Hrag Vartanian

An insightful but short interview that speaks about the important General Idea group & Bronson’s evolution post- GI:”One is the idea that the artist is engaged in a practice. He is not a producer of collectibles for rich folk; rather, he is engaged in a dialogue. The artist tends to think through making, arranging, and presenting. That’s what we do best.”

Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Pat Oliphant is being denounced by some Jewish American leaders, including the ADL’s Abe Foxman, as an anti-semite…the problem is that Foxman doesn’t have much credibility left anymore and in the last few years (particularly with his stance on the Armenian Genocide) has revealed himself to be a political opportunist rather than a true human rights defender.Most other people, myself included, thinks the cartoon is more in line with the realities of Israel’s unfortunate and horrific actions against Gazan Palestinians who have nothing and no apparent way out.

One of the masters of cinematic camp talks about a master of painterly calligraphy and then there’s this priceless quote: “During the Q & A that followed, Waters told us that he writes by hand. ‘The art of writing is something I do everyday. As I get older I can’t read my own handwriting.’ How very Twombly of him.”

Why can’t we make NYC more street art friendly? Probably because the graff/street art community likes the fact that is illegal–which helps make careers and adds to the thrill I guess.At SXSW, Graffiti Research Lab’s James Powderly actually said he thinks graffitti needs to stay *illegal* to keep everyone from doing it….huh?

I have mixed feelings about Terence and his work but I just wanted to mention the fact that he still owes me $20 from 1999, so Terence if you’re reading this I WANT MY MONEY! (LOL)

Milan’s Brera Gallery has completed its restoration of Raphael’s “The Wedding of the Virgin” which had “darkened considerably in the 150 years since the last major restoration.”