A ways back, I posted an entry about starting a couple of recurring artist series, the first of which commenced that evening on Raymond Pettibon. Perhaps the series itself could have been titled "The Two Rays" seeing as the other artist, for whom this post finally signifies the beginning of his own series*, is Ray Johnson. Chances are you have never heard of him. But once you get a taste of his work and start to grasp his position in the New York art world in the second half of the 20th Century, you realize that herein lies the missing link that ties everything together.
I have posted about Ray before here. That posting was commented on* by one Bill Wilson, a former stagehand of Ray's who followed up days later with an email asking me for my snail mail address so he could send me "Ray Johnsonalia". To which, of course, I complied and for my efforts was rewarded with a fairly substantial envelope containing a number of postcard reproductions, exhibit invites and essays on Ray Johnson.
All of which I am planning to finally get around to scanning and posting as part of this series. In the meantime, tonight's first entry takes form as a stumbled upon flickr group called "New York Correspondence School".
Labels: Art, Artist Series, Ray Johnson
Friday, August 17, 2007
Art I Pass By On My Way To Work - #8
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Tunes For A Tuesday Morning
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Great Counterculture Logos - Part 9
The Steal Your Face logo by Bob Thomas and the infamous LSD chemist Augustus Owsley Stanley.
From Rolling Stone's 40th Anniversary Summer of Love Special Edition (July 12 - 26 2007), Robert Greenfield* writes:
"While driving to work one day in his MG, Owsley saw an orange and blue logo with a white bar across it on a building. He thought it would look cool if the logo was red and blue with a white lightning bolt through it, so he had someone spray-paint a basic version of it on the Dead's equipment. He then talked to Bob Thomas about putting the lightning bolt through the words "Grateful Dead" in lettering, which from a distance would look like a skull. Together, they devised the "Steal Your Face" logo (a.k.a. "the stealie"). Thomas, who died in 1993, sold it to the band as a letterhead for $250, meaning that neither he nor Owsley ever saw a dime from all those Deadhead stickers on the rear bumpers of Volkswagen buses."
The Steal Your Face logo by Bob Thomas and the infamous LSD chemist Augustus Owsley Stanley.
From Rolling Stone's 40th Anniversary Summer of Love Special Edition (July 12 - 26 2007), Robert Greenfield* writes:
"While driving to work one day in his MG, Owsley saw an orange and blue logo with a white bar across it on a building. He thought it would look cool if the logo was red and blue with a white lightning bolt through it, so he had someone spray-paint a basic version of it on the Dead's equipment. He then talked to Bob Thomas about putting the lightning bolt through the words "Grateful Dead" in lettering, which from a distance would look like a skull. Together, they devised the "Steal Your Face" logo (a.k.a. "the stealie"). Thomas, who died in 1993, sold it to the band as a letterhead for $250, meaning that neither he nor Owsley ever saw a dime from all those Deadhead stickers on the rear bumpers of Volkswagen buses."
Labels: Design, Great Counterculture Logos, Sixties
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Calvin Harris Created Disco
It is not often that you receive a CD in the mail on a Monday morning and after playing the first 3 tracks you suddenly have everyone at the studio fully shaken of their weekend slumbers and demanding to know what the hell they are listening to. But this was exactly the effect that Calvin Harris' "I Created Disco" had this past week. I dare say...the place was going off.
With the official US release of the album not until Sept. 4th (seems you can already buy it in Canada), I am not actually supposed to be saying much more at this time other than "expect big things" and then directing you to the pre-approved online "leaks":
"Acceptable in the 80's"
Ironically -- this just in from HQ -- Calvin Harris seems to be doing a heck of a job on his own getting his name out there. Already huge in the UK with a sold out headlining tour and successful performances at all the big summer festivals, the 23 year old Scot has created quite the stir in the mainstream media as of late by announcing that as a promotion for his new track Merrymaking At My Place he wants to set a new world record for the most house parties happening simultaneously across the country.
Ah yes, nothing sends the kids running to the iStore faster than their parents screaming 'bloody murder'. The National BBC news ran the story and both national broadsheets ‘The Times’ and ‘The Telegraph’ have run substantial articles on the contest — the story even made the front page of ABC news online in the US.
As a result of all of this hoopla, Calvin was asked to issue a guide on how to party responsibly. Now that should just about fix everything...
It is not often that you receive a CD in the mail on a Monday morning and after playing the first 3 tracks you suddenly have everyone at the studio fully shaken of their weekend slumbers and demanding to know what the hell they are listening to. But this was exactly the effect that Calvin Harris' "I Created Disco" had this past week. I dare say...the place was going off.
With the official US release of the album not until Sept. 4th (seems you can already buy it in Canada), I am not actually supposed to be saying much more at this time other than "expect big things" and then directing you to the pre-approved online "leaks":
"Acceptable in the 80's"
Ironically -- this just in from HQ -- Calvin Harris seems to be doing a heck of a job on his own getting his name out there. Already huge in the UK with a sold out headlining tour and successful performances at all the big summer festivals, the 23 year old Scot has created quite the stir in the mainstream media as of late by announcing that as a promotion for his new track Merrymaking At My Place he wants to set a new world record for the most house parties happening simultaneously across the country.
Ah yes, nothing sends the kids running to the iStore faster than their parents screaming 'bloody murder'. The National BBC news ran the story and both national broadsheets ‘The Times’ and ‘The Telegraph’ have run substantial articles on the contest — the story even made the front page of ABC news online in the US.
As a result of all of this hoopla, Calvin was asked to issue a guide on how to party responsibly. Now that should just about fix everything...
Labels: Music, The Payola Chronicles
Monday, August 06, 2007
Auteurs On YouTube vs. Liam Lacey
In tribute to the deaths of two of cinema's greatest artists, Ingmar Bergman and Michelangelo Antonioni this past week, Liam Lacey compiled an extensive* list for the Globe and Mail, organized by age group, of living filmmakers who could potentially fill their formidable shoes.
Sitting there on the screen as static 'old guard' media, the article begged to be given a little dynamic context. So, as the third installment of Auteurs on YouTube, I have reprinted the text in its entirety with links to related interviews, trailers and clips from YouTube whenever possible.
In tribute to the deaths of two of cinema's greatest artists, Ingmar Bergman and Michelangelo Antonioni this past week, Liam Lacey compiled an extensive* list for the Globe and Mail, organized by age group, of living filmmakers who could potentially fill their formidable shoes.
Sitting there on the screen as static 'old guard' media, the article begged to be given a little dynamic context. So, as the third installment of Auteurs on YouTube, I have reprinted the text in its entirety with links to related interviews, trailers and clips from YouTube whenever possible.
Labels: Auteurs on YouTube, Film
