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30/11/08 - I find a little joy in you

 


Who is Fabrizio Moretti? I will be honest, despite being a long time fan, I didn't know, without google, that he was the drummer for The Strokes. I'm not good with names, plus who remembers the drummer? They get a rough time. I wonder if anyone has ever done a study on just how much of a raw deal drummers get (compared to the front man), and if they have, in turn, used the example of Animal from the Muppets to explain why the feral persona is still so prevalent today? I doubt it. If drummers really are all action and no substance then Moretti is not your average drummer. This week I stumbled upon new kids on the block 'Little Joy', who have, it turns out, been started by Moretti along with Binki Shapiro and Rodrigo Amarante. Thrown together on the banks of a Lisbon river this trio have gone about turning a pipe dream into a record, in such a perfect fashion, that I have plunged new depths of faith into drummers all over the world. Stop on the cymbals, write us a song...

 


 

 

 

28/11/08 - Sunny side up, read your short story

 



What is the best book you have ever read? I really wish that I had more to choose from when answering that question. I must try to read more. I think my problem is that I get sidetracked into short stories all too easily, and when I’m in the short story way of reading, a full novel can be somewhat daunting. If you too are more of a short story fan you should check out pequin.org. I spend a good bit of time there reading the short pieces. Some are awful, others scandalous, but amongst the tripe there lies some wonderful pieces. Here is a link to the archives, and here is a link to one of those aforementioned 'wonderfuls'. Image today is from Karl Lintvedt - I'm hungry.

 


 

 

 

26/11/08 - Cuta the papera

 


I hate paper cuts, but boy do I love seeing cut paper. There is so much skill involved, and the sheer originality of it is inspiring. All you need is a sharp scalpel, some paper and a lot of patience. Now just try and be as good as Peter Callesen.


 

 

 

25/11/08 - Coming in, in all directions

 


On the first Sunday of every month Smithfield Market in Dublin begins to fill. Not with fruit and veg, nor fish. Not even cheap second hand goods, but horses. I remember taking a wrong turn one cold December afternoon last year and coming face to face with Smithfield after such a Sunday. It was like walking back in time, with the smell of horses, the remains of them and the scowls from those left behind to clean it up. I always said I would go down and experience it first hand, but I never have. Here is a link to Ian Oliver's website. The closest I have been to horses these days came while making this video. Somedays I just want to be a cowboy.

 


 

 

 

23/11/08 - The greatest average photographer

 


Richard Renaldi is not the greatest photographer I have ever seen, yet I find myself giving you a link to his website today. I'm not picky. You see I was intruiged by his projects on 'touching strangers' to begin with, and then after spending a good deal of time on his website I discovered his 49 & 50 series. It's an indepth look at life in Alaska and Hawaii, forgotten America. There are lots of shots, so be warned you may waste away the rest of this Monday, but what better way to do it then with a mediocre photographer? Ok, he's quite good, maybe great, but not the greatest.

 


 

 

 

22/11/08 - The price of art

 


Miguel Barceló has been in the news this week after the unveiling of his $23 Million painting on the United Nation's ceiling, and i'll be honest I had never heard of this Majorcan native before the 100 tonne canvas appeared. Now, a few days have passed, and i've had a chance to look at some of his earlier work. If you have a few minutes you should too. Here is a link to a piece on his Palma de Majorca Cathedral commission [seen above], and if you haven't had a peek at his UN piece, here is a link to an article on it by the Brussels Journal. Make your own mind up, but how many hungry mouths could be fed with $23 Million?


 

 

 

21/11/08 - This goes out to the one I Love

 


It's so simple. Photographs of people, taken by people who love those people who are being taken. theoneswelove is beautiful, it truly is. It's a showcase of young talent from around the globe, with each chosen photographer submitting six photos. What makes this different is that not only do all the photographs have to come from a natural setting, but the subject in each photograph is there because they mean the world to the snapper. Take a look.


 

 

 

20/11/08 - Tweet tweet - blue blue

 


It wasn't long ago that I was sending myspace messages to Ethan et al at Crystal Castles - now they have truly taken over the world, with a big corporate advert deal - Toshiba. Sell out? Who cares? Not me. Enjoy. They've done the song justice.


 

 

 

19/11/08 - Saving your bacon with a little bird

 


So, it's been two months of hell. Work deadlines, meetings and creative endeavours, which are all coming to a head at the same time. You are working late into the night a few times each week, and breakfast has become a coffee to go, poured down a now bedraggled throat. The same throat that once uttered words of promise. To not just work work work, to remember about the importance of family, to treat your wife to a few special dates. Crap. Her birthday..... Familiar? Need to find something arty and personal at short notice. Try LittleBirdGallery. For $200 you get not only 12 pieces of art work, from what seem to be rather promising young artists , but a nice warm fuzzy feeling inside when you realise that you've managed to appear perfectly caring and considerate, despite all the false promises, for yet another year.


 

 

 

16/11/08 - I'm no Flâneur.

 



What is a Flâneur? According to 2min15 it's a person who walks throughout cities in order to experience them. 2min15 is a blog dedicated to showing snippets of urban life in cities around the world through short videos, taken it seems by avid Flâneurs. Some are hits, others are not. Regardless it's always good to see what people are up to around the globe, and why not take it in while in the comfort of your own chair, and with an expertly chosen soundtrack. I’ve given you the above Portland clip to set you on your way, and if you care to see what I bring to the table in this genre you can check out my French Café clip here.


 

 

 

14/11/08 - What didn't you buy today?

 



What a lazy and often wasteful bunch we are. Buying things we don't need, throwing out things we should probably use, and generally being useless at being efficient. Maybe this whole credit crunch might wake people up, including yours truly, to the need to watch what we buy, make sure we're not being wasteful and try to save. A good a way as any to keep a track of your spending would be to draw what you buy. Of course Kate Bingaman-Burt doesn't draw for this reason, but she does draw her daily purchases. Strange? Yes. Insightful and fun? Yes. Oh and it allows me to tell you about her through a rather tedious link with ye olde credit crunch. Topical? I do try. Here is her ‘What Did You Buy Today?’ blog, check out her main site here and her fabulous flickr here.


 

 

 

10/11/08 - From Hopstotch to Warhol

 



The Model Arts and Niland Gallery in Sligo, Ireland is getting a facelift. Things are changing on the former school site, which has seen visitor numbers more then double since its opening in 2001. Where once children played in a cold gravel playground they now come to marvel at contemporary art. The vision for the new Model is that it will become what it was always meant to be, which is one of the country's leading galleries, and if the commissioned work by John Lambert (aka Chequerboard) is anything to go by they'll have no problems claiming the fictional title. His track in the 'Relay' piece is fantastic, stick with it till the end. Listen here. You can also check out his art work, which is the picture today, here.


 

 

 

09/11/08 - The Holy Shakers

 



If you really want to be ahead of the game these days you've got to plan a few years in advance. If you profess to have been beeping and bopping to Crystal Castles and MGMT for years you'll struggle, because the 'What's hot' nowadays is very much flash in the pan. Try proving that you were into Nintendo Thrash in 2001. Now, if being ahead of the game is all that matters then may I suggest this? Instead of trying to find the new genre, just go find one that no one your age likes and pretend to love it. Then, when eventually it comes round to being cool, and trust me it will, you can walk with your head held high as a pioneer of the new love. What you could also do during such a plan is accidentally stumble upon a genre you thought you hated, then fall in love with it. Country anyone? Gavin Glass makes lying on your back doing nothing that little bit more perfect. Watch this.


 

 

 

08/11/08 - Pink and blue leaves

 



It must be a mixture of the dullness of the sky and the beauty of the leaves these days, but my mind is preoccupied with colour. Such thoughts on the drive home today, past trees abounding in Autumnal colour reminded me of one of my favourite artists, Killpixie, so, after getting in I looked him up to see what he's been up to. Quite a lot it seems, and as ever, producing fantastically intricate pieces with sublime colours. He is an artist who uses both colour and detail, so you're not finished with each piece after ten seconds. Killpixie combines colours that your eyes will thank you for, and detail which your brain will grab hold of.


 

 

 

07/11/08 - When conceptual grabs a pencil

 



Love them or loath them, it doesn't really matter. What you cannot deny about the YBAs (Young British Artists) is that both collectively and individually they have changed the face of British art. Of course Hirst will forever be the standout artist, and I find myself gingerly admitting 'rightly so'. Yet that doesn't detract from what other artists of the time and movement are doing. Michael Landy has been less prolific, yet his art speaks volumes where Hirst's does not. Yes it's extreme and unwarranted, but his most recent work, Portraits brings him back to a point I feel where the British public can not only appreciate entirely what he is doing, but marvel at his love for art, true art, and not publicity. Here is a short video on his new work.


 

 

 

05/11/08 - Write write write, design design design

 



I have spent a great deal of time in book shops. I like to browse, but I seldom buy. I am a little uneager to admit it, but unless the outside aesthetics of the book are as intruiging as the possibilties of what lie within I cannot bring myself to purchase. Perhaps it is a little pretentious, who knows what that really means anymore, but I want to have a collection of books that I am just as happy to look at as I am to sit down and read. After all you don't just buy a coat because it is warm, you wait and find a warm one that looks good too. In that respect I am excited to see that designer David Pearson is filling the shelves of all your favourite book stores with beautiful books. Good old Penguin, what a devotion to great artwork.


 

 

 

04/11/08 - Don't go far for music, go Fargo

 



Just enjoyable, plain enjoyable. As music should probably be. Not whimsical, not outrageous, just unadulterated enjoyment. Julien Fargo got my full attention after I heard his track 'L'homme 100 têtes' on the Julien Lassort's video which you can see here. Ever since I have been glued to his myspace page, here, go have a listen. Short and sweet today, do let me know what you think.


 

 

 

03/11/08 - Support Quit in Style and free up a job for yourself.

 



There seems to be a bit of a panic on regarding the state of the Western World's economy. Everyone is trying to hang on to their jobs, keep their head above the rising credit crunch waters and think positive thoughts as we come up to Christmas. Well I say everyone, but it seems that some people are just sick of their jobs, sick of being under appreciated and ready to Quit in Style despite the doom and gloom of our capitalist existence. Inspired by Swingers, created for Quit in Style, and now hopefully enjoyed by yourself. Cheer up, with all these crazy quitters there must be jobs for us!


 

 

october