. . . NYC can finally see – the FILM – that’s been taking the rest of the country by STORM !!
YEP – look out !! NYC !! – JOSH HARRIS IS BACK !!
PHOTO COURTESY: THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER VIA THE VILLAGE VOICE/MARCH 25-31, 2009/PG> 54.
JOSH HARRIS – IN THE TRANSPARENT SHOWER – AT QUIET !!
IN THE – ONDI TIMONER DIRECTED DOCUMENTARY – ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ – ‘THE STORY OF JOSH HARRIS’ – THE FILM THAT WON THE GRAND JURY AWARD – DOCUMENTARY – AT THIS YEAR’S 2009 SUNDANCE FESTIVAL !!
THE FIRST TIME IN THE FESTIVAL’S HISTORY – THAT A DIRECTOR HAS E-V-E-R BEEN AWARDED BEST DOCUMENTARY TWICE !! – ONDI TIMONER HAVING WON PREVIOUSLY WITH – ‘DIG!’ HER STORY OF THE DANDY WARHOLS & THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE – in 2004 !!
see: artlovers/4-24-08 !!
JOSH and ONDI ARE STILL DOWN AT THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FESTIVAL – THE HOTTEST OF THE HOTTEST – WHERE THE FILM IS BEING EMBRACED BY ALL THE FILM FANS & WEB GEEKS !! JOSH IS IN FACT BECOMING SOMETHING OF A, FORGET UNDERGROUND !! – MAINSTREAM – CULT FIGURE !!
THINGS ARE SO HOT FOR THEM DOWN IN TEXAS – THEY HAVEN’T EVEN – MADE IT UP TO NYC !! – YET !! – WHERE – ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ – IS NOW PLAYING TO NYC AUDIENCES !! HAVING ITS NYC PREMIERE IN THE MOMA & LINCOLN CENTER – ND/NF 2009 – NEW DIRECTORS/NEW FILMS SERIES !!
see: ND/NF
see: ND/FF 2009/WE LIVE IN PUBLIC !!
that’s OWEN BUSH’S – PLASTIC BUBBLE WRAP-DINING ROOM/at ‘QUIET’ – aka THE MILLENNIUM PARTY – in ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ !!
and straight outta the box – they scored a huge rave review in the VILLAGE VOICE – MARCH 25-31, 2009 !!
wow.
TITLED, ‘THE VOYEUR’ – and penned by JOHN ANDERSON – its just the tip of the iceberg for JOSH & ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ – YES !! JOSH IS BACK !!!
and by the way, JOHN ANDERSON – take note – that’s: LUVVY – not “Luvvie” !!
read: THE VOICE ARTICLE/WE LIVE IN PUBLIC at ND/NF !!
“Ondi Timoner Is Inside Josh Harris’s Web”/by JOHN ANDERSON/March 24, 2009
more to come.
and yep !! that is ME !! in the film – I’m the fighter girl !! – who got kicked out !! – but I also got a nice last word – CAMEO – at the end – I’m the FAR-LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE – SEER – IN THE BLACK HOODIE !! WHO SETS JOSH AFLOAT IN A BOAT – ON THE SEAS – FOREVER – !! YEAH JOSH !! YEAH ONDI !!
and F*CK, I MEAN – FRIG !! – all the rest of you losers & wannabes – you KNOW who you are !! – I’ve seen it all !! been there, done that !!
and it was the real thing – the first time around – !! – and, on a million dollar budget !! so, crunch that !!
you know what they say – once a fighter girl – always a fighter girl !!
UP-DATE: FRIDAY – MARCH 27, 2009/10:36AM
FILE UNDER: ‘WE LIVE IN PUBLIC’ – THE UNTOLD STORY !!
the thing is, . . . . well, no offense JOHN ANDERSON of the VOICE – you wrote a great review – but you missed one very big part !! It’s not just that JOSH was a web guru – he could also call talent !! as in A-R-T talent !! He also has an incredible innate aesthetic sense. what do you think gives the juice to this movie – if not the visuals !! who do you think made that PLASTIC BUBBLE WRAP DINING ROOM – a lowly web tech keyboard pusher ? NO !! NO !! NOT. it was an artist, a young unknown underground downtown NYC artist – name of OWEN BUSH !!
Josh got it right. right off the starter’s pistol – v-i-s-u-a-l-s – rule the web – not just text !!
why do you think that ALANNA HEISS, founder of P.S 1 – is in there like a dirty shirt, or more times than I could keep track off – raving, absolutely raving about ‘QUIET’ !! – as the absolute best ART PARTY she’d ever been to – and, “I’ve seen them all” !! get that, John ? – art party – not tech party !!
yo. dude – it was the artists – !! – Josh knew how to pick em and keep em – and pay em !! right off the top of his head – like other people breathe !! and the more hard-core, wild, and commercially unrecognized – the better !!
just for fun, here’s some numbers: don’t know what Owen got to do the DINING ROOM – but he had a big enough budget to hire a 4 star chef to feed over 90 people, 2 sit-down gourmet meals a day, for more than 2 weeks !! ALFREDO MARTINEZ got $60,000+ to build his shooting gallery, and ALEX ARCADIA got over $80,000 to build his meditation temple which covered – a professional architect/consultant, down to the the large-sized goldfish that swam in a moat around it, and a custom speaker system for his piped-in music !!
HA HA !! ARTISTS AT P-L-A-Y !!! IN THE DOT-COM G-L-O-R-Y DAYS !!
‘QUIET’ – the MILLENNIUM PARTY THAT KICKS OFF THE DOCUMENTARY – Josh’s 24/7 reality-show on steroids & non-stop surveillance was focused – not on – a fish tank of class D BRETT MICHAELS-like skanks, though let me tell ya – there were some of those too, – – yo – – hell no, it was – downtown NYC artists all the way.
ok. a little backtrack to Mr. Anderson’s article.
2nd paragraph, first sentence: “So: We Live In Public is about a bunker, a loft, an apple farm, and a guy named Josh Harris, who in 1999, took a few of his dot-com millions and established an underground community in a basement on lower Broadway – replete with 110 video cameras, 24-hour surveillance, a shooting range, interrogations, and a community group of 100 “artists” [his italics !!] who proceeded to display what people do under stressed-out, fishbowl conditions.”
yo, and remind me the next time I refer to the people at the Village Voice who scribble away over there – as quote unquote “writers” !!
dude – these were bonafide artists, all of them. and Josh just rock n’ rolled the hell out of them. that’s why the story is so good. its not college town Facebook USA – its downtown dirty NYC LOU REED wild child artists – who tore that scene to pieces.
TAKE ONE: THE SHOOTING GALLERY – ALFREDO MARTINEZ !!
TAKE TWO: THE POD HOTEL – JEFF GOMPERTZ !!
TAKE THREE: THE MEDITATION TEMPLE – ALEX ARCADIA !!
TAKE FOUR: THE SILK-SCREENED UNIFORM EMBELLISHMENTS – MARK ENGER of EXPLODING SKY !!
TAKE FIVE: THE BUBBLE DINING ROOM & 4 STAR FOOD – OWEN BUSH !!
TAKE SIX: THE LIVE-IN ARTIST AS OPPOSED TO GALLERY CONCEPT & QUILTS – NANCY SMITH !!
TAKE SEVEN: THE CUTTING EDGE VIDEO STUNTS ETC – FEEDBUCK and MISSY GALORE !!
TAKE EIGHT: THE VAMPIRE PARTIES – JUDGECAL !!
TAKE NINE: THE TOXIC ROOM – AIDAS BAREIKIS and AARON BREWER !!
TAKE TEN: THE YOUNG ‘NAZI’ , oops CONTROL FREAK/CURATOR: LEO KOENIG !!
TAKE ELEVEN: THE ‘NAZI’ POLICEMAN – ZEROBOY !!
TAKE TWELVE: THE INQUISITOR – MICHAEL ASHKIN !!
TAKE THIRTEEN: THE BAND THAT MARCHED NAKED ACROSS THE COMMUNAL DINING ROOM TABLE – AS YOU ATE – UPRIGHT CITIZEN’S BAND
TAKE FOURTEEN: PHOTO DOCUMENTATION – DONNA FERRARO – see some of her photos & a small gang reunion – here !!
TAKE THIRTEEN TO A ZILLION – THE LIVE & VERY IN-YOUR-FACE PERFORMANCE ARTISTS – INCL. MICHAEL PORTNOY, PATRICK MANGINA & JOSH, AS HIMSELF and as LUVVY !!
and, NOT TO FORGET:
THE OPENING SHOOTING GALLERY SET/BASEMENT & SEX COMPETITION INSTALLATION – DAVID LESLIE !!
THE HI-TECH COMPANY – THAT DESIGNED THE TRANSPARENT SHOWER !!
ALL THE SKANKS & GROUPIES, AS WELL AS A FEW PROFESSIONALS !!
THE STEALING – JANITOR !! what was his name ?
ONDIE & HER FILM CREW !! They were pervasive !!
THE GUY WHO DESIGNED THE CREW UNIFORMS – GRAY SHIRTS, ORANGE PANTS.
THE GUY WHO WIRED THE PLACE – his name is in the film – LEO !!
THE TRUST FUND BABY – WHO PISSED ME OFF – NAMELESS – NOW SAID TO BE DELIVERING PIZZAS !!
THE DINING ROOM PLACE NAME SETTER – WHO PISSED EVERYBODY OFF – BROOKE
THE HOTEL BELLMAN – JAMES FUENTES
it goes on … like I said, Josh could call ’em !!
and yeah – the 11 yr. old kid with the assault guns !! – that’s THEO !!
he stood for the future – get it – MILLENNIUM PARTY – got have a kid on board !!
plus his mom wanted him to know how to shoot – you know: in case of a SCHOOL WIPE-OUT – COLUMBINE had just made news – and, Josh agreed – the good guys also h-a-v-e to know – how to shoot.
ok. yeah, so THEO’s my kid and he turned out pretty alright !!
if you were there and I left out your name – just drop a line and I’ll add it.
. . . can’t resist one more flashback !! one of my assignments – JOSH used hand me $2,000 in cold hard cash, on a regular basis – to hand out to any young kid or artist I saw really getting into the place, hanging with the in-house crew & artists, asking questions – becoming one with the flow – and, a few years later, while covering an opening – I actually meet one of them !! he came up to me and said: I remember you – you gave me $200 bucks – at QUIET !! I mean – I guess ultimately – Josh set me on on my current path. underground talent scout. on the web. with visuals. and real time subtitles.
– so, you can friggin blame artlovers – on him !! and the little, now becoming well-known glitch, or so I hope – fact is – I got a little spoiled back in the DAY – ya know !! – I like to get paid for putting out the juice – that would otherwise go right over the heads of all the other “writers” in this town !! Blame JOSH.
I also got paid in the 5, yo FIVE figures, too. and that was just for one week. oh the dot-com days. no wonder they are a-becoming legend.
it was such a juiced-up scene. like Josh would say – “the deal is” – no one has ever come close. street art NYC 2009? I spit on you. we were 90+ renegade artists and we were funded to the hilt. performers gone wild. CAMERAS. ACTION. BUILT-IN CONFLICT. RIVALRY. TURF WARS. free-flowing open bars with DJ’s at nite. 24/7 public access. downtown kids, voyeurs, tech freaks in the control rooms, professional CIA break-down coaches, paid hookers, FEMA SUITS and VAMPIRES. you could even get those snap-on fangs custom made on one floor. – yo, Mr. JOHN ANDERSON – of the VILLAGE VOICE – it was not just a basement on lower Broadway – it was a basement, and – the full floors of a 4 story schmatta warehouse – next door. It wasn’t just an “underground” community cause it was in a basement – it was the whole friggin underground NYC art scene !! and once you were in – you could not leave – if you wanted to stay – the one and only rule !!
dot-com baby – JOSH HARRIS made it happen. ONDI caught it & threw right back – up, and, at ya. RIGHT BETWEEN THE FACEBOOK – and – REALITY SHOW – EYES !!
see: WE LIVE IN PUBLIC/WINS AT SUNDANCE – with link to the OFFICIAL TRAILER !!
and the earlier, more raw !! RADAR VIMEO CLIP !!
note: The RADAR VIMEO CLIP is no longer up on the RADAR site. too bad !!
see: WE LIVE IN PUBLIC/SUNDANCE OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE !!/ARCHIVAL PHOTOS !!
yo, you better run jump & buy your tickets – the closing party NYC PREMIERE of WE LIVE IN PUBLIC screens on SUNDAY APRIL 5 at MOMA – right away – !! they are gonna sell-out – FAST. no doubt.
~JOSH HARRIS/ONDI TIMONER/WE LIVE IN PUBLIC – A HUGE FRIGGIN’ HIT !! !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 3:16pm
MIKE PARE works out of GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN.
He recently answered our request for m-o-r-e !! by sending over some jpegs from his studio.
AMANDA.
AMANDA’S ENERGY.
NAVAJO SPACE.
PONCHO.
COVER-UP.
STAY GROUNDED.
TAPESTRY GRID.
TAPESTRY.
TAPESTRY.
ALL PHOTOS BY & COURTESY OF: MIKE PARE
MIKE PARE and MELISSA SCHERRER, at the JIMMY BAKER OPENING, FOXY PRODUCTION, NYC.
OCT 17, 2009.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
FILE UNDER: all things true – come round !!
MELISSA SCHERRER is the art world TAROT CARD READER – who first called 2009 – to be the – YEAR OF JUSTICE !! I’ve now seen that so many places, mainstream too, that I’ve lost count !
how she derived this, she threw a card for 2009 – duh !!!
she was part of that landmark performance – ‘HOW TO PREDICT THE FUTURE’ – along with – MELISSA BROWN, REV. LUKE MURPHY and CARLA EDWARDS, that took place one strange Sunday evening, at the end of last year (NOV 2, 2008, to be exact !!) at LISA COOLEY’S Lower East Side gallery . . .
see: HOW TO PREDICT THE FUTURE !!
BYE THE WAY – HEADS UP !! – REV. LUKE MURPHY OPENS A ONE-MAN SHOW – AT CANADA next week !!
LUKE MURPHY aka the REV. LUKE MURPHY !! at the LISA COOLEY, ‘HOW TO TELL THE FUTURE’ event.
His part of the performance was too subtle for me to impart in brief and lowly nancy words – but it left everyone spellbound – and, going, . . . what the hell was that ?
he also picked some TRULY random Geiger counter-derived numbers for Melissa Brown’s lottery spiel !!
Nov 2, 2009. PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
LUKE MURPHY will be opening ‘Certainty shelter’, next: THURSDAY APRIL 2, 2009, 6-9 PM
at CANADA.
the show will run: APRIL 2 – MARCH 3, 2009
It’s his third solo show at CANADA – and, yep we were there for every one, even the first !!
which happened when CANADA was situated under, you know it !! – ‘QUIET’ – the JOSH HARRIS MILLENNIUM HEADQUARTERS – on Lower Broadway !!
(I even used to go collect their rent, for JOSH. LOL – as they say – the rest is HISTORY !!)
~MIKE PARE/MINI STUDIO VISIT |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 2:43pm
MIKE PARE, also has a studio residency at the ISLIP ART MUSEUM, this season.
He is doing some large – 8 ft tall !! wall drawings – which we are going to visit and document, sometime in early April !! can’t wait !!
This is the same artist studio residency – MELISSA BROWN and MARIE LORENZ were awarded last year.
see: ISLIP/CARRIAGE HOUSE !!
MIKE PARE sent us a couple of peeks into his studio-in-progress at ISLIP !! V-E-R-Y C-O-O-L !!
ALL PHOTOS BY & COURTESY OF: MIKE PARE
~MIKE PARE/ISLIP |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 1:57pm
also, in NYC – it’s the last week to catch some of MIKE PARE’S s-p-e-c-t-a-c-u-l-a-r drawings !!
they’re in a group show up at:
ANNA KUSTERA – 520 WEST 21st ST – CHELSEA – which comes down this weekend (MARCH 28, 2009).
MIKE PARE – ‘Navajo Space’, 2008. graphite on paper, 50 x 38 in.
MIKE PARE – ‘Tapestry’, 2008. graphite on paper, 50 x 38 in.
MIKE PARE – ‘TAPESTRY # 3’, 2008. graphite on paper, 30 x 50 in.
ALL PHOTOS/COURTESY: ANNA KUSTERA GALLERY
~MIKE PARE/ANNA KUSTERA |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 1:50pm
if you’re in PORTLAND, OREGON – its the last week to catch:
‘LONG LIVE THE EPHEMERAL’ – CURATED BY RYAN JACOB SMITH / AKA DJ HELLO SHIT
MARCH 5 – 28 2009
FONTANELLE GALLERY – 205 SW PINE ST. – PORTLAND – OREGON
HRS: WED-SAT 12-6PM
“FONTANELLE GALLERY presents ‘LONG LIVE THE EPHEMERAL’, an exhibition featuring prints, drawings, and paintings by renowned artists from all across the US who have created album artwork for punk and DIY bands.
“. . . The close-knit ‘Do It Yourself’ culture spawns creative relationships and friendships between bands, record labels, and artists while also fueling the fire to create other ventures – design companies, printing presses, cafes, and art galleries. A band member might not only play music, but also run the record label and create the art for the record. The importance of album art and the vinyl record is the visual archive it creates to record the history of the movement, proof that the ephemeral will live on.” – PRESS RELEASE
artists included in the show: MELINDA BECK, DEARRAINDROP, BRANDON EVANS, JORDAN ISIP, RICH JACOBS, ADAM JURESKO, ASHLEY MACOMBER, MARK McCOY, SAMMcPHEETERS, CHRISTOPHER NORRIS, BRIAN ROETTINGER, SERIPOP, DREW SPEZIALE and CHRIS TAYLOR.
Curator RYAN JACOB SMITH lives and works in Portland, OREGON. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California in 200l. He has exhibited his work in Brooklyn’s CINDERS GALLERY, among other venues. This is his first curatorial endeavor.
~LONG LIVE THE EPHEMERAL |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 12:58pm
. . . in other recent news – LIPSTICK TRACEZ – posted a wonderful interview with MEGAN WHITMARSH – whose recent show – ‘THE FUCKING CRAP OF LIFE’ – !! – at NEW IMAGE ART, in LA – just closed. The lively interview, IMAGES & WORDS by REGGIE CASAGRANDE – includes some great pix of her work, and concludes with the sweetest photo of her two little twin girls, and even though they look p-r-e-t-t-y identical – we’d have to say, just going on this one photo – oh my, oh my !! one looks totally impish and the other absolutely innocent. YO, Megan !!
see: LIPSTICK TRACEZ/MEGAN WHITMARSH !!
see: artlovers/THE FUCKING CRAP OF LIFE !!
see: artlovers/TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE !!
PHOTOS: REGGIE CASAGRANDE/COURTESY: LIPSTICKTRACEZ
PHOTO: TOMMY GARCIA/COURTESY: LIPSTICKTRACEZ
FRANCES and RAY !! PHOTO: COURTESY WHITMARSH FAMILY/LIPSTICKTRACEZ
MEGAN HAS A NEW WEBSITE !! – CHECK IT OUT !!
~MEGAN WHITMARSH/INTERVIEWED |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 12:22pm
MELISSA BROWN, photographed at the recent TOMOO GOKITA OPENING, ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’, ATM,
NYC. FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2009.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
MELISSA wrote – recently to up-date us on her ARTIST LOTTERY POOL !!
“HELLO FUTURE LOTTERY WINNERS,
We have moved into the prize zone.
Congratulations Xylor for matching three numbers 9, 22, 28 in Wednesday’s drawing (22-32-21-28-19-9 bonus 26 xtra 48) and shifting us in a prize zone. For three numbers we earn $1.
Let’s push that up to four matched numbers, then we can start to earn some $$$$$.
Saturday’s Winning Numbers 2-5-8-29-33-50 bonus 56 xtra 52.
We matched 2 numbers on two games, congrats John O and Erin, for those matches.”
WED 3-18-2009 !!
SAT 3-21-2009 !!
MELISSA also offered up this link – to some r-e-c-e-n-t lottery news ……..
FILE UNDER: this couple seems to be overwhelmed by the excitement !!
and they won …$270 MILLION !!! – OMG !!
~MELISSA BROWN/ARTIST LOTTERY POOL |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 10:47am
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL ‘ !!
running MARCH 13 – MAY 2, 2009
ATM – 621 WEST 27th ST – CHELSEA
* SATURDAY MARCH 14/TOMOO GOKITA !! *
* the show opened on FRIDAY MARCH 13th !! *
* a brilliant show – how can BLACK, WHITE & GRAY be so R-A-D-I-A-N-T !! *
* tons of the coolest & best artists in the city were at the opening !! *
* name names ? TAYLOR McKIMENS, MATT LEINES, HISHAM BHAROOCHA & DAVID ARON. PETER SUTHERLAND. MELISSA BROWN collected our 6 numbers for her ARTIST LOTTERY POOL !! Her friend LAN TUAZON was with her. between the 2 of them – talk about a photog’s dream date !! a few of TOMOO’S good friends came over, too, with him – from Japan – including CHIBA & JAPANESE lensman: MASAYUKI SHIODA !!
* ERIC SALL introduced us to that other web terror: MARTIN BROMIRSKI !! *
* partied too hard at the after-party, YO, BILL BRADY !! !! which was at BILLY MARK’S WEST – the closest thing we’ve had yet to the legendary RED BAR !! *
* par-tay – on – NEW YORK !! *
* and, OMG X LOL – BROMIRSKI – caught us. and outed us. no doubt about it !! *
* when the hell are they going to invent invisibility cloaks – already !! *
PIX – FROM THE TOMOO GOKITA – ATM – AFTER-PARTY – MARCH 13, 2009 !! Â
street art, paste art – on the way to the TOMOO GOKITA AFTER-PARTY at local bar & hang-out – BILLY MARK’S WEST – on 9th AVE in CHELSEA. NYC.
the paper blocks – hanging on a string between the left figure’s outstretched arms, spell out: S-O-L-A-C-E.
first thing we noticed – TAYLOR McKIMENS (on right) and MATT LEINES, scribbling away in a front booth.
immediately – we got a flashback to the RED BAR circa 1982 !! where a whole generation of young, as yet unrecognized Lower East Side artists – like Basquiat, Rene Ricard, Richard Prince & sometimes Keith Haring, used to convene. among them, as well, Donald Baechler, just arrived in NYC – who had his first show there, on the RED BAR walls !! I believe Jamie Wolf used to curate the shows, as well as run the place and tend bar . . . as well, on any given night – you could find regulars like: comic ROCKETS REDGLARE and then struggling character actor STEVE BUSCEMI.
note: for the newly curious about the way things were back in the day !! – THE RED BAR was located in the East Village – SE corner of 1st Ave. & 7th St. !! things weren’t spread out – like they are now, all over the city, and mostly in Brooklyn. e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e came to the East Village, which was pretty down, raw and wild – to hang out. the other bars, at the time were local joints – real dives – dark and smoky, Polish or Romanian. The RED BAR – was the first new bar/artist gallery. it put on serious art shows. and it was set apart from the rest of the bar scene at that time – because it had bright lights, so you could see the art, and these lights were on all the time. the locals used to wonder at how the kids could drink in the constant bright light.
(thanks to SIMON CERIGO – for the first-hand recollection.)
back to BILL MARK’S & Tomoo’s after-party !! the music came from a lighted-up jukebox.
here’s the site we liked the best on: BILLY MARK’S WEST !!
we first spot TOMOO GOKITA – in his signature, kinda trucker, kinda farm tractor – solid red cap, near the bar.
then he settled into a booth, where he greeted his pals.
Tomoo’s pal – TOMORO – visiting from Japan.
another of Tomoo’s pals in for the opening, CHIBA – who looked to be a little jet-lagged.
signature hats, very individual in style, and shape – crisp and clean – with strong colors, as opposed to say logos for example – seem to be really big in Japan !! very cool.
Chiba’s says: PHILADELPHIA. and note Tomoro’s distinctive blue plaid one, above.
TOMOO GOKITA celebrates the opening of ‘Champion Carnival’ – a show of brand new work at ATM, NYC.
with an after-party at BILLY MARK’S. March 13, 2009.
Tomoo really does have twinkling eyes like gemstones and he is as animated in person – and as deep – as an ancient character straight out of – one of those those archetypal – ancient Japanese – MONKEY – myths and fables !! no disrespect, just a straight-out gut feeling, in a nutshell.
further – a little research shows, his cap is right on !! – color-wise – the color red often being associated with the monkey, in early Japanese folklore and religion – and who, along with the fox, another apt animal descriptive for Tomoo, was considered very potent, very magical – specifically, they were both considered very powerful guardians against evil.
start here: MONKEY DEITIES IN JAPAN !!
back to real time NYC SPRING 2009 – everyone is rolling their own cigarettes. it’s too expensive otherwise.
some more of Tomoo’s friends, who came over from Japan to be at his opening.
including at right, fashion designer, YASUKO.
on the left, MASAYUKI SHIODA.
Japan-based editorial photographer – MASAYUKI SHIODA.
he does a lot of work for ESQUIRE/JAPAN.
HIROSHI IGUCHI.
HIROSHI IGUCHI, has a great cap, too.
well Americans are into headgear, too. esp in winter.
DAVID ARON drops by.
HIROHISA YOKOYAMA and KOICHI SATO.
KOICHI SATO.
ELVIS was in the house.
so were the BEATLES.
so just what were TAYLOR McKIMENS, and buddies MATT LEINES, and HISHAM BHAROOCHA doing
at that front booth – under the direct gaze – of JOHN LENNON ?
TAYLOR McKIMENS, and HISHAM BHAROOCHA (at right).
they were making small collaborative drawings !! and in multiples, using 2 pieces of carbon copy paper, one pink and one blue !! so they could vary the color effects.
(the only other time we saw anything like this – except on a much larger scale – was the KRAMERS ERGOT COLLECTIVE BOOKPLATE SIGNING !! at DESERT ISLAND.)
MATT LEINES, TAYLOR McKIMENS and HISHAM BHAROOCHA – hard at work.
looks like Taylor started off this sketch.
MATT LEINES started off this head – Hisham is putting in the details.
John Lennon would have approved.
HISHAM BHAROOCHA at work.
TAYLOR added his signature flies !!
meanwhile, all along MARK, aka THE WIZARD, one of the two brothers that own BILLY MARK’S was behind the bar.
there’s a full color OBAMA FAMILY – PRESIDENTIAL calendar – beside the phone !!
MARK aka THE WIZARD
HOUDINI – the unofficial, or was it official – ? – host of BILLY MARK’S digs the drawings, and asks the boys
to make one of: MARK – THE WIZARD !!
not only that – but he and MATT LEINES look like they sprung from the same tree !!
and, note – that US of A – headgear !! Americans seem to favor one style – baseball.
just some wear it backwards, and some down low in front.
long story short – MARK – THE WIZARD !!
up close you can see MATT LEINES did the eyeballs, and the lettering.
HOUDINI was pretty pleased with the likeness – a natural art critic – he just thought it was a little off in the jowls, a little too wide in the cheeks, and he was actually dead right. but, we all rushed to tell him – well that is their (cartoon) signature style !! and all things considered – it was actually pretty accurate & fairly tamped down !! as opposed to as really far-out these guys can get.
MATT LEINES hands over the drawing to HOUDINI – to bring to MARK. they’ve all signed it.
(I’m so jealous – I could start a spontaneous forest fire, right then and there.)
I’m not sure what Mark, exactly thought of his collective portrait !! he did slip it into the side of the BEATLES frame. but it looked like it could fall out at any moment. onto the wet bar counter !! couldn’t help admonishing him, not to let it fall – and get wet !! maybe I should have offered him $50 bucks for it. just to tip him off to its value !! I’m sure you could get a couple of hundred for it, no sweat on eBay this very moment, if not more !!
recession, be damned.
TAYLOR McKIMENS was cool enough, to notice, and even – soothe my burning envy – by inscribing one of his earlier solo starts, and presenting it to me. wow. nice. very nice.
(but see, what I mean Mark – they can get scary !! your’s is pretty tame !!)
(though on second thought, looking back at his, it’s pretty far-out, f-u-n-n-y too !!)
it says: keep on truckin NANCY, – TAYLOR.
(but I can just hear those little voices back home – going – but mom, can it pay the rent ?)
wait and see. I bet !! just hopefully – not in another life-time !!
so – we’ll let HISHAM BHAROOCHA – have the last word. thumbs up !!, headgear and all !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
the ATM AFTER-PARTY for TOMOO GOKITA – in celebration of his new show: ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’.
at BILLY MARK’S WEST – BAR & LOUNGE, 332 9th Ave – CHELSEA, NYC.
with thanks to BILL BRADY – for a great time, all around.
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009
~TOMOO GOKITA’S AFTER-PARTY/BILLY MARK’S !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 19th, 2009, 1:51pm
and the really big opening to-nite:
TOMOO GOKITA – OPENS – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ !! – FRI MARCH 13 / 6-8 PM
the show runs: MARCH 13 – MAY 2, 2009
ATM – 621 WEST 27th ST – CHELSEA – NYC
PIX FROM THE OPENING – TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ – ATM – MARCH 13, 2009 !!
TOMOO GOKITA came in from Japan – where he is based – for the opening.
TAYLOR McKIMENS drops by to pay his respects to his friend, Tomoo.
believe Taylor introduced TOMOO GOKITA’S work to NYC, and the wider international audience with his landmark curatorial survey show, of 2005 – ‘STRANGER TOWN’.
see: ‘STRANGER TOWN’/JAN 2005
also at the opening, CAROL BOVE and daughter, THEA !!
DAVID ARON in town for his show at MOUNTAINFOLD.
MICHAEL LAZARUS – he has a show up at ELIZABETH LEACH GALLERY, in OREGON.
see: ELIZABETH LEACH GALLERY, PORTLAND, OREGON.
MICHAEL LAZURUS shows his card, with ‘push’, 2008-09, acrylic, collage & mirror on wood. 36 x 23.5 in.
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘NEVER SAY DIE’, 2009. acrylic gouache on linen, 76.4 x 63.8 in. ($25,000)
we catch BILL BRADY, ATM’S founder/director – with an array of TOMOO’S 3-D all-black figurine multiples – an over-the-top medium-sized female figure at top, and, a much smaller crouching male series – in the ATM front office.
TOMOO’S – ‘Night and Day’ – is the big canvas that greets you – when you enter ‘Champion Carnival’ !!
TOMOO GOKITA, ‘Night and Day’, acrylic gouache on linen, 2009. 63.8 x 63.8 in. ($25,000).
Tokyo-based fashion designer, YASUKO, was among the several close friends that accompanied Tomoo over from Japan for the NYC opening.
a smaller, but equally striking canvas !! very ambivalent, m-y-s-t-e-r-i-o-u-s !! – until you check the title !!
TOMOO GOKITA, ‘Shower Time’, 2009, acrylic gouache on canvas. 18 x 21 in. ($4,500)
TAYLOR McKIMENS, MATT LEINES and KATHY GRAYSON – luminaries of the human canvas, as opposed to the Tomoo painted kind !!
KATHY GRAYSON showcased TOMOO GOKITA’S work, in her critically well-received, widely traveled and widely documented curatorial survey show: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!
In fact, TOMOO’s work graced the poster – for – the show’s debut opening at PERES PROJECTS, BERLIN.
(JULY 1-AUGUST 4, 2007).
see: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!/PERES PROJECTS
and, for all you detail fanatics, the same great TOMOO GOKITA image, ‘Orthopedic Surgery’ graced the poster – for the NYC installment of the show – at DEITCH PROJECTS (SEPT 6-SEPT 29, 2007) – except in this version, TAYLOR McKIMENS was talked into doing the poster’s lettering !! (Taylor was also in the show.)
see: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!/DEITCH PROJECTS
TOMOO GOKITA – another large canvas in the show – ‘COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 89.5 x 71.5 in. ($30,000).
revered guest, CHUCK CLOSE – gets close-up – to TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN’ !!
CHUCK CLOSE at the opening of TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’, ATM, NYC.
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009.
BILL BRADY greets CHUCK CLOSE at the ATM – TOMOO GOKITA opening: ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’.
BILL BRADY gave TOMOO GOKITA his debut NYC solo show at ATM in 2006.
see: TOMOO GOKITA-‘DRUNKO’ !!
a smaller, but just as ‘stranger’, piece – TOMOO GOKITA, ‘A CRITICAL DANCE’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 28.5 x 23.75 in. ($8,000)
‘stranger’ again, a little larger !! TOMOO GOKITA, ‘RIDDLES ARE ABOUND TONIGHT’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 57.3 x 34 in. ($18,000)
whoa !! TOMOO GOKITA , ‘TROPIN’, 2009 – is actually a shaped canvas, with a shallow bowl-like depth !!
acrylic gouache on linen, 13.75 x 12 in. (SOLD)
TOMOO GOKITA, ‘TROPIN’.
from the side, TOMOO GOKITA, ‘TROPIN’.
opening guest – CAROLINE CHU beside TOMOO GOKITA’S ‘TROPIN’ !!
the big the bad the ugly and the small.
TOMOO GOKITA’S ‘TROPIN’ at left, and ‘NEVER SAY DIE’, at right !!
in front of: TOMOO GOKITA’S ‘NEVER SAY DIE’ – ERIK PARKER, (currently with a show up at PAUL KASMIN), and, NYC-based Japanese independent curator, and art book editor – TAKA KAWACHI.
TAKA’S wife, HIROKO, at right.
TAKA KAWACHI is behind ART CITY LLC – whose first SERIES of LIMITED EDITION HIGH QUALITY ART PRINTS – is by TOMOO GOKITA.
see: TOMOO GOKITA/ARTCITYLLC.COM
see: ABOUT/ARTCITYLLC.COM
the boys !! TAKA KAWACHI, ERIK PARKER & TOMOO GOKITA !!
another meeting of minds !! TOMOO GOKITA greets PETER SUTHERLAND.
behind them the wonderful: TOMOO GOKITA: ‘HEMORRHOIDS’ !! 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 89.5 x 71.5 in. ($30,000)
HISHAM BAROOCHA, foreground.
ERIC SAL (left) introduces us to that other web terror – NYC art world look out !! – MARTIN BROMIRSKI !!
MARTIN BROMIRSKI posts: ANABA / SOCIAL SCULPTURE ?
that’s a definite – check it out !!
and, yeah, I agree. SARAH BRAMAN’S work is beautiful.
yur pix on her stuff at MUSEUM 52 – at THE ARMORY – were great.
JUSTIN WALDRON and MISAKI KAWAI. Justin is Misaki’s studio manager.
CECE COLE and JAMIE BOLING.
MELISSA BROWN and LAN TUAZON.
Melissa took down our 6 numbers for her ARTIST LOTTERY POOL.
yep, we’re gonna big time – just you wait & see !!
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘SOLID STATE SURVIVOR’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 89.5 x 71.5 in. ($30,000)
JAPANESE photographer, MASAYUKI SHIODA, a friend of Tomoo’s – who also came in from Japan for the opening, strolls past – TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘SOLID STATE SURVIVOR’.
NYC-based painter – QUENTIN CURRY.
ANDY CLARK
collector ERIC FOX jumped on TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘THE BIRTH OF A ROOKIE MANAGER’, 2009 – right away !!
acrylic gouache on linen, 35.8 x 28.6. ($10,500)
it’s such a great one – gotta show ya – the whole canvas !!
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘THE BIRTH OF A ROOKIE MANAGER’, 2009.
CAROLINE CHO WAVES BYE !! – or – is HI !! from TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
UP-DATE: WED MARCH 18 2009 – HIROSHI IGUCHI – WAS ALSO AT THE OPENING !!
the opening was so crazy great with artists !!
almost forgot – JAPANESE-based artist/designer – HIROSHI IGUCHI – was also there, visiting from Japan.
he had his new book: ‘CULT JAM’ !!
HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’
a look inside: HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’.
HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’
HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’.
I believe he was signing this copy for PETER SUTHERLAND !!
HIROSHI IGUCHI at the TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ opening. ATM, NYC.
MARCH 13, 2009.
PETER SUTHERLAND with his copy of: HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’ !!
with HIROSHI IGUCHI’S – ‘CULT JAM’ – PETER SUTHERLAND and QUENTIN CURRY.
at the openign of: TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ – ATM GALLERY, NYC.
FRIDAY the 13th of MARCH, 2009
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
and for all you graphic designers – esp. FONT FREAKS !!
this is the “Z” – HIROSHI IGUCHI – composed for: DESIGN TIDE/TOKYO 2007 !!
~TOMOO GOKITA/at ATM !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 1:51pm
THE MULTI FACETED FEMALE – OPENS TO-NITE – FRI MARCH 13 / 4-9 PM
DJ and LIVE PERFORMANCES
the show runs: MARCH 13 – JULY 1, 2009
BARAT FOUNDATION – 765 BROAD ST – NEWARK – NEW JERSEY
FEATURING THE ART WORK OF:
LIZ RYWELSKI
RENATA MANN
LIZZIE FITCH
KATHERINE BERNHARDT
HANNAH HOOPER
LOGAN WHITE
MOLLY LOWE
KATIE MILLER
LINDSAY BEEBE
MIKKI OLSON
CALLIE RICKARDS
ANNIE PEARLMAN
ING-ON VIBULHAN WATTS
LINDSAY KOVNAT
RAUL DENIEVES
directions from NY:
From Penn Station take NJCL in direction of Long Branch arrive at Newark Penn Station.
Walk west on Raymond Blvd., take left on Broad St. BARAT FOUNDATION 765 Broad St. Entrance on Bank St.
~THE MULTI FACETED FEMALE/opens to-nite !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 1:40pm
