DOUBLE VISION, THE OAKES TWINS: CUE ART FOUNDATION CHELSEA

 Ryan and Trevor Oakes in front of Cue Art Foundation with their drawing machine, Chelsea, NYC October 2011

In our never-ending quest to see ordinary things in a unique way, we found a new perspective on drawing with The Oakes Twins in Chelsea. 

The Oakes' drawing machine; which was on view two weeks ago on 25th street in Chelsea, is truly captivating. A skull cast, really? It was the Oakes' machine out on the sidewalk revealing the view across the street in perfect perspective on a concave canvas that drew us in to their show at the Cue Art Foundation. Lucky for us, Ryan and Trevor were at the gallery that afternoon so we were able to see their completed pieces as well as the drawing machine and the twins in action.

This show closes October 29, 2011, however below are links for more information on Ryan and Trevor Oakes. 

Below is a catalogue for the show 

Open publication - Free publishing - More art

Below a video by David Battistella INCREDIBLE 3D DRAWING MACHINE featuring Ryan and Trevor Oakes 



INCREDIBLE 3D DRAWING MACHINE from David Battistella on Vimeo.

Lurking in the basement...MOMENT, Kinetic Works at ISE Cultural Foundation, Soho

Artwork image by Arthur Ganson, courtesy of ISE Cultural Foundation

Arthur Ganson

I was rushing down Broadway early one morning recently and this winged machine easily caught my eye and I made a photographic note to get back here to see what it was all about. A group exhibition by kinetic artists, Arthur Ganson, Theo Jansen, Daniel Wapner and Daniel Wurtzel at ISE Cultural Foundation.

If you are any where near 555 Broadway between Prince and Spring you should descend the stairs to the basement and see for yourself. You can touch things down there and turn machines on...which means it's kid approved, but it closes October 28, 2011.

Daniel Wurtzel

Arthur Ganson

Video of Theo Jansen's work, If you don't know this artist do yourself a favor and link here to see more http://www.strandbeest.com/

 

WE SPY: BEAUTIFYING NYC, EACH IN OUR OWN WAY

New York City, she's a canvas and there are times when she must be embellished with new architecture, people, language and with art; which can take many forms. Mostly, the kid and I take note of the stencilers and graffiti artists. We love the rawness of this type street art. Neck Face and Jim Joe being our favorites. It has become a modern family car trip game if you will, I spy Neck Face!

Terry Richardson Stencil

And then there are the more controlled art adornments like The High Line's Landscape in Path, guest curated by Joel Sternfeld and pictured below is the final installment with Darren Almond’s Fullmoon@The North Sea and it's stunning to see in person.

Darren Almond’s Fullmoon@The North Sea (25-by-75 foot billboard next to the High Line at West 18th Street)

On 57th between 1st and 2nd Avenue there's a Whole Foods under construction, opening Summer 2012, a welcome addition to that neighborhood, to be sure. On view along the scaffolding wall is Nowhere in Manhattan an ongoing project by New York City based artist Matthew Jensen.

Perhaps someone trying to take one of Jensen's pieces home?

"The intent of the work is to locate, explore, document, promote and protect the last parcels of nowhere remaining within the borough of Manhattan. The next phase of Nowhere In Manhattan is to turn billboards and construction sites into temporary virtual green and open space. Utilizing donated billboards, empty storefronts and construction sites, the landscapes will appear and disappear throughout the borough in some of the most congested neighborhoods."

I almost don't mind the scaffolding.

Winter 2011 Park Avenue looked beautiful, thanks to Will Ryman’s colorful sculptures. 

We look for adornment in each new city we travel to and make note of commonalities and differences based on their own home-grown artists and cultures. Most recently Austin, TX gave us these pieces... 

and now the Kid and I are working on our own personal stencils and stickers to beautify NYC. The only rules are he can't put any in his school and neither one of us can reveal our identity.

New York City pays respect to Steve Jobs

Today of all days, I never would have gone to an Apple store, except for the fact that the flagship store on NYC's 5th ave is on my doorstep.

It moved me though, more than I thought it would, to see what people left behind in memoriam to Steve Jobs. Unfortunately, the store is currently under repairs. It would have been a more photogenic backdrop for the crowds in it's original glass cube facade, but maybe it fits the moment, being in a state of repair.

Command S (shortcut for Save, for you PC users) and iSad Apples

Interestingly most people thanked Jobs for what he had done for them personally or the loss of what might have been if he could have continued on, but I'm sad for the loss of a brilliant mind taken too soon from a senseless uncontrollable illness, Pancreatic Cancer.

So once again, Fuck You Cancer...that's what I'm really worked up about and I say that phrase too often! You're taking my friends, family and heroes.

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” ~ Steve Jobs, Stanford commencement ceremony 2005

WET IN NYC: 4 minutes with Mother Nature 9/29/11

 

3:32 pm looking north from 59th street NYC

Thursday, September 29, 2011 3:32 pm it was like the lights had gone out in our office. Within seconds we all had left our computers and began to watch a storm brew, taking advantage of our vast view of the northern Manhattan skyline. A quiet storm, feeding out of the Hudson River's George Washington Bridge, turned into a furious funnel in 4 minutes. The greatest show on Earth is no doubt, Mother Nature's.

3:36 pm looking north from 59th street NYC

It's October 3rd and it's already the 7th wettest year recorded in NYC history. Approximately 60 inches of rain to date. I doubt we are going to break a record (80 + inches) but my guess is with 3 more months and based on the chart below we are due for a second place standing.

...and based on the chart above, showing the past 141 years, are we not just a little bit concerned that the most recent years are consistently high in rainfall?