Transfinite Transfixion, Ryoji Ikeda at The Park Avenue Armory

RYOJI IKEDA: THE TRANSFINITE

  The Park Avenue Armory

Through June 11, 2011

The Park Avenue Armory has yet to disappoint me. So I took a chance. I have no idea who this Ryoji Ikeda is, but I needed something visual and sitting in a cinema for 2 hours on a gorgeous day wasn't an option. 

Sound and Vision...YES, and this was IT...I couldn't help but think about Aronofsky's Pi and perhaps we were being manipulated or coded ourselves while we contemplated where to sit and which side of the screen suited us best. The human interaction is quite a spectacle too and will most likely add to your experience.

I love being able to expose my kid to shows like this. I hadn't seen anything half as cool as this when I was his age. I hope he gets it and I think he does.

Enjoy, and if you go, tell me about it.

Ryoji Ikeda- data.tron

Ryoji Ikeda- data.tron

Ryoji Ikeda- data.tron

Ryoji Ikeda- The kid reacts

http://www.armoryonpark.org/

http://www.ryojiikeda.com/

Show and Tell

Sean Kelly Gallery 528 West 29th street NYC

We all have opinions, we're all critics and curators of our own lives, deciding what we are willing to bring in to it and what we choose to show of ourselves to others, however I often like to know what other people think and feel more than I'm willing to share what's going on in my own head. I'm more of a thinker, than a talker.

I also like to challenge myself to see differently, to view something familiar in a different and unique way.

I've seen this show twice, but not because I love Robert's work, which I do, but the idea behind this show is what strikes me. Actually, it's what pushed me into starting this blog. 

I've seen all these images before, but I haven't seen them through the eyes and minds of these 50 average Americans living with in our fifty states. These Americans, ranging between the ages of 20's to 100+, were chosen randomly, from all walks of life and asked to pick one image that spoke to them, not a favorite image, but one they personally could identify with from a selection of 2000 images. That's a huge undertaking and I would've loved that opportunity.

 Installation view Sean Kelly Gallery, NYC

A plaque underneath each image shows the American/curator's name, location, race, age and occupation. Almost all included a photo of the curator, although some chose not to identify themselves visually. An explanation of why the image was chosen was included as well as a comment of whether the person knew of Mapplethorpe's work before they participated as a curator in the show and what their perception was of him as an artist. Michele was my favorite "After participating, I would have preferred to just view the landscape and floral art. The portraits were far too graphic for my taste and discouraged me from viewing his work in the future." Bless her heart.

I viewed the show with my son and yes, a few of the images are racy. For a second, I thought I'll just not say anything and we will pass by those few images that are questionable, but I stopped myself and I addressed the images and asked him what he thought, because after all he's an American too and I saw the images with a nine year old mind and yes, I saw them in a new way, with innocence.

Installation view Sean Kelley Gallery, NYC

http://www.skny.com/exhibitions/2011-05-07_robert-mapplethorpe/

http://www.mapplethorpe.org/

Hello, love. It's me, Kate.

Danziger Projects 527 West 23rd MAY 12 - JUNE 30, 2011

Kate. Where to begin...maybe in the 90's, watching my then husband's obsession. Coming home disheveled in the middle of the night with armfuls of Calvin Klein advertisements stolen from bus shelters with life size images of Kate in her underwear. He could be doing worse things I thought. "Just make sure I don't have to bail you out of jail, ok? And you can't hang them up."

An artist muse, the anti-supermodel, heroin-chic waif at 5' 7", with her rock and roll style, I'm with the band attitude and her association with some of the hottest men of her generation, that's why I've always been interested. Yeah, she's never made a statement about anything in particular, but she seems real to me. And that's exactly why Kate the kate moss book is still on my shelf and it's a keeper.

The concept of the show is interesting, 11 photographers, one favourite shot from each, art directed by Ruth Ansel who designed the limited-edition portfolio and they're splitting the proceeds between Moss, the gallery and the photographers, but you know what, I wanted to see more.


I have a favourite shot of Kate and it just happens to be in this show.

GLEN LUCHFORD  KATE MOSS 1994

 What's yours?


P.S. Jamie Hince...thank you, she's been on the right path ever since she met you.


http://www.danzigerprojects.com

"I wish that I had known in that first minute we met, the unpayable debt that I owed you..."

...this, the first lyric I ever heard from The Antlers, from the 
song Kettering, and I was immediately sucked in. The entire 
album Hospice spoke to me. I like to think that I knew where 
Peter Silberman's head was when he wrote these songs, but 
of course, I don't. The pain and beauty of a breathless, but dysfunctional relationship is worthy of every listen I give it. 
It reminds me of the last few years with my cancer-stricken husband. I base just as much worth on a song’s musicality as to the lyrics that fill it and Silberman's lyrics win me over, always.  

You said, “I can’t prove to you you’re not gonna die alone, but 

trust me to take you home." Putting The Dog To Sleep (Burst Apart)

Friday night at Bowery Ballroom The Antlers offered everything 

I had hoped for...I had waited a long time to hear these songs performed live and now with Burst Apart, their latest effort, as a solid follow up to Hospice, I wasn’t sure how they were going to reproduce this sound live, but they did brilliantly. 

“When I try to move my arms sometimes, they weigh too much to lift. I think you buried me awake (my one and only parting gift.) But you return to me at night, just when I think I may have fallen asleep. Your face is up against mine, and I’m too terrified to speak.“ Epilogue (Hospice)

All Lyrics by Peter Silberman, The Antlers

Animation by David Larsen
Music by The Antlers - "Kettering" from the album Hospice.

The Antlers, Bowery Ballroom, May 20, 2011

The Antlers, Bowery Ballroom, May 20, 2011

http://www.myspace.com/theantlers
http://antlersmusic.com/lyrics/

"When your eyelids flicker and liquor is your oldest friend..."

If you make your way East, 9^th street between Avenue B and C to be exact, you’ll stumble upon Louis 649 and most likely you'll stumble out. You won’t mind or realize the damage you're doing. You certainly won’t want to leave and you’ll have made new friends.

Order a Sleeping Tiger or Flowers on the Wall. 

http://www.louis649.com/live/