AVANT CAR GUARD
Ha. Is this Joburg’s answer to trans-cape07-notabiennale?
AVANT CAR GUARD secure funding from the World Art World. 2007
pop culture
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Of course America is ready for a black president. Are you?
In the guise of a seer who has some sort of zeitgeist on the times, many cynics (mostly liberal ones, often people of color) keep posing the question, “Is America ready for a black President?” (Or just answer “no” when asked.)
I’ll Answer that one: of course we are.
Look at the polls. And a lot of these people are answering no, even tho they would vote for a black candidate (they just think everyone else is beneath them, less evolved, wouldn’t do so). Yes, there are some who won’t vote for a black man as the Commander in Chief, and there are some who may vote for him (implicit “him”: Barack) for no other reason. And these numbers may or may not cancel each other out (especially given that we need to consider who might be mobilized to vote in such an election).
But I have bigger issue with the question itself, given what it might lead to in my own party (er, the party I’m currently registered for). Voting for “who we think can win” in the Democratic primaries led to the last boring candidate. We need a leader. Someone who had vision on Iraq from day 1, can bring people of faith back to the party they belong in, wants us to end poverty and bring Universal Health instead of just making the rich richer. Do you really think that someone who would vote for Rudy or McJohn over Barack, for issues of race (consciously or unconsciously), would vote for Hillary or JohnE instead? That’s just silly.
If we don’t get Obama for president, it’s not cuz America is not ready, it’s because the Democrats aren’t – the primaries will decide, not the general election. I’m more and more impressed with this man every single day (that link on Iraq above, his foresight – wow. And please also take a look at his announcement speech…). Take him seriously – and do not discount him with a pretense of knowing superiority; you do yourself, and America, a disservice.
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obama
History could be being made in so many ways. It doesn’t work on an Intel Mac (please let me know if you find a QuickTime or YouTube version), but (Works now): it’s one of the best contemporary political speeches I’ve heard (up there with Nader at Cooper Union, Gore on MLK day and just about every time I hear Feingold speak). Click the image below, then click the one that says “Presidential Campaign”…
PS Just settling back into Dubs, trying to get some stuff done, working on a few proposals, etc.
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Call and Response: Nathaniel Stern at Art on Paper Gallery
You are invited to the opening of
Call and Response
performative prints and iterations
On Saturday 27 January 2007 at 15:00
Art on Paper Gallery, 44 Stanley Avenue
Johannesburg South Africa
satin bed, lambda print, 220x600mm
To be opened by Professor Jane Taylor
Preview by appointment
Walkabout with the artist, Saturday 3 February at 15:00
The exhibition closes 24 February 2007
http://callandresponse.co.za for information, catalogue and images
satin bed II, aquatint, 195x245mm (455x370mm support)
Art on Paper Gallery
44 Stanley Avenue Braamfontein Werf (Milpark)
PO Box 91476 Auckland Park 2006 Johannesburg
+27 11 726 2234 +27 11 482 7995
info@artonpaper.co.za www.artonpaper.co.za
Tues to Sat 10:00 – 17:00
Compressionism is a "digital performance and analog archive.” I traverse bodies, spaces and objects with my scanner face, while its head is in motion. After being Compressed into digital images the size of a small sheet of paper, the files are then stretched, cropped and colored by hand, then printed as editioned, archival works. The latest pieces in the series further transform details of these prints into hand-made art objects: etchings, engravings, aquatints, planographs, carborundum, monotype and more.
Compressionism is an exploration of media and perception, a transfiguration in time and seeing.
And, opening on the morning of the same day @ the David Krut Print Workshop (also in Joburg), a group show of Recent Work.
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Paddy Told me: The All-In-One Woodworking Tool
This is a direct reblog stolen from Paddy who took it from Cory and OMG I want one I want one I want one. You’ll not be hearing from me much in the next two weeks, but then heaps from me when I hit up Joburg for my show!!!!!
The All-In-One Woodworking Tool
Alright art nerds, I hadn’t planned on posting the rest of the day, but Make has made this impossible. Phillip Terrone has just posted Craftsman’s latest woodworking tool, an $1800 computer controlled CNC machine. Boing Boing’s Cory Doctorow describes it as a 3-D printer, which doesn’t mean that it prints holograms on wood, but rather that you can rip, cross cut, miter, contour, joint and route, without having to own a separate tool for each job. Hello all-in-one printer of the woodworking world! Product description below:
"Compact, computer-controlled, 3-dimensional woodworking machine with an easy-to-use interface. It allows a novice to make a complete project without a shop full of tools.The unique configuration allows it to perform many other woodworking functions, including ripping, cross cutting, mitering, contouring, jointing and routing. The CompuCarve can work in most soft materials, including wood, plastics (polycarbonate or cast acrylic) and certain types of high density foam. Set includes CompuCarve machine, (1) 1/16 in. carbide carving bit, (1) 1/8 in. carbide cutting bit, CarveWright Memory Card, starter software package, (2) 1/4 in. bit adaptors, vacuum bag adaptor, bit removal tool, hex wrench, owner’s manual and Quick Start Guide." – Link.
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happy new year
I’m exhausted. I know, I’ve been on holiday for the last couple of weeks (but that was visiting family, so it’s not really "restful"), and I mostly just took the last two months "off" to move to Dublin. But a new baby, moving continents, catalogue production, many shows, starting a PhD, quitting my three jobs (after working them all year), two new print series (having never been a printmaker) – this has been a big one, and I’ve got another one coming. I was hoping to spend at least a little bit of time during this li’l trip to NYC re-connecting with some old contacts, maybe making some new ones, but it never happens that way when you go "home". I always just spend time with my wonderful family and friends (no complaining here). I’ll have to make a secret trip to NYC one day if I ever want to actually show or make work here… I’d love to actually do that in the city of my birth at some point :)
We had a nice time in Florida (Sarasota with my aunt/uncle, sister/bro-in-law) – some pix with my family are up on flickr, and more are forthcoming. We’ll be spending New Year’s with Sid’s Godmother and her boyfriend, as well as Sean Slemon and Amy Kaufman in Brooklyn – a quiet evening with friends.
I did have one day to zoot about; didn’t get to see much art, but learned that – if you can believe it – Paddy Johnson of AFC is even cooler in person than her web site lets on. PJ: I’m down for some of the potential colab stuff we talked about, and hope you had a good time with your bro… I also had a nice chat with Kate at David Krut’s NYC gallery – am hoping we work together some time, cuz she’s a super cool but down to earth art persona… Thanks for boosting my AND Paddy’s egos while we were in your gallery, Kate.
The next few weeks, I’m hoping to dive right in and work my ass off on research for the dissertation, maybe look for some potential conferences or festivals to be on for ’07 and ’08. So, you may not be hearing from me too much… If you are reading this in Joburg, please oh please join me for my opening at Art on Paper Gallery @ 44 Stanley on 27 January, 3PM. I’ve put a lot of work into this series, which has been highlighted on various sites and in several magazines despite its not really being seen, so please come out and see; it’s my first solo catalogue, and I am oh so happy with it.
Alright, enough self promo.
I’m not really a top ten list kind of guy, but please enjoy Edward Winkleman’s Top Ten List of Top Ten Lists as much as I did. Cheers!