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
LUKE MURPHY – aka THE REVEREND LUKE MURPHY – OPENS ‘CERTAINTY SHELTER’ – FRI APRIL 2 / 6-9 PM
the show runs APRIL 2 – MARCH 3, 2009
CANADA – 55 CHRYSTIE – CHINATOWN – NYC
GALLERY HOURS: WED-SUN 12-6PM
THIS is Luke’s third solo show at CANADA.
“In one room with three large digital projections, a central pedestal holds three Geiger counters with their probes pointed at what appears, at first glance, to be an innocuous vase. That vessel however is made of Vaseline glass, also known as uranium glass, which glows with UV fluorescence. The glaze used on Vaseline glass is a mild beta emitter that naturally decays and releases fast-moving electrons and positrons. Each of three Geiger Counters detect the charged particles and sends a unique signal to a computer, which responds by generating the speed, color, placement, and transitions in the three projections. Unlike work that uses random number sequences, which are not 100% random, MURPHY harnesses uranium’s decay to create “perfect randomness”. The use of randomness, the aleatory (from the Latin to roll dice), and chance elements or sources has a long history in art. From the Lascaux cave drawings where the forms of the animals seem to result from the rock formations to Alexander Cozens and his “New Method” of random blots to Strindberg, the Surrealists, Duchamp and cage, the relation of the artist to the random has moved from suggestion and inspiration to a kind of anti-aesthetic. MURPHY believes there are roughly three models of randomness as part of the artistic process: suggestion, inspiration,and subversion. Common to all however is that the random is a strategy to circumvent our normal controls and frames of reference. It is a cipher for nature itself both as a generative and as a destructive force, in other words, the SUBLIME.” – press release
“The time between ticks of the Geiger counter is the wholly unknown that makes up the fabric of the universe. It is the emptiness and unknowability of the machine. The computer translates that sublime unpredictability into a new sublime of information by taking the truly random intervals and making them truly random numbers. Confronting the fact that no tick interval can be predicted is like accepting the reality of a vacuum. It exposed the limits of language and imagination.” –Luke Murphy
PIX – FROM THE LUKE MURPHY – ‘CERTAINTY SHELTER’ – OPENING – APRIL 2, 2009 !!
in the front room, a loop – ‘Good Eye, Bad Eye’ greets you. intense opening shot !!
detail, LUKE MURPHY, ‘Good Eye, Bad Eye’.
detail, LUKE MURPHY, ‘Good Eye, Bad Eye’.
detail, LUKE MURPHY, ‘Good Eye, Bad Eye’.
detail, of the installation loop. LUKE MURPHY, ‘Good Eye, Bad Eye’.
moving on – to the main exhibit room, we notice LESNY JN FELIX, with his camera.
we introduce LESNY to LUKE !! on the right, LUKE MURPHY – the artist of the moment.
LUKE explained some interesting details about the show. first of all – how much he liked the image on the show’s card (above). It’s a commercial news photo he liked so much, that as soon as he saw it – he purchased the right for a one time publication use – and then decided to use it as his card’s image . . . a calling card for the show, so to speak.
it shows: “Iranian artists as they hold up samples of enriched uranium in Mashad, Iran, April 11, 2006.”
REUTERS/Stringer.
as the show unfolds, it’s also apparent the big white birds, were also an inspiration.
LUKE MURPHY in front of his – ‘Barney’s Next Step After Canvas’ !!
LUKE MURPHY – ‘Barney’s Next Step After Canvas’ – an infinite non-repeating digital file.
ok. so in this room there are 3 independent yet connected, large wall projections. ‘Barney’s Next Step After Canvas’, which clearly refers to Barnett Newman’s colors studies; ‘Dance of Perfect Randomness’ which has soaring birds – endlessly mutating out of clouds of a restricted color palette; and,’Draft’ which is more of a kind of indistinct, truly abstract – mass pastel color morph !!
‘Barney’s’ is more literal and linear, figuratively and philosophically. The patterns of the ever-changing ‘statico’ vertical lines – never repeats. It is infinite.
‘Dance of Perfect Randomness’ displays organic representational bird forms in constant evolution and flight, ending in fleeting existence. The pattern never repeats – it is infinite.
‘Draft’ is a cloud of soft color and shape that endless morphs, never repeats and is infinite in its mutations.
a glimpse of ‘Dance of Perfect Randomness’, center, and, ‘Draft’ at right.
LUKE MURPHY, ‘Barney’s Next Step After Canvas’ – watch the vertical lines !!
LUKE MURPHY, ‘Barney’s Next Step After Canvas’.
center – note the flower vase – it is a glowin’ !!
ok. now the tricky part, the magic part. the Rev. Luke Murphy – part !!
all these changes, in each of the 3 formats, like the lines above, in ‘Barney’s’ for example – is keyed into the sputter of a Geiger Counter – as it tracks, ‘truly’ random beats from the ‘glowing’ Vaseline glass vase, aka ‘uranium’ glass !! (which is actually ‘alive’ – emitting naturally decaying electrons and positrons. and glowing with “UV fluorescence” – while attempting to be normal – as it holds flowers !!)
each of the 3 projections has its own Geiger Counter sensitive ‘mike’ – that dictates their changes, their pace and visual evolution & fractile pattern – according to the sensors’ input impact on the computer program that runs each of the 3 digital files. yep. that’s it. its kinda mind blowing and pretty simple, to comprehend – at the same time. Luke does the hidden tech work – and so, thank your lucky tech, NOT !! stars – you don’t need to understand that – to dig the images !! with their endlessly, yet individually ‘defined’ or contained, as in finite !! – formats, i.e. abstract lines, birds, and mass morph – each making beautiful evolutions in the dance of an infinite world (a beautiful concept – just that: i-n-f-i-n-i-t-e !!) purely of the Reverend’s making – and, keyed, as in: K-E-Y-E-D !! to his secret love – the pure randomness of Uranium sourced – numbers !!
well, they don’t call him the Reverend, for no reason . . .
the control console – with the camera flash on – no glow in the vase – but, a better a look at the Geiger counters & sensor mikes !!
. . . “the glaze used on the Vaseline glass (of the vase, aka uranium glass) is a mild beta emitter that naturally decays and releases fast-moving electrons and positrons. Each of the three Geiger Counters detect the charged particles and sends a unique signal to a computer, which responds by generating the speed, color, placement, and transitions in the three projections.” . . . “MURPHY harnesses uranium’s decay to create ‘perfect randomness’.”
see: VASELINE GLASS MANUFACTURERS !!
see: VASELINE GLASS WHAT IS IT & SAFETY/HAZARD WARNINGS !!
see: VASELINE GLASS/WIKIPEDIA !!
. . . the Geiger Counters
the computer that runs the projections – is housed in the base of the console.
LUKE MURPHY – ‘Dance of Perfect Randomness’.
LUKE MURPHY – it was easier to make out the changing, but quickly fleeting birds – on the large wall.
it was a very fluid, but fairly rapid evolution/animation.
LUKE MURPHY – ‘Draft’. completely fluid. as in morphing with no apparent representational ‘code’.
or at least, not in our world, as we currently comprehend it !!
LUKE MURPHY – ‘Draft’.
it was kind of ironic – the one projection in which you could actually hear the Geiger Counter ping and register the corresponding change clearly – was the in the man-made Barnett Newman-inspired composition !! the vertical lines ‘popped’ clearly – in time to the ‘random’ uranium pulse.
see: BARNETT NEWMAN/wikipedia !!
LUKE MURPHY’S non-repeating digital file – ‘Barney’s Next Step After Canvas’.
SARAH BRAMAN – her installation at MUSEUM 52’s booth was the big, and maybe only hit, at this year’s ARMORY.
see: ANABA/SARAH BRAMAN !!
LEIF RITCHEY !! one of the best & brightest !!
see: LEIF AND TOOYA !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~LUKE MURPHY/CANADA |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 2nd, 2009, 3:43pm
USA IS A MONSTER PHOTO/COURTESY: GLASSLANDS
THURSDAY APRIL 2, 2009 / 9 PM / $7
GLASSLANDS – 289 KENT AVE – BROOKLYN
~USA IS A MONSTER/LIBRARY IS ON FIRE/PTERODACTYL/ DJ SCOTTY KARATE/GLASSLANDS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 2nd, 2009, 3:37pm
PHOTO: ELAINE MAYES, ‘Sweet Pam and Commune Group’, Ashbury Street. August 1968.
COURTESY: STEVEN KASHER GALLERY
ELAINE MAYES – HAIGHT-ASHBURY PORTRAITS – OPENS THURSDAY APRIL 2 / 6-8 PM !!
the show runs: APRIL 2 – MAY 9, 2009
STEVEN KASHER GALLERY – 521 WEST 23 ST. – CHELSEA – NYC
~ELAINE MAYES/HAIGHT-ASHBURY PORTRAITS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 2nd, 2009, 3:32pm
. . . if JOSH was the man – ALFREDO MARTINEZ was the candy man – at QUIET. His shooting gallery was the juice – the non-stop creative engine – of the party. Situated next to the Interrogation Room – its the shots from these assault rifles that punctuate the scenes of the “interrogations” in the movie.
Josh and Alfredo had acquired proper legal “film set production” licenses to run the shooting gallery, and all and any visitors to QUIET – were free to shoot them – under strict supervision. They were real guns, and they were big ones.
P.S. I believe it was ALFREDO – who brought PS1 FOUNDER – ALANNA HEISS – to QUIET. He had been showing some big Robot/Gun installations there.
ALFREDO MARTINEZ is currently in CHINA – as some kind of foreign artist-in-residence – despite his serving time – 2 years in the federal slammer – for forging Basquiats, well that’s another story – back to China – I guess they like ’em – hard core !!
see: ALFREDO MARTINEZ/2008 interview on VICE !!
in anticipation of some new publicity – ALFREDO recently sent us some images of his new ‘gun’ work from BEIJING !!
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY: ALFREDO MARTINEZ
~WE LIVE IN PUBLIC/ALFREDO MARTINEZ |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 2nd, 2009, 3:28pm
THEO CERIGO at QUIET. DEC 1999 – JAN 2000.
ARCHIVAL PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~WE LIVE IN PUBLIC/the youngest crew member |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 2nd, 2009, 3:24pm
