Movies: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

 

(Drivebycuriosity) - Do you like movies and art? The movie "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For", which is now running in US cinema theaters, is a nice combination of both (imdb).  Like the precursor ("Sin City", 2005) the film is based on graphic novels (and short stories) by Frank Miller, a famous cartoon artist. Again director Robert Rodriguez and co-director Frank Miller transformed the artworks into a movie that looks like a comic book which is brought to live.

The film`s 3-D version is a surreal trip through a sinister but sexy dream world (this is a spoiler free blog). It reminded me a bit of an exhibition of surreal paintings I have seen in Berlin last June (driveby). Like the paintings by Max Ernst, Alfred Kubin and other surrealists, Sin City transforms sex and violence into a bizarre optical language. The movie was kept mostly in black with sudden outbreaks of color. With the help of computer animations and 3-D-effects the actions and the violence transformed often into funny slapstick.

"Sin City" has a impressive long line of top actors. Eva Green, who appeared in many scenes totally nude, but slightly altered like a painting, was the greatest asset. The former Bond Girl was even more bitchy and seductive then in "Casino Royale" and "The Dreamers". Watching Jessica Alba dancing in the club was ask breathtaking. And there were more eye cookies including Jaime King, Rosario Dawson & Juno Temple. And Lady Gaga had an interesting cameo.

The girls were accompanied by a squad of fine male actors including Mickey Rourke, again incognizable, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt,   Bruce Willis and Ray Liotta.

If you want to blend cinematic pleasure with a sip of surrealistic art - "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For" might be the right movie for you.

Globalization: Scotland - The Victory Of The Wimps

(Drivebycuriosity) - Scotland has decided. The majority voted "No" to independence. "No change please", we are Scots.

This was a victory of the wimps. Wikipedia defines a "wimp" as "a cowardly or unadventurous individual" (wikipedia). The majority was afraid to change the status quo, afraid to try something new, which could have led to a better Scotland.

It seems that the Scots, at least their majority, are shortsighted. They focused on current issues - like the high public debts - and ignored the long term benefits of independence. Small countries - and regions - are easier to govern and to manage as huge states. The government of an independent Scotland would have been much closer to their citizens as the government in London which has to deals with other (and more important) regions. An independent Scottish government could have responded better to local needs. Government decisions about taxes, health care, public spending and more would have been fairer and closer to the interests of the Scots.


History also shows that small countries - and independent regions - are less bureaucratic. Scotland´s secession would have lead to a decentralization. Wikipedia writes that decentralization "increases efficiency - and effectiveness - due to reduction of congestion in communications, quicker reaction to unanticipated problems, improved ability to deliver of services, improved information about local conditions, and more support from beneficiaries of programs" (wikipedia).

The Scots are too wimpish to go the way of Singapore, they didn´t want to follow former members of the defunct Soviet Union like the Baltic States who chose the independence. They also ignored the role model Switzerland which has been proven for centuries that a tiny country could do better than her neighbors.

It seems the Scots - at least their majority - got intimidated by threads to be thrown out of the European Union, the NATO and other organizations. I believe that these threads are toothless and just saber rattling. There would have been no need for infantile revenge and an independent Scotland would have been a valuable global partner like Singapore and Switzerland.

I feel sorry for Scotland.

Culture: "Here And Elsewhere" - Contemporary Art From And About The Arab World @ New Museum New York

(Drivebycuriosity) - The Middle East has been a violence stricken area for many decades. Can art grow in a permanent climate of war & terror? The New Museum in Manhattan`s Lower East Side tries to answer the question (newmuseum). Their curators are presenting an exhibition with the name: “Here and Elsewhere”. They call the show "a major exhibition of contemporary art from and about the Arab world".

Maybe so. But you won´t find there an Arabian Jeff Koons, a Gerhard Richter or an Andy Warhol. The exhibited pieces are very rough, many drawings reminded me of works we did in my school days. Apparently, the participating artists didn´t have the opportunity to visit fancy art schools and universities. Apparently, they didn`t enjoy much artistic education and guidance.

The show @ the New Museum is more like a collection of political statements than a traditional art show. Many pictures and videos report about the daily terror, the war and the threat by islamic fundamentalists.

There is a table with a  collections of sheets, which deal mostly with the repression of women by islamic fundamentalists.

The exhibition runs through September 28, 2014.

Contemporary Art: Roxy Paine - Denuded Lens @ Marianne Boesky Gallery New York

 

(Drivebycuriosity) - If you live in New York City - or if you visit the metropolis - you can see a lot of exciting exhibitions of contemporary art. Now you can explore an especially interesting art show: "Denuded Lens" by Roxy Paine @ Marianne Boesky Gallery ( 509 West 24th Street, New York through October 18, 2014 marianneboesky).

                              Liebe zum Detail

The artist used wood, metal and other material to replicate objects of daily life. I admire that Paine shaped his sculptures very delicately and detailed. His work shows "Liebe zum Detail", as we Germans say (loving the detail). And in my eyes the wooden copies are really funny. My favorites of the show are the wooden replicas of a pinball machine, a smartphone and a video camera but the others objects are also worth seeing.

The crown of the show is an installation called "Checkpoint". This is a room-sized vision of a generic airport security stop (as you can see above).

Enjoy

Movies: The Drop

(Drivebycuriosity) - The death of James Gandolfini was one of the greatest losses of the year 2014. His final movie "The Drop", which is now running in US cinema theaters, shows again while this fine actor was one of Hollywood`s greatest assets and why he will be loved and missed by so many (imdb).

"The Drop" stands for a bar in Brooklyn (New York) where the mob deposits illegal money for a short time. Gandolfini`s character runs the "Drop", which is owned by a fierce Chechen mobster (from the former Soviet republic). By trying to do some business of his own he brings himself into a mess. And there are more nasty complications (this is a spoiler free blog).

Tom Hardy, as "Gandolfini´s" employee, who gets sucked into the swirl of vortex, delivered a very solid performance. The Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts, who played a somewhat creepy guy with nebulous intentions, fits well into this picture.

If you like modern crime dramas, "The Drop" could be a  film for you.

Culture: Deafheaven @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg, New York 2014

 

(Drivebycuriosity) - Are you seeking the essence of rock music? Then you should attend a concert by Deafheaven.  Last Sunday my wife and I visited their gig @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York City. This was already the 4th show of the Californian death metal group - after Bowery Ballroom (New York 2011) and Bottom Lounge & Pitchfork Festival (both Chicago last July  pitchfork).

Again, the show was breathtaking. The band provided delicately structured melodies, sometimes like baroque compositions by Händel ("Music for the Royal Fireworks") and Vivaldi ("The Four Seasons"), but delivered them with a furious power. They created massive walls of sound which lead to an unique melange of grace and sheer power.

                                                              


                           Master Of Celebration


Frontman George Clarke`s performance was unique. As at the former concerts his show was exalted and feverish.  The frenetic energy of Clarke´s screams perfectly harmonized with the sound of the band (3 guitars and drums).

Clarke is also a master of celebration. During his shows he orchestrates the crowd before the stage like a great conductor. As a part of the show he let himself fall into the crowd while continuing his screams. He literally sought "das Bad in der Menge" (as we would say in German), loosely translated with "takes a bath in the crowd." The combination of band, voice and show mingled together into a very intense concert experience.

Thanks a lot to George Clarke and Deafheaven. Hope to see you soon again in New York.

Contemporary Art: Galleries Fest On Lower East Side, New York 2014

 

(Drivebycuriosity) - New York´s Lower East Side (LES) is changing fast. The neighborhood has been once the slum of New York City,  in the 1960s,70s, and 80s people came to buy drugs there. Meanwhile the LES advanced to the party area of Manhattan, at least some parts of it. But the district also got class and glamour. In the recent years a legion of galleries, mostly catering contemporary art, popped up, making LES to an alternative to the glamorous Chelsea area. Today the LES stands for the more affordable, rough and experimental part of contemporary art.

Last weekend the Lower East Side galleries celebrated themselves and their artists. Dozens of galleries gave opening receptions for their new exhibitions. Unfortunately the time spans were short, usally from 6pm to 8pm, so I got just some pieces from the huge pie. But anyway, here you can see some impressions from the latest gallery fest on Lower East Side.

Above this paragraph you can see works I photographed @ JTT Gallery on 170a Suffolk Street (jttnyc). Their current exhibition - called: "Move the world back from the abyss of destructions" - runs through October 26, 2014.

Above you can see "Window 5"  by Tom Costa  (2014, oil on canvas) found @ Lesley Heller Workspace on 54 Orchard Street (lesleyheller). This is part of the exhibition "Destructure" (through October 12). I can not identify the black one, but I saw it also @ Lesley Heller and the technique looks similar to Costa`s "Window 5".

Above is a collection of pics I got at diverse galleries:

1. Madame X, no. 4 (2014 - crayon on paper) by Sanda Iliescu found @ Gallery Molly Krom. The exhibtion called "In The Garden Of (Plastic) Paradise" runs through october 5, 2014 (gallerykrom).

2. This is I believe from the exhibition "Dennis Holligworth: You Will Know" @ Hionas Gallery on 124 Forsyth Street (through october 5, 2014  hionas ).   

3: Another picture from Lesley Heller Workspace: Gardenscape (2010
Collected recycled plastic, wood panel, acrylic and hardware), created by Tyrome Tripoli.

4. This one belongs to the exhibition "Strauss Bourque-LaFrance: No Aloha"
 @ Rachel Uchner on 170 Suffolk Street (between Houston and Stanton) (through October 19 racheluffner).

This group was a bit hard to identify. Many of these galleries don`t spend much money for their websites and to put their art shows fully online.

1. I believe that I discovered this image @ DCKT Contemporary on 21 Orchard Street (dckt)

2. This one belongs to another exhibition @ Rachel Uchner. This show is called  "Flat Neighbors" (racheluffner). There are really funny and weird things to see - cutting edge!

The others I collected somewhere on Orchard Road where you can find a thick cluster of art shows.

The space paintings above are from the Italian artist Giorgio Tardonato, found  @ Gallery Artifact on 84 Orchard Street btw Broome & Grand (through September 28 artifact).




                                                                      Anything Goes

Angela Dufresne`s paintings @ Monya Rowe Gallery on 34 Orchard St (monyarowe) have some kinky messages. Anything goes. The exhibition is called "Let`s stay together" and runs through November 2, 2014.

The events attracted the usual chic crowds. Many hosts served drinks as usual which lifted the sentiment. So the receptions became cool parties.

If you go there you will find much more and you can see the artworks in original. Enjoy