Friday, October 26, 2007

born to run

Saturday, October 20, 2007

photo month in montreal

spent saturday afternoon with kev downtown to scope out some of the major exhibits for the 10th edition of "le mois de la photo à montréal."

didn't have much luck really, going through galleries and museums, we've only experienced one of the exhibits. the ones we searched for were either closed or we just couldn't find their locations, which we blame the lack of signs.



i've always heard of the belgo building within my classes, but this is my first trip there. located on ste-catherines, just before bleury, (across from musiqueplus) its an apartment building of studios, containing art galleries, and of dance, yoga, and martial arts studios. there were two photo exhibits within, but they were closed. super. but i enjoyed going through five floors of contemporary galleries.

first off, it was a damn nice day. not bright and sunny, but warm and not raining. and inside the belgo building, it was frign warm.



the 2nd floor had Pierre-François Ouellette Art Contemporain gallery featuring the work of winnipeg artist, Dil Hildebrand. Beautiful LARGE paintings of landscapes balanced with fragmented shapes and organic elements. a great example of contemporizing landscape painting. oddly enough, his documentation of his work looks better for some reason than in person.



there also was an interactive installation, "Drawing by Numbers" in which a computer scans your image and a machine etches your silhouette unto a white wall. me and kev were trying to get it to work, standing in front of the camera in odd poses, but nothing happened. until the curator came out and told us kindly that it was experiencing technical difficulties and was inoperable. thanks.



the 3rd floor had the SKOL gallery featuring Emi Honda, and her fantasy-inspired environmental installation. What was most impressive about her installation was her use of some kind of air pump that helped simulate a living breathing environment. clever.



the 5th floor had the galerie Donald Browne which had one particular work that i thought was pure genius. Valérie Kolakis's "Looking for the Unbuilt House" displayed a grid of photos of pin holes on white walls. genius. i can't explain how... charming it is. or why it is so. just beautiful.



also on the 5th was the galerie René Blouin featuring the work of Francine Savard. i enjoyed her work, and the exhibition space was sexy too. wide and open. just had a funny experience with the curator. as kev and i were viewing the gallery, a man stepped out of his office as he fixed his tie, took one glance of us, and undid his tie while turning back into his office. hehehe. thanks, like two young brown men in jeans and sneakers can't afford $5000 paintings. jerk.

but now that i think of it, the 5th floor had the more snobbier and older curators. pretentious bastards. when i open my own gallery, i'll be the most welcoming and gentlest curator of ALL TIME. and i'll serve free coffee. ONLY ONE PER ATTENDEE.




anyhow, we pretty much did the belgo building and went over to Kanda for sushi but it was closed. ARGH! so we settled for food court food.


afterwards, we checked out the Museum of Contemporary Arts at place-des-arts, and unfortunately the museum itself wasn't free. but the "mois de la photo" exhibit was free (like it should) and featured Saskia Olde Wobers of the Netherland's film, "Trailer." which i incorrectly assumed was just that. this too, kev and i had 'difficulty' in.... entering. picture this, a wide open door, perfectly lit, and two feet inside, the darkest room ever constructed in the HISTORY OF MANKIND. a darkness so dark, that nightime would be considered blindingly bright in comparison. we tried using our cellphones light to guide us, but it didnt work. you know that 'leap of faith' scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where they had to cross that invisible bridge? that was us. once our eyes adjusted, we had to step around a black curtain to see a giant screen the film was being projected upon. after finding the bench awhile after, it was funny to see other people tip toe into the room. hehehe. the film itself was, honestly, boring. the narrative was just uninteresting, and while the still photos being projected were of high quality, it didn't enhance the experience much. and the level of darkness of the room just seemed totally unneccessary.



we tried viewing another exhibition across the street, but couldn't find it. and i just didn't wanna bother trying. a board with an arrow and the word 'exhibit' would help. it's called a SIGN.

that was that.



inspiring.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

new toy




finally got myself my digital slr camera, a Canon Rebel XT/350D, over the weekend. my original plan was to cop one at futureshop but found this one fully equiped plus extras, for half the price on...


craigslist!

gotta love craigslist. i've done some experimenting, but haven't had the time to really familiarize myself with all the features.



















honestly, and i hate to admit it, this camera really doesnt require much skill. its like a digital camera with a romantic filter. even with my limited knowledge on manual cameras, simple putting the right settings will easily get photographic quality images. well as long as it does the job.

hopefully this weekend i'll have time to photograph some of my work.



dreeeeamy.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

big tuesday

had one big day yesterday for school. i spent all monday afternoon/evening in the studio at school to finish up my work for my critique. in a large empty studio, solo, with ipod, i got my work done. fun. and it paid off too. to date, this was my best critique. i'll put up my work once i get my camera (sorry). i dont know what it is, maybe a combination of things, but this painting class is enjoyable. my previous classes had always been awkward and a struggle. anyhow, for once, i was able to share my thoughts and insight coherently (enough) and was happy the entire class (*well the ones that matter) were able to relate to me and my work. not necessarily meaning they liked my paintings, but expressing interest and actually pay attention, though it doesnt sound like much, is a real compliment. so that made my day.


then i got a parking ticket. fuhg!


so i had mcdonalds.


supersized. yums!


even steven. afterwards i had my in-class essay that went well enough. not as smooth as i hoped though. took me a good five minutes to recall my thoughts, and for a second i thought i was having one of those 'blank' moments. but i got it done.

later that evening, did my lab for physics, went home, pigged out on junk, relaxed and passed out easy. done and done.



drained.
*burn! matter = students in class who make better paintings than i do.


p.s. just saw this on the news, Doris Salcedo's "Shibboleth" was unveiled, and is essentially a 'sculpted' crack 167 meters in length within the floor of the Tate Modern Museum. heavy. click the pic for more...


Monday, October 8, 2007

e-art exhibition

i finally took my procrastinating ass to montreal's MoFA to research the E-Art exhibition this past sunday. have an 'in-class' essay to write on tuesday to prep for. this was my fourth attempt. i got up, showered, dressed, and made it happen. had my ipod feeding me justice' latest album, and that got me amped. "Stress" is a definite track repeater. before i knew it, i arrived and did the damn thing.


though technology-based installations were never really my cup of tea, i enjoyed this one quite a bit. and yes, half of them left me confused and unsure if the pieces were actually working. i was fortunate enough to walk thru the exhibit next to families and their children, and learned more from the little kids reactions to the interactive projects than from my own (which in turn inspired my focus for my paper, woohoo!).

there were some works that really stuck out. "Portrait One" (Luc Courchesne), was an interactive 'portrait' of a woman on a screen, caught my attention as a couple giggled, 'conversing' with the installation. At one point, as we looked upon her, noticing her attractive features, she asked what i was looking at and points to her neck, suggests her eyes, and then her mouth. and she was totally right. hehehe. virtual flirt. made me blush. i tried the online version, but it didnt work for me, but check it out here: Luc Courchesne:Portrait One.

another cool installation was called "Semiotic Investigation into Cybernetic Behaviour" (Jessica Fields). sounds complex, and the system looks it and pretty sure it was complex to program and construct, but it is essentially humourous. The installation is composed of 4 distinct machines connected to each other, named Clara, Alan, Brad, and Daphne. Clara detects objects and range, Alan detects motion, Brad and Daphne im not too sure what they do, but i assumed they were the brains behind Clara and Alan's thoughts and messages. Clara and Alan would detect people and comment on their curiosity. The dialogue between the two was fun to read, as they expressed concern and fear of people investigating them. more of it here: Jessica Field: SICB

"Subtitled Public" (Rafael Lozano-Hemmer) was the work that i favored the most and would be a major focus in my paper. Using surveillance equipment in a dark open space, a person's movement is tracked with a projection of a random word. Everything from the use of space, lighting, text, the use of the technology, the ambiguous presentation, the curiousity and experimentation that it inspired, the multiple themes found within, all related more to art than the other exhibited work. rather than concentrate on pushing the technological aspect, this one used it to its advantage, provoking more insight and thought on the message rather than the means. follow the link to find out more, and a video is available of the installation as well. people combining words by standing next to each other is genius! check it out: Rafael Lozano-Hemmer:Subtitle Public.

that was all for the e-art exhibition. i also checked out both the Modern Art and Contemporary collections while i was there. it was my first time to see the works of Matisse, Picasso, and Monet in person. While i did appreciate the work of Matisse and Monet's, i wasnt very impressed. honestly, i've seen more attractive work from classmates. but in their defense, the work shown were not their most accomplished. these were the type of paintings they would store in the back of their studios. i was impressed by Picasso's work. it really was eye candy with his dark lines and fun shapes. and large scale is always a big plus. super. oh and there was one sculpture of Giacometti, of whom i've done a presentation on, which i cant recall very much now. nonetheless, it was a nostalgic surprise.

the Contemporary collection was fine, with an interesting series of work by an artist that i just forgot, only because im excited about finding work by Jean-Michel Basquiat. awesome! just recently, this past summer, i came across him and his work. i've known of him before, but only briefly with his 'samo' identity. he was like the tragic rockstar of the painting scene in the 80s. a real rags to riches story, everything from drugs (he overdosed), girls (dated madonna), and drama (hung out with warhol). his life would overshadow his work, but thankfully his art work was unconventional and unique. his process was downright strange, and his thinking was completely random. or so it seemed. but in the end, his paintings accomplished, what i believe is the most important thing, to hold the viewers gaze. so much to see and read into. there were only two paintings, and i spent a good half hour... on each one. to picture him scribble these words, and step back and take a drag, then scribble something else. its fascinating how a mess of a painting, so very close to being considered (and many argue is) complete garbage, sit on a wall in a museum to be viewed for anyone to see. that argument is an accomplisment in itself, provoking interest. a real trip.


*just an example of his work: "Catharsis"




inspiring.

happy thanksgiving!

howdyall.

hope everybody enjoyed their long weekend and stuffed themselves silly. the new fall season is rising into full affect with the new chill, and midterms are on peoples minds. i'd just like to take this time to count my blessings, 5 in particular...


thank god for:
1. old jimbo, %90 of what i do is only possible because he allows me and trusts me.

2. janice.... in vancouver. %90 of what i do is only possible because she's not here to stop me. thank god she loves it there.

3. jack the accent. at first i kinda resented you for forcing me to give up my millyfalco, but you are the symbol of my independance.

4. montreal. i love it that your dirty, smelly, and full of attitude. fuck yea!

5. work, %90 of what i do is only possible because of your appreciated funding.



amen!

Sunday, October 7, 2007

happy pacquiao!

"damn it. im missing SNL..."




that's what i was thinking most of the time while watching the Pacquiao/Barrera fight. that and how if i didnt pick up basketball, and again ignored tennis, i would've liked to have taken up boxing. my wing span alone should give me a distinct advantage. and a flat nose? come on now. other thoughts included me succumbing to the magic that is the xbox 360 just to play FIGHT NIGHT, online. if i do so, i'd lose my job. and get kicked out of school. BUT i'd lose some weight tho. and set up shop easy hehehe. also thought, pacman fights are pretty much the only time im proud to be filipino. word.

anyhoot, pacquiao did his bouncy fire monkey dance and barrera survived even with a cut to his right cheek. overall the fight was... okay. i was more interested in the commentary about pacquiao's unbalanced fighting than the action (or lack thereof). the fight had its moments, where fighters would go toe-to-toe, but the rounds ended with no definitive hype.

pacman did win by unanimous decision, but thats like being picked last by the good team in elementary school. whoopie-frign-doo. think tito-pac was slowed down by his new nike gear. shiet son, you destroyed fighters without the swoosh, what makes you think you need it now? the flame shorts were cheesy, but it was your signature. stick with it.

kudos to barrera for surviving. boring as hell, but held his cool and defense. honestly i would've done the same for my last hurraaah. and pac-boy, you should've gone straight for marquez, homie. it will probably be your next fight, but barrera shouldn't even have been on your radar. and if i didn't pick up that basketball, you would've faced me. damn straight. pac that shit!




represent!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

skipping class right now

cause my pimple popped right on my nose inbetween my eyes. i have three eyes frig. i have relatively clear skin (hella smooth as silk) but when i do get any 'activity' its always in the most awkward and visible places. fuhg.


went to futurshop yesterday just to do some research on em dslrrrrs, and i walked out with the new ipod nano. doh! but much needed tho, in no time i'll have major mileage on the lil thing, for classes, work, bus rides, church and waiting rooms. i wanted the black one, but 4gig only comes in silver. jip. 4gig is more than enough, especially with my weekly song rotation, im good. but i think the original nano size was better. this one is awkward to grip with my long lady hands. bummed it wont match my celly n DS, tho it would match my grillzzz.

i also ebayed one of those protective silicone sleeves from CHINA fo fiye dolla. i be jammin...


for all the latest on anything hip, indie and caucasian, kimberley from winnipeg, cousin of my best friendereeni, and importer of shawarma platters, has started a blog, check it over here:"we were swallowing panic"


tonite at club soda, fool's gold records major players are performing. i'll be working with a third eye. i even tried wearing my frames, but my pimple is right under the bridge, and ironically it just frames the pimple even more. blargh!


big long weekend (monday off) coming up, with thanksgiving (i think?) happening, and the Pacquiao VS. Barrera fight, and a painting critique (its like our exams) and lab experiment to prepare for and an essay due all on tuesday... i frign need coffee. or a buffet.

pac that shit! found it kinda sad that they had to go back to barrera for pacquiao to fight. pacquiao is 10x better since their first fight, and that fight was far from a struggle. funny to see de la hoya at the press conference, he's in a suit but all i can picture are those hooker pics. like michael jackson. or im just gay. whatever.


also, seth rogan, of '40-year-old virgin' and 'knocked up' will be on SNL this saturday! woohoo! im just excited its not a repeat.



shweeeet.

Monday, October 1, 2007

october 1st

few thoughts...


im going coffee free this entire month. been having issues and lost control lately. pray for me. gonna be a long and grumpy month...



though i dont like kanye as a person, dude's album is niiiice. frign talented. big fan of 'champion' and 'i wonder'. peep him on this past snl.

"sneaky cameras..." hehehe.



how major is this 'souljah boy' and his dance?

hard. his album drops tomorrow.



just jumped on this 'arrested development' wagon and just like to share some.

"what is that? that a chicken?" "those aren't even birds..." LOL. *sigh.


with that said n done, im gonna go lie in bed and wrap myself in lazy.