Sweet Tweets + racial hobbies?

There was a strange trending topic today.

#whitepeoplehobbies      #blackpeoplehobbies

Turning struggle into an art. #blackpeoplehobbiesless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyJoshua Bennett
SirJoshBennett

Using terms like "post-modernism" and "existentialism" when referring to art they don't understand. #WhitePeopleHobbiesless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyRhen Wilson
RhenWilson

What do James Franco + Imagination= MONIES

An actual piece of art from the museum was sold.

James Franco

Would you pay $10,000 to hang this card on your wall? I wouldn't, but too bad another artist beat you to it. The Museum of Non-Visible Art, whose website is just like it's art, invisible information. Ok, maybe I am being too critical of the non-existent, um, stuff. I don't even know what to say about this, just that someone dropped ten grand on this piece of paper. I guess James Franco, a major supporter and spokesperson for the invisible museum, can do no wrong. The piece you actually buy is an imagined, nay, imagery from the artisans head. I cannot hate, because people are actually buying.

The Museum of Non-Visible Art

This Painting is Not Available in Your Country

Painting by Paul Mutant.

Did you ever click on a YouTube video hoping to see whatever it was that urged you to click in the beginning. Then, that black screen of doom pops up, "This Video Is Not Available In Your Country." Paul Mutant's painting takes a comical look at what is and what is not allowed in countries owned by different media groups. The Internet's idea is stateless and country-less, but the owners of social media, not so much.

SWEET TWEET-- GardnerGems

http://t.co/dL33baZ Biggest #mistake of the day. #newsless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyGardnerGems
GardnersGGems

The biggest mistake that GardnerGGems is referring to is Banksy's "Gorilla in a Pink Mask" which has been white washed, by mistake. The funny part is the guy who painted over the mural says that he is, "Sorry." I don't think I have ever heard anyone apologize for cleaning up graffiti. I guess some are more important than others.

Image: Small World News Service

Now it looks like.

Image: Small World News Service

SWEET TWEET

Spotlight: CLOSE a.k.a. David Valencia

David Valencia. 2010.

David Valencia/20/Male

Location: Valencia, Spain.

To see more works by David Valencia visit his website.

AlottaArt: How did you get into art?
David Valencia: I started painting graffities when I was only 14 years old and that´s when I chose my artistic name 'Close.' I have finished my second course of Fine Art in the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

AA: What is your medium?
DV: Basically, the medium I feel more comfortable with is urban art. But, I am learning in my course new techniques and different styles.

AA: In a time of unrest in Europe, especially in Spain, what are the protests like?
DV: Since 15th of May onwards, there have been several demonstrations, where many Spanish citizens have asked for a change in our political system. Such demonstrations have been voluntary and peaceful. Although people have stopped camping on the streets, several meetings are still held all along the Spanish territory with the aim of achieving a general agreement. Obviously, our political system needs to undergo a change and I hope we achieve this goal.

AA: How did this current situation and your surroundings influence your art?
DV: In my last project, I give a strong criticism to the present economy´s situation, the politics´ corruption in my hometown and also in France or Italy, and the repression towards urban art. I also give a touch of humor and irony, representing each of those problems with a letter of my artistic name (CLOSE). I think that we have reached a point where the political and economical European situation has become unsustainable. A change is needed so I offer my support with my art for those citizens who are fighting for that change. Right now, I am preparing different projects in order to show my support with this situation through urban art.

David Valencia. "C." May 2011.

David Valencia. "L." May 2011.

David Valencia. "O." May 2011.

David Valencia. "S." May 2011.

David Valencia. "E." May 2011.

AA: What do you feel your art brings to the world in forms of expression?
DD: First of all, I believe that a true artist has to learn a little bit of everything in order to develop its (their) own style. I think that I am in that process, developing my own style. So I still have plenty of things to learn. Only time will prove whether I achieve my goals or not. Right now, I wouldn´t call myself ´´an artist´´ and I don´t know if I will ever become one of them, but I am sure that hard work will help me achieve my goal. To keep the hard work and follow the right path is my desire. At the moment, I hope to contribute with my work like anyone else does, so I don´t think I am more special than anyone else. I still find difficult to express what I feel and how I want to perform it.

To see more of David Valencia's works visit his website.

Immigrant Movement International

There are about 138 languages spoken in Queens, New York, according to About.com. English, Spanish, then Chinese being third most popular. How many of those who speak in a foreign tongue legal? The touchy subject, illegal immigrants, where a lot of debate fuels the American political arena. One artist is taking a different approach.


Tania Bruguera, Cuban performing artist, started the idea for the Immigrant Movement International. Through grants Bruguera will be living the illegal lifestyle in a home with other illegal immigrants.

The Mission Statement from Immigrant Movement International:

“Its mission is to help define the immigrant as a unique, new global citizen in a post-national world and to test the concept of arte útil or “useful art”, in which artists actively implement the merger of art into society’s urgent social, political and scientific issues.”

This will be documented and put on display at the Queens Museum of Art, who is also partners with Bruguera on the project.

Mixed reviews so far as to whether this kind of art really can help or just exploit.
In an online debate that broke out on Twitter posted below. You can see more of the content by clicking on their account links.

3.Bruguera will grace pages of Vogue (just like Allora $ Calzadilla) while immigrants remain beautiful "noble savages" in art theory texts.less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyPedro Vélez
JonesDistrict

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@hollo no, no Salem...that how the art world views them...I'm calling Bruguera abusive.less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyPedro Vélez
JonesDistrict

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@JonesDistrict ...rather than ask Creative Time for their opinion of what Tania is doing. I'm not sure how Tania is abusing the participantsless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Replysalem
hollo

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From Tumblr's Public Versus Art:

Hey, Artist! Queens is not your playground to pretend to be poor! This “performance” could be seen as a new form of exoticism. The artist seems to be saying, “Hey Art World, look at me, I am living in Queens—how daring! There are immigrants here—real discrimination—real poor people!” But who is for real? Is the artist drawing attention to issues facing immigrants, and/or just bringing attention to herself by exploiting the “real”-ness of her new neighbors?

Sent from the Twitter account of Tania Bruguera:

An artist working politically needs to understand and work with the urgency of politics not with its archivingless than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyTania Bruguera
Immigrantmove

In order for this project to work and be effective, the IMI team needs to document and implement social media awareness. The truth is that no legal will ever know what it is like to be an illegal. I think the biggest story that needs to be told is why a person so desperate would consider becoming an invisible for the rest of their life. The life changing decision is more important rather than focus of legality. If the project were to take place multi-country, then show the process of becoming illegal, than that would be a brilliant piece. Once you can get to the route of why, then you can start to work on the problem. No one really knows, and maybe even Bruguera doesn't know yet, of how this entire year will shape out. Will she get caught on purpose or will she just work a mediocre job?

Tweet of the day -- Jill Krajewski

Graffiti may have lost the vote, but the war to protect street art is on. Ford, you are so out of touch with Toronto.less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyJill Krajewski
JillKrajewski

I asked Krajewski to explain further she tweeted back:

@alottaart Mayor of Toronto voting for an aggressive graffiti-removal plan that ignores the benefits of street art. It's such a shame.less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyJill Krajewski
JillKrajewski

interesting STUFF

Cool artsy foodie Jennifer Rubell was featured in the New York Magazine on her growing up into the art world and how she incorporates it in food. Mention of Andy Warhol and other studs in the modern world while growing up Rubell. It's OK to eat the Art.

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Phillip Kennicott has written one of the best pieces on whether Art Has Yet to Own Up To Homosexuality. Though many would think no, after you read this you might think twice. From the the lack of explanations when it comes to the artists own history in USA's museums. To when Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough, pulled the plug on David Wojnarowicz's 'A fire in my belly' video before exhibiting at the Hide/Seek showcase.

Clough was responding to attacks from a militant right-wing Catholic group, as well as the fear of potential budget cuts from a newly Republican-dominated House of Representative.

The Hide/Seek exhibit was to promote the LGBT artists and their influence in art culture. The Smithsonian which cowardly hid its head with the likes of the Brooklyn Museum (BM canceled their 'Art to Streets' for political and "financial" reasons).

Kennicott's advice to museums;

The arts world is by no means the most homophobic institution in U.S. society. But the arts are a laboratory for cultural criticism, and they flourish when they are out in front of cultural change, not catching up to it.

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Critic Jerry Saltz went to Venice and came back depressed, about the future anyway. Generation Blank, Saltz writes of the non-exciting, blah, in love with our predessecors, and just content
diarrhea filling art that is not daring.

Tweet of the Day --Alex-Jon Earl

Seattle has great sign art http://img.ly/63EO #caseyanthony #citymarketless than a minute ago via Twitterrific Favorite Retweet ReplyAlex-jon Earl
alexjon

The link brings you to this picture. City Market Deli Deals are to die for, but Not Guilty.