the ny art book fair- photos/text from last year

PS1 is a huge empty public school building in queens. since 1971 PS1 has housed some of the world's great experimental art, providing installation, performance, studio and exhibition spaces. in 2000 PS1 became affiliated with MoMA. this november for the second consecutive year M0MA PS1 hosted the new york art book fair.

cerebral. fun! from abstruse art historical critique in e-flux journal to fag art porn in butt magazine- the excitement that art and books induce!

the new york art book fair

several of the hundreds of exhibitors:

• tbw books
• studio alabaster
• bedford press
• e-flux journal
• butt magazine
• post
• picturebox

ben nevis

it's a detail of an antique glass slide i found at the hells kitchen flea market.  ben nevis in scotland.

friendly neighborhood anarchists- wall street occupation pics from last friday

the word is slowly getting out now, that hundreds of anti wall street protesters have been living in liberty plaza park for the past three weeks.  on the one hand the protest has been criticized for its lack of specific goals.  on the other it's obviously hit a nerve, as similar demonstrations have erupted and are growing in cities across america, and, recently, powerful unions- transit workers, teamsters, and pilots- have joined the movement. the image of uniformed airline pilots linking arms in solidarity with these hendrix/joplin throwbacks is pretty compelling to me!

new york art book fair

at MoMA PS1 the new york art book fair is a huge chic open art party with  entertainment, cash bar, food concession. but in some ways this groovy scene is weirdly like a spruced up expensive version of the wall street occupation.  i mean the diversity, the outfits, festive atmosphere, graffiti-like signs and posters... the degree to which street style permeates the cultural atmosphere.  i tend to love high culture and low culture and avoid the in between (dive bar to balthazar! when i see the new york magazine approval matrix i only look at the corners. maybe this sounds liberal elitey, but i'm DEFINITELY not elite) it's cool how they influence and mirror each other.
more here

violins

 violin makers and restorers joseph christian and michael bourassa.

an exhibition of contemporary violin makers was held this weekend in a sparse 57th street penthouse.  the event was produced by our friend julie reed yeboah, and our friend joe christian, from north bennet street school days, was one of the violin makers invited to participate.
the penthouse has an interesting history- it was once fred astaire's dance studio, and billy holliday recorded music there.