ABE LINCOLN Jr. vs. THE WORLD !!
sorry, guys please forgive me !! – I just couldn’t resist the . . . . bait !!
I really do like Peter Brant. at least he’s out there.
or, FILE UNDER: the Emperor who wore no clothes ca. NYC 2011.
ABE LINCOLN Jr. – ‘your moms went to chelsea and all you got was a shitty abstract’, 2011
in PANTHEON – a history of art from the streets of NYC, APRIL 2-17, 2011
DEDICATED TO PETER BRANT . . . the New York painter Josh Smith might have cause to call Mr. Brant “the guy with the eye” – but I bet I’m not the only one thinking – hell, no: he’s just the guy with the money !!
and sometimes he is on the money – but we’ll give Abe Lincoln Jr. the the final word, on this one.
hey. its a rough world, you wanna be in the art world – buckle up !!
you don’t like the heat – stay out of the kitchen. it’s called “art criticism 101”.
see: JOSH SMITH in VENICE & CONNECTICUT by CAROL VOGEL, INSIDE ART, THE NEW YORK TIMES, FRI APRIL 15, 2011.
oh, yeah.
~ABE LINCOLN JR. vs PETER BRANT |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 15th, 2011, 8:27pm
PANTHEON – A HISTORY OF ART FROM THE STREETS OF NYC
24 HR. ACCESS – WINDOW EXHIBITION SURVEY
CURATED BY: DANIEL FERAL & JOYCE MANALO
at the FORMER DONNELL – NYC PUBLIC LIBRARY BLDG – OPPOSITE MoMA
20 WEST 53rd STREET – BET 5th & 6th AVENUES
the show runs APRIL 2 -17, 2011
NOTE: THE SHOW HAS BEEN EXTENDED – THRU MAY 1st !! & IS ON VIEW 24/7.
see: pantheonnyc.com
\
the show’s card – a show-stopping map of graph work, font style, code, design, and direction . . . of a complex many-leveled evolution that pretty much sums up GRAFFITI and STREET ART, COMMERCIAL ART, OUTSIDER ART & ART HISTORY . . . the card was designed by one of the show’s curators, DANIEL FERAL. one tough cookie.
the show has a great touristy location, right in the heart of the – enemy – opposite the (mostly) staid MoMA.
the up-side: its open 24/7. the downside: its coming down this weekend – so, make it or break it.
the first window as you approach is by the 907 CREW – and it completely takes away any fears that the window format – will dampen the fires. my biggest fear going into the gig.
the 907 CREW WINDOW – a super smart collaborative effort that broke the box – on window display.
and everybody’s art having to fit “the format”. the far-out but skillful display and inter-artist banter – made a real great & def fun, first impression as you approach. the 3-D approach was wild. and elegant. go figure.
the big white eyeball alien spray paint gobbling monster is by Sadue . . .
907 CREW: DROID, GOYA, gen2, Oze 108, Sadue and UFO.
SADUE . . . sweet and smart, or what.
907 CREW throws the dog, a bone.
well-o !! 907 CREW, oh yeah.
eat the trees – NYC !! – 907 CREW.
NohJColey. ‘Pre-Columbus’, 2011.
detail, NohJColey.
JORDAN SEILER, ‘What It Means To Be A Priest’, 2010. mixed media in stolen phone booth frame.
QUEL BEAST, ‘Love Fist’, 2011.
top row, center: CAKE, ‘Portrait of Emily With Birds’, 2011.
classic ROYCE BANNON.
ABE LINCOLN, Jr. in fine form – as usual !!
ABE LINCOLN Jr. – ‘your moms went to chelsea and all you got a was a shitty abstract’, 2011.
STIKMAN, ‘Hanging Around Beyond the Edge of August’, 2011.
JOHN FEKNER and DON LEIGHT.
inside the box, it says: ‘WORK’ on the top, and ‘SWEAT’ – on the bottom.
MATT SIREN, ‘Skankar Medley’, 2011.
ELLIS GALLAGHER, ‘Bowery Crate’, 2009.
FREEDOM (CHRIS PAPE), ‘Self-Portrait’, 2010.
amen . . . that is righteous, bro.
LSD-Om, ‘Coming Down’. 2011.
on the wall, at left: RIGABERTO TORRES, ‘Firefighter’, 1990 . . .
at the right: RICHARD HAMBLETON, ‘Fountain of Youth’, 1982.
on the bike, LINUS CORAGGIO. beside him, the indie curator JOHNNY V.
LINUS CORAGGIO currently has work up in a two-man show with GARY JACKETTI, at the SKYLIGHT GALLERY, NYC.
JORDAN SEILER catches a smoke . . .
his PUBLIC AD CAMPAIGN is conducting a “participatory project titled: Producing the Streets: Public opinion on unauthorized public practices, that engages passersby with a question relating to notions of public space that is similar to the survey aspect of HANS HAACKE’S MoMA Poll, 1970 that was on view at MoMA/THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART” – thru the run of the show.
JORDAN SEILER’S 2006 exhibit – ‘REMOVAL SATISFIES THE CONDITION’, at the former 1134NYC/CANAL CHAPTER – is still one of my all time faves . . .
see: JORDAN SEILER/THE CANAL CHAPTER
see: JORDAN SEILER/THE EXHIBIT – OPENING PIX !! – SCROLL DOWN !!
from left: JOYCE MANALO, one of the show’s curators; DEBRA ANDERSON of CULTURE SHOCK MARKETING/CSM; and DANIEL FERAL, the other of the show’s curators. MR. Feral is also the designer of the awesome card, and reportedly the man behind the tone, look and design of the show. in total, nice job.
and nice last name, dude.
the guy doesn’t crack a smile ever. just saying. guess it takes a tough man to do a tough job – well.
oh oh. why am I surprised ?
a BLACK LABEL NEW YORK – BICYCLE CLUB jacket . . . as in hardcore TALL BIKE club.
you know: BIKE KILL and all.
it’s IAN – I shoulda known !!
GREG. I think.
Tony. you go – boya !!
CAKE. getting married this summer. best wishes.
AILEEN McNALLY. I first met Aileen at the recent MARK ENGER MEMORIAL. turns out she was one of three drummers in the Lower East Side-based ENGER BROS. band – THE WAR HIPPIES (1994).
LSD-Om, (at left) – with JAMES.
STEVE HARRINGTON of BROOKLYN STREET ART.
GERRIT and HESH . . Gerrit can draw one mean-streak portrait – just you wait and see !!
HESH and LINUS CORAGGIO.
Hesh has something to do with that afore-mentioned CORAGGIO & JACKETTI show at SKYLIGHT GALLERY, NYC.
Apparently Hesh has something to do, with a lot of things. usually, all for the good.
Linus calls his circle: THE RIVINGTON SCHOOL – oops. you guys better open up the school – and let more Rivington St. come on over. as in me, NANCY S, and SIMON CERIGO. both long-time artist denizens of 5 RIVINGTON St. – EAST STOREFRONT, 1987-1995.
JASON, far-out hat, dude !!
CONRAD CARLSON, or as we like to call him, because he is . . . EL PRESIDENTE of the BLACK LABEL TALL BIKE CLUB NEW YORK. and a great artist. to boot. and obviously a guy with a great sense of humor . . . its a hardcore crew that he rules, talk about feral and all. well, really maybe ‘extreme artist/artisan’ – is the word.
after the opening reception, we went back for one more look.
don’t look back, yes !!
SADUE of the notorious 907 CREW made this eye-balled body spray-can eating 3-eyed alien monster . . .
the 907 CREW . . . or . . . as they seem to prefer: GRUNTS 907.
oh yeah. beautiful flow.
and their, last laugh.
FARO, ‘Wake up call’, 2011.
VuDu, ‘Untitled’, 2011. media: bike parts & misc. metal.
TOOFLY, the only other woman artist, besides CAKE, to be included in the show.
they did a real nice design & signage job . . . real smart, but cool, as in touristy – full of info & info graphics . .
across the street – we watch BLACK LABEL – unhitch their bikes.
now, this is a BLACK LABEL NEW YORK – BIKE CLUB – TALL BIKE – and with that, let’s leave the evening on a high note. great show, dudes. and dudettes. an interesting selection from a vast scene, for sure. it might not be MOCA – but it did hit home, at the heart. street life NYC style.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH. MIDTOWN NYC, APRIL 2, 2011.
~PANTHEON/art from the streets of NYC |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 14th, 2011, 9:45pm
what’s a ‘thread’ – bout indie drawing about, without invoking the street mysticism of FARO !!
talk bout looking out & beyond. insider outsider. lots of puns, here. think on it. eyeballs.
yeah, and I just got it. faro = pharoah. oh, dummy, mummy, and me.
EGYPT: talk about the mother-lode of Lodge cults !!
I met FARO at the opening reception for PANTHEON: A HISTORY OF ART FROM THE STREETS OF NYC.
one cool young dude, if I ever did see one, no pretensions. all talent sitting quietly on the couch.
quick to open a conversation, slow to open up. but, who needs words – just hand me those stickers.
each one is hand-signed individually. giving it up, and back at ya – to the universe.
the true . . . the one & only = open = source code . . . the art of the street = the art of the web. no rules.
PANTHEON: A HISTORY OF ART FROM THE STREETS OF NYC
WINDOW EXHIBIT – OPEN 24/7
THE DONNELL PUBLIC LIBRARY – OPPOSITE MoMA
20 WEST 53rd St – bet 5th & 6th AVE
the show runs: APRIL 2 – 17, 2011. so, don’t blink, square eyes.
see: pantheonnyc.com
~DRAWING: FARO |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 12th, 2011, 10:31am
BORIS RASIN – WHOSE DRAWING THAT IS ABOVE – FROM HIS CREEPY LODGE PORTRAITS – INVITES Y’ALL . . .
to what’s . . . SURE TO BE AN AWESOME INDIE ART DRAWING SHOW . . . THIS WED APRIL 13, 2011.
FROM 7-10 PM.
at THE SAPPHIRE LOUNGE – 249 ELDRIDGE ST – JUST OFF HOUSTON – on the LOWER EAST SIDE.
TWO BANDS WILL BE PLAYING: BARKHOUSE and THE FINKS.
BORIS SAYS: BE THERE, OR BE COMPASS AND SQUARE.
AMEN.
~DRAWING: BORIS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 12th, 2011, 10:03am
FILE UNDER: yeah this site is comin’ at ya, straight from the heart of an artist . . . sorry dude.
(if you want it all to be about – you.)
. . . I guess I’ve been seeing a lot of drawing that reminds me of my own . . .
plus the fact that so much of it was based on my study of Japan’s cultural history . . . there and back.
through the looking glass . . . whatever. Japan, oh yeah.
I dunno maybe it was because there was so much witchcraft and goblins, not to mention introspective women.
that I found so much relevance. the Edo Period woodblocks also are what got me into a lot of comic world art.
step up, decades.
to the recent RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA show – ‘FEAR EATS THE SOUL’ – which had no drawings – go figure. of course this made me want to slap up mine – next to the those 10 ft. high letters. just as big and black, just as much a part of that white box gallery breakdown as those gorgeous gangly hand-wrought line drawing spray paint letters. FEAR.
it woulda been a totally – presentient – homage to Japan . . . or what.
scary presentient and obviously way ahead of its time – cause it had no chance of ever happening, except in my dreams. funny how: in your dreams dude, is a kind of fuck-off get-lost, write-off, isn’t it.
BUT: then I just realized – oh yeah, one of those drawings had actually made onto a gallery wall in NYC . . . and coincidence. coincidence. it was a wall that Gavin Brown also oversaw – as well. though, of course I had to put it there, myself. and it was kinda like walking thru fire. FEAR EATS THE SOUL, even then.
back up just about 2 decades.
the Lower East Side – Rivington School – when it really was. in the late 80s, early 90s.
it was DAN ASHER who told me GAVIN BROWN was doing something radical at his gallery time-share of 303 – back when it was on Greene St. in Soho. (and what a break-up that must have been. Lisa Spellman and Gavin Brown, the daggers still hang from the clouds – it was before my time as a gallery observer proper, so I can’t really tell you anymore than what is the obvious.)
anyway: it was radical – an open gallery – anybody could go put something up on the walls. like street art – except gallery art, breaking down the white box. so I went with my stencil, and put this black line Sharpie drawing up on the wall – about 2 ft. high. It was 1992, and the show was called: ‘Writing on the Wall’ – maybe the first time writing was referenced to art – on walls – not sure. but could be. it was an early use of stencil – for sure. never saw it used before – but it seemed the only recourse to transferring my drawing – without projecting it.
NANCY SMITH, ink sketch – for stencil. ‘WRITING ON THE WALL’, CURATED BY GAVIN BROWN.
303 GALLERY, SOHO. 1992.
actual image 2 ft. high. black marker. directly on wall.
underneath it I wrote in script: ‘torn by the desire to paint’ . . . as in forever torn by the creative force – from ever being capable of being normal. oh yeah. that’s me. in a nutshell . . .
I had Theo with me – he was a toddler in a stroller. I remember being struck by fear – when I went in to put it up. I may as well have been tagging the Empire State building. no one else was there except Gavin and he said: what do you want ? and gave me the evil eye. big time. the walls were mostly empty – word of the show hadn’t hit the street, yet.
I dunno why, but there is something eternally dorky bout me – and outsiderish that I just can’t seem to shake . . . unlike some people who land beautiful and fit in . . . but are inwardly insecure and anxious. I landed completely fearless and secure in my vision – but for some completely baffling reason, this manifests a dorky exterior. don’t ask me why. and Gavin would not cut me any slack.
people tell me that’s just how he plays the game – but I’m not so sure.
I have seen him pour on the charm when he wants to. I guess they have to ration it . . . so as not to burn out ?
at any rate. completely terrified, under my breath, I’m: fuck you – it’s an open call. I’m putting up my ‘writing’, and I did. caught between a rock and a hard place. as ever. caught between vision and acceptance. caught between powerful inner forces and no outward acceptance. but mostly caught between absolute awe for his having had the idea and abject humilation that I didn’t make even – the ‘open’ – cut. what a loser.
tell me about being driven by the desire to paint, again. say what ?
may as well face a firing squad.
and he never a said another word to me. even when I came to the opening a week or so, later . . .
I entered just when someone, I guess one of his best buds – shot off a BB Gun, or was it a paint gun – were there such things back then, full of red paint. I felt one with the red blast. oh yeah.
but when the show went down, there was only one image that had not been scribbled over with other people’s shit – once word spread – that it was open – it got busted wide open. and that was mine.
end of story. funny how it’s so true what they say: no matter how much things change, they remain the same.
in my notes from the time, I see I wrote a quote from RICKI LEE JONES – something like: “but I know that the world you make – inside your head, is the one you see – all around you . . . ”
amen.
once a loser, always a loser . . . but pretty scary – right on, or what. just nobody knows it.
guess that’s why – I was born to ‘blog’.
otherwise I’d just be another Kiki Smith, Elizabeth Peyton. you name it.
I, Nancy Smith – giving new meaning to the term: late bloomer. loser.
indie all the way. when I die I’ll be up there with my soul bro, Mark Enger, laughing down at ya’ll – for missing the boat-ride of your lifetime, or what.
or, maybe this is the boat-ride. the web-taxi. the writing on the wall-less lawless web aka the ‘social’ media – the hive, the wall-less gallery up in the sky . . . existing solely on air waves – powered by an aggregate populist brain wave. yet which archives, for ev-ah !! a tribute contrarianism – if I ever did see one.
yin yang. the energy of opposing forces at the heart of it all, since the beginning.
the beauty of binary patterns. reproduction code.
hey. but I can follow a web ‘thread’ or what. love how that unknown, unmarked silence – just opens up like a ship’s hull – slicing through a water.
as long as the motherlode server system is up . . . and running.
DEDICATED TO: JAPAN, APRIL 2011 – NOW OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED AS A No. 7 – THE MAX – NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE, oh, yeah / may be I should call that drawing, after the fact: what the hell . . . just happened.
SAY WHAT ? TORN BY THE DESIRE TO PAINT, . . . what about – to live !!
~DRAWING: NANCY |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 12th, 2011, 9:53am
OR: HOW WE BEGIN TO REMEMBER . . .
AND, WHY NOT !!??
OR: I GOT – YR – NUMBER, EVEN WAY BACK THEN . . .
OR: HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANCY !! – APRIL 9th . . . FLAMIN’ AIRES, and let’s leave it at that !!
AND, yeah these are MY DRAWINGS !! two in pencil. one in pen and ink – ca. mid-1970’s !!
they accompanied my M.F.A. thesis – on: JAPANESE ART & IT’S INFLUENCE ON CONTEMPORARY ART !!
go figure !!
no, they have never been shown, except when they were exhibited for my masters show. as if that did me any good. way back in Montreal. you had to be a color field [painter back then, anyways.
but that’s ok with me – cause I’d rather be right on, as in: ahead of the curve – than dead.
and I see – its my ‘words’ you’re reading, for the cutting edge – aren’t ya !!
my total dream birthday wish ?
to have them reproduced, there’s a whole series of them . . . like 10 ft. high, in black paint on plywood, right smack in that RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA – ‘FEAR EATS THE SOUL’ – communal dining room. oh, yeah.
Japan and all.
I guess you could call them – self-portraits – taken through the lens of (Edo Period) Japanese art & back again !!
(Edo Period: 1603-1867).
NANCY SMITH, ‘WHY NOT ?’. pencil. ca. 1974.
NANCY SMITH, ‘UP YOURS !!’. pencil. ca. 1974.
NANCY SMITH, ‘HOW WE BEGIN TO REMEMBER’. pen & ink. ca. 1993.
(actually this one, in pen & ink, came from a later series, done in NYC.)
DEDICATED TO MY BUDDY MARK ENGER – ALSO BORN APRIL 9, 1963 – DIED JAN 7, 2011.
AND MY SOUL BRO, IF I EVER DID SEE ONE. I GUESS THAT MAKES ME – YOUR SOUL SIS-TAH.
AMEN.
~DON’T LOOK BACK, NANCY !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 9th, 2011, 1:40pm
FILE UNDER: DON’T LOOK BACK – WHAT THE HELL.
YEAH . . . I AM LOOKING BACK – the CINDERS FUNeral, damn if I didn’t feel I had died and gone to heaven !!
THE CINDERS FUNeral – DEC 30, 2010 – the very last event at 103 HAVEMEYER – which is now apparently – a bar !!
STO, or as he likes to say: sTo !!
KELIE and STO – Cinders co-founders . . .
the evening was a-m-a-z-i-n-g . . . so magical.
for starters: the musical guests had such high energy, and sounded so great. I guess its thanks to Sto – there is such, or was such a great sound system at the storefront gallery. a rarity in my experience. just saying.
truly I felt as if I had died and gone to heaven.
not joking.
KELIE BOWMAN
NICK KUSZYK . . .
or – as he’d like to be know !!
PETE VOGL of BOW RIBBONS
at right: WILLOW GIBBONS of BOW RIBBONS
RYAN SAWYER
TUNDE ADEBIMPE
GEORGE FERRANDI
KATE with PORTS BISHOP
DAVID SELF outta NORTH CAROLINA – first night in the Big Apple, and finds himself at the Cinders FUNeral.
you go, boy.
TURNER WILLIAMS
ALEX DREWCHIN, TURNER WILLIAMS, GREG FOX and JONATHAN COWARD – of many bands, incl Brooklyn’s own: THE GUARDIAN ALIEN.
ALEX DREWCHIN – lets it rip . . .
EVAN GREENFIELD and ERIKA SOMOYGI with little baby girl . . . River
ERIKA and RIVER – River was 8 mos old at the time.
CINDERS GALLERY
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
THE CINDERS FUNeral, BROOKLYN. DEC 30, 2010.
~DON’T LOOK BACK: the CINDERS FUNeral . . . |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 9th, 2011, 12:26pm
STO – BEND OF THE WORLD
OPENING RECEPTION SAT APRIL 9, 2011 / 7-11PM
DJ AMERIKA BAMBAATAA
the show runs thru MAY 1, 2011.
SECRET PROJECT ROBOT
210 KENT AVE and METROPOLITAN (ENTER ON RIVER STREET AROUND BACK)
SECRET PROJECT ROBOT IS OPEN ON WEEKENDS: 1-6 PM
and check out: CINDERS GALLERY – THEY HAVE BEEN POSTING SOME REALLY GREAT – STUFF !!
~OPENING . . . sTo BEND of the WORLD |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 9th, 2011, 11:19am
SUPPER . . . ?
no, almost.
LAST !! SOUP KITCHEN !!
at GAVIN BROWN’S – RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA’S SHOW COMES DOWN – THIS WED APRIL 16, 2011.
I AM ALREADY CRYING – RIVERS !!
AND REMEMBER, YES !!
. . . . . FEAR – DOES – EAT THE SOUL !!
FEAR/RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA – FEAR EATS THE SOUL/IMAGE COURTESY: GAVIN BROWN’s enterprise
see: soup no soup
see: GAVIN BROWN’S enterprise
~LAST . . . |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 9th, 2011, 11:12am
BETTER KEEP YOUR RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA T-SHIRTS – UNDER WRAPS – IN CHINA !!
OR: THE BIG DIFF BETWEEN CHINA & THE GOOD OLE USA !!
and yeah, just maybe CHARLIE SHEEN bad as he is – says it all.
DON’T BE CAUGHT WEARING THESE FIGHTING WORDS – FROM THE NYC-BASED RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA T-SHIRT SHOP – IN CHINA.
what ever happened to:
Sticks and stones can break my bones – but names will never harm me ?
guess not if you are in a sensitive political bind . . . RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA right on the mark. again.
first Japan, re: creating what is essentially a presentient ‘fall-out’ communal survival shelter.
now, China, re: artistic suppression. or is the world we live in – just so friggin obvious.
RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA/GBE T-SHIRT NO T-SHIRT
AI WEIWEI – IMAGE COURTESY/REUTERS/BBC NEWS
according to BBC NEWS – PROMINENT ARTIST AI WEIWEI was stopped from boarding a flight out of Beijing this past weekend, and “there has been no contact with him since, and no comment from the police.”
“One of his assistants told the BBC he had been held by border guards as he tried to get on a flight to Hong Kong.”
“More than 20 dissidents and activists have been held in the past weeks.”
“China’s authorities appear on edge over calls for a so-called Jasmine Revolution, partly inspired by pro-democracy movements in the Middle East.”
see: BBC/CHINESE ARTIST AI WEIWEI STOPPED/APRIL 3, 2011
see: HYPERALLERGIC HAS SOME GOOD FACTS on THE UNFOLDING SITUATION
including: a reference to the APRIL 1, 2011 report – CHINA:THE BIG CHILL by NEW YORKER CORRESPONDENT EVAN OSNOS “which notes that the Chinese government is in the midst of the biggest crackdown on free expression ‘in years’.”
and: has a fascinating – LIVE BLOG on events as they occur
wow – it’s a good thing our homeboy – ALFREDO MARTINEZ – GOT OF THERE – LAST SUMMER. HE WAS HELD IN SECRET DETENTION in CHINA FOR SEVERAL MONTHS LAST SPRING/SUMMER 2010 & HE DID MAKE AI WEIWEI’S ACQUAINTANCE – WHILE IN CHINA. IN FACT ALFREDO & JOSH HARRIS HAD RECENTLY APPROACHED AI WEIWEI ABOUT DOING A VERSION – OF JOSH’S WIRED CITY – OVER THERE.
DON’T THINK CHINA HAS THE RIGHT SENSE OF ‘HUMOR’ – TO PUT UP WITH OUR HARD-CORE NYC HOMEBOYS.
see: ALFREDO MARTINEZ ESCAPES SECRET DETENTION IN CHINA/LOST & FOUND In WILLIAMSBURG
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH/TIRAVANIJA T-SHIRT SLOGANS at GBE/MARCH 5, 2011
~LOSING . . . |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 7th, 2011, 5:08am
