Wordless Weekend

I'm Mad about MAD

The Dead or Alive exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design proved to be worth seeing in the flesh, quite literally. New York Magazine ran a great spread on the show; however the tactile experience of bones, seeds, feathers, rat excrement, and cocoons is not properly conveyed through photographs alone. There was a surreal quality to the use of materials. The seed skulls of Helen Altman tacked like specimens on the wall, the Ango Design cocoons suspended overhead, a wall to wall room of black feathers -- the show mixes the scientific process of biology with the conceptual edge of modern art. It reminded me a great deal of Cloaca, the mechanical digestive system created by Dutch artist Wim Delvoye, so it was no surprise that many of the artists included were Dutch and that the show was partially funded by The Mondriaan Foundation in Amsterdam. The museum itself is a fab piece of modern architecture-- not to mention that it's easy to get to on Columbus Circle, a stone's throw from the park, and has a lovely restaurant on the top floor. You've got until October 24, 2010 to check it out.

Charles Krypell Jewelry

Can you say pink diamonds? It isn't every day (at least for me) that one gets to try on rings worth, oh, about $100,000 a pop. But that was just how I spent the afternoon yesterday when I visited Charles Krypell Jewelry to see intern Evan Krypell. While some high school seniors are planning their next party, others are getting a head start on life experience. Evan is one of the latter. While interning with his father, founder and jewelry designer Charles Krypell, Evan has been able to see all sides of this industry from design inspiration to molds, to visiting a factory in China, all the way to marketing and sales. The cuff seen here was inspired by some mouldings Charles Krypell saw and thought would make interesting and intricate shapes in silver. With black diamonds in a pave setting, the piece is definitely luxe.

Portrait of the Artist

Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was down along he road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo. James Joyce begins his autobiographical novel The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man with this recount of a childhood experience. From there, the complexity of the writing style grows, mirroring the intellectual and artistic development of Joyce as a writer.
Digging through a moldy box of old photographs last night, I unearthed bits and pieces of my own artistic development. From a daily journal to postcards, I gleaned moments of my early and awkward attempts as self expression until a more reasonably formed image of myself began to emerge. The top photograph taken by none other than Louise Millmann is of my box of oil paints in 1984. I swear I still have some of those paints in the back of my supply cupboard, including that cigar box. When it comes to paint, I border on a Depression-era mentality of squeezing out every last drop of precious pigment. In those days, I painted much larger than today, with raw energy and few concerns about storage space. Today's paint box isn't as messy or charming, and the paintings are smaller and more refined, making the contrast quite revealing.
Another relic I discovered is this invitation to a Ray Johnson 'nothing' at the Hecksher Museum in Huntington, NY in 1987. Johnson, who combined a childlike awe of commonplace things like a xerox machine with a complex association of obscure artistic references, married the sacred and the profane in a world where sometimes it was hard to determine which was which. How influential it was for me in my own development to meet a person who could turn his life into a creative performance.

Dead and Alive Opens at MAD

Need. to. go. to. this. show. NOW. I am knocked out by the catalogue of the new exhibition, Dead and Alive, at The Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle, NYC. Artist Louise Millmann went last night to a preview and gave it rave reviews. Fortune would have it that I'll be in the city tomorrow afternoon to visit a student intern at Krypell Jewelers on 47th and 5th, so I'll be able to give a full, first hand account on both experiences.

By the way, this is my 400th entry-- a big thanks to all of you who check in to read this blog, and a super-sized thanks to those who share comments. It's been a great conversation so far.

Kiki Smith Takes NYC

Artist Kiki Smith is everywhere these days. From her Sojourn exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum to her new show opening this month at Pace Gallery, it's clear that her work continues to evolve. Originally a sculptor, Smith used the body as a starting point-- skin, organs, nudity combined to give her work a provocative corporeality that made viewers feel as if they were in a space with an actual body. Over the years, Smith has expanded her repertoire to include illustration and printmaking, this time drawing upon folklore and mythology for subject matter. The theme throughout, however, has been the political implications of the feminine form. From crouching nude bodies to Little Red Riding-hood surrounded by wild animals, Smith pushes viewers to reconsider their own perspectives on gender and nature, and all that it entails.

Seatuk's Grand Opening

The Seatuk Environmental Association recently opened their nature preserve in Islip, NY, hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday and an eco-carnival yesterday. The foundation, now housed in the former Scully estate, is situated on 200+ acres along the Great South Bay, and features a growing selection of hiking trails. The variety of those trails is rather impressive. Moving from hard woods to salt marshes, the birdwatching is extraordinary. Egrets, osprey, red-shouldered blackbirds, cardinals, and of course the standard waterfowl of Canada geese and mallards pepper the property. The house itself, with its wonderful slate-roof, is also a treat to explore. Upcoming events include yoga and meditation, as well as showcasing a current photography exhibition.

The carnival, a charming low-tech affair featuring eco-friendly booths like wild animal rescue, face painting, and worm production, had a huge turn out of people from all over the area. It was great to see, especially with the threats to the NYS parks system's budget looming in Albany. But what could be a better way to build community and environmental awareness than having families meet up at the local nature preserve? That sounds like a worthwhile investment of public funds to me.

Revenge of the Bureaucrats

More than once in my life I've been thwarted by bureaucracy. Did you know signing your car title in the wrong spot can send your life into a three week holding pattern? Yeah, I learned that at 21. How about inadvertently missing a deadline submitting paperwork for a teaching license? It could cost you for the rest of your retirement, as a young colleague of mine found out this year.

For as much as our society needs checks and balances-- it seems in certain circles the checks are overwhelming the balance. Architectural projects, especially commercial structures, certainly need guidelines, both local and state, otherwise we can only imagine the unsafe and oversized structures people would slap together. On the other hand, when overzealous regulations become a means to crush projects, burdening small businesses and homeowners with bureaucratic regulations that were initially in place to protect them, we have to re-evaluate the spirit of building guidelines.

In that light, I sat with my sketchbook last night to ponder how one could satirize bureaucracy run amok. James had played with the topic while in graduate school, writing a play entitled 'Ed's Vacation', where the main character's job was to sort vast amounts of colored paper, only to have it dumped into the same bin. I chose a 'Dilbert' inspired cartoon format-- wondering if there is a market for tee-shirts and coffee mugs mocking bureaucracy. But then again, there's probably a release form I'd have to get notarized before I can even ask the question.

So Special

When I heard the Specials were reuniting and coming to NYC, I didn't hesitate in buying tickets for the show. Sandwiched between punk and new wave eras, their progressive ska sound and politically charged message remains as fresh today as it did in the early 1980s. With Terry Hall on lead vocals, the music energized the crowd, and before the first notes even dissipated, everyone was ready to dance. As they left they stage, they said they'll see us again in another 26 years. Hopefully I'll be there, ready to dance again. Thanks to photographer Barbara Strnadova for the suggestion, and for also showing up in zebra!

Framing Geometry

James went to check on the framing of two different projects at two different stages.

Wordless

Shake It!

After coveting photographer Monica Shulman's fantastic iphone pics on her blog Ciao, Chessa, I waited for my old phone to die. And waited, until last weekend.

Now I am one with my new piece of technology, I tested out some new photo apps-- falling in love with 'Shake It!' which mimics Polaroid shots. What a great marriage of old school with modern technology. So now is there a possibility my camera will play 8-tracks?

Planting Trees and Other Subversive Acts

How can you argue with tree planting? A seemingly-gentle act actually packs quite a political punch.

In 1977, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Kenyan political activist Dr. Wangari Maathai wanted to combat the effects of deforestation and soil erosion by organizing a tree planting campaign. Her Green Belt program not only made a change in the Kenyan landscape, it also changed how Kenyan women felt about themselves. In organzing tree planting, Maathai encouraged Kenyans not only to invest in their country, but gave them a sense of empowerment, which grew along with the 40 million trees planted across Africa. Maathai was eventually elected to Parliment in 2002.
Palestinians hope their burgeoning tree planting campaign will be as influential as Kenya's. As reported in the New York Times, Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad has encouraged tree planting on the West Bank to establish a positive presence in the area. And Green Belt is planning to expand their tree planting efforts in earthquake-ravaged Hati.

Perhaps Emerson was right. Connecting with nature helps us restore our natural morality. So as Earth Day is upon us, perhaps it's time for us each to plant a tree.

Bird House Sketch

I reworked this small painting for Artrageous 2010, a fundraiser for Mobius in Boston. The topic: Surrealestate.

The Changing Body

If you have a spare moment to surf the Internet, The Body-Nothing Else is a great site to check out. An open call for women to share their feelings about their changing bodies, the blog offers an interesting gallery of images ranging from abstract to hyperreal. My favorite so far is Mariana Palova's surreal images, which evoke Frieda Kahlo, Edward Gorey, and Tim Burton. The images above are my submission. Get out your sketchbooks, cameras, or paintbrushes and consider submitting something yourself.

Dune Road Update

James went out to Dune Road in Westhampton for a site visit. With the exterior almost complete, the sheet rock in place, and flooring underfoot, this weekend residence looks as if it will be up and running in time for a Memorial Day cookout.

The World We Want

Today I attended The Ethnic Pen, an annual writing conference at Bay Shore High School, now in its 19th year. Lead by the inspirational educator Nina Wolff and teacher coordinators Shannon Handley and Joanne Dineen, the conference committee proves just how much individuals can change the world around us. Appropriately, this year's theme of "The World We Want" was discussed by prominent poets, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and students.

Keynote speaker Da Chen, author of the highly acclaimed memoir, Colors of the Mountain, spoke about his childhood in Communist China, where the only thing to combat the boredom and indignities of his life in a repressive small village was the gift of a bamboo flute. He described the contrast between his American-born son's childhood with his own, telling the young people in the audience that with the privileged life they have in America comes the responsibility of making the world a better place. Afterwards, he signed copies of his book, giving each person a different message in Chinese calligraphy. Mine, above, reads longevity. The young man in the image with Da Chen is my student Justin, whose family emigrated from the same region of China as the author. His message: good fortune.

Poet Patricia Smith gave a powerful spoken word performance, reading a range of poems, including several from her new collection entitled Blood Dazzler. Her moving, multi-faceted portrait of the victims of Hurricane Katrina haunted me all day, though it was her poem about her son growing up which brought me to tears.

In honor of the conference's theme, the committee recognized several young people who have already become active in changing the world. One of my students, Sofia Rajabali, seen here with her mother and her sister, was inspired by her reading of Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. Reflecting on her own Pakistani background, she organized a fundraiser and cultural awareness night, raising $1100 to send to Mortenson's organization for a girls' school in Pakistan.

This year's conference and those in attendance prove that words are a powerful way to create the world we want.

Liv's Outlaw Blues

Lighting: Commercial Applications

Anyone who has ever dimmed the lights to set the mood knows how essential lighting is to residential spaces, but it becomes even more important in a commercial setting. I asked cousin-in-law and Fairfield Display and Lighting specialist Michael Mikita to share some images of his company's projects, seen above. In looking at them, it seems to me that the universal rule of thumb with lighting in both residential and commercial settings is variety. No one fixture is going to serve all purposes. A mix of overhead, spotlights and pendants are needed to make a space and its contents come to life.