Category
art
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02.23.09Great title sequences
Emily Oberman and Bonnie Siegler, in Saturday’s New York Times, sing the praises of great title sequences (as they point out, there’s no Oscar given for these). They give their picks for best 2008 title sequences, as well as a few from classics including The Palm Beach Story, Psycho, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Also mentioned in the article is the title sequence from probably my favorite movie ever, Dr. Strangelove. The title sequence is as gorgeously photographed, funny, and terrifying as the rest of the film.
[wpyt_profile1]bRVywMBlhHs[/wpyt_profile1]For more great title sequences, check out The Art of the Title Sequence site—there are many stellar examples to be found there, including the one for Kubrick’s Lolita, (which was the film he made prior to Strangelove), and this winner from Delicatessen.
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02.04.09Walker Evans’ collection of 9,000 postcards
Yesterday the Met opened an exhibit of postcards collected by the great photographer Walker Evans. I can’t wait until the skies of New York City are filled with low-flying triplanes and bridges run through skyscrapers—this postcard depicts a future I can believe in!!
"Future New York, The City of Skyscrapers," 1910s. (Unknown artist) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Walker Evans Archive
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12.28.08NYT on the wonder of Polaroids
In today’s New York Times, culture critic Michael Kimmelman writes about the beauty and mystique of Polaroid pictures. The article features a slideshow of Polaroid specimens from Found Magazine–pictures that must have been casual snapshots, but with a certain depth and dreamlike quality that’s unique to Polaroids.
From Found Magazine, via New York Times. Photographer unknown.
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10.23.08“Eastern Shame Girl” pulp novel
"Eastern Shame Girl" pulp novel cover ©1947 Avon Book Company
While browsing at Myopic Books, my favorite neighborhood bookstore, I stumbled upon this gem–the pulp novel, “Eastern Shame Girl.” Here’s a peek at the steamy contents, from the inside flap:
Delightful and Exciting
Here is a new and different reading experience. In this volume are assembled some of the best of the classic tales of China and the Far East. Written in a graceful and beautiful style, each story is redolent of the exotic excitement and forbidden pleasures of the Orient.
The title story, Eastern Shame Girl, recounts the love of a rich young man for a girl of doubtful virtue, and what transpires when he becomes her lover and takes her away with him. The Counterfeit Old Woman tells the adventures of a handsome young man who dons female garb and introduces himself into those quarters usually reserved for women alone. The Temple of the Esteemed Lotus is the strange account of how the women who came to the temple to pray for a child had their prayers answered in a highly diverting manner.This edition was published in 1947; the book was originally published in 1935 under the much less saucy title, “Chinese Love Tales.” Here’s one of the fantastic inside illustrations:
"Eastern Shame Girl" pulp novel illustration ©1947 Avon Book Company
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09.22.08Shannon Playford art show in Portland
Speaking of Portland artists who used to live in Chicago, paintings by the enchanting Shannon Playford will be on exhibit at Portland Art Open 2008 this Friday through Sunday. Opening reception this Friday, September 26th at 6PM, at Playford’s home and studio: 4711 NE 26th Avenue.
"The Remainder," 2008, oil on panel, 12"x44" (detail) by Shannon Playford, from the series, "Tall Tales"
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09.22.08Emily Counts art show in NYC
You can see the fantastic work of Emily Counts at Plane Space in Greenwich Village. Emily resides in Portland, Oregon, but used to live in Chicago, where I shot this portrait of her, wearing one of her creations:
Emily Counts. Photo: Jim Newberry
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09.03.08Art shows: Drag City, Erdman, Hernandez De Luna
Drag City presents “Chances Are the Comets in Our Future: A Visual Introduction to Drag City” at Gallery 400 through October 4th. I haven’t been over there yet, but I’m pretty sure I’m representin’, along with some greats:On display will be covers, artworks and more from groups such as Bonnie “Prince” Billy, The Red Krayola, Royal Trux, Gastr del Sol, Neil Hamburger, Pavement, Weird War and USA; with designs by Art and Language, David Berman, Barbara Bloom, Gene Booth, Bill Callahan, Brian Calvin, Neil Michael Haggerty, Stephen Prina, Albert Oehlen, Savage Pencil, Roman Signer, Mick Turner, Christopher Williams and more.
Carl Hammer Gallery will be exhibiting work by legendary stamp artist Michael Hernandez De Luna; artist’s reception and book release this Friday, September 5th, from 5:30-8:00 PM. Here’s a portrait of Michael with another illustrious Chicago artist who makes lickable art:
Michael Hernandez De Luna and Cynthia Plastercaster. Photo: Jim Newberry
For you Seattleites, be sure not to miss “My Mother’s Troubles With Drugs: Paintings by Derek Erdman” at The Anne Bonny. The artist (and my future stepson) Derek Erdman will be at the opening closing reception, which is this Friday, September 5th Thursday, October 2nd, from 4-8 PM. (and/or he’ll be at closing reception–I’ll get back to you on that…)
Painting by Derek Erdman
