Culture Surfing

I’m a little late with this but it doesn’t make it any less funny/ridiculous/ridiculously funny. Kanye West recently co-authored (actually the cover says “presents”) with J. Sakiya Sandifer the, ahem, book Thank You And You’re Welcome, a spiral-bound diary of West’s most specialist thoughts and importantest advices.

The 52 sometimes-blank pages hold such golden nuggets as “I hate the word hate!” Hmmmm. I’m gonna to need to think on that one for a sec.

In a Reuters article on the book summer reading lists are scrambling to add, West lays bare the core issues plaguing the faltering publishing industry:

“Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed,” West said. “I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph.

“I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life,” he said.

The “book” sells for $10 on Amazon. If you do go to Amazon to buy the mini opus, and end up feeling compelled to purchase other West items but don’t know what to choose, refer to the “Frequently Bought Together” section, which pairs Thank You And You’re Welcome with Kanye West — College Dropout: Video Anthology. Cause and effect, people.

As for me, I’m holding out until the ‘Kanye-isms” get developed into a series of motivational posters.

(Photo courtesy Super Good LLC)

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Support education! Wear your alma mater down there!

As if it wasn’t enough to be a mainstay on Playboy’s national list of the top 10 party schools, Victoria’s Secret saw fit to bestow upon the University of Georgia its own loungewear line via the PINK label. UGA and 35 other colleges and universities were chosen for the lingerie conglomerate’s special edition collegiate collection, which premiered in 2008.

This year, VS let students nominate and vote for their schools for the line, and just added Georgia Tech to the roster today. Higher education has so many benefits — specialized loungewear, beer pong, and, oh yeah, book learnin’ too! If only student loans were payable in logo-ed yoga pants…

(Photo courtesy victoriassecret.com)

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THE FRENCH CALL IT 'JOUISSANCE': Brett W. Thompson at the International Pillow Fight Day that took place in Freedom Park last month.

Please allow me a moment to gush about a local Atlantan whose smiling, dreadlock-framed face could’ve easily made a seventh profile in our Happy Issue cover story last month. To properly describe Brett W. Thompson, the president of ASIFA-Atlanta, I might need to invent some new terminology. Let’s go with calling him a crypto-genius: Despite his simple demeanor (”I’m OK, you’re OK, everybody’s OK!”), Thompson’s energy is contagious, and he seems to have some involvement in most everything vaguely cool, creative, bizarre, or DIY in this city.

For example, ASIFA-Atlanta’s promoting a special Food & Film Night and encore screening of Sita Sings the Blues this Thurs., May 21, from 7-8:30 p.m. The host venue, though, is none other than the Feminist Women’s Health Center in North Druid Hills (1924 Cliff Valley Way). WTF? I suppose the location makes sense, since the staff at the clinic has a good reputation for community involvement. It just goes to show you that geographic and demographic boundaries simply don’t matter for those willing to break them.

Unfortunately, seating is limited. If you’re interested in viewing Sita Sings the Blues, please RSVP by contacting Claire at 404-248-5445 or by emailing outreach@feministcenter.org.

(Photo by Mike Germon. See the original pillow fight post at Thompson’s blog.)

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Yes, I realize it’s a little early for Halloween. That’s what I thought, when I happened upon the sculptural oddity at right. In the words of dear old Jack Skellington:

What’s this? What’s this?
There’s something very wrong …

Believe it or not, it’s not a Halloween decoration at all; it’s permanent—and paid for, by one of Atlanta’s most influential institutions. It’s an adventurous design, especially considering the at-times inscrutable motives of contemporary public art.

Anyone else know what and where this sculpture is? (One hint: It was erected last fall.) And would you call it art?

Cick here for a closer look at Mr. Skelly-face himself. I’ll reveal sculpture’s identity tomorrow, and we’ll see who got it right!

(Photo by Jeremy Abernathy)

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REPORT ON SIGHT: These individuals may be armed and dangerous …

There are certain things you catch when you’re a pedestrian in Atlanta. For instance, there’s random-ass folk art on Ponce de Leon Avenue, just east of the Home Depot shopping center and City Hall East near the train tracks.

I was running an errand a month or so ago, when I happened to spy this sculpture out of the corner of my eye. Huh!? Fortunately, I had my camera handy, so I mashed the zoom button (repeatedly) to get a closer view.

I like these sorts of unexpected finds. (Then again, I suppose Ponce is the place where “random-ass” is the norm.) For someone with arts training, it’s nice to encounter work that’s completely off-the-grid: No plaques of historical significance. No price tags. Not even an audio guide with celebrity voices to tell me what it means. Just the pure, unadulterated experience of WTF?

Does anyone know what this is? Or who made it? Is it even still there?

(Photo by Jeremy Abernathy)

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Sez’ AP, by way of the AJC:

Parishioners at a church in Sweden celebrated Easter on Sunday by unveiling a 6-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) statue of Jesus that they had built out of 30,000 Lego blocks.

It took the 40 volunteers about 18 months to put all the tiny plastic blocks together, and their creation shows a standing Jesus facing forward with his arms outstretched.

The Protestant church was filled to capacity with about 400 worshipers on Sunday when the statue went on display behind the altar, and some of the children in the congregation couldn’t help but touch the white art work.

The Swedish Lego Jesus was modeled after this sculpture by Bertel Thorvaldsen. And apparently, this Swedish marketing guru has been watching these people since as early as 2007, remarking their ability to tap into “consumer engagement” trends.

I fear for the human race …

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… that thinks this is kinda odd?

Georgia Aquarium Commemorates the 97th Anniversary of Titanic’s Sinking
Come relive history at the Georgia Aquarium on the evenings of April 14th and 15th by dining on the infamous final first-class meal of the RMS Titanic. Guests will dine on a modern-day rendition of the last meal and later unlock the Ship’s many mysteries while exploring the Titanic Aquatic Exhibition in search of paranormal activity. Each evening will begin at 7:30 pm with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, followed by a seated dinner. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit www.georgiaaquarium.org/supportus/titaniclastmeal.aspx or call 404.581.4000.

Ticket prices for the event include $100 for dinner and $125 for dinner and the paranormal experience.

I can only imagine that the evening ends with the majority of guests dying a painful drowning death in freezing cold waters.

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