We spotted this near Pierogi on Sunday.

Lynn Talbot
Coalesce, 2004
Oil on linen
18 × 18 inches

I apologize for writing about a show that just closed, but it’s been hard to stay on the mailing list of Pierogi for some reason. We saw a great group show there, Reconfigure, on Sunday. In addition to great work from some people we own (James Esber and Reed Anderson), we also saw some work by people new to us. I really loved the enamel-esque paintings of Lynn Talbot, and two funny, brilliant paintings by Andrew Moszynski.

Julian LaVerdiere
Continuous Profile (of George W. Bush)
– after Renato Bertelli’s 1933 Continuous Profile of Mussolini

Also, don’t miss the current show at Jack the Pelican, titled No Apology for Breathing. It’s curated by Matthew Lusk, who curated last year’s Some Exhaust show at Lehmann Maupin. It’s a great political show with an ambitious installation meant to evoke McCarren Park Pool. The pool was a WPA project that has been allowed to deteriorate and is no longer usable. The city was proposing to refurbish it for the Olympics bid. Can’t afford to maintain it now, but we might find the money if it’s part of the Olympics! Typical.

I am fucking terrified amuses me, in a silly way.

The Five Lesbian Brothers have a blog! I found it while looking into tickets for their new play, Oedipus at Palm Springs, about to open at New York Theatre Workshop. Go here for discounted tickets from TheaterMania (free registration required).

[photo from New York Theatre Workshop]

Don’t miss this video of Jon Stewart with his guest Bernard Goldberg. This makes me look forward to right-wing guests on The Daily Show, rather than dreading having to listen to them.

I like what Tom Moody has been saying about the Rove/Plame affair. Meanwhile, the Iraqi prime minister we’re propping up just visited Iran and laid flowers at the grave of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Check out this photo by Nancy Smith.

Mr. Jones was shocked to learn we don’t watch TV or read People (and didn’t know who he was).

I was amused to see this pull quote:

Woodward came humbly on his knees to deputy director Felt in search of guidance.

in the print edition of today’s column by Les Payne, titled Now we can reveal the real Deep Throat.

What a silly country we live in. Via Newsday (it’s in Florida of course):

The Holy Land Experience may seem like just another theme park, with its $30 admission charge, $5 parking fee and souvenir shops.

But, ending a four-year legal battle, a judge has ruled that the religious-themed attraction deserves the same tax-exempt status given to churches and museums. The ruling spares its owner from paying a delinquent property-tax bill that would have climbed to more than $1 million by the end of the year.

…

From the start, The Holy Land Experience was controversial. Local rabbis greeted it with trepidation, given its parent company’s stated mission of converting Jews to Christianity.

…

In her ruling, Circuit Judge Cynthia MacKinnon sided with Zion’s Hope, pointing out that the nonprofit company produces and distributes biblical cassettes, videos, books and CDs; publishes a religious magazine; broadcasts a syndicated radio show and supports missionaries in Israel.

“The property appraiser has failed to direct the court’s attention to any evidence that Plaintiff is using The Holy Land Experience to make money or for some other purpose than evangelizing and worshipping,” MacKinnon wrote.</blockquote>

If you use Google to find the home page, turn down your computer’s speakers before clicking on the link.

Last week I mentioned how much I liked Dominic McGill’s work at PS1’s Greater New York. Ed Winkleman has a post on McGill as his artist of the week.