#Grant Owens Curated

[focusgroupentertainment]

“Chioke Dmachi & Dav Id, Take in WFNM showcase : Unforgettable Night at Bar Lubitsch”

[anlilmusic]

RSVP: ANLIL's Return to WFNM

ANLIL Lights Up Hotel Ziggy: Second WFNM Showcase Unveils Rising Star's Magic

We Found New Music (WFNM) is a music discovery platform and culture curation brand founded by Grant Owens and Leonardo Reyes in 2012. It bridges the gap between artists and the industry through live showcases, radio shows, blogs, and content series. WFNM has promoted early performances and interviews with artists like Billie Eilish, Yungblud, Kim Petras, Imagine Dragons, and Bishop Briggs ANLIL…

[headlineeternal]

An exclusive message from Elizabeth Davis to celebrate the release of I LOVE YOU, I HATE YOU - featuring her romcom movie recs!

I’m so excited to be here today! I Love You, I Hate You is based on one of my all-time favorite romcoms, You’ve Got Mail, so let’s chat a bit about which romcoms inspired me, plus some recommendations for your romcom watch list.

Obviously, I couldn’t have written I Love You, I Hate You without You’ve Got Mail. But even beyond the enemies-in-real-life-but-soulmates-on-the-internet set up, I have always loved that Joe and Kathleen are the rare enemies-to-lovers couple where you also buy them as friends. To me, that’s a key part of making any couple – on page or onscreen – work. They can have chemistry for days, but if you don’t believe they’d also be happy just sitting on the couch, laughing at a dumb TV show? It just doesn’t work for me.

Another, perhaps less obvious, influence is the 1990s classic While You Were Sleeping. While the Chicago setting isn’t quite my beloved Minneapolis, it does have the same chilly midwestern charm and Bill Pullman’s Jack has a similar laid back, unconcerned vibe as my lead Owen. But more importantly, Sandra Bullock’s Lucy has a palpable loneliness that strongly influenced my leading lady Victoria. Victoria’s solitude is a bit more self-imposed than Lucy’s, but both of them learn to cautiously open themselves up to people throughout the course of the story. To me, the best romcoms are about more than just romantic love; they’re about people opening themselves up to love in all its forms.

Lastly, When Harry Met Sally has the best banter of just about any movie, ever, and I am a sucker for good banter.

Top Five RomComs to watch when you’ve finished I Love You, I Hate You (other than You’ve Got Mail, which obviously you already watched):

Set It Up: A rare recent entry to the romcom genre, Set It Up is about two young assistants who set up their high-powered, high-maintenance bosses so they’ll have a bit more free time. This is one of the best examples of the Hangout Romcom, a term I just made up to describe a couple that can believably just hang out, doing everyday stuff (eating pizza, going to a baseball game, going to a party), and you believe they’re falling in love the whole time. My only quibble is that there isn’t a sequel starring Lucy Liu, because her character deserves her own HEA.

While You Were Sleeping: Yes, again. This is a movie where the premise, on the face of it, shouldn’t work. But Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman sell it almost entirely based on the strength of their chemistry and the sweetness they find in the story, and it’s just a lovely, albeit slightly melancholy, warm-hearted movie.

Her Private Life: This one isn’t a movie, but rather a Korean TV series, and it goes full-throttle on a wild plot. Deok-Mi is an art curator (with a secret life as a fangirl for a Korean pop idol) and Ryan Gold is the haughty New York art critic who swoops in to steal her job. After a series of bonkers misunderstandings, he offers to be her fake boyfriend. Over-the-top plot shenanigans aside, Her Private Life has one of the most compassionate, mature relationships I’ve ever seen portrayed in pop culture.

Bridget Jones’ Diary: Who doesn’t love a good Pride and Prejudice retelling? And with the original Mr. Darcy to boot! Come for Colin Firth’s “I like you, just as you are” speech, and stay for the utterly ludicrous street fight between him and Hugh Grant, which is a scene I still cackle at to this day.

When Harry Met Sally: There really isn’t anything better than the speech Harry gives Sally on New Year’s Eve, is there?

[mavisnm3205]

On Intimacy (Mavis Ang)

In the article, ‘Liquid love? Dating apps, sex, relationships and the digital transformation of intimacy’, Hobbs, Owen and Gerber (2017) contended that some accounts of modern romanticism can be overly pessimistic and at risk of downplaying the positives of ‘networked intimacy’. The authors referred to the internet as a ‘social intermediary’ and stated that it acts as a new channel in replacement of traditional sites for meeting people such as universities and workplaces. The article also discussed how the founders of Tinder designed the dating apps as a type of ‘game’ that required lesser time and emotional investment to ‘play’. Users will be ‘matched’ and offered the opportunity to have a conversation with each other upon mutual interest. The article also explored if such networks of romantic possibility might be ‘eroding traditional ideals of monogamy, commitment and the notion of romantic love’. 

As part of the research method, the authors conducted an online survey and in-depth interviews. One of the respondents also mentioned that “people who are not using the apps are doing themselves a disservice”. She was referring to time savings and convenience arising from the ease of using the app. As mentioned, does this “convenience” and reduction of “unnecessary effort” then also cheapens the idea of building intimate relationships? In the discussion of self-commodification and self-branding, one of the interviewees also raised a form of ‘edited authenticity’ in the curation of profiles. In particular, she mentioned that she deliberately kept her profile brief and excluded details which might subject her to further alienation. 

In view of the findings, the authors posited that dating apps and sites are not actually ‘liquefying’ traditional ideals of monogamy and commitment. Participants found that these channels enabled them with greater agency and more relationship possibilities. That said, the study acknowledged that some participants felt that the affordances were rather superficial and limiting in terms of users’ personalities. The apps were also seen by some as a commodification of romantic interests and transactional. Even so, the study concluded that networked intimacy is accepted by the majority of the participants which enhances users’ social capital. 

While it was interesting to read some of the responses from the study’s participants, I find some parts slightly problematic. Upon reading that the founders of Tinder treat it as a type of ‘game’, I wondered if this cheapens the idea of intimacy. While the idea of intimacy is highly subjective, I perceive it as a rather delicate term - one that is unlikely to be associated with ‘game’. That said, I still understand what the founders of Tinder were trying to convey. As for the findings, a majority of the participants felt that the technologies granted them with more agency and relationship possibilities. Some participants also mentioned how these dating apps played a positive impact on their self-esteem. However, I also wonder if these six participants are representative of the majority. 

To expand discussion on user agency and dating apps, S. Wang (2020) conducted an analysis on Blued, a Chinese dating app. In the paper, the author also shared more information from his personal experience. In Blued, users have to key in their body types and personalities. For body type, they will be assigned to ‘monkey’, ‘average’’, bear’, ‘muscular’. For personality types, there are 12 categories ranging from ‘sunshine’, ‘masculine’ to ‘big uncle’, ‘slutty inside decent outside’ and ‘warm guy. According to S. Wang (2020), there is this protocol of introducing one’s ‘condition’ on gay dating apps in China where ‘condition’ refers to a standardised number sequence consisting of age, height, weight and sex roles details. The author gave the example 28-180-70-1. This also highlighted how users quantified themselves and conform to this similar style of self representation. It feels very barcode-ish in my opinion - think mass-manufactured products. While some users might argue that it is more efficient to follow such protocols (as in Hobbs et al. (2017)), I feel that the encoding of the self subjects one to objectification and being discarded easily if one fails to meet the expectations of others. What is more problematic/efficient (depending on how you see it) is that this ‘condition’ is also part of the user profile on Blued. In comparison with Grindr, the author noted that Blued allowed users to see not only their headshot and screen name as in Grindr’s grid view, but also the number sequence of their age, height, weight and sex roles. Users can also filter potential partners easily using the specific data combinations, just like e-commerce applications… 

To be honest, I do see why people claimed that dating apps are an “efficient” process but I cannot deny that I am disturbed by the dehumanising effect brought by the filters. While the generation of user data can help streamline preferences and maybe obtain more compatible matches, it seem to reduce users to those few parameters and personality types. Aside, I feel that it is also very limiting and in a sense, unforgiving, towards users who are deemed undesirable just because they do not fit a certain metric. The paper also highlighted the troubling shift of using the yanzhi algorithm as an algorithmic tool for users to socialise to using them to glorify live streamers with high yanzhi score (Yanzhi refers to the ‘value of a person’s face). While participants in Hobbs et al. (2017) found that dating apps and sites enabled them with greater agency and more relationship possibilities, it is evident that the app configurations can influence our preferences or even reinforce certain unhealthy ideals and biases. Therefore, one should definitely question the user agency when on dating apps much more critically instead of settling for an optimistic view easily. 

Hobbs, M., Owen, S., & Gerber, L. (2017). Liquid love?: Dating apps, sex, relationships and the digital transformation of intimacy. Journal of Sociology, 53(2), 271-284. doi:10.1177/1440783316662718

Wang, S. (2020). Calculating dating goals: data gaming and algorithmic sociality on Blued, a Chinese gay dating app. Information, Communication & Society, 23(2), 181-197.

[l2fmpnathan]

Ruth Roots

ANDREW KREPS GALLERY22 CORTLANDT ALLEYNEW YORK, NY 10013TEL (212) 741-8849FAX (212)741-8863WWW.

ANDREWKREPS.COMRUTH ROOT Born 1967, Chicago, IL. Currently lives and works in New York City.

Education2003Yaddo1994 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture1993 MFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1990Brown UniversityAwards1996 National Endowment for the Arts, Mid-Atlantic Grant in Painting1996 New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Painting Solo Exhibitions2019Forum, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA2017356 Mission, Los Angeles, CA2016Marta Carvery Gallery, Madrid2015Old, Odd & Oval, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT Andrew Kreps Gallery, Nailery Nikolaus Ruziicka, Salzburg, Austria2014The Dartmouth Experiment, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH2011The Suburban, Oak Park, IL2009Galerie Nikolaus Ruziicka, Salzburg, Austria Maureen Paley Gallery, London2008Gallery Minmi, Tokyo2007Andrew Kreps Gallery, New Yorkdale Marta Carvery, Madrid2005Galerie Nikolaus Ruzicska, Salzburg, Austria2004Maureen Paley Interim Art, LondonGaleria Marta Carvery, Madrid2003 Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York2001 Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York2000Galleria Franco Nero, Turin, Italy1999Andrew Kreps Gallery, New YorkMuseumExhibitions2018Inherent Structure, Wexner Centerport the Arts, Columbus, OH Surface/Depth, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY2015New York Painting, Kunst museum Bonn, Bonn, Germany2008Unique Act, Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane,Dublin2007Don’t Look.

Contemporary Drawings from an Alumna’s Collection Martina Yamen, class of 1958, Davis Museum at Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA2005Extreme Abstraction, curated by Claire Schneider and Louis Gracchus, Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY2004City Maps, ArtPlace, San Antonio and TX.

ANDREW KREPS GALLERY22 CORTLANDT ALLEYNEW YORK, NY 10013TEL (212) 741-8849FAX (212)741-8863WWW.ANDREWKREPS.COM2003Permanent Collection On View, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles The ContemporaryArtProject Collection, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA2002Emotional Rescue: The ContemporaryArtProject Collection, Curated by Linda Farris, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WAS am collect –contemporary art project, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA2000Greater New York, Duplex solo installation, Curated by Klaus Eisenach and Laura Hauptman, PS1 Contemporary Art Centre, New York Group Exhibitions2019Painters Reply: Experimental Painting in the 1970s and now, curated by Alex Glauber and Alex Logsdail,Lisson Gallery, New York, NY2018Twist,fused/Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco, CA2018 Invitational Exhibition of Visual Arts, American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY 2017Man Alive, Mariana Mercier, Brussels2016Looking Back, The 10thWhite Columns Annual –Selected by Matthew Higgs, White Columns, New York Life Eraser, Brand New Gallery, Milan Shapeshifters, Luring Augustine, New York The Congregation, Jack Hanley Gallery, New York 2014Les Plaisirs Démodé (The Old-Fashioned Way), Galerie Nikolaus Ruziicka, Salzburg, Austria2013Wit, The Painting Centre, New York2012To the Venetians II: Chris Martin, Matt Rich and Ruth Root, curated by Carrie Moyer and Dennis Congdon, RISD Painting Department Providence, RI2011-12The Indiscipline of Painting, Tate St. Ives, Cornwall, UK, touring to the Mead Gallery, University of Warwick, UK2009Trail Blazers in the 21st Century, The David and Ruth Robinson Eisenberg Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ Print, Mushroom Works, Newark upon Tyne, United Kingdom2008Take Me There Show Me The Way, Haunch of Venison, New York David Reed Studio, New York Gallery Minmi, Japan2007 NE integrity, Derek Eller Gallery, New York Bushels, Bundles & Barrels, Superfund Investment Centre, New York The Painting Show-Slipping Abstraction, Mead Gallery, Coventry, United Kingdom2006Untitled (for H.C. Westermann), The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, HI Ruth Root, Alex Brown, Cameron Martin, Sally Ross, Gallery Minmi, Tokyoite is, “what is it”, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York2005The Early Show, White Columns, New York Trade, White Columns, New York2004Painting & Sculpture, Mark Moore Gallery, Santa Monica, CA2003Greetings from New York: A Painting Showalterian Thaddaeus Ropak, Salzburg, Austria20thAnniversary, Welcome Home, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York2002Jump, Curated by Ross Nether, The Painting Centre, New York-Beam, Cynthia Brogan Gallery, New York Inheriting Matisse: The Decorative Contour in Contemporary Art, Curated by MichelleGrabner, Rocket Gallery, London Acme Gallery, Los Angeles Abstract Redux, Danes Gallery and New York.

ANDREW KREPS GALLERY22 CORTLANDT ALLEYNEW YORK, NY 10013TEL (212) 741-8849FAX (212)741-8863WWW.

ANDREWKREPS.COMState of the Gallery, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York2001The Approximative, Galerie Ghislaine Huss not, Paris Painting show, Curated by Laura Owens, Chicago Project Room, Los Angeles2000 Fuel Serve, Curated by Kenny Schachter, Kenny Schachter/Rove, New York Salty Salute, Westing Art Space, Toronto Perfidy -Exhausted Embrace, Curated by Martyn Simpson and Daniel Sturgis, Convent Sainte Marie de La Tourette, Evreux, FranceKosmobiologie, Curated by Nancy Chaykin, Bellwether Gallery, Brooklyn, NY1999Fifteen, Deutsche Bank, Curated by Walter Robinson, New York Free Coke, Greene Naftali Gallery, New York1998Home and Away, Curated by Kirsty Bell, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York Son-of-a-Gusto, Curated by Nina Bovisa, Clementine Gallery, New York Cambio, Part 2, Curated by Kenny Schachter, Museo Universitario Del Choop, Mexico City Sassy Nuggets, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York New Museum Benefit Auction, Pierogi 2000 Portfolios, New York Superfreaks: Part II, Odyssey, Greene Naftali Gallery, New York1997Cambio, Curated by Kenny Schachter, 526 West 26th St., New York Wrong Place, Right Time, Curated by Giovanni Garcia-Fenech, Temporary Space, New York Vague Pop, Curated by Giovanni Garcia-Fenech, View room, New York1996The Experimenters, Curated by Kenny Schachter, Lombard-Fried Fine Arts, New York Taking Stock, Curated by Kenny Schachter, 25 Broad Street, New York Texas Meets New York, Curated by Kenny Schachter, Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington, Texas Bump, The Greene County Council on the Arts, Catskill, NY The Death of the Death of Painting, Curated by Kenny Schachter, New York1995Lookin’ Good, Feeling’ Good, 450 Gallery, New York Eat or Be Eaten/ Painting, Not Painting, Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NYX-Sightings, Anderson Gallery, Buffalo, NY1994Crash, Thread Waxing Space, New YorkBibliography2017Gerwin, Daniel.

“Ruth Root” Artform, September2016 Hodari, Susan. “

Painting Overtakes Pixels in Aldrich Museum Exhibition.”

The New York Times, 18 February2015Biswas, Allie. “

Ruth Root: ‘I love to see how artists create such a joy from colour’ “Studio International, December 17. Campbell, Andriana.

“Ruth Root.” Artforum.com, 13 July Pfeiffer, Produce. “Ruth Root.” Artform, October Vogel, Wendy. “The Lookout: Ruth Root” Art in America Online, 2 July Vogel, Wendy. “Ruth Root” Art in America, September Hawley, Anthony. “Ruth Root” The Brooklyn Rail, 8 September Yau, John. “Two Ways of Making Painting in the 21stCentury” Hyperallergic, 19 July The New Yorker, 27 JulySchwendener, Martha.

“Review: Ruth Root, Minimal and Opulent, at Andrew Kreps Gallery, The New York Times, 2July2009James, Nicholas, “Between Painting and Sculpture,” artslant.com, 25 January 2009.

ANDREW KREPS GALLERY22 CORTLANDT ALLEYNEW YORK, NY 10013TEL (212) 741-8849FAX (212)741-8863WWW.ANDREWKREPS.COMNickas, Bob.

“Colour and Structure.” Painting Abstraction: New Elements in Abstract Painting. London, UK. Phaedo Press. 2009Carrier, David. "Ruth Root.” aruspices 24/24 Fall -Winter2008McKeon, Belinda.

“Taking Root on Gallery Walls.” The Irish Times, March 11Maine, Stephen.

"Brand Boosters.” The New York Sun, March 6Ruth Root. The New Yorker, March 3Rosenberg, Karen.

"Ruth Root. “The New York Times, February 222007 “The Painting Show -Abstracts at Warwick University Mead Gallery.”24 Hour Museum.org. Kmart 15 Jannuzzi, Waldemar.”

The pleasures of undescriptive colour. “Times Online, February 182005Huntington, Richard. "A sampling of all things abstract—old and new.

“The Buffalo News, August 13 Flynn, Barbara. “Exhibition round-up: New York. “Artform. 546Rimanelli, David. "Greater New York 2005.” Artforum,MayColes, Alex. "Ruth Root.

“Modern Painters, May, p.112.De Chasse, Eric. "Painting (Cont'd).” art press, n310, March 2004Campagnola, Sonia.

"Ruth Root. “Flash Art, Summer Pozuelo, Abel H., "Ruth Rote Cultural, May Carpio, Francisco. "Ruth Root. “

ABC Cultural, June Pardo, Taneal. "Ruth Root. “Exit Express, June Boyce, Roger. “Ruth Root at Andrew Kreps Gallery.”

Art in America, February 2003Richard, Frances “Ruth Root: Andrew Kreps Gallery.”

Artforum,September Kerr, Merrily. “New York New York: Art Fragments from the Big Apple. “Flash Art, July-September Burton, Johanna. “Ruth Root. “Time Out New York, May 15-22“Ruth Root.”

www.flavorpill.com,May 10Smith, Roberta. “Ruth Root. “The New York Times, May 92002Pagel, David. “

Some Things Old, Some Things Mewls Angeles Times, May 102001Isé, Claudine. “Coughlan, Reeder, Root, Weatherford.” Team Celeste, September/October Schmirler, Sarah. “Gallery Beat. “

Art on Paper,July-AugustJohnson, Ken. “Ruth Root. “The New York Times, April 27Mahoney, Robert. “Ruth Root. “Time Out New York, May 10-17Naves, Mario. “These Paintings Are Watching You. “

The New York Observer, May 7Wehr, Anne. “Cigarette break. “Time Out New York, April 19-262000Cibulski, Dana Mouton. “New York. “Art Papers Magazine, November / December Conti, Tatiana. “Ruth Root. “Team Celeste, November Adult, Gary Michael. “Salty Salute at the West Wing Art Space.” The Globe and Mail, September 30Orange, Mark. “Greater New York.” Untitled,AutumnKino, Carol. “The Emergent Factor. “Art in America, July Hunt, David. “Symbiology. “Time Out New York, July 27Shave, Stuart. “Man Made.” idrapril Sumpter, Helen. “Ruth Root.” Hot Tickets, March Cook, Mark. “Ruth Root. “The Big Issue, March Cotter, Holland.

“New York Contemporary, Defined 150 Ways. “The New York Times, March 6Turner, Grady. “Beautiful Dreamers. “Flash Art, January-February 1999Cotter, Holland. “Ruth Root.”

Art in Review, The New York Times, March Pinchbeck, Daniel. “Ruth Root. “The Newspaper of New York and March.

ANDREW KREPS GALLERY22 CORTLANDT ALLEYNEW YORK, NY 10013TEL (212) 741-8849FAX (212)741-8863WWW.ANDREWKREPS.COMSchmerler, Sarah. “Ruth Root.” Time Out New York, March Sapid, Sue. “Met Life.” The Village Voice, March Turner, Grady.

“Son of a Gusto.” Flash Art, January1995“Eclectic Exhibition Opens at the Anderson Gallery. “Metro Weekend, November Huntington, Richard. “The Expected and Unexpected -A Fun Mix from Near and Far.”

The Buffalo News, July Huntington, Richard. “Nasty at Times. “The Buffalo News, December Victor, Mathieu. “Eat or Be Eaten.” Artvoice, NovemberCatalogues2015Smith-Stewart, Amy. Ruth Root: Old, Odd, and Oval.

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. Ridgefield, CT2014Artist-in-Residence Spring 2014: Ruth Root Paintings. Jaffe-Frieda Gallery, Hopkins Centre for the Arts, Dartmouth College.

Hanover, NH2005Schneider, Claire and Gracchus, Louis. Extreme Abstraction. Albright Knox Gallery. Buffalo, NY. The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy Reddy Young, Tara.2002Sam Collects Contemporary Art Projects.

Seattle Art Museum. Seattle, WA2001Dailey, Meghan and Gingers, Alison M. The Approximative. Mink Ranch Productions. Paris, France2000Groom, Simon. Perfidy: Surviving Modernism.

Kettle’s Yard. Cambridge, UK1999European Galleries. Art Forum Berlin. Berlin, Germany Swenson, Susan (ed.). Pierogi Press. vol. 3, New York, NY1997Schachter, Kenny. Cambio. Mexican Cultural Institute of New York.

New York, NYLectures2001Conversations with Contemporary Artists, MoMA, New York, NY Public Collections Austin Museum of Art, Austin, TX Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C.Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and NY.

[architecture-ljmu]

City Lab

Seminar 1: Rethinking the City. 

Wednesday 9th December

3pm – 5pm

3pm – Introduction to The City Lab Seminars: John Byrne

3.10 – Alessandra Saviotti – The DPI Toolkit Explained

3.40 – Owen Griffiths – Landscapes of Resistance/Owen’s City Lab

4.10 – Jo Marsh - Ty Pawb, Wrexham’s Arts, Markets and Community Hub

Further Information:

In this first/opening City Lab Seminar we will be joined by three key thinkers and practitioners who are actively using the city as both a context and a tool for social change.

Each contributor will speak for 20 minutes, followed by a 10 minute opportunity for questions. There will also be time for further questions and discussions at the end of the presentations.

Ideas and themes that emerge from this first City Lab Seminar will be picked up again early next year (date to be announced) when all three panellists will join us for individual discussions/seminars as a first ‘open access’ point of the TPG shared module ‘Transdisciplinary Pracitce’.

Information on Speakers/Contributors:

Alessandra Saviotti (LJMU School of Art and Design / Asociación de Arte Útil)

Weblink: www.arte-util.org

Alessandra Saviotti Presentation: DPE Toolkit Explained - Alessandra will talk about the DPE's Toolkit section in particular on the idea of usership within the education context. Alessandra will address this question: is it possible for art to infiltrate the formal education environment in the form of a radical teaching approach that seeks to give a new shape to the existing configuration of the system, within the system itself?

Alessandra Saviotti Biography: Alessandra is a curator and educator who lives in Amsterdam. Alessandra is also a PhD candidate at the Liverpool John Moores University - School of Art and Design. Alessandra’s focus is on socially engaged art, collaborative practices and Arte Útil. Her work aims to realize projects where the public becomes a co-producer in the spirit of usership. Her reflection is taking into consideration collaborative processes according to the motto ‘cooperation is better than competition’. She is a co-founder of the art collective Aspra.mente (2006-2016), a group which focuses on the common definition of ‘work in progress’, seeking the contribution of operators in other fields than art for interdisciplinary projects that are free from time constraints. Alsessandra was part of the curatorial team of the 'Museum of Arte Útil' at the Van Abbemuseum (Eindhoven, NL) and since 2014 she has been collaborating with the Asociación de Arte Útil especially aiming at emancipating the usership around the Arte Útil Archive. She led online and offline seminars at the San Francisco Art Institute (2017), California College of the Arts (2017), SALT (2018), The Whitworth (2019), Chicago Architecture Biennial (2019), Accademia di Brera (2020), and she was the coordinator of the Escuela de Arte Útil at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco (US). She currently teaches at ArtEZ - International Master Artist Educator, Arnhem (NL) and she is a tutor at Accademia Unidee, Biella (IT). Since 2007 Alessandra has also been working in collaboration with several institutions such as SFMOMA (US), MAXXI, Rome (IT), Delfina Foundation, London (UK), Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (UK), Visible Project (IT), Manifesta 7 (IT), UNIDEE – Cittadellarte (IT), SALT (TR), Estudio Bruguera (USA) e Studio Grilli (BE). She is a 2013-14 van Eyck Akademie fellow, a 2015 Mondriaan Foundation grantee and a 2014 Demo Movin'Up grantee and she has been awarded an international mobility grant from i-Portunus – Creative Europe in 2019.

Owen Griffiths (Artist & Curator: Founder / Director Ways of Working- a locally engaged social enterprise). Owen is based in Wales.

Weblink: www.aboutreconnection.com

Owen Griffiths Presentation: Owen’s City Lab:

Owen will talk about his work as a series of landscapes of resistance - an emerging archipelago of collaborative project in civic spaces across the city of Swansea. Owen is interested in long term work, overlapping edges, social economic model santi gentrification and empowerment. His research is based around, collaboration, food and systems of land use and alternative ownership seeded through collaboration and social justice. 

Owen Griffiths Biography:

Owen Griffiths is an artist, workshop leader and facilitator. Using participatory and collaborative processes, his socially engaged practice explores the possibilities of art to

create new frameworks, resources and systems. This takes many forms, but includes reclaiming and rethinking events, rituals and spaces of dialogue. Griffiths explores climate, landscape, urbanism, social justice, food systems and pedagogy, creating projects and events that prepare us for the gentle work of the future.

He is interested in working locally and in long term dialogue with communities and projects. These long-term dialogues make a case for slowing down time, rethinking the expectations around participation to model new collaborative methods which raise questions around equity, empowerment and sustainability. 

In 2020 Griffiths developed Ways of Working a new community participation platform and company in order to work in ways he feels are urgent; speaking to climate crisis, localism and radical collaborative projects. 

Jo Marsh (Creative Director at Ty Pawb), Wrexham’s Arts, Markets and Community Hub.

Weblink: https://hes32-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.typawb.wales&umid=26848098-e77f-414c-a12b-2449a4ca4efe&auth=768f192bba830b801fed4f40fb360f4d1374fa7c-d5eaefcbd2ec131e42ae96d121134efa26351191 and/or https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/sep/01/ty-pawb-review-art-gallery-everybodys-house-wrexham-market

Jo Marsh Biography:

After graduating in 2009 Jo worked as a freelance artist for a few years, this included lots of gallery education work in Wales, some in France and at the Design Museum in London. In 2011 Jo won the Leeds based Woolgather Art Prize, with my project ‘With Love From The Artist’ that had developed from my side hustle as an itinerant market trader https://hes32-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=www.withlovefromtheartist.com&umid=26848098-e77f-414c-a12b-2449a4ca4efe&auth=768f192bba830b801fed4f40fb360f4d1374fa7c-514d3850b6845bcd75526d65f4321d8d79885aa5.

In 2013-14 Jo was funded by Arts Council Wales to build and tour a travelling gallery called WanderBox, offering residencies to artists in a wide variety of settings and locations https://hes32-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.axisweb.org%2fp%2fjomarsh%2fworkset%2f213293%2dwanderbox%2f&umid=26848098-e77f-414c-a12b-2449a4ca4efe&auth=768f192bba830b801fed4f40fb360f4d1374fa7c-5710c37b68c29a33d55e90625a283baa14a13fb9

In late 2014 Jo became the Learning and Engagement Officer for Oriel Wrecsam, leading the off-site engagement programme for three years as plans for a new arts and markets development unfolded. This off-site programme included working with young people to build a full sized Shepherd’s Hut, and working with local people to establish a makers group that met regularly and adventured round the county.

In 2017 Jo was appointed Creative Director at Ty Pawb (formerly Oriel Wrecsam and the People’s Market, Wrexham). Since then Jo have been leading a programme of exhibitions and projects that grow out of local connections, and respond to local urgencies. So far this has included building a temporary adventure playground in one of the galleries (complete with 16 tonnes of sand!), working with members from our resident mental health charity to design and manufacture lamps for sale, and establishing a nascent rooftop garden on our multistory carpark.

[multiitis]

AN ALAN GRANT TIMELINE:

In the movie he is mid-thirties (let’s throw him in at thirty-four), and forties in the book. I’m going to bottlenose the timing a little bit. Some things have been changed to compliment novel to book. In current canon time, Alan is 64.

1955: Birthdate, month and date undisclosed. 

1961: As with most children, Alan’s affinity for dinosaurs become the fascination of his life. He involves himself with his studies appropriately. Throughout his formative years, Alan participates in many junior forms of paleontology: he frequents his local museum and invokes the guidance of curators who specialize in the topic. His parents allow him to understudy through a camp program. 

1974: At age 19, Alan grant steps into a more targeted graduate program for Paleontology at the University of Denver (an: I found evidence that they might have once had a specific graduate program for this but it no longer seems to exist out of archive). As per the course, he steps onto the field with a number of paleontologists and shadows under them. He maintains a healthy relationship with his visitation of the Museum of Natural History in Denver. Throughout his time, he volunteers on many levels: his first delve comes in the form of collecting data sheets and packaging samples in the office of his professor. His academic intrigue brings him ahead of the class. His personable quality gains notice. He steps into a roll of Teacher’s Assistant. He meets his future wife in this time.

1978: With four years under his belt, Alan embarks on his first dig outside of his program where he is invited to be site manager under the project manager. 

1979: In Snakewater, Alan Grant makes his first grand unearthing. Multiple nesting sites plus the addition of bones from infants. Hammond leases an island. 

1982: His wife passes away. Alan delays his drafts.

1983: After finalizing drafts, Alan publishes his work on the nesting patterns and herd behavior. The penultimate of his findings. It launches Alan into something of a celebrity overnight. Invitations for interviews flood in; Alan only wants to continue his dig, but he does take the invitation to lead the Paleontology program in the fall of 1984. His discoveries land him as a witness to multiple studies regarding the changing climate and world. 

1984: He is contacted by INGEN for consulting services. For the better course of a year, Gennaro calls him in exchange for fifty thousand that prolongs the dig site. Even with the popularity, Alan has garnered from his writings, additional income never hurts. He eventually rescinds his offer when Gennaro calls him endlessly. In September, he begins his lectures at Denver. He transforms his papers into a published book. 

1985: Hammond sets his toe in the water and begins to fund the dig. Alan meets Ellie Sattler and tags her as his favorite student. This is the point where we depart from the novel canon (Ellie is engaged to a man) and embark on the movie canon. In the summer, he brings her on as his graduate student at Snakewater.

1989: A series of incidents occur on the west coast of Costa Rica. 

1993: Hammond comes to visit the Snakewater dig and invite Alan and Ellie to Jurassic Park.

1994: Due to an NDA agreement and after extensive lockdown, Alan and Elli return to the dig site. Ian Malcolm violates his NDA and exposes the events of Jurassic Park. Alan writes his next book as an explanation of his experiences.

1996: Snakewater offers no interest to Alan; his interest resounds in velociraptor studies. He takes a temporary leave in the wake of his PTSD, and he and Ellie separate. 

1997: The San Diego accident occurs. Unbeknownst to Alan and the public, Masarani quietly acquires Jurassic Park.

1998: In the wake of the reveal of Isla Sonar and Isla Nublar, interest rises in the notoriety of live dinosaurs. The question of Paleontology is brought into consideration. Is the practice of fossils lost now with the “authentic” prize amongst the living once more? He meets Billy Brennan that same year in the fall, an associate professor in a graduate program to his own. 

1999: Heads are tapped for a dig site in Fort Peck Lake, Montana. Alan is taken on as Site Director. He brings Billy on as site manager. 

2000-2001: Funding is low due to the rage of the concept of live dinosaurs. Alan engages in multiple lectures over three years and multiple conferences to raise engagement and garner interest. At each turn he is negated by Jurassic Park and the questions of it. Kirby Enterprises approaches him, and he reluctantly accepts their offer. Alan’s report is “buried” upon the allegations of the Spinosaurus.

2004: Speculation begins about Isla Nublar and Sonar. Privacy breaks and the first commercials for JURASSIC WORLD begin to air. Questions arise: with the track record of the island, is it safe? Alan participates in a crowd of those against and marshalls against the opening of the island.

2005: Jurassic World opens. Alan is invited; he refuses. He and Billy are forced to axe the dig as their funds run dry and investors rather support the living. 

2006-2012: Alan continues teaching and his efforts against Jurassic World, now unheard with years of success under its belt. He has never step foot. He is approached in ‘12 by Owen Grady about the IBRIS Project. Alan refuses. (subject to change depending)

2015-2019: After the events of Jurassic World’s failure, Alan steps forward once again to publicly announce his feelings towards the island and the Dinosaur Protection Group. In the fallout of the events from Jurassic World 2, Alan and Billy retire to a remote location in the Colorado mountains.

[yegarts]

2018 Large Artist Project Grant Recipients

Artist Project Grants are investments in the specific projects of individual artists and artist collectives as they pursue their artistic and professional advancement. Twice per year, EAC awards small Artist Project Grants up to $5,000. Once per year, EAC awards large Artist Project Grants up to $25,000, intended to fund projects that are larger in scope and take longer to develop.

We are excited to announce the 42 artists and projects that have been awarded large project grants in 2018, and are looking forward to seeing the projects they create. Look out for most of the final projects as they are exhibited, showcased, and published in 2019, though some of the projects you’ll be able to see for yourself as early as this month. Congratulations!

The next deadline for Small Artist Project Grant applications is February 15, 2019. Click here for more information and to apply; applications open on January 15, 2019.

Alida Kendell is a choreographer developing a piece of dance theatre called The Particulars working with local composer Dean Musani and playwright Matthew MacKenzie.

Composer Allan Gilliland is recording two of his symphony compositions, Dreaming of the Masters I and Dreaming of the Masters IV, with a 60-piece orchestra in Dvorak Hall in Prague.

Visual artist Allison Tunis is developing mixed media paintings and an interactive installation that will explore the relationship between language, body size, mental health, self-esteem, relationships, and safety.

Musician Ann Vriend is writing, recording, and performing a new album of soul music based on living in Edmonton’s McCauley neighborhood.

Theatre artist Beth Dart is producing and directing a site-specific, immersive, historically-based horror theatre experience called Dead Centre of Town in Fort Edmonton Park—experience it for yourself October 18 - 31, 2018.

Experience Dead Centre of Town at Fort Edmonton Park October 18 - 31 Filmmaker Beth Wishart MacKenzie and visual artist Lana Whiskeyjack are touring a collaborative arts project called pîkiskwe-speak Art and Film Installation: An Invitation to Conversations in Reconciliation.

Theatre artist Brenley Charkow produced the play Scorch, which looks at the complex nature of gender identity, at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.

Musician Cam Neufeld is travelling to Bulgaria, Istanbul, Azerbaijan, and Trabzon to study the tonalities of music from these regions that will inform concerts and educational materials in Edmonton.

Filmmaker Conor McNally is creating a short film about local visual artist, and McLuhan House Artist in Residence, Lauren Crazybull.

Visual artist Dana Belcourt is researching, writing, and painting a children’s book, Billy and the Magical Skate, based on a story passed down to her through her family through the use of Indigenous traditions.

Darren Jordan is producing a multi-disciplinary showcase 5 Artists 1 Love for Black History Month.

Darrin Hagen is writing a literary nonfiction book based on his play Witch Hunt at the Strand, which looks at the arrest of gay Edmontonians in 1942.

Dean Kheroufi, founder of Keeping on Records, will be producing and manufacturing vinyl singles by three local artists.

Musician Garth Prince will be recording music with The Edmonton Youth Choir, Edmonton-based Tanzanian-born children’s author, Tololwa Mollel, and Francophone artist Patrick Dunn for a children’s album.

Playwright Harley Morison is producing the site-specific play KalderSaga: A Queer Tavern Drama for a Midwinter’s Night, which works to establish an origin myth for queer people.

Playwright Jason Chinn is producing the play E Day, a political comedy set during the 2015 provincial election.

Writer Jason Lee Norman is publishing Funicular, a literary magazine of short fiction and poetry by writers in Edmonton and around the world. Look for the first issue available later this year.

Filmmaker and dance artist Jennifer Mesch is creating a short film about Edmonton painter Violet Owen.

Musician Jerrold Dubyk is travelling to Cuba with his band to perform at the Jazz Plaza International Festival in January 2019.

Visual artist Jessa Gillespie is using digital media and virtual reality to explore built environments and ecology during a residency at Residency Unlimited in Brooklyn.

Filmmaker Justin Kueber is producing a fictional short film about racial equality.

Musician Karen Donaldson Shepherd and photographer Noella Steinhauer are producing the Kisâkihitin gala which will feature photography and live music showcasing Indigenous people in the Edmonton region.

Visual artist Kasie Campbell is presenting her performative work We Are Revealed at Art in Odd Places 2018: Body festival in New York City.

Dance artists Kate Stashko and Krista Posyniak are creating a new site-specific contemporary dance production.

Kate Ryan is producing and directing a version of the musical Fun Home which explores suicide, sexuality, LGBTQ equality, and familial relationships.

Kristi Hansen and The Maggie Tree are producing the play Blood: A Scientific Romance. See it October 16 - 27, 2018 at Backstage Theatre in the Fringe Theatre Building.

Gianna Vacirca and Jayce Mckenzie in The Maggie Tree’s play Blood: A Scientific Romance. Photo by BB Collective Photography Lady Vanessa Cardona is producing her play Three Ladies, about healing from trauma of sexual abuse and civil war in Colombia.

Liam Salmon is developing his play The Boy with No Face, which address gun violence and toxic masculinity.

Lizzie Derksen is writing a fiction novel, Rascal, about the spectacle of mass murder.

Margaret Macpherson is writing a creative nonfiction book, Skin, and seeking out professional development opportunities and mentorship.

Marianne Watchel is creating a multidisciplinary show with new Canadians, local musicians, and local visual artists.

Marie Winters will perform a durational web-based performance that will address mental health, PTSD, and sexual assault.

Artists Sean Caulfield, Marilene Oliver, and Scott Smallwood are creating and curating multimedia artwork for an exhibition called Dyscorpia: Future Intersections of the Body and Technology that will look at the physical body as framed by medicine, artificial intelligence, and digital communications.

Sound artist and photographer Mark Templeton is creating a photobook and accompanying musical score recorded onto cassettes to explore themes of alienation and the exotic.

Filmmaker Niobe Thompson is making a short film, Makepeace, inspired by Marcel Theroux’s Western thriller novel Far North.

Rachel and Sarah Seburn are organizing a project called Parking Lot Platforms that will see two Edmonton visual artists work with two Estonian artists to create art for transient gallery spaces in The Quarters.

Kathak dancer Riya Mittal is creating and presenting a new dance under the mentorship of renowned dancer Ayan Banerjee.

Photographer Scott Portingale is using time-lapse photographic and animation techniques to create visual representations of black holes based on scientific research.

Writer Theresa Shea is researching and writing a novel, The Constellations of Youth, which will examine the effects of divorce.

Writer Tim Bowling is researching and writing a literary nonfiction book that explores hermitage in the digital age.

Poet Titilope Sonuga is producing a spoken word album that will feature Edmonton artists Ahmed Ali, Sierra Jamerson, Brandon Wint, and Oozeela.

Theatre artist Wayne Paquette is producing Anne Washburn’s play, Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play.

[shoutsfromthedesert]

A special thanks to everyone who came out on a snowy Sunday to the closing of “Towards A New Animism”, old friends and new, from El Paso & Bay Ridge, and Larry from across the hall, the art-scene-regs, the random passersby, and especially curators Candace and Joyce, fellow exhibitors Grant, Jo and Kathleen, as well as Owen and Audra. You’re all part of my ever expanding art tribe that I’m privileged to be a part of. from “THE NEW WORLD” by KELLY SCHIRMANN DREAM OF A HUNGRY WORLD Language rings us at different tones You can say "raiding the commons but not "profit = destruction" if you want to elicit a brighter color A pleasing lack of shape Lots of people write books angry / edit obliviously A landscape diminishes & becomes your blood My advice for women is to learn that we are furious Learn how to get it out Men grasp & punch, etc Women feed their loved ones anger A mis-stake / a fence line made jagged as stars still works For now / but Learn to return again soon This is a hungry world full of people who are always in motion Always trying to eat #amosenogallery #environment #environmentalart #animism #newanimism #nature #postcontemporaryart #artstudio #artwork #artcollector #contemporarypainting #painting #oilpainting #bookmaking #worksonpaper #sculpture #ceramics #video (at Amos Eno Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZZwk0vlrQK/?utm_medium=tumblr

[michiganandback]

We were proceeding up the coast and started to go to one of the points off the coast and GPS took us to the entrance to La Farge Quarry. There was a sign telling us to turn around because it’s private property. We did and ended up at another point which had a lighthouse on Presque Isle, which we were told means almost an island in French. As you may have guessed, it's really a peninsula. We drove past the lighthouse to the water where they had a picnic area to have lunch.  A very peaceful place and there was a beautifully carved and engraved granite bench in memory of a man who obviously loved that point. We decided to go back and take a look at the Lighthouse Museum which was free. There was a curator there who goes through a part of the history and then we explored on our own. After Owen finished his introduction, we asked where he was from. He said North Carolina and I said me too, where in North Carolina? He said near Winston-Salem and that piqued both our interests. I asked him to be more specific and I think he was getting irritated but he said Clemmons. I said we were there two weeks ago because our friend lives near Clemmonsville Road in Winston-Salem. It turns out he's been vacationing up here for 20 some years and now spends his summer up here doing docent work at the Lighthouse. The lighthouse was nice and we climbed up this one just to say we have been in a lighthouse.   Today was a long day of mostly driving. We ended up in Mackinaw City for the night. In the morning we went to a 1800s reenactment settlement in downtown. That was very interesting. Everything there was authentic, with birch bark canoes, the dress of the people including some Indian outfits and ladies spinning yarn, etcetera. Pictures will give a more complete story. About mid-morning it was time to cross the famous Mackinac Bridge. It’s a toll bridge and only cost $10 for a two axle RV. We found out that whether the word ends or C it's pronounced as a w because that's the way the Native Americans pronounced it. Now we all know. We just drove north headed toward a town called Brimley which had one of the three National Scenic roads in Michigan. On the way there we stop for “Provisions” in an out of the way place off Interstate 75. While we're walking to the store a man came up to me and said is that your rig. I said yes and offered to show it to him while Elizabeth did some shopping. As we're walking there I found out Tom was retired Navy and was suffering from agent-orange poisoning from at least two tours in Vietnam. But the interesting fact was, while we were in the van and we talked about him being a navigator on gunships in Vietnam he said something in German which means what goes up must come down which I translated that he had crashed at least once. That started a whole new conversation. His father was an officer in the Luftwaffe during the war and was granted permission to come to America where he was interned near Detroit while they investigated is fitness for staying in America. He grew up speaking German, but was told not to speak German when he started school. We went back to the grocery store and had another long conversation where he explained to us about his service in Vietnam and some of the things he did which were pretty hairy. He was there when the Tet offensive started and flew in a gunship that went up to Hue to help attack the 25000 NVA. They got to the city we're taking fire from artillery and a pilot had Tom take over the navigation to set up the rockets. They fired all the rockets and knocked out most of the artillery. then took the gunship down between the buildings with about 5 feet to spare with both door gunners firing their 7.62s, they flew down the street lighting up the buildings on each side at NVA  who were hiding in. We could have talked for hours but we only talked for about 30 minutes longer than we started to. One of the men who lived in his town and I think was a relative was in the group that got attacked in Afghanistan by 300 Taliban from that group that got attacked back in 2009  He didn’t survive. Very interesting.   Aug 3   We took the road from Brimley around to Whitefish Bay through Paradise to Whitefish Point. On the way we stopped at a state park look for a campsite. When we got to entrance to the park, the sign said they were full. We asked if there were any other campgrounds around they said no. One girl looked another and said we do have one spot and we can let you have for tonight if you're only staying one night. We said is it near the bathhouse? She said not very far. It's our handicap site that we hold open till the end of the day but you can have it. I don't even remember what we paid because she didn't give me a receipt. We had the only large paved level parking space but you can almost spit to the bathroom.  We learned now how to get the last spot in a Michigan State Park and the end of the day. It was a great spot and it rained during the evening so we just chilled out and got ready to drive up to Whitefish Point, the end of the national Scenic Highway. We went to see some falls but they weren't quite as spectacular as some Falls we've seen, but they lower falls were two levels and the minerals in the water make it look like they're rusty. At Whitefish Point, we saw the maritime Shipwreck Museum included four buildings incorporating the old Coast Guard Station there. The exhibit was very moving because it talked only about all the shipwrecks and how many people had been killed including the famous Edmund Fitzgerald wreck. They had a video about that which it look like footage maybe from the other ship that was with them, because it was very realistic. After that we backtracked to go past the Upper Falls of the river we had seen but we didn't go in to look at that fall. We took a chance and headed north to the shores of Lake Superior to take an “improved” gravel road along the lake to the pictured rocks National Lakeshore. The gravel road was pretty bumpy but doable at about 25 miles an hour. We got a little worried when a few rain squalls popped up which could have made the road impassable, but it didn't rain that much. There was another RV in front of us way ahead and many cars, trucks and vans meeting us so we knew the road was passable. After about 15 miles, we hit a paved highway and went on the Grand Marais. It was time to stop for lunch again. While eating lunch, a man walked by and said is it already Miller time. I told him to look at the plate on the front of our RV and he said I guess it is 5:00 somewhere and it's just about noon here. As you might imagine, we ended up having a long discussion about the area. He has a hunting lodge about 15 miles back where we came from and his wife was down the bank from where we were eating picking wild raspberries for a pie. Steve was an interesting character. He told us that in the middle of June, the bay in front of us is a Derby for seaplanes and pontoon boat flying in to do tricks, aerobatics, etc. He got one of the pilots to get him a ride in an old two seater Otter to look at his property from the air.  Steve sat in the front seat and the pilot flew from the backseat. He also pointed out to the breakwaters where 3 boys ages 14 and 16 had been swept off in a storm and we should go see the plaque at the end of the point. We would never have known about that if we had not had that chance encounter with Steve. One of the boys are rescued by crazy person who jumped in the water to try to help him. Steve reminded us that Lake Superior makes its own weather patterns and it can get violent in a hurry. We meandered through the National Lakeshore, which has the Pictured Rocks, stopping off at some of the pull outs until we got to Munising. At first we didn't think we're going to find a campground but we found one that was newly opened and told them we were on our way. We passed a really nice campground on the way that had spaces but we had told those people to hold Campground for us so we went on to it. It had only been opened a month and they gave me a 10% military discount.  We had booked a campground in Christmas, Michigan, founded 1936!  We only booked one night and when we got there a campsite we drove past an RV just like ours accept a slightly different model with a small slide out and a Murphy bed. After dinner, we walked over to chat with Jim and Linda call. Theirs is a 2014 so we discussed some of the similar issues that we both have had. His refrigerator will only work on gas right now so they had had to throw a whole refrigerator food away because they've been gone most of the day on an Excursion in their Jeep. I told him about the engine light problem but didn't discuss the electrical problem we're having with the main circuit board.  They really like the RV and they live in Utah after retiring from the Civil Service in the Maryland area. We kept talking and it turns out Linda has a mitral valve problem also. I told her to go to Cleveland Clinic but she says her insurance company doesn't want to do a prophylactic fix. I told her mine was leaking but my insurance company fixed it even though I was not having major trouble. She has when I consider the worst insurance company in the world, Blue Cross Blue Shield. I told her I’d totally ditch that company and get a good HMO. Probably overstepped my bounds there but I had nothing but trouble with BCBS when I was forced to have that when I worked for the state of North Carolina.  We exchanged emails and we will hopefully keep in touch with them. Well it's Sunday morning and very muggy and overcast. We have a boat tour scheduled for two to ride along the shores of Lake Superior paralleling the pictured Rock National Lakeshore. We will spend one more night at a different Campground because while this Campground is new and it has a wonderful bathroom, there is only one stall in the men's room for about 70 campers. Granted the sites come with full hookups, but they're ours many tents and pop up campers that don't have full hookups. We're glad we didn't reserve two nights here. The other Campground is closer to town and is $10 a night cheaper right on the lake. More to follow with pictures soon.   We have to close our windows almost every night because of the camp fires. Why do 98% of the people think we enjoy smelling like smoke and polluting our lungs?  Ugh.     Aug 5 – Aug 6 AM   We got up and had a relaxing morning with a nice long walk to the outskirts of Christmas, Michigan and back to our campground. We checked out a little early went to the new campground before we're able to park to pay for the spot and go downtown for our lake cruise. We got a nice parking spot near the boat dock and just killed time until the boat left. We were told to be there early because the line starts to form to be on the top deck. We got there 45 minutes early and there were already 6 people in line in front of us. We got really good seats on the upper deck.  The weather was overcast, but warm and the wind was what was produced by the boat. After we got out of the no wake zone, the boat picked up speed and we headed out to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. You'll see that at the end of the array of photos after this narrative. They're very hard to describe in words and we hope the pictures do them justice. This morning we take a glass bottom boat tour to see some shipwrecks. After that, we will continue on up the Upper Peninsula in the direction of the place that we will take airplane ride over to the Isle Royale National Park.  We have five days to get there so we should make it in time.    

[skepticaloccultist]

The Bookshop as a Meeting Place

Treadwell's Books has been a part of London occult life for more than a decade. A center for London's disparate and motley occultists, witches, and magicians of every ilk and path to celebrate and meet.

Between weekly events, book launches and tarot readings Treadwell's is a home away from home for occultists the world over. From regular lectures and presentations by Phil Hine, Michael Staley, Hannah Sanders, Chris Josiffe, Robert Wallis, Owen Davies and dozens more to walking tours of the British Museum and Bloomsbury's occult history it's a place to linger, searching for that rare bit of booklore, meeting others on their own path. Some incredible people have found their way through Treadwell's door, a couple of friend's even found each other and eventually married because of Treadwell's. Its a magical place in many ways.

Having moved seven years ago from its first location in Covent Garden it is now tucked away down Store Street in Bloomsbury. A bigger space upstairs and downstairs lends itself to more events, with a comfortable downstairs that is even available for lettings for various group functions, public and private.

Behind Treadwell's is proprietor and "presiding spirit" Christina Oakley Harrington. In between her sold out Magical Bloomsbury Walking Tour and otherwise busy schedule I managed to chat with her about London occulture, her passion for books and running a bookshop in 21st century London.

  +++

Christina Oakley Harrington of Treadwell's

While Treadwell's has only been in London since 2003 it seems to be a fixture that is much more firmly rooted in the occulture of London than its teenaged years belie. How have you come to be so central to the occult community of London?

Gosh, are we really? I have to give the credit to the wonderful people who've come through the doors of Treadwells for that. I've been hugely inspired by London's history of occult communities and in particular, the exciting occult renaissance of the 1880s and 1890s, when the Order of the Golden Dawn and the Theosophical Society had hundreds of members and there were gatherings, rituals and conversations happening every night of the week. I saw that such a renaissance might be possible in our own day if there was a bookshop which was actually a meeting place -- and I saw from history that such a place needed to offer a combination of hospitality, friendship-building and events space.

We hosted our first event within a few months of opening our doors. Since then, it's never been fewer than three nights a week that we're here. That's why we can't open any earlier than 11 am during the week and at weekends we certainly couldn't start any earlier than noon. All our late nights here!

What misbegotten adventure led you to opening an occult bookshop?

I got involved in paganism and the esoteric community in 1987 in the US, where I lived for eleven years. In 1989 I moved to London. It was the Atlantis Bookshop under the ownership of Caroline Wise which was the hub of activity and occult community creativity -- she was a force of nature, hosting conferences, promoting groups, advertising pub moots, and generally making me (and other young people) welcome and feel so inspired. Through her we got to meet magical orders, attend rituals, learn about magic from practitioners. She kept the channels flowing. If you went into her shop, she'd bombard you with recommendations, hand-made fliers, posters and postcards. So I opened Treadwells just as she was retiring from owning Atlantis, and felt that in that regard, she passed on the baton to us. Caroline's been a huge supporter of Treadwells and she's my personal inspiration of what an occult bookshop owner should be.

Do you collect books yourself?

I do! My collection is pretty eclectic. I don't have the completist gene, so I don't need to own full sets of things, mercifully. Then I get bored. I collected all of Dion Fortune's first editions, then once I had the full set, I didn't care anymore, so I sold them. I now have her work in paperback, which I've marked up with my marginal notes and personal opinions in the front and rear covers. So I work most of my books pretty hard. It's from my days as an historian, that I have opinions on what I'm reading and want to debate with the authors, or agree with them. So the margins of my books show that.

In the corner of my study is a shelf of books mentioning Treadwells, signed by their authors. Authors sometimes mention the shop in their novels, or in their guidebooks. Occasionally students and scholars mention Treadwells in the acknowledgments if we've helped them with their research - and that's so lovely. We have a commitment to assisting scholarly research where we can.

My collection is a working library of books containing ideas I love, historical research that inspires me, and lots of poetry -- which I use in contemplative reading and adopt into rituals I write. Big subjects I read are witchcraft, sapphic writers from Sappho through the 1920s, Renaissance planetary magic, and biographies of magicians of previous centuries. I've got an entire room for my books at home, and most often there are lots of them piled up on the desk with bookmarks stuck in, and intermingled are my various notebooks with quotes scrawled from the books I'm reading.

You mentioned a background as a historian, were you an academic before becoming a bookseller?

I was! I was a medieval historian. I taught for eleven years at a college of the University of Surrey. My PhD was at University College London with supplementary study at Jesus College, Oxford. The links between the world of scholarship and magical practice have grown wonderfully over the past fifteen years, so I relish reading the recent academic articles and studies of medieval magical texts and practice.

Do you recall the first book of, or on, magic you remember owning? Not a library book, but something that was your own?

I am sure I had children's books with witches as a very young child, as I was crazy about witches, and always wanted to try to do spells, and I even pretended to be able to fly (I had a children's storybook called No Flying in the House). However, I was very taken with a book whose name I can't recall, which I took from my parents' bookshelves, on superstitions and charms. I would copy the best charms -- in my opinion -- into a notebook, which I called my spellbook. I must have been about six, seven years old....

What rare items have come through Treadwells shelves over the years?

I'm so fortunate to see treasures coming through here. We have had a good smattering of Aleister Crowley first editions, Gerald Gardner first editions and books signed by Kenneth Grant. These are the staples of occult rare bookselling. But I love the offbeat stuff - we've got awesome zines. Zines are overlooked but are truly collectible as they're snapshots of the occult community at a particular moment, at the working coal-face, as it were. A faintingly exciting moment was when we got a very early Rider-Waite tarot deck, from a lady who had it in her attic, and had inherited it from her grandmother. We had people coming in just to look at it before we sold it to its current owner - during those two weeks we were honoured to be able to let tarot-lovers view it and appreciate it.

Some rare items are new - we've launched very limited edition items here -- nocturnal parties for books which are individually consecrated and inscribed and of which only one or two hundred copies are made. Those events are very magical, as it's just a small group of guests, lots of incense billowing, and good red wine flowing.

How has occult bookselling and publishing changed from your perspective over the last 14 years?

Bookselling now is a harder living than even twenty years ago, with London rents being high and with people having the option of purchasing on Amazon. But it's still vibrant, and getting even moreso. Reading occult literature inspires people to want to practice and meet others -- that's where the bookshop is crucial, and always will be. A bookseller is a curator, an advisor, and a bit of a therapist even, at times. I love that it's a continuity, a continuity of over 200 years.

Has the environment changed since the store moved to its current location several years back? Do you feel the community has grown?

We've been here at Store Street for seven years, having moved here after seven years in Covent Garden. I find it hard to believe we've been in Store Street just as long as we were in the old address. So uncanny! The community is different here than there -- and well, times change. In 2003 there was a tight connected community of people, and newcomers entered that network of people, socially. Now, it's much more open, less a community than a wider base of many many individuals who have overlapping interests. They will meet likeminded people at more niche events. I think it's because the era of subcultures is largely over, or so it seems to me. But Treadwells itself is a kind of community of regulars -- we get to know people whose vibe is in tune with ours and they keep coming back so next thing you know, we know all their kids' names and are invited to their art openings. But we are keen not to behave like a clique. So many occult-oriented people were outsiders at school that honestly, we don't need to replicate that in adulthood. A friendly gesture and a welcoming hello for our customers and new acquaintances: that's essential.

So many occultists I know scattered around the world have stories to tell about Treadwell's, visits on trips, meeting future spouses there, finding some bit of rarity they had long sought. Any insights into the future of occult bookselling in London and in general? Where does the plot take us from here?

I'm very excited about a new bookshop/occult event space in Seattle, Mortlake & Co, run by a wonderful chap named William Kiesel (of Ouroboros Press fame). It's got not only a range of rare books, but it also hosts intimate, intellectually-engaged soirees. I think occult bookselling is at its most exciting when it overlaps, not with the New Age, but with history and anthropology. By which I mean to say, when we widen our interest from the practice itself to include the people and the cultures that produced it. As an example, if you you love Enochian magic, check out Elizabethan court life. If you are drawn to hoodoo, learn about how African Americans lived in the era of slavery. If you practice traditional witchcraft, read a book on old cunningmen.

Any upcoming events or releases you would like to mention?

I'm particularly proud of our commitment to traditional, classic tarot reading. The art of reading the cards takes over a decade to master, but one can learn enough to have a meaningful experience in a single day. We offer one-day workshops, eight-week courses and even intermediate brush-up days. Tarot cards came out of the Italian Renaissance, so the symbolism is rich and deep, and it's the same symbol code you find embedded in Renaissance art. If you study the tarot cards, your trips to art museums suddenly become much more exciting.

+++

Discover Treadwell's Bookshop for yourself:

Treadwell's Books 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury, London www.treadwells-london.com/

[popradar]

Weekend Planner: 20 of the Coolest Things to do in L.A.

Art: Kate Micucci, courtesy of the artist and Gallery1988

Here are 20 awesome events happening in L.A. this weekend...Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow  @christineziemba on Twitter or Instagram. 

FRIDAY, DEC. 1

KATE MICUCCI (Art)

On Friday night, from 7-9 pm artist and actor Kate Micucci returns to G1988 for another solo show. All her works are on sale, and proceeds from Micucci’s cut are going to charity. Bring an unwrapped gift (valued $10 or more) to the opening on Friday and get a discount on your purchase.

ISABEL ALLENDE (Book talk)

Book Soup presents Chilean-American novelist Isabel Allende (The House of the Spirits, City of the Beasts), off-site at the Skirball Cultural Center on Friday at 7 pm. Allende discusses her new novel In the Midst of Winter, which chronicles the lives of “very different people brought together in a mesmerizing story that journeys from present-day Brooklyn to 1970s Chile and Brazil.” She’ll be in conversation with Los Angeles Times Book Editor Carolyn Kellogg. Each ticket ($28) will include a signed copy of english edition of In the Midst of Winter. 

BLITZEN TRAPPER (Music)

The Bootleg Theater presents the Portland, Oregon-based experimental pop band Blitzen Trapper on Friday night. The band’s on the road promoting its latest release, Wild & Reckless. Lilly Hiatt opens. All ages. Tickets: $20. Doors at 8:30 pm. 

SLOTHRUST (Music)

Boston trio Slothrust play The Echo on Friday night. The rockers just released an EP of covers, Show Me How You Want It To Be. Covers include “Wonderful World,” “...Baby One More Time” and one of our personal favs, “Sex and Candy.” And the Kids, Slugs open the night. Tickets: $11.50, $15 day of show. Ages 18+. 8:30 pm. 

MUSEUM OF FAILURE (Art)

The Museum of Failure opens on Saturday at the A+D Architecture and Design Museum. The pop-up museum, which closes on Feb. 4, is a curated collection of “epic fails by some of the world’s best known companies.” What to expect? Items such as Apple Newton, Bic for Her, Betamax and more. The Museum of Failure is open Wednesdays to Sundays. Adult general admission tickets: $15+ fees. Children 12 and younger: Free.  

SLEEPLESS: THE MUSIC CENTER AFTER HOURS (Party)

The next installment of Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours series happens from 11pm on Friday to 3 am on Saturday. This special edition of Sleepless—Cuba: Antes, Ahora / Then, Now—is being held as part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. The overnight event allows guests to explore The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The event features talented artists and performers from Cuba, film screenings, light installations, and a mercadito of Cuban artwork and merchandise. There are other events throughout the weekend related to Cuba: Antes, Ahora / Then, Now. The demand for the free tickets (+$6 fee) has been high, and unavailable online. Additional tickets may be released so follow the Music Center on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

TORI AMOS (Music)

Tori Amos plays three nights at The Theatre at Ace Hotel, from Friday to Sunday. Her music is as relevant now as it was when were in school. Tickets: $55-$75.  

SATURDAY, DEC. 2

POCOCK BREWING COMPANY (Beer fest)

Pocock Brewing in Santa Clarita celebrates its 2nd Anniversary with a beer fest on Saturday from noon to 4 pm. Pocock invites more than 18 other breweries to help celebrate (Absolution Brewing to Wolf Creek). There will also be live bands (The Darryls, The Snare Heads) and food trucks (Swami's Sandwiches, Vern's Grill, Tomski Sausage). All net proceeds benefit the Castaic Education Foundation and the Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation. General admission: $40, VIP: $55. Designated Driver (non-drinking): $10. VIP entry is at noon and general entry is at 4 pm.

UNION STATION (Holiday festival)

Union Station celebrates the Christmas/holiday season with a festival and pop-up artisan market on Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm. The day features more than 30 vendors including jewelry from The Key Historic, screen-printed T-shirts from The Poster List, a mobile record shop from Dig It Vinyl; organic body products from Original Good Goods and more. The family-friendly event features live music from the California Feetwarmers (ragtime); Sweet Beats, DJ Kiyomi’s modern sounds from a renovated 1957 ice cream truck; and Girls Gone Vinyl, a collective of female DJs. Food trucks and local craft breweries, including Indie Brewing at the Beer Garden, will be on hand, too.

A CURRENT AFFAIR (Shopping)

A Current Affair Vintage Pop-up Marketplace returns to L.A.’s Cooper Design Space Penthouse on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. The show brings together more than 65 vintage retailers and private dealers to showcase clothing, accessories and jewelry. There’s an open bar, courtesy of local distillery Our Vodka, hydration by Boxed Water, and complimentary draft lattes from La Colombe. General admission begins at 12 pm with tickets at $12. Preview admission on Saturday at 10 am: $20. Weekend pass: $28.

Image: Courtesy of the MAK Center

MAK ANNUAL ARCHITECTURE TOUR (Design)

MAK Annual Architecture Tour takes place on Saturday from 3-7 pm in Inglewood. The tour highlights three single-family homes designed by R.M. Schindler to “promote and redefine modern, affordable living in 1940's Los Angeles.” These homes are open to the public for the first time. Proceeds from the tour benefit the MAK Center for Art & Architecture's work and stewardship of Schindler's architecture. Tickets: $45 general, $40 members, $90 ticket + Friend level membership.

GIANT ROBOT POST-IT SHOW 13 (Art)

The 13th annual Giant Robot Post-it show returns to Giant Robot 2 - GR2 Gallery on Saturday. The show features more than 400 artists and 3,000+ works of art on Post-it notes. All works are $25 each. The show opens to previews at noon and sales start at 3 pm. The exhibition runs through December 10. 

THE BECHDEL CAST LIVE PRESENTS DIE HARD (Live podcast)

The Bechdel Cast, a podcast hosted by Caitlin Durante and Jamie Loftus, examines the portrayal of women in film, one movie at a time. On Saturday, at Nerdist Showroom at 7 pm, Durante, Loftus and special guest Debra DiGiovanni stage a live show to celebrate The Bechdel Cast’s One Year Anniversary, and they’re tackling Die Hard. 

THE CHRONICLES OF LA (Shopping)

The Chronicles of LA is a mysterious, experiential pop-up store and art exhibit that takes place in a secret vintage hotel on Friday and Saturday. With the theme of sex, the two-day pop-up features more than 60 artists, designers, performers and musicians from around sharing ideas and viewpoints about sex, through their works and goods. We don’t know much more than that, so to get the location and more details, RSVP.

Images: Courtesy of Night Gallery and Marisa Takal

BEYOND OY TOO SCARED TO HA-HA (Art)

Night Gallery presents Beyond Oy Too Scared to Ha-Ha, a solo art exhibition of new work by LA-based artist Marisa Takal. From the gallery: “Takal creates abstract expressionist landscapes of places, times, interiors, intestines, disillusions, and emotions. She began work on the pieces of this exhibition during the inauguration earlier this year, and many of the pieces began from a place of anxiety.” The opening reception takes place on Saturday from 7-10 pm. The exhibition runs through Jan. 13.

HOLIDAY AFLOAT (Boat parade)

The 55th Annual Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade takes place on Saturday at the Port of Los Angeles. With the theme of "Peace Around the World," approximately 60 boats will be parading along the LA waterfront, decked out for the holiday season. The parade starts in the East Basin near Banning’s Landing Community Center in Wilmington, and it takes about 90 minutes for the boats to travel the entire route. There are spectator viewing spots in several locations in San Pedro and Wilmington. 

SUNDAY, DEC. 3

Image: Courtesy of Voyager Institute

WTF VOYAGER CHRISTMAS (Film)

The Voyager Institute collaborates with crew from the former Non Plus Ultra venue for upcoming movie nights at 2044 Rosslyn St. On Sunday, they present A WTF Voyager Xmas. The first half of the afternoon presents a “condensed” version of Jack Frost (1998). The film stars Michael Keaton as a rocker reincarnated into a sentient snowman. The effects are awesome, and it’s a film that needs to be taken in with an audience. The second half of the program features film critic Alonso Duralde (The Wrap) and a Q&A about the Christmas movie genre. Doors 6 pm, show 7 pm. The event is free with RSVP, but donations accepted.

HEAVY HEAVY LOW LOW COMEDY SHOW (Comedy)

Heavy Heavy Low Low Comedy Show takes place in the back bar ot Bar Lubitsch on Sunday at 9:30 pm. The show is free and features the comedic talents of guest host Erin Alexis with Amy Miller, Papp Johnson, Kelly McInerney, Rose Toberman Alsander, Chase Austin and Jules Posner. Ages 21+. 

EMO NITE DAY (Music)

Emo Nite Day is a festival of emo acts that takes place on Sunday from 2-11 pm at the Shrine Expo Hall & Grounds. The lineup on multiple stages features The Used, Machine Gun Kelly, Tigers Jaw, Craig Owens (Chiodos), Finch, Aaron Gillespie (Underoath + The Almost), Frank Zummo (Sum 41), Mom Jeans and more. DJ sets from Preston, From First To Last and others. The all-ages event also features art installations, food trucks and other treats. Tickets: $59.50. 

FRIENDSHIP BUDDIES (Comedy)

Friendship Buddies is a weekly stand-up comedy show that takes place on the patio of the Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. Hosted by Luke Giordano, the lineup features: Amy Miller, Ryan Conner, Debra DiGiovanni, Biniam Bizuneh, Grant Lyon, Kyle Shire and Aaron Hertzog. 8 pm. Free.

—by Christine N. Ziemba

[nyfacurrent]

Announcing | NYFA Holiday Gift Guide

Our second-annual Gift Guide arrives just in time for the holiday shopping season.

NYFA affiliated artists and emerging organizations are busy creating year-round. Help celebrate and support their work this holiday season by purchasing products and experiences that they’ve poured their artistic hearts and minds into. 

Books

Jennifer Egan’s (Fellow in Fiction ’90) Manhattan Beach, her first novel since her Pulitzer Prize-winning A Visit from the Good Squad, steps back in time to World War II-era Brooklyn. With the atmosphere of a noir thriller, the historical novel revolves around Anna, the first female diver at the Brooklyn Naval Yard, as she explores the disappearance of her father. Purchase the book here. 

Deanna Fei’s (Fellow in Fiction ’06) Girl in Glass explores what it means to save a life: from the front lines of a neonatal intensive care unit to the perils of the American healthcare system; from decades of medical innovation to the question of how we care for our most vulnerable; and to the potent force for a child’s will to live. Purchase the book here.

Michael Findlay, a NYFA Board Member and an internationally-respected art dealer, has authored a highly-engaging and empowering book that urges museum goers to unplug from the audio tour, ignore information labels, and really see art with all of their senses. The book, Seeing Slowly: Looking at Modern Art, can be purchased here.

Kathleen Hill’s (Fellow in Fiction ’94) She Read to us in the Late Afternoons: A Life in Novels, is a memoir built around stories of how novels have infused her life, or the difference they have made. The book explores defining moments in her life through the novels she read in Nigeria, France, and at home in New York. Order the book here.

Patricia Horvath’s (Fellow in Nonfiction ’07, Fiction ’15) All the Difference: A Memoir is a captivating account of the author’s transformation from a visibly disabled young woman into someone who could, abruptly, “pass” for able-bodied. Purchase the book here.

Joseph Keckler’s (Fellow in Interdisciplinary Work ’12) signatures are his three-plus-octave operatic voice and the mesmerizing stories he tells. His new book, Dragons at the Edge of a Flat World: Portraits and Revelations, combines original pieces with material from his acclaimed performances. Purchase the book here.

Lisa Ko’s (Fellow in Fiction ’02) The Leavers is a 2017 National Book Award Finalist and winner of the 2016 PEN/Bellweather Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. The critically-acclaimed book is a moving examination of borders and belonging that follows an undocumented Chinese mother who suddenly disappears and the young American-born son she leaves behind. Buy the book here.

James Sherry’s (Fellow in Poetry ’91) The Oligarch uses the structure of Machiavelli’s The Prince to show how governance has changed over the last 500 years. If Machiavelli focuses on power concentrated in the hands of the republic or principalities, The Oligarch looks at how states and companies today function as oligarchies. Purchase the book here.

Art + Art Books

Browse NYFA’s Artspace page for curated works by NYFA affiliated artists. Find photographs, prints, paintings, works on paper, and more and stay tuned for a fresh group of works for sale by NYFA affiliated artists from the Hudson Valley in the coming weeks!

Fran Antmann’s (Sponsored Project) Maya Healers: A Thousand Dreams is a stunning book of photographs and writing that explores the power and mystery of ancient indigenous healing practices among the Maya people of Guatemala. Purchase the book here.

Debi Cornwall’s (Sponsored Project) Welcome to Camp America offers a vivid and disorienting glimpse into the U.S. Naval Station in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, (known as “Gitmo”) and its growing diaspora, through photographs, once-classified government documents, and first-person accounts. Buy the book here.

Johanna Goodman (Fellow in Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts ’17) is having a pre-holiday sale featuring 13″x19″ art prints. There are dozens of colorful collage works to choose from, and you can view them here.

Andres Serrano’s (Sponsored Project and Fellow in Photography ’87) Salvation: the Holy Land shows Serrano’s approach to the subject of religious faith through stunning photographs. Using a Mamiya RB67, he captured the landscape, people, and everyday lives and celebrations in Israel, visiting sacred sites in Bethlehem, Ramallah, Galilee, and the Dead. Buy the book here.

Alex Webb (Fellow in Photography ’86) and Rebecca Norris Webb’s Slant Rhymes is a photographic conversation between the two renowned authors and artists. The book features selected 80 paired photographs taken during the Webbs’ nearly 30-year relationship, creating an affectionate play of visual rhymes. Buy the book here.

Films, Etc.

Spike Lee (Fellow in Film ’85) and Lynn Nottage (Fellow in Playwriting/Screenwriting ’94, ’00) team up for She’s Gotta Have It, a Netflix Original that returns to the story and character of the very first Spike Lee “joint.” Streaming on Netflix starting November 23.

Li Lu’s (Sponsored Project) There is a New World Somewhere follows the story of Sylvia, a woman who returns to her Texas hometown for a friend’s wedding. There, she meets Esteban, an electrifying stranger who dares her to join him on a road trip through the Deep South. Stream it on Amazon Prime.

Jodi Savitz’s (Sponsored Project) Girl on Girl is a feature-length documentary that follows the stories of feminine lesbians who, even after coming out, feel invisible and stigmatized. Read our August 2017 interview with Savitz here and rent or purchase the film here.

Music

Sarah Hennies (Fellow in Music/Sound ’16, Shelley Pinz Grant Recipient ’17) is a composer and percussionist whose work utilizes an often grueling, endurance-based performance practice. One of her latest recordings, Gather & Release, is available for sale as a limited-edition CD in a hand-sewn sleeve. Buy it here.

Eunbi Kim (IAP ’16, ’17) is a virtuosic pianist with wide-ranging artistic sensibilities. In her recording debut, A House of Many Rooms, Kim performs genre-fluid concert music by exploratory artist and 10-time Grammy nominee Fred Hersch. Purchase it here.

Lisa Kron’s (Fellow in Playwriting/Screenwriting ’94) Tony Award-wining musical FUN HOME is a gripping portrayal of a daughter’s determination to understand and connect with her volatile, brilliant enigmatic father that’s based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir. Get the original cast recording here.

Qasim Ali Naqvi’s (Fellow in Music/Sound ’16, Shelley Pinz Grant Recipient ’17) Film is a body of analog electronic music created for the feature film Tripoli Cancelled and the three-channel video installation Two Meetings and a Funeral. Both film/video works were created by Naeem Mohaiemen and were commissioned by Documenta 14. Film is an homage to the Moog instrument legacy and is available for purchase here.

Pianist/composer Deanna Witkowski’s (Sponsored Project) Makes the Heart to Sing: Jazz Hymns is a lyrical trio session that interprets a spiritually-charged body of music rarely investigated by jazz artists. Buy the digital album here.

Becky Starobin’s (Sponsored Project) Bridge Records is perhaps best known for its recordings of 20th and 21st-Century classical repertoire. The Sunday Times (London) called the company “one of modern music’s most fortunate assets.” New releases include Leonard Bernstein: Complete Solo Works for Piano and Alma Espanola featuring Isabel Leonard and Sharon Isbin. See all new releases here.

Experiences

See award-winning David Henry Hwang (Playwriting/Screenwriting ’85) and Julie Taymor’s (Fellow in Performance Art/Emergent Forms ’89) Broadway revival of the modern classic M. Butterfly starring Clive Owen. The production tells a remarkable love story of international espionage and personal betrayal. Original music by Elliot Goldenthal (Fellow in Music Composition ’89). Purchase tickets here.

Buy tickets to see Tony Kushner’s (Fellow in Playwriting/Screenwriting ’87) Pulitzer Prize-winning Angels in America on Broadway. The new production of the landmark play will star Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield after selling out its London run. Buy tickets here.

See work by New York City Ballet Resident Choreographer Justin Peck (Fellow in Choreography ’13) this winter. He’ll present a piece as part of NYCB’s “21st Century Choreographers” program in late January/early February, and another as part of the “Here/Now” program in late February/early March, both featuring music by Sufjan Stevens. More info and tickets here and here.

Dael Orlandersmith’s (Fellow in Fiction ’96) Until the Flood will enjoy its New York Premiere this January at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. The one-person show was written in response to Michael Brown’s death; Orlandersmith plays the many faces and voices of life in St. Louis without advancing any one viewpoint above others. Purchase tickets here.

Hear Eva Salina (Fellow in Folk/Traditional Arts ’15) perform at globalFEST, a world music platform that will bring 12 of the world’s most interesting artists to three stages in New York City on January 14, 2018. Salina, a groundbreaking interpreter of Balkan Romani songs, will perform with her partner Peter “Perica” Stan, a Serbian Romani accordionist. Purchase tickets here.

Map out your desires using Patricia Smith’s (Fellow in Poetry ’09, Printmaking/Drawing/Artists’ Book ’14) Pocket of Desire Map, which lays out an internal geography of personal desires against a drawing in Smith’s signature style. Record a day, a week, or a month on the same map and at the end of the chosen time period you’ll have an accurate picture of what you want. Purchase the map here.

Though tickets aren’t yet available for purchase, we couldn’t help but include Obie Award-winning Young Jean Lee’s (Fellow in Playwriting/Screenwriting ’10) Straight White Men, which opens this March on Broadway (and is set on Christmas Eve!). The story is a hilariously ruthless look at the classic American father-son drama. View show details here. 

More Ways to Give

With friends like you, we can continue to fulfill our mission to empower artists in all disciplines at critical stages in their creative lives. Consider making a donation to NYFA to help us continue our vital services.

Another way to support NYFA? Start shopping with AmazonSmile. Every time you shop, Amazon will make a donation to NYFA. 

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more news and events from NYFA affiliated artists. Also, don’t forget to like us on Facebook to see what current fiscally sponsored projects are up to! To receive more artist news updates, sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter, NYFA News.

Image: Jill Levine (Fellow in Sculpture '05); Untitled; 2014; gouache, pencil on paper; available via NYFA’s Artspace page.

[dw-public-call]

List of accepted nominations for Public Call 2017

These are all the character combinations ("relationships" that kan be requestd as gen or ship) that are eligible this round. You can request or offer them in your sign-up. Remember that for matching purposes it is required that you request and offer at least one "relationship" consisting only of New Who or Torchwood characters. (That means you need to pick at least one relationship from the first two sections of this list. It's a great list of relationships again, and we're looking forward to the fic that will come from this. :) New Who Ashildr | Lady Me/Clara Oswin Oswald Ashildr | Lady Me/Jenny (Doctor Who: The Doctor's Daughter) Clara Oswin Oswald/River Song Colonel Mace/Captain Marion Price Eleventh Doctor/Amy Pond/Vincent van Gogh Eleventh Doctor/Clara Oswin Oswald Eleventh Doctor/Craig Owens Eleventh Doctor/Jack Harkness Eleventh Doctor/Jack Harkness/The Doctor's TARDIS Eleventh Doctor/River Song Eleventh Doctor/Rory Williams Eleventh Doctor/Tenth Doctor Eleventh Doctor/The Doctor's TARDIS Eleventh Doctor/Vincent van Gogh Heather (Doctor Who: The Pilot)/Bill Potts Heather (Doctor Who: The Pilot)/Jenny (Doctor Who: The Doctor's Daughter)/Bill Potts Jack Harkness/Jenny (Doctor Who: The Doctor's Daughter) Jack Harkness/Martha Jones Jack Harkness/Missy Jenny (Doctor Who: The Doctor's Daughter)/Bill Potts Jenny Flint/Madame Vastra Jethro Cane/Tenth Doctor Joan Redfern/John Smith Kate Lethbridge-Stewart/Petronella Osgood Kate Lethbridge-Stewart/River Song Kate Lethbridge-Stewart/Sarah Jane Smith Martha Jones/Bill Potts Martha Jones/Rose Tyler Ninth Doctor/Donna Noble Ninth Doctor/Jabe Ceth Ceth Jabe Ninth Doctor/Jack Harkness Ninth Doctor/Jack Harkness/Rose Tyler Ninth Doctor/Joan Redfern Ninth Doctor/Twelfth Doctor Tenth Doctor (duplicate)/Donna Noble Tenth Doctor (duplicate)/Jack Harkness (Pete's Verse) Tenth Doctor/Jack Harkness Tenth Doctor/Jack Harkness/Martha Jones Tenth Doctor/Joan Redfern Tenth Doctor/Reinette Tenth Doctor/River Song Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler Tenth Doctor/Sarah Jane Smith Tenth Doctor/The Master (Simm) Tenth Doctor/Twelfth Doctor The Curator/Petronella Osgood Thirteenth Doctor/Bill Potts Thirteenth Doctor/Jack Harkness Thirteenth Doctor/Jack Harkness/Missy Thirteenth Doctor/Missy Thirteenth Doctor/River Song Thirteenth Doctor/Rose Tyler Twelfth Doctor/Bill Potts Twelfth Doctor/Clara Oswin Oswald Twelfth Doctor/Courtney Woods Twelfth Doctor/Donna Noble Twelfth Doctor/Erica (The Pyramid at the End of the World) Twelfth Doctor/Jack Harkness Twelfth Doctor/Jack Harkness/Missy Twelfth Doctor/Kate Lethbridge-Stewart Twelfth Doctor/Martha Jones Twelfth Doctor/Missy Twelfth Doctor/Nardole Twelfth Doctor/Nardole/Bill Potts Twelfth Doctor/Petronella Osgood Twelfth Doctor/River Song Twelfth Doctor/The Doctor's TARDIS Twelfth Doctor/The Master (Simm)/Missy Twelfth Doctor/Thirteenth Doctor Torchwood Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones Jack Harkness/Toshiko Sato Mary (Torchwood: Greeks Bearing Gifts)/Toshiko Sato Classic Who Ace McShane/The Doctor's TARDIS Ace McShane/Thomas "Hex" Schofield Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart/Liz Shaw Ben Jackson/Polly Wright Eighth Doctor/Grace Holloway Fifth Doctor/Nyssa of Traken Fifth Doctor/Vislor Turlough First Doctor/The Doctor's TARDIS Fourth Doctor/Leela (Doctor Who) Fourth Doctor/Romana II Fourth Doctor/Sarah Jane Smith Ian Chesterton/Barbara Wright Jamie McCrimmon/Victoria Waterfield John Benton/Harry Sullivan Leela/Romana III Peri Brown/Sixth Doctor Seventh Doctor/Ace McShane Tegan Jovanka/Nyssa of Traken Third Doctor/Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart Third Doctor/Jo Grant Third Doctor/Jo Grant/Sarah Jane Smith Third Doctor/Liz Shaw Third Doctor/The Master (Delgado) Mixed Relationships, Big Finish and others Ace McShane/Bill Potts Ace McShane/Missy Bernice Summerfield/Leela (Doctor Who) Bill Potts/Ace McShane Eighth Doctor/Charley Pollard Eighth Doctor/Fitz Kreiner Darkel/Narvin Eighth Doctor/Jack Harkness Eighth Doctor/Twelfth Doctor/Fitz Kreiner Fifth Doctor/Tenth Doctor Irving Braxiatel/Narvin Jethro Cane/Luke Smith Narvin/Romana II Ninth Doctor/Vislor Turlough Nyssa of Traken/Clara Oswin Oswald River Song/Bernice Summerfield Romana I/Clara Oswin Oswald Romana I/River Song Romana II/Clara Oswin Oswald Romana II/River Song Seventh Doctor/Ace McShane/Bill Potts Seventh Doctor/Missy Susan Foreman/Bill Potts The Doctor | Theta Sigma (Academy Era)/The Master | Koschei (Academy Era) Third Doctor/Twelfth Doctor Twelfth Doctor/Susan Foreman Twelfth Doctor/Vislor Turlough

Sign-ups will open on Wednesday, October 4th. Hope to see you then!

All information about the Doctor Who Exchange - Rules and FAQ for 2017  

[evoldir]

Fwd: Job: SmithsonianNMNH_Washington.AssociateDirectorScience

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Job: SmithsonianNMNH_Washington.AssociateDirectorScience > Date: 17 July 2019 at 18:03:05 GMT+10 > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR SCIENCE > SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, Washington, DC > > The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH or Museum) > invites applications and nominations for Associate Director for Science > (ADS). The NMNH is a science-based museum within the Smithsonian > Institution. With over 146 million specimens and objects, the Museumขs > National Collection is the largest natural history collection in the world > and represents over 90 percent of the holdings of the Smithsonian. NMNH > sees between five and six million visitors a year, making it one of the > worldขs most visited, and esteemed, natural history museums. On any > given day, a scientific community of more than 500 works in the NMNHขs > facilities, publishing over 1000 scientific papers and securing more > than $8 million in external grant funding per year. > > The ADS has the opportunity to set the vision for NMNH Science that builds > upon a grand legacy of exploration, discovery, premier collections-based > research, and public outreach. Reporting to the new Deputy Director, > Dr. Ian Owens, the ADS will lead and develop an overall scientific > staff that includes 68 curators and comprises one of the largest > collection-based research teams in the world. The ADS will propel NMNHขs > investments in world-class talent, development of big, ambitious projects, > and use of new technologies to mobilize its collection to ensure the > continuation of NMNHขs outstanding scientific legacy and future impact. > > The Museum seeks an accomplished researcher with significant experience > in leadership and administration in a research-intensive environment. The > ADS will be a strategic-thinker with excellent communication skills and > the ability to attract a diverse array of talented researchers to join > NMNH, while retaining and developing its current staff. The ADS will > be a standout mentor who views their success as inextricably tied to > the success of the Museumขs scientific community.  NMNH has retained > Isaacson Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this > recruitment. > > For further details and applications please use www.imsearch.com/7082. > > -- > Ian Owens > Deputy Director > w 202.633.2624  owensi@si.edu > > SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION > NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY > Facebook > |  Twitter  |  Instagram > > > > "Owens, Ian" > via IFTTT

[356mission]

Why was 356 Mission founded?

356 Mission is a collaborative project that prioritizes cultural and arts programming that is open and available to everyone. 

How does 356 Mission work?

356 Mission provides an extensive schedule of exhibition and event programming, free and open to the public. Artwork on display is often for sale, and proceeds are split between the artist and 356 Mission. All proceeds collected by 356 Mission are put back into programming. It is not a business geared towards financial gain. 

What happens at 356 Mission?

356 Mission hosts over 10 exhibitions and over 50 events a year. We work directly with artists and curators, and accept proposals for events and projects. Events include performances, screenings, discussions, concerts, and readings. 356 Mission occasionally hosts events to raise money for causes that are important to us, through suggested donations at the door or the sale of artwork. For these events, all monies collected go directly to the cause. We have a longstanding relationship with Reach LA, for whom we have hosted many fundraising events over the years. We have also raised money for the ACLU, The Smell, Proyecto Pastoral, and Kitten Rescue.  

Is the staff paid?

Our staff is paid living wages that include health care benefits. All 356 Mission interns are currently compensated through paid stipends or academic credit. 

Does 356 Mission accept exhibition or event proposals?

356 Mission welcomes proposals for events and exhibitions that are aligned with our commitment to offering free and accessible programs to all. All proposals are reviewed by gallery staff on a rolling basis. Please note that we do not rent out our space for commercial events or film production

To view a list of past events, click HERE. To view a list of past exhibitions, click HERE. To request floor plans and to submit a proposal, email a PDF to info@356mission.com that details the scope of your project, desired duration of event or exhibition, material needs (if any) and preferred space that best fits your proposal.  

Is 356 Mission Handicap Accessible?

Yes. 356 Mission/Ooga Twooga's front entrance has five steps. A wheelchair elevator is available through our side lot entrance on Mission Road as well as an elevator to our downstairs exhibition space. There is a wheelchair accessible bathroom in Ooga Twooga and all bathrooms are gender neutral. For more information about accessibility, please email info@356mission or call/text us (323) 609-3162. 

Does 356 Mission own or rent?

356 Mission does not own the building in which it operates. We rent the building from Boyle Heights Properties and began renting in 2012. The space was not rented from 2009 until 2012, and prior to 2009, it was a piano storage building for decades. 356 Mission has never participated in a “Boyle Heights Arts District” as designated by the city or otherwise. 356 Mission is not connected to any developers. We rent from Boyle Heights Properties at market-rate. The founders and staff of 356 Mission do not own any property in Boyle Heights. Gavin Brown has never owned any of the properties where he has operated his gallery, and has never been involved in real estate development. We never rent out the space for any private or commercial use, advertising, filming, or marketing.

Does 356 Mission have any connection to LAPD?

356 Mission is proactively against police surveillance and against any increased police presence around the gallery. We have consistently sought non-police solutions for the gallery. Any contact we have had with police has been in the effort to de-escalate their involvement in the area.

Have there been protests at 356 Mission?

Two events at 356 Mission have drawn protestors - a political organizing meeting for artists in February 2017, and an opening reception for an exhibition in April 2017. 

Have you met with the protestors?

Yes. We first reached out to the protestors for a meeting in July 2016. After months of repeated requests, the protestors granted us a meeting in May 2017. We met for over an hour at their offices. Although we brought suggestions and hopes for a coalition dedicated to fighting displacement, they were unwilling to hear our ideas unless we agreed to their demands: the immediate end of all activity and the dissolution of 356 Mission. We would then be required to turn over control of the building to the protestors, while continuing to pay the rent in support of their undisclosed use of the space. Finally, they insisted we sign a statement of their design supporting their point of view and condemning art spaces in Boyle Heights. They told us they would not be willing to meet again until we first agreed to these demands.

Why don’t you just move?

We have asked ourselves many times if closing 356 and abandoning our lease would stabilize rent prices or help stop developers from changing the neighborhood and raising rents further. After much inquiry, research and discussion, we have always come back to the conclusion that breaking our lease and leaving would not help solve the housing crisis or slow development. Boyle Heights has long been a place of cultural and artistic production, and 356 is only a very small and relatively recent addition to this amazing community of artists. We have met many people from the neighborhood and it is a diverse community with varying perspectives on how to approach the looming issues of the housing crisis and displacement. We disagree with the protestors' claims to speak for this neighborhood. Alongside the protestors’ demands to close, we have also heard the voices of artists, community groups, families, and individuals in the area who want 356 to remain open. In addition to urgent basic needs and facilities, people in all neighborhoods, of all ethnicities and classes, benefit from quality education and art. We do not believe that access to one should sacrifice the other in a healthy and thriving society. 

What happens next?

We continue to work with our partners in Boyle Heights and throughout the city to battle the issues facing our communities and, we continue to support the work of artists through exhibitions, events, and workshops. We welcome any new circumstances that would allow us to increase this work. We have had many constructive conversations with artists, our neighbors, and our friends, and remain open to dialogue.

A November 2017 statement by Laura Owens can be found HERE

A February 2017 statement about 356 Mission and protests can be found HERE

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or to clarify any of these points, by email (info@356mission.com) or by phone (323-609-3162).