Extreme Craft

Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Banana?

As somebody who OWNS a gorilla suit, I was incredibly excited to find out that January 31st is officially National Gorilla Suit Day!  Unfortunately, I left the house without it this morning, but I'll do my best to make it up tonight.  Maybe I'll engage in my favorite gorilla suit activity of going to the grocery store to buy bananas.  One time, the ice cream store gave me free banana ice cream because I was wearing a gorilla suit.  It pays to dress up!

LINK

Ann Hamilton Jumps the Shark

Last night, I was faced with my usual dilemma...art or music.  Throwing Muses singer Kristin Hersh was giving a FREE show on the eve of her new album release at a local record store while downtown, artist Ann Hamilton was giving a lecture about her recent work.  In the name of culture, I opted for the art, and as usual, I made the wrong decision.

Don't get me wrong!  Ann Hamilton is one of my biggest art heroes.  When I was in grad school at Alfred University, Ms. Hamilton would show up impromptu and hang out with the students for a week (so they were paying her off with thousands of dollars of free IRIS prints, but that's another story).  Her work has alway struck a chord with me--carefully examining the connections between language, handwork, and the object.  Her best work, to my thinking, was well-considered installation coupled with a labor-intensive performative aspect--like somebody in a horsehair-filled room reading books and "erasing" them with a woodburning pen as they read them.

Even though the individual projects sounded a bit barmy when they were spelled out (let me take your photo with a pinhole camera made out of my mouth!), when considered together as a body of work, there was depth and focus.  I have heard her speak about her work a couple of times, and found her engaging, inquisitive...even a little bit self-deprecating.  The entire Atlanta art scene showed up for her lecture--in a gigantic old theater.  It took over a dozen sponsors to fund the lecture, which I found a bit odd...Ann Hamilton has arrived, evidently.

As the lecture started, I knew we were in for it, as she started by dropping MFA buzzwords--chiefly "permission" OVER and OVER again.  Instead of a thematic lecture, we were trapped in her interior monologue...which was a scary place to be.  Hamilton breezed through her greatest hits, showing video of the installations and musing about them.  By the time we got past the installations she made five years ago for the Venice Bienalle and Mass MOCA, I knew we were really in the weeds.

I admire prolific artists, but sometimes an artist can be too prolific, with museums and arts agencies clamoring for attention, offering wads of cash in exchange for exhibitions and events.  Alas, I think the vein Ann Hamilton has been mining for 20 years has gone seriously dry.  She droned on and on for nearly two hours, stopping to pat herself on the back for every idea that she thought was clever.  She admitted that she didn't really know what much of the new work was about, but was more than happy to treat us to more of that double-stepping interior monologue.

Maybe they're really touching to experience in person, but it seems that every major installation that she undertakes now is majorly self-indulgent...like she shows up on a site and says "Okay...this is Japan!  Let's make tents out of kimonos, add locust sounds on rotating speakers, and cover the walls in steel wool".  "Furthermore, let's add a drop ceiling that has a built-in mechanism to rain lollypops down on the spectators".  Oy. 

The only thing more infuriating than a boring artist lecture are the questions that follow.  Inevitably, after a self-indulgent lecture, there are two kinds of questions.  The first is the off-topic technical question...."What brand of double-stick tape did you use to get the stuffed pheasants to stay on the ceiling?".  The second is the too-obvious  symbolic question... "So...like...does the gigantic pile of pubic hair represent man's inhumanity to man?".  The Ann Hamilton lecture had both types of questions in spades, and she treated both to her particular brand of quasi-elliptical doublespeak. 

I don't know if anybody feels the same way, but I don't begrudge anybody their "artistic journey".  Ann Hamilton made it to the top with crazy hard work and an amazing intellect, but I think that, for the most part, the fire has gone out.  When an artist can satisfy their every whim, amazing spectacles can result, but so can massive disasters.  Look at Laurie Anderson for chrissake (did you HAVE to drag Lou Reed down with you?). 

Maybe next time I'll learn my lesson and choose rock. 

Extraordinary Machine

In the Justice League of Extreme Craft superheroes, British renaissance man Tim Hunkin looms large.  If the guiding principal of this site is the "Whim of Iron", then Hunkin would be its patron saint.  You may know him from his television series, "The Secret Life of Machines", which was shown here in the United States on the Discovery Channel.  Hunkin possesses an intellect that manages to combine piercing inquiry with pure whimsy.  The series, with its endearingly lo-fi cartoons and sound effects, dissects everyday bits of technology like the computer and central heating, explaining how they work... and how they changed society as we know it.  You can watch all of the episodes of the show FOR FREE on Google Video!  You'll come away a much better person for it.

Hunk is also an inventor with a seriously artistic streak.  His arcade machines have been collected at the Under the Pier Show, and include an "instant weight loss" machine, a machine that frisks you automatically with rubber gloves (!), a dive simulator, a mini-vacation machine, an art-expert automaton, and MUCH MORE.  The British should make this arcade a national treasure--it contains more human joy in its little finger than all the Chuck-E-Cheese pizza joints in the world.  Hunkin's Dadaist tendencies also extend to other machines that he tailors to particular situations.  To the left, witness a picture of the Beer Bottle Claw Machine that he built for his daughter's wedding.  Maybe the beer got a little fizzy after being dispensed by the claw... but that's the price you pay for being in the presence of true genius.

Hunkin also makes all manner of clocks--from the domestic to gigantic mechanical public water clocks.  The YouTube video at the beginning of this article shows an early clock that combines digital circuitry with mechanical figures.  Typical of Hunkin's ouevre are the tiny figures that populate the circuitry....like a tacit acknowledgement that despite all of the wires and engineering, everything is controlled by little men after all.

Like the true godfather of DIY that Hunkin is, his website is peppered with information on creating your own machines.  He delights in pulling back the veil (or removing the screws from the plastic case) to show his audience how things really work.  The Secret Life of machines is filled with this infectious glee--you'll be shocked to find out how much you wanted to find out about things you never gave a second thought to in your ordinary life.

Hunkin is also a cartoonist, an author...and a philosopher of sorts.  He possesses a thoroughly artistic nature, but has never found his niche in the art world.  His website contains a great narrative of his brushes with the art world, as well as an illustrated history of art snobbery.  Though he has shown in galleries and is represented in major collections, Tim Hunkin gets his thrill from the act of creation, constantly pushing against whatever boundaries he encounters, and doing so with amazing wit and grace.  Tim Hunkin--Extreme Craft salutes you as a pioneer and innovator of the highest order.

LINK to TIm's website  LINK to The Secret LIfe of Machines website  LINK to Secret LIfe of Machines videos on Google.

On the Skids

Oh yeesh.   In Atlanta (and presumably most other places), it's been impossible to escape the kerfuffle over Michael Vick's "Water Bottle" incident.  Mr. Vick was toting some "NOT WEED" substance around in a water bottle safe.  The world of secret weed safes is kind of new to me, so imagine the wonderment I felt when I started wandering around Diversion Safe's website.  Damn, but people are sneaky! 

The creepiest was the little item you see to the left, a safe made out of a pair of "enhanced' men's briefs.  There's a little velcro enclosure that keeps your valuables safe, and even the snoopinest thief would probably pass on rifling through them.  Whenever I feel the misanthropy creeping into my soul, human beings do something to surprise and delight me.  You can probably save a bundle if you make a pair of these on your own!

LINK via BoingBoing via BookofJoe

SuperFonduperBowl

It's that MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!  Six years ago, when I first moved to Atlanta, I put my head together with my friend Henry, and we decided to host the WUSSIEST Superbowl party ever.  Renaissance Faire and Broadway themes were floated and rejected, then we lit on the idea of a SUPERBOWL FONDUE PARTY!  GENIUS!  What is fondue anyway, if not Swiss nachos?  Soon, the party was christened SuperFonduperBowl, and package was complete.

The first SuperFonduperBowl was held in the living room of my tiny apartment, along with 7 or 8 friends.  Not many of the guests knew each other beforehand, but fondue is a great equalizer.  The rules were clear from the beginning:  Traditional Swiss fondue for the first half, and chocolate for the second.  The Swiss make people who drop their morsels of food in the fondue pot give out kisses, but in keeping with the the spirit of the event, we made perpetrators sing a commercial jingle. 

SuperFonduperBowl was a rousing success, and we moved it to Henry's (larger) apartment.  Again, SuperFonduperBowl struck a chord with the masses, and every year, it grew bigger and bigger.  The year of the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction, we broke out the TIVO to prove that there was really nothing to see.  Usually, lots of folks from the Atlanta rock scene show up for the event, and I can tell you that Puppy Bowl (our pre-show warm-up) has become as popular as the main event.  A tear comes to my eye every time I think of The Black Lips going "awwwwwwww" while the puppies play.

Hosting a SuperFonduperBowl party involves a lot of work, but it can be incredibly rewarding.  You should set up your living room for easy access to the fondue pot.  I recommend keeping a couple of fondue pots going--one in front of the television for the hardcore footballers, and another off to the side for the people who would rather immerse themselves in cheese and conversation.  I always make traditional Swiss Fondue.  Henry's gotten to be an ace at preparing the fondue pots by rubbing them with a halved clove of garlic.  The Swiss recipe is:

• 1/2 lb grated Emmentaller
• 1/2 lb grated Le Gruyere
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 T kirsch (or more to taste)
• pepper and nutmeg to taste

I always prepare the fondue on a pot on the stove ahead of time, bringing the wine to a temperature just below boiling, add the lemon, then slowly add the cheese and flour mixture, a handful at a time.  Once the fondue comes to a low boil, I transfer the fondue to a lighted fondue pot and add the kirsch, along with a pinch of pepper and nutmeg.  Watch your fondue pot to make sure it doesn't get too hot.  Nobody likes scorched fondue!  Watch the pots, and have more fondue at the ready when your guests need it.

We Fondudes always provide the fondue, and the guests provide the dunkables.  Crusty baguettes are a must, but vegetables, meats...almost anything tastes better with CHEESE!  For the second half, we break out the CHOCOLATE!  In keeping with the Swissness, I like a good Toblerone fondue.  Here's the recipe:

• 14 oz. Toblerone.
• 8 tablespoons cream
• 2 tablespoons kirsch

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then slowly add the cream.  Finally, add the kirsch, and serve in fondue pots.  Sometimes, I cheat with an electric fondue pot for the chocolate.  Shhhhhh!  Pound cake, ladyfingers, fruit...and KRISPY KREMES are great for the chocolate fondue. 

Just add some football, and stir!  You'll be surprised how easy it is to keep a large fondue party happy.  When different circles of friends who don't know each other show up, they have to bond over fondue.  Be strict about making your guests perform their punishment if they drop their food in the pot.  In no time, your friends will be calling you "Fondude".  Oh yeah...Go Colts!

Valentines Day Contest

Okay....so I'm newly married, and feeling that disgusting cuddly bunny wildflower chocolate martini vibe that's in the air this Valentine's day.  When Natalie from CRAFT magazine contacted me to ask if I'd be a guest judge for their V-Day contest, I immediately gave her a big HELL YEAH!  So, Extreme Craft readers--get out your thinking caps and roll up your sleeves, because this is gonna be awesome.  You're going to be working with "recycled" materials, but don't limit yourself to papercraft... I, for one, would encourage you to push the "envelope", if you will.  Here are the rules:

• Design a Valentine's Day card that includes recycled materials.
• Upload your entry to our CRAFT flickr group and tag the photo craftvdaycontest
• All entries are due on Friday, Feb 9th at 5pm PST
• Winners will be announced on the CRAFT Blog on Valentine's Day, Feb 14th.

Winners will receive a copy of (the ass-kicking) CRAFT 02, as well as a CRAFT T-shirt.  Your sweetheart will also have a freak-out at the beach house when they see your entry... that is, unless you recycled it from a Valentine you made for somebody else.

LINK

Soundtracks of our Lives

So Dennis from Redefining Craft emailed me to thank me for the Ai Kijima shoutout, but he threw down the gauntlet by forwarding this internet meme to me.  Have you heard it?  This came via here and here. Here's the exercise:

Here's how it works:

1. Open iTunes
2. Put it on shuffle and press play
3. For every question, type the song that's playing
4. Make up a Title and choose your Cast

So...here's the soundtrack to the movie of my life, The Craft II:  Garth Gets Even.

Cast:  Moe Rocca as Garth, Kate Winslet as his lovely wife, Claire, Brian Posehn as Henry Owings of Chunklet, Rip Taylor and Martha Stewart as themselves.

Okay.  You guys should know by now that I have no shame...here's the unvarnished playlist provided by my iPod--warts-n-all.

Opening Credits: "Music Box", Regina Spektor
Oh jeez.  You can totally peg the music from the "whimsical" and "quirky" song that's playing over the credits.  I imagine a mini-narrative with paper cutouts will be in order.

Waking Up: "Where are you Baby", Betty Boo
I shit you not.  I knew I'd rue the day I added that to my iPod.  Anyway, it works pretty well for the waking up scene...this one plays kind of like the opening to "Pee Wee's Big Adventure"

First Day At School: "Ize of the World", The Strokes
I think this is the soundtrack to a lot of getting beaten up and bullied by bigger kids...totally starts out with skronky guitars...but gets a little more upbeat.

Falling In Love: "Endless Pt. 1", Phosphorescent
Again, I shit you not.  My iPod chooses this moment to get all wistful.  I'm doing a lot of soul searching here. 

Fight Song: "Lo-Oser (featuring Plattenpapzt Joak)", Wow!  Just like my real first relationship...kind of a tense love-rap in German.

Breaking Up: "Khar Shabi", Flaming Fire
More soul searching...nothing says breaking up like ethno-tribal Art Damaged East Village (via New Jersey and Nebraska) weirdness.

Prom: "Boom", The Roots Feat. Big Daddy Kayne
Holy shit!  My junior prom didn't exactly rock like Dave Chappelle's Block Party....in fact, we hired a cheesy cover band called "Aftershock" who mangled our theme song (This Could Be the Night by Loverboy--which was made all the more embarrassing because it was 1990)

Life: "Snowstorm", Galaxie 500
Here comes the MONTAGE!  Galaxie 500 work perfectly for making me seem as deep as I think I am.  Maybe a little navel-gazing fuzzy wuzzy rock will do the trick!

Mental Breakdown: "Shallow Brown", Sting
Oh fuck.  Why do I just dump whole compilations on my iPod without editing out the crap that I don't want.  Now it's really coming back to bite me on the ass.  A pirate sea chantey by Sting?  I'm having a real mental breakdown right now. 

Driving: "Public Melody#1", Cardinal
Things are looking up!  The horns!  The strings!  I'm probably contemplating the good things in life.  Bonus....this is an instrumental!

Flashback: "Bob Lind", Pulp
Again...you've got to hand it to iPod's shuffle.  The happy contemplative driving song is abruptly put to end by a Pulp song that is an actual flashback narrative about looking back at your life and forward at your future.

Wedding: "Entertaining for Grieving", Amy Sedaris
Damn you, iPod!

Birth of Child: "A Massive Oil Spill Results in Improved Wildlife Viscosity", The Onion Radio News
Again...you think you're soooooo smart, don't you iPod.

Final Battle: "She Don't Need You", The Primitives
Oh hell yeah!  Chains, broken beer bottles, and some fuzzed-out Jesus & Mary Chain garage pop.  bring it!

Death Scene: "Now That You Got It", Gwen Stefani
Obviously, a tragic end.  I hope my life can be summed up by Gwen Stefani trying to be Fergie.

Funeral Song: "My Love", Justin Timberlake
Again....damn you, iPod!  At least it was nice to be loved... and T.I. pops up in a smarty-pants reference to Atlanta by the music director.

End Credit: "Fin", Supergrass
No kidding, iPod?  You couldn't do better than a dose of literalism?  Do you think this will keep the asses in the seats for the inevitable Reynolds/DeLuise style blooper reel to come?

Ai of the Beholder

It's always a happy day when Ai Kijima adds some new images to her website...although it's cruel to be teased by digital representations rather than the real thing.  Her works, which draw from her obsessive collection of textiles, have a pan-cultural frenetic quality that is offset by the quality of the craftsmanship.  Redefining Craft's Dennis Stevens wrote a great review of her 2006 show at Franklin Parrasch in New York. 

Roiling Boyle

Whenever I get a little too big for my britches, fancying myself an crafty, international bon vivant, somebody like Shary Boyle comes along and reminds me that I don't even know what's going on in FREAKING CANADA!  How did her work escape me for so long?  Sure, I've seen the Peaches album that she did the cover for, but that's about it.

Shary Boyle lives and works in Toronto, spreading her talents between drawing, painting, making projections for musicians like Bonnie Prince Billy and Sonic Youth, and making totally amazing sculptures like the porcelain figurine you see above.  She's directly plugged into the continuum of the "dainty" arts, using them to amplify her own themes of sexuality, transgression, and secret and disturbing worlds that lie beneath the surface.  She's recently moved into the world of polymer clay, which allows her more spontaneity.  The polymer figurines have the slightly rubbery quality of dollar store figurines, which to my way of thinking, makes these figures even more shocking than the more formal porcelain ones.

If you happen to be kickin' it in Waterloo, Ontario this winter or Spring, check out her solo show featuring 7 years of her miniatures at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. 

LINK via BoingBoing

Plush Python

Oh jeez.  You'd neeeeever guess, but I was a high school drama geek who had never kissed a girl, and knew every line of dialogue in Monty Python's Holy Grail by heart.  There.  Happy?  It was with great joy that I stumbled across ToyVault's HUGE collection (okay..scarily, obsessively huge collection) of plush Monty Python toys.  The foul-tempered hand puppet's hideously pointy teeth are displayed to maximum effect.  You'd be ill-tempered too if you went around with somebody's hand in that place.  If you're not the puppet type, you can pick up a rabbit stapler, Knights of Ni, or even a holy hand grenade.  Cuddle up to your inner geek! 

LINK