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March 30, 2005
Gadget
Posted by claudine at 09:26 AM | Comments (0)
March 21, 2005
Wow...
So Yahoo actually did acquire Flickr. Read the BR -- er... Blog Release -- (as opposed to a press release) here.
Posted by claudine at 05:05 PM | Comments (2)
March 11, 2005
Clothing Launch
Here are a few pictures I haven't gotten around to posting elsewhere. A fun night to celebrate Ronnie's new clothing line, running around (inebriated), in the dark cavernous space of Club Mighty...
Posted by claudine at 04:04 PM | Comments (0)
Chronicle articles on Graffiti
Herman, aka Booker, aka Reader, aka Readmore, at the PHSH.
Earlier this week, as I was waiting at the doctor's office for my annual checkup, I was somewhat surprised and amused to see the person sitting across from me reading a full colour spread on graffiti, blazoned, "Vandalism or Art?" on the front page of the Chron's Entertainment section. I ran out to purchase a copy immediately after my appointment.
The articles were interesting sure enough, coming in the wake of the city's latest buff efforts. The first in the series spoke to graffiti in San Francisco in general, did its standard interviews -- some with established writers (Cuba, Dzyer), -- some with the individuals who made up the San Francisco Anti-Graffiti task force: Sandy Cuadra, and a rather unfortunate fellow named Christopher Putz. Says Putz, with all the savvy of a hard-boiled investigative expert:
"This one is by the Snail," Putz said, pointing out a puffy, bubble- letter inscription on his screen and referring to the image of a snail that's cropped up in different parts of town. "I can't tell you how I know that. It's a secret."
I am not sure whether the irony was intentional.
The second piece in the 2-part series spoke largely about art in public space -- graffiti, outdoor sculptures, installations, and murals. It was essentially an exploration about whether graffiti can be considered art and touched on the battle over entitlement to public space.
Both articles are worthwhile reads, and apart from the first inflamatory paragraph in the 2nd piece, were mostly fair for the most part. It amused me to see that several of the pictures selected to enhance the story were very recognizable.
One in the first article used by the Chron (and aptly described as "waggish") was on the side of a liquor store on 18th and S. Van Ness for about 3 weeks. Danny managed to take a shot of it on one of our graffwalks. I was driving, unfortunately, and opted not to get a shot, thinking I'd nab it some other time since it was so close to Capoeira class. Unfortunately, it got buffed before I was able to take a picture. This week I saw some new graff on that wall that says something like, "24 hours later..."
Picture above (c) and taken by Danny Dawson.
Picture above (c)SF Chronicle
Another picture they used was of a laquered installation by Salt and Pez, with some KIDS/ DAC contributions (plus others I don't know), of various bits of stencils and other mounted art -- found in Clarion Alley. I have different shots of that wall (not much changes, thankfully) from the early and late parts of last year.
Picture above (c)SF Chronicle
I'll echo the main point of the articles -- whatever happens, graffiti is not going away anytime soon, thank goodness.
Posted by claudine at 12:59 PM | Comments (2)
March 07, 2005
WMD @ Gallery Fifty24SF
no... not that kind of WMD... I'm really excited for this show. I happened to be passing through the lower Haight this Saturday, and ducked into the Fifty24SF Gallery...
Featuring the works of New York Subway legends... Blade, Iz The Wiz, Stan153, Ghost and Cope2.
From Gallery Fifty24SF
None of these artists have shown in San Francisco before and all the artists will be attending the opening reception. Cope will be on hand signing copies of his book and IZ and Blade will be signing photos of their work. Ghost is working hard on finishing up his first zine of his drawings in hope to have them avaliable for sale at the show. To have all these old school New York graffiti artists assembled in San Francisco is going to be legendary to say the least!!!
Artist Opening Reception: March 10th 7 - 9:30pm
Gallery Fifty24SF
248 Fillmore St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 571-0187
www.upperplayground.com
Posted by claudine at 06:12 PM | Comments (0)
What the Body Remembers
The body remembers the moves, the connection. The body does not think about what to do; it comes automatically, unconsciously, in time to the music. The body falls into the same patterns as before, near effortlessly, perhaps a little awkward because of the alcohol, but surprisingly well. As if powered by some other consciousness separate from your own. And that thrill of moving to music (so clear, so dear [astonishing, yes!] in one's mind) is almost enough to wash away the accumulated ... luggage, the heaviness ... of previous years. Smiles from friends. Dances with more. Chats with Jesse, cozy, in the (cat's) corner ... almost, almost enough ... Perhaps just enough, for now, to let me venture forth once again. And soon.
Posted by claudine at 03:54 PM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2005
Ow...
On another, more sobering note, I finally(?) got kicked in the jaw with a meia lua tonight. It's not too bad -- nothing seems to be broken and I can open and close my mouth and talk for the most part. I think I was lucky since Brasa caught me just as I was moving away from the kick, so the full force of the meia lua didn't quite get to me.
I sat out for a while, then returned to training, and even made it through the war dance at the end.
It does hurt when I try to bite down on my right (right under the ear). I've iced and taken Advil. I can't chew on that side. Yogurt and soups and smoothies for me in the next few days, I suppose... yikes.
Posted by claudine at 12:45 AM | Comments (4)
Obey all laws. If you don't know any, make them up.
What were the odds that, after successfully making it into a newly-boarded up place, after spending a good part of 5 hours exploring and snapping photographs quite unmolested, after having avoided -- with a bit of foresight and a lot of luck -- the brand-spanking new motion sensors and alarms, what were the odds that we would actually get caught after our adventure? Very good, actually.
It was late afternoon, perhaps around 430pm, when we finally decided to go. Between the cold wind rushing down those drafty hallways and the pools of water (leaky ceilings and other orifices) that insidiously crept up our pant legs, between not having eaten since the morning, and the dimming light and the sheets of rain that had suddenly began pouring from the skies while we were inside, we thought that it may be a good idea to finally leave the place. P., always thinking ahead, decided to take a peek at the outside when we reached the first floor. "There's a white patrol car sitting out by the parking lot," he announced.
And so began some 15 minutes of peering and speculating, and strategizing, and we ultimately decided to leave through another exit -- not the same window we had crept in. Screwing up our courage, we exited out a door by one of the stairwells, and began creeping along the side of the building, hoping, we thought, to be shielded by the underbrush alongside the very see-through fence. And we had not gone 10 steps when we heard -- and saw -- a vehicle of white and blue drive by. We froze, and then immediately heard P. say, "Let's get back in…" and back into the bowels of that place we raced. I was following behind the boys, not wanting to be a third voice in the planning, as they both had taken charge. And so it was as we were making our way through the darkness once again that I heard them hiss, "Crap, someone's here." And we turned back to a corner of the building we were originally in, and finally ducked into a small and tiny corner room, with no doorknob or bolts, and a fine, large window through which we could see the outside. "What did you see back there?" I whispered … "Something -- or someone --moving with a small red light emiting from… now sure what…" Q. believed he saw an LCD screen…
We waited for what seemed an eternity but what was probably only about 10 minutes. Then all of a sudden, we heard a car door close and a vehicle drive away. And out we lept through our original entrance, through that hole in the fence, up some stairs and across away from the building only to circle back around via a trail leading to the parking lot. We trudged along, P. in grey, I in black, & D. in blue…hoodies up, backpacks bulging (in my case, a tripod jutting out the back). We nodded at the joggers and hikers walking by (yes, there were a couple), and prayed that there wouldn't be a patrol car in the lot. As we came up to it, we heaved a huge sigh of relief since we didn't see anything. Stepping up into the very edge of the lot we heard a car coming up behind us. P & I turned and glanced, perhaps at the same time, and mumbled, "oh shit," under our breaths. And we all then saw that other patrol car making its way into the lot through the front entrance. And we three kept walking, at the same pace, completely nonchalantly, and reached our vehicles. Nothing. As Q. came around the shotgun seat he said, "Oh, man, there's 3 cars here."
"Obey all the laws. If you don't know any, make them up." We made it out, and to at Royal Thai on Clement St. a few moments later. Our hearts were still beating, adrenalin still coursing through our systems. As we parked, we looked up to see -- a bright pink Ribity scrawled on a door...
Posted by claudine at 12:28 AM | Comments (3)