Costa del Sol

Be here for the next ten days, see you later.

John Wesley

Birthday, 1990



John Wesley, the man almost single handedly responsible for making the work of people like Parra and So Me socially acceptable, is currently the subject of a massive retrospective containing some 150 works. Coming from both private collections and prestigious museums, the works are being displayed in a space on the tiny Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore, which conveniently coincides with the Venice Biennale. The show will run from now until October at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini.

As for those not able to summon up the euros, the web is bringing forth a plethora of photos from the show and other John Wesley rarities that are worth googling.

BusyBeingBetter Mixtape

Matthew Day Jackson, Apollo Space Suit (After Beuys), 2008



After what has become a lengthy hiatus, BUSYBEINGBETTER is back with something that will slide you through the next 17:34


Busy Being Better Mixtape Vol. 1

Tracklist:

1. Global Communication - 8:07 (1994)
2. So I'm Jo - Time Machine (2009)
3. Maze & Frankie Beverley - Twilight (1989)
4. The Orb - Majestic (1992)
5. Tracy Ackerman - Love Hangover (Extended Dub) (1986)
6. Grace Jones - Comme Un Oiseau Qui S'envole (1978)
7. Hercules & Love Affair - Roar (2008)
8. Opus III - It's A Fine Day (1991)
9. Etienne Daho - Tombé Pour La France (1985)

WE UNFOLD

The latest project from the genius minds of the multidisciplinary Askill brothers, two young men behind Australia's premier production company Collider, is a collaboration with the Sydney Dance Company and choreographer Rafael Bonachela. Bonachela, in follow up to 360° from last year, worked together with Jordan and Daniel to create We Unfold, which, with Daniel in charge of video and Jordan responsible for costuming should be nothing short of extreme spectacle for those yet to catch it. It's on as of last Tuesday (31st) until the 11th of April, with premium tickets at $70, $40 if you want to be up there in the Gods.

Althought the TV commercial is painfully Channel Ten, I expect more from ex-Dior Homme jewellery designer Jordan who whilst still at Tafe here in Sydney was selling prints to Alexander McQueen, especially when working with his award winning film director of a brother Daniel. As for Rafael, click here if you missed the first link to watch the trailer to 2008's 360°.


TICKETS

CHECKIN MY FRESH

Colby Bird, Ring Flash Self-Portrait with $6 Champagne-Wrapping Gold Teeth, 2006


There'll be more extensive news soon. In the meantime check out Colby Bird try get swagger like us at CRG if your in the area. Known for his highly conceptual sculpture and artistic obsession with hip-hop, it'll probably be pretty interesting, starts this Saturday the 28th at CRG Gallery in NYC.

If you can't get into that, some bands that have some new things in the works that could be good can be found at the following links:

SOCIETY
Emperor Machine
In Flagranti

Or just check a tumblr or two, here's mine that no one ever looks at, and here's some other's that are more accessible. Ffffound owes them a couple of dollars for sure.

UUIUU
DTYBYWL
Yimmy's Yayo

FEVER RAY

Fever Ray, When I Grow Up (Directed by Martin de Thurah)

The Helmut Newton Foundation

Marie Claire, 1973


Nova, 1973


Got back from Berlin/London last week, one of Berlins greatest modern cultural attractions has to be the Helmut Newton Foundation. Magazine clippings, Helmut Newton's personal camera and prop collection as well as huge lifesize prints, works by Alice Springs and an extremely well stocked Taschen bookstore are what's discovered upon entry, which is free if you find yourself there on a Thursday night between 6 and 10pm. Curated by Dr. Matthias Harder, a man with a somewhat encyclopaedic knowledge of photography (in particular that from Germany), it's definately one of the most impressively cohesive artist based museums(especially when you've just been to the comparitively boring Salvador Dali museum which only recently opened in Berlin's forward thinking Postdamer Platz).

Currently showing is the exhibition Helmut Newton: Fired, containing work that was produced after being fired from French vogue for failing to adher to an apparent obligation he had to remain monogomaus to the publication.

Helmut Newton Foundation
Jebensstrasse 2
D - 10623 Berlin
Germany

Phone +49 30 3186 4856
Fax +49 30 3186 4855

Information
info@helmut-newton-foundation.org



P.s. A couple of photo's of the visit can be found somewhere here in the archives.

Yayoi Kusama

Dots Obsession - New Century, 2000


Yayoi Kusama: Mirrored Years is now open at the MCA in Sydney. From 1965's Infinity Mirror Room - Phalli's Field to 2008's Clouds, the exhibition is a worthy retrospective, if not a little colourless, especially for those so fond of her particular brand of polka dotted dementia.

Yayoi Kusama: Mirrored Years
February 25th - June 8th
MCA Sydney

Taryn Simon

Playboy, Braille Edition


The art collection of the C.I.A., cryogenic freezing units, braille editions of premier men's mag Playboy and the only legal marijuana crop in America. These are but some of the images found within Taryn Simon's investigative and particularly interesting portfolio. Plunging into her work like a dead weight in a deep ocean, Simon manages to colour in between the lines created by countless inquistive conversations and considerations.

Her work currently hangs on the walls of a few galleries around the globe, most notably at The Photographers Gallery in London until April 12, as a contender for the The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize, the Met in NY until March 22 as part of Reality Check: Truth and Illusion in Contemporary Photography and as of tomorrow, the OK Centre for Contemporary Art (Linsz, Austria) till April 26th as part of the Biennale Cuvée.

FAIL

iPhone got stolen in London, current mood redefines unkeen.

VOLTA

Fernando Mastrangelo, Avarice



Fernando Mastrangelo, one of many artists featuring at this years
Volta Show NY which takes place in March.

March 5th - 8th
7 West 34th Street
betw. 5th Ave. and 6th Ave
NYC

Berlin

Berghain, located in a converted power plant



Possibly be heading to the Germanic capital next week. Places of interest so far include the Berghain nightclub in Friedrichshain, the current home of European techno, considering the relative simmer down that the Tresor has encountered due to its change of venue. Upstairs in Berghain hangs the photographic work of Turner Prize winner Wolfgang Tillman looming over a dancefloor with a ceiling so high you may as well be outside. Downstairs on the bottom floor, in true Eurotrash style, the Berghain features a dark room generally reserved for sexual or otherwise illicit encounters (the kind of place you'd find yourself swinging like a rusty gate, tongue deep in a close friend after too many absinthes). As well as an amazing exterior and music deeper and darker than the rabbit hole, it's considered quite unfashionable to arrive before at least 3AM, and the club operates a 24 hour licence so don't be suprised if upon your exit you find the sun setting as opposed to rising.

As for the Tresor, it's still operating today albeit on less hallowed grounds. On the 14th of Feb what might be the first of a few Adventure Circus Club will be in full swing, promising "an excursion into a world of pantomime, machine-beings, acrobatics and shadow dancers that, next to extensive displayed visuals will provide an unforgettable adventure". Something I don't doubt, with the interior of the club as industrious as it is.

100th Post

Just got the internet back at home. Expect some more updates soon, good ones.
Tumblr is active

Rick Owens