Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Dead or Alive


I went to the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) today, and it was ah-mazing! I saw an exhibit in November called "Slash," featuring all sorts of crazy avant-garde paper crafts. So I was excited to go back to see their "Dead or Alive" exhibit,--a collection of art pieces made from organic materials--and it was once again unbelievable. If you're in NYC before Oct. 24th, GO to Columbus Circle-this show is SO worth it!! You'll see butterfly wings meticulously arranged into a huge mandala shape, chicken bones sculpted to form the shape of an endangered bird, loose spices condensed into the shapes of skulls and arranged in a grid, and a light fixture made entirely of silk worm cocoons. The paradoxical themes of the natural vs. the technological, repulsion vs. attraction, past vs. future, and life vs. death unify the artists' otherwise distinctive conceptual pieces. Here are a few that I think are pretty nifty (to say the least).
Levi Van Veluw, Landscape I (lambdaprint on dibond, antirefex Perspex (all I know is that no photoshop was used..))
Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta, Fragile Future 3 (dandelion puffs and phosphorous bronze)
Shen Shaomin, Sagittarius (bones, bonemeal, and glue)
Jorge Mayet, Obatala (electrical cable, paper mache, feather, acrylics)

Fabian Pena, The Impossibility of Storage for the Soul (cockroach wings, translucent paper, light box)
Christianne Lohr, Giant Seed Cloud (thistle seeds, hairnet)
Kate MccGwire, Discharge (pigeon feathers, mixed media)

“In my work, I am trying to tap into the magic we experienced as

children. I would like people to rediscover it when they see my work,

and for a moment just stand there and say ‘Wow!’.”

Jennifer Angus


“I gather, collate, re-use, layer, peel, burn, reveal, locate, question,

duplicate, play and photograph. I’m seeking answers to questions

about the nature of beauty.”

Kate MccGwire


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Thursday, May 20, 2010

90's Throwback

Sublime: What I Got.
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Saturday, May 8, 2010

Monsters of Folk.



My friend Sam recently opened my eyes to Monsters of Folk, an indie power group made up of: Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band), Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes), Jim James (of My Morning Jacket) and M. Ward (of She & Him). The combination of music genii is reminicient of the Travelign Wilbury's, and the tune itself, heavy on the guitars, light on the electronics, is also reminicient of folk's heyday circa Traveling Wilbury's. (But with a little more edge, and a lot less road-trip-upbeatness)
Anywho, cool lyrics, pleasant but still edgy songs, hot musicians, what's not to love?
Listen to: (sorry I couldn't narrow it down)
"Magic Marker,"
"Say Please,"
"Map of the World,"
"Goodway"
"Sandman, the Brakeman, and Me"

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Thursday, May 6, 2010

AllSaints!


I was drawn from afar to AllSaints by the grid work of vintage sewing machines encased in big, shiny glass windows at the store front (just opened on Newbury Street, Boston). (All the paper writing I've been doing for finals has made me into a parenthetical citation freak, 44-45). Anyways, I got a bit overwhelmed inside by the frenzy of shoppers, salespeople, and mannequins, and ended up on the men's side. I explored some military coats, skull-printed tees, and lovely baggy jeans before realizing I had crossed the literal gender line established in the store. Oops? Whatever. The whole androgeny trend is quite possibly the greatest trend to hit the fashion mainstream because it makes for so many options (!) .
Without further ado, here are a few of my favorite things from the shop:

Studded suede boots. MMMmmilitary...

Tie dye
Ye ole "beaten up vintage" (but actually $300) look
Lots of asymmetrical designs,
I thought this one was particularly cool.
You can't see it, but the straps are made of leather.
Therefore, I like this.
Always wanted to channel Avril Lavigne:
(just kidding)


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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Past the line?

MIA has and always does love to be the newest and most extreme musician to date. She is more of an artist. She is a pacifist. She uses hyperbolic violence as a means to end violence. In her newest video "Born Free" she illuminates the absurdity of the genocides that so much of the world is so willing to just turn their cheek to. But for once those being herded to be slaughtered are young, fit Caucasian boys. These military men slaughter these innocent boys for no reason while they are running for their lives. It is as though they are slaughtering... slaughtering dead children, cause there is really nothing as horrific than what it actually is to compare it to.




Or, is this just an attempt to maintain her image, her unique individuality? She is forced to compete with copy cat artists like Rihanna and maybe these absurd use of violence was her attempt to break free from a pop artist like rihanna or lady gaga?





Monday, May 3, 2010

...

I debated this. As a teacher how does one encourage and keep their students engaged without tearing them down? You want them to work hard, but what if they are and just can't perform?

Also yay for postsecrets! it is great and the secrets are changed every sunday for all to enjoy and commiserate with!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Selby's animals

Do you ever see someone walking on the street and immediately think, wow, if that person was an animal, they would be a giraffe? I don't know about you, but this happens to me all the time. I still distinctly remember in seventh grade I was driving back from Mexico and this lady on the billboard was a Lizard. I had to double and even triple take because the resemblance was so insane! Anyways, if your like me and like to compare things to the animal kingdom, than you will like The Selby's water color animals. I mean c'mon Proenza Shouler is a poison dart frog... Brilliant!