For a pure dose of beauty, and humor (the two don't often dwell in the same dressing room), Maira Kalman is my hero. Her fabulous children's books are like The Simpsons, fun for the whole family; except only the adults get the really good jokes, and let's keep it that way, shall we? Maira has started a blog on the New York Times sight, full of daily paintings, posted the first Wednesday of every month, with archives going back to early summer. Through November 12th, The Times is offering free access to all of its content, so check out "The Principles of Uncertainty". As if your life wasn't full of enough beautiful happenings this week...( UN ambassador John Bolton's head is the next to roll off the bloated, pompous administration's kitchen counter. On that note, see Marie Antoinette this weekend for a luscious portrayal of change of government. Marianne Faithfull is fabulous as the Empress.)
Canstruction is an annual design/build competition pushing the
architectural limits of your average kitchen cupboard. Through color and repetition the humble tinned food is transformed into terrific sights of decorative splendor. This charitable event takes place in 80 cities across the US; New York City's gourmet gathering is November 9-22, at the New York Design Center. Admission is one can of food. This competition collects millions of pounds of food, later donated to local food banks and begs the question: wouldn't a tin can octopus get rusty living on the ocean floor?
I can't let the words obsessive decoration slide by without a mention of Yayoi Kusama's show at Robert Miller Gallery in chelsea, up until November 25.
Yayoi was one of the original free love, installation mama's of the 1960's, using obsessive repetition in ways even Andy Warhol hadn't dabbled in yet. Her paintings from that period grew in later years to huge infinity-suggesting installations, using light and reflective surfaces better than a good acid trip can do ya'. She has returned to large paintings along with installation in this show and wonderfully reminds us of the power of the small gesture in repeated motion.
Congrats to DJT on scooping the Good Grey by two whole days on the Canstruction story. Could anyone else hear birds while reading this post?
Posted by: Parq | November 12, 2006 at 02:35 PM