~The battle of the bands . . .
it’s hard to get across just how huge New York City is, I mean just size-wise and energy-wise, let alone ‘stance’-wise and ‘status’-wise. let’s just say it’s true: the city never sleeps, the subways always run, and someone is always out there – jockeying to take over your turf !!
and as big as New York is – the art world is even bigger.
not only because in this century of internet communication, it runs international, as in world-wide. as opposed to city-state, as in the days of let’s say, the Medicis !! BUT – the art world and its trends, are shaping our culture like never before, while at the same time – giving voice, providing the stepping stones, the talking points, the tipping points . . . that enable our fast moving culture as a whole – to make a pathway through today’s overload of information.
hey, whatever catches your eye – usually catches your soul. if not your attention.
the age-old maxim: a picture is worth a thousand words is still the biggest truth in town. esp if you narrow down ‘picture’ to ‘photo’. it’s a no-brainer that the visual, as opposed to let’s say the ‘mythical’ impulse of the Greek dawn of civilization – rocks our world. ‘image’ – is king, and digital imaging rules, from the internet-based Facebook to the animated billboard advertising of modern mega cities. to the moving picture block buster style-setting celebrity casting movies, to the briefest of super bowl ‘spots’. and it all comes down to you: the style and vibe – of your ‘life’.
let alone how you manage – to move through it. long live the king.
so it’s interesting to note that we have a little mini-battle of the image, not to mention the personalities !! – being played out on the lately very much play-ed out, as in exhausted and mundane Saturday night opening routine – ok, like the term, art world stage, better ? in New York City to-night !!
and it goes something like this: celebrity art vs. the nitty gritty, street art vs. academic art, megawatt nightlife vs. rural isolation, and even Canada vs. France !!
with a little New York ‘slaw’, as in ‘snark’ – thrown in for good measure !!
SO that would be the double-headed openings to-nite of French street artist and nightlife superstar ANDRE SARAIVA aka Mr. A at HALF GALLERY vs. the ‘conceptual’ choral performance of the just barely recognized art theorist, teacher and ‘painter’ GERALD FERGUSON, who travailed up in the remote and nightlife-less wilds of Nova Scotia !!
wow, vs. is such a big force this year !! or, what !!
talk about competing head spaces – competing for your art dollar !! ha. it’s all good.
it takes two to dance. and two to fight. this is the art world – may all sides win !!
you know that other big maxim, tip of the hat to the Chinese !!. . . there ain’t no yin – without that yang !!
and oh yeah, you’re asking . . . but what about the ‘slaw’ !!
ha. that’s ‘coleslaw’ . . . as in what they throw on the food in New York City, to keep things lively, spicy, and just plain ole down home Lower East Side deli – good !!
as in delicious, and decidedly wicked. and a bit unfair I might add – but, hey we just said, jockeying for position is the spice of life. yin needs yang, and so, yo !! no complaints and let’s just set it straight for the record.
why is to-nite is a little more spicy ? and no . . . I would NOT say playful !!
because one of the ‘blogs’ that engage this scene has a foot in both camps – and that might even extend . . . to foot-in-mouth !! (and you can see its giving me no end of delight to observe. esp with the revved-up & absolutely coincidental opening nite pairing.
still WTF ? o.k. here it is, for whatever it’s worth.
it sure ain’t huge, or even that funny – but hey whatever it takes to make the night – just a little more lively, and game plan-wise it’s right on point: it’s ‘vs.’ versus the usual suspects.
WTF: ART FAG CITY in the hot seat to-nite !!
She, ART FAG CITY aka PADDY JOHNSON has got an extensive and ‘academic’ interview with the good people at CANADA re their GERALD FERGUSON show !! (with a performance to-nite) posted on the very same page . . . as she puts down the good people at HALF GALLERY (with an opening to-nite) – getting a little snarky with the, in my book – finger snappy !! BILL POWERS of HALF GALLERY in her (appropriately ?) appropriating, and not all that cutting edge, mean, or meaningful (!!) – but still fun . . . esp as it’s playing out to-nite . . . ROB PRUITT AWARDS *not associated with Rob Pruitt . . .
bye the way the animated glitter job in the logo – is nice, real nice, maybe even the best part of the whole one joke horse shtick.
and if you can’t follow this, I’m done wit ya – always needing the inside edge, just follow the dots !!
celebrity art vs. the nitty gritty
street art vs. academic art
street art vs. conceptual art
megawatt nightlife vs. the rural backwoods
FRANCE vs. CANADA
ART FAG CITY: Gerald Ferguson’s Blue Collar Conceptulaism – An Interview with LUKE MURPHY and PHIL GRAUER
ART FAG CITY: ROB PRUITT ART AWARDS *not associated with ROB PRUITT
CANADA: CANADA & up-date
HALF GALLERY: HALF GALLERY and then google search: ANDRE SARAIVA, which will even branch off onto the RONSON CLAN, via the charming model actress & little half-sis: ANNABELLE DEXTER-JONES !! and if you’re anything like me, you’ll spend the rest of the day in the web world of MICK JONES !! fascinating family life, or what ?
and what happened, did he have an Elton John make-over . . at some point ? oh that breadcrumb trail, that unlying storage library the web can be, that dastardly archive of photos !! can be so harsh. het ts
hey, it’s a harsh universe out there in cyber space – and don’t you forget it !!
and that’s . . . called: ROCKING THE CASBAH for ya !! artlovers style.
as for me, what do I know, I’m just an artiste !! AND HOW COME NOBODY KNOWS IT . . . ?
(like I do, ha.)
PEN & INK ILLUSTRATION: NANCY SMITH