But is it thievery?

An interesting story about a couple Indian thieves in Kyrgyzstan. The thieves use hypnosis on the bank tellers who then willingly hand over cash amounts. It's a wonderful Jedi mind trick but is it theft if the money is handed over willingly? Is the hypnosis as violent as a gun crammed against the cranium?

Little Superstar

Thanks to Graeme for the link.

Cocaine Karaoke - September

Psychedelic Spaniard

Santiago Calatrava is just amazing. I didn't realize that he was responsible for the Allen Lambert Galleria at BCE place in Toronto but I do now. His designs are both organic and natural looking because of their immediate references to nature (the BCE ceiling reminds me of palm trees) but they also seem to create a landscape fit for aliens. Looking at his designs one gets the feeling this is not for planet Earth. They are reminscent of Gehry's Bilbao and Disney designs but I think they, at least on surface, take a more radical departure from the norm. Two residential projects are note worthy: 1. The Turning Torso in Malmo & 2. A yet to be built residential highrise in New York City are both very bold.

*applause

Why is art important?

Jerry Saltz in the Village Voice answers some big questions. He does an excellent job too. No further comment.

Image:

Diego Velázquez
Dwarf Sitting on the Floor (Don Sebastián)
1645, oil on canvas, 106x81cm
Collection of The Prado, Madrid, Spain

Banksy in the City of Angels

Banksy is at it again.

he says:

1.7 billion people have no access to clean drinking water. 20 billion (sic) people live below the poverty line. Every day hundreds of people are made to feel physically sick by morons at art shows telling them how bad the world is but never actually doing something about it. Anybody want a free glass of wine?

All this regarding... a painted elephant?

The elephant looks wicked. But its logic is a stretch. Maybe you can use the system to subvert it but you can't be against the system and be within the system. (Or can you?) I understand he doesn't like the art world but he's not exactly feeding the poor with his scathing critique is he? His binary critical art stance is kind of tired. It's so... 20th century, so... last millenium.

I'm sitting here comfortable in my 1st world home giving Banksy the gas face.

Photo: Marissa Roth for The New York Times

The art of Tara Donovan

Tara Donovan is a little bit like Brian Jungen, in that she takes common everyday objects and puts her alchemical touch on to them, and poof! out comes a seductive visual experience.

What intrigues me about both Donovan and Jungen, is that they are essentially making readymades: twisted and altered readymades. All is reinvented but nothing is really "invented". It's interesting to me because it inverts Duchamp's wish to infuse art with a degree of cerebrality - which at the time of The Fountain in 1917 was lacking - because of the high visual nature within the reigning aesthetic at the time: cubism. Donovan, more so than Jungen, uses visuals to outwit intellectualisms. I can't say that's a bad thing either.

Photos : Ace Gallery

1000 Cars

Video game replays as a psychedelic music video. Quite elegant in bits.

from the trash...

from: kwhoneybaby@gjmxobgbj.nu
to: me
subject: Hey Tommie Check Out This Watch

I had a meeting to attend to, and I needed something classy yet professional to wear. One of my friends told me about your
website and I've seen him wearing one of your watches, but I was still sceptical to buy a replica watch. I took my chance
though, and ordered a Rolex from your website. When I received it, I was definitely impressed, but wasn't sure if my
associates would be able to tell it's a replica. But when I showed up to the meeting, they couldn't take their eyes off of
my new watch. This watch gave me what I was looking for, classy style, with a touch of professionalism.

- Timmy S.,

Go To http://www.yeallowsparkz.com

---

Best piece of spam I ever got.

*

Exciting times we live in friend... Today was so beautiful, I could pour out an entire novel about the shine of today's moments. But I'm le tired.

Addressing Orientalism

Jamelie Hassan's recent exhibit Orientalism and Ephemera had me thinking and I bought Edward Said's seminal masterpiece Orientalism and I've been reading it and have been made aware of ideas of human race divisions on an entirely new level. It is a tough but interesting read so it's a bit of a joyful thing to read about some guerrila performance art aimed at American art star Matthew Barney and his lovely European wife, Bjork at Barney's opening at the SFMOMA. Interesting. It's nice to have some real world examples to help me understand all this... I'll be sure to get back to reading Orientalism.

Jermey Laing

If you're like me, you're a little bit tired of t-shirts and strategically torn jeans that pass as fashion on our streets, then you'll be happy to look at what Jeremy Laing is creating. Perhaps it's not street fashion per se but it is fresh. And I'm terrifically happy to see it. A Toronto kid no less. Laing launches his Spring/Summer 2007 collection at 11 am, Saturday, September 9 2006 at 601 Studios - 601 West 26TH Street, 16th Floor, New York, NY. If you're in the area, go check it out for me.

My brother... Bogus

Amen

Cocaine Karaoke - July!

So I finally got my self organized and got me a flickr account and have uploaded my photos there. Thanks for the fun times.

The painting of Luc Tuymans

Personally, I'm not feeling Luc Tuymans aesthetic a whole lot, but some other people are... some of his pieces have a nice type of ephemeral, nostalgic glow - like they are representing the not too distant future.

Image: www.artserver.be

Don't Give Up

Jacob Miller - Roman Soldiers of Babylon

Thanks Camillo.

2 things for tomorrow...

Okay, the 1st is Cocaine Karaoke July 2006 Edition...




The second is a small art piece in... a show. one by one is a benefit to help some down and out youth in Kenya. Works on the theme of change, including one by yours truly, are being raffled off for the cause. So come out, blow some dough, buy some art, make an investment, make a friend, and don't go home alone.

Zaha Hadid's London 2012 Olympic Games Aquatic Centre

Started kissing everything in sight...

I've been super lazy on this blog. And I'll continue to be super lazy on it as long as the summer is here and I'd rather spend every minute possible in the sun sweating & smiling. But here's 3 links for you to check out:

1. Oliver is killing it with summer tunes.

2. For anyone in Miami with a tongue for Africa, go have photographic taste.

3. Check out El Michels Affairs instrumental of the Wu's C.R.E.A.M. Lovely.

Photo: my studio, late at night on June 21, 2006.

Will Kwan in Porto, Italy

The amazing Will Kwan has something happening in Italy. I'm totally too far to check in to it, but if you're anywhere closer... it's probably quality. Go, have a look, and let me know about it. More info:

AROUND

Bernardo Giorgi
Carl Michael von Hausswolff
Will Kwan
Henrik Plenge Jakobsen

a cura di Gigiotto Del Vecchio

30 Giugno fino al 15 Settembre 2006
Opening 30 Giugno, 18:00

Galleria Enrico Fornello
Via Paolini, 27 - 59100, Prato, Italy
Tel.+39.0574462719
www.enricofornello.it

++++++++++

AROUND

Bernardo Giorgi
Carl Michael von Hausswolff
Will Kwan
Henrik Plenge Jakobsen

curated by Gigiotto Del Vecchio

30 June - 15 September 2006
Opening 30 June, 6pm

Galleria Enrico Fornello
Via Paolini, 27 - 59100, Prato, Italy
Tel.+39.0574462719
www.enricofornello.it