. . . about time for a musical interlude, say what !!
VOILA !! – COCOROSIE SINGS – WEREWOLF – !! – LIVE – !! – ON FRENCH TV – on YouTube !!
P.S. LEIF RITCHEY helped make those costumes !!
WATCH IT: COCOROSIE/WEREWOLF/YouTube !!
BIANCA RAPS ….
the FRENCH TV – set !!
OMG – the FRENCH commentator is so poised, so beautiful – she’s crossed the line into – scary, as in vampire !!
yes, SIERRA sings like the beautiful ‘otherworldly’ out of – “FIFTH ELEMENT”.
or as hungboys writes: “sierra sings like an angel and bianca is too fucking cool for school.” amen.
~COCOROSIE/LIVE ON FRENCH TV !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 16th, 2009, 6:11pm
all images courtesy/FACTORY FRESH
AD DEVILLE lays out his words, and I think they sell for $20 a pop, or word, & that is !! a most definite steal.
UP-DATE: . . . well maybe not, they aren’t signed.
and, the prices are more like $15 for smallest, then $30 and higher.
‘WORD UP’ – AD DEVILLE – ABOUT 100 CHOICE WORDS !!
silkscreened & then hand lined in a limited edition of about 10 each.
MARCH 28 – APRIL 18, 2009
FACTORY FRESH – 1053 FLUSHING – BUSHWICK – BROOKLYN
HRS: WED-SUN 1-7PM
and, definite check out AD’s website: When Dogs Fly !!
~SKEWVILLE/WORD UP/last call !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 16th, 2009, 5:46pm
IMAGE: KIM BECK, ‘Closed’.Courtesy of the artist.
didn’t mke this show – but the card, I mean digital email invite -sure rings true !!
DATA PANIC – CURATED BY AMANDA CHURCH & FRANKLIN EVANS
with: PEDRO BARBEITO, KIM BECK, JUSTEN LADDA, R FERNANDO MASTRANGELO, and PAUL THEK
MARCH 7 – APRIL 18, 2009
CUCHIFRITOS – inside the south end of THE ESSEX MARKET on the Lower East Side at 120 Essex St., between Rivington & Delancey.
HRS: TUES-SAT 12noon-5:30PM
~DATA PANIC/last call !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 16th, 2009, 5:39pm
LAST WEEK TO CATCH – VIRTUAL INSANITY !!
the card – for VIRTUAL INSANITY – a small group show curated by MAXWELL WILLIAMS – with MICHAEL BELL-SMITH, JOHN MICHAEL BOLING, OLAF BREUNING, KATHY GRAYSON, JAMES HOWARD, LUCKY DRAGONS, JILL MAGID & TIFFANY MALAKKOTI.
the show opened on MARCH 21 and runs – just thru this SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2009.
CINDERS GALLERY – 103 HAVEMEYER – WILLIAMSBURG – BROOKLYN.
HRS: WED-SUN 1-7PM
the show’s card – above – has got to be the best card for the year, so far !! dunno bout the show – it had a strange all-over feeling – maybe that was the point !! – but the card is a poppin’ classic !!
the show has scored 2 reviews.
check out: VIRTUAL INSANITY on FLAVORPILL !!
and, check out: VIRTUAL INSANITY on FADER !!
. . . we were !! at the OPENING – & – here’s the OPENING PIX !!
well, this was a strange enough show. it wasn’t like it was the most poppin’ show I’d ever seen, esp at Cinders. but maybe that was the counterintuitive point !!: virtual insanity is not dramatic – like a hand-made woodcut by CANNONBALL PRESS (aka MIKE HOUSTON & MARTIN MAZORRA) – or even the crazy screenprint world of BRIAN CHIPPENDALE – but more like – digital – blanket invasive. as in – too many emails !! hold the info. and please next time – pass on the OLAF BREUNING – he’s way too over-exposed !!
MICHAEL BELL-SMITH contributed a beautiful little loop projection, ‘Return to Forever’, 2009
Courtesy the artist and FOXY PRODUCTION.
MICHAEL BELL-SMITH, ‘Return to Forever;, 2009
HD video loop (edition of 3), Dimensions variable.
well, it was projected small – but dimensions are variable – so imagine it big. on the wall facing your bed !! forever.
would you ever need to go outside, again. well that’s a thought – that makes a beautiful digital thing: turn and go wrong.
of course that’s insane. or might make you insane. but if you weren’t captive on a spaceship – or almost as bad – an inner city housing complex with no patch of sky in sight – and could walk out a door anytime in the real world, and hopefully every now and then be witness to a real sunset – on water well, then it’s not so scary. but what can you really see from your window ?
and, when’s the last time you saw a sunset on water ?
KATHY GRAYSON, ‘Lava Life’, 2009. oil and acrylic on panel. 16 x 20 in.
Courtesy the artist and KIM LIGHT/LIGHTBOX, Los Angeles.
Kathy calls these . . . “self portraits of bad photo booth green screening” !!
WHAT !! green screening / gone wrong ? LOL. too many digital options !!
KATHY GRAYSON, ‘Lost’, 2009. oil and acrylic on panel. 16 x 20 in.
Courtesy the artist and KIM LIGHT/LIGHTBOX, Los Angeles.
KATHY GRAYSON, ‘Ray Man’, 2009. oil and acrylic on panel. 16 x 20 in.
Courtesy the artist and KIM LIGHT/LIGHTBOX, Los Angeles.
TIFFANY MALAKOOTI, Gmail (Self Portrait)’ 1 & 2.
most curious – to come around the virtual curve – simulated – digital – drawings.
TIFFANY MALAKOOTI, ‘Gmail (Self Portrait) 1’, 2009
Graphite on paper, 11 x 8.5 in.
Courtesy the collection of M. Ernest Williams
TIFFANY MALAKOOTI, ‘Gmail (Self Portrait) 2’, 2009
Graphite on paper, 11 x 8.5 in.
Courtesy the collection of M. Ernest Williams
JAMES HOWARD, ‘Neurotransmitter Warehouse (Yukiko Version)’, 2009
Print on paper (Edition of 3), 59.1 x 39.4 in.
Courtesy the artist
. . . seamless digital manipulation.
JAMES HOWARD, ‘Large Victory Game’, 2009
Print on paper (Edition of 3), 59.1 x 39.4 in.
Courtesy the artist
detail, James Howard, ‘Large Victory Game’.
LUCKY DRAGONS, ‘Peace on earth’, 2009
Customized electronics, software, Dimensions variable.
Courtesy the artist.
JOHN MICHAEL BOLING, ‘Twenty Years Ago Today’, 2007
Quicktime screen capture of website (Edition of 4)
Infinite loop, Courtesy the artist.
on the right, MAXWELL WILLIAMS – the show’s curator.
KATHY GRAYSON (right), with PATRICK GRIFFIN.
PATRICK GRIFFIN was wearing a g-r-e-a-t button.
center, snappin snaps – NICK KUSZYK !!
on the left, STO, and at the right, the curator of ‘VIRTUAL INSANITY’, MAXWELL WILLIAMS>
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~VIRTUAL INSANITY/last call !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 16th, 2009, 12:56pm
NATE LOWMAN & LEO FITZPATRICK, COLLECTIVE HARDWARE, LOWER EAST SIDE. MARCH 8, 2009
. . . we scored that photo of NATE & LEO, at COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – at a ‘little’ party ERIK FOSS threw to close SCOPE during ART FAIR WEEK. COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – 169 Broadway – is kind of a multi-service building – that aims to serve up art, music and film events. It’s kind of like a newborn deer trying to get up on its feet, some of it works, some of it’s wobbly, and some of its completely unknown – and … let’s see what happens !!
LEO FITZPATRICK – a West Orange, New Jersey native.
best known for his role as Telly, the main character in KIDS, but also – he was in the WIRE !!
see: LEO FITZATRICK/WIKIPEDIA
see: LARRY CLARK/ KIDS/Wikipedia
LEO FITZPATRICK – he is also a DJ and a good one, of which there is no doubt.
there is a funny Q&A with him on: aNYthing/HOCUS POCUS FOKUS/LEO FITZPATRICK
COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – the best spot in the house.
COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – artwork by PORK
COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – artwork by PORK
COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – aartwork by PORK
COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – wall mural by NECKFACE
STUART BRAUNSTEIN – the man behind COLLECTIVE HARDWARE.
for background, see: STUART BRAUNSTEIN/BLACKBOOK
photographer RONY RIVELLINI.
TATE STEINSIEK – special effects, monster builder – has a studio space/production shop at COLLECTIVE HARDWARE.
a shelf in the TATE STEINSIEK monster shop at COLLECTIVE HARDWARE.
HIROE works on a monster face.
MIRA BILLOTTE of WHITE MAGIC !! they were to perform a little later.
DOUG SHAW of WHITE MAGIC – checking equipment.
MIRA BILLOTTE of WHITE MAGIC – has star magic !! no doubt about it.
y-e-s !!, check out: WHITE MAGIC/on MySpace !!
MIRA BILLOTTE of WHITE MAGIC.
WHITE MAGIC’S – DOUG SHAW is a pretty talented guy, too.
yes, that is BiCYCLE FILM FESTIVAL FOUNDER/DIRECTOR – BRENDT BARBUR !!
this year BFF hits NYC – JUNE 17-21, 2009 !! WATCH OUT !!
for the latest, see: BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL !!
also at the COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – SCOPE CLOSING PARTY – LANCE E LOS REYES.
Lance had work in the recent ‘BETTER HISTORY’ group show at THE AMERICAN STANDARD GALLERY, that just ‘popped’ up on 10th Ave. in Chelsea.
artist ERIK FOSS, of LIT & FUSE – produced the party for COLLECTIVE HARDWARE.
with him – BRIAN DeGRAW, artist and musician (GANG GANG DANCE).
ERIK FOSS has a small painting studio – on the top floor of the COLLECTIVE HARDWARE.
new work, still in progress by ERIK FOSS.
ERIK collects, by buying them !! – cards from the homeless.
His recent work at SCOPE – was a huge American flag – fashioned from just such placards.
a sign of the times. if I ever did see one.
y-e-s, check it out: ERIK FOSS at SCOPE 2009 !!
ok. it was such a great piece – we are posting it again – ERIK FOSS – ‘HOMELESS AMERIKA’ !!
exhibited at SHOOTING GALLERY,SCOPE ART FAIR, MARCH 2009
PHOTO/COURTESY: ERIK FOSS
just as we leave – we catch ALEX ARCADIA – our fellow veteran of the late 90’s JOSH HARRIS/PSEUDO crew – he made the awesome ‘Meditation’ temple featured in the film – ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ – the ONDI TIMONER/Interloper Films bio on JOSH HARRIS – dot-com visionary and art party thrower non pareil – that had its NYC premiere at MOMA last weekend.
‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ won the Grand Jury award for Documentary at this year’s (2009) SUNDANCE.
JOSH HARRIS’ million dollar+ MILLENNIUM PARTY – the legendary ‘QUIET’ !! – (also in a 5 story warehouse downtown – with many widely ranging & diverse ‘underground’ artist/participants) was the ‘grandfather’ to this nascent ‘COLLECTIVE HARDWARE’ model – except for one really important detail, now missing, – and that was the man himself – JOSH HARRIS – his eye for raw talent – and his willingness to throw his dot-com mega bucks – and big-time – to fuel it !! well, in the face of the new Depression, in stark contrast to the dot-com circus days – you gotta hope COLLECTIVE HARDWARE – can help keep the faith !!
just down the street – MBW aka MR. BRAINWASH !!
NEVR LIE DOWN !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~COLLECTIVE HARDWARE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 16th, 2009, 10:58am
NATE LOWMAN, LEO FITZPATRICK, COLLECTIVE HARDWARE. LOWER EAST SIDE, MARCH 8, 2009
NATE LOWMAN, COLLECTIVE HARDWARE. MARCH 8, 2009
you may think its jaded – but NATE LOWMAN hit the nail on the head, way back in 2005 !!
with – this card for his NOVEMBER 2005 show at MACCARONE. not only was the message an early warning – civilization as we knew it – death threat come true – but it was one of the all-time ever, great NYC show invite cards. in fact – it wasn’t even technically a card – it was a super glossy decal sticker !! (7-1/2 x 3/3/4 in.)
see: the original post !!
of course, par for the course, right now – anyways – there was NO card as last month’s Nate Lowman outing !! cards are going the way of HUMMERS – and too friggin’ bad !! o.k. paper kills forests, and costs more money, in every kind of way – but still cards were nice souvenirs – I hope they aren’t dead dinosaurs altogether.
it wasn’t so long ago that galleries were competing – on who handed out the hardest biggest cards. ok. we’ll leave it there. connect your own dots !!
but you could get a low-fi xerox-type mass-quality paper – press release at the gallery desk. I guess that was fitting enough. (see next image.)
there’s great PIX of the installation on the: gallery website !!
left hand margin/PAST EXHIBITIONS.
NATE LOWMAN, ‘Nipton Road’, 2009. Alkyd on canvas, 66 x 46 in./IMAGE COURTESY: MACCARONE WEBSITE
some of the the canvases, the grave-yard headstone – TOMBSTONE !! – series – were carefully hand-painted to look like blown-up newspaper images – assuming a very low-fi (pixalated) technology profile, in fact – much like the cheaply printed gallery press release !!
alkyd paint, a form of industrial paint – seems to be very suited to be diluting, and here appears – looking just like – like black ink drips on the succulent canvas bed. in fact at first, I thought they were silkscreens.
the first thing that greets you, is Nate’s personal ‘logo’ – over-sized.
if RY ROCKLEN’s show was about ritualistic magic, homelessness & society in tatters – NATE LOWMAN’s was more like a crazy personal corporate society death wish. ok. don’t hate me, but kinda like HEATH LEDGER going out as the JOKER.
they felt like sculptures, but they were really paintings, painted on shaped canvas.
the one above was titled: ‘Thank you for’, these two are called: (left) ‘Thanks for nothing’ and, (right) ‘Rules Drools’.
you have to give Mr. Lowman credit – his titles are – just as drop dead smart as his paintings.
it was strange to see – how different the ‘logos’ looked – up-close. even though they were so seemingly simple graphics. or glyphs, really.
a classic abstract painting gone bad !! upside-down – it said: ‘BRING BACK MONICA LEWINSKY’.
you knew from that moment – you were in the presence of a bad boy / thinker.
NATE LOWMAN, ‘The Grass is always meaner’, 2006. Bumper sticker and latex on linen.
you know, like the pirates have their flag – the bad boys have theirs !!
what the hell – the show was completely off the wall – crazy and stupid – just like America.
in fact what I loved best about the show was – how much it was about: AMERICA.
NATE LOWMAN, ‘Lump Sum’, Alkyd on canvas. 84 x 125.5 in.
what was also cool – was how this part of the exhibit was pushed over to one side of the too-huge front space – all the happy faces cavorting and mirroring our wrecked havoc of a lifetime’s playground – and then the other series – the headstone/tombstone graveyard paintings were all flung out like rural tumbleweed in the too-huge back room. like the people in the cities all living close together, and the people in the country all flung out on rural roads – but, both dying.
portrait of a slice of American city . . . and commercialism, mass media gone wrong, duh.
NATE LOWMAN, ‘Pecker’, 2009. Alkyd, mixed media on canvas. 17.5 x 20 in.
if you don’t get the reference – you need to read the tabloids, media pages. can’t spoon feed you babies every little footnote.
this what the BOWERY really used to look like, before all the celebrity Japanese DJs and hip hop clubs took over. you could live in a storefront on Rivington – for zip – while the locals OD’d around ya. or the bums set small trash fires for fun. I know, cause I did. live there, not set fires !! till they bought me out.
fridge.
ok. the back room . . . . and I mean – back – as – in – backwoods – room.
the neon sign says: “SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT”.
NATE LOWMAN, ‘I shit you not’, 2009, neon sign, plastic box. 84 x 53 in.
crosses are so big this season. revise. JESUS is so big – this season. yo, its not me, being unsacred – what the hell. The NEW MUSEUM’s current show is titled: ‘THE GENERATIONAL: YOUNGER THAN JESUS’ – meaning only artists 33 or younger were allowed in the show. as if that weren’t bad enough – the NEW YORK TIMES review on the show was subtitled: ‘YOUNG ARTISTS, CAUGHT In THE ACT’ – as if, you know – caught in the act usually means – walking in on somebodies having illicit SEX !! what the hell.
I like Nate’s cross reference – so so so so much better. its a really stark – what the hell. all the more so since these steel crosses are actually straight off the back of – NYPD tow trucks !!
. . . A LITTLE ASIDE BACK to HOLLAND COTTER’S review of: ‘YOUNGER THAN JESUS’ (NY TIMES APRIL 10, 2009) – well the work struck me as wishy washy – what do I know – but loved how Mr. Cotter ended his article; “In any case, a generational challenge has already been taken up elsewhere. A small commercial gallery called BLT, on the Bowery across from the New Museum, has announced that its May exhibition will consist exclusively of artists born before 1927. Louise Bourgeois, Lucian Freud and Ellsworth Kelly will be among the participants. The show will be called ‘Wiser Than God.’ ” !!
of course, our good friends JOHN HODANY and LARS MONRAD VAAGE, of the artist/gallery collective, NATIONALMUSEUM, over in BERLIN, GERMANY – trumped all this arbitrary curating – months ago with their groundbreaking, and now eriely presentient show: ‘FUCK THE LITTLE MAN’ – also know as – the ‘TALL ARTIST SHOW’ !! where, it wasn’t age – but height – that got you in – or left you out !!
Curated by LARS MONRAD VAAGE and GEORGE BARBER, DECEMBER 2008. you had to stand 6 ft – to get in.
see: FUCK THE LITTLE MAN/opening
see: more background !!
“I’m a loser – so why don’t you kill me ” – Beck !!
NATE LOWMAN, ‘Loser’, 2009. Alkyd on canvas. 40 x 30 in.
. . . is this ‘Gallow’s humor’ ?
it’s so – DEATH WISH !!
it’s so COWBOY !! it’s so AMERICANA !! in fact, we’re gonna start calling him – ‘TOMBSTONE’ Nate !!
L-O-S-E-R – !! – love it !!
seems everyone around me is a loser, or else losing their jobs, late in their rent, moving to New Mexico where whole houses only cost $450 a month. people here are rolling their own cigarettes, and counting their subway money like never before. it just used to be mad money, loose change. not anymore. now its like $10 bucks – before you even turn around. its like: go to Brooklyn, or eat. I choose: eat !! and everybody’s a joker.
HELLO !! ENDLESS LOVE CREW – ENDLESS LOVE – I GUESS, NOT !!
.
LOSERS UNITE !! we need a LOSERS – UNION !! JOKE, NOT ME!!
homeless encampments are creeping up everywhere. unlike California, no tents here – that’s West Coast middle class homelessness – ours just down and out in cardboard boxes, and in piles of rags and old dirty clothes.
and the locals ? they’re socking you in the face & running off with your cellphone. cellphones & iPods – the flavor flav crime of the city streets.
its one or the other – if you have a job – you’re facing losing your hard-earned iPod / if you don’t have a job you’re facing losing your home. no doubt about it. its pretty much a generational thing too – wow – just like the NEW MUSEUM !! cause everyone wants $10/hr entry level kids taking over the jobs. even in the art world. case in point – PACE GALLERY – is rumored – well, more than rumored – to have let go all of their long time art handlers, some of whom have been there for years – to let a new lower-paid bunch jump the gate. sad but true, even the lowly art handlers, a traditional survival slot for young artists in this city – have to watch their backs. in this trickle down economy. even the printers, who used to print those glorious art cards of not so long ago – must be going belly-up. where are all these people going to go / not everyone can fit into New Mexico !!
detail, NATE LOWMAN – ‘LOSER’.
. . . Tombstone – Americana, or what !!
detail, NATE LOWMAN – ‘LOSER’ .
. . . Americana, or what !! fading away.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH – MARCH 21, 2009
FROM THE ARTLOVERS’ HOMEPAGE: WEEK OF APRIL 13-19, 2009 !!
* well, thinkin’ bout the RY ROCKLEN SHOW – got me thinking bout he recent NATE LOWMAN show. It was up at MACCARONE – and it just came down to make way for a VITO SCHNABEL PRODUCTION – see: MACCARONE *
* there aren’t any images from that new installation – up on the gallery website, yet – but here is an interesting link to a great photo of VITO SCHNABEL – “at home” !! *
VITO SCHNABEL at his home in the West Village, NYC. artworks by RON GORCHOV.
PHOTO BY: AEUICHI CHULKIN/THE NEW YORK SUN
(p.s. I like the GORCHOV pieces – they look great, here.)
* but the projected gallery spaces spoken of in the article by ERICA ORDEN (APRIL 30, 2008) – posted almost a year ago – to the day – don’t seem to have materialized. perhaps in a wiser move, considering the times – the young Mr. Schnabel looks to be working out deals to present his shows in already established venues. as for his current project – artist VAHAKN ARSLANIAN – here is the best link ? – out there on the web, for now *
* can’t say the title of this VITO SCHNABEL PRESENTATION at MACCARONE really rocks – it’s way too played out, and never mind CAPT. SULLY SULLENBERGER, what’s with JESUS !! – this month ? the only image available looks or falls a littel flat, too. sorry – but, that’s just the truth. I dunno, maybe it would look better in a grander setting, like the “at home” one, above ? *
* if I wanted – found art – from discarded windows, but esp cardboard – I’d much rather spring for local homeboy – CONRAD CARLSON !! see: SECRET ROBOT PAR-TAY – scroll down !! *
ARTWORK on FOUND MATERIAL – by CARL CARLSON – SECRET ROBOT/BROOKLYN. OCT 11, 2008
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
* so, that brings the circle back round to NATE LOWMAN – whose recent MACCARONE SHOW – really – !! – was a r-e-a-l-l-y
great show. it definitely withstands a serious look-back. not only was it on par with RY ROCKLEN’S recent NYC debut, but it had a great title, too: ‘A Dog From Every County’ !!
see: installation shots/gallery website/PAST EXHIBITIONS/RIGHT HAND MARGIN !! *
one of the coolest animated graphics around – HOKUS POKUS FOKUS on aNYthing’s GLOB !! – (scroll down GLOB – til you find one) – not to mention underground-type questions – the kind, that really matter !!
* as for LEO FITZPATRICK – who really is a good DJ – aNYthing posted a sweet little Q&A with him – a little bit – back in MARCH of this year !! in their HOCUS POKUS FOKUS column !! *
* in fact – aNYthing’s GLOB – is on a roll !! *
* check out the latest – HOCUS POCUS FOKUS: it’s Q&A time with AGATHE SNOW !! *
* and, if you have a (really) strong stomach – don’t miss their take on:
the recent TERENCE KOH after-party – which they charmingly title – ‘THE SWEET SMELL Of SUCCESS’ !! *
~NATE LOWMAN/A Dog From Every County |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 15th, 2009, 10:47pm
RY ROCKLEN – ‘Good Heavens’
MARCH 5 – APRIL 11, 2009
MARC JANCOU – GREAT JONES ALLEY – EAST VILLAGE (sort of ….) – NYC
see: PIX from the gallery website/RY ROCKLEN/Good Heavens
ok. so this is one a-m-a-z-i-n-g show. just because it is so solid and so transient !! all at the same time.
it’s the visual equivalent of the “thwack” when a baseball batter hits the ball – solid – and it soars out through the field – as in – HOME RUN !!
it’s obvious from the image above – that LA-based RY ROCKLEN not only caught the tattered vibe of these newly distressed times – but dished it back out – in appropriately low-fi materials – in an elegant chant of: connect to the beauty in the sparseness of the moment – a focused creative voice can prevail – and magic will always sing – even if its – only the sound of a wooden flute and a rolled-up futon. not that easy to do – esp when the work is showcased in such an over-the-top Faberge Egg of a gallery setting. the fact that they kept the exhibit sparse and presented the small assortment of works – with quiet grace – among a pristine setting of pure white walls and high ceilings – and, left the work alone – to work its magic – was key.
didn’t always like Ry Rocklen’s work. see: gallery archives.
it seemed too needy, and too obvious. too pointy. for collectors it was way – too high maintenance !!
but, when I first the image of his metal ‘mattress/box spring’ formally titled: ‘Refuge’, 2007 – at ELEANOR CAYRE’S ‘STATION’ exhibit this past December 2008 in Miami – I jumped. whoa – RY ROCKLEN – had connected, formally and visually – & – was calling the shots – flat out, and down solid. he had connected on all levels. GOOD HEAVENS !!
see: FIRST POST/THE STATION !!
see: THE STATION/OPENING PIX !!
RY ROCKLEN, ‘10,000 YEAR WAIT’, 2005. Styrofoam, wine glasses and water.
IMAGE COURTESY: MARC JANCOU ARCHIVES
RY ROCKLEN – ‘REFUGE’. 2007. Box spring, screen, thread, nails.
IMAGE/COURTESY: THE STATION – AN ELEANOR CAYRE PROJECT
can’t begin, to tell ya – how much I dig this piece. it’s just – so much of a gut feeling.
its like it caught the exact moment when large monumental art – crossed over into the recession blues !!
RY ROCKLEN – ‘on the fourth day’, 2009. mattress, aqua resin, tiles, grout.
in this current show, the garbage dump mattress of the old-timer homeless – has become the rolled-up futon of the newly de-minted wave of depression-stricken – formerly middle class shelter seekers. no joke intended. I’m this close to being on the street myself. the irony is that it can ring so true in the upper class & collector friendly setting. I’d say that was Ry’s doing.
RY ROCKLEN – detail, ‘on the fourth day’.
yo, of course the magic lies in the ordinary mosaic hobby tiles. the way they make the futon hard. the way the palette is limited. the way the chosen few – iridescent pieces – twinkle amidst the dreary reality, and the concrete paste. the low-fi durability and ingenuity. the cool factor. as in tactile. as in concept.
RY ROCKLEN – detail, ‘LUCKY PENNY TILES’, 2009. pennies on plaster tile. each 17 x 17 x 17 in.
say, what !! the streets of America are paved with gold ?!!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH – unless otherwise noted.
RY ROCKLEN at the THE STATION, MIAMI OPENING. DEC 2, 2008 – MIAMI ART FAIR WEEKEND.
PHOTO COURTESY: THE STATION/PHOTO BY CLINT SPAULDING/NICK HUNT/PatrickMcMullan.com
~RY ROCKLEN/GOOD HEAVENS !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 9th, 2009, 8:50am
MOMOYO TORIMITSU – NEW WORKS – OPENED A FEW SATURDAYS AGO/MARCH 28, 2009
the show runs MARCH 28 – MAY 16, 2009
JANE KIM/THRUST PROJECTS – 114 BOWERY – 3rd FL – BET GRAND & HESTER – LOWER EAST SIDE
HOURS: WED-SUN 12-6PM
. . . “scattered across the gallery floor are 80 resin small sculptures imitating melted chocolate
Easter bunnies” !!
the gallery now has a slide show of the installation – running on their homepage – its a sight to be seen !!
see: MOMOYO TORIMITSU – ‘CHOCOLATE’ BUNNIES !!
One of the “most prominent artists to come out of Japan in the late 90’s, TORIMITSU creates sculptures, installations, videos and photographs that force the viewer to reconsider the effect of capitalism in daily life, the hypocritical imagery of corporate culture; the media stereotypes of happiness, cuteness, and smiling; and the global obsession with consumerism.” – press release
Currently New York City based, MOMOYO TORIMITSU came to NYC, from Japan, in 1997 – with what is probably, her most famous project – ‘MIYATA JIRO’ – a mechanical life-size and very life-like crawling Japanese businessman. Her show, ‘Inside Track’ (2004) at DEITCH PROJECTS, “pitted three (international) businessmen robots in a global death match.”
Asian Businessman by MOMOYO TORIMITSU at DEITCH PROJECTS, JAN 10-FEB 7, 2004
polyester resin, motor, business suit
see: polyester resin/wikipedia !!
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH/artnet/winter 2004
MOMOYO TORIMITSU/INSTALLATION SHOT/ ‘INSIDE TRACK’/DEITCH PROJECTS/2004
PHOTO COURTESY: DEITCH PROJECTS
see: more photos/DEITCH ARCHIVES !!
MOMOYO TORIMITSU at the exhibit:
‘Making A Home: Japanese Contemporary Artists in New York’ – curated by ERIC C. SHINER
Oct 5 – Jan 13, 2007
Japan Society Gallery, NYC
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH/artloversnewyork/Oct 4, 2007
see: MOMOYO TORIMITSU/MAKING A HOME/JAPAN SOCIETY !!
~MOMOYO TORIMITSU/SHOUT OUT TO EASTER !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 8th, 2009, 10:32pm
. . . surprise, surprise, NOT !!
there are a lot of local artists in – JERSEY CITY !!!
a few of them are exhibiting their work in the windows of that big ‘hi-rise’ residential building, called GROVE POINTE – at the corner of MARIN & GROVE Streets in downtown Jersey City.
the exhibit is called: ‘Art @ Grove Pointe’, and is curated by ERIC SOPHIE.
DIANE FLEMING, ERIC SOPHIE, and BOJANA COKLYAT – outside GROVE POINTE.
ERIC SOPHIE, aka LEGOMASTER, curates the project, which is centered on local Jersey City artists.
close-up !!
DIANE FLEMING, ERIC SOPHIE, and BOJANA COKLYAT !!
a figure built entirely of legos, by ERIC SOPHIE aka LEGOMASTER.
. . . a kind of futuristic ‘headquarters’ !!
‘Mech Bay 12’ – by ERIC SOPHIE – aka LEGOMASTER.
(note: the photos were taken at night, and through glass windows – so there is a lot of ambient reflections.)
so, luckily some of the artists were able to send us some ‘studio’ jpegs !!
‘Mech Bay 12’ – ERIC SOPHIE. installed in the Grove Pointe window.
PHOTO COURTESY: ERIC SOPHIE
‘Mech Bay 12’ – ERIC SOPHIE.
PHOTO COURTESY: ERIC SOPHIE
‘Mech Bay 13’ – by ERIC SOPHIE.
PHOTO COURTESY: ERIC SOPHIE
you can check out more of ERIC SOPHIE’s lego work on his: LEGOMASTER/myspace page !!
painted, more likely stained !! – wood carving by PETER ROSZKOWIAK
PHOTO COURTESY: THE ARTIST
DOMINIQUE MANGUAL – ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
DIANE FLEMING – beside her ‘window’.
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS – DIANE LOMBARDI FLEMING
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS – DIANE LOMBARDI FLEMING
Diane’s painting in the Grove Pointe window,
DIANE LOMBARDI FLEMING – ACRYLIC ON CANVAS.
DIANE LOMBARDI FLEMING – STUDIO JPEG – ACRYLIC ON CANVAS.
PHOTO COURTESY: THE ARTIST
going to look at RULER’S work …. who, I believe is also a tattoo artist.
LARGE AIRBRUSH PAINTING/MURAL – BY RULER – at GROVE POINTE.
detail, RULER.
detail, RULER.
detail, RULER – ART @ GROVE POINTE.
BOJANA COKLYAT – ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, GROVE POINTE WINDOW.
BOJANA COKLYAT
BOJANA COKLYAT – STUDIO JPEG – ACRYLIC ON CANVAS.
PHOTO COURTESY: THE ARTIST
ELAINE JAMES – OIL ON CANVAS.
ELAINE JAMES – OIL ON CANVAS.
we catch ERIC SOPHIE – the show’s curator – at work !!
and, take the opportunity, to slip behind the window curtain – and get some pix of his detailed ‘lego’ work,
from the inside !!
LEGO FIGURE – by ERIC SOPHIE aka LEGOMASTER.
ARTWORK – by ERIC SOPHIE aka LEGOMASTER.
detail, LEGO ARTWORK – by ERIC SOPHIE.
LEGO figure from the back – ERIC SOPHIE aka LEGOMASTER.
the exhibit windows at GROVE POINTE, JERSEY CITY – corner of Marin & Grove St.
PHOTO COURTESY: ERIC SOPHIE
the ‘ART @ GROVE POINTE’ – POSTER.
on the same night – a small exhibit, also of local Jersey City artists – was opening
at the downtown JERSEY CITY HALL. DIANE FLEMING, here with her camera !! was our guide.
BOJANA COKLYAT also had work in this show.
BOJANA with one of her paintings – in the show, which was called: ‘WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH GROUP EXHIBITION’. JERSEY CITY HALL, NEW JERSEY. The exhibit was organized by BRIAN LOUGHLIN, and ran MARCH 4-31, 2009.
painting – by BONNIE GLORIS – ‘WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH’ EXHIBIT. JERSEY CITY HALL.
also – by BONNIE GLORIS.
PAINTING – by GERALD GLOVER – ‘WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH’, JERSEY CITY HALL.
painting – by CHEESE. PORTRAIT OF JOAN MOORE.
‘WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH GROUP EXHIBITION’ .ORGANIZED BY BRIAN LOUGHLIN. JERSEY CITY HALL.
NEW JERSEY.
ALL PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH – UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY. MARCH 11, 2009
~SHOUT OUT TO JERSEY !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 8th, 2009, 1:08pm
. . . after Luke’s opening, while walking through Chinatown and Tribeca, … happened to cross paths with:
AMY GARTRELL,
musician/artist GAVIN R. RUSSOM, most recently based in BERLIN, and …
DASH SNOW !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH. NYC. APRIL 2, 2009
~AMY GARTREL/GAVIN R RUSSOM/DASH SNOW |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 8th, 2009, 1:03pm
