Sinéad O’Connor- Feel So Different
Sad to hear of the passing of the brave, beautiful, and talented musician Sinéad O’Connor yesterday at 56 years old. A true artist with a phenomenal voice, she always stood firm in her convictions. The song above is from her second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got released in 1990.
To learn more about O’Connor, her memoir Rememberings was released in 2021 and there is also the 2022 documentary, Nothing Compares.
Rest in Peace.
Closing tomorrow, 6/24, is Cross Communication, an exhibition of Chris Burden’s relics, films, video works, and other materials that document his early performances at Gagosian’s 75th and Park location in NYC.
Walking into the gallery and hearing one of his TV commercials in which he reads off the names of famous artists followed by his own name (Chris Burden Promo (1976)), is a humorous introduction to Burden’s often audacious work. Poem for LA from 1975, which follows with the messages- “SCIENCE HAS FAILED”, “HEAT IS LIFE” and “TIME KILLS” still resonates today.
Check out the video below to see the commercials and hear Burden discuss the work.
Other videos included have him crawling across glass; lying between two sheets of glass that are on set on fire (Icarus); and one of his most infamous- being shot in the arm (Shoot, 1971). The less outrageous works are great too, including Disappearing (1971), pictured above.
For more on the artist, the excellent documentary Burden, by Richard Dewey and Timothy Marrinan, follows his career from these earlier works to the large scale sculptures like Metropolis II and Urban Light that came later. Both of these installations are on view in Los Angeles at LACMA.
This work is by Augusta artist Leonard “Porkchop” Zimmerman.
Zimmerman is the subject of the 2016 documentary Happy: A Small Film With a Big Smile, by filmmaker Michael McKinley. The film was inspired by the artist’s 2014 TED Talk.
Plants and Animals- Stay
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (6/23-6/27/16)-
Thursday
The Ace Hotel is hosting a screening of the John Waters narrated documentary, Wall Writers: Graffiti in its Innocence, presented by Juztapoz Magazine and International Documentary Association and followed by a Q&A led by Cheech Marin featuring director Roger Gastman, TAKI183 and KOOL KLEPTO KIDD.
Artist Lara Schnitger is speaking at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel and Moon Uterus are performing as part of the gallery’s After 5 programming (free with RSVP)
Nothing are playing with Wrong, Tennis System, Culture Abuse and Big Jesus at the Echoplex
Cub Sport are playing at the Bootleg Theater
Friday
Plants and Animals are playing at the Bootleg Theater with Royal Canoe
General Assembly in Santa Monica is hosting a day of free programming for creatives with a wrap party at the end as part of their Made in LA week long event
Cherry Glazerr is headlining a night at The Troubadour
Moby will be discussing his memoir Porcelain with KCRW’s Jason Bentley at Skirball ($5 for the ticket, $31 with the book)
Toro y Moi are DJ’ing a free art event at The Container Yard
Roses, Dunes, Mirror Travel and Jess Williamson are playing a $5 show at the Ham & Eggs Tavern
Saturday
Self Help Graphics & Art is having their Annual Print Fair & Exhibition
Dazed and Confused is the outdoor movie at The Autry with the band MASZER playing beforehand
Raising Arizona is the outdoor movie at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Summer and Music, Downtown Long Beach’s summer long concert series, begins with 720 Pine which has an emphasis on skateboarding, and musical guests including Devendra Banhart DJ’ing
The Roots & Special Guests are playing at The Novo
Cold Showers are headlining a night of bands at Complex in Glendale
Saturday and Sunday
CatCon LA is back at The Reef with two full days of cat related programming. On Saturday, as part of CatCon, there is CatVideoFest, 70 minutes of non-stop cat videos at The Ace Hotel hosted by comedian Andy Milonakis
Sunday
Painter and muralist Kim West will be speaking at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel gallery (free with RSVP)
Casket Girls are part of the lineup for Graveface Records Roadshow at the Bootleg Theater
Cutie and the Boxer- Official Trailer
Currently on Netflix streaming and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, Cutie and the Boxer is a glimpse into the lives of two artists, Ushio Shinohara and his wife Noriko.
Noriko was only a 19-year old art student when she met 41-year old artist Ushio, and they have remained together ever since. While the film presents Noriko’s sacrifices and frustrations within the relationship, it also shows the process that goes into the artistic work itself for each of them. Now, forty years later, she is showing her own work and emerging from the shadow of her husband’s career. It’s a fascinating, intimate portrait of the couple.
This is a good interview with Noriko.
I first discovered Agnés Varda through the documentary, The Beaches of Agnés. She’s an incredible person, who at 85 (80 in the film), is still making films. This unique presentation of her life is both compelling and inspiring.
Check out some of her work at LACMA’s Agnés Varda in Californialand.