Best Rap Album of 2008

'Nuff said.

Glass Plate

Beautiful glass plate by Kathleen Kitch showing in a glass exhibit at the Artlink gallery in my hometown, Fort Wayne:


Glass Opens at Artlink

Opening reception Friday, March 6, 7-9 p.m.
Glass talk at 8:00 p.m.
Gallery hours are Tue-Thurs: noon to 5:00 p.m.; Fri & Sat: noon to 9:00 p.m., Sun: 1 to 5:00 p.m.

Artlink, Inc., 437 E. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
COST: Main Gallery admission is free for Artlink members; $2 suggested donation for non-members; Hallway Gallery viewing before and after Cinema Center performances
CONTACT:Deb Washler, Executive Director, deb@artlinkfw.com; (260) 424-7195

MIMS Music Video

http://keithschofield.com/mims/
Not a fan of MIMs or anything but this music video directed by keith schofield is genius.

Contemporary Underground Jazz

My DJ friend Adrian has recently gotten me into some newer jazz bands:
Eleven Eyes - turntablism jazz fusion with a dj who does scratch soloes galore
Snarky Puppy - awesome jazz ensemble with some experimental elements
Happy Apple - amazing electric jazz combo with many fusion elements

MoMa in the Subways

From March 10th to 15th MoMa will have up full sized reproductions of some of the more famous works in their collection as a form of advertisement and to inspire some art appreciation. I think this is the coolest idea in the world and brings back warm memories of almost puking on some of these works haha. More information/pictures here.
Photo by Jeff Baxter

This House

Click for Full Size

This House, a set of four continues comic pages by the wonderful artist Helm whose ink work will never cease to amaze me.

Manhatten Meets Punks

Mindy Kober

Waterfall, gouache on paper, 2007, 36" x 24"
More Here

Edouardo Vianello - Guarda come Dondolo (1963)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJPJM1Ug8OA

Ezequiel Eduardo Ruiz: Mes de San Valentin

Can't give a decent description for this but it was posted in this blog post equally cryptically.

Wire Sculpture

It's supposed to be a tiki head kind of thing...

The Indie Rock Alphabet Book

http://www.pastemagazine.com/indie_rock_alphabet_book.html

Dying Warriors

I love the top one with the smile and arrow in his chest. He is lying down soooooooo chill it's awesome.

The Zakary Thaks

Gregor Gaida

Stumbled upon the work of German post-expressionist sculptor Gregor Gaida today:

"Lateral", 2007, 100cm x 80cm x 60, Wood, Paint, Chair, Fabric

"Lateral IV", 2007, 120 cm x 65 cm x 40 cm, Aluminum Paint, Fabric, Wire

"Fahnenträger III", 2008, 110 cm x 100 cm x 80 cm, Painted Wood

"Fahnenträger IV", 2008, 110 cm x 80 cm x 45 cm, Polyester Resin Paint

I find their small sizes particularly surprising: each conjure up monumental images when I imagine seeing them in person, yet none extend much more than a meter in any direction.

Craig Kucia

Listened to a lecture by Miami painter Craig Kucia yesterday:

"The Apple Orchard", 2007, Oil on Canvas, 48"x48"

"Nearly Everything I Have Is In It, And Is Still Not Full", 2006, Oil on Canvas, 102" x 126"

Although he claims not to be so his work does share many elements of pop surrealism (my sworn enemies) so hearing him explain his work softened me to this type of subject matter in general. Also I'm highly anti symbolism in my own work and he revels in the use of symbols and the possibility of multiple interpretations that could vary from his original intentions, which I found incredibly interesting. I was extremely impressed by his technical abilities and use of impasto (which unfortunately you can't see at all in these photographs), often the paint is built up heavily in very small specific areas but from afar the forms often meld into believable realism (I would love to have the chance to see his work in person). Overall, his extreme contrast between his art and my views of what good art should be was very interesting and changed my views on a number of issues.

Ben Butler

Saw Ben Butler's sculptures on artistaday.com:

Untitled (Quogue), 2005, Cedar and Mahogany 142” x 152” x 28”

Proof, 2008, approx. 9" x 21' x 13', Cedar

Furrow, 2008, 44" x 74" x 7", Cedar

The First Emperor, 2008, 37" x 47" x 95" and 26" x 47" x 96", Pine

He also has beautiful prints and drawings:

Hermit, 2008, 7" x 8", Ink and Graphite on Paper

Richard Swift's Atlantic Ocean: 4/7/09

Getting pumped for it. If you don't already have the free Ground Trouble Jaw EP get it here.