Your Social Life - Post Migraine Edition

My dear, beloved readership, you have noticed how often I mention my migraines on FBC!
It's because for the past 7 weeks, I've been having migraines one day out of two. You add some post car-accident back pain to the mix, and you can understand why my posts have this grouchy, cranky tone (unless you've never been in constant pain, in which case I don't hold it against you, but I admonish you to be nicer to people around you who suffer physical ailments). Yesterday was one of those days, so after I was done with reviewing Oranges and Sardines, I couldn't look at the laptop screen anymore, nor read or watch anything, hence the lateness of today's YSL.

Anyway, there are basically two art-related things you gonna do this weekend, and the first one is starting tonight: at the Velaslavasay Panorama, you're going to a vaudeville night where artist extraordinaire Scoli Acosta is performing, along with John Fleck, Todd Gray, Harry Dodge and Stanya Kahn, and Michael Sakamoto. The program is an offshot of the CCF, and everything is written on the jpeg above. If you like the Museum of Jurassic Technology, you're going to adore the Velaslavasay Panorama, which, in addition to being a mouthful (try saying it very fast: velaslavasay, velaslavasay, velaslavasay! FBC! isn't liable for the mispronunciation, misspelling or other trouble incurred while trying to figure out what a velaslavasay is) is a very cool place to visit, in a beautiful old theater. It's in West Adams, not too far from where I live actually, in a neighborhood that makes your realize how beautiful Los Angeles is.

Even closer to my place, basically 12 minutes form FBC! central, Machine Project is going to take over LACMA tomorrow with "A Field Guide To LACMA", 10 hours of performances and animation non-stop in the venerable institution that's starting to be shaken, not stirred, under the guidance of Michael Govan. There's something called Lasagna Cat, which Pomme is protesting mightily since, as everyone knows, it's sardines cats are into, not lasagna, Garfield notwithstanding (I've put that sentence here uniquely because I like that word, "notwithstanding". Now you know). While you're at LACMA, go have a look at the exhibitions,
You can also read an interview of tomorrow's event organizers here (and plenty of other interesting entries).

If you don't fancy a LACMA takover, you can attend Maeghan Reid's Solo Debut at Chung King Project, or just dash there after a few hours of performances at LACMA. There's also a Sarah Thornton book signing at MOCA at the Pacific Design Center at 3 PM AND a conversation between MoCA curator Bennett Simpson and FOCA Fellowship recipients Martin Kersels, Dorit Cypis and Julio Cesar Morales at exactly the same time but at Grand Avenue (you guys ever heard of a scheduling conflict? Man, I hate to have to disclose it to you. How inconvenient)

Anyway, have fun at all events, and be kind to your neighbor.

Scoli Acosta at LAXart, Part Deux

Here's the second part of Scoli Acosta's opening on Saturday at LAXart. Before the opening was a walk-through with LACMA curator Rita Gonzalez, during which I took the pictures. I missed a bit of the talk, after I realized it would be better if I took pictures without too many people in the frame, 'cause Artforum Scene & Herd we ain't.

FBC! is about the art, not the social networking bullshit a.k.a. schmoozing gossip you see on said website, so I'll spare you the names of the delightful people who were there. Suffice to say they were enlightened, and had a great time hearing about Scoli's residency in Montreal where some of his show themes originated, about Maxfield Parrish 's now forgotten but once world famous print, about the collapsed igloo made of carboard boxes, the brick wall fragment polished by the sea the artist found washed ashore in Malibu, the iconography of blue solar panels, and Scoli's desire to be environmentally friendly in his practice, and the large drawing/sketch from where all the installation started.

Enjoy looking at the pictures, and better yet! Go see the show!

Scoli Acosta's Opening at LAXart

A few pictures from the opening and walk-through

Your Social Life, At Home Only In The Next 2 Weeks

'llo Everybody,

FBC! is back in town and somewhat ready to get back into the groove! Still suffering from art world burnout but trying to get over it, yeepee!

So this week is the kickoff for Photo LA, the Los Angeles photo-centric art fair, as its name indicate. LA is trying to become an art hub with no less than 3 art fairs in January, including the usually boring Los Angeles Art Show, and the upcoming Art LA 2008. These last two will be held roughly at the same moment in about 2 weeks from now. The only one that's really interesting, IMHO, is Photo LA. Check out their program as they present a series of talks and lectures on Saturday that's pretty interesting, including the Charlie White-Jeff Burton one.

I have a feeling the LA Art Show days are numbered, because it mostly includes secondary market galleries, though this year they are joined by the LA Fine Print Fair. I'd rather spend money on a good print than a bad painting, and I remember seeing gems like a very fine Rembrandt self-portrait (an etching I think) 2 years ago that was cheaper than most crappy painting you will fine at Art LA 2008. Well, it still won't come cheap but if I had $15,000 to $20,000 to spend on something I'd get that my Rembrandt etching over anything else. Or I'd go shop at Photo LA!

The only good thing about Art LA is you get to schmooze in a relaxed atmosphere, it is more a friendly neighborhood event than a horrible coke-fueled art world shindig. At least it was last year, and it didn't have any would-be-glamorous party attached (that I knew of). The art, well it's pretty much what you see in LA on any given day, since most galleries are local. Some of my favorite ones are there, so if you insist on going shopping say hi them for me. As FBC! devotees you know which ones they are!

Now this being said I suppose most of you will spend some time in Santa Monica in the next 2 weeks or so. If you happen to go to the Photo LA bash tonight and want to meet FBC! in person, look for a diminutive orange mushroom. I should be easy to spot! You probably won't find me at either the LA Art Show or Art LA, BUT you will for sure find me at the opening party for Patriot Acts at 18th street art complex on the 26th (see image above). It features such luminaries as Vincent Johnson, Susan Stilton, Pam Strugar and Shirley Tse and is curated by Linda Pollack, all people I heppen to know and be friends with. The show truly opens this weekend, so you can see it on your way to Photo LA.

And while I'm speaking of friends and spaces I like, next week is the opening at LAXart of Scoli Acosta' show, with a walk-through by Rita Gonzalez, Da Best Curator In Town!