Culture Surfing

Role Model Citizen by Fahamu Pecou

As usual, here are a few arts events to add to your weekend roster. Also, don’t forget about the Hense exhibition at The Rail Yard and the Kvares show at Beep Beep. This weekend’s art scene is chock-full so enjoy.

FRIDAY (Today)

Head to Castleberry Hill’s tattoo parlor/art gallery City of Ink to check out John Hairston Jr.’s vivid, realistic graffiti-style art. His latest work, Hollywood Africans, celebrates the life and career of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Walk away with a unique perspective on one of the world’s first African American art greats and maybe even some new ink. Free. City of Ink. 404-525-4465. www.thecityofink.com/.

Fresh from the NYC fashion scene House of Diehl’s Style Wars hits Atlanta runways. Watch designers battle head-to-head and make killer creations in 5-minute knock-out rounds. It’s Project Runway on crack! $15-$20 7:30 p.m. Opera. 404-874-0428. www.houseofdiehl.com/stylewars.

SATURDAY

Eyedrum’s First Annual Ear Ball is sure to satisfy all your aural cravings. The event–originally conceived as a fund raiser–is a showcase of the works of a diverse pool of local sound artists. Whether you’re into jazz improv or are looking for some electronic soundscapes Eyedrum’s got you covered. Pay what you can. 12 p.m.-2 a.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org.

Get This! Gallery is housing Atlanta neopop artist Fahamu Pecou’s first solo show. Whirl Trade was inspired by Pecou’s travels in Africa and explores the interpretations and misconceptions of blackness in African-decended communities. Through images that are arranged as faux magazine covers he sends a powerful message about popular media and the power of influence. Free. 7-11 p.m. Get This! Gallery. 678-596-4451. Gethisgallery.com.

SUNDAY

It’s Pecha Kucha time! Volume 14–the last of the fall season–is titled Back to Basics. The diverse roster (including CL favorite Danielle Roney and former mayoral candidate Kyle Keyser) promises to provide some tasty food for thought and make for lots of candid conversation. Free. 7 p.m. Octane Coffee Lounge (Westside). www.atlantapechakucha.com.

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Untitled, Sovereign Tree (kingfisher branch) by Todd Murphy

The Atlanta art scene serves up some seasonal spooky shows as well as some great opportunities to meet local artists this weekend. Read on for the rundown.

Continue reading “Weekend Arts Agenda: Which craft?” »

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Los Cenzontles

No one knows exactly when the sugar skull was invented. It may be the most recognizable symbol of Dia de los Muertos today, but the brightly decorated, edible molds likely date to a time before the colonization of the Americas. Many of Central America’s indigenous populations kept human skulls and bones to use in celebrations honoring the life and death cycles. At some point, sugar bones became a common offering, perhaps symbolizing the sweetness of life in the shape of death. Things changed when the Conquistadors arrived, however. For those who survived the bloody invasion, the Catholic Church moved the celebrations from the ninth month of the Aztec calendar to All Saints Day and All Souls Day on Nov. 1 and 2. Sugar skulls will be easy to find in the coming days at the Atlanta History Center and the Rialto Center for the Arts, where Eugene Rodriguez’s Los Cenzontles performs this week.

Continue reading “Dia de los Muertes leaves a trail of dead this weekend” »

(Photo courtesy the Rialto Center)

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"Autobiography: Egypt (Cairo Resdential) 1974," by Howardena Pindell. Join the artist for a talk Sat., Oct. 24.

Here’s the weekly rundown of the fiercest arts events happening around town this weekend.

TONIGHT (Friday)

Tweet Design presents their Second Annual “Day of the Dead” art show at Eyedrum. The show features over 80 mini-coffins decorated by artists from all over the country. See this cool tribute to the departed and join them from 8pm-12 am for their opening night fiesta. Get ready for some mean sangria, tasty taquitos and tunes from Uncle Daddy and the Kissin’ Cousins. Free. 8 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org.

SATURDAY

Howardena Pindell stops by the Sandler Hudson Gallery to discuss her latest exhibition, “Autobiography: Strips, dots, and video drawings”. The show includes work from Pindell’s 25-year career.  Most known for her use of varied techniques and mixed-media works, her work also explores a multitude of socio-political issues such as racism and feminism. Free. 2 p.m. Sandler Hudson Gallery. 404-817-3777. www.sandlerhudson.com.

Ever wonder how your favorite old-school Saturday morning cartoons came to life?  Through ASIFA-Atlanta’s “Animation Draw” you can get a little insight. This workshop presented by WonderRoot Community Arts Center explores the core principles of traditional hand-drawn animation. By the end of this five hour workshop you’ll have learned how cartoons are made and have  several short animations of your own to brag about. Free. 2 p.m. WonderRoot Community Arts Center. 404-254-5955. www.wornderroot.org.

For the first time ever Brotherman Comics is showcasing their unique brand of comic book art in exhibition format.  “Drawing from the Soul: The Official Brotherman Comics Art Experience” opens Saturday night and gives fans an inside look into the Brotherman World.  See how the creators go from concept to development to finished product and craft an original philosophy and an edgy visual experience along the way. Free. 7 p.m. Studio Clout. 404-688-2787. www.studioclout.com.

SUNDAY

The Marcus JCC of Atlanta invites you to “Lunch and Learn with Lorraine Peltz.” The latest exhibition of the Artist’s work–”Excellent Hostess: Paintings and Works on Paper”– is an homage to her mother’s survival of the Holocaust.  The series of paintings contrasts the exterior world with an interior space of comfort and memory. Go for the talk. Stay for the lunch. Free. 11:30 a.m. Dunwoody, The Marcus JCC of Atlanta. 678-812-4000. www.atlantajcc.org.

The Contemporary developed a day of sculpture and photography activities for the family inspired by Corin Hewitt’s “Seed Stage”.  “Seed Stage”–presented at the Whitney in NYC–investigated the processes of harvesting, consuming, building, documenting, and recycling.  For months the artist worked in an exhibition space/science lab/kitchen/art studio as an audience watched.  After an educational day of family fun make sure you check out Hewitt’s photographs of his experimental New York exhibition. Free. 1-4 p.m. The Contemporary. 404-688-1970. www.thecontemporary.org.

The High Museum teams up with Mattress Factory Studios for a Membership Drive Kick-off Party. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet emerging and established artists, tour their studios, and learn more about the High’s Art Partners program.Original works will be raffled off throughout the evening . Take a look at some of the featured artists works beforehand on the Mattress Factory Studios website. Free (reservations necessary RSVP @ high.org/mattressfactory). 4 p.m. Grant Park. www.high.org. 404-733-4444.

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See 'The Accumulation of Change' at Eyedrum Fri., Oct. 16.

This weekend’s arts calendar is jam packed with a little something for everyone, whether you’re into wearable art or are fascinated by DNA and all things genetic.

TONIGHT (Friday)

Beep Beep Gallery presents Pretty Awesome at Aurora Coffee L5P, a combo art auction/concert/fund aiser. In an effort to host more all ages shows (and keep up their rep as the 2009 Best of Atlanta Readers Pick for Best gallery spotlighting local artists) art from 25 local artists, including Lucha Rodriguez, Ann-Marie Manker and Shaun Thurston, will be auctioned off between 7 and 10 p.m. Afterward, for only $5, there’ll be a concert featuring Carnivore, Recompas, El Fossil, Pleasure Cruise and Em! (The Back Pockets). Auction: Free. 7-10 p.m. Concert: $5. 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Aurora Coffee Little Five. 404-429-3320. www.beepbeepgallery.com.

Lelavision brings The Accumulation of Change, a unique and interactive performance, to Eyedrum. Expect a hybrid art-science experience that blends Lelavision’s kinetic musical sculptures, music and dance with the research of biomolecular chemistry professor Dr. David Lynn of Emory University. Audience members will participate in a twisted and spectacular game of genetics through the use of classroom clicker technology as they learn about the chemical origins of life and Evolution. $10-$15. 8 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org.

Continue reading “Weekend Arts Agenda: A little of this, a little of that” »

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If you’ve seen the brilliant trailer for the Coen Brothers’ new film A Serious Man, you already know the film’s attachment to Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody To Love.” For their entire careers, however, Joel and Ethan Coen have wittily showcased incongruous pop songs and soaring original instrumental music in their films, as this retrospective reveals.

Carter Burwell has composed music for the Coens going back to their 1984 debut, Blood Simple. Burwell’s insistent, moody piano score may not be as memorable as the violent film noir’s recurring use of a Motown hit. As screenwriter/blogger Todd Alcott points out in his terrific analysis of the film, “‘The Same Old Song’ is used three times in the movie, suggesting that the fatal mistakes the characters make are all part of an unstoppable continuum.”

A quirkier, more innovative soundtrack came to the fore with the Coens’ second film, the Southwestern screwball comedy Raising Arizona (1987). Nicolas Cage’s wry narration as petty hood H.I. McDonough finds an exuberant counterpoint in Burwell’s racing banjo music, whistles and yodeling. Maybe the countrified strains mock the film’s trailer-park cast just a little bit, but the music also carries the audience along in a state of galloping giddiness, in perfect time with the rapid-fire jokes. Incidentally, the film’s use of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” derives from Pete Seeger’s “Goofing-Off Suite:”

Continue reading “‘Old-timey music:’ The songs of the Coen Brothers” »

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There’s this thing called The Beatles: Rock Band. You’ve probably heard of it, assuming you’ve turned on a television or picked up a newspaper or magazine at any point in the last two weeks. The hype is deafening, but justified. Still, some misconceptions about the game have taken root, and it’s about time we weeded them out. Weeding out is definitely something the Beatles are familiar with.

1. It’s just another Rock Band game.

Although the gameplay is fundamentally the same, The Beatles: Rock Band looks and feels like no other music game. Instead of tossing out Beatles songs with the same generic character designs and performance animations found in Rock Band, Beatles: Rock Band was built from the ground up to offer an all-encompassing Beatles experience. A breath-taking opening sequence sets the visual tone, and every cut-scene and background animation is both elegant and unmistakably Beatles-esque. You also unlock various pieces of Beatles memorabilia, like photographs, old promotional films, and even the band’s 1963 fanclub-exclusive Christmas 45. The experience is so consistently engrossing that I’m not even bothered by another major distinction between this and other Rock Band games: it’s completely self-contained. You can’t mix-and-match songs between Rock Band and Beatles: Rock Band.

2. It’s not just another Rock Band game.

Other than the presentation, there are no surprises here. The Beatles: Rock Band plays almost exactly like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. You’ve got a little plastic guitar with five buttons and a strum bar, a kit with four drums and a kick pedal, and a microphone for the vocals. With these controllers you play along with classic Beatles songs, hitting the drumpads or the guitar’s buttons based on a stream of color-coded notes that act as a simplified music chart. There are a few minor differences; the tone switch and whammy bar no longer affect the music, and up to two other vocalists can harmonize with the lead singer. Otherwise Beatles: Rock Band plays exactly like you’d expect.

Continue reading “Player’s Club: Five Fallacies About The Beatles: Rock Band” »

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Faith & the Muse play the Hyatt Centennial Ballroom as part of Dragon*Con on Sun., Sept. 6 at midnight.

After meeting on tour while William Faith was performing with Rozz Williams in a resurrected incarnation of Christian Death, Faith and Monica Richards formed Faith & the Muse in 1993 to explore a more ethereal side of their dark punk roots. Over the years the LA-based duo have  fostered something of an Elizabethan approach to their dramatic and multilayered songcraft. For Sunday’s show Faith and Richards have filled-out the line-up to to a nine-piece ensemble to add a bit of a Japanese bent to their mystique.

Does the word “goth” bother you when talking about Faith & the Muse?
Does it bother me? No. It at least gives you an inkling as to the style of the music. When people use that as a limitation on what you do it’s another thing. There are certain things about the goth genre that apply, and the music has a darker style to it;  there is a romantic quality to what we do. Also, when people see the word goth they know that you’re not Garth Brooks or something like that. It’s useful in that capacity, but because we employ so much other stuff into what we do, goth is part of it, but it’s not the whole thing. To me it’s all born out of punk rock.

Continue reading “Faith & the Muse play Dragon*Con Sun.” »

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Every so often, a creative dark horse will storm through Atlanta and give the arts world a healthy shake, just when things were starting to look dull. Artist Jenny Zhang, who serves as the Atlanta Printmakers Studio’s inaugural Emerging Artist in Residence, headlines a discussion panel at Apache Café Mon., July 13 at 8:30 p.m. The talk will center on issues raised by the artist’s JUBA SPIDER — an edition of prints inspired by hip-hop artist Juba Kalamka, an outspoken member of the black gay community — and will feature the voices of critics Cinqué Hicks (Creative Loafing) and Felicia Feaster (The Atlantan), as well as Charles Stephens of AID Atlanta and Karen Fain of Apache Café, who will moderate the discussion. Oh, and the artist herself, of course.

The panel is interdisciplinary to say the least, covering both music and visual art, and its themes unite a surprising cross-section of Atlanta groups interested in art and social justice. Hell, even WonderRoot’s involved: They’re responsible for video you just watched (or should be watching, soon)!

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Joe "Christ" Linhart in Manila (May 2009) (Photo courtesy Felisa Villanueva)

By Jason Hatcher

Joe “Christ” Linhart
6/18/57 – 6/21/09

Underground filmmaker, musician and artist Joe Linhart (better known as Joe Christ) passed away on Father’s Day during the evening hours of June 21 in his Dekalb County home. According to toxicology reports released to his family today, Linhart died of a heart attack in his sleep.

During his Atlanta years, Linhart regularly worked with the shock website Consumption Junction and was a former guest artist with the the Dragon*Con festival. All the while, he released a steady stream of independent films, including 2005’s That’s Just Wrong! co-starring Atlanta sex author and mistress Dolores French, and other rousing titles including Amy Strangled a Small Child (1998) and Acid Is Groovy Kill the Pigs (1993). In addition to his film and visual art productions, Linhart also produced an equally balanced collection of rock recordings with such acts as Joe Christ and the Healing Faith (see interview), and Los Reactors.

Continue reading “R.I.P. shock artist Joe ‘Christ’ Linhart (1957-2009)” on Crib Notes »

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Allow me just one small indulgence today. I’d like to continue two minor themes here on Culture Surfing: 1) music videos about the news and 2) slightly delayed, slightly Kanye West-related news.

As our own Alejandro A. Leal has pointed out, some of the latest trends in hip-hop are based on technologies that have been around for years, if not decades. The Auto-Tune, for instance, was developed in 1997, and hasrecently gained mass appeal through the work of T-Pain and albums like Kanye West’s perplexing 808s & Heartbreaks.
Continue reading “Auto-tune Judge Sotomayor: Where the shorties at?” »

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Here’s the thing with E3: You’re mostly just looking. There are a lot of games on the floor that anybody can walk up and play, but a significant number of high-profile titles are shown exclusively in closed-door, hands-off demonstrations. Instead of driving classic cars, shooting dudes, and speaking with a stereotypical Italian accent in 2K/Take-Two’s Mafia 2, I watched a tester do all those things in a 15-minute demo. That demo made the game look awesome, but almost every demo I saw last week made a game look awesome. I saw many designers play many different games, but that Mafia 2 guy had to sit in that room playing those same fifteen minutes all day. At least he was in one of the few air-conditioned parts of the convention center.

I understand why game publishers don’t want to provide hands-on access to games that aren’t yet finished. I understand why they’d want to pull the string on the hype machine and watch it whir. But writing about trailers and games I watched other people play wouldn’t really help you. I wouldn’t watch an author read one chapter aloud, and then write about the book. Over the next few days I’ll be writing briefly on every game I actually got to play with these here two hands, the very same hands I am currently using to type these words. These hands have touched many things, and people, and hopefully even hearts and minds. Hands are useful.

Continue reading “Loafing at E3: Beatles Rock Band, LEGO Rock Band” »

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"Untitled #1132_04" by Richard Misrach

Saturday’s not even here yet, but I’m already exhausted by all of it’s possibilities.

First things first: ARTLANTIS. ARTLANTIS is Beep Beep Gallery’s outdoor ode to the underground. The lowbrow gallery celebrates all things subterranean and artistic this Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. with a free festival on the lawn of the Druid Hills Baptist Church on Ponce. From the horse’s mouth:

There will be artist tents, grilled food (meat and veggie), live music, and more! And Aurora Coffee will be on hand with the world’s most delicious ice coffee. And it’s all taking place at the heart of the city between Little Five Points, Virginia Highlands, and downtown!

Live music’s scheduled every hour on the hour from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and includes performances from Book of Colors, Ocha La Rocha and Judi Chicago, among others. And what about the artists, you say? Look out for Travis Dodd, Lucha, Oliver, and so many, many more. Not enough info for ya? Pop over to ARTLANTIS’ blog.

Second things second: GATHER Atlanta. Billed as an “emerging creatives conference,” GATHER Atlanta’s bringing together the thinkers, doers and lovers of burgeoning local artists. Continue reading “ARTLANTIS, GATHER Atlanta, Monet and Misrach” »

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Dear neighbors,

I’d like to draw your attention to two WonderRoot exhibitions by emerging artists. I say this, of course, keeping in mind my typical distrust of the phrase, emerging artist: When exactly does a creative person, whether a musician, writer, film director, or visual artist start and stop emerging? I suppose, as long as the term retains marketing value for you, you could technically begin as an emerging artist at birth (emerging, literally), and then finally dispense with the label when it’s no longer of use … at the nursing home.

Semantics aside — if you LUV ATL like I do — you should definitely check out WonderRoot’s schedule for the weekend. Today, May 28 from 5-7 p.m. at Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery, volunteer instructors including photographer Nicole Akstein will present a body of photos by students from Sequoya Middle School. The program was a cooperative, educational initiative between WonderRoot and CPACS, the Center for Pan Asian Community Services, a local nonprofit that offers social and health services to immigrants, refugees, and racial-ethnic minorities. If you ask me, middle school students certainly qualify as emerging artists.

On Sat., May 30, beginning around 4 p.m., stop by WonderRoot headquarters on Memorial Drive for the WonderRoot One-Year Anniversary, celebrating 365 days since the official opening of the community center. The event coincides with an all-media exhibition titled I Love Atlanta, which put out a call to artists to express their undying affection for dear ‘ole A. (Additionally, I hear there may be special shenanigans involving cofounder Chris Appleton….) Steal the show flyer here for more info on musical guests.

For more local arts events, visit clatl.com/events or, check today’s visual arts To Do List at BurnAway.org.

(Photo courtesy WonderRoot/Thoughtmarker)

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