Guggenheim to feature Woodman

Francesca Woodman to be featured at the Guggenheim in March 2012. Woodman committed suicide at 22 in 1981 for supposedly not obtaining funding from the National Endowment of Art. Besides studying in Italy, she also was an artist-in-residence at the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The images are haunting and very memorable, I'm excited for the exhibit.
Here is a very cool compilation of Woodman's works from the New York Times.

Self-portrait talking to Vince: 1975 -1978

Banksy Pixelates

New media for Banksy.

"I'm never sure who deserves to be put on a pedestal or crushed under one."


In relation to the sex abuse scandals that the Catholic Church has been under the spotlight for lately.


The sculpture, Cardinal Sin, is on display at the Walker Gallery in England.

Colombian Protesters Throw Paint Bombs at Policia

Bogota, Colombia, students threw paint bombs at police.

When Apple sues you, present Exhibit A: Movie Clip

Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey' is a 1968 movie that predicts the role of computers, computers and man's relationship, and the basic principles of mankind in the year 2001, but what about tablets?

Fast forward to the year 2011, Samsung and Apple are in a legal fued, Apple wants to limit the rights to global tablet sales around the world due to a design patent. But the clever lawyers of Samsung say, no one should own a patent to tablets, and the design should be considered 'prior art' due to the clip up top.

In the ugly, ugly world of patents and patent lawyers, basically who ever gets to the courts first, WINS. But, then laws and fighting and injunctions happen. So, in the end if you can't claim it and want to sell your merch and hate your competitor, then claim somehow the idea was already THUNK up.

FYI: Toast is actually patented.

Gaddafi Killed: Social Media Kills Gaddafi for 40 mins or so

Gaddafi War of the Walls

Early in the week I wrote about the 'War of the Walls' protests that are happening in Syria. A well underway revolution that has taken graffiti to a whole new level,  in Libya showing the dismay of the rebel people and disgust of the pro-Gaddafi supporters. Twitter is currently blowing up with Gaddafi tweets and retweets about the revolution ending and/or the whereabouts of Gaddafi. Only an hour ago a rumor was spread that he was killed, but then retracted. 

The tweet was reblogged, then posted on Tumblr, then found itself on Facebook, then found its way onto CNN and MSNBC, then only to be retracted. That was the span of the first tweet below. Then came the backlash of anger from twitterers, reblogging like crazy reminiscent of Osama bin Laden's first news of death on twitter. In other words, social media is crazy and will spread like wildfire. About to set my current status as, "watching the Libyan regime crumble," because that's all we can do.

Lesson: Social Media can kill you, only figuratively.

Syria is next.

First to tweet this from on-ground sources and I can confirm: #GADDAFI IS DEAD. He was shot dead by #FF in #Tripoli. #Libyaless than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyMalik Al-Abdeh
MalikAlAbdeh

CORRECTION: Source in #Tripoli who has been v. reliable got his wires crossed. A lot of confusion out there. #Gaddafi is ALIVE. Just about.less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyMalik Al-Abdeh
MalikAlAbdeh

Gadaffi has just been killed, then escaped, then held prisoner. I wish these news channels would make up Their minds.less than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Replybaztodd
baztodd

New York Folk Art Museum Should Close

American Folk Art Museum Closing because nobody cares .

Is that mean?

I, for one do not want to see quilts and would never care to see something as folkie as hand-made wooden furniture in New York City. When I first heard that this was opening I asked myself, "Why?" While I think that, YES, America should have more museums based on itself, the location of New York was not a good one. American art really didn't take presidence until 1950's or so, and the important pieces are already housed in famously fashionable art museums. The Folk Museum is trying to bring back America, but it represents not New York America, so therefore the museum is out of place, and who wouldn't rather spend three hours instead at the MET anyway?

It's not doing so well because, well, people want to see folk things when they are in old towne USA, not the bustling metropolis a.k.a Gotham. People go to the city to escape the country, and people go to the country to escape the city, i.e. the invention of SUBURBIA. While the invention of this quaint little museum is a good idea, it needs to move somewhere else, maybe the South.

While I hate to see such an important piece of our heritage go, it just needs to be moved to a more appropriate location, where the collection will and can be appreciated.

Click here to read more on the financial woes of the Museum.

Banksy: "Oh No...My Tap's Been Phoned."

Banksy takes on Rupert Murdoch

Banksy took a shot at Rupert Murdoch's mess of a now defunct company, News of the World. Should we dial M for Murdoch? Sorry, I had to.

Shepard Fairey on Street Art

I think street art is one of the most democratic, accessible, empowering, and inspiring art forms there is. To be a street artist, you don't need permission, just courage and motivation.

- Shepard Fairey's blog for the Huffington Post

War of the Walls: Syria's Graffiti Revolution

Have you ever heard of a police raid conducted in one's house, but then police graffiti all over the walls in the meantime?

Eyewitness / Hama / AJA: Officers spray graffiti inside houses they raid. Insults, threats, and pro-Assad slogans. #RamadanMassacre #Syrialess than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyShakeeb Al-Jabri
LeShaque

شعب يريد اسقاط النظام Le peuple veut faire tomber le régime La gente quiere tirar abajo el regimen.

Syria is the latest country in the string of revolting Middle Eastern countries in the Arab Spring. While youth revolt, fighting for basic human rights and trying to extract the current Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, many are finding themselves at odds with police. The aftermath punishment of one Syrian youth, who was tortured by police, when found tagging criticism of the government.

The fire for revolution was lit when the people of Dara'a, an agricultural town in southern Syria, woke up one March morning in 2011.

Written in black ink, the Arabic words, "The people want the regime to fall." Those fifteen youths were then thrown into jail for speaking up against the government.

Thus, giving birth to the Graffiti Men of the Syrian Uprising and graffiti in Syria and Syrian areas around the world. 

This revolution has been dubbed, War of the Walls, because anti and pro government graffiti and politics has taken to the walls of the streets. In a time where public vocal points can get you killed, the only other way to show support or disgust is to tag walls in the cover of darkness. 

Pro-Syrian Government Propaganda? Translation: "In the heavens God is Allah; on earth God is Bashar."

The Syrian uprising is a unique revolution, because it's about the message and not the individual.  

Currently, Twitter is spreading like wildfire, a stencil of Bashar with an Adolf Hitler mustache, to cut and spray in support for taking down the regime.

If u want to show ur solidarity with #Syria in #graffiti, here's Bashar El #Assad stencil for u to print, cut &spray http://t.co/5IDovD3less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Replysu zee
suzeeinthecity

Right now, citizens are using the form of graffiti for a voice and are being either tortured or thrown in jail for it. While the people of Syria still fight for rights and a new government, there will be more tagging and graffiti. Let's just hope that the people don't run out of paint, there is already enough blood spilled on the ground, to have it on the walls.

Brandon Boyd

Brandon Boyd, front man for the alternative rock band Incubus is also an artist. 

Wash D.C. tagged more than ever due to unstable government.

 "Lori Aratani reports that the city is on track to remove twice as much graffiti as it did last year; last year DC's Department of Public Works removed 1,780 instances of graffiti and this year it's already removed 3,946 instances. It appears most of the tagging isn't related to gang activity." 

Are you in love? Post-It notes style?

Post-It notes owner 3M teamed with artist Melissa Footwear to create this stop motion love wall, five months in the making.

'Galeria Melissa' involved 30,000 residents of Sao Paolo, Brazil, whom scribbled messages of love on the 350,000 post-it notes.

Back to school shopping, don't forget the post-its.

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.