CALL FOR ENTRIES Multiples Mall: A Bookish Fair DEADLINE: MONDAY, DECEMBER 15 This winter the Walker Art Center turns bookish with a season of events surrounding Text/Messages: Books by Artists, an exhibition of works from the museum’s collection and library opening on December 18. Minnesota artists are invited to submit an application for participation in the fair portion of Multiples Mall. Organizers are looking for work that exists within the elastic discipline of book arts, including artist-made books, chapbooks, fine press work, graphic design, artful zines, and multiples that claim a relationship to the form or concept of the “book.” [...]

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So I’ve been on a bit of a music hunt lately and somewhere within that I found it necessary to post a blog about the treasures I discovered. 1.Nrrrd Grrrl- MC Chris I wish my rhymes were this clever. 2.The Devils Music- Hospital Bombers Irony is always entertaining. 3.Electric Feel- MGMT Definitely has a cool disco-y vibe. Think along the lines of the Scissor Sisters. 4.Electric Feel (MGMT Cover)- Katy Perry So typically I’m not a huge Katy Perry fan, but this song has a completely different sound than the Katy Perry I’ve known. Acoustic and very raw sounding. Not [...]

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Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests were filmed from early 1964 – November 1966. Subjects would be seated in front of a tripod mounted camera, asked to be as still as possible, and told not to blink while the camera was running. There are a number of Screen Tests that diverge from this format entirely, the sitter purposely moving, gesticulating, or using props. Subjects were lit and filmed by Warhol’s stationary 16mm Bolex camera on silent, black and white, 100-foot rolls of film. Each Screen Test is exactly the same length, lasting only as long as the roll of film. The film [...]

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11/13 “Oshima presents a gritty view of Japan’s underworld with a broad swipe at the image of Japan as the “land of the rising sun.” Two gangs-vie to control the black market, prostitution, and other dirty dealings in an Osaka market slum.” On new 35mm print, 87 minutes of my life went by watching this film, which was made in 1960. Yes, entertaining and very interesting… extremely well-done. But, if only I had gotten more then 3 hours of sleep the night because nearly an hour an a half of subtitles is a hard thing to handle on no sleep. [...]

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Tetsumi Kudo: not as conventional as he looks. At the risk of sounding trite, Tetsumi Kudo is one dope dude. In the Walker’s exhibition “Tetsumi Kudo: Garden of Metamorphosis” (October 18, 2008 – March 22, 2009) I saw, what in my mind is true contemporary art. In describing Kudo’s work, a lot of different words come to mind- abstract, simple, complex, revolting, alluring, inspiring, incongruous. The exhibition is undoubtedly one of the most interesting solo artist shows I’ve seen at the walker, displaying a variety of objects, sculpture, installation, drawing, and painting—covering the entire path of his career, from the [...]

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One of the most celebrated architects of his time, Eero Saarinen was also one of the most controversial.  While many critics accused Saarinen of inventing a new style for every job, his diverse and sometimes unabashed theatrical designs attracted many.  One of the more interesting buildings of the Shaping The Future show was the Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Saarinen’s second IBM commission. The building describes a 1,090 foot arc along a ridge, it’s front glazed in reflective glass and it’s entrance marked by a cantilevered concrete canopy and Seymour Lipton’s abstract sculptures.  If that preview doesn’t entice you enough [...]

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Rumor has it that grammy award winning rapper Jay-Z will be running for mayor of New York in 2009. Although some may roll their eyes at the 38 year old rapper who was apparently inspired by president-elect Barack Obama, I wouldn’t be so quick to pass judgement. As a New York native, Jay-Z teamed up with current Mayor Bloomberg and created a program this past summer called “Summer Streets” to keep young people active. Although this may be a bit of a stretch for the rapper, the idea doesn’t seem out of the question for me. Jay Z has articulated [...]

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Thursday, November 20, 2008, 7 PM Tom is an Animation Storyboard Artist working in Los Angeles. He was born and raised here in Saint Paul where he attended Highland Park Senior High School. Moving to the East Coast, he studied illustration and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. In the early 90s, Tom was hired by Walt Disney Feature Animation and worked on a long list of films including “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Mulan,” “Tarzan,” ‘Lilo and Stitch,” and the yet to be released “Rapunzel.” In recent years, Tom has storyboarded for Marvel, Warner Brothers, and [...]

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The first meeting for WACTAC’s new program, STREAM, is this Tuesday at 4:30 PM at the Teen Programs office at the Walker Art Center. If you are interested please come on down, you’re the next contestant on the Price is Right… Sorry, that was just something I’ve always wanted to say, or type…

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Luckily Witt didn’t throw a fit: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLeI-V9h6EY[/youtube]

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I came back from vacation and found my desk covered in cellophane. I will get my revenge…after I find out who did it. Maybe it was this guy.

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This weekend I went to the Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future exhibit and there was a lot to take in about his work and action shots of Eero and his team of architects working on blueprints. The most interesting work for me however would have to be the Miller house, in Columbus, Indiana. It was just a 1 story residence designed for a businessman named J. Irwin Miller. In the house there were multiple zones designated for children, parents, guests, etc. The living room or,skylit living space, had a “sunken conversation pit,” which consisted of a rectangular pit lined with couches and cushions and [...]

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John Nouanesing is a young French architect making a big name for himself designing tables and chairs (among other things) inspired by pop culture, or really simple and well executed ideas. These include tables that mirror folding paper, or dripping paint. He even created a window frame and shade system designed to mirror Microsoft Windows. I personally would murder about a half dozen people if it guaranteed me a drip table. Check out more of his work at http://www.johnnouanesing.net

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During my daily internet trolling I came upon Urban Outfitter’s blog. I didn’t really know stores had the capacity to think independently, but who is this blogging museum to judge? I’ve only been to an Urban Outfitters once, in New York, to warm my hands on a cold day. The idea that everyone in New York is rude is a myth, everyone tend to be really nice, but the reality manifests itself any time you go into a “trendy” store. Think ALife or Supreme. See, the idea in most retail outlets is to be helpful, smile, and make the customer [...]

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INVITED AUDITION David Gordon Pick Up Performance Company (NYC) UNCIVIL WARS: MOVING W/BRECHT & EISLER Audition: Thursday, November 6, 6 – 9pm Walker Art Center’s McGuire Theater David Gordon is looking for a cast of local community members that “look like the world that we live in.” All ages, sizes, shapes, ethnicities. These cast members will be part of the last scene of Uncivil Wars which takes place in a courtroom, and calls for a look of a general population. Stage experience is not necessary but you do need to have the ability to listen and respond to direction and [...]

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