the show I wish I hadn't missed

Adjaye Sclera Pavilion

The name "Sclera" means a 'space from my viewpoint." Sclera is an elliptical structure, approximately 12 x 8 meters, divided internally by two chambers. The energetic arrangement of boards is formed by varying lengths of timber alternating with open air, through which sky and city are visible. Sclera, Adjaye explains, refers to the dense, fibrous external membrane covering the human eye. Sclera is made from American tulipwood (also known as Yellow Poplar) in part for its unique colour. The pavilion is currently on view at the Southbank Centre London during the 2008 London Design Festival and will be sold at auction later this month.

Adjaye discusses the project here

Wish we saw more of this kind of temporary art architecture in New York.

JG BALLARD in Crash

1971 film starring Ballard himself - more info here

Web Reading: Links

Detroit artist Abdul Qadim Haqq discusses his artwork for Drexciya and upcoming book project (finally!).

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Author Junot Díaz in conversation with author Richard Price

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Lee - Brooklynite Jazz musician and father of Spike profiled in video

--------------------------------------------------------------------

In depth profile of author Hanif Kureishi

Those formerly buried by history will rise

"Our technology forces us to live mythically" - Marshall McLuhan
"Epsilon Aquazone we're going deep" - Drexciya





"Purple and blue, the lurid shadows of the hollow breakers are cast upon the mist of night, which gathers cold and low, advancing like the shallow of death upon the guilty ship as it labours amidst the lightning of the sea, its thin masts written upon the sky in lines of blood, girded with condemnation in that fearful hue which signs the sky with horror, and mixes its flaming flood with the sunlight, and, cast far along the desolate heave of the sepulchral waves, incarnadines the multitudinous sea." Ruskin


Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner "Slave Ship" 1840
Music: N.O's "Elegia" (extended over 17 minute version)

My Favorite Films: Naked (Mike Leigh)

If you ask me to sum up England as it was when I left way back under the reign of Maggie Thatcher then there's three films I'd tell you to check - Mike Leigh's "Naked," Derek Jarman's "The Last of England," and Peter Greenaway's "The Cook, The Thief, The Wife and his Lover" - of the three it's "Naked" that is the masterpiece that has stood the test of time and remains to this day one of my favorite films of all time. Lets get it straight - life under Thatcher was bleak and grim socially and economically. Class warfare was at an all time high. It sucked.

David Thewlis' Johnny summed up the affect of alienation that Thatcherism 'caused for many. His bitterness and self destruction seemingly the only route available to him. I felt much the same at the time.

Looking back now Lesley Sharp's Northern accent and realness of character makes me pine for the Northern girls of youth. That soft lilt in her voice and obvious straight forwardness is charming in a way few American girls are. And most of all the film reminds me of living in Chalk Farm going to acting school (much of the film was shot in North London near where I lived). Mike Leigh even came by our school one day. I remember how much he looked like my favorite teacher from comprehensive school, hunched over and very leftie looking - the total birkenstock wearing type. But you could see he was totally curious, studying everyone with quick glances and hard looks.

Here's a very insightful recent interview with Mike Leigh were he discusses "Naked" and the months of improvisation he went through with David Thewlis and the cast. Leigh rightly notes - "I think David's tragedy, is that he hasn't found a role to match Johnny since." The same sadly could be said of Leigh - though his fame has risen drastically since "Naked" I don't think he's ever reached the heights of he achieved with this special film.

The new Leigh film "Happy Go Lucky" is opening Stateside soon at the New York Film Festival (but its already on DVD in the UK) - it's meant to be his light 'pure' comedy - sadly it's not that funny because the main actress just isn't strong enough to carry a whole film and in the end it is no where near as good as "Naked." The best character is the racist driving instructor (who is also the only bitter character in the film). Maybe Leigh just does bitter better than he does happiness? That is after all a very English trait.

Leigh would do well in these troubled times to revisit the vibe of "Naked" and make a film that like it reflects our times with uncanny skill and pure grit. British film makers have always been able to capture the life of ordinary people far better than anyone else and with the UK currently going through almost as much inner turmoil (racism, economic collapse, failing social structures) as we here in the US are experiencing it would be great to see a master like Leigh cut through the BS and show us some truth of the people. One hopes the runaway success of "Vera Drake" won't mean that Leigh can no longer make films about our times. "Happy Go Lucky" just isn't saying enough about them.

Here's a picture of Mike Leigh shot at the main "Naked" location, followed by the official trailer (not that good) and a scene from the film







The Faber & Faber book of interviews "Mike Leigh on Mike Leigh" is released this month Stateside.

Geeks are funny

One thing that both the US and the UK have come to a consensus on in recent times is how funny Geeks are. In fact Geek humor is now one of the main categories of humor on both sides of the Atlantic. Being pretty much a total nerd myself a lot of things I find funny come from this rising wave including at the top of my list (now finally showing on US TV on IFC), British show "The IT Crowd."

I like the show for all kinds of reasons least of which is Moss played by Richard Ayoade (pictured) reminds me of what I looked and acted like at 14 (yep I really had hair just like that). Two seasons of the show have been broadcast in the UK and in my opinion the second season is far funnier than the first so if you're watching Stateside be patient - this is a show that gets better as it progresses.

Here's the first episode in three parts







And here's a brand new article on Richard from The Guardian today which reveals he's adapting the Welsh novel "Submarine" by Joe Dunthorne which amazon describes as a journey "into the mind of a troubled 14-year-old boy obsessed with his virginity, his parent's failing marriage and the dictionary." Sounds like perfect material if you ask me.