWING HRS. - TBA - on the 'Brucennial' - website . . . . THERE WILL BE A BIG PERFORMANCE EVENT/NIGHT - THERE, TOMORROW - ON THE SECOND FLOOR? - THIS SAT - FEB 27 - STARTING at 7pm. the guy who built that impossibly slim wooden cabin, over near the south west wall - is on the night's agenda. he is a really nice smart kid. he had a small mechanized miniature of the cabin - that could rove around on the floor - on it's own steam - so I guess, maybe - that might be worth checking out? the south west corner - is also where - you can find Lola's piece !! she sent a piece in from, where-e-e-ver she is in Italy & it is a beaut. no doubt about it. a baby-sized naked pink glass torso - with a line drawing across the top . . . loved how the organizers were cool enough to let the artists, or even their friends !! write their names under their work in pencil !! otherwise it was impossible to identify the work, and many times - you really did want to know: who did this ? / . . . . so, if - you want to skip the storm conditions in Manhattan - you can still - catch the show into the Spring. . . . also, when you are there - you should cross the street - over to ... SANCTUARY T . . . and have tea, and/or a very strong drink, too. if you don't want to take my word for it, that's o.k. - just ask Kate *
* and file this under: LES ENFANTS ARE ALL RIGHT/NYC STYLE *
* CONTACTS HELP - MAJOR COOLNESS COUNTS - CONTENT RULES *
* NEW YORK CITY RULES - FROM WHERE I COME FROM - KINGS OF LEON - 'USE SOMEONE' - rule the NORTHEAST RADIO WAVES, as does 'EMPIRE NEW YORK'. VAMPIRE WEEKEND is out of COLUMBIA, NYC. SWIZZ BEATZ is at openings. it's like the ex-pats moved on *
* and the hard-core moved in *

* o.k. o.k. read: LES ENFANTS ARE ALL RIGHT by CARL SWANSON, in this week's NEW YORK MAG/FEB 22-MAR 1/2010 *
* just, don't ask me what I think of Richard Hambleton - cause it ain't gonna be pretty. *

* * * -x-x-x- * * *

* TUES FEB 23: * I'm ok -with the Brucennial - but the RECESS ACTIVITIES - I dunno - put it this way - there is NO image - not a one - on their website - that knocks me out *
* check it out for yourself *
* . . . maybe I should go back and put up last year's - JORY RABINOVITZ/GEORGIA GRAY one-day-in-the-park show: 'I Ms. Grandpa' - as a COOPER UNION associated - (& much preferred) alternative !! *
* see: I Ms. Grandpa/poster images *
* just those 2 images alone - no hoopla -- super great !! *
* the 'fist' sculpture, and, the 'I Ms. Grandpa' - logo *
* I loved the show so much - I never posted the pix - ?? - that's a hard-core contrarian for ya !! - but PATRICK GRIFFIN did !! *
* see: I Ms. Grandpa/PATRICK GRIFFIN !! *