~STEFAN SAGMEISTER/BANANA WALL

Banana # 1
STEFAN SAGMEISTER, ‘Self-Confidence Produces Fine Results’, Banana Wall, 10,000 bananas and glue, dimensions variable, ‘THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE SO FAR’, DEITCH PROJECTS, 76 GRAND ST., January 31-February 23, 2008/PHOTO COURTESY: DEITCH PROJECTS

. . . and no, you don’t want this particular piece, no matter how gorgeous, initially – in your home – because, yes! those are real bananas, and yes, they will rot.

in fact, you better go see this piece right away – before it completely turns black and turns to ooze. The optimum time to have seen it – was at the opening. It was beautiful, no doubt about it – the contrast between the already yellow bananas, and the not-ripe-yet, green ones, spelled out – this (to-be fleeting) message: ‘SELF-CONFIDENCE PRODUCES FINE RESULTS’. it looked like a huge patchwork quilt – with the 3-D curved forms of the bananas – (in short spanned vertical rows of oppositely waving/undulating rhythms!) adding to the sense of a 3-D quilt-like object – and the simple border pattern of repeating ‘stars’ – embellishing the illusion – on the perfectly proportioned wall. Even then, because of the sheer scale of the ‘design‘ – one could only really decipher the words – from a distance – further away on the other side of the room, or even better, from the vantage point – in one’s digital camera screen.

Only 5 days later, when we returned to see if those were really bananas, or hi-end fakes .. indeed the message was gone, all the bananas having already turned a uniform yellow, and some ominously gaining in black.

did we say, here was an aggressive artist – as well as an ambitiously profound one ?
it was the 4th element – shock – back in play. seemingly like the ‘black truffles’ got to be in a hi-end restaurant menu – the shock element – gotta be in the high end art !!

ok. the formaldehyde DAMIEN HIRSTS were exciting (the first time around), (we’re not about to go all the way back thru art history to DuCHAMP!). URS FISCHER’s excavated pit was really and truly thrilling, and dangerous – no matter what anybody says. and if you managed to avoid being thrown into social ostracism as a pervert – for giving your niece a PATRICK McCARTHY CHOCOLATE SANTA – it was one big joke.

but personally I’m drawing the line at a hot room full of rotting bananas. no matter how much I want to see the rest of the work in the room. well, since I’ve seen it twice now, no big deal for me. I can’t stand the smell of one barely over-ripe banana in my kitchen for more than 24 hrs. better go see the show – QUICK !! and then one last time, the last day of the show – just out of sheer morbid curiosity. who cares what it really means – symbolically – the world’s decline isn’t going to be stopped by a few recycling posters – oops! – I guess that means I do really care what it means !! better enjoy the luxury of man made beauty – while you can. all organic things die in their time – one of the lessons SAGMEISTER has learned in his lifetime so far, that he is passing on ?

bananas # 1
STEFAN SAGMEISTER, THE BANANA WALL – AT THE OPENING – JAN 31, 2008

bananas # 3
STEFAN SAGMEISTER, THE BANANA WALL – AT THE OPENING – JAN 31, 2008
(loved this shot – cause it almost spelled out – QUILTS !!)

bananas # 4
STEFAN SAGMEISTER, THE BANANA WALL – AT THE OPENING – JAN 31, 2008

bananas # 2
STEFAN SAGMEISTER, THE BANANA WALL – AT THE OPENING – JAN 31, 2008

bananas # 5
5 DAYS LATER, STEFAN SAGMEISTER, THE BANANA WALL, FEB 7, 2008

bananas # 6
5 DAYS LATER, STEFAN SAGMEISTER, THE BANANA WALL, FEB 7, 2008

ABOVE 6 PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

DEITCH PROJECTS




~STEFAN SAGMEISTER/DEITCH

Stefan-poster

Stefan   1

Stefan # 3

STEFAN SAGMEISTER AT THE OPENING, JAN 31, 2008
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH/artloversnewyork

STEFAN SAGMEISTER – ‘THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE SO FAR’
JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 23, 2008
DEITCH PROJECTS – 76 GRAND ST – SOHO – NYC

HOTTEST SHOW IN THE CITY – !! this week, anyways !!

DEFINITELY THE BIGGEST, BEST & MOST AMBITIOUS SHOW HAPPENING IN THE CITY – & – PROBABLY, ON IN – THRU SPRING. OUR YOUNG GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDENT FRIENDS AT SVA – TURNED US ONTO THIS – SAGMEISTER – ? – WHO IS SAGMEISTER – BUT IF YOU THINK THIS IS JUST A SHOW BY A GRAPHIC DESIGNER FOR OTHER GRAPHIC DESIGNERS – BETTER WAKE UP – BEFORE THE WORLD PASSES YOU BY.

MORE TO POST: MONDAY FEB 4TH
1. THE BANANA WALL
2. STEFAN SAGMEISTER – INTRO + LINKS
3. BOB GILL & MASSIMO VIGNELLI – DESIGN LEGENDS – at the opening.

EARLY WORD:
MAKE SURE TO GET A POSTER – WHILE DEITCH STILL HAS SOME TO GIVE OUT.
it’s hard to tell from the jpeg, above – but the typeface is – slightly raised – and is a divinely – reflective – liquid silver – a production value – best explained as: kind of MARIKO MORI meets JEFF KOONS – but then completely takes off into a spin and reach, (intelligence, depth, sheer beauty, and … sense of fun) – all its own – SAGMEISTER !! – if this isn’t art, then look out – graphic design is about to rule. from the recent renaissance of handmade silkscreen band posters shown in Brooklyn, to the high production big stakes game – in Soho – the walls are coming down.

did I say the show casts a spell. you’re always caught wondering too. its not so obvious, as it might seem, from those huge inflatables – deciphering the messages in the text pieces – is akin to catching glimpses of stones skipping patterns across the water surface of a pond. This is graphics with a 4th dimension. And, although there are some actual physically interactive pieces – a wall where the gallery goer can scribble into small notebook pages – the plastic characteristics of all the work is – visually, and mentally interactive.

. . . and since I’ve invoked MARIKO MORI – the big difference is that while both are masters of surface design – this work is definitely more about engaging the viewer; and in real time, real world scenarios, not the cosmic or ritual. Whereas – KOONS better watch his back – his last shows seem way played-out – compared to this.
what can I say – just being honest – the show’s got juice – and is probably going to be collectively acknowledged as the most important show of the season. If not, all those other writers – they’re just asleep at the wheel.

Stefan # 4
STEFAN SAGMEISTER AT THE OPENING OF: ‘THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE SO FAR’,
DEITCH PROJECTS, JAN 31, 2008

SAGMEISTER # 1
STEFAN SAGMEISTER – the interactive wall

SAGMEISTER  #2
STEFAN SAGMEISTER – the interactive wall

SAGMEISTER # 3
STEFAN SAGMEISTER – the interactive wall

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

SEE: MORE PHOTOS FROM THE OPENING !!

DEITCH PROJECTS




~KELIE BOWMAN/TINLARK/L.A.

Tin Lark

KELIE BOWMAN, a co-founder of CINDERS GALLERY, has work in a ‘sweet’ little group
show down in L.A. – at the:

‘TIME FLIES’ – FIRST ANNIVERSARY GROUP SHOW
JANUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 23, 2008
TINLARK GALLERY – 6671 SUNSET BOULEVARD – L.A. – CALIFORNIA

the website doesn’t have too much info on the show – but the graphics are light hearted.

TINLARK GALLERY




~LAST WEEKEND TO CATCH ‘HUMAN HAIR’ at CINDERS

humanhair

VERY LAST CHANCE !! TO CATCH – A WONDERFUL LITTLE SHOW !! – UP THRU SUNDAY – FEB 3, 2008 !!
‘HUMAN HAIR’ – A COLLABORATIVE ART SHOW – BY NEIL BURKE & SAM McPHEETERS
CINDERS GALLERY – 103 HAVEMEYER – BETWN HOPE + GRAND – WILLIAMSBURG – NY
GALLERY HOURS: SAT + SUN 12-7PM (M-F 2-8PM)

CHECK OUT: PREVIOUS POST: ‘HUMAN HAIR’ – NEIL BURKE & SAM McPHEETERS

A SMALL SELECTION OF: PHOTOS FROM THE OPENING: SAT JAN 5TH, 2008

Human # 1- Neil Burke
NEIL BURKE, with his work behind him.
(SAM McPHEETERS was back on the WEST COAST and couldn’t make it.)

Human # 2
NEIL BURKE. ‘Arm’, silkscreen, edition of 19, ($125)

human # 3
detail, NEIL BURKE, ‘Arm’, silkscreen

Human # 4 xx
guests at the opening, enjoy: SAM McPHEETERS, ‘Life is totally about losing everything’, Giclee print, edition of 10, ($200)

human # 6
detail, SAM McPHEETERS, ‘Life is totally about losing everything’

Human # 6
SAM McPHEETERS, ‘SNACKS’, oversize Xerox, edition of 2, ($40)

human # 7
NEIL BURKE & SAM McPHEETERS, ‘MEN’S RECOVERY PROJECT / PORTUGAL TOUR’ POSTER, Giclee, edition of 10 ($200)
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

see more photos of the work: CINDERS website !!




~HEATH LEDGER/GRASS ROOTS MEMORIAL/SOHO

. . . HEATH LEDGER FOUND DEAD – IN NEW YORK – TUES – JAN 22, 2008.

. . . one bit of information – gleaned from the many local newspaper reports: HEATH was into skateboarding the streets, especially of BROOKLYN – incognito/grunged out – and apparently, according to one newspaper account – he had a skateboard collection, and not much else – in his $24,000/month Soho apartment.
He was only 28, and, from AUSTRALIA, as everybody knows, and, a makeshift memorial is growing outside his BROOME ST. loft apt – as fans lay flowers and candles.

. . . so, talking about SKATERS, while we were in the CANAL CHAPTER nabe, on the outer fringes of Soho – we decided to check out, that GRASSROOTS MEMORIAL – albeit almost a week later. It was actually pretty quiet. Apparently just that day, Sunday Jan 27, 2008, a storekeeper across the street, told us that the entire memorial had been swept up and taken away. I guess they want to discourage strangers congregating in the tony neighborhood. but in the short time it took to walk back to the site, the beginnings of new makeshift memorial had re-emerged on the street.

Hearth # 1
his loft building is right next door to the NANETTE LEPORE boutique . . .

heath # 2
whose upbeat, Spring presentation of brightly colored handmade bird houses – made of ethereal paper tissue – somehow, now struck a sad note – on the fragility of life; and the small moments of beauty, it’s easy to take for granted.

Heath # 3
a local told us the names of the apt dwellers had been covered with blank cards, since the building became the object of unwanted attention. well that’s an obvious move for the high rent tenants.

Heath # 4
and a rather stylish and poetic – tie-dye textile – now covers the glass of the doorway.

Heath # 5
fans come to pay their respects and give voice to their grief – the memorial grows again, Sunday night, Jan 27, 2008 – 5 days later.

Heath # 6
those teeny tiny bits of colored paper on the street – are not confetti – they are hundreds of tiny hand folded Japanese paper origami cranes !!

Heath # 8
the paper cranes were about the size of a Dime – the smallest American coin.

Heath # 9
a handwritten, heartfelt message from the TELEBOARD community

Heath # 10 A
fans left handwritten signs – with very personal outpourings

Heath # 11
some were almost scary to read – the expressions of loss were so powerful

Heath # 12
people, especially young people – would just drive up in cars, often driven by their parents, and pop out – to have their picture taken – next to the site.

Heath # 14
instead of looking upon this as macabre – I think its really beautiful – that, in this bubble culture of ours – so many could recognize his talent – and feel the need to express their grief, in a tangible manner. It’s hard to look back at all his films and realize he was only 28.

Heath # 15
by this week, THURSDAY, JAN 31,2008 – one bouquet had been freshly placed at the doorstep. that had obviously just been cleared. guess they are serious about discouraging a big makeshift display.

Heath # 13
though the police ‘crowd control’ steel barricades remain on the street – and, along with the street’s green growth planters – seem to comprise – an eerie ‘minimalist’ memorial all on their own . .
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH




~UP-DATE: LARRY CLARK/KEN PARK/CANAL CHAPTER

Ken Park # 1
FRAME FROM LARRY CLARK/’KEN PARK’ (2002)/CANAL CHAPTER SCREENING

Ken # 2
TIFFANY LIMOS in LARRY CLARK’S ‘KEN PARK’ (2002)/CANAL CHAPTER SCREENING

JUST FOR THE RECORD – the opening film credits do state: DIRECTED BY LARRY CLARK & ED LACHMAN.

In my humble opinion, no offense to Larry, and he probably agrees – this movie is probably the worst movie I’ve ever seen. It should be placed into the hole in which it dug itself, and hopefully, never see the light of day, again. buried.

APPARENTLY, that basically is its current status – supposedly, it has never been released in the USA, and our friends at CANAL CHAPTER only got their hands on a copy of it – on their recent art tour/promotional junket in, where else – CHINA !!

They told us that – Larry said it wasn’t shown here, because of quote “some problems with rights to the music” !!

MORE LIKE some problems with explicit sex scenes involving minors – that were not only real time real play, and, keyed into twisted-out scenarios; they were truly pornographic in the way they let you know – this action was for real.

The worst example probably being the skinny young kid who has to live with his grandparents – ok, so we all know that scenario is depressing, even if the grandparents are kind of sweet – and harmless. It kind of starts off with the funniest line in the entire movie – he calls his 3-legged dog – “Legs !!” – as in, “shut up Legs, I’m working” – but continues downhill into his explicit auto-erotic self-strangulation, including a gooey, pathetic ‘cum’ shot – (everybody in the room – went – UUGHH, L-A-R-R-Y !!) – and then he gets up and stabs both grandparents to death while they are asleep in bed. (don’t attempt to do this at home – kids). The rest of the movie isn’t much better. the problem is – it’s presented as a documentary – when it really might have had a better chance as an over-the-top SOUTH PARK episode.

Some of the audience spoke up for the film – maintaining that they knew ‘skaters’ who came from these awful kind of backgrounds, (mostly drunk moron dads, and stupid nympho moms of girlfriends, whatever) and that, these stories needed to be told. ok. but then you want your story told in a compelling film – with real grit and merit – not one that is worse than laughable; and can never see the light of day, even if it were to have captured the kind of spark – Larry can capture with a still frame camera.

In fact the only, and I mean onlymoments of inspiration, in the entire film – were the almost throw-away shots of young kids, and I mean the real little ones, under 10, gravely and gracefully, flitting by, as if they were a nation of wheeled board butterflies – up and down the parks and streets.

ok. it was kind of interesting to view it, as a kind of what-went-wrong-in Larry’s world. On the one hand – it did (like a rock falling) address the thinking that Larry probably traveled, you see these young pre-teen kids so lithe and carefree zooming around on their boards – and then puberty – hits. Sexuality and sex organs land full-strength, full-grown on young skinny (not fully grown) bodies – ill-equipped physically, and emotionally to handle these desperate urges. (if you’ve ever had a male puppy – seeing this movie will make you wonder why we just don’t castrate children and take them out of their misery, too. just joking !!)

On the other hand – it definitely crossed the line of creative expression, and sexually exploits its young actors. The movie itself – leaves is no factual doubt of that. Larry was already facing these issues from the community with ‘Kids’ (1995). But compared to this movie – ‘KIDS’ – was, and is, a masterpiece. You can see ‘KIDS’ in museum screenings, albeit with adult content warnings. The thing is with ‘KIDS’ – it all (cinematically) flew and (the storyline) flowed. The sex scenes were relatively healthy ones among like-minded teens. and they were discrete enough, that they left you, and pretty much – a whole generation – wondering if they were real or staged. Though you pretty much guessed when Chloe Sevigny raised her legs straight up in the air – that it was, pretty much for real, and not staged.
And just look where Chloe Sevigny is today – starring in ‘BIG LOVE’ – on TV, and decked out in full-on movie star regalia on glossy magazine covers, whereas Tiffany Limos (to our best knowledge) just sort of meanders through photo-ops with Larry – sullen and unhappy looking, with not much to say, actually with nothing to say.

Maybe its just a matter of personality – Chloe having (also) managed to escape unscathed from her explicit, and supposedly exploitive sex scene with Vincent Gallo, in his ‘Brown Bunny’ (2003).

Come to think of it, though, as unwatchable as ‘Ken Park’ is – at least it tried to say something – ‘BIG LOVE’ – is just as unwatchable – but it masquerades as ‘wholesome’ entertainment – on prime time TV – which might be saying something even worse about our culture – than ‘Ken Park’ ever did.

Ken # 3
VICTOR TIMOFEEV, who oversees SUNDAY MOVIE NIGHT at CANAL CHAPTER, and who cooks most of the food. He says the interview & photo of him, posted below, are from 5 years ago – its nice to see a young artist/thinker – evolve and grow.

Ken # 4
screening/dinner guest ANGEL CLOUTIER, with artist and CANAL CHAPTER CO-FOUNDER, (MIKE) MIKHAIL SOKOVIKOV

Ken # 5
artist and CANAL CHAPTER CO-FOUNDER, JASON WALL, in serious conversation at the communal dinner table.

Ken # 6
JASON WALL at the table. the work behind him, the life-size cut-out, is by ADAM KRUEGER. and is part of the art exhibit currently up at CANAL CHAPTER – ADAM KRUEGER and RON BEACH – ‘BETTER THAN ME’.

ken # 7
ANGEL CLOUTIER brings ADAM KRUEGER’S cut-out sculpture – to life !!

Ken # 8
from left: ADAM KRUEGER and RON BEACH. what’s sort of interesting about their friendship and collaboration – is that they are kind of yin and yang. Adam went through the school system, undergraduate study at RISDI and Graduate degree from SVA (School of Visual Arts) & (yes, Jerry Saltz was one of his teachers.) While Ron just came to painting recently, in the past few years, though he did take as few photography classes at SVA – that’s how they met. This divergence of route: school vs. streets might be more an indication of their individual father’s income – more than anything else, as they are both very passionate and proliferate in their artistic output. But while Adam Krueger is a natural realist, RON BEACH is a natural expressionist.
and ,. . . about that cut-out – Adam – is that a self-portrait, in your dreams, or what ?
well, no matter, its good.

ken # 9
a collaboration: ADAM KRUGER did the scientist, RON BEACH did the rest – it was painted over the CANAL CHAPTER elevator door.

Ken   15
RON BEACH painting – at the CANAL CHAPTER – SUNDAY MOVIE NIGHT DINNER

Skaterdays movie night
DJ SKATERDAYS . . .

SKATERDAYS 1134 TATTOO
a big fan of CANAL CHAPTER – aka – 1134 NYC – !!

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, JAN 27, 2008

* BYE THE WAY – THEIR NEXT SCREENING IS – THIS SUNDAY – FEB 3, 2008 – 8PM *
* FRANCOIS TRUFFAUT’S ‘DAY FOR NIGHT’ (1979) * BRING: FOOD-OR-WINE *
* ADMISSION FREE * ACTUAL SCREENINGS USUALLY START AT 9 PM *
* THE CANAL CHAPTER – 343 CANAL STREET – BUZZER : FL 4 *

CHECK OUT: THE CANAL CHAPTER