Barflies.net :: Art / Design

March 16-23
Laguna College of Art and Design

“Color It Orange” is an Annual Juried Youth Art Exhibition of Orange County Public and Private School students from Kindergarten through Grade 12, including CHEP and individual entries.

“Color It Orange” encourages and celebrates youth art and creativity. Over 4,500 juried entries are expected from many different genres: drawings, paintings, sculpture, prints, and photography by hundreds of students.

Reception Sunday, March 16, 2008
LCAD Campus
2222 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

All of the above was lifted from the LCAD website.

What I have to add is that my son is one of the artists selected to exhibit his work in this show. I am beaming with pride.

Instead of an actual definition of Surreal, it should just read one person's name and that is Salvador Dali. The dude was Surreal in all aspects of his life.

End of 07, beginning of 08, LACMA hosted a show of Salvador Dali's work. It was extensive from early art, to set designs for the movie Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound to the co-collaboration with Walt Disney called Destino, which was truly amazing.

For some reason the project was scraped, either from budget issues or personality issues or a bit of both. In 2003, Disney opened the archives and finally completed the animation.
I was suprised how small the painting The Persistence of Memory was. When you see it in books or in photos, it seems so larger than life but it's only 8x10, if that.
Dali loved Hollywood. He is quoted by saying . . ."I’m in Hollywood, where I’ve made contact with the three American Surrealists, Harpo Marx, Disney and Cecil B. DeMille."

I like how LACMA used large screens and video to capture Dali's work and yet traditional display of his work. One room had one end of the room screening Dali's screen test that he did for Andy Warhol and then at the other end was the same screening but upside down. There was no sound and it didn't show much. In fact it didn't make sense but I guess that was the point. There was a lot of work to view. To much in fact that it became overwelming and that they were letting in a lot of people at one time, so things were bottlenecked at certain points.

September 1 - October 21, 2007

http://www.mutatovisual.com/html/reports/calstate0 | see press

Also shown at the CSUF Main Gallery

CSUF GRAND CENTRAL ART CENTER
125 N. Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92701

This exhibition features more than 400 photographic works by the artist in the Project Room Gallery. A 288-page hardcover book Beautiful Mutants published by Grand Central Press and designed by Ryan DiDonato will be released at the opening.

Nike SB, The City of Glendora California, Mutato Muzika and CSU Fullerton and the Grand Central Art Center came together to make this exhibition and book possible.

Mark Mothersbaugh was born in 1950 in Akron, Ohio. In 1957 he received his first pair of spectacles and simultaneously became interested in art. In 1968 he enrolled at Kent State University fine arts department. In 1970 Mothersbaugh protests the war in Viet Nam and meets Jerry Casale at Kent State and co-conceptualizes the art band DEVO. Mothersbaugh has his first solo gallery show in 1975. From 1976 to present, Bob, Jim and Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob and Jerry Casale release award winning short film "In the Beginning was the End - the Truth About De-evolution" and European chart topping singles. During this time period, Mothersbaugh created along with Jerry Casale and Bob Mothersbaugh all of Devo's film, graphics, music and stage shows. DEVO continues to record and perform. From 1984 to present, Mothersbaugh has been composing music for film, TV, radio, video games and the web. Since 1987 Mothersbaugh has shown in hundreds of solo and group exhibitions.

The photo-image manipulation of The Beautiful Mutants were intended to be a form of palindromic poetry, where a story is created by a half-truth folded and placed next to itself, thereby creating a self-referencing, yet completed visual poem.
- Mark Mothersbaugh

Mark Mothersbaugh's art leads the viewer to see the hidden mutant in us all. The artist renders a "study of humans via symmetry using photos, both recent and vintage" in which each photograph is, like the "self" in Jungian analysis, transformed to "emerge from its chrysalis as something with expected and uninvestigated properties. It no longer represented anything immediately known... Rather, it now appeared in a double guise, as both known and unknown."

Viewers resonate with these images at the interstice between individual subconscious and collective unconscious. Mothersbaugh is, indeed, a master of this interstice, offering the potential "miraculous" experience that art can provide. As Gombrich describes it, "the true miracle of the language of art is not that it enables the artist to create the illusion of reality. It is that under the hands of a great master, the image becomes translucent. In teaching us to see the visible world afresh, he gives us the illusion of looking into the invisible realms of the mind-if only we know...how to use our eyes."

- from the essay The Cryptomnesia of Mark Mothersbaugh: Beautiful Mutants in Einfall and Shado by Cristina Bodinger-deUriarte

Collages and Journals
June 9 – July 14, 2007
Opening reception for the artist: Saturday, June 9, 5-8pm

Western Project
3830 Main St., Culver City, CA 90232
Contact, Erin Kermanikian
(310) 838-0609, fax (310) 838-0610
Web site, http://western-project.com

This Saturday is a very full day in downtown Long Beach with the Ink & Iron Tatto & Music Festival and the East Village Art Walk. As well as the usual 2nd Sat. of the month art walk, the Walker and Kress Loft artists will be opening their studios and showing their work on the bottom floor of the Walker Building (Pine & 4th St.).

See you there.

Kurt Halsey's unabashedly romantic, wistful designs will be featured in a solo show at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles, May 17 - June 15, 2007.

Don't be afraid to fall in love with these images.

American Zombie on MySpace

And you just thought half this city "acted" braindead....

If you are a history, art, or architecture fan, check out The LA Conservancy's new online exhibition Curating the City: Wilshire Blvd (via Glenda the Good). The site is a fun multimedia run of the whole length of Wilshire Blvd. from downtown LA to Santa Monica with great photos and information.

Thanks to LeandaDLL for the video link.

...but this is just cool!

Don't Ever, EVer, EVEr, EVER try to watch a movie trailer on WiMax (802.16 wifi, really only 2x better than dial-up, do not believe the hype. aka... Irish Broadband sucks). Really. Believe me. After the damned thing times out 13 times, you lose the plot of the trailer. Yes, the 2.5 minute trailer. Plot gone.

Now you ask, why is Ms. Jen, the woman who never, ever, never watches movies watching a Movie Trailer????

It is all Ze's fault.

Sometimes life just gets too busy - sigh! I had something on my agenda for more than a month now. I looked at the postcard received in the mail every day sitting on my desk at work. Finally, after some planning I made it to Fullerton Museum today to see the Rhinestones and Twangin' Tones Exhibit. Now, you might ask,"What was that all about?" Well, back in the day, a Russian tailor by the name of Nudie imagined that he would be a famous tailor to the Country stars of the Grand Ole Opry and much more. Also included in the exhibit we found a replica of the gold lame outfit that Elvis Presley wore, and few famed guitars, one in particular owned by Hank Williams. Through perserverance Nudie made his dream come true and he formed a company that designed thousands of first rate rhinestone cowboy outfits with everything from rhinestones to embroidered flowers, cactus, stage coaches, and you name it, probably one of Nudie's originals had it. Simply beautiful handcrafted outfits worn by famed entertainers such as, Buck Owens, Webb Pierce, Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Billy Walker and the list goes on. I saw many of those today and the glitter captivated me. I like rhinestones! I like class on stage! I like Country music! Fullerton Museum is located at: 301 N. Pomona Ave. in old downtown Fullerton, CA.
www.cityoffullerton.com/museum/
On Thursdays, they hold a Farmers Market in the courtyard outside the museum where you can shop and get some good eats too. The museum hours vary, so I'd call for times during the week and weekends. And, the exhibit ends July 9th, so you have a few weeks yet. If you like to be adventurous and get out and about for a short tour of some amazing threads, then go see this exhibit! It'sa Twangin' good time. If you're interested in the history of Nudie the Rodeo Tailor, go here:
http://nudiesrodeotailor.com/news_01.html

Um. Hello? Hello? Anybody there? Anyone who didn't think seeing When a Stranger Calls was a good idea last weekend? Anyone with half a brain? I'm only asking for half? Anyone who is completely turned off by the releases this weekend and logging onto Netflix?

Hello? Doesn't anybody give a damn that there aren't ANY good movies to see this weekend?!!!!

1) Brokeback Mountain (for those of you not in fear of losing your heterosexuality, it was wonderful)
2) Walk the Line (I shouldn't have to explain this)
3) Underworld: Evolution (I'm still a sucker for chicks who kick ass)

Yes, I know they're not new. That's the point. I have to go cry now.

Okay, I admit I haven't done this in a while, and now I'll say I'm sorry. See, not so hard. Now it's your turn.

What do you mean you didn't do anything wrong? That's just rubbish. Oh well, I forgive you regardless and give you my top three.

1) Good Night and Good Luck
2) The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
3) Something New

There. I feel so much better now, don't you?

I'm very disappointed in you, movie going audience. I know I've been neglectful and that last weekend was Halloween, but that is no excuse for making Saw 2 the #1 movie in America. That is just plain wrong. Especially when revival houses all over the city were offering some fantastic alternatives. Heck, the New Beverly was doing a double feature of Lost Boys and Land of the Dead. Wouldn't that have been the perfect movie set for a Halloween weekend?

Why do you torture me like this? Please, end the cycle and stop seeing bad movies. Good cinema begins at home.

1) Jarhead
2) The Dying Gaul
3) Chicken Little

Okay, I'm not sure what happened here, but somehow the Hollywood studio system has blessed us with an event rarely seen in theaters these days - options. Ladies and gentlemen we have several good movies to choose from in theaters this week, and I'm not just talking about the new releases. There are a few movies I didn't get a chance to skewer that are worth seeing.

1) Domino
2) Elizabethtown
3) Good Night, and Good Luck

But don’t forget Wallace and Gromit, Flightplan, Capote, Corpse Bride, A History of Violence, and Serenity.

Summer is over and the dry spell has hit. You may as well just keep those NetFlix DVDs coming until next week, when we have some real options.

1) Green Street Hooligans
2) The Exorcism of Emily Rose

I want to give you a third pick, but I've got nothing.

Happy Friday! I am in dreadful need of a full night's uninterrupted rest, a square of dark Venezuelan chocolate, a blood donor technician who can actually hit my vein, and a hairdresser who can fill in my roots and cut my hair for under $80; but you my readers, you get my picks.

1) The Brothers Grimm
2) The Alzheimer Affair

I finally saw Wedding Crashers this week and it was hysterical. I haven't laughed that hard during a movie in ages.

3) Wedding Crashers

I know I've been neglecting you, my readers, and I'm sorry, but I have really good reasons. Really. Don't give me that look. Hey! I said I was sorry. I started a new job, I moved, I moved into a place that didn't have an internet connection, I had dates (no, that plural is not a typo), and I was a bit neglectful.
There I said it. I was hindered my circumstances beyond my control AND I was neglectful. Now don't you start with me. What else do you want?!

Oh... you want my picks. Well why didn't you say so? Making me feel guilty. You're just like my mother.

1) Asylum
2) The Great Raid
3) Pretty Persuasion

There is a exhibit at the Angel's Gate Cultural Art's Center that is near and dear to my heart.
I grew up in the South Bay and San Pedro punk scene has been a big influence of my life. This is one of the reasons why I'm very proud to say that I'm from the South Bay. The exhibit ends July 31.
Visit San Pedro and make a day of it. 6th St. has the Famous Warner Grand Theatre and antique and vintage stores, plus a couple Tattoo Shops and art galleries. Ports of Call has a Maritime Museum. While you are at Angel's Gate visit the Seals at the Marine Wildlife Rehabilation Center, McCarther Park and the Korean Friendship Bell. There is a lot of amazing history in this area.

Angels Gate Cultural Center
3601 South Gaffey Street, San Pedro, California 90731
Phone: 310-519-0936

Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm

A miracle has occurred and I'm not sure whom to blame. There is only one bad movie in this week's lot. Where am I supposed to get comedic material when the studios almost fail to disappoint me? At least I can still say almost.

1) Lords of Dogtown
2) Cinderella Man
3) Rock School

The good thing about last week being over, is that I don't have to listen to a bunch of social outcasts b*tch and moan about how The Great Swollen One has ruined the trilogy that shaped their adolescence. Over. Done with. It still hit number one at the box office no matter how many people felt betrayed by a terrible script and poor acting, they came back for more. They always do. It's what I like to call Movie Masochism.
This is also why JLo movies continue to be a draw. People enjoy self-torture.

1) Saving Face
2) Madagascar
3) Bomb the System

Angus had surgery last week, so I rented movies for him to watch during his recovery. We rented Miss Congeniality, Shrek 2, and The Incredibles. I'm sure he would have wanted to watch Milo and Otis again, but I put my foot down.

Miss Congeniality - I watched Miss Congeniality while Angus was still in the kitty hospital. I knew he wouldn't like it because there was too much talking and the plot was dumb. Angus hates dumb plots. Two paws down for a thin plot and lame fashion. Plus, there were no animals in the movie. Angus likes movies with animals.

Shrek 2 - We both liked this one. Angus especially liked the cat character, Puss in Boots, as voiced by Antonio Banderas. He also liked that the cast was almost all animals, or "creatures." We both hated the fact that it was a musical and there was too much singing. Two paws down for lame musical numbers. But two paws up for the evil fairy godmother (I liked her hair). In all honesty, Angus was wearing a morphine patch while he watched this, so I think it put him to sleep, but he couldn't help it.

The Incredibles - We both loved this movie. Angus liked the action and really watched the screen while the movement was happening. I liked the plot and the aesthetic of the house and the island. We both loved the way the characters moved, and the character of E was really hilarious. Both of us thought the movie went on too long, though, as we both have a rather short attention span. I was doing crafts and Angus was working on something else too (I think he was licking his balls), but we kept one eye on the screen. By the end of the movie, we were both stretched out with our paws in the air.

Ratings:
Miss Congeniality - lots of lame pussy, but no cats
Shrek 2 - two paws up for visuals, voices; two paws down for musicals
The Incredibles - four paws up!

It is Friday the Thirteenth and I can't think of anything more frightful than another JLo movie. If it were my spawn hell bent on marrying that twat, I'd turn into a vindictive bitch too. This is totally justifiable. I don't know why the Jane Fonda character is coming off like the bad guy.

1) Layer Cake
2) Unleashed
3) Mad Hot Ballroom

Happy early birthday Ms. Jen!! There is absolutely nothing opening this weekend that I suggest you see, but I still say you try to catch Millions before it heads to video. Hit up Serious Dave for a pass, grab an Icee and sneak in a bag of Puffins. Enjoy your weekend Missy!

1) The Game of Their Lives
2) The Interpreter
3) Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

I know Sandra has posted about Charles Phoenix before but I just want to say how cool he is and what an awesome niche he as developed for himself. In March, I got to go on one of his field trips (Thank YOU, Heidi's Mom). It was the "Disneyland" Theme Tour of Downtown Los Angeles.
I totally suggest this if he happens to have this tour again when a friend or relative comes out to visit. It so worth the money, too.

God Bless Americana

As always, his slide shows are mesmerizing! Very funny!

Another Friday, another weekend. What will you be doing? Going to see Von Iva at Alex's? You lucky dog. I'll have to catch them on their next trip through town.
Me? I'll be baby-sitting a bride-to-be and making sure that nothing resembling her bachelorette party occurs. Don't worry. We'll be in the Valley. What's that worst that can happen?

1) Kung Fu Hustle
2) Winter Solstice
3) Fever Pitch

The Internet buzz that has been building for months has finally come to head and it's time to pop it like the pimple that it is! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Beauty Shop is finally out in theaters! Let your extensions down and pile on the curl relaxer because nothing says artistic expression better than Queen Latifa in a tight pair of pants.

1) Beauty Shop
2) Sin City
3) Kontroll

Happy April Fools!

Happy Irish Hangover Day!!! I can't think of any better reason to see a movie than "you never want to drink that much ever again" and "please can we avoid the bar today?" For me, that was last weekend as I'm sure anyone in the vicinity of Manhattan Beach will be glad to tell you all about it.

1) Melinda and Melinda
2) The Ring Two
3) Steamboy

Pacifier?! Pacifier is number one at the box office? I guess that doesn't count all the people who ran out midway through the film because it was lowering the audience's collective IQ.
See good movies people. Don't make careless movie going decisions, it only leads to sequels.

1) Millions
2) Upside to Anger
3) In My Country

I haven't seen this movie. I heard it was pretty bad. Like, dirrrrty bad. Like perverted "pulsating butthole" bad..

But then again, it's John Waters.

"Lust is in the air on Harford Road and Sylvia Stickles, a grumpy, repressed middle-aged Baltimorean, doesn't like it. Though Sylvia's handsome husband Vaughn still has marital urges, his wife could not be less interested -- she has more important things to do. Not only does Sylvia run the family's Pinewood Park and Pay convenience store, she's also responsible for watching over her exhibitionist daughter Caprice. A go-go dancer known to her adoring fans as Ursula Udders, Caprice and her stupendously enlarged breasts are currently under house arrest after several nude and disorderly violations. But Sylvia's world is turned upside down one day after suffering a concussion in a freak traffic accident. Sexy tow-truck driver Ray-Ray Perkins rushes to her aid, and the stricken Sylvia realizes he is no ordinary service man; he's a sexual healer who brings Sylvia's hidden cauldron of lust to the boiling point."

The cast highlights favorites Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville, Selma Blair, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Shepherd, Mink Stole, and Patricia Hearst. You might recognize some from previous Waters films.

Think about this: "If you are a pervert, and like a movie that is only about one thing, sex, you are going to love this movie."

John Waters is known for his films including, "Cecil B. DeMented," "Serial Mom," "Cry-Baby," "Hairspray," "Polyester," and "Pink Flamingos."

If you see it, let me know how it is. Just don't take your mom.

Rating: NC-17
Movie summary taken from IMDB.com

I am sick. I have one week left before my first PRB tournament and I can't stop my nose from dripping toxic ooze (I'm exaggerating the nature of the ooze for dramatic effect).
Fear not! I may be tired and infirmed, but I will not leave you without movie recommendations for the coming weekend. This, and this alone, is how I will earn myself a spot on the fast track to heaven. This is the Lord's work. Treating lepers in Calcutta is for wimps.

1) Inside Deep Throat
2) Uncle Nino
3) Ong-Bak

Sometimes I think this may be my favorite time of year. After Oscar season, but before the holiday blockbusters. This is when all the quirky independent films come out for their one shot at profitability. So go and give an oddly entertaining film a helping hand. It's not like you have anything better to see.

1) Rory O'Shea Was Here
2) Assisted Living
3) The Nomi Song

A bit random, but I thought someone might enjoy..

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was "exciting". Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts - they seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

I leave you alone for two measly weeks and you go off and make Are We There Yet? the #1 movie in America. What were you thinking? All I ask is that you make one wise choice per week with your movie going dollars and you do this. These sorts of things always result in grave consequences, like Are We There Yet? 2.
For those of you who haven't seen it, but are tempted - It doesn't really star Ice Cube. It's actually alter ego, Ice Slushy. Not hard, and syrupy sweet coming up after the unsuppressed urge to gag.

1) Aliens of the Deep
2) Check out something nominated for a Golden Globe or an Oscar, everything else sucks

When my male roommates go out of town, I make it a point to rent "chick flicks" that I would otherwise not watch. And I always learn that there is a reason I would not watch these movies otherwise. They're crap. Really. Here are some reviews of movies I watched this last weekend:

Love Actually - This was the best of the bunch. It's sappy and sweet, and even though I took a "no Hugh Grant movies" vow after the debacle that was Four Weddings, we can overlook Hugh Grant's total lack of acting ability for the excellence of Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth (yummy!). The music is also good - so good, that I would actually buy the soundtrack! This movie is set at Christmas time, and would be a good holiday rental, as it's all about the redeeming power of love, in its many forms. I laughed, I cried; I enjoyed it unapologetically. The teacher gives it an A.

Bridget Jones' Diary - This movie was an amusing little stinker. Renee Zellwiger looks like crap all the way through it, Colin Firth is yummy, and Hugh Grant makes a good bad guy. But the problem is that the character of Bridget is never really established, and as such, you don't give a hoot about what happens to her. Should have spent more time on her and her friends building the character. The teacher gives it a C for not enough development.

Lost in Translation - I know this movie was well-done, but I yawned all the way through it. What exactly is the point? Tokyo is a place I never want to spend any time at all! Good character development and fine acting from Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson save a tedious plot. Sofia Coppola is probably a bore at cocktail parties. The teacher gives it a B for good acting, C for no thesis whatsoever.

Old School - Can you believe I watched this? It's a pathetic remake of Animal House featuring guys who desperately want to grow up and be men, but can't. The women are no better, as they seek to emasculate the men they supposedly love. The whole thing is a nightmare with two funny bits, which would have been better as a SNL skit. Vince Vaughn is the only bright spot, playing the only intelligent male in the movie. You will like this if you are pre-teen or a male of any age. The teacher gives it a B- for being true to form.

Where was I? How come I was not alerted?! Why is it, when there is mass gathering of debauchery prone people dressed as Santas, I am left completely unaware?!!
This must stop! This must end! This time I will be prepared for SANTARCHY!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year! You get no new movies. At least none worth your hard earned $10.

What's being released:
1) White Noise
2) Solitude

What you should actually go see:
1) Kinsey
2) Hotel Rawanda
3) In Good Company (I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories)

It is the last day (okay evening, I got off to a late start) of 2004, and we all know what that means - the studios are pushing our their last attempts at Oscar nominations. Movies with good buzz, but executives were unsure if it was Oscar worthy buzz.
So now you can push these out in hopes of generating some late breaking Oscar quality talk, without looking like a schmuck if it doesn't work out and you get completely ignored in the nomination process.
In my eyes, you'll still look like a schmuck.

1) In Good Company
2) The Merchant of Venice
3) A Love Song for Bobby Long

This Hanukkah weekend we have been gifted with two movies. Two. I may be a little rusty on my Judaism here, but I'm pretty sure we're entitled to EIGHT days of presents. Two is for the goyem. Eight is whole reason Hanukkah kicks Santa's ass. Don't cheapen it.
And they say Jews run Hollywood.

1) Ocean's 12
2) Blade Trinity
3) Closer (released last week, but I'm trying to catch up)

Apparently the studios did not recieve my manifesto entitled, "No Christmas Before Thanksgiving," because this week my faithful, we have not one, but TWO movies all about Santa Claus' love and the power of commerce. I could just retch.

1) Kinsey
2) Finding Neverland
3) Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

There's only one movie I'm going to recommend this week. Can you believe I'm too pissed off to write a bunch of snide remarks about lackluster movies?

Get over your stuffy adult self, and go see The Incredibles. Your inner child will thank you.

After the catastrophe, which was last week's releases, I am finally starting to see some movies I can really get behind.
Except for the Christmas movie. I am over a month away from being ready for a Christmas Movie.

1) Sideways
2) Undertow
3) The Machinist

A lot of movies in limited release this weekend. It's no hemorrhage, but it does seem that the artery of good movies has been pierced in several places.

1) PS
2) Eulogy
3) Being Julia

Stupid Laughs (and small hope that another Stone/Parker movie will get an Oscar nomination for best song): Team America: World Police

Just when thought Paul Thomas Anderson, Spike Jones, Charlie Kauffman cornered the market on deranged comedy, David O. Russell throws his hat in the ring. One day, I'm sure, this will get completely played out.

1) I Heart Huckabees
2) Dig!
3) Woman Thou Art Loosed
(Shark Tale finishing a close fourth)

Since I never want to date again after reading Lucky's post, I'll be going to the movies this weekend and replacing the sensation of an orgasm with chocolate. Do you think I can talk the clerk into replacing the popcorn in an extra large tub with M&Ms?

1) Shaun of the Dead
2) The Motorcycle Diaries
3) The Forgotten