*The second edition of the Guggenheim's It Came From Brooklyn is happening tonight from 8:00pm-12:00am featuring Julian Plenti (aka Paul Banks, the singer from Interpol). As a part of celebrating its 50th anniversary, the museum is hosting the monthly music and literature series featuring artists from Brooklyn. Also part of tonight's line-up is opening band I'm In You (nice to see they're keeping up with the current trend of HORRIBLE band names); writer/director and Brooklyn Heights resident, Hampton Fancher, who will read a selection by former Brooklynite, Henry Miller; Fancher's neighbor, novelist Rivka Galchen; and comedian/actor Eugene Mirman who will be on hosting duty. Last month's inaugural show featured bands The Walkmen and High Places and writer Colson Whitehead. Learn more at Guggenheim.org.
*The 13th Annual DUMBO Art Under the Bridge Festival is happening this weekend - September 25th-27th. Alongside open studios and outdoor activities, there will be "touchable, accessible, and interactive art, on a scale that makes it the nation's largest urban forum for experimental art." Learn more at dumboartfestival.org.
*The Kitchen, a non-profit, artist organization that "identifies, supports, and presents emerging and under-recognized artists" is hosting a block party on Saturday, Sept. 26th from 12-5 on West 19th between 10th and 11th Avenues. This free, family-friendly event will feature live performances, artist-led activities and crafts like face-painting, puppet and mask-making, temporary tattoos, cookie decorating, hula-hoop (!) and drum workshops and more. Learn more at thekitchen.org.
*David Zwirner will exclusively represent the estate of late artist Dan Flavin (1933-1996). Zwirner launched a website on September 18th that, as the NYT's Carol Vogel explains, "is intended as a practical resource for Flavin aficionados, covering issues of conservation and installation as well as the artist's exhibition history and examples of his work," (from Inside Art, Sept. 18, 2009). David Zwirner Gallery will present Dan Flavin: Series and Progressions in November 2009, showcasing the artist's work spanning his 40-year career. Learn more at Davidzwirner.com. And see Zwirner's website for Flavin here.
*Los Angeles artist Mark Bradford has won the prestigious John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship! According to the foundation's website, "The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world." This means Bradford, and fellow recipients, will receive $500,000 over the next five years. Congrats!
See all the 2009 Fellows at macfound.org and read more at latimesblogs.com. Remember, you can see Bradford's work alongside former MacArthur Fellow, Kara Walker's, at Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Read my post here.
*Philippe Starck - reality star? The world renowned French product designer will take on the Donald Trump role a la The Apprentice (or Tim Gunn on Project Runway, if you prefer) in his new reality series Design for Life, which premiered on September 14th on BBC2. The show pits 12 young British designers against each other, competing in weekly challenges until one by one they get eliminated and the winner gets to work for six months at Starck's Parisian design company . Each contestant was personally selected by Starck, not the show's producers, based on drawings they submitted. According to the Independent, "he did not even want to know their names or genders. He wanted to select ideas that were not necessarily great but that he felt had potential... people who think freely and differently."
Now this is a reality show I'd actually watch! Argh! I wish I had BBC2. Read more at independent.co.uk.
*Ed Ruscha - movie star? American artist Ed Ruscha will star in a film directed by Los Angeles-based video artist Doug Aitken which will debut on October 23rd on Tiberina Island in Rome. Read more at theartnewspaper.com.
*And lastly, another of my favorite fashion designers, Martin Margiela, is publishing his first book. It will document the Paris-based, never-before-seen designer's work including fashion, art, design, and performance. Originally from Antwerp, the enigmatic Margiela founded his own label in 1988. His clothing designs range from completely wearable and minimal, to subtle, edgy touches like exposed stitching and deconstruction, to way more out-there ideas like cloven-toed shoes (which I love), glass slippers (which I don't love), over-sized shoulders, visible nude padding, and a hair coat. The book, retailing for $100, is published by Rizzoli and will be released in October 2009. Have a peek inside at hypebeast.com, wallpaper.com, and rizzoliusa.com.
Happy weekend!!!
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