Sunday, June 07, 2009

Nick Cave, Visual Artist

Soundsuit by Nick Cave
Soundsuit by Nick Cave

Soundsuit by Nick Cave

My favorite artist right now is Nick Cave. He's the sculptor/fashion designer/performance artist who created dozens of gorgeous outfits called "soundsuits" made with all kinds of materials like sequins and collections of antique objects (children's tops, knick knacks of birds and flowers). James Prinz photographed this little film. There are a couple of other films on YouTube as well- one with an interview of the Chicago artist.
Above, I posted a few stills from his recent show at
in NYC. Follow the link to see more. That exhibit also included sculptures made from lawn jockeys and little mammy figurines. There is another exhibit in S.F. going on right now at
called "Meet Me at the Center of the Earth" which runs until July 5, 2009. I might just have to make a trip down there to see this amazing art.
P.S. NIck Cave also trained as a dancer with Alvin Ailey and is the director of the fashion design graduate program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Man, they are lucky to have him. His talent and vision are nothing short of miraculous.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Posada - Yes!


Jose Guadalupe Posada (2 February 1852 - 20 January 1913) was a Mexican engraver and illustrator. Confetta has created a nice page on Posada here: http://www.squidoo.com/Posada
or check out her amazing flickr set on this man's art. I posted a couple of my favorites. This guy was the best.

Monday, June 01, 2009

David Lynch's Interview Project Starts Today

Every three days for a year, the Interview Project will be posting a new episode. First episode: They found Jess sitting by the side of the road in Needles, CA.
Here's the link to the video interview:
DAVID LYNCH INTERVIEW PROJECT

David Lynch also just opened a show of photographs at Michael Kohn Gallery in L.A. over the weekend called Dark Night of the Soul (a visual interpretation of the album by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse).

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Dorthea Tanning's Long, Creative Life

Max Ernst and Dorthea Tanning 1948
Bayou

Beyond the Esplanade 1940

Both of these paintings are by Dorthea Tanning. I love them. The first one looks like it may have been a costume design and the second one reminds me of Picasso. I know that Dorthea Tanning married Max Ernst in 1946 and that she drove Peggy Guggenheim crazy. I have her book "Birthday" in my book shelf. Maybe I should re-read it. I found these images on the Frey Norris Gallery website in their annex which houses a nice collection of surrealist art: here is the LINK
Some of her surreal works I don't like quite so much. But, these show a more classical sensibility. I just looked her up on wikipedia and it looks like she is still alive at age 98(!?) and she is still producing books and poetry. She has had museum retrospectives and designed costumes and sets for theater and ballet. She was with Ernst for 36 years.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Doctor Jesus

"Painting on the wall of a traumatologist's clinic waiting room in Guatemala." From Xeni Jardin's set of photos from her recent trip to Guatemala on flickr. Thanks, Xeni.
(This is for you, Raleigh.)

Monday, May 25, 2009

John King -Spanish Fandango

The late John King demos the Spanish Fandango in June 2008 for his students at the Portland Ukulele Festival held at Reed College in Portland, OR. (Thanks silvacox YouTube)

He was only 55 - gone too soon. Read about him: NYTIMES link

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Fossil News


A new fossil find links humans and lemurs. Okay. Lemurs are cute.
Especially lemurs with black and white striped tails.
Story: