Idiocracy is one of my favorite films of the last couple of years. Speak Up has a great write-up on the amazing design of the movie. Via Signals vs. Noise.

We plan to attend this tomorrow. Ensemble Pi is a wonderful group of musicians with a social conscience.

Eyal Danieli (detail)

Ensemble Pi Presents

WHEN WORDS FAIL
 
Thoughts About Peace in a Time of War
Second Annual Concert

Friday, March 16, 2007
Judson Peace Church
55 Washington Square South
212.477.2419

Admission $15 at the door

Program:

John Harbison
Abu Ghraib (2006) for piano and cello

Kristin Norderval
Voices From Iraq (2007)
World Premiere

Frederic Rzewski
Down by the River – from North American Ballads for Piano (1979)

Alice Shields
Mioritza: Requiem for Rachel Corrie
for Trombone and Tape (2004)

Dmitri Shostakovich
Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, opus 67
1944

Philip Wharton
3 Sassoon Songs for voice and violin (2007)
World Premiere

Guest Speaker
Anat Biletzki

Performers:

Richard Burkhart, Cello
Monique Buzzarté, Trombone
Idith Meshulam, Piano
Kristin Norderval, Voice
Philip Wharton, Violin

Funded by the generosity of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Klavierhaus

In a program note for “Abu Ghraib ,” Harbison writes that this “piece is not a protest or a moral lesson. These would require little bravery. Instead it seeks music in a moment when words can fail.”</blockquote>

Jacques Louis Vidal, who was in the show we curated last year, has a new book project. There is a “hand bound limited printing of the book” for sale in addition to the pages on the web.

The Journey 2 the Center of the Internet

Here is a sample image, shrunk a bit for the blog.

I spotted these in Front Room’s area at Fountain last month.

I love the pricing structure:

• $90 nut only (no shell)
• $90 empty half shell
• $150 empty full shell
• $175 shell containing nut

He has a show at Pierogi 2000 opening on Friday, titled “Iraq Rock,” described thusly

This exhibition will feature an 8-by-8 foot tabletop model of a hypothetical benefit concert, Rock Iraq, which doesn’t exist but quite possibly could. It is a concert with corporate logos but no sponsors, no musicians, and no music. It exists as a tabletop model to American ambiguity, assuaging guilt, displaying compassion, condemning failure, and inventing triumph.

The artist Benjamin Evans is the new Gallery Director of NURTUREart. We first met him through Momenta, where he was helping out with grant writing and the annual benefit.

Not only does he have a new position, but he also has a solo show opening at Sarah Bowen Gallery in Williamsburg this Friday. A sample painting — a modified thrift store find — is pictured below.

The weekly ArtCal just went out to 1000 subscribers!

During the art fair madness, three galleries — 31GRAND, Irvine Contemporary, and Michael Steinberg Fine Art — had a mini fair on 29th Street called 29West.

I spotted this wonderful painting by Claudine Anrather in 31GRAND’s space. Sorry it’s not a great picture – tough mix of natural and artificial light in that space!

Piggy, 2007
oil on linen
5 × 6 feet

Given the recent Scooter Libby trial, now seems like a good time to mention a short theater work that James and I saw last month as part of Target Margin’s season of plays inspired by classical Greek works. The theme of the play was scapegoats, and the title was “Taking One for the Team”. It managed to blend the stories of Iphigenia, Scooter Libby, plus others into a short sharp piece. It was created by the sound artist Michael Kraskin in collaboration with the cast. I loved the final speech of Iphegenia, inspired by a text of Euripides. In it she talks of how her sacrifice, and that of other Greeks, is necessary to show that the Greeks are civilized, and their enemies are barbarians.

Thanks to that production, I discovered the podcast he has been doing with David Terry since late 2005, titled Catalogue of Ships, with the title inspired by Homer’s “Iliad”. Thanks to the power of Odeo, I’m embedding a few of my favorite episodes so far. I’ve been listening in order, and I’m only through the first year so far. If you like Robert Ashley or Mikel Rouse, I think you’ll like these.

I chose Episode Three for its really beautiful sound design.

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Episode Four tells the story of David Terry in Greece in October 2001, and his attempt to cheer up some Afghan refugees with some song and dance.

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Our art is supposed to be influenced by suburbia, not our lives.

That’s my favorite line from Advice from a Caterpillar, which we watched last week. Recommended for the gays, the art world, and all of us who love both.

Speaking of suburbia, Bill Owens’s series of photographs of that title is excellent. There is a book too.

Bill Owens, Unititled, from Suburbia, ca. 1972-73, black and white photograph, 16” x 20”

Image from James Cohan Gallery

I liked these dark political works when I saw them at Rokeby at Pulse.

When I saw this painting:

I was reminded of one of the most effective memorials I have ever seen — the Geschwister Scoll Platz in Munich. Click on the image to get a bigger version that is easier to read.

Here is an image from the gallery’s website:

Sam Dargan, The great only appear great because we are on our knees, 2006