BETTY SMITH.
o.k. my mom died, too. Oct 16, 2010. She was 86 years old and she lived in Montreal, where I was born.
I left for NYC in 1981 and I never looked back.
(p.s. trouver – means: find.)
actually last May 2010 – was the very first time I went back. Kate and Theo came along – it was their first time – ever – in Montreal.
we all brought cameras, and we had a lot of fun, especially eating out.
this was all of our’s favorite piece of visual art in the city, otherwise the city’s art scene is pretty much dead and gone.
it says: NON AUX OLYMPIQUES SUR DES TERRES VOLEES / NO OLYMPIQUES ON STOLEN NATIVE LAND.
www.dominionpaper.ca
no2010
no2010.com
art aside, the music scene in Montreal is pretty happening – and so were their posters.
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS – were playing JUNE 17, 2010 – at Le National.
and we caught a super great band, esp live – THE JON COHEN EXPERIMENTAL – at CASA del POPOLO – kind of like our CAKE SHOP – more on that, with pix & links – next post !!
there were also several great art cinemas. we caught Banksy’s ‘EXIT THRU THE GIFT SHOP’ and that great new JIM MORRISON documentary – ‘When You’re Strange’ – narrated by JOHNNY DEPP, and chockful of vintage clips and archival video footage – which came out the very week – we were there. coming home like that, for the first time in over 30 years – the wild child who split for NYC – it seemed a very potent film to watch at the time. a big connecting dot – on the real-time stream of life.
(and, yeah I made Kate’s sweater.)
see: JIM MORRISON/DOORS/WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE !!
although the city is kept beautifully clean, esp the landmarks – and I mean that profoundly. I did catch an un-obtrusive tiny MR. STIKMAN, on the street right under my very feet. yes. surprise. and guess where ? right in front of the International Newspapers store – downtown on Ste. Catherine St., near Peel – where I went to grab my daily fix – of the NEW YORK POST – maybe MR. STIKMAN, did too ?
this was one vintage window design that really stopped me. I guess it was a synagogue. and then there was a tag job higher up – that reminded me of home, NYC – and yeah I was glad there wasn’t – more of it. there is an art to tagging. this wasn’t it.
Montreal is a city that grew up on an island just like New York, but the island is really a mountain – Mont Royal – and the view from the top – the easily accessed “look-out” – is just as awesome as ever.
“OCTOBER 2, 1535 – JACQUES CARTIER DISCOVERER OF CANADA CLIMBED THIS MOUNTAIN UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE VILLAGE OF HOCHELAGA AND, IMPRESSED WITH THE BEAUTY OF THE LANDSCAPE DISPLAYED BEFORE HIS EYES, HE GAVE IT THE NAME OF MOUNT ROYAL. FROM WHICH THE CITY OF MONTREAL TOOK ITS NAME.”
KATE almost gave me a heart attack – perching on the guard rail. unlike the good ole US of A – I was amazed to realize – there was not, absolutely not – one security guard in sight.
BEAVER LAKE, just a short stroll from the look-out. we had many a family picnic there, when I was growing up.
the most curious part was seeing all my early art work on my mom’s apt walls. work I had done more than 30 years ago . . . I hadn’t known she had surrounded herself with my work. I was the bad girl. what can I say ? but apparently – she loved my work. I never did tell her about my recent somewhat starring role in ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’, ha. I didn’t think she’d get it. but she always wanted me to be a journalist, instead of an artist, so go figure. in fact she never had a computer, and she never really knew what artlovers was. she’d be kinda freaked, I guess to see her photo posted on the web !!
I did a whole series of drawings, pencil on paper, 4 x 6 in. re-imaging myself into Japanese 18th C. woodblock print culture – as my graduate thesis.
I know it doesn’t seem very radical now – but you have to go back to the context of when they were done and art school culture – back in the 70’s.
back then, it was all about AGNES MARTIN, minimalism, abstraction, and huge huge color field paintings – so this was very out of left field – on every level. scale, intimacy, pictorials, narrative, drawing. pencil. etc. it was at Concordia University, actually the very first graduating class of the very first MFA program in the country – they almost didn’t pass my thesis – but I remember clearly – when I just shrugged my shoulders and walked out the door – they stamped it approved. the famous Canadian Quebecois color-field painter GUIDO MOLINARI was my mentor and teacher. I had a nickname back then, too . . . but it wasn’t – ‘crackula’ – it was: ‘guido baby’ !!
Simon was his studio assistant. (connect the dots for yourself.)
my mom took me and my brother to Paris, France in 1964. like many tourists, she had her portrait done in oil pastels by a street artist. it’s signed, Langford. after all these years, I was pretty amazed at how well it had stood the test of time. the best memory of my mom ? she bought me the very first BEATLES album – ‘TWIST AND SHOUT ‘ – to come out in Montreal, the moment it dropped – and I was absolutely the very first on my block, even in my school, to possess it . . . talk about a point . . . in space . . . nowhere boy meets nowhere girl. for one of the few times in her life – she vibed it – right on the dot – and bestowed a little solace – on her wild child.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~of Montreal |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | November 20th, 2010, 4:54pm
ok . . . so after proclaiming it – the YEAR OF THE BOY !! – of course, along comes a little girl – to steal the spotlight !! tiny GALEN HOPPER, above with her dad, DENNIS HOPPER at the last known public sighting of her famous artist/photog/collector/actor rebel dad . . . at the opening of his one-man retrospective show – ‘Signs of the Times’ – at the TONY SHAFRAZI GALLERY, last SEPT 12, 2009 – in NYC.
GALEN HOPPER – obviously the apple of her dad’s eye, is apparently his majority heir. PAGE SIX reports today, that: “the Dennis Hopper estate cleaned up this week at a Christie’s contemporary-art auction. The ‘Easy Rider’ star, who died in May (2010), was an avid collector as well as a painter and photographer himself. Forty works he owned, including pieces by ANDY WARHOL, JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT, and KEITH HARING, fetched more than $10 million, almost double the minimum estimate. Hopper’s oldest daughter MARIN . . . confirmed that Hopper’s youngest child, 7-year-old GALEN, will receive 40 percent of the estate to be held in trust.”
HENRY HOPPER, the youngest son of DENNIS HOPPER, from a different mom – was also at the opening.
He seemed like a really sweet, smart kid too. studying painting at Cal Arts, at the time.
see: more pix from the SEPT 12, 2009 opening !!
DENNIS HOPPER at the opening of his New York City retrospective: ‘Signs of the TImes’, SEPT 12, 2009.
as far as I know, these are the very last (public) photos of Dennis Hopper . . . he did not make it to the opening of the last minute ‘copy-cat’ show in L.A. he was too ill, by then.
‘DENNIS HOPPER DOUBLE STANDARD’ , Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles, JULY 11 – SEPT 20, 2010.
see: DENNIS HOPPER EXHIBIT/THE INDEPENDENT
at left: DENNIS HOPPER, as we like to remember him best – the whacked-out paparazzo – in ‘APOCALYPSE NOW’ !! there were short video clips of his most famous roles – looping in the exhibit, as well some of his large billboard sign paintings, of famous contemporary artists – based on his black & white photographs – and my most fav – his early band photos. including NEIL YOUNG, and the BYRDS !!
yeah, go back & follow that artlovers archival link !!
poignantly, on the way home I caught this wall mural by street artist – KNOW HOPE – that seemed to say it all.
detail, KNOW HOPE, signed & dated 6/2009 in the right hand corner.
detail street mural – painted on a metal storefront gate . . . KNOW HOPE – 23rd St. and 6th Ave. in Chelsea – just before you hit the HOTEL CHELSEA. it’s not there any more.
PHOTOS: COPYRIGHT NANCY SMITH
~little Galen steals the show !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | November 14th, 2010, 1:51pm
yo, I gotta split for a week – you know – it’s a thing called life !! and I have one . . . and it’s calling – me home.
so, good luck trying to find yourself entertained and informed – as well as making dough – if you are smart enough to follow the bread crumbs . . .
should be back up and running – by mid November – til then, if you get bored – go see: ‘NOWHERE BOY’ !!
yeah. it’s that good.
it’s – THE YEAR OF THE BOY.
NOWHERE BOY – OFFICIAL WEBSITE !!
yep, it’s the best movie about an artist – since Julian Schnabel’s bio-flick – ‘BASQUIAT’ – no doubt about it.
probably – because an artist made it: SAM TAYLOR-WOOD – and a Brit at that.
sure saved that young actor’s sorry self – AARON JOHNSON – otherwise doomed to be playing type-cast versions of KICK ASS, for-ever. or at least for the rest of his life. no wonder he fell in love with her.
Sam Taylor-Wood.
connect the dots yourself – got to run.
~STAY TUNED/NOWHERE BOY |
Posted in Movie Reviews, The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | November 9th, 2010, 1:33am
the after-party was fab – with lots and lots of trays of the good stuff – you know things like mini sushi rolls with chocolate sauce – that kept on coming, and never stopped. and a full bar.
on 23rd St. – on the way to the after-party – came across a small film crew – and found 2 Brits !!
on the left HOUMAN, recently arrived in town to film a documentary on the NYC art scene, he is associated with a high profile, super slick – as in, FORMULA ONE high octane – film, branding, and special effects production group with international offices: the mill . . yes, check it out. it’s a great change of gear. very swift and forward reaching, totally ambitious. with him, photog TOM WHITE who is in NYC teaching at the ICP – International Center for Photography. and, yes he knows PORTS. PORTS BISHOP. you can view his portfolio at: TOM WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY. one of my favs: is this shot from Vilhena, Brazil.
talk about high octane:
STUART BRAUNSTEIN, FREIGHT+VOLUME FOUNDER/DIRECTOR NICK LAWRENCE, KIM YON, and ANTHONY HADEN-GUEST.
NICK will be putting out a new book of Anthony H-G’s caricatures, called ‘Mean Time’ at this year’s Miami Art Fair . . . you know STUART BRAUNSTEIN from COLLECTIVE HARDWARE . . . whose art parties, Anthony H-G was often heard to rave about. he’ll be setting up shop again, soon. in about two weeks time at the GREENHOUSE bar/club on Varick St. so, if you miss the COLLECTIVE HARDWARE action – you know where to go. in fact it was Braunstein’s mention of the GREENHOUSE – that made me jump. wow, so glad, I had taken hold of that split second moment impulse, and had grabbed that snap of DAMIAN SHAIR, below – the hardcore denizen from GREENEHOUSE VERSION O.1 !! I almost didn’t – since that scene got so shut down. years ago.
just goes to show, after talent – timing and radar is everything. it’s a freaky biz. it’s a New York moment.
NICK LAWRENCE, JOHN NEWSOM of the “been rapping with the Wu-Tang Clan all day” hoarse voice, photographer ROBERT BANAT, and collector/art world fan ERIC FOX.
ROBERT BANAT screened me up some of his photos – stored on his I-Phone. he does serious portraits of artists in their studios. and they were pretty good, esp liked his recent series with ROSS BLECKNER.
ok. I got a little jealous.
NICK LAWRENCE, TOM SANFORD, CESARE DeCreDico and ERIC FOX – trust me this was just the start of their night !! after this little bash – was the after-after-party back at the gallery, and then on eastwards, to hit up the clubs in NoLita !!
DAMIAN STAMER, JOHN NEWSOM, F+V managing director KEVIN KAY, NICK LAWRENCE, KENT DORN, and JOHN BUFFALO MAILER.
KENT DORN was definitely the man of the hour – everyone, esp in in this crew – knows a good thing when they see it. you can always tell when a show hits home run – the collective vibes just start bouncing off the walls.
PETER HUCHINSON, a friend of ANTHONY HADEN-GUEST’S.
Anthony introduced me as “the archivist” – hey. I’m down with that . . .
KATRINA EUGENIA, painter and photographer. the sweetest, and cutest – must be this season’s It-girl for surest. she was with JOHN BUFFALO MAILER . . .
and yeah, her mom made her sweater !!
JOHN BUFFALO MAILER, a writer about town – but, his truly wow factor – he played Shia LaBeouf’s BF in ‘WALL STREET II’ . . .
YASHA WALLIN who is helping produce Anthony’s book, ‘Mean Time’ – for Nick.
and ELLEN ROBIN ROSENBERG, the newest intern at FREIGHT+VOLUME, who just by some very lucky draw of fate – finds herself in the middle of the scene’s new hot spot.
and maybe not quite by chance, either.
. . . just like that – she pulled out this really funny little tome, to show me . . .
‘I LIKE YOUR WORK: ART & ETIQUETTE’ – edited by PAPER MONUMENT. it was super fun – from the very first random page. swift and funny. very funny. and pretty much right on. what a way – to end the night.
but we’ll give the final parting shot – to the face-off between ANTHONY HADEN-GUEST and KATRINA – a kodak moment, if there ever was one.
PHOTOS: COPYRIGHT NANCY SMITH
~KENT DORN/F+V 10th ANNIVERSARY: THE AFTER-PARTY !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | November 6th, 2010, 9:16pm
so, DONALD BAECHLER made the KENT DORN opening. Thurs, Nov 4, 2010. FREIGHT+VOLUME.
beside him: KENT DORN, ‘Untitled’, 2010, mixed media on canvas . . .
so, Donald does buy contemporary art. besides making his own well known brand . . . so when you see him out and about – something is afoot. or maybe even – aflame . . . as in – hot.
he was looking amused because we told him we heard ALFREDO MARTINEZ had been to his studio and tried to hit him up for cash . . . but only walked away with one skimpy $20 bill . . . Donald was like: how did you know that ? and laughed when we claimed a spy in his camp . . . connect the dots: BB gun wanting to get back in the artslovers groove – speaks to SIMON CERIGO and so the big mouth chain begins . . .
Alfredo used to work for Donald back in the day – o.k. that’s ca. 1997. he used to gesso Donald’s biggest canvases. suffice to say the big Puerto Rican/Brooklyn-bred pyromaniac – o.k. maybe firearms fanatic is a better descriptive – almost blew himself up with a home-made pipe bomb on the beach near Donald’s Amagansett house. he showed up to openings for months after – with big dark bruises all over his face. this is not made up. this is completely true.
haven’t looked at Donald’s website in a while. a long while. it looks to have been: re-charged ?
see: DONALD BAECHLER STUDIO
yeah, Donald’s into quilts and vintage material. which he then slaps onto his canvases, but he will on occasion keep any super special pieces – safe and whole. I used to bring him stuff, quilt remnants and consult on origins & value of the special stuff – back then too. He actually paid top dollar for the good stuff – though it was still hard to part with. once I sold him a super great mariner’s compass piecework quilt square – for like $75 and I still regret it.
here’s: a great example of his quilt ‘work’, year of the quilt and all !!
KENT DORN, ‘Untitled (cabin)’, 2010. mixed media on canvas, 45 x 60 in. ($7,800) – was the next painting over.
super or what ? it’s one of the few that don’t have people.
the gushy thick paint between the logs – really works. double time. and reminded me a bit of Urs Fischer’s bread house. the green scenery works well: thick and gooey – too.
JEFFREY R. ALBUS and BEN ACKERLEY – bookcase the van !! a favorite for many . . . and, for me too.
KENT DORN, ‘Untitled (Van)’ , 2010. mixed media on canvas. 45 x 69 in. ($9,000)
the squishy thick stuff really works the narrative well, here too. coming at you like you just witnessed a bad bad accident, or maybe just the old seat foam – pouring out !!
a wheel on the van. you almost have to photograph his paintings – sideways – to get the whole effect.
looking good – KENT DORN, at the extreme right, greets some guests:
from the left: STEPHANIE WOLCOTT, JENNIFER ANDRADE and STASH BELLON.
FREIGHT+VOLUME FOUNDER – NICK LAWRENCE with TATIANA BERG.
as the evening progressed – it became apparent that Tatiana was a mover and groover – in her own right.
when I stepped outside, to collect my thoughts, I ran into a most interesting person, right off, and of course he was part of Tatiana’s circle of bright lights. that’s pretty much the way it is in New York, you turn a corner, and you bump into a huge whole other scene – you never even heard of, even though you may stomp the streets 24/7. this is ANDREW HAARSAGER – he writes and runs a blog called No Smarties – mostly centered on design, as in furniture, and alternative art musings. and guess what. he hails from IDAHO originally – there’s a lot of talented Idaho ex-pats in NYC right now. funny. must be those farmland ‘quilt’ genes.
chatting with him, MATT HAXBY – an industrial designer. in fact, TATIANA BERG, ANDREW HAARSAGER and MATT HAXBY – all meet up while studying at RISDI/RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL of DESIGN. they represent the next wave generation after the legendary FORT THUNDER days – and in fact, Andrew Haarsager told me his studio/office was on the site of the former FORT THUNDER complex – an old warehouse that had been razed. in the spirit of urban rejuvenation.
back inside. KENT DORN, ‘Fall’. mixed media on canvas. 45 x 32 in. ($4,500)
a lot of guys were into this painting. it made me start thinking, maybe it’s yin yang. maybe, it isn’t just the year of the quilt – maybe it’s also – the year of the guy. The Year of the Boy.
speaking of which – BEN FURGAL told me he had just quit his five year stunt, I mean stint !! as head doorman at the CAKE SHOP – and has saved up enough $$ to go make art full-time in a warehouse in PHILLY !! Ben originally hails from Baltimore – and he helped spawn the big music scene down there. we spoke of mutual pal – the often cranky but brilliant recently departed photographer and artist DAN ASHER. I knew Dan well in the 80s and 90s – was his studio assistant for several years. when he had dough. worked on all those iceberg photos. Ben used to hang with him more recently. drawing together. we both agreed and cannot emphasize enough – listen up losers: leave your work to your artist pals – even if you think they are losers. or better, hopefully in the hands of galleries. and a few big galleries wanted to get their greasy little paws on Dan’s work, believe me. not your relatives. like Dan did. He always had issues with his businessman-type super straight brother and somehow felt leaving him all his work – jumped the shark. not. as Ben told me – the only show he is getting now – is “the garage” show. if not actually landing in the garbage dump. so, if you have any of Dan’s work – hold on – the value just went up. add scarcity to the price factor. big time.
I don’t even want to think about it, Dan blew so many things – so, what else is new.
EVIE FALCI – just came back from a one month artist residency upstate at the WASSAIC PROJECT – and is currently working as a studio assistant for TARA DONOVON – interestingly enough.
this was her favorite painting in the show.
KENT DORN, ‘Drifter’, 2010. mixed media on canvas. 32 x 24 in. ($3,000)
this is his paper-collaged – eyeball – up close.
AMBRE KELLY and ANDREW GORI – filmmakers, liked the ‘Fall’.
you can check their stuff out on: thetheyco.com
now, here’s a face only the truly initiated will know. painter DAMON SHAIR – Alfredo’s sidekick, from the notorious GREENEHOUSE DAYS !! and I don’t mean the bar – GREENHOUSE on Varick St. – I mean the SQUAT !! on Greene St. !! in Soho. the short-lived dark urban legend if there ever was one – if it wasn’t a filthy squat – with a drunken leader who would suddenly turn around and pee on any unwitting and clueless tourists, esp Japanese or Austrian – who had innocently strolled in – attracted by the randy often loud impromptu live music and wild off-the-chart art. you could have called it, and rightfully – the first pop-up !! (ha)
hardcore is not the word. the current Greenhouse probably took its name, unwittingly from the deep underground street chatter – that filtered down. Greenehouse/Greenhouse, ha. more like: scare house/fright show. it was right next to a high-end fashion boutique too. quelle fun. you know – street cred and shabby chic – all for one, and one for all . . . Soho – the way we used to – like it.
I might have a link – OMG x 1,000 – here it is: scroll down and you’ll even catch the notorious GREENEHOUSE ringleader, JERRY FOUST – I kid you not – real name – pullin’ it out !! and spraying the crowd below !!
back to the show. dudes liking the work, big time.
JENNIFER SULLIVAN – was was presenting her video loop – ‘One Week Walden” – in the front projection room.
Jennifer is kinda funny – in strange way – like maybe unwittingly so ? you just don’t know.
she says she wanted to to “re-create Waldon” so she made it – happen in her dad’s up-state backyard !!
and she says . . she wasn’t going ‘commando’ – “it was painted pink” – or something like that.
o-kay. if you say so . . .
whatever – it a was a rockin’ nite.
KENT DORN, ‘Song’, 2010. mixed media on canvas. 28 x 40 in. ($4,200).
is it my imagination – or do all his paintings have full moons, or is that big round yellow suns – in them. or what.
right on. cosmic code. the universe – decoded !!
PHOTOS: COPYRIGHT NANCY SMITH
~KENT DORN/JENNIFER SULLIVAN/F+V/more opening pix |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | November 6th, 2010, 9:14pm
KENT DORN, ‘Untitled’, 2010. Mixed media on canvas, 45 x 60 in.
IMAGE/COURTESY: FREIGHT+VOLUME
looks to be a big street party happening in Chelsea – when FREIGHT+VOLUME pretty much takes over 24th St. – to open 2 shows. yep, two simultaneous shows of their artist KENT DORN – THURS NOV 4, 2010 from 6-8 PM.
one show will be at FREIGHT+VOLUME’S current space – 542 W. 24th St. – while the other will be just a few doors down at 530 W. 24th St. – aka – the old LFL space !! apparently Nick Lawrence has scored his old stomping grounds back, at least for “the next little while” – he was partners in LFL for about 5 years there, at that gallery’s founding – while Zach moves over to the old DIA space on 22nd St.
the very fun, JENNIFER SULLIVAN will be featured in the Video Room – presenting ‘One-Week Walden’.
KENT DORN – ‘REMAINS’
opening THURS NOV 4, 2010 / 6-8 PM
the show runs thru JAN 4, 2011
FREIGHT+VOLUME – 530+542 W.24th ST. – CHELSEA
UP-DATE: FRI NOV 5, 2010 – 12:10 PM
KENT DORN at his double-fisted FREIGHT+VOLUME opening last nite !!
wow. the kid’s the real deal !!
the show – make that shows !! was awesome. and the after-party which NICK LAWRENCE threw in honor of his young artist – and which also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the gallery – was over-the-top !!
I need a good 24 hrs just to collect my thoughts and process all the pix – check back Saturday. in the mean-time, (ha. more on that mean time – later, too – hint: it’s the title of the new book Nick is putting out for ANTHONY HADEN-GUEST) . . . here’s a little sampling . . .
KENT DORN, ‘Fugitive’, 2008. mixed media on canvas, 16 x 14 in. ($2,400)
KENT DORN, ‘Fugitive’, 2008. mixed media on canvas, 16 x 14 in. ($2,400)
KENT DORN, ‘Fall’, 2010. mixed media on canvas. 54 x 36 in. ($6,000)
the 542 W. 24th St. space – showcased the earlier works, while the bigger space at 542 W. 24th – had the newest . . . thinking – it might be fun for all those blue chip collectors in town for the big auctions this weekend – to stroll by . . . and consider what’s really the meaning of “contemporary” art. ha. and consider what’s a more fun game – for your dollar – the awkward position of wondering if you got “had” big time blue-chip – or – going for the: as-soon-as-you-put-your-dollar-down – you doubled your money – action of the real cutting edge – NYC art game !! the one – that we like to play big time, and super smart – over here !!
it might also be fun to consider and contrast KENT DORN’S work – esp his preoccupation with twisted visions, ‘maleness’ , and the great outdoors – and, decay !! – did we say: thick paint – with JOHN CURRIN’S twisted, ‘female-centric’, urban interiors, and super smooth going – and decay !! – which opened over at GAGOSIAN UP-TOWN last nite, the only other opening to jump the radar – esp among my mainstream colleagues, (ha) this big important weekend. and to make waves. I guess. I didn’t make it up there – I was so down – with the 24th St. action – you know me – my money’s always – on the sharpest and newest of the lot !! I like the art game best – when’s it’s cut right to the bone.
PHOTOS: COPYRIGHT NANCY SMITH
JOHN CURRIN – ‘New Painting’
NOV 4 – DEC 22, 2010
GAGOSIAN GALLERY – MADISON AVE – NYC
JOHN CURRIN, ‘The Women of Franklin St.’, 2009. oil on canvas. 88 x 68 in.
IMAGE/COURTESY: GAGOSIAN GALLERY
. . . no, no prices available, at least to the lowly public. one can only imagine . . . but, YIKES, no wonder Charlie Finch was reported to be running (ha) uptown in a hurry.
JOHN CURRIN, ‘Rippowam’, 2006. oil on canvas. 40 x 47 in.
IMAGE/COURTESY: GAGOSIAN GALLERY
I like this last one on the go-go website – just because, if that guy isn’t a dead ringer for JOHN NEWSOM, I don’t know who is. yeah, I’m thinking bout John, because he also made the FREIGHT+VOLUME – KENT DORN – 10th Anniversary after-party – and he had a funny line: “I’m hoarse because I just spent all day rapping with the Wu-Tang Clan !!” – you just can’t make that sh-t up.
John and me – go way back – to the now pretty much legendary ‘MISANTHROPES’ show, and yes we were !! – the first big group show – that ALFREDO MARTINEZ and the dearly departed too-young and super-talented CHRIS KELLY curated for JOSH HARRIS – back in the late 90s, at Josh’s loft on Spring St. – while it was still a raw space – before it got renovated . . and eventually turned into: ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ – proper. talk about a war zone. you had to have a weapon in hand – to guard your wall space. even when your work had already gone up.
and yes, Alfredo, did pit me and John Newsom head-on. Alfie – what a fun sense of humor. my work, some thin vellum-based black ink drawing banners – ended up fluttering over the open bar – so guess that was alright by me !! where they did catch Josh’s attention – so: boo-ya !!
more on the KENT DORN shows – and the fab after-party coming up – shortly.
~BIG STREET PARTY/KENT DORN/REMAINS & OPENING UP-DATE !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | November 3rd, 2010, 9:27am
FILE UNDER: MONSTER-IN-YOUR-FACE. NOAH LYON !! – – aka – – (no joke !!) RETARD RIOT !!
SURFACES BIG TIME IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS . . . IN THE HOTTEST CITY in THE WORLD – STOCKHOLM – JUST IN TIME TO MAKE HALLOWEEN & SCARE THE LIVIN’ DAYLIGHTS OUT OF ALL THOSE NEW YORK CITY GALLERY DEALERS – WHO PASSED HIM OVER. HA.
SO, BOO ! . . . MAYBE EVEN, BOO-HOO. DON’T BE CRYIN’ – LOSERS.
LOOKS TO BE SITTING PRETTY, NOAH LYON – NO, AH AIN’T LYIN’.
FILE UNDER: ‘MONSTER’ REVENGE – OR WHAT ?
see: ‘GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO’ OFFICIAL WEBSITE !!
‘GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO’ SWEDEN: SO DARK. AND SO COOL !! (AGAIN.)
AND BAD-ASS SCARY !! WHAT’S UP – WITH – THOSE CHILLY EVIL BALTIC WATERS ? POETIC SNOWY ROADS & HARD COBBLESTONE CITY STREETS.
SWEDEN: THE NEW – MEXICO, OR WHAT ? SWEEPING UP IN THE CULTURE WARS – AND MOPPING THE U.S. FILM INDUSTRY – WITH THEIR FIRST RATE – STEIG LARSSON MOVIES. AFTER SEEING MICHAEL NYQVIST & THE FAB FAB NOOMI RAPACE – (AND ESPECIALLY DIRECTOR NIELS ARDEN for ‘DRAGON’) ALL ANYBODY SAYS LEAVING THE THEATER – IS WHAT A JOKE – THOSE HOLLYWOOD GOONS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE. WITH THEIR RE-MAKE.
and LIKE, HOW MANY YEARS – AFTER THE FACT ?
(ok. ok. me and Kate saw ‘THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST’ LAST – last nite, and LOL – Theo was watching ‘THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO’ on NETFLIX – when I got home – a STEIG LARSSON HOME RUN, IF I EVER DID SEE ONE . . . )
anyways, back to art . . . !!
and yes, art can kick butt just as bad-ass – as the movies. if you are in the right city !!
and I guess the place to be for art – this very HALLOWEEN 2010 – would be in downtown STOCKHOLM – where you could catch the very last day of the dark and fantastic show – ‘SOME KIND OF MONSTERS’ – featuring the work of FILIPPA BARKMAN and TOVE KJELLMARK – at STENE PROJECTS – in their way scary gothic installation straight out of – FRANKENSTEIN – & – which also seems to be offering up – the work of NYC homeboy – NOAH LYON – in their back gallery/offices. STENE PROJECTS looks to be a completely cool and dark side of the universe kinda place – carved out of a fab former horse stable from 1772 !! no less.
FILIPPA BARKMAN & TOVE KJELLMARK – ‘SOME KIND OF MONSTERS’
OCT 8 – OCT 30, 2010
STENE PROJECTS – BRUNNSGATAN 21B – DOWNTOWN STOCKHOLM
‘SOME KIND OF MONSTERS’ installation shot. IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
TOVE KJELLMARK, ‘Anomaly’ , 2010. 50 x 40 cm. watercolor on paper.
IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
FILIPPA BARKMAN, ‘From now and ever’, 2008. 70 x 50 cm. crayon on paper.
IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
wow – can I relate to that, OR WHAT !!
. . . also on view in the gallery, works by: OLAFUR ELIASSON (Denmark/Iceland), JOHN E. FRANZEV (Sweden), FREDRIK HOFWANDER (Sweden), JONE KVIE (Norway), EVEMARIE LINDAHL (Sweden), RAYMOND PETTIBON (USA) – and our homeboy – NOAH LYON (USA) !!
NOAH LYON, ’32 UNHAPPY MEALS’ (STOCKHOLM EDITION), 2010. 173 x 267 cm. offset prints.
(aka The Great Dictator – Ronald McHitler).
IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
NOAH LYON, ‘Bart Marley’, 2006. 32 x 32 cm. edition of 100.
IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
NOAH LYON, ‘Everyone is on sale’, 2006. 32 x 32 cm. edition of 100.
IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
NOAH LYON, ‘God Bless this mess’, 2006. 32 x 26 cm. edition of 100.
IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
NOAH LYON, ‘Buttons vs Painting round 1’, 2005. 30 x 22 cm./buttons on canvas.
IMAGE/COURTESY: STENE PROJECTS
NOAH LYON, ‘Ronald McHitler’, 2001. 120 x 90 cm. acrylic on panel.
IMAGE/COURTEY: STENE PROJECTS
see: more images, here !!
in more exciting RETARD RIOT – NEWS ??!!
the OCTOBER 31st issue of RETARD RIOT featuring scary Halloween skulls & skeletons from Noah, Mat Brinkman, Martha Colburn, Food Fortunata, Edie Fake, Joe Grillo, Marder III, Billy Miller, Mudboy and Winston Smith – is out !!
just in time.
see: RETARD RIOT ZINES !!
coming soon: RETARD RIOT unleashes 100 brand new buttons !!
(note: CRACK IS BACK !!)
and, for the 5th straight year in a row – RETARD RIOT will be setting up a table – at PRINTED MATTER’S – NY ART BOOK FAIR / P.S. 1/MOMA in Long Island City, NYC. NOV 5 – 7, 2010.
and, of course he will show up – at this year’s 2nd annual – BROOKLYN COMICS & GRAPHICS FESTIVAL – the DEC 4th, 2010 weekend – hosted by DESERT ISLAND and PICTUREBOX. in Brooklyn, duh.
yes, YOU WANT – MORE INFO !! – get it at: DESERT ISLAND !!
and, not to forget all you music lovers, out there.
RETARD RIOT also serves up: “new musical atrocities, oops I mean ‘sound art’ from the likes of Lead Paint Zeppelin, Cheap Little Tart, Thomas Edison Muffin, Doctor Ninja vs The Shuffler and god knows what else” !!
see: RETARD RIOT RADIO !!
ok. ok. – so, what does this madman, look like ?
let me see what I can dig up out of the vault !!
how’s this ?
NOAH LYON, ‘eyeballs’ – the World Trade Center towers ?
what ? you can’t really see his face ? trust me – you got the dude’s inner being !!
but, ok – here he is, with his secret weapon – beautiful wife, and BFF – the lovely MARIA !!
both pix from the NY ART BOOK FAIR, NOV 2008, back when it was in Chelsea, at PHILLIPS de PURY, on 14th St.
BOTH PHOTOS COPYRIGHT: NANCY SMITH
we’ll give NOAH – the last word: THE ART of RETARD RIOT !!
that’s all for now – folks – HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!
~HAPPY HALLOWEEN: NO I AIN’T LYIN’ !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 30th, 2010, 11:52am
this diverse group show at SAFFRON, a new storefront gallery, art, vintage, and flower shop in Fort Greene – was so fun, mostly because of all the fresh faces – and new voices. the theme was organized around work – 12 inches and under – in scale – hence the name: ‘TWELVE AND UNDER’.
the opening party took place – last Friday Oct 22, 2010 – the show remains up thru Dec. 31, 2010.
on the right: KANA TOGASHI, co-curator of the ‘TWELVE AND UNDER’ show, and a co-founder with her mom of the store. that’s her mom – MIHOKO, on the left.
many of the mostly young artists in the show – are friends of Kana’s.
Kana wanted to do something special to celebrate the first anniversary of the store – and she thought, what better way than to give a platform to her many talented friends.
above on the left: that’s KANA TOGASHI – herself a painter and a pretty good photographer, and now a storefront entrepreneur !! and it appears, a curator and patron of the arts. next is ROBYN – who is a writer. and, at the right is KATE CERIGO – painter and graphic designer.
two artists in the show – JENNIFER WONG and DANIEL GOERS.
JENNIFER WONG – her three – full-color spectrum photographs had an interesting Kodak-moment intensity – that lasted way longer than a first impression usually does . . .
and which offset the initially deceptive snapshot casualness, esp with the documentary/hand-held feel, and – color ‘bleeds’. JENNIFER WONG.
check out: myrtleavenuebirdtown.com
DANIEL GOERS’ piece was completely off the wall, or rather, off the tree ! titled ‘Bracket Fungus’ it is 100 % living fungus -in a frame. which made me wonder: it could live forever – in a frame ?
you can read more about his work – in 2 very sharp and bright art/design sites:
see: his own – scrap ecology
and for sure, check out: designsquish
just to the left of his work, was this intense little puzzle of a scribble of a Celtic knot . . .
by KRISTIN REGER.
changing gears – this duo of color photographs was on the facing wall.
strange and mysterious, yet so detailed – I was drawn to them over and over again.
Photos of Hong Kong – by WINNIE AU.
detail, photo by WINNIE AU.
detail, photo by WINNIE AU.
and just outside on the street, how fun to meet up with WINNIE AU, herself.
back inside, GABRIEL SMITH.
collage and acrylic paint by GABRIEL SMITH.
detail, GABRIEL SMITH.
photographer TOMOKO DAIDO.
a friend of TOMOO GOKITA, TOMOKO DAIDO is a member of the Tokyo-based artist collective 35minutesmen – aka – 35mm !! in fact, she and 6 other members of what looks to be a photography collective – will be featured in a show, aptly titled ’35minutesmen’ at FORDHAM UNIVERSITY’S CENTER GALLERY, Lincoln Center Campus, 113 West 60th Street at Columbus Avenue, NYC – opening soon, actually: NOV 6, 2010 and running thru Dec 19, 2010. the opening reception for the show is FRI, NOV 12, 2010/from 6-8 PM.
the show, ’35minutesmen’ is curated by STEPHEN APICELLA-HITCHCOCK & ANIBAL PELLA-WOO.
the Fordham University Center Gallery is open from 8am – 8pm every day.
see: Fordhamvisualarts.blogspot.com/
and for sure, check out: 35minutesmen.com/
black and white nature photograph by TOMOKO DAIDO. it a classic ‘capture’ of icicles coming down leaves, and was shot in Europe. it was fun to learn that Tomoko has a book out on her black and white photography – called ‘White Elephant’ !!
BRANDON PILCHER.
BRANDON PILCHER – a unique cyanotype with wax.
meet: SELDON YUAN.
SELDON YUAN, his piece defies photography – a shimmering assemblage of tiny mirrors that alternately pixelates and then, comes together to form a portrait – depending on different light sources, distances, and angles.
you can see the portrait aspect – better from a distance here, at bottom right – that’s JIM at the counter.
Kana’s brother SHUNYA also helps run the store. and, he also has an interesting art studies background, but as far as I got this busy night – was one word: Argentina !!
this super interesting conceptual design piece in the window is by JON SCHRAMM, a friend of TETSUKI NAKATOMI, who is the show’s co-curator along with Kana. Tetsuki is – a student of architecture.
JON SCHRAMM teaches architecture at Parsons.
the piece says: but is it a home / drawn by jon schramm / font berhold akzidenz grotesk
see: jonschramm.com
and check out: flickr.com/points-and-lines
also by JON SCHRAMM, it says:
sharpen pencil
do not let loose graphite fall to the paper
grab the pencil, feel it’s weight and rotate between your fingers
place pencil on paper
hold a breath
move your whole arm
let it out.
intense composition by JJ MANFORD.
graphite drawing and paper collage by NICKOLA POTTINGER.
another strange and compelling multi-media work on canvas – by NICKOLA POTTINGER.
NICKOLA POTTINGER.
KANA TOGASHI, KATE CERIGO, NICKOLA POTTINGER and GABRIEL SMITH – all first meet up as students at New York City’s LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Kana went on to study at Pratt, Nickola and Gabriel went to Cooper Union, and Kate went to SVA.
speaking of which – here is an array of small photo-based canvases by KATE CERIGO – a true colorist if I ever did see one.
and where did she get that love of family album pix from ?
she must have grown up surrounded by photos and art !!
KATE CERIGO – paint on canvas: friends in the lake – when we were young.
KATE CERIGO. yep this is Theo – back in the day !!
KATE CERIGO, photo-based painting on canvas.
NICKOLA POTTINGER and KATE CERIGO.
can I get in a few more pieces ?
here’s a super graphic photo duo by – KATIE WHITE.
a mysterious photo landscape by MAKI KAORU.
and an equally mysterious and compelling photo – by the musician AKI ONDA.
a quirky and yet, sly composition by FUMIHIRO MATSUZAKI.
ELISA SOLIVEN’S painting.
a wall of work. a photo-collage on cardboard of an embroidery by NANCY SMITH (ok. that’s me), 2 pieces by JUNKO WATERHALL, and at the right, a striking and very sharp, fun black and white composition by DAISAKU YAKABE.
NANCY SMITH, photo-based paper collage on cardboard.
NANCY SMITH, paper banner.
KEIGO TAKAHASHI at the opening.
NORA DEMENUS made the scene as well.
the show’s co-curator TETSUJI NAKATOMI, in a hand-knit poncho by guess who.
ok. I told you already – just call me crack (of all trades) . . . NANCY SMITH.
a good luck SAFFRON – thrift-shop find – cat !!
another one of Kana’s lucky cats . . .
at least it’s silver and not feral – a little inside joke, I cannot resist.
(Josh Harris – and Greenberg the cat – coming up soon.)
‘TWELVE AND UNDER’ – A GROUP EXHIBIT curated by KANA TOGASHI and TETSUJI NAKATOMI
in honor of the store’s first anniversary – running through DEC 31, 2010
SAFFRON – 31 HANSON PLACE – FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN
ALL PHOTOS OF EVENT: COPYRIGHT NANCY SMITH
~SAFFRON/TWELVE AND UNDER/OPENING NITE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 28th, 2010, 9:12pm
CHRIS DOYLE, ‘Green/Green’, 2010, dura trans on LED light box. 14 x 24.5 in. Edition of 5.
IMAGE COURTESY/ANDREW EDLIN GALLERY
CHRIS DOYLE: ‘Waste_Generation’ – OPENS TO-NITE -THURS OCT 28, 2010 / 6-8 PM
the show runs OCT 28 – DEC 11, 2010
ANDREW EDLIN GALLERY – 134 TENTH AVENUE – CHELSEA – NYC
from the press release:
“People say haste makes waste, but so does everything else. Everything we use to clothe, feed, shelter, fuel and entertain us accumulates into junk of no value – except in the natural world. There it evolves into a form better suited to its time, and the process can begin again.
In his first solo exhibition (with the gallery), Chris Doyle makes this cycle of consumption and transformation the subject of ‘Waste_Generation’, a title that describes both an action and an identity. The hand-drawn digital animation that is the centerpiece of the show is the second in a series of five that Chris Doyle has based upon ‘The Course of the Empire’ by the 19th-century Hudson River School painter THOMAS COLE. (!!)
. . . . With a soundscape by Doyle’s longtime collaborator JOE ARCIDIACONO, ‘Waste_Generation’ is a deft, finely detailed narrative that contains the transactions of life in a world to which everything, be it human or material, must adapt, and seek beauty in symmetry and meaning in rational design.”
currently Brooklyn-based, CHRIS DOYLE hails from PHILLY, kinda – Easton, Pennsylvania to be exact. He attended BOSTON COLLEGE and HARVARD UNIVERSITY, where he earned a graduate degree in architecture.
he has also interestingly made many public art works, including ‘The Moons’ (2007), a permanent LED installation for the gardens of the Sprint Arena in Kansas City, MO, and ‘Showershade’ (2010), a permanent installation at the Police and Fire Training Academy in Austin, Texas. In 2007 he produced ‘50,000 Beds’ , a collaboration with forty-five other artists in an installation presented simultaneously at three Connecticut locations, the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, Artspace in New Haven, and Real Art Ways in Hartfield.
CHIS DOYLE, ‘Smokescreen’, 2010. dura trans on LED light. 14 x 24.5 in. Edition of 5.
IMAGE COURTESY/ANDREW EDLIN GALLERY
note: the 3-D ‘checkered’ pattern, squares & diamonds placed on the diagonal, in the background references a famous Amish quilt pattern, commonly known as ‘Building Blocks’ or ‘Baby Steps’.
year of the quilt, I think so !!
and yeah for all you, international fans – Pennsylvania – was home to the earliest waves of enterprising German colonists, the so-called Pennsylvania “Dutch” (from the German term for themselves: “deutsche” ) to America, particularly the Amish and Mennonites sects – and as such, was one the biggest hotbeds of quilt innovation, and production in America – influencing our art and design traditions to this day, as evidenced here.
~WASTE_GENERATION/CHRIS DOYLE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 28th, 2010, 10:46am
MISAKI KAWAI, ‘Fortune Cookie’, 2010, Acrylic, fabric, paper and yarn on canvas. 193.5 x 260 cm.
IMAGE/COURTESY:TAKE NINAGAWA GALLERY
fortune cookies, with their folds, as in folded-over dough, and a slim paper strip of story inside – in fact, all origami, and paper-folding. such as in – a child’s early grade paper fortune teller, and quilts. all, pretty much. one and the same.
in fact, a lot of early American quilt patterns – evolved from working with the folded strips of squares, and the resultant triangles that take life, too.
just like in Misaki’s painting. in fact, it looks more like a quilt to me, than a fortune cookie.
TAKE NINAGAWA GALLERY presents a MISAKI KAWAI SOLO EXHIBITION, PROJECT N43, TOKYO OPERA CITY ART GALLERY.
the exhibit opens this SAT, OCT 23, 2010 – and runs thru SUN DEC 26, 2010.
MISAKI KAWAI – born in Japan – has been Brooklyn-based, state-side for at least a decade !! probably longer.
she has a sweet website, you can check it out: here !!
here’s a few archival pix of when we visited Misaki, at her Brooklyn studio – in the summer of 2007.
PHOTOS: COPYRIGHT NANCY SMITH – UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
~JAPAN DAYS: MISAKI KAWAI/TOKYO !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 21st, 2010, 1:51pm
