One of the most original and distinct duos creating art right now, the Date Farmers bring their fusion of graffiti, sign-painting and installation mixed with their Mexican-American heritage and California pop culture sensibilities to New York’s Jonathan Levine Gallery for their latest show titled Smother Your Mother.
From the Gallery:
“In Smother Your Mother, the tone of the work shifts focus toward themes of mental neurosis, confronting dark fears and the compelling quality of the visually or conceptually grotesque—like the irresistible need to look at a car wreck or pick at a scab. The artists say that some of the ideas conveyed are spiritual, while others are just stories, “…Christ, the devil, nightmares, candles, saying I love you, shape shifting into animals, running back home, smoking a cigarette that you found, the fear of getting your ass kicked, being mad about nothing, telling the truth in disguise.” Of the found materials used in their work, the unwanted and discarded, they say “we just make it wanted again. Ugly is beautiful.”
“Violinist and singer Emily Wells loves rap music and Vivaldi. Money Mark (Mark Nishita) is a musician and producer who transformed the sound of the Beastie Boys. From these unique perspectives, the two artists come together for a special collaborative performance, where classical roots meld with hip-hop rhythms, looped violin melodies, and funk, folk, Afro-Cuban, and Latin-inspired jams.”
I know I said I wasn’t going to do any sort of year end lists the other day, but there’s just something about lists that I just can’t resist. And when I can cherry pick from all the “best of” lists that suckers esteemed writers have diligently compiled on the interwebs, well it pretty much makes this list the list to look at. I mean, where else can you peruse a list that includes street art, Quentin Tarantino, NSFW music and viral videos, Manny Pacquiao, conservative conspiracies, repurposing tricks, National Geographic photos and iPhone apps all from one webpage?
So without further ado, and in no particular order other than alphabetical, I present to you my humble list of the best “best of” lists for the year 2009.
Click headers or corresponding images to see complete lists.
Check out the trailer I cut for the N.A.S.A. homies below and see how the current version of “Whachadoin?” progressed from it’s early stages around the 2:30 mark:
Films about an inspirational pop art nun (including ours), a Karaoke dance party, Muppets and more Muppets, and of course art openings highlight this weekends highlights.
Pocket wallet pioneers Poketo take over Royal/T’s this summer with their storefront pop-up shop. Tonight they transform the joint into a Karaoke Dance Party with our fun Fluxer friends Jonathan and Meg Wells on an esteemed panel of judges.
Poketo Karaoke Dance Party at Royal/T Friday July 10th, 8 PM - 1 AM
Royal/T
8910 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232
Free, RSVP at rsvp@poketo.com
The Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax has Muppets on the mind once again as they bring back last year’s sold out showings of Jim Henson’s mind-blowing collection of shorts, crazy commercials, and other rarities including the not-be-to-be-missed Oscar winning Time Piece. Bonus: midnight screening of Henson’s feature film The Dark Crystal!
Printed Matter
Opening reception: Saturday July 11th, 6:30-10pm GR2
2062 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025
Show runs from July 11 through August 5, 2009
Desert Sexy
Opening reception: Saturday July 11th, 6-8pm
The Constant Gallery
2673 S. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90034
Show runs from July 11 through August 15, 2009
Girls go wild as the Honor Fraser Gallery opens Bitch is the New Black, an all women art show featuring “fourteen Los Angeles-based women who are all emerging or established artists from roughly the same generation and are bright lights on the local scene.”
Bitch is the New Black
Opening reception: Saturday July 11th, 6-8pm
Honor Fraser Gallery
2622 S La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034
Show runs from July 11 through August 29, 2009
And finally end your weekend inspired as our short film (Become a Microscope: 90 Statements on Sister Corita) about the life and art of Sister Corita Kent will be screening at the Silent Movie Theater Sunday night alongside two other films by Corita’s friends, Mary’s Day (1964) by Baylis Glascock, and Survival With Style (1966) by Cal Bernstein, Alex Singer and Haskell Wexler. Both of these rare films will be screened from their original 16mm prints, and Mary’s Day will feature a live score by special musical guests!
“A Volta” is the latest music video collaboration from N.A.S.A. spacemen Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon and features the amazing artwork of The Date Farmers brought to life by the ultra talented directing team known simply as Logan. Having already given us several breakthrough videos to go along with their breakthrough album The Spirit of Apollo, the NAStronauts now bring together the musical stylings of Sizzla, Amanda Blank, and Love Foxxx of CSS in this their most obscenly violent and graphic video “chock full of evil bosses, sadistic henchmen, vigilantes, important briefcases, ghetto birds and piles of cash”.
Clear your schedule for this Wednesday cause the year’s first Flux Screening Seriesat the Hammer is coming and our Sister Corita film will be making it’s Los Angeles premiere! If you missed the CSUN screening and art opening (a must see!), this is your chance to check out what we’ve been giving our all to. Also part of 2009’s inaugral program will be two new music video from the N.A.S.A. crew, this time featuring Kanye West, Santogold, Lykee Li, Sizzla, Amanda Blank, with art by The Date Farmers, directed by Logan and Three Legged Legs. The short film project PSST! 3 and a new short by homey Ace Norton will also be included in the program.
Make sure to RSVP and arrive early as the two theaters are always over flowing and people are unfortunately turned away once filled. But if you can’t get in, there’s always the courtyard reception primed for drinks, djs, and drinks.
Become A Microscope
90 Statements on Sister Corita
A Film by Aaron Rose
Produced by Jon Barlow, Edited by Lenny Mesina, Original Score by Money Mark and Becky Stark.
Synopsis:
Sister Corita (1918-1986) was a teacher, political activist and possibly one of the most innovative and unusual pop artists of the 1960’s. She was also a Catholic nun. Become A Microscope is a 20-minute art/documentary film celebrating the life, work, and teachings of this incredible artist. The film was shot on location on the campus of Immaculate Heart in Los Angeles, the same place where most of the film’s story happened. It serves as a living, breathing document of the inspiration she spread to so many people throughout her life…and as the title suggests, the importance of looking at the world “small pieces at a time”. Through the use of interviews with those who knew her, we tell Corita’s story in an abstract way. Using archival images from the Corita archive along with visual effects created specifically for the project by some of the most talented animators working today, we have created a colorful visual montage. The film reveals itself as a living, moving, graphic and musical artwork.
Become A Microscope is produced by Blacklake Productions, in conjunction with The Directors Bureau, with special cooperation from The Corita Art Center and the Art/Film Departments of Cal State University Northridge.
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