The thing about poetry

I’m changing. It’s been a long process, but it makes me a different man. I’ve opened up to new experiences and find joy. Take poetry for example, as a youth I read only what was required of me. As a young adult I avoided verse. At nearly 50, I search old book stores for poetry collections and works by my favorite poets. I listen to a new poem every day during my drive to work. And, I’ve started writing my own verse.

I’ve branched out recently and opened up to spoken word poetry. It’s been a slow process. I found that I must confront my own prejudices before I could enjoy the performance. My prejudices are not racial – I’ve always thought of the spoken work set as posers (for lake of a better word). I’ve come to think differently. In fact, the word authentic comes to mind. I thank YouTube for that as I’ve watched hundreds of performances in a just a few months, a feat that was nearly impossible only a few years ago. Spoken word combines the poet’s rhythm, pacing, and verse into a medium I find appealing. When I hear a good performance, it moves me. I may not understand the poet’s point of view, like in the performance shown above, but I am still moved. I’ll think about his performance for days and when sated, I will hunt for more.

Technorati Tags: Poetry,Spoken Word

Tilt-shift applied to art

I’m learning to use tilt-shift techniques in photography. So far my results are poor. So instead of showing you my own work this week, I thought that this application of tilt-shift on the works of Van Gogh would suffice. The results are surprisingly beautiful.

After seeing how tilt-shift photography could make real world scenes appear like miniature models, Serena Malyon, a third-year art student, decided to simulate the effect on Van Gogh's famous paintings. Using Photoshop, she manipulated the light and adjusted the focus to make us see these paintings in ways we could have never imagined.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Art

Everyone dies

Everyone dies, Including my favorite author and atheist Harlan Ellison. He’s not dead yet, but he sees the end coming. He’s making his final public appearance at MadCon in Madison. I love his work. I have since I first picked him up in the 70s, and he was already a ledged then.

Due to his failing health, there had been some doubt about whether Ellison would show up in person or participate in panels, readings and other events by telephone from his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. But at press time he affirmed he was coming. He is also adamant that MadCon will be the final convention he ever attends, in any fashion.

I hope he hangs on for a long time to come.

Technorati Tags: Harlan Ellison,Writing

The I-75 Project

This is a great idea. It’s funny, subversive, and spot-on. I want to start one here on the west coast on the I-5 corridor. I give you The I-75 Project. 

The I-75 Project would place historical markers with social and political content in each of these rest stops. My goal is not to incite, but to inspire thought amongst those who travel on this route.

Artist Norm Magnusson says:

For the past few years, I've been creating what I call "art of social conscience:" tv spots, viral emails, paintings and posters, but none of it has engaged viewers as much as this series of "historical" markers, each one a small story containing a discrete point of view.

The types of people who stop to read them are collectively defined more by their curiosity about the world around them than they are by any shared ideological leanings, which makes them a perfect audience for a carefully crafted message.   And unlike most artworks on social or political themes, these markers don’t merely  speak to the small group of viewers that seek out such work in galleries and museums; instead, they gently insert themselves into the public realm.

Art, you’ve got to love it.

Technorati Tags: Art,The I-75 Project

Sunday is for...

Refreshing ones sprit.

I’ve never heard of turf dancing before. How can one see this and do anything other than smile?

Technorati Tags: Dance,Art

Artists at work – John Chiara

You see some artists work and say to yourself, how did he do this? I’ve said this several times when it comes to photographer John Chiara. His work is visually arresting. It’s haunting and dreamlike and challenges my senses. I love it. You can read more about him in this article.

Chiara’s process produces giant, shiny prints that are battered and unevenly exposed—an appearance that gives you the sense of an artist wrestling a thing into being. I learned of Chiara in 2006 through his work at Crown Point Press, where he made photogravures that are physically well behaved compared to his direct photo work but no less magical for being smaller and flat. His work does not depend on the novelty of its process.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Art

Art NOT Art

I came across the work of Lilly McElroy while surfing Reddit. I’m confused. Is this art? She has a photo series of her laying down in public places. It’s called Locations you can find it in her poorly designed website. I say poorly because navigation suck. Lilly if you read this, I know a guy who can help. 

She also has a series called, “I throw myself at men.”

So I ask, is this art? Or is this an art school like art project? Would you stand in line to see it? Does it make you feel anything?

Technorati Tags: Art,Photogaphy

Lit. Crawl Los Angeles

If only I did not have to play disc golf, wash the cars, go to two birthday parties and attend a formal dance, I would go to this.

Date: August 28, 2010 06:00PM
Venue: The Echo & Various other Echo Park venues
Location: 1822 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, The United States
Description: PEN Center USA in association with LitQuake and Goodreads present LitCrawl II!

LitCrawl II is a good old-fashioned read off. SLAKE Editors, Joe Donnelly and Laurie Ochoa and LA Times book blogger and reporter Carolyn Kellogg will be MC for the night. Authors will each read for 8 minutes. The "winner" of the read-off will be determined by audience applause after all authors have presented their pieces. The evening will begin promptly at 6 PM. The read-off will be done by 8 PM, at which point, we will begin the crawl. Crawl maps will be passed out to the audience after the reading is finished. The crawl route is as follows: El Prado, The Gold Room, Little Joy, The Shortstop. + open mic at Stories Bookstore & Cafe.

AUTHORS APPEARING: Allison Burnett; Gabrielle Calvocoressi; Neal Pollack; Dennis Danziger; James Greer; Samantha Dunn; Rachel Resnick; Joseph Mattson; Graham Moore; Katie Arnoldi; Edan Lepucki.

Technorati Tags: Reading,Authors,Writing,Los Angeles

Man sued over pornographic image of Jesus

I saw an image some time ago on Reddit. I remember thinking that it looked like Jesus had an erection. I thought it was funny until I realized that the image was a real picture taken in the Church of Warr Acres. I thought it unlikely that an artist can screw something like this up and still have it displayed in a church. I’m sure I was not the first person to react this way. Now I’ve read the a man is being sued for posting the picture on his blog under German obscenity laws.

I received mail today by the State Office of Criminal Investigation regarding an illustration of Jesus Chris on twitpic I linked to several weeks ago. I am accused of profanity.

Interestingly, the picture was taken in the Church of Warr Acres and is not photoshopped. Just recently it ignited a debate about the phallic depiction of the abdominal muscles.

Interesting is right, and dumb too. It’s just bad art, very bad art.

Technorati Tags: Jesus,Germany,pornography

It’s not art Richard

I found another post while surfing Reddit that caught my interest: Thoughts on Christian Art

Author Richard Beck posts a few pictures he took in a Christian book store  asks, “Is this art?”

All of them have words on them. I was alerted to this phenomenon by my colleague and partner in crime Dan McGregor. Just about every bit of Christian art or decor I saw in the store had some text involved.

What's going on with this?

My take is that the need for proclamation has so overwhelmed Christian aesthetics that text has become integral to Christian artwork. Words dominate Christian aesthetics. Words (e.g., "Be strong in the Lord") make something neutral (e.g., a picture of a horse) into something "Christian." What we see in this is the need for the artwork to explicitly teach, preach, edify or evangelize.

It’s not art Richard. It’s a team advertisement. Or maybe a motivational poster. It’s trite and commercial. It has no ascetic value of its own. Its meant to send a commercial, religious or spiritual message, and make you feel like your part of God team. 

Art makes can make you angry, can move you to tears, can leave you feeling alone, or any number of other responses. Don’t worry about the drivel they sell as art, it’s not. At least the Christian junkie to the left is pushing the boundaries a little. I don’t see words, but a read a message. I have a response. It’s wtf?

Richard, if you want to criticize Christian art, then find some real Christian art. Otherwise, your words fall short. Criticism works if the thing criticized is worthy. Is a horse poster worthy?

This obviousness makes the artwork excellent for teaching, but it dooms the piece as an attempt at art. This is the second way text gets in the way of art: Good art isn't obvious. Good art is subtle and multilayered. It might take a lifetime to plumb good art, with new meanings bubbling up over the years. Good art can't be reduced to a PowerPoint bullet point. Unfortunately, much of the art and decor you find in Christian bookstores is reducible in just this way, making the "point" of the artwork explicit and digestible. The goal is to convey cognitive content, not to prompt the searching of your soul.

Do you really think a Christian bookstore sells art? Is a horse with an inspirational saying what you call art? I suggest you visit a museum and take a look at the ample displays of religious art. If you want contemporary Christian art, look harder. It’s out there. Have you seen The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian? He died by arrows, lots of arrows.

I prefer the Francois Guilaume Menageot version.

I hope my point is obvious here. Pictures of horses with trite motivational sayings are not art. Nothing found in a Christian bookstore is art.  Art is not a few words on paper, although at times it can be.

Shot with arrows and left for dead,
against the angel's leg, Sebastian sinks.
In time, he'll become the patron

saint of athletes and bookbinders.
But for now, who wouldn't want to be
delivered into the sculpted arms

Read the rest of Angle supporting St. Sebastian by Robin Becker.

Technorati Tags: Art,Christians

Photography: Kitra Cahana

Kitra Cahana is speaking at The Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles tonight. I’ve been following her work since she popped into the documentary photography scene with a debut image on the cover of the New York Times. She’s young and talented. I admire her work. I plan to attend the lecture if I can make arrangements tomorrow.

She is discussing Rainbowland.

…a story she shot for COLORS #76: Teenagers, which was honored by World Press Photo and POYi. This work focuses on the Rainbow Family, an informal group that holds free gatherings around the world. These gatherings welcome people of all races, religions, ethnicities, and social status, with the common thread being a spiritual focus towards peace, love and unity…

I’d like to take just one picture like her. Her style is distinctive and fresh. Her webiste is worth a visit. Please be advised that some images might be considered NSFW. KitraCahana.com.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Art,Los Angeles

Art is cool – Kinetic Sculpture

I love this video clip of a kinetic sculpture at the BMW Museum in Munich. I could watch it for hours.

The Kinetic Sculpture is a metaphorical translation of the process of form-finding in art and design. 714 metal spheres, hanging from thin steel wires attached to individually-controlled stepper motors and covering the area of six square meters, animate a seven minute long mechatronic narrative.

I wonder how much a trip to Germany would cost?

Art, Sculpture

David Maisel’s Library of Dust

David Maisel is a photographer I follow. He put together a fascinating project called Library of Dust recently. It’s coming to the UCR/California Museum of Photography on August 31, 2010.  I plan to catch the show.

Library of Dust depicts individual copper canisters, each containing the cremated remains of patient from a state-run psychiatric hospital. The patients died at the hospital between 1883 (the year the facility opened, when it was called the Oregon State Insane Asylum) and the 1970’s; their bodies have remained unclaimed by their families.

FLYP did a profile of David Maisel in 2009. There is a video page two that is interesting.

I find the whole concept of anonymous canned human ashes to be a good metaphor for the existential futility and singular loneliness of life. Plus I think the photos are cool.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Art

An Old Pasadena foodgasm

I did something unusual today. My wife and I took a food tasting tour of Old Pasadena offered by Melting Pot Food Tours. I had visions of geriatric Midwesterners shuffling along while complaining about bunions. Boy was I wrong. I had a blast. The tour was fun, the food was high quality goodness, and the tour guide Mike knew his city history well enough to make our walk together fun. That’s Mike on the left explaining the history and virtues of Opera Cake prepared by Aux Delices.

Foodgasms are rare. We enjoyed several today. The first was a surprisingly good torta from Tortas Pasadena at 90 N. Fair Oaks Ave.  The No. 1 asada ($5.95) was perfectly seasoned, juicy, and layered together with succulent jalapeno peppers, onions, avocado, and of course, beans. It may not look like much in the picture, but I was willing to fight for another taste. Heck, I even ate my wife’s jalapeno.

Father Nature Lavash Wraps and More (Yelp) on 17 N. Delacey was an interesting stop. My initial impression was typical Middle Eastern food, but then Mike started talking about lunch time lines down the block and a long history of happy customers. I suspended my initial impression long enough to try the Falafel, I had another foodgasm… It’s on the menu as No. 35 Side of Falafel(3) for $3.oo. I could have ate a dozen. As I left I said to myself, “remember that taste.” I intend to use it as my benchmark.

Melting Pot Food Tours is relatively new. They offer the Pasadena food tasting tour and a Farmers Market/3rd Street food tasting walking tour in Mid-city Los Angeles. Our tour guide mentioned plans for an additional tour in Long Beach. At $49 per person and a suggested $8 tip, it makes for a fun mini excursion. I’ll do it again. Heck, I'll do it as soon as I can. This was fun. I highly recommend it to locals and visitors alike. And don’t worry about needing to be in good shape. The walk is leisurely with frequent breaks… to eat. 

My favorite stop on the tour was the Equator Restaurant and Bar at 25 Mills Place (Yelp). It serves Dim Sum on Saturday and Sunday. Based of the quality of the food I tasted today, I plan to return with my foodie friends as soon as possible. Plus, it’s pretty close to the highly addictive Burke Williams spa, so I am sure my wife and her posse will pay a visit. The Equator Basil Migon ($9 lunch) ranks as one of the best fusion dishes I’ve ever tried. The Chicken pot stickers ($6) hardly registered on my palate because of my Basil Migon foodgasm, yet when judged on their own merit they were delicious. Equator ranks as a double foodgasm. When you add in the beautiful interior, I’d say it made the whole tour worth while. Except I’d be lying – the next experience was even better.

I scratched my head when our tour entered Beyond the Olive, an olive oil and balsamic vinegar shop. I did not see how we could taste olive oil besides dipping it with bread. Again, I was so wrong. We were offered small cups of olive oil to sip. Bread was available, but I abandoned all desire to dip after my first taste. When we moved on to balsamic vinegar, something I have never enjoyed, I was shocked at the pleasant taste of an 18 year old vintage. This place blew me away. Owners Chip & Crystal Reibel have a hit on their hands. I sampled a few more delicious samples in their bulk items area. My wife and I shared that look that says, we’ve got to come back here. It was a liquid foodgasm.

One of the things Beyond the Olive helped me with was a Food Channel problem I’ve had with balsamic vinegar. The TV hosts often talk about drizzling good balsamic vinegar over ice cream. Every time I’ve seen this I’ve recoiled at the idea. Now I crave it.

The only place I did not enjoy was The Nepal House on 171 N. Raymond (Yelp). The food was too salty for my taste. As we nibbled their offering in the light rain, my wife noticed a sign that read, We Serve Yak Meat. I’ve never had yak. I plan to return to try it, just so I can cross it off my list.

Mike told us they serve an all you can eat buffet on the weekends. We stood outside to sample their cuisine while peering in to a seating area that was packed with people, but I must say, they were mostly older folks. I think we found Pasadena’s favorite geriatric eatery. The best way I can describe the food is that is similar to Indian food but less spicy.

There were other visits, including some unbelievably good award wining gelato from Tutti Gelati (Yelp). Refreshing tea from Bird Pick Tea & Herb (Yelp), and lightly fragrant soap from The Soap Kitchen (sensory tasting). But we ended with the best, chocolate from Mignon Chocolate Boutique. I ordered the no sugar added almond dark chocolate and almost died of happiness. It was so unexpectedly good. Those of you who can’t eat sugar will understand. My wife liked her chocolate sample so much we came home with a box. It was that good.

The tour was a great combination of learning about our local history in a city that is unknown to me, walking in warm sunshine and light rain, and having an opportunity to meet new people while trying new foods and enjoying the good things in life. But most importantly, to me at least, it was a chance to relax after a stressful week at work. I’ll do it again as soon as I’m able.  I owe my wife, who suggested this to her skeptical husband, I big thank you.

Technorati Tags: Food,Pasadena,Foodgasm,California,Art,Walking Tours,Food Tours

Our lady of pimped rides

Another photo from my virgin run to Wilmington down near the port of Los Angeles.  This time the Virgin Mary is praying over a couple of custom cars with a few cherubs flying around her shoulders. I know this is supposed to be some kind of blessing for the business (Aguirre’s Radiator), but honestly, why so big and why over a few street cruisers?  This is my second pass at shooting this Virgin Mary. I was hoping for better conditions. There is always a car in the way. The neighborhood is an ugly blend of bars, mechanic garages, and old apartment buildings. It is a Hispanic working class poor neighborhood, but fairly safe. The owners did not want to talk to me.

 

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Lost daylight and visual artists

Daylight slipped away far too quickly today. Today was the first work day after the Fall switch to daylight savings time. I felt out of sync all day, so out of sync in fact that I forgot to take my camera to work. I almost never do that. By the time I settled down for an evening look at my blog, the sun was gone. I looked at the incandescent bulb lighting my ceiling and decided to end the day by snapping a few pictures of the gradient white to black. It’s not much of a picture, but at least the forces of evil (known as work) did not grind me into the ground today. I still had enough energy to take a photo, write a post, and walk the dog with my wife. Of course, it was all done in the dark.

I normally have my camera with me. I forgot it this morning and missed an opportunity to shoot a beautify LA Harbor vista.  I forgot it last night and missed an opportunity to shoot a young tattooed girl at the gas station. It’s a shame too, without the photo the story is boring.

I set Mondays aside as an art days. I browse art sites and try to refresh my soul (I’m speaking attitude here). It helps me keep focused on what is important in life. I looked at the work of Los Angeles photographer and visual artist Eve Fowler (NSFW) today. I know her work from a series of photos of street hustlers in New York in the 90s. I found them disturbing when I first viewed them, they are no less so now. Fowler’s work deals with lesbian and transgender issues. Her photos are provocative and border on pornographic. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t “get it”. Her work is not aimed at me. In fact, I think her work is anti me. That is, a straight white man is not her target audience. I’m ok with that. Her technique makes her work worth viewing. He subject matter makes me ask questions I do not often consider. In an artist, that means I’ve found somebody who I will go out of my way to see, although I’m pretty sure I would do so alone.

Visual artists are my meat and potatoes. I can’t get enough. It is rare to find the artist that talks to you. Fowler talks to me, I just don’t understand what she is saying.

Technorati Tags: Photography,Art,Eve Fowler

The best meat is BOOKMEAT

I’m a big fan of Side Street Projects. They offer services to the art community aimed at establishing artistic self reliance outside of the traditional Gallery System. Plus, they have a great podcast that cracks open the door on what goes on behind the scenes in the art world.

BookMeat is a fundraiser for Side Street Project.

Join LA’s most intriguing & celebrated artists, writers and curators for a most unusual silent auction. Each has contributed a book from their private collection that influenced their life’s work. Tucked inside each book — for the buyer’s eyes only — is an autograph and secret inscription from the contributor explaining the book’s significance. Most starting bids are $75.

I plan on participating. I hope to snag something nice for my library.

Technorati Tags: Art,Los Angeles