Look at the layers on the skirt!

Yesterday, I invited my downstairs neighbor up for some art-making. She is 8 years old. We each worked on our projects for 2 hours! Sofia used a coffee filter, denim, silk, stretch mesh, sequins, heart hole punches, pen, crayon, collage, and colored marker to build up the layers on the outfit. With no prompting from me. I just set out the supplies and talked a little about collage. Hers is inspired by the Starbuck's logo mermaid. She is playing the harp. Note: Sofia likes caramel macchiato frappucinos.

Our art table. Cookies off to the right that my aunt made. Sofia liked them. Me too.


This was mine. Dress made with a coffee filter. Background made
with hole punches from Art News.

Attention quilters, and friends of quilters. You don't have much time left, but you must see Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts at the Park Avenue Armory. The installation is heady. The 650 red and white quilts are double-hung and dazzling. The show is free, and is presented by the American Folk Art Museum. Yes, this is what I would call a happening. Friday, March 25 – Wednesday, March 30, 2011.

Remaining Times:
Monday, March 28, 11 am–7 pm
Tuesday, March 29, 11 am–7 pm
Wednesday, March 30, 11 am–5 pm

Natalie Portman as Nina in Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan
[image via Fuzzy Typewriter]

ATTENTION: Don't read this if you intend to see Black Swan. It spoils everything.








Of the four films I’ve seen by Darren Aronofsky, two have been about obsession/mental illness, and two have been about drug addiction. Black Swan, like Aronofsky's first film Pi*, is clearly about obsession/mental illness – schizophrenia, among other issues, I would imagine. As Natalie Portman’s character, Nina, moves through this film, her mental state degenerates. She is metaphorically and actually provoked to split in two by her deep desire to dance both leads in Swan Lake – she moves from light to dark, good girl to bad girl, White Swan to Black Swan.

There are two early scenes which set up the film. One is Nina's dream about dancing the lead. (After the film is over, and we learn what ultimately happens to her, we realize the seeds of her mental split have already been planted.)

The other is on the subway, when Nina is coming home from rehearsal, dressed in white. She looks through the window to the next car. She finds another young girl dressed in black. Nina is fascinated, obsessed, and continues to gaze at the other girl. Perhaps she wants to know her, but is separated by the cars. I believe Aronofsky is using the subway window as a device, alluding to Corinthians 13:12:

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

He continues this device to the end of the film, when Nina basically tries to throw her own self through the mirror -- to step through the mirror to the other side and know her whole self, both light and dark together. But this too much for her mind to handle. She gets caught in between. Her fatal wound is caused by the mirror shard.

But back to the action. When Nina runs off the subway towards the scaffolding, we see a dark figure. She seems to pose a threat. Then we get a confusing flash that the dark figure is Nina herself. At that point in the film, it is almost fantastical. We don’t know yet that it is a preview of coming attractions.

The director casts Nina in the lead, and continues to push her to feel more, to “let herself go.” Little does he know that he is pushing her to let go of reality altogether. Her mother is worried that the stress of this role will push her to madness, as Nina has shown signs of this condition all her life, manifested in her incessant scratching. We also learn from this stifling mother-daughter relationship that the mother is a little mad, and also barely holding herself together.

Towards the end of the film, when Nina gets to the point of scratching and pulling barbs out of her skin, we realize that those barbs are black feathers! She perhaps has had this desire to dance Swan Lake all of her life. Back to Corinthians: but then face to face/ but then shall I know even as also I am known. Her two selves (inner dark self and outer perfect child) shall no longer be separated by her skin. She will scratch through that barrier. She will marry her two selves into one being. She will grow feathers.

Once we have decoded the meaning of the scratching, we realize that this is probably Nina's ultimate purpose in life -- to dance this dual lead in Swan Lake. It may be the culmination of her career and total realization as a dancer. It is. She dies having given a Perfect Performance. She has given herself totally and completely to her art, trying to discover the truth of herself through her art. But then shall I know even as also I am known. “I am known” refers to being known by God, and knowing both selves through God. Nina dies as the White Swan. It is suggested that she is redeemed in death.





*I totally recommend watching Pi. It's about Math vs. Kabbalah. Watch the preview on YouTube

Patrick Jacobs, Fairy Ring with English Daisies, 2010.
Styrene, acrylic, neoprene, hair, paper, polyurethene foam,
wood, hair, steel, lighting, BK7 glass [image via pierogi2000.com]

There will be an opening for the exhibition of new work by Patrick Jacobs Friday, January 21, 7-9pm. I will go so far as to say that whatever Pierogi Gallery in Williamsburg shows, it's worth going to see.

Thanks for the email, Pierogi. This will definitely be part of our Friday plans.


PIEROGI
177 N 9th Street (Bedford/Driggs Avenues)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
T. 718.599.2144

illustration from the *crowd-sourced* t-shirt line, Threadless
but who made this illustration?
[via CoolHunting]

I love this idea. I want them. Somebody make these into sneakers.

This is what I would call an annoying gloss-over of meaning. The host got caught up in the fabulousness, and forgot about the content. Dear host, the word is kawaii (cute), not kowai (scary) as you said. Hahah. But whatevs.

Definitely some interesting imagery here. And I see Murakami made a Louis Vuitton logo into a 3-d mythical Japanese creature called a kappa. His work is so saturated with references. I love trying to decode it.

[click image to enlarge]

For a little background information, please read the previous post, and come back. Ever since the time change, I have been getting projects done that have been stalled for a long while. Like restringing a pair of 50s lamps (next post). And hanging recent acquisitions. Yes, we are pleased with our new art wall. Now, just one more photograph to hang tonight. And one more 50s lamp to repair.

[L-R] Michael Pellew, Happy Holidays, 2009, ink on paper; Alicia Kachmar, Safety Cones, 2009, yarn, batting, thread, beads; James Hull, Map, 2000, pigment & gold on metal; unknown Toronto artist, Safety Pin, 1998, encaustic on canvas; Matthew Murphy, A Classic Setting, 1995, oil on board.

The best iced cookie I have ever eaten. By Alicia K.

Blurry Portrait of an Artist.
Her work to the right.

Crochet Safety Cones by Alicia Kachmar


I think I scarfed 3 whole cookies. Honestly I don't know what
came over me. I will never forget the taste of these cookies.
The icing was sooooooooooo delicious. And I normally don't like icing.

So here's the thing. I took one look at the blurry photo I took of soft sculpture artist, Alicia Kachmar, after I went to her opening back in October, got frustrated with my photography skills in that moment, and didn't want to post. But now that I look at this batch of photos again, I think they're a good representation of the event. So here goes.

In other news, I just "installed" my very own safety cones which I proudly purchased the night of her opening, and am very pleased with the arrangement. If I can snap some non-blurry pics, I'll show you. Even if they're a bit blurry, I'll show you.

Note: Some of my blurry pics on this blog are blurry on purpose. Some are just due to low lighting and the fact that I don't like the flash on my digital camera. Too harsh.

I loved these tiny photos by another artist in the show.
They were only about 2" by 2". And look at the neat case they come in,
below.

The photos. The question: who was the artist?

The artist herself!

Everyone at the show could don the orange safety vests and
do some investigating. Very festive.

The Chashama pop-up gallery space on W37th was teeny tiny, so the
show spilled out onto the street.

More gallery goers.

And more.

And more.

Aren't these paintings beautiful? You can decorate your yurt with them. Yes, I said yurt. I found them on a Website called GroovyYurts.com of all places. A yurt is a traditional tent-like structure for Mongolian nomads. I am reading the autobiography of the Dalai Lama, Freedom in Exile, right now and I guess I find these images to be related.

The Brooklyn Zine Fest

I loved the way the text looked on the page.
Had to buy it. 25 cents.
[Artist credit to follow]

It was surprising and nice to know that the printed word still means something to someone somewhere. We checked out the Brooklyn Zine Fest at the Brooklyn Lyceum this past weekend. Yes, I was inspired. So was my husband who used to produce a zine back in the good old days. Lots of like-minded people in one place. Writers and artists who have something to say, and who are earnest enough to self-publish and distribute, and who know their way around a copy machine. I was going to buy a simple three-fold treatise called Peanut Butter Pamplet, but the artist gave it to me for free. It was a good read, and one of my favorite topics. Peanut Butter. I bought two other tracts for 25 cents a piece because I liked the postage stamp size and the images on the page. Admittedly, I was attracted to the more visual works.

When your plates look this delicious, you have to raise the level of your cooking.

New and Exciting! Wobbly Plates at the Brooklyn Flea!

This past Saturday at the Brooklyn Flea, I spotted an exciting new vendor: Wobbly Plates by Brigitte Bouquet. These "thick as pancakes" plates are so colorful and pleasingly handmade with blunt edges and lace-like textures pressed right into the clay. They look tasty enough to eat (on). I can imagine a fun dinner party or two or three with these plates.

I like the classifications Brigitte has made on her Etsy shop: these are reserved for cupcakes, and these for crostini. A cupcake and crostini party sounds right up my alley. That gives me an idea... Follow Brooklyn-based Brigitte on Twitter to see when she will be exhibiting her beautiful ceramic wares again! I think I will be purchasing in the very near future.


Brooklyn Flea
176 Lafayette Ave
Fort Greene
Brooklyn
718.935.1052
Get directions

Wobbly Plates by Brigitte Bouquet
Find her work on atelierbb.etsy.com

Boiler @ Pierogi

Maybe you're out of the Williamsburg Gallery loop these days, but no matter. That can be quickly remedied by reading this post, and perhaps a few other choice publications. Back in March, Pierogi Gallery opened Boiler, a satellite exhibition space just down the street in a former factory boiler room (boiler still included). The old giant boiler, a Type H Stirling Boiler built in 1937 by the Babcock & Wilcox Company to be exact, is a magnificent sculpture in itself, and worth a look. Recently on view at Boiler was Jonathan Schipper Irreversibility (through June 28) featuring an installation of a very slow-moving car crash entitled The Slow Inevitable Death of American Muscle which apparently began on May 15, the first day of the exhibition. We arrived on the last day. Very interesting.

So what's next at Boiler? Recent paintings by Yoon Lee in the Fall.

Jonathan Schipper, The Slow Inevitable Death of American Muscle

HERB & DOROTHY Trailer from Herb & Dorothy on Vimeo.

This film is a must-see, I must say, even before I have seen it. But I will see it!

www.herbanddorothy.com

Cinema Village
1:10 3:00 4:50 6:40 8:30pm

Beekman Theatre
1:00 3:00 5:00 7:15pm

An exhibition postcard from San Francisco design store and gallery, Rare Device

Did you know that Rare Device moved to San Francisco and started doing gallery shows? Where have I been? By the way, this invitation is also pretty fontastic.

Still from Guest of Cindy Sherman by Paul H-O [left]

A film recommendation for art enthusiasts: Guest of Cindy Sherman playing at Cinema Village on 12th Street in the Village. We saw it on Sunday. Two thumbs up.

A still from Aronofsky's 2006 film, The Fountain

Darren Aronofsky, one of my favorite directors, will be at the Rubin Museum of Art. On my birthday! Too bad, I have plans to be there the next night. In case you are interested:

The Tree of Life in the Wheel of Becoming

WHEN Thursday, 3/19 7 p.m. PRICE $20 / $18 for members $7 student standby

Film director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) re-examines the quest for eternal life initially explored in his film The Fountain. Is man's yearning for eternal youth genetically predetermined? Is the longing for everlasting life part of our survival instinct? Or is the quest one our minds fabricate to insulate us against the fear of dying? He is in conversation with Patrick Grim, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Philosophy at Stony Brook, who works in logic, philosophy of mind, computer modelling, ethics and metaphysics. Grim is author of The Incomplete Universe, The Philosophical Computer, editor of Mind & Consciousness: 5 Questions and founding co-editor of over twenty volumes of The Philosopher's Annual.

Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
212.620.5000

Scope New York from above [image from scope-art.com]

So many art fairs, so little time. I used to do fashion trade shows for my line, and become so disappointed when traffic was down. Now I can see why. There are too many competing shows on at the exact same time. It is too much. Take this weekend for example. How many art fairs were going on concurrently in NYC? We opted to see Scope at Damrosh Park, Lincoln Center Friday night. It was a small, very walkable show, with a lot of good things. I wanted to see Pulse the next day, but alas, time got away from us. Couldn't one show have extended their dates to, say the 10th? UGH.

Why don't they make these for women? Or do they? I rather like these Lo Pop Art Sneakers by Puma. Very Roy Lichtenstein-ian.

***
Wait a minute. There seems to be another version of these sneakers out there. I think I like these better. And correction, they are called, "Pop Art 917 Lo." I can't figure out, though, if Roy Lichtenstein had anything (actively) to do with this design. I'll keep looking.

***
Found it. No, he didn't. They are by designer, Eba Akamatsu. See yet another version here.

***
And the full story from Puma, and another version in red/black/white here.

Can anyone identify the person in the Atari shirt?
Standing next to him is John Zorn!

John Zorn! We saw him last night talking with another no doubt notable avant garde musician at the free outdoor concert at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park last night. And then suddenly everyone looked famous and everyone looked like Marcus Samuelsson. It was an amazing three and a half hour concert featuring The Ex, Getatchew Mekurya, Ethiopian singing legends, Mahmoud Ahmed and Alemayehu Eshete, and Kenyan and American cooperative, Extra Golden. Really and truly a treat.