For lovers of cool shoes, small companies who make cool shoes, and cool shoes on sale made by small cool companies, check out Keep’s sample sale this weekend in LA’s Chinatown. Music, drinks, and deals on shoes on a warm LA day, sounds like good times to be had.

And not only do the good peeps at Keep create fine shoes and clothing, they also keep good company as they are tight with an artistic community who support and share their same ideals. Among the Keep family contributors are photographers Tobin Yelland (who shoots most of Keep’s catalogs as well as being the director of photography of our film Beautiful Losers), Deanna Templeton (the lovely wife of Ed), and the brothers Ray and David Potes of the omni-present Hamburger Eyes (I actually just randomly met Dave in NY a few days ago through our mutual friend Ito!).

Thanks to Stephanie at Keep’s Hillhurst store for passing along the good info.

May 31 Sat 10 am - 6 pm
June 1 Sun 12 - 5 pm
Keep Chinatown HQ
418 Bamboo Lane
LA, CA 90012

Once again the Secret Headquarters of Silver Lake bring the goods with tonights opening featuring Mark Todd’s latest works on paper. His previous illustrations I’ve seen of iconic “bad asses” ranging from Mr.T to Miss Piggy and reconstructions of comic book covers from our youth, make Todd’s lo-fi sensibilities a perfect fit for our friendly neighborhood comic book shop.

From the secret heads of the Secret Headquarters:

Painter, illustrator and author Mark Todd took his first creative cues from comic books and Star Wars: worlds of inventive fantasy that still inform his art. His latest work involves intense scrutiny and alteration of classic comic covers from “Fantastic Four,” “X-Men,” “Iron Man,” “Spiderman” and other series, including the work of legendary illustrators like Jack Kirby.

“I love the type, the heavy shadows, the colors and the way they seemed to use every inch of the page,” says Todd. “I sit and study them, and my brush reconstructs them.”

Todd is referencing the past, waxing nostalgic about it and simultaneously lending his own post-modern sensibility to it, employing a limited palette, repetition, distortion and mixed media materials including spray paint, cel-vinyl, glossy varnishes and dusty stains. The pieces are rounded at the edges, appearing as prized objects; tablets encoded with civilization’s most iconic collective wisdom.

His work has appeared in scores of publications including Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, Spin, New York Times, and for Country Music Television. Todd graduated with honors in 1993 from Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, where he has also taught since 2003. He has also written several books, including “Whatcha Mean, What’s A Zine? ” co-authored with his wife and fellow artist, Esther Pearl Watson.

Join Mark Todd for a drink at Secret Headquarters
from 8pm - 10 pm TONIGHT, May 30th.

Secret Headquarters will feature Todd’s one-of-a kind original works of art through July 2nd, 2008

www.funchicken.com

Secret Headquarters is located on 3817 W Sunset Blvd. LA 90026 and is open Monday through Friday from 11am-9pm and on Sundays 12pm-7pm for all your geek book needs.

Additional video added!

(from left to right: Harmony Korine, Mark Gonzalez, and Carlo McCormick)

On Sunday May 18th, my first full day back stateside, I was treated to a special “conversation” between filmmaker Harmony Korine and artist/skateboarder Mark Gonzalez which was later moderated by magazine editor Carlo McCormick at Tokion’s Creativity Now conference at Cooper Union in Manhattan. The two playfully started off their discussion by going through their list of “Name Poems” which are names of celebrity types dissected and reshaped to form whole new names. This exercise in adolescence started in Harmony’s Prince street apartment at the start of their long standing friendship and through the years has grown into a list of hundreds. Starting with their first foray into their new art form, Harmony recited the original name poem “Emily dicked her son” (Emily Dickinson). And from there, back and forth they went laughing with childlike pride at some of their crudest and funniest inventions which included; “Dick rides around in a van looking for dykes” (Dick Van Dyke), “Is it a kite? Harvey can’t tell” (Harvey Keitel), “Burt Reynolds wrap”, “What’s Stephen Hawking?”, and “Kirstie was raped in an alley” (Kirstie Alley) to which Mark replied, “That’s just mean.” Mean indeed, amusing yes, and the audience of students and young and old people enjoyed it all. Here’s a bit of video of the tail end of the name poetry segment:

From there Carlo McCormick joined the brouhaha and attempted to turn the conversation into a more insightful one with sincere answers. This was not easily done with the Harmony and Mark revelling in being the jokesters they are. At one point Mark completely interrupts Harmony mid-answer when he started playing his harmonica on his mic:

But not all of it was fun and games as Mark gave one of the best answers of the day when Carlo asked him how his process when making art involves leaving his errors in finished pieces, to which Mark responded (in so many words), “the mistake is part of the make.” A lesson I’ve been slow to adhere to being a perfectionist for most of my life, but a lesson I now live by as I understand the beauty in drawing outside the lines. As these two creators have been doing for most of theirs.

Thanks to the lovely Heather Seccia of Tokion for getting me and my brother in.

When I was in Modena, Italy a couple of weeks ago Cinzia and Manny from Sartoria took me to a spot where I could check out good local graffiti. It was there that I learned about their friend Blu and his stop motion graf piece he was working on overseas. They went on and on about how talented their boy is and how he was doing some next level shits. Stop motion graffiti?! I was intrigued to say the least. I got back to the states a couple of days ago and what do I find in my inbox from Chris Pouy? A link to that very piece and it is indeed the amazing. For those who have yet to see it, please watch now:

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

And here’s Blu’s piece from that wall in Modena that got the conversation started:

Check out more of what Blu’s up to on his frequently updated blog worldwidewall.

My work is now done, finally. On Monday May 12th and Tuesday the 13th here in Beijing, Nike launched two of the coolest events I’ve ever had the good fortune to be a part of. The first being the Nike Sportswear opening featuring video portraits by artist Robert Wilson and the 64 HD screen video installation I worked on along with the crew I was working with in Italy, Sartoria. The second event was the Nike 6.0 BMX demo and Lightning Bolts Art Show in a jaw dropping venue simply known as “the Gas Tank” in Beijing’s 798 artists district. Artists from this show included Michael Lau, Andy Jenkins, and Nick Philip among others and featured pieces using Bob Haro’s original number plate as a canvas. Over those past two days an amazing collection of talent, taste makers, celebrity designers, executives, and head creatives, converged on Beijing to produce another innovative Nike experience. Here’s a peak at some of the madness with more pics to come very soon!

Director Paolo Fresci (maestro of our installation), Suitmen’s Adam Glickmen (hugely responsible for bringing me aboard the project), DJ Alex Turnbull (created the banging beats for our piece), and Sartoria’s mad genius Giorgio Di Mitri (the visionary period) watch on as the other 32 monitors bombard them with video in our installation room.

New Nike Terminators with a Robert Wilson portrait of skater Shingo Iwasaki.

More new Nikes with Wilson’s portrait of dancer Sofia Boutella.

The outside of the Nike 6.0 event at the Gas Tank.

The impressive insides.

Another angle.

Too many people to name in front of Michael Lau’s piece at the main entrance (although that’s Nike sweethearts Jill Meisner and Drieke Leenknegt on the left).

I hope these pics whet your visual appetites because there’s much more to come soon!

Living in Los Feliz, I tend to focus more on happenings in or around LA. Not to leave my NY brethren out of the loop, here’s a look at a selection of the featured artists for the upcoming Tokion Creativity Now event this May 17th and 18th at Cooper Union in Manhattan and a blurb from the Tokion tokers:

Maria Bamford (”Comedians of Comedy”)

David Cross (”Mr. Show,” “Arrested Development”)

Zach Galifianakis (”Comedians of Comedy”)

Massimiliano Gioni (Curator, New Museum)

Mark Gonzales (Artist/Poet/Professional Skateboarder)

Kathy Grayson (Curator, Deitch Projects)

Harmony Korine (Mister Lonely, Julien Donkey-Boy)

Lucky Dragons (Artists/Musicians)

Carlo McCormick (Senior Editor, Paper)

Gary Panter (Artist, PictureBox, Inc.)

David Shrigley (Artist, Anton Kern Gallery)

“Held annually in New York City, Tokion’s Creativity Now Conference assembles the top names in art, design, music, filmmaking, fashion and photography to speak about their work and respective industries before an audience of 2,000. The international scope and diversity of the conference has made it a unique and important gathering for young individuals whose culture and interests span the globe. For the past four years, members of the international creative community including industry professionals, students and pop culture enthusiasts have had the opportunity to listen and pose questions to the definitive creative talents of this generation.

Doors open at 11AM each day, Conference begins at noon and finishes at 6:30PM.

Additional speakers to be announced. Please check back for regular updates.”

And speaking of Zach Galiflanakis check out the bearded ones latest finger flicking film, Visioneers:

Just as the flux capacitor was the driving force behind Doc Brown’s time traveling Delorean from “Back to the Future”, the Flux festival is Jonathan Wells (creator of the globe trotting digital pioneer RESFest and last year’s feel good hit of the summer the Swerve Festival) latest powerful creation celebrating the communities of film, art, music, design and culture. The debut of this new screening series last March sold out the Hammer Museum’s Billy Wilder Theater bringing out hundreds to view the world premiere of Bjork’s 3-D music video for “Wanderlust” by Encyclopedia Pictura, as well as new works by Geoff McFetridge, Cat Solen, Amautalab. Also featured in that premiere screening was the seizure-enducing music video for Gnarls Barkley’s “Run” edited by our post house pals at Therapy in conjunction with the mad people of Central Office (the video horribly failed the Harding Test which measures weather or not images on UK television can cause epileptic seizures). And I’m going to give myself a shout out as well (with no apologies to Gelatobaby) as the Adele “Chasing Pavements” music video I edited for Motion Theory also was screened at the inaugural Flux festival.

Which finally brings me to next Tuesday’s May screening sure to be another great night at the museum.

From the fine Flux folk:

“Our May event features an exclusive presentation by special guests Syd Garon and Sam Spiegel, who will discuss their artist/animation collaboration for the band NASA. Participating artists include Sage Vaughn, The Date Farmers, and Shepard Fairey. The evening will feature the world premiere of their latest work with artist Marcel Dzama. Plus new work by Dougal Wilson, Jonnie Ross and much more followed by a courtyard after-party.”

And just to do another bit of promoting, Syd and Sam both added their personal touches to Beautiful Losers as Syd worked on the opening title sequence and Sam co-scored the “commercialization” scene of the film.

Flux Screening Series

Tuesday May 13th, 7-11PM
Hammer Museum
Billy Wilder Theater
10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Click to RSVP.

FREE admission
RSVP Suggested Please note RSVP does not guarantee tickets and is not a reservation.
Box Office opens at 6 PM.

Early arrival is suggested as seating capacity in the theater is limited and tickets are distributed on a first come first serve basis.

There will be 3 screening areas: the Billy Wilder Theater, the adjacent Gallery 6 and the Outdoor courtyard.

You may bring food or a picnic into the courtyard, but no outside alcohol allowed.

There is a cash bar on-site.

This Sunday, May 11th, is the day to celebrate that one special woman in your life. Your moms. Or your babies’ moms. Of course you’re going to give her a call, send her a sweet card or some tulips, maybe even take her to Chili’s for dinner. But why not celebrate your mum by laughing at her sweetness a bit? Maybe even via the “interwebs” as mothers might say? Postcards From Yo Momma brings you other people’s golden nuggets of motherly charm, or naiveté in many cases, such as this little diddy:

“I was in the car listening to the radio, and who is this “shorty” they keep talking about in rap songs?”

Classic mom talk. Go ahead and peruse their overly sentimental highly hilarious site, you’ll be surprised at how often the mom in the post could actually be your very own. Not wanting to be a maternal elitist, I present to you one of my mom’s latest and greatest chain forwards:

“The SCULPTURE IS AMAZING!!! Don’t forget to read below the sculpture.
This is an unusual one. It actually gives you a time tomorrow. Let’s see if it works.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

Forward this message the same day you received it may sound ridiculous, but it is right on time
We believe that something is about to happen. Angels exist, only sometimes they haven’t got wings
and we call them friends; you are one of them
Something wonderful is about to happen to you and your friends.
Tomorrow at 9:22 AM somebody will address you and tell you something you have been waiting to hear. Pl ease do not break this chain. Send it to at least 7 of your friends.”

Thanks mother, I love you!

p.s.-I didnt’ forward that lame email.

(Just to clarify, my brother Justin made those shirts for us last Christmas. Instant classic.)

UPDATE: The hotel accommodations I’ve been given have also made the whole airline debacle somewhat less painful. Check the room I’m staying in at the Sofitel Hotel. Ridiculous.

You’ve heard those nightmare airline travel stories from one friend or another at some point. You’ve heard how they aimlessly wandered around airports for hours on end waiting for their connecting flight. You’ve heard how they barely missed that connecting flight because their incredibly stupid credit card company put a freeze on their account because it was used overseas even though they told them before they left the U.S. that they were going to be using the card in a different country. Yeah, well add me to that list. Here’s my visual account of 5 airports over the past 2 days.

Aeroporto G. Marconi di Bologna (Bologna, Italy to Frankfurt, Germany): With hours to kill and hundreds of Beautiful Losers stickers handy, I decided to do some International promotion. Boredom=vandalism.

Frankfurt Airport (Frankfurt, Germany to Toronto, Canada): More of the same.

Pearson International Airport (Toronto, Canada to Washington D.C.): At least I got to see the Lakers win game one of their series while enjoying the most delicious Canadian beer I’ve ever had.

Dulles International Airport (Washington D.C. to Beijing, China): Barack Obama is my homeboy.

Beijing Capital International Airport (Beijing, China): A cute smiling Chinese girl waiting for you at the gate while holding up a sign with your name on it makes it all worth while.