Waterworld

Waterworld is the theme for this month's you-bring-it-we-hang-it show at Echo Curio. Drop your art, ready to hang and prepared to sell at the gallery on June 3rd. The opening is June 6th, at typical opening hours. You know what to do.

Hollywood Forever

The first of the summer's calendar of Saturday night screenings at Hollywood Forever is Billy Wilder's "lost" film Ace in the Hole. Kirk Douglas is a desperate reporter for an Albuquerque paper when he finds a story that attracts national media attention. This Saturday, May 24, at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. Get there when the gates open at 7.30 with picnic supplies and find a good spot. Show starts at 9. Tickets $10, parking $5.

My Favorite Sport

Horse racing captured my heart from the first three adrenaline-filled minutes at the rail at Longchamp. Also the only sport to encourage large-scale millinery.
Don't misunderstand- I can go head to head with any British hooligan when it comes to talking Premier League football, but I'm passionate about racing.
In an amazing finish, Big Brown waltzes home to win the 133rd Preakness Stakes:

Hot Rods

Leo Villareal is widely applauded for his stimulating LED light sculptures. This one is called Columns 4. You lovely Angelenos with good taste may recognize his work from the Visual Music show at MOCA in 2005.





Watching:
Iron Man
The OC, season 1- is not a reflection of my life
The Decameron
My Man Godfrey
Superstar in a Housedress- the story of Warhol Superstar Jackie Curtis
Eagle vs Shark- with Jermaine from Flight of the Conchords, so-so
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three- greatest title ever

Animating Public Space

Muto, a short animated film by Blu, filmed on the walls, sidewalks and ceilings of B.A. and Baden.  

My favorite part: galloping teeth!  

Thanks to Nick + Gary (Gaz Music).

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

A Pound of Flesh

LACC's Theatre Academy + guest performers are staging Merchant of Venice with Al Rossi as Shylock. Four more shows, closes Saturday. General Admission $10, students $6.
I heard a great interview today on KPFK's midday show "Arts in Review" with Al Rossi, Darcy Weinberger, who plays Portia, and Fred Fate, the chair of the Theatre Academy and producer of the play. Click here for Arts in Review podcasts.  

All Around Allan Kaprow's Town

The Allan Kaprow Art as Life retrospective at MOCA at the Geffen Contemporary until June 30th is propagating lots of activities that should get your mojo going.  The calendar of happenings (18 happenings in 6 parts) includes recreations of Pose, Meteorology, Routine and Scales, among others and discussions/debriefings with the participants. 

Also- the Japanese American National Museum is hosting a talk about Allan Kaprow with the artists who developed the Environments for the exhibit: John Baldessari (be still my heart!), Barbara T Smith, Skylar Haskard, Allan Ruppersberg, and Paul McCarthy.  

On Sunday, May 18th from 3-5, at the JANM 369 E 1st St, LA.  No RSVP necessary.  

Cultural Guerrilla Watch: Islands of LA

Ari Kletzky is refreshing city of LA signage and asking us to think about who should create public space.
Check out the LA Times article by George Lynell.




Which reminds Stanley Marsh 3's road signs in Amarillo, TX:
Thanks, Will.



And Thundercut in New York City.

A Pride of Packards, and a few Rolls Royces

The streets near the Fiesta Market pedestrian are have been torn up recently, forcing me to find another route through downtown Santa Ana, which led me directly to Packards International.  I drove by an open garage and saw, out of the corner of my weather eye, the glint of chrome and rich wine-colored paint, rolling running boards, massive grilles and suicide doors.  I parked around the corner, in front of the showroom, headed back to the garage and started lurking.  It turned out to be the headquarters of an OC luxury car magazine, Velocity, and the showroom, garage, and magazine are a family business.  Robert Escalante gave me an "8 minute tour" because I only put a dime in the parking meter, and gave me a few issues of Velocity.  There were about 20 cars, some being restored, some looking better than the day they were born.  I told him my grandfather is an engineer and he said he liked engineers because they have great ideas, but they need mechanics to make it happen.

Hearts Aflame

I stole "Hot Words" from Ed Ruscha, who used it to describe the process that words underwent in the workshop of his brain.  When the words gained temperature, he painted them.  I particularly like the combination of the location and the mural at San Diego Museum of Art where "Brave men run in my family" marches in white long-legged letters above the black profile of a ship rising sharply at an angle on wave.  

Which, inspired the Sonic Youth song of the same name:

Jump to 2:00 to hear the lyrics.