IMAGE: ‘DAVID ENTERS ADULTHOOD’, by JEBEDIAH LONG, 2012
KUNSTHALLE GALAPAGOS PRESENTS: ‘OCEAN SIZE’ – OPENING TO-NITE – SAT FEB 18, 2012 / 6-8
featuring work by: TONY INGRISANO, SYLVIA JEFFRIESS, JEBEDIAH LONG, TROY LOVEGATE, JAMES MOORE, and FUMI NAKAMURA
curated by: Julie McKim, Erik Hougen, Albert Shelton, and Gracie Kazar
the show runs thru: MARCH 4, 2012
KUNSTHALLE GALAPAGOS – 16 MAIN ST, DUMBO, BROOKLYN
UP-DATE:
yes, I went to the opening. yes, I had a fab, fab time. the work – all of it, was ‘ocean-sized’ great, great and more great – top notch, and super cutting edge.
will post the pix, shortly – hopefully in MARCH 2012. check back !!
~KUNSTHALLE GALAPAGOS: OCEAN SIZE – opening to-nite !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 18th, 2012, 10:07am
‘CHICO & RITA’ – A FILM BY FERNANDO TRUEBA & JAVIER MARISCAL
WRITTEN BY IGNACIO MARTINEZ de PISON
MUSIC COMPOSER/ARRANGER: BEBO VALDES
REVIEWED BY: NANCY SMITH, FEB 18, 2012
up, for an Academy Award Oscar for BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM, ‘Chico & Rita’ is a lovely, dreamy, steamy and often sad look back at beautiful times – its two main characters hurt by both their own tempestuous temperaments, and the biased days of 1948. This is a retro postcard that plays out as maybe the first Black Latin contender among the American and Japanese genres of animation. and its voice is adult, passionate and a reality check.
any comic book artist worth their salt, or any visual artist with soul for that matter, is going to marvel at how the characters’ black Latino features flit across the big screen and seep down into your soul. the backgrounds are literally ‘souvenir’ postcards filled with the lights and ambiance of cities and days, not that long past. and yes Chico arrives in the big apple, New York City, much the same way as the Cuban poet REINALDO ARENAS, of Julian Schnabel’s, ‘Before Night Falls’ did . . . amidst the wonder and magic of a big city snowfall. and like that eventful film, this one too, can steal your heart, and leave you secretly wiping away – the tears.
the movie is framed by a flashback stance, that works really well, and gets you in the heart. closer to the action and drama, than a straightforward narrative might have. but what really captures your heart – is the music. haunting and beyond soulful, it betrays the term ‘jazz’ – and takes on an absolutely otherworldiness. it’s not quite a better time or place – but it is a ‘moment’ of pure desire . . .
watch the trailer: Chico & Rita
on the lower right there, you can listen to the soundtrack, and switch among the songs. look for the film’s signature melody: ‘Sabor A Mi’ – sung by Idania and Bebo Valdes
in NYC, its currently playing at the ANGELIKA FILM CENTER.
~CHICO & RITA |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews, Movie Reviews, The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 18th, 2012, 9:23am
Italian street artist MACS – at the ANDRE SARAIVA opening, HALF GALLERY, NYC. Feb 11, 2012.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
MACS – ‘il pranzo e servito’ (!!)
see more: MACS images on Flickr
~MACS in NYC |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 18th, 2012, 9:03am
ANDRE SARAIVA – ‘LOVE LETTERS’
OPENED: FEB 11, 2012
the show runs thru MARCH 1, 2012
HALF GALLERY – 208 FORSYTH – LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
ANDRE SARAIVA – also known in Paris, as – Mr. A, arrives . . .
with . . . actress and model – ANNABELLE DEXTER-JONES, not far behind.
from left: Italian street artist MACS – with JACK.
the Mr. A – smiley face !!
the ANDRE SARAIVA – Mr. A – Parisian mailboxes are going for: $4,000 a pop. each is signed and dated or otherwise notated . . . on the back.
the show also includes many small scale, and sweetly retro-romantic whimsical, watercolors on paper – framed in (contrastingly) solid and very graphic – statement black wooden frames.
yes. they can, carry you away . . . to a better time and place.
ANDRE SARAIVA . . . must be: LOVE LETTERS for ANNABELLE . . .
‘Andre and Annabelle’, watercolor and ink on paper. 8.25 x 5.75 ins. in black frame.
($1,600)
ANDRE SARAIVA – ‘To Paint Is To Love Again’, watercolor and ink on paper, 11.5 x 8 ins. in black frame.
($2,250)
. . . if you don’t think this romantic kind of ‘souvenir’ retro Parisian style isn’t all the rage, or going to be !! think again . . . has anybody else seen the dreamily animated FERNANDO TRUEBA & JAVIER MARISCAL Cuban jazz love letter: ‘Chico and Rita’ !! maybe ‘postcard’ from another era – is the better word.
it’s up for an Academy award. (Best Animated Feature Film).
ANDRE SARAIVA – ‘Mr. A PINK SQUARE’, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 ins.
($2,500)
(so, it’s not just about that engaging smiley face grin, it’s also about that . . . ‘winking’ eye.)
talkin’ bout postcards – downtown camera magnet – HESH makes the Mr. A show.
smiling faces . . . going places.
HESH is playing sideman, and tambourine for NYC cult band, THE MYSTERY LIGHTS, fronted by singer MIKE A. BRANDON – they just played Mercury Lounge last week.
THE MYSTERY LIGHTS – will also be playing the THE BOWERY ELECTRIC – this Fri, Feb 17th, 2012 – at 8:30.
where there’s a Mr. A – could there be a Mr. H – not far behind ?
about to slip back into the downtown night:
LES ROGERS, SETH ‘DADDY’ McBRIDE, and HESH . . .
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, NYC. FEB 11, 2012
~ANDRE SARAIVA – PIX FROM THE HALF GALLERY, NYC OPENING |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 16th, 2012, 11:24am
‘THE SHOE’ – A SHORT FILM BY ANDRE SARAIVA – MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH J.M. WESTON SHOEMAKERS, FRANCE (2011)
INDIE SOUNDTRACK BY KITSUNE ‘CHIEF’ – GILDAS LOAEC, featuring The Virgins, Is Tropical, and Vandaveer, among others.
REVIEWED BY: NANCY SMITH, FEB 11, 2012
yo, if the shoe fits – grab it !!
yes, yes, and more yes !!
Parisian nightlife lightbulb x 1,000 and street artist ANDRE SARAIVA aka Mr. A – has made a great, great, fun, funny, fab and downright super whimsical hi-style, fashion forward, huge French come-back (!!) short film – straight out of the gate. it’s his debut film.
and, so is he . . . the BANKSY of France !!
even the lowly opening credits roll – with a fashion forward edge – a real retro-animated grace and wit !! – that would put even the most accomplished graphic designers on the scene today, to shame. and the sound track ? it’s just as delightful – VIRGINS, move over !!
‘The Shoe’ made in collaboration with France’s legendary J.M WESTON brand, ‘French Master Shoemaker Since 1891’ (!!) is ANDRE SARAIVA’s first stroll into moving pictures. A playful, light as air non-stop Parisian tumble, it rolls sweet and romantic – but always right on the edge of going somewhere – and yeah, you want to be, wherever it’s going, too.
Starring his friends, including the featured LEO FITZPATRICK, and the cutest of them all, ANNABELLE DEXTER-JONES, even OLIVIER ZAHM, of PURPLE gets a writing contribution credit.
here’s a new maxim: there’s usually a reason why – people get their celebrity status reps & it’s called: TALENT !!
and maybe that’s why New York City’s HALF GALLERY is opening a show called: ANDRE SARAIVA – ‘LOVE LETTERS’ to-nite !! and maybe that’s why, the gallery’s founder & director BILL POWERS, has reason – to be, all over !!
conundrum, NOT !!
LEO FITZPATRICK – IN ANDRE SARAIVA’S – ‘THE SHOE” – !!
WATCH IT HERE: ANDRE SARAIVA -THE SHOE – on SLAMXHYPE/NOWNESS.COM – !!!!!!!!!!
~ANDRE SARAIVA – ‘THE SHOE’ !! |
Posted in Movie Reviews, The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 11th, 2012, 10:01am
ANDRE SARAIVA – LOVE LETTERS / OPENING TO-NITE SAT FEB 11, 2012 / 6-8 PM
the show runs FEB 11 – MARCH 1, 2012
HALF GALLERY – 208 FORSYTHE – LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
ANDRE SARAIVA aka Mr. A is a bonafide celeb street artist, nightlife & hotel impresario, pop-up fashion designer, and even, now it seems a short filmmaker, and his star: LEO FITZPATRICK no less . . . growing up in France, he has been bombing Paris with his trademark Mr. A – since the mid 1980s. although he can’t do that any more, (at least there !! so watch out everywhere else) cause he’s under probation . . . his whimsical trademark stick figure with the hat – seems to have secretly delighted the French while at the same time they wanted to keep their historic streets, somewhat clean and decent. talk about a “conundrum” !!
but his .. . picturesque & winningly romantic tag was just like the pink panther – it hit a cultural nerve – and there was no going back.
In NYC nightlife circles he might be better known as the man who put the “B” in Bain, as in, at the hot celeb hang-out THE STANDARD. in the international art fair circles – he might be better known as the guy behind the popular and ever hip LE BARON pop-up nightclubs. his best friend ? OLIVIER ZAHM of PURPLE. and his current GF: ANNABELLE DEXTER JONES, you know, the little half sister of the amazin’ RONSONS. so I guess he’s the reigning King of all internet searches, who wants to take back his street crown, before everyone forgets – from whence it all started.
see: MR. A
see: SLAMXHYPE – for a great bio & (digitally empowered !!) list of his latest stuff !!
~ Mr. A opens at HALF GALLERY – to-nite !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 11th, 2012, 9:16am
GERALD FERGUSON’S – CHORAL READING . . . is being presented to-nite at CANADA
SAT, FEB 11, 2012 – the performance begins at 7 PM & a reception will follow.
In 1972 GERALD FERGUSON scored a reading of his Standard Corpus of Present Day English Language Usage Arranged By Word Length in 20 units for a chorus of 26 voices. (seriously !!)
It was performed at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design that same year.
. . . Ferguson considered the ‘Corpus’ one of his most important works, once describing it as “a variable serial sculpture through time”.
read: the complete GALLERY NOTE
this performance coincides with the current gallery showing of an on-point survey of Mr. Ferguson’s works on canvas, ‘GERALD FERGUSON. WORK. STENCIL THROUGH FROTTAGE FROM 1968’ – curated by LUKE MURPHY.
the show opened on Jan 7, 2012 and runs thru Feb 19, 2012.
see: PIX FROM THE GERALD FERGUSON OPENING – artloversnewyork
ART FAG CITY/PADDY JOHNSON has just posted an extensive interview with LUKE MURPHY & PHIL GRAUER regarding the show.
see: GERALD FERGUSON’S BLUE COLLAR CONCEPTUALISM . . . AFC
p.s. I really like that term, Blue Collar conceptualism. even though he was an academic, as in teacher (?) it still fits the bill, though it would take a better, or at least more patient scribe than I, to lay it down for ya. maybe I’ll try to get some thoughts on that – from the show’s curator, and long-time Ferguson associate and student, Luke Murphy. (check back later.)
some talking points from the interview:
1. “Some people who went to school in the Maritime provinces have a special bond. The weather is extreme, the landscape rugged, the population poor and hardworking.” ~ PJ/PADDY JOHNSON
2. “Gerry [Gerald Ferguson] showed at MoMA in 1970 in The Information Show, and a lot of his contemporaries of course went on to build what is Conceptual Art .” ~ PG/PHIL GRAUER
3. “Gerry’s line – and he said it a couple of times – was really the ‘dematerialization of the Art Object’. That was really his thing, we’re going to make something impossible to buy . . . [we don’t want you to buy stuff] because all the people that are buying stuff are supporting the Vietnam War.” (!!) ~ PG
4. “OCCUPY”. ~ LM/LUKE MURPHY
5. “When JOSEPH BEUYS landed in North America, he landed in Halifax.” ~ LM
6. “When [Gerald Ferguson] saw [Lawrence] WEINER . . . go off to [Leo] CASTELLI, he couldn’t believe it. ‘What? You’re selling out?’ ” ~ LM
7. “Lawrence Weiner has a much bigger view of the art world in some ways than Gerry.” ~ LM
8. “[Gerald Ferguson] stuck to the original plan, which was making conceptual art and resisting the dominant systems.” ~ LM
nancy: street art – has some of the same issues.
9. and that’s what he did . . “until 1990, when he said, “you know what, maybe I do like painting. I’m going to start painting again.” And that’s what he did.” ~ LM
10. “He did a lot of language work . . . he did his ‘Standard Corpus’ of the English language [being performed to-nite], organized by word length (!!)I mean, what else are you going to do in your Frenchvillage in Nova Scotia – which is really way bleak.” ~ LM
11. “It’s funny the work doesn’t feel all of this was made yesterday . . . ” ~ LM
12. “. . . like, that dot painting on the wall” (!!) ~ PG
13. “but the paintings don’t have a good international marketplace – that’s the conundrum. . . ” ~ PG
CANADA – 55 CHRYSTIE / BTWN HESTER & CANAL – LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
~Performance at CANADA to-nite !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 11th, 2012, 7:51am
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
~The battle of the bands . . . |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 11th, 2012, 6:44am
JESSICA BAJOROS works out of a small apartment in New York’s East Village . . .
Jessica’s long time boyfriend cinematographer JASON BANKER – works from a home/office there too.
www.facebook.com/jasonbanker
that is one of Jessica’s earlier paintings on the wall – it’s interesting to see her work evolve.
this is her current work – up on the living room wall. the large room is partitioned off to be a both a storage space and a viewing area.
she works mostly in oil on canvas, though she also has some watercolors tucked away, out of sight.
looks are deceiving. Jessica though outwardly calm – seems to be inwardly pretty intense, and the same goes with her portraits !!
she usually paints from photographs which she takes herself – in the apt studio.
the faces have an inscrutable depth – that belie their ‘realism’.
they can also . . .
veer towards the ‘magic’.
JESSICA was just starting out on a brand new series based on the new ‘it-girl’ and downtown model, NATALIE WHITE – so that should definite be something to watch out for !!
while I was there – she showed me some preliminary photos from her computer. drop dead eloquent decadent or what. as in, no words necessary.
an array of her most recent work – and, yes !! that is NINA SARGENT, the great granddaughter of JOHN SINGER SARGENT just off center to the right – in the long dark stockings. and yes, her studio wall really is painted that gorgeous bright blue. the better to set off the haunting ‘realism’.
funny how ‘realism’ can be just another word for: mystery.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, NYC. OCT 22, 2011.
~more pix from my visit with JESSICA BAJOROS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 8th, 2012, 3:48pm
. . . speaking of American realism and the vernacular !!
it’s alive and well – on the Lower East Side !!
meet JESSICA BAJOROS – with her ‘realist’ paintings behind her.
they have a natural dead pan archival take, almost totally photographic. but, often with a little bit of magic thrown in – under the radar !!
it was HESH who brought me to meet Jessica and see her work, a few months ago, that’d be last Oct 2011 – to be exact.
JESSICA BAJOROS. oil paint on canvas.
this image reminds me so much of those ‘straight-ahead-faced’, even maybe ‘poker-faced’ !! – 1970 WILLIAM EGGLESTON photographs – just posted.
that’s Hesh with his Jessica Bajoros portrait on the right.
although I immediately liked her work, I didn’t know how to fit in into the ‘dialog’ of October 2011 – it was way ahead of the curve !!
it fits nicely with talk of Americana, archiving, and realism, for sure.
not to forget – the ‘spectacular’ vernacular – of the street. New York City style !!
JESSICA BAJOROS – PORTRAIT OF WIGGS, FALL 2011. oil on canvas.
you can follow WIGGS, on twitter: @FWIGGS . . . all good.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, NYC. OCT 22, 2011.
~JESSICA BAJOROS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 7th, 2012, 12:34pm
