…: August 2008

The Art That Lies Beneath

Images, courtesy of Steven Holl Architects

THE ART THAT LIES BENEATH

Time, Richard Lacayo, 19 March 2007

'Now that architecture is practically as glamorously daredevil as bullfighting, every year has its Most Anticipated Building. (...) This year there's just one: the Bloch Building, Steven Holl's addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo., which opens in June. It's going to be the year's most visible building on the strength of being the building that's not there. Holl gave the Nelson-Atkins 165,000 sq. ft. of new space by burying the space underground. (...) What appears above ground are five irregular glass pavilions, transparent in some parts and translucent in others, which serve as vaulted glass ceilings for the galleries below while carrying out a kind of photon hydraulics. During the day they'll pour (diffused) light into the galleries. After dark, lit from within, they'll pump it back against the night sky. Call them lenses - Holl's term - or lanterns. They're illuminating.' Steven Holl Architects The Bloch Building has been shortlisted for an award in the Museum Category at the upcoming World Architecture Festival in Barcelona, 22-24 October 2008.

I Have A Dream

Delivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963, today marks the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech, I Have A Dream: a visionary design for civil rights and a continuing inspiration for the creation of freedom and justice. text transcription + 200,000 March for Civil Rights in Orderly Washington Rally; President Sees Gain for Negro E. W. Kensworthy, The New York Times: 29 August 1963

Johnson’s Dream, Obama’s Speech Robert A. Caro, The New York Times: 28 August 2008

Brit Rocker's timely video goes viral over weekend

While videos may be a cousin to independent film and documentaries, they have become steadily more popular in social policy because of their immediacy. This weekend, for example, British rocker Dave Stewart released "American Prayer", a rock video on August 22-23, leading up to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. On Thursday night, August 28th, it will be the 45th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. Stewart pays homage to King's speech and its significance with Obama's acceptance of the nomination that evening. The video has gone wildly viral across America over the weekend.

Laces – Up close and personal

We’ve seen them in our sock drawers in the kitchen and among items in the everything closet. We've noticed them in the basement collecting dust. We know them as “laces”, and we usually take them for granted. Did we ever think that they, too, would be an endangered species that needs our care and attention. Watch this moving documentary on the life of a lace by Sibylle Meder, a German filmmaker. - M.S.

Jeff Otto O'Brien update

It has been a while since I posted here– have been busy the past couple weeks getting ready for two exhibitions. Cluster F+ck opened for one night on Friday August 15th at Plank Gallery, Vancouver. The show was extremely well-attended– we reckon that around 300 came throughout the night to see the first all-studio show at the gallery. There are 12 or so artists that occupy space in the studios behind and above Plank Gallery. I sold one piece, albeit a smaller print of what I displayed.

Miscellaneous IX, (2007), C-Print

From August 18–October 10, I am in a group show at the University of St. Francis, Illinois.

"INDEX: Directions in Contemporary Photography" Jeff Otto O'Brien Johanna Reed Esteban Schimpf Amy Wainwright Exhibition Dates: Monday, August 18th through Friday, October 10th. "INDEX" presents the work of four artists for whom a unique engagement with the documentary potential of the photographic medium is a central focus. According to their own curiosities, habits, and surroundings, the artists of "INDEX" collectively affirm that the testimonial promise of photography is not unconditionally guaranteed. Rather, each artist approaches the nature of photographic proof as a malleable condition -a variable constantly affected by the ambivalence, mysticism, and trickery of human curiosity.

North Surrey II, (2008), C-Print, 20 x 30 inches

I am currently looking for other artists to collaborate with. You don't need to be a photographer. If interested email me– otto.obrien [at] gmail.com. New site up– www.otto-obrien.com

bookmarking pictures

vi.sualize.us is sort of like--are you ready?--de.licio.us. Bookmark images you find you want to keep track of, or browse what other people find interesting or worth bookmarking.

http://vi.sualize.us/popular/

If you're into the web 2.0 thing, or whatever you may call it you'll be into this too.