The Tate Modern, New York's Modern Art, the Smithsonian--I could chat with you extensively about any of these fine artistic establishments. But I have a confession to make: I never been to Long Beach's own Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA). Still that is not in fact the topic of this blog.
To be honest my knowlege of Chicano art is pretty much based on the 2002 film Frida and Barnes and Noble calendars of Diego Rivera's work. I don't think I'm alone in the ignorant assumption that MoLAA is probably filled with oil portraits of tan women with briaded hair holding straw baskets of crops.
In order to remedy this fallacy of Chicano arts next week I'm going to check out Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement at LACMA which opens on April 6. If your like me and can't afford (or even really want to) Cancun it up over vacation then I suggest you make the trip to LA as well (by the way LACMA is free every Tuesday).
Phantom Sightings will feature 31 artists and 120 works some of which were newly commisioned for the show. In a press release from LACMA Micheal Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director at LACMA explained, "The artist in this show consciously position themselves within the broadest developments of contemporary art."
Now that doesn't sound like briaded basket ladies to me. Some of the pieces that I'm looking forward to include pieces by Alejandro Diaz, Shizu Saldamando and Margarita Cabrera. First, Diaz has a piece in which he stands in front of Tiffany & Co. on 5th Avenue in New York City with a cardboard sign that reads "Looking for Upper East Side Lady with nice clean apt. (must have cable)."
Cabrera's work on the other hand is more political according to the release what looks like simple Cacti sculptures are actually composed of recycled uniforms of boarder patrol agents.
Finally I most excited about Saldamando who uses pano arte which is essentially the stylized ballpoint pen creations that we associate as prison art. In his work Saldamando makes portraits of alternative music stars like Morrissey.
My overall goal though is to get a good grasp of what's been going on in Chicano art and Phantom Sightings boasts itself as "the first comprehensive consideration of the legacy of Chicano art in almost two decades."
So, even though I've never been to MoLAA and have no immediate plans to check it out, in a way I hope that this excursion up north does spark some interest and understanding and bring me one step closer to someday appreciating what MoLAA has to offer.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
This Punk Rock is for the Dogs
In an effort to raise money for the upcoming chemotherapy for, Odin the Bear, a 7 year old three-legged pit bull, the Long Beach punk rock community came out to Syndicate Barber Shop last Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m. for live music, a full bar, BBQ, give-aways--and some impromptu tattooing.
In a way they proved that underneath a somewhat intimidating, hard exterior it's actually punk rock to help the innocent--especially if it comes in the form of an aggresive but loveable pit like Odin.
The event was pulled together by Jason "Woody" Wood, Odin's loyal master. Both have been each others best friends for the past five years.
However, Woody was not at all alone in coordinating the event which came off (start to finish) in as little as a week and a half.
Tim Trezise, who's co-owned Syndicate with Chris Cobb since it's inception more than five years ago, was the one who originally approached Woody with the idea. Not only that , he offered to close the shop on Sunday, one of Syndicates biggest business days of the week, so they could house the show.
Woody said that the event as a whole was the raddest thing that anyone had ever done for him since, well....ever.
Patrons arrived throughout the afternoon and night, in full force. Adorned with tattoes, donned in concert t-shirts, they had red cups in hand and worn converse on their feet.
One of Woody's friends said that the 300+ in attendance was a testiment to him, "since Jason is so giving and such a big-hearted guy."
Trezise added that since Woody was already struggling to pay-up Odin's steep medical bills (he had already hocked some of his stuff and his gas had been shut off for missing a bill) the idea of Woody losing Odin was just sad.
"I couldn't have that," said Trezise.
Ally Corwin, Woody's girlfriend aka his "Bird" collected money in a plastic jack-o-lantern and said that she was surpised about how the rough, partying crowd composed themselves: There was not a single fist fight. Corwin said that at these types of events, "There are always fights, always stuff getting broken, but [this time], for the most part, people were really courtous."
Some of the bands that played at the event included La Esperanza Music, the Indigants, Graveyard Riot, Long Beach All Day and a short set by ADHD.
Shred Savage was one of the few bands listed on the flier who didn't get to play.
"That was a bummer," said Trezise.
He also said that the cops came by three times to issue warnings throughout the benefit and that he and the other organizers decided to call it quits after the last warning around 7:30 p.m. This was so they wouldn't get hit with a $500 fine and have to take it out of Odin's pile of cash.
At Tim's house, which is behind the shop, Ryan Bloom of Electric Tattoo in Newport Beach and Gabe Harwell of F.T.W. a tattoo shop in Oakland were working the gun throughout the event.
"Gabe was a pirate," said Woody of his friend who was tattooing for five hours from 3 to 8 p.m.
"I came out for this guy," Harwell said nodding to Woody, "and I even drove the long way." Harwell also said that in his five hours he worked on 5 or 6 little tattoos. His favorite was on a young rocker known as "Little John" who got a skull with a top-hat that read "Sorry I Party."
The whole event was promoted heavily through myspace bulletins. A flier titled "FUCK CANCER" flooded the pages of everyone the guys knew.
The full bar and BBQ as well as the raffle for clothes, gift certificates, tattoos and skateboards were all funded by donations.
"Dog lovers that I had never even seen before would come up and give me $40," said Ally Corwin, "that's a lot of money when your drinking and partying."
One such donation came from a former CSULB Professor of Recreation and Leisure. It took one look at the freshly inked tattoo on his arm--a portiat of his beloved pup--to see that he could identify with the cause.
In the end Jason said that he got enough money to save Odin.
"It's truly amazing how it all came together....I was fucking amazed. I just want to thank all of my friends."
However his last words were that he wished Wade Pile would have shown up.
Syndicate is located at 2749 E. Broadway (near Temple)
For a new-do call (562)433-7733
In a way they proved that underneath a somewhat intimidating, hard exterior it's actually punk rock to help the innocent--especially if it comes in the form of an aggresive but loveable pit like Odin.
The event was pulled together by Jason "Woody" Wood, Odin's loyal master. Both have been each others best friends for the past five years.
However, Woody was not at all alone in coordinating the event which came off (start to finish) in as little as a week and a half.
Tim Trezise, who's co-owned Syndicate with Chris Cobb since it's inception more than five years ago, was the one who originally approached Woody with the idea. Not only that , he offered to close the shop on Sunday, one of Syndicates biggest business days of the week, so they could house the show.
Woody said that the event as a whole was the raddest thing that anyone had ever done for him since, well....ever.
Patrons arrived throughout the afternoon and night, in full force. Adorned with tattoes, donned in concert t-shirts, they had red cups in hand and worn converse on their feet.
One of Woody's friends said that the 300+ in attendance was a testiment to him, "since Jason is so giving and such a big-hearted guy."
Trezise added that since Woody was already struggling to pay-up Odin's steep medical bills (he had already hocked some of his stuff and his gas had been shut off for missing a bill) the idea of Woody losing Odin was just sad.
"I couldn't have that," said Trezise.
Ally Corwin, Woody's girlfriend aka his "Bird" collected money in a plastic jack-o-lantern and said that she was surpised about how the rough, partying crowd composed themselves: There was not a single fist fight. Corwin said that at these types of events, "There are always fights, always stuff getting broken, but [this time], for the most part, people were really courtous." Some of the bands that played at the event included La Esperanza Music, the Indigants, Graveyard Riot, Long Beach All Day and a short set by ADHD.
Shred Savage was one of the few bands listed on the flier who didn't get to play.
"That was a bummer," said Trezise.
He also said that the cops came by three times to issue warnings throughout the benefit and that he and the other organizers decided to call it quits after the last warning around 7:30 p.m. This was so they wouldn't get hit with a $500 fine and have to take it out of Odin's pile of cash.
At Tim's house, which is behind the shop, Ryan Bloom of Electric Tattoo in Newport Beach and Gabe Harwell of F.T.W. a tattoo shop in Oakland were working the gun throughout the event.
"Gabe was a pirate," said Woody of his friend who was tattooing for five hours from 3 to 8 p.m.
"I came out for this guy," Harwell said nodding to Woody, "and I even drove the long way." Harwell also said that in his five hours he worked on 5 or 6 little tattoos. His favorite was on a young rocker known as "Little John" who got a skull with a top-hat that read "Sorry I Party."
The whole event was promoted heavily through myspace bulletins. A flier titled "FUCK CANCER" flooded the pages of everyone the guys knew.
The full bar and BBQ as well as the raffle for clothes, gift certificates, tattoos and skateboards were all funded by donations.
"Dog lovers that I had never even seen before would come up and give me $40," said Ally Corwin, "that's a lot of money when your drinking and partying."
One such donation came from a former CSULB Professor of Recreation and Leisure. It took one look at the freshly inked tattoo on his arm--a portiat of his beloved pup--to see that he could identify with the cause.
In the end Jason said that he got enough money to save Odin.
"It's truly amazing how it all came together....I was fucking amazed. I just want to thank all of my friends."
However his last words were that he wished Wade Pile would have shown up.
Syndicate is located at 2749 E. Broadway (near Temple)
For a new-do call (562)433-7733
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