- The Village Voice says Brooklyn D.A. Charles Hynes needs to be replaced.
- Outgoing Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is going to auction off most of his office swag for charity. NY Daily News
- A 40-year-old man wielding scissors was shot in the chest by the police after he threatened a woman in a building across the street from City Tech H.S. NY Times
- An education commission appointed by Gov. Cuomo recommended the creation of statewide full-day pre-kindergarten. Brooklyn Eagle
- Overheard on Boomer and Carton's morning show: "Brooklyn is a joke." CBS Local
- MTA dismisses Koo’s proposal for subway station safety barriers.City & State
- The Three Kings will be riding live camels along Graham Avenue this Sunday in Williamsburg. Brooklyn Eagle
- Stop everything and watch this video of a baby going for a ride on a Roomba. Gawker
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
3 Ocak 2013 Perşembe
Villiage Voice Has a Problem with D.A. Hynes; BP Markowitz's Swag; and More Brooklyn Briefs
'My Brooklyn' Opens at reRun Theater in DUMBO Friday
IFP & Filmwax present 'My Brooklyn' at the reRun Theater at reBar in DUMBO from Friday, January 4 through Thursday, January 13.
My Brooklyn follows director Kelly Anderson's journey to understand the forces reshaping her neighborhood. The film documents the redevelopment of Fulton Mall, the African-American and Caribbean commercial district that - despite its status as the third most profitable shopping area in New York City - is "maligned for its inability to appeal to the affluent residents who have come to live around it."
My Brooklyn premiered at the Brooklyn Film Festival in June 2012, and after two sold-out screenings it took home the festival’s Audience Award. Since then, the film kicked off Filmwax’s Brooklyn Reconstructed series and went on to win Best Documentary and Best Director at the Red Hook Film Festival. It screened internationally at the Architecture Film Festival in Lund, Sweden and the This Human World Human Rights Film Festival in Vienna, Austria.
More at www.mybrooklynmovie.com/
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
valentine's date staycation
So Saturday, we headed into the city and had dinner at The Standard Grill and stayed the night at the Standard Hotel in the meatpacking district. The hotel (and the whole neighborhood) is pretty trendy, not really our scene, but it was fun to shake things up. The person who checked us in at the hotel said he had seen more locals checking in that night than out-of-towners, so I guess we were in good company. The food was honestly just okay. We've had some delicious meals in New York for birthdays and holidays (and every time we eat at Roebling, obvs) and this was just okay. But we still had a good time, and, honestly you could do a lot worse than eating mediocre eggs benedict in bed. On Sunday we walked up and down the High Line in the sunshine before heading back home.
love's such a delicate thing that we do
It was fun to be home with everyone and it be not Christmas. And I'm excited that we will all be home again soon.
[Unfortch, airplane travel just seems to be getting worse (almost lost luggage, stuck in Chicago overnight, 2-hour delays on plane, and of course, PAT-DOWNS!). We managed, it was just the two of us, but imagine if Desmond had been along? Or if we [in the hypothetical future] have a child? How do people do this? Please please please build me high-speed train.]
this is not the future, but I sense it's right up there
After we got back from San Francisco, my parents came to town for a few days. We went to a baseball game, and to see Newsies (on Broadway!!!), and to the 9/11 Memorial, and to the High Line.
Then, my California ladies came to town for a long weekend (Amanda is not a California lady, obvs). We ate good food and shopped and drank sparkling wine during the day.
Day Job Magazine finally arrived hot off the presses (and delivered on a Jewish holiday so almost couldn't get them off the truck) and Elliott was busy shipping it out and delivering to shops in New York. In between that, he interviewed for a job and has started doing freelance work at Pentagram (amazing).
Well, and then my brothers came to town. We ate at Tea Room and went to the MoMa and to see Newsies (again).
And of course, I've been running. The marathon is three weeks away, I met my fundraising goal (thank you!!), and we are scheduled to run 20 miles tomorrow morning.
And lastly, we've sort of been trying to find a new place to live. So, stay tuned, because I'll probably have a lot more to say about that.
2 Ocak 2013 Çarşamba
valentine's date staycation
So Saturday, we headed into the city and had dinner at The Standard Grill and stayed the night at the Standard Hotel in the meatpacking district. The hotel (and the whole neighborhood) is pretty trendy, not really our scene, but it was fun to shake things up. The person who checked us in at the hotel said he had seen more locals checking in that night than out-of-towners, so I guess we were in good company. The food was honestly just okay. We've had some delicious meals in New York for birthdays and holidays (and every time we eat at Roebling, obvs) and this was just okay. But we still had a good time, and, honestly you could do a lot worse than eating mediocre eggs benedict in bed. On Sunday we walked up and down the High Line in the sunshine before heading back home.
love's such a delicate thing that we do
It was fun to be home with everyone and it be not Christmas. And I'm excited that we will all be home again soon.
[Unfortch, airplane travel just seems to be getting worse (almost lost luggage, stuck in Chicago overnight, 2-hour delays on plane, and of course, PAT-DOWNS!). We managed, it was just the two of us, but imagine if Desmond had been along? Or if we [in the hypothetical future] have a child? How do people do this? Please please please build me high-speed train.]
this is not the future, but I sense it's right up there
After we got back from San Francisco, my parents came to town for a few days. We went to a baseball game, and to see Newsies (on Broadway!!!), and to the 9/11 Memorial, and to the High Line.
Then, my California ladies came to town for a long weekend (Amanda is not a California lady, obvs). We ate good food and shopped and drank sparkling wine during the day.
Day Job Magazine finally arrived hot off the presses (and delivered on a Jewish holiday so almost couldn't get them off the truck) and Elliott was busy shipping it out and delivering to shops in New York. In between that, he interviewed for a job and has started doing freelance work at Pentagram (amazing).
Well, and then my brothers came to town. We ate at Tea Room and went to the MoMa and to see Newsies (again).
And of course, I've been running. The marathon is three weeks away, I met my fundraising goal (thank you!!), and we are scheduled to run 20 miles tomorrow morning.
And lastly, we've sort of been trying to find a new place to live. So, stay tuned, because I'll probably have a lot more to say about that.
at Carnegie Hall
One of the best things about this show was that the crowd was actually polite. No singing along (that I could hear) and not a lot of yelling in between songs. Well, the appropriate amount of yelling I suppose.
But the set list was pretty perfect too (minus Ten Woman, snooze). And at Carnegie Hall it just sounded so clear and bold and real.
This would be a tough show to follow, but I just found out Desaparecidos is playing in New York in February (FINALLY) and I think that's just about the only thing that could come after a beautiful show like this one.
[I started to record this video with my phone, but then I just wanted to listen, so I stopped.]
PS: pics and setlist here.
Thanksgiving
We had a special Thanksgiving dinner with friends and had a FEAST. Elliott and I brought cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie. It was my first time to make pecan pie, and while I don't care for it, everyone said it was good, so I will probably use that recipe again. Although, honestly, I don't know why I ever volunteer to bring pie. Pie crust majorly stresses me out. We even bought pre-made dough from the farmer's market(!), but the rolling out and the pressing in the pan is still a nightmare to me. We also got our Christmas tree. Just a little one this year (the one we got last year was too big for the stand and nearly toppled over one night). We still need a tree topper (and a tree skirt for that matter). But our house smells fresh and I love the lights on the tree.Are you listening to Sufjan's new Christmas album(s)? I keep getting Christmas Unicorn in my head, and then I remember this video and I really can't stop laughing. And I keep telling Desmond he is the real Christmas Unicorn.Speaking of Desmond, is it normal to tell your dog you love him 10+ times per day? Just wondering.disclaimer: if you follow me on instagram you've already seen these pics, SORRY
1 Ocak 2013 Salı
Let 'Em Laugh: Brooklyn's Food Scene Is Bringing In the Bucks
Smorgasburg in DUMBO. Photo: MK Metz |
The Brooklyn Eagle reports that Brooklyn's burgeoning food sector is an engine of job growth for the borough, based on a study done for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
Brooklyn’s “food chain” -- supermarkets, restaurants, gourmet food shops and food makers— accounts for 16 percent of businesses in Brooklyn and 12.5 percent of Brooklyn’s private sector jobs.
Restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and grocery stores added one out of every five new jobs in Brooklyn since 2000. In 2011 alone, wages in the Brooklyn food sector came to $1.46 billion.
While not all food-related jobs rack in big bucks, many do -- and start-ups and "one-person specialty food manufacturing businesses" are adding tremendous vitality to the mix.
So ha ha yourself, haters. And pass the kimchi tacos.
Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.
T O P PICKS @ARTBASEL, MIAMI B E A C H
Angel Otero, Installation view Kavi Gupta Gallery, Berlin/Chicago Art Basel, Miami Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Augustina Woodgate, Installation detail Spinello Projects, Art Basel Miami Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Popular New York based gallery Ramiken Crucible located in the deep left corner of Art Positions, transformed their small booth with the tall, angular metal sculptures of Andra Ursuta. Directly across from Ramiken Cruicible was the booth of Miami based Spinello Projects. Director Anthony Spinello is ambitious and we spoke briefly about our first meeting at Scope Hamptons many years ago. For Art Basel he presented a conceptual project titled New Landscapes by Miami based artist Augustina Woodgate. Upon first glance the work appeared to be drawings and indeed they are but the process of drawing for the artist, revolves around the removal of information and then recompiling that same material to make something else. Her focus has been on the definition of space such as a flat two dimensional map or the cylindrical representation of a globe. In a cycle of actions that includes erasing countries, landscape and in a way cultural identity that then results in three dimensional fragments, shavings of dust, she redefines the concept of boarders, volume and geometric equilibrium. It was one of the most intellectually stimulating projects at the fair.
Lastly, I will mention the work of Lyle Ashton Harris who exhibits with CRG Gallery in New York which was included in the main section of the fair. What was special about his large, multi-dimensional piece is that it was the first time since 1996 that the series of nine photographs that equal "The Watering Hole IX 5/6" were reunited and shown as a group. Quite captivating individually, together the works loosely tell a tale of Jeffrey Dahmer, his own masking of queerness and sexuality which emerged violently in serial murder. The focus grapples with identity, gender, and race resulting in the interpretive documentation of particular period of time that is expansive, also mirrored in the length of the work and rather than feeling like time passed, is a relevant documentation of life, fear and fetishistic longing.
For many New York based galleries exhibiting at the fair, including CRG, this was the first occasion after Hurricane Sandy which allowed them to reconvene within the realm and context of an exhibition space. While several New York galleries had to turn down the opportunity to take part in Art Basel Miami due to loss, there was a strong invisible presence of survival and hope that permeated the air. This seemed to ring true not only regarding the participation of galleries post-hurricane, but also within the circumstances regarding the art market. Rumors have it that sales were a success and in an aide-mémoire, once again the market comes out on top. That being said, you've waited long enough and here it is, in no particular order, my T O P PICKS from Art Basel, Miami 2012!
>>>>>>>> Lyle Ashton Harris <<<<<<<< |
Lyle Ashton Harris (left) and Greg Miller (right) in front of Harris' "The Watering Hole IX 5/6", 1996 Installation view at CRG Gallery, New York, Art Basel, Miami Photograph by Katy Hamer, 2012 |
>>>>>>>> Adriano Costa <<<<<<<<
Adriano Costa, Mendes Wood, São Paulo, Brazil |
Augustina Woodgate (left, bright blue dress) describes her project to Gian Maria Tosatti (next to Woodgate) Installation view at Spinello Projects, Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
>>>>>>>> Raimond Chaves & Gilda Mantilla <<<<<<<< |
Raimond Chaves & Gilda Mantilla, Para el que llega de lejos...., 2011 ProjecteSD, Barcelona, Spain, Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Tom Burr (front) "endlessly repeated gesture", Mirrored installation, 2009 Yael Bartana (wall), "We shall be strong in our weakness", Neon, 2012 Installation view Sommer Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv, Israel, Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Simon Dybbroe Møller, Produce, 2011, Printers, c-prints Installation view with Francesca Minini, Milan, Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Pae White (paintings on left) and Judith Hopf (right and floor install) Installation view with Kaufmann Repetto Gallery, Milan at Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Nathan Peter, PSM Gallery, Berlin Gallery director Sabine Schmidt explains the work to a fair visitor Installation view Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Jules de Balincourt, "Peace Violent Healing", 2006 Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris/Salzburg Installation view at Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Michael Delucia, Installation view Eleven Rivington, New York Art Basel, Miami, 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Along with Art Basel Miami, a total of 26 art fairs graced various locations around South Beach and Downtown Miami. A particular buzz circulated around NADA and also the new kid on the block, UNTITLED which was curated by Omar Lopez-Chahoud, Artistic Director.
The next Art Basel, Switzerland will take place June 13th-16th and will be in Miami once again from December 5th-8th, 2013.
All of the fairs were on view to the public commencing the 4th of December and closing the 10th. Stay tuned for more of my coverage soon and also be sure to check out my article Are you "IN" or are you "OUT", Nightly parties during Miami Basel in my Flash Art column, NY Tales.
More soon. xo
MUCH ADO ABOUT N A D A MIAMI BEACH: TOP T E N PICKS!
Kostas Sahpazis, installation view, NADA Miami, 2012 MelasPapadopoulos Gallery, Athens, Greece Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Marina Abramovic, do it, Edition of 20 for ICI, NY Installation view at NADA Miami Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Completing each section of the fair was quite satisfying but also revealed the scope and expansion that they are experiencing annually and I easily passed eight hours walking through the booths, giving my attention to various nooks and crannies where one might not expect to find art. Another section of the fair, introduced this year in particular was NADA Video Lounge, installed in the hotel Jazz Club, just off the lobby. Videos were shown in a loop and at the time of my visit, I was the only visitor to the room, but as we all know, watching videos requires a certain amount of cognitive attention, patience, and time that many during an art fair are not willing to give. The program, titled Under My Skin and curated by Grela Orihuela featured 17 artists representing 15 galleries both Joe Sheftel Gallery and (Art) AMALGAMATED were showing two different artists each. The entire loop took about 30/45 minutes, having sat through each video and then again halfway through a second time, specifics get blurry. Regardless, the addition was well curated and each contribution spoke of the physicality of the body in one way or another.
The New Art Dealers Alliance is an important art fair and one to watch as it continues to expand and play host to some of the most relevant, art galleries and organizations in the contemporary art community. Now without further adieu, in no particular order and including the above images, my T O P TEN PICKS from N A D A MIAMI BEACH.
RACHEL UFFNER GALLERY, NEW YORK
Sam Moyer, Installation view, NADA Miami, 2012 Rachel Uffner Gallery, NY Photograph by Katy Hamer |
The Hole NYC, Installation view, NADA Miami, 2012 Artists shown included Kadar Brock, Matthew Stone, Holton Rower, and Lola Montes Schnabel Photographic montage by Katy Hamer |
Kate Steciw: DEEP COMMON, Installation view, NADA Miami, 2012 Toomer Labzda Gallery, NY Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Artists featured include: Vittorio Brodmann, Caitlin Keogh, and Keith Farquhar, Installation view NADA, Miami, 2012 Leslie Fritz Gallery, NY Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Despina Stokou (left) and Liz Magic Laser (right), Installation mash-up, NADA Miami Derek Eller Gallery, NY Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Marko Mäetamm, Installation view, NADA Miami, 2012 Temnikova Kasela Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Brock Enright, Installation view, NADA Miami, 2012 (Oil pastel drawing on canvas, floor filled with poppy seeds, face mold of artist as a child and ritz cracker) Kate Werble Gallery, NY Photograph by Katy Hamer |
LEO GABIN, Installation view, NADA Miami, Peres Projects, Berlin, 2012 From left to right: Random Candy, Weels Candy Paint, and Crossed Up, all 2012 Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Mark Flood, Installation view, Room 845 NADA Miami, 2012 Peres Projects, Berlin Photograph by Katy Hamer |
Stay tuned for the NADA Cologne next taking place in Germany, April 19th-22nd, 2013.
More soon.
xo
IMMORTAL W A T E R by TAKIS SPYROPOULOS
I met in the street a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat worn, his cloak was out at the elbows, the water passed through his shoes, - and the stars through his soul. ~Victor Hugo
Takis Spyropoulos, From Immortal Water, 2012 Image courtesy of the photographer |
Takis Spyropoulos, From Immortal Water, 2012 Image courtesy of the photographer |
Takis Spyropoulos, From Immortal Water, 2012 Image courtesy of the photographer |
"The hot springs have always been places revealing cosmic energy. The hot water emerges from the bowels of the earth, diffusing energy. Symbols and magic reveal its sacred character, while the objective captures images that the eye is not capable of achieving. After the catharsis of the individual can we expect a collective catharsis to result?"
Takis Spyropoulos, From Immortal Water, 2012 Image courtesy of the photographer |
Inaction is the antithesis of change. Silence will only breed silence. Moreover, protests may or may not equal political resolution but the metaphor and constant renewal of flowing water functions almost as a prophecy, an intersection of natural elements that will always remind us of our own humanity and flesh.
Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind. ~Leonardo da Vinci
Takis Spyropoulos, From Immortal Water, 2012 Image courtesy of the photographer |
More soon!xo
1 0 0 LITTLE D E A T H S @BRAVINLEE PROGRAMS
Taylor McKimens, Mike Kelley, 2012 Image courtesy of the artist |
Tom Sanford, 100 Little Deaths, 2012 Image courtesy of the artist and BravinLee Projects, NY |
Noah Becker, Vidal Sassoon, 2012 Image courtesy of the artist |
Tom Sanford, Franz West, 2012 Image courtesy of the artist and BravinLee Projects, NY |
A painting is a monument of time in many ways. It is a moment, transformed, frozen, personalized. Human contact with the surface alone is quite an intimate process. With figurative painting, as an artist stares deeply into the eyes of a face that is slowly emerging from a two-dimensional surface a sense of authority is attained, an instance of recognition. We are all part of who we look upon in many ways. We are the living and the dead. As another year comes to an end, we realize the Mayans were wrong, gun violence is still relevant in American society and for now, the sun still rises in the east and sets in the west. Everyone knows someone who has died, but as 2012 becomes the past and 2013 the present, let's salute the living, the working, the painting and the smiling.
Cheers to 2013 and more contemporary art to come, in galleries, museums and your own personal collection.
Kristen Schiele, Donna Summer, 2012 Image courtesy of the artist |
Project Room artists include: Graham Preston, Jessica Ellis, Shay Kun, Rudy Shepherd, Les Rogers, Jonathan Allen, Dan Heidkamp, Kelli Williams, Joe Heaps Nelson, Chris Bors, Noah Becker, Eric White, Nic Rad, Daniel Davidson, Taylor McKimens, Kristen Schiele, Ryan Schneider, Aaron Johnson, Michael Hilsman, Sydney Chastain-Chapman, Michael Scoggins, Robin Willimas, Josh Jordan, Ridley Howard, Holly Coulis, Natalie Frank, Paul Brainard, Jeremy Willis, Jeff Beebe, Michael Anderson, Guy Richards Smit, Michael Bevilacqua, Francesca Neiman, Alfred Steiner, Eric Doeringer, Peter Daverington, Thomas Broadbent, Dawn Frasch, Nina Chanel Abney, Kevin Klein, Erin McNalley and Aaron Zimmerman.
More soon.xo