Daniel Ortega for President of Nicaragua! An "Angel" in disguise woke me up this morning...

Max Ernst "Fireside Angel" 1937 Oil on canvas; 44 7/8 x 57 1/2 in. (114 x 146 cm)

I woke-up watching a Spanish language reporter interviewing Daniel Ortega who is now waging “a legal” campaign for the Presidency of Nicaragua. The reporter (Jorge Ramos) asked him if he hated the United States. Ortega replied and made the point that he didn’t hate the people, or America per se, but rather the political leadership. Fair enough, that’s a valid comment. But what made me cringe was when Mr. Ramos asked the pointed question of how he could afford to fly around in helicopters. Ortega smirked and replied that the helicopter was funded by his friend Hugo Chavez (President of Venezuela); and then went on to ad that he’s finding inspiration and support from a tight coterie made up of Fidel Castro, Omar Kadafi, Evo Morales and Schafik Handal [fantastic].

Even, as recently as 1998, Daniel Ortega was charged with sexual abuse of his stepdaughter who with the support of the Nicaraguan based Women's Network Against Domestic Violence claimed that she had been physically, sexually and psychologically abused by the FSLN leader since age 11.

SEE: Babalublog

This alone should be enough to blacklist any candidate - dam what’s the matter people really? I won’t get into weighing the complexities of the various political arguments or economic realities and we shouldn’t make-up for our apathy with generalizations and rhetoric, which BTW frustrates me more then anything. I simply want to sound a wake up call! We need more choices we need better candidates here in the United States and abroad. How as a society can we begin to turn the tide? Maybe through the POWER OF ART: Artist could lead the way…

I’ve been looking for an excuse to post an image of Max Ernst’s Fire Side Angel [which is part of his “bird series,” I just discovered - that seems fascinating on its own!]; the fact that I’m associating it with Daniel Ortega, interesting enough does makes sense when you find out that a lot of Ernst’s early work reflects the angst associated with war and the sociopathic evil tendencies of man; megalomania and the hammer of fascism. “Fireside Angel,” painted in 1937 (during the Spanish Civil War) is a commentary on the hidden danger that lies underneath the veneer of Fascism. [Also, I think the stomping and this beast trying to escape from itself manifested as this grabbing monster coming out of its leg, might also perhaps be some kind of manifestation of a deep rooted guilt of Ernst’s; I just read that he abandoned, “rejected,” his first wife and child when he left Germany in 1922 (interesting).]

“Ernst’s works took on a darker tone as he saw the signs of approaching world war. Forest imagery became more prominent in his work — forests, in Ernst’s words, “take over the sun.” Fascism was a plague spreading through Europe, and Ernst channeled his fear of this specter into 1937’s “Fireside Angel,” which depicts a raging, violent monster destructively plodding across an abstracted landscape. Ironically naming this frightening beast an “angel,” Ernst evokes the danger of the seemingly innocuous, referencing the surface appeal of fascism but underscoring the evil he perceived in its proliferation.” Review of "Max Ernst: A Retrospective" by Ryder Kessler

Harvard Advocate

So an angel in disguise woke me this morning; I applaud the spirit of contrarianism any day and I will be the first to admit that a very strong argument can be made for fascism begat by US policies at home and abroad but at least we have a system of checks and balances and as ineffective as we might think our political system can be at times, simply being less apathetic and getting out to vote can make a huge difference. We should not be arrogant and take things for granted this is far better then having to cower to clandestine death squads or not having religious freedoms or having to act the sycophant to a tyrant. So I hope the people of Nicaragua become energized in a positive way; that there are enough candidates - that the people vote.

Nicaragua and Venezuela are merely a three-hour flight from Miami. The last time I flew out of Caracas (2001) I shared a cab ride to the airport and got to witness an interesting debate (which I might ad I instigated) between the taxi driver who was pro Chavez and the other fellow flying out who was anti-Chavez. Also by the way there is a shantytown on the outskirts of Caracas that envelops the valley on both sides on the way to the airport this was the backdrop to the discussion in the taxi. They both had strong arguments pro and against and they where taken aback, as was I, by this environment of hopelessness which reflected so well and was used as an example in both their commentaries. They both agreed pointing out this nether-gray-world of a shanty town that we were driving through has been and would be the best barometer to gauge the state of affairs of their country. My only wish is that those poor children with those shoegaze stares not be forgotten, and that they have the chance to educate themselves and rise up. Perhaps even “Art” could affect a change in their lives or perhaps simply the next Fireside Angel might come from all this.

William

Victor's New York Photos During Armory show, Scope, Pulse...

L-R: Romina, Camille Rose Garcia, Victor, Irma Lezhava


Here's some photos of Romina Djelosevic, and I on our trip to New York for the Armory show, Scope, Pulse and the Whitney Biennial. We also went to the Rauschenberg exhibit at the Metropolitan and to Heid Hatry's exhbit and panel discussion at the Goethe Institute. I'll be sending more photos along with captions and maybe some video. The video interview at the GOETHE INSTITUTE (right across from the Metropolitan) between HEINZ NORBERT JOCKS (art writer and critic from Paris and Dusseldorf) and HEIDE HATRY was one of the most insightful and beautiful interviews I've ever seen. The night before , Norbert, Romina and I, had a drink at a live Jazz club on St. Mark's street in the east village. He had told us about his belief that there was a break in Heide's memory in regards to her use of skin as an art medium. At the interview, right before our eyes and our video camera, Norbert found the blindspot in her memory. That was one of the most moving moments I have ever experienced in my life. I am very excited about producing the video for that interview and presenting the developing coverage of Heide's career available on this blog and our upcoming e-zine and other publications. (Continued below...)

Victor Sheely Morales, Gallery Director, ADM PROJECT

Victor's Commentary & Photos continued...

Victor, Romina + Friends at the MET during Robert Rauschenberg Exhibit

This trip made me very happy and proud to be a curator. At this juncture in history we are in the most dire need of cultural and intellectual exchange and a fostering of a focus upon the humanities as opposed to the world of force and profit. These experiences should be available to more than just the elite of the art buying world and set in contexts that make it clear that these avenues of expression are available to anyone who is willing to take the time to think, educate and express themselves. The art world needs to be explored by more people of more varied backgrounds. I noticed that the majority of people at this fair were white people and fairly well off at that. There needs to be more out reach to more diverse communities and further development of new viewing, new discussion, new criticism and new art from people outside of the traditional art world. The Armory and the other fairs are supposed to be public showcases for new art. I saw no street/graffiti artists represented except for Shepard Fairey, no street dancers, no street musicians or DJs and basically a format which showcased mostly retail oriented art at high dollar ranges for the affluent. One juried section at Scope yielded some interesting stuff including a few performance pieces, but the ticket prices to the fair were prohibitive to many and I'm sure there were no outreach programs to the less monied areas of New York.

Despite my social criticisms of the events I still had a great time and was often overwhelmed with beauty. For some reason, while stopping through the Cyprus room on my way to the Rauschenberg exhibit, I was moved to tears. Something about the shifting of appearing and disappearing cultures, the wars both historical and recent, especially in the region of the world in which the work existed, having witnessed the changes between, Greek, Islamic and Christian cultures made me see that all of these attempts at political control over each other are somehow useless and feeble in the face of a good piece of art or literature, or just seeing the look on someone's face as they take in a timeless work. The experience becomes a kind of timeless consciousness machine. (continued below...)

--Victor Sheely Morales, Gallery Director, ADM PROJECT

Victor's Commentary & Photos continued...

I had a very nice visit to IRMA LEZHAVA'S studio, a painter originally from Tbilisi, Georgia, now based in Manhattan. That's her sitting next to her latest work in progress which is a reinterpretation of the Last Supper with seated apes and Judas as the central red ape. The perfectly realized and subtly anthropomorphic and zoologically exact primate cousins are seated in a cave made of nearly fluorescent pink brain matter. The details are incredible. (continues below)

Victor's Commentary & Photos continued...

The handsome chap next to his computer screen at his apartment on 70th and Broadway is the photographer, RUVAN. His last name is Wijesooriya, but he goes by just RUVAN. RUVAN shoots alot of music scene stuff including Danger Mouse, The Streets, Beastie Boys, LCD Sound System as well as fashion stuff for Diane von Furstenburg, Oliver Heldon and #9 from Japan and others. RUVAN also has had his personal work in UOVO magazine, which we saw at the Art Basel Miami. UOVO is also going to publish RUVAN'S work in book form and ADM PROJECT/ATELIER DELUXE MUSIQUE will be doing an opening with him soon! (continued below...)

For Francesca Woodman #12

Courtesey: mark lamoureux

For Francesca Woodman #12
[New York 1979-1980]

Are a melted fable

taffeta of organs

tricksters their eyes
fall like peppermints

I is for Everyone

F is

Lethe the O

Crystalline egg

the river that licks
the cerebellum clean

are sugar or salt
dirt or dusk

the cells of my blood
are pennies


For Francesca Woodman #11
[Providence, RI, 1975-1978]

DAM MEM
NAT ORI
IO AE

Please visit: http://haloscan.com/tb/marklamoureux/113976601563363967 for the source of these POEMS!!!
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E Puppets courtesey Richard Edson

RICHARD EDSON: E PUPPET #1 /LA


RICHARD EDSON: E PUPPET #3/LA

How I discovered the work of Francesca Woodman: There’s a Brian Seacrest connection, what!

Recently a friend of mine, Erica, was visiting from New York and I think staying at the Grafton where she happened upon a Brian Seacrest interview; she inadvertently became an extra when the producer allowed her to stay for the shoot; Seacrest even mentioned, as they where about to get started, that that girl might need a drink, (supposedly he can just turn-it-on , according to Erica "THE CHEESE FACTOR!!!" well at least he knows it!) I mentioned to Erica that a friend of mine, Stacy, had a Brian Seacrest story posted on her blog, "Pudgy Pigeon Enterprises," I went to find it and noticed that she is a big fan of puppets. Later that day I was look through JPEGS of Richard Edson's work and found these "puppet pictures” and imediately thought of her knowing that she would appreciate them.

The image above can be found at this URL: http://www.photoarts.com/journal/romano/woodman/

Thanks William,

These are really interesting. They feel derivative of Francesca Woodman's work. She is one of my favorite photographers and was a revolutionary in feminist photography. In the early 80s she committed suicide. It's really rather tragic.


Hope you are well,


Stacy Elaine
http://www.stacyelainedacheux.blogspot.com/

Marian Goodman Gallery had an exhibit back in 1999 and Victoria Miro Gallery in 2000

I'm trying to be lighthearted but I think its just a reaction to this sudden sense of loss that I feel, such melancholy...and for somone a person an artist- Francesca Woodman - who I never knew of until today and who is no longer with us.

Heide Hatry: SKIN at Goethe-Institut New York

SKIN
Curated by the artist, Heide Hatry

Opening: March 8, 6:00 – 8:00pm
Exhibition: March 9 – April 1
Goethe-Institut New York

Heide Hatry’s exhibition and book display how
the choice of skin as an art medium invokes an
utterly different aesthetic, as it demands to create,
or at least to alter, human form. Hatry’s work
explores questions of identity and how they relate
to the functions and perceptions of skin.

PANEL: March 12, 5:00pm
Goethe-Institut, New York
Panel and Book Signing: Identity Crisis:
How contemporary artists craft perception of
themselves

Heide Hatry, Heinz-Norbert Jocks, Lisa Paul
Steinfeld, Michael J. Amy and Renee Vara
will discuss questions of artists’ identity in the
ever-changing socio-political climate. Heide
Hatry will also present her new catalogue SKIN.

Works by: Christine Bofinger, Emilia Burgos,
Paula Ebanista, Heide Hatry, Betty Hirst,
Hermine Roth and Lena Scherer.

Contributors: Michael J. Amy, Hans Gercke,
Heinz-Norbert Jocks, Cornelia Koch, Veronica
Mundi Susanna Partsch, Elsbeth Sachs, Renee
Vara and Christoph Zuschlag.

SKIN, edited by Heide Hatry, Kehrer Verlag,
2005. (English and German) Square quarto,
144 pp., illustrated paper-covered boards,
142 illustrations, ISBN 393663672-9. $38

Goethe-Institut New York
1014 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10028
212-439-8700

www.goethe.de/newyork
www.heidehatry.com

Homemade Soy Milk!!!!

Well I finally ventured out of the house after being sick for a few days and had breakfast at this fairly new vegetarian café in Pacific Grove. Verrry 1980’s, northern California café vibe and decor (I don’t mean this in a condescending way, some of you might now what I mean) not to digress to much on the vibe/décor comment but I visited many such cafés in the 80’s trekking across Northern California every weekend competing in bike races; I know what I am talking about! After they gave my latte to someone else I found it an opportune time to try their, what turned out to be wonderfully chalky homemade soymilk!!! OH and I found enlightenment reading a book from their library!!! What I got out of it: Try to live (not think to much of the past or future) in the moment because everything else specifically TIME is a construct of our mind which is enslaved by the EGO, which is the cause of most of the problems in our life! I’ll have to find a similar café in Los Angeles uggh, I think I’ve seen one on Hollywood Blvd. uggh, it won’t have the same Nor Cal hippie quaintness, I’m sure of it, uggh…I’m sure it will have an odd hipster or two and maybe an actor – how cool (hey what’s up with all the hipster bashing??? I’m not going there.) I was oblivious BTW before opening a gallery in Hollywood last year I was oblivious of the whole scene, Silver Lake, Echo Park etc. Well I remember those names from when I was a kid in the late 70’s early 80’s living in LA and btw my godmother is buried at Forest Lawn right over the hill. Wow, I just remembered that’s another one of my sentimental reasons for opening a gallery in Hollywood. Goodnight. W.