the famously shy artist sol lewitt is depicted in this new documentary film by chris teerink. a dominant voice in conceptual art, lewitt’s legacy of stunning colors and illusory patterns is beauty that has, and will continue to span and inspire artists and admirers alike. the film will be playing at the illustrious film forum in new york city, may 7-13. by sv
starting this evening, our wonderful friends at BAM will feature a retrospective of the seven collaborations between director josef von sternberg and the german goddess marlene dietrich. the series begins with morocco and shanghai express (which i am fortunate enough to be attending) and will continue through the next week. if you’re in the new york area, do yourself a favor this week and pay a visit. by sv
originally conceptualized for los angeles in 1977, this titular quip from the one and only ed ruscha is coming soon to new york. it will be on w. 22nd street & 10th avenue, right near the highline. this is ruscha’s first public nyc project; a silent soundtrack with playfully distracting vernacular. i don’t drive, but i’ll certainly be strolling by to take a look with my fellow pedestrians. by sv
a modern take on curvature, these stunning designs by korean artist bae se hwa use the medium of bent walnut in order to convey harmony between nature and the house of art nouveau. they are sensual yet rustic; see more now at the edward tyler nahem gallery in nyc. by sv
the delightful green porno is isabella rossellini’s brilliant interpretation of how various insects procreate. a live show will be featured at BAM this january 16-25. rossellini’s quaint storytelling style and the unexpectedly kinky anecdotes are inspired by unprecedented french screenwriter and frequent buñuel collaborator, jean-claude carrière. by sv
the multi-level fashion retail store created by rei kawakuba in mayfair, london and later in tokyo is now opening in new york on 160 lexington. all you spoiled kids can now run back to comme des garcon and return your heart t’s and start over again. by cm
always loved this picture of hans for vogue paris, well. he will be at dashwood signing a few books this thursday dec 5th… bring your yoga mat! by xy
“new york had a way of doing that. every now and then the city shook its soul out. it assailed you with an image, or a day, or a crime, or a terror, or a beauty so difficult to wrap your mind around that you had to shake your head in disbelief.”
-colum mccann, let the great world spin
mr. paul auster; ankles crossed; brooklyn sweet brooklyn. by sv
i am an operatic neophyte; fresh-faced and open-armed to the medium that dates back to the late fifteen hundreds. being fortunate enough to attend two operas in the past several weeks (the first being a twin peaks-ish, almost proto-cubist interpretation of britten’s a midsummer night’s dream) i have been hypnotized by these stunning librettos. this past weekend was two boys, nico muhly’s (genius boy) groundbreaking interpretation of an enigmatic disaster that takes place largely in internet chatrooms. paul appleby as the lead exudes the quintessence of an awkward teenager; portraying normalcy with his varsity jacket and aloof attitude, meanwhile scavenging through the doldrums of adolescence with his webcam. with alice coote’s unnerving intensity as a wounded but dauntless detective, the show’s lowly pulsating rhythms juxtapose seamlessly, while dropping internet slang and making references to fellatio. perhaps not what you would expect in an opera, but what do i know, i am a newcomer after all. i strongly recommend going to see this if you are in new york at any point before november 14th. you can read more about the despondently true tale that inspired muhly’s composition in the vanity fair article here. by sv
Jem Cohen: We Have An Anchor from EMPAC @ Rensselaer on Vimeo.
i attended the friday night screening of jem cohen’s we have an anchor at BAM. the film had a three-night run at the harvey theater, a beautiful space for both film and performance. many moons ago nick cave scored a rendition of kafka’s metamorphosis there, and i had a lovely august saturday seeing woody allen’s summer ode to a streetcar named desire, blue jasmine. shown on five screens and featuring a seven member musical ensemble, cohen’s film is a melancholy ode to cape breton, the island off the northeastern coast of nova scotia. the ensemble featured such musicians as jessica moss, efrim manuel menuck, sophie trudeau, mira bilotte and jim white; all painstakingly present in the score they also composed. a film of few words with noteworthy exceptions, such as the poet elizabeth bishop, it is a quaint, convalescent mixture of past, present and future–beautifully depicting a graveyard of ideas. cohen came out and gave a little wave of his cap after the performance; many were moved, as i overheard in both the corridors and the front of the theater. what’s certain, to me, is that this film undoubtedly belongs in the permanent collection of moma, or maybe criterion, if they’re feeling arty. to learn more about the “unusual but accessible” mr. cohen, read here. by sv
for all ya white boys wishing you were black… not that i’m claiming i am, but just sayin’ cause i’ve done that… by dd
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