Voyage Through The Labyrinth of The Senses

vicemag: Why I Hate Graffiti Have you noticed how lame...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 22:59:37 -0700

Why I Hate Graffiti

Have you noticed how lame graffiti in New York has become in 2013? Especially the one-liners you see more and more of, with their pseudo philosophy and visual impairment. Where exactly is the art? And what’s the message? The vast majority of the graffiti that’s out there pales in comparison to the classic Wild Style of the late 70s/early 80s, though how could it be any other way? Is it the same in other cities? Or is the increasing irrelevancy of graffiti related to just how deadly boring and commercial New York feels right now? And to how overly policed it’s become? If so, couldn’t it feed off of that? Why isn’t graffiti commenting on the shitty sad state of things? On its co-option? On being chased inside? Graffiti can be, or at least once was, an expedient way of inserting social, political, and cultural comment into public view. One of the best examples, a huge wall painting on a building alongside the BQE, visible to every passing motorist, ridiculing CON$ervative GovernMENt as nothing more than CON MEN.

As far back as the “talking statues” of ancient Rome, whose pedestals were inscribed with anonymous barbs aimed at the church and state, graffiti has been another way of spreading the news, sharing caustic opinions and cranky dissent for all to see. But nowadays, apart from the tags that kids still write, and probably always will, graffiti seems like an advertisement for itself, or for an overeducated, underemployed class that wants to use the street as a springboard to careers in art, advertising, and fashion. Or it’s a vivid backdrop for an otherwise forgettable product. You see a tag in the street and look it up. Within seconds you’re delivered to a gallery, a shop window, a clothing or skateboard line. You come face to face with the fact that the whole world is infinitely more professional and commodified than ever before, and it can only get worse. “Hip” will either go willingly or be taken forcibly, which translates as: You can sell it to us… or be ripped off. So don’t feel that you’ve sold out before you’ve been bought. That’s the writing on the wall, and it’s been there for some time now. I really don’t hate graffiti. I only despise what it, and almost everything else in this town, has become—a shadow of the shadow of its former self.

At the risk of waxing nostalgic for the supposedly good old days of graffiti covering every available surface, it’s worth recalling how it felt to enter a subway train that was totally bombed inside. For some, it was nothing less than an assault. It was visceral and it was violent, and it was hard to think of it as an expression of art or joy, especially if its acidy vibe was encountered at 7 AM on your way to work. (This was the era of “Ford to City: Drop Dead.”) For others, it was something wondrous to behold, to see a giant painting glide through a subway station, or along the tracks above the street. Whichever side you were on, it seemed as if there was no Escape From New York.

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I feel you…

Mother & child at the Santa Monica beach.

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:21:41 -0800

Mother & child at the Santa Monica beach.

What a lovely voice.

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:06:24 -0800

What a lovely voice.

Sunset at the Ventura Harbor

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:47:54 -0800

Sunset at the Ventura Harbor

View from within.

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 21:18:08 -0800

View from within.

My son Eros walking through Richard Serra’s sculpture at...

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 22:26:07 -0800

My son Eros walking through Richard Serra’s sculpture at LACMA.

redcorpsebey: Kermit attacks Vincent Price.

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:27:08 -0800

redcorpsebey:

Kermit attacks Vincent Price.

Photo

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:17:13 -0800

So show ‘me’ family…

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:57:00 -0800

So show ‘me’ family…

Break out the bubbly!!

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:16:47 -0800

Break out the bubbly!!

Happy New Year!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:06:35 -0800

Happy New Year!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

The monolith, set design from the movie “2001: A Space...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:39:35 -0800

The monolith, set design from the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey”. On view at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:18:49 -0800

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”…Jack’s typewriter, prop from the movie “The Shining”. On view at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The Grady Sister’s costume from the movie “The...

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:40:00 -0800

The Grady Sister’s costume from the movie “The Shining”. An exhibit of Stanley Kubrick’s work..photos, scripts, cameras, lenses, props, costumes & sets are on view at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

shin-sekai: A delusory image. An explosion composed by a...

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:10:38 -0700

shin-sekai:

A delusory image. An explosion composed by a lightbulb and tons of red, orange and yellow gummy bears and worms

banksystreetart: Repost

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 20:52:43 -0700

banksystreetart:

Repost

vicemag: Cornel West Plans to Vote for Obama in November and...

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:31:21 -0700

vicemag:

Cornel West Plans to Vote for Obama in November and Protest His Policies in February

Cornel West is special. Hes rocks the best afro, has impeccable taste in music, and boasts the unique ability to communicate complex political ideas, as Sly Stone said, “everyday people.” As an activist, author, and public speaker, West has transcended academia to become the moral compass for a country teetering on the political, spiritual, and economic bankruptcy. How can you knock a guy who was the first professor at Yale to be arrested on campus while protesting against apartheid in South Africa? We love him, even if we don’t always agree with him, because he doesn’t bite his tongue for anybody—not even the Commander in Chief.

In an interview with Truthdig back in 2011, West infamously described the president as, “a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats. And now he has become head of the American killing machine and is proud of it.”With the election suddenly up for grabs since President Obama’s sluggish performance in Denver against Mitt Romney, we hit up the famed professor to uncover his thoughts on the prospect of a Romney presidency, the second debate, and whether he and Tavis Smiley will ever announce a bid for the White House..

VICE: What did you think of Tuesday’s debate?
I said a prayer for brother Barack Obama the first time and the prayer did not kick in. I said a prayer the second time and it did kick in. He was much stronger. I was glad to see him defending himself.

Brother Mitt Romney has a sense of entitlement. With Candy Crowley and the others, he doesn’t listen—he just takes off. Barack really made sure to respond to the actual questions. I thought he did a much better job, but it looks as if the polls are still tight. Regardless, I was glad to see Barack much being more forthright.

Which Obama was more authentic—Obama in debate one or Obama in debate two?
I think that Barack Obama is a shy man. He does not like to be aggressive. The only moment he became angry was when he was accused of using American soldiers, precious human beings, as pawns for politics. You could see the anger in his face. He was very upset. But generally speaking, Obama is reconciliatory. That’s just who he is. When it comes time to fighting in the muck and mire, that’s just not his terrain.

After the polls swung in Romney’s favor after the first debate, did you reconsidered your criticism of President Obama?
We have to prevent a Romney takeover of the White House. No doubt about that. It would be very dangerous in terms of actual lives and actual deaths of the elderly and the poor. Those people who are dependent on various programs would have to deal with the ugly damage of the further redistribution of wealth from the poor and working people to the well to off.

Right. But doesn’t criticizing Obama make all that bad stuff you just said more likely to happen?
I’m strategic. We have to tell that truth about a system that’s corrupt—both parties are poisoned by big money and tied to big banks and corporations. Speaking on that is a matter of intellectual integrity. American politics are not a matter of voting your moral conscious—if I voted my moral conscious it would probably be for Jill Stein. But it’s strategic in terms of what the actual possibilities and real options there are for poor and working people.

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"Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity..."

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:55:10 -0700

“Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.”

- Leo Tolstoy

My fair weather friend, “Mr. Darlington!”

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 21:23:00 -0700

My fair weather friend, “Mr. Darlington!”

WALL STREET?!! But I like Sesame Street! Vote for Big Bird!

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:56:22 -0700

WALL STREET?!! But I like Sesame Street! Vote for Big Bird!