Isn't James Gardner the "Original Maverick"?

Big thanks to Harris for this one.

Labels: general notice

My ex-room mate C. W. Prather has in the last three years become the "high llama" of horror films here in the DC area. Earlier this year he hosted the DC premier of Poultrygeist the latest release from TROMA Films (Toxic Avenger, etc).

This October he is throwing the ultra deluxe horror film festival; The Spooky Movie Film Festival.

This is the third year of the Spooky Movie Film Festival. To say that the SMFF has grown is an understatement - this year he is hosting 7 nights of original programming ranging from feature length movies to shorts. Featured performers in the program range from Billy West (Ren and Stimpy), Richard Butler (of the Psychedelic Furs), Bill Plympton, along with documentaries that have such luminaries in then like; Roger Corman, Bob Burns, Forrest J. Ackerman, Joe Dante and John Waters.

DC legend Count Gore DeVol will also be on hand selected dates - those of you who grew up in the DC area will be familiar with this staple of channel 20 from the 70's and 80's (He was Captain Twenty as well). Of a darker nature, SNUFF: A Documentary About Killing People On Camera, is an unsettling exploration into the roots and continued fascination of the darkest of alleged urban legends that examines the existence of films in which people are murdered on camera for profit, and the culture that surrounds this “myth.”

Award-winning documentarian, Paul von Stoetzel, objectively and expertly traces the story from the very beginning of cinema, through interviews with former law enforcement officers, filmmakers, professors, and historians. The first hand accounts and candid discussions cumulatively build to a startling confessional conclusion that ultimately proves far more shattering than any visual. Free hugs are offered after the screening for anyone who thinks they might need them.

For more info Visit www.TheSpookyMovie.com

Labels: movies, Washington DC

I thought this was interesting if your curious about polaroid and how it got to where it was. My wife gave me this the other day, I think it's from the latest Departures magazine.

Labels: Magazines, Photography

The Metropolitan Museum and The Museum of Modern Art have brought out a pair of shows that are at once low key and extreme in the approaches in use or via the work that is presented. I'm speaking specifically of Van Gogh and the Colors of Night and Giorgio Morandi, 1890 - 1964.

Lets start with the "easy" show first. Van Gogh and the Colors of Night seems at first blush to be a blockbuster for the fall season to set up a gift shop to make a ton of dollars and make everyone feel really inspired about the trouble that Van Gogh had in his life. Well, sorry to disappoint, but this is a show without a reference to alcoholism, insanity, his "friendship" with Gauguin, or even his ear. What? it is a small show maybe 30 pieces of art, 1/3rd of which are drawings, its a quiet intense and thematically tight show.

There is a thought that goes like; some people paint the same picture their whole life. While some people continue to search for new things at every turn. Then there is the exception that proves the rule. That exception is Giorgio Morandi. The met has put together a collection that will take repeated viewings to fully grasp the subtleties of this show of primarily the same basic approach and really the same image. If your love is Damien Hirst, this show is not for you.

In an age where I've started to feel that The Met and MoMA (MoMA more so) have started to give short thrift to the classic ideas of modern art versus the impact, glamor and curatorial punch of contemporary art it is stunning to me that these shows, as different as they are, are as powerful and complex as anything I've seen lately.

Labels: Museums, New York, Painting

I was in Philadelphia recently and visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the first time. I was really excited to finally see what I believe is the largest collection of Marcel Duchamp's artwork anywhere in the world. Believe me, it did not disappoint. I was also thrilled to see the cycle of paintings that Cy Twombly did around the theme of the fall of Troy and the death of Achilles. Today however, I'm focusing on Duchamp. Marcel Duchamp if your nasty.

I'm assuming that the readership of this blog is versed well enough in the story (legend if you will) of The Large Glass, so I will only do a quick re-cap. The Large Glass is an artwork that is painted on glass, however, I would think that a painting would actually involve paint - MD instead used dust in stand oil, or linseed oil (I can never remember). The images used in the painting are self referential to Duchamp's work, and consists of two panels one on top of the other similar to a double hung window. The Large Glass remained "unfinished" but was sold and shipped to the collector that bought it (Walter Arensberg, if I'm incorrect, let me know) however upon opening the crate, the glass had broken, it was at this point Duchamp considered the work finished.

Anyway, I finally get to spend some time with this artwork that has defined, defied, aroused and confused so many. This artwork has become almost mythical in my mind to the point where I doubted that I would ever really see it. It is the most majestic failure and the most amazing masterpiece that I have ever seen. It is just that simple a piece of art.

Later that night I was having a conversation with Douglas Witmer and we were talking about what would be an interesting project to assign if you were an art teacher - Douglas said he thought it would be really interesting to set up an assignment that defined who you were not. This was discussed farther as we both agreed that there is a serious split as it pertains to modern into contemporary art. The split was - I think we both agreed was Picasso versus Mattise. but I Can see where Duchamp broke with Picasso after cubism and found himself in his own place. I've been thinking about this idea and more and more I find myself drawn to the forks in the road, and how they make the experience of just doing something as decadent as enjoying looking at art all the more interesting.

A quick note: is there a friendlier museum than The Philadelphia Museum of Art? I doubt it. Everyone from the front desk folks to the security guards were just so friendly - it blew me away, just how nice the folks are there.

The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass), 1915-23, Oil, varnish, lead foil, lead wire, and dust on two glass panels, 9 feet 1 1/4 inches x 69 1/4 inches (277.5 x 175.9 cm)

© Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris / Estate of Marcel Duchamp

Labels: modernism, Museums, Philadelphia

Friday is my companies annual Create-A-Thon. Let me take a moment to explain what this is - basically it is very similar to a telethon you might have seen on TV back in the 60's (you know a TV host asking for money for hours on end). The difference here is that we (Basis - www.basisbranding.com) ask for proposals from non-profits around the DC area and then grant as many of these groups free design, printing, consulting and organization streamlining. Then do all of this work during a twenty four hour period.

This year we are helping 15 different non-profits. We start at 8 am Friday morning, and will go until 8 am Saturday morning with a celebratory party for all the non-profits, the designers, donors, and board members of the non-profits Saturday evening. The week leading up to this is a flurry of compressing 5 days of work into 4, and shopping for enough food, snacks and whatever else a team of 8 designers and 5 consultants need (and by this I usually mean a lot of coffee and Red Bull).

This is our fifth year of doing this and it gets more satisfying every year.

Labels: general notice, Washington DC

Douglas Witmer - Thanks to all your help and time in all aspects of my current show at Green Line Art Projects.

The Funnel Pages - Thanks for the mention and kind words about the show.

Labels: general notice

I was recently invited to join Culture Pundits prior to its official launch, though now that they have issued an official press release announcing their presence, it seems appropriate to discuss a few changes on the site you have no doubt already noticed. In short, I actually have a few ads. This has no effect on the content of the blog and hopefully the viewer/reader experience.

I also accept ads from individuals, if you are interested please contact me at langley.matthew@gmail.com. I will also never make a post like this again.

Labels: general notice

Shimon Attie at Jack Shainman Gallery
Who know that images of car racing could be so interesting? These are very different than the photos that Andreas Gursky exhibited last winter in that these eliminate the background, taking it to black. Frankly these images are a "Strobist" dream. (I'll get back to that in a moment) these images feel as if they are shot in context, but really upon further looking, they really are studio shots - even with the presence of a prop or two (jersey wall, gas container, etc.) All in all a tight little show - it even had a video presentation that was done the right way.

What the hell do I mean by a "Strobist" dream? There is a web site devoted to photography called Strobist that is devoted to highly effective uses of lighting and approaches to images using less gear with maximum results - these images struck me as something that an avid reader of that site would get jazzed by - in no way am I belittling the work, or the site

Untitled Video Still, Racing Clocks Run Slow: Archeology of a Racetrack, 2007



Andres Serrano at Yvon Lambert "Shit"
These are exactly what you might expect them to be - macro photography of shit. Highly glossy, oversized, stylized, polished and over-saturated. The gallery even smells a little bit like shit - although it probably was just the smell of fresh paint - but anything you smell in the gallery this month or so will trigger that kind of response. I'll have to admit the show as a whole seems kind of easy and for a series of images that are as well done as these are, and don't get me wrong - the scope and approaches of these images is really impressive - still the show was kind of a bore.

Shit (Bull Shit), 2008



Christian Marclay at Paula Cooper
Watching what CM does with the detritus of the recording industry and our relationship with popular music as well as the places where our relationship sits with popular music becomes more and more interesting to me every time I see his work. I have been following his work for quite a while and although this show uses re-occuring subject matter (cassette tapes) the approach is very different and a little bit unexpected. The new work is cyanotypes of multiple exposed opened cassettes, pulled out, dropped down and layered in a way that doesn't allow you to see the artists that have "donated" music to the work.

Highly recommended.

Memento (True Love), 2008


One thing to note: Exhibitions that are hung like high school science fair projects. I'm seeing this more and more in Chelsea as well as a few exhibits here in DC. I think it's sad. I get the idea that these are approaches and mechanics that intersect with some kind or real or imagined anthropological or process based approach, however it rarely is as powerful as I think the artist or gallerist would like. More and more it's a bit like the emperors new clothes.



Peter Dayton at Winston Watcher
Peter Dayton has this really great riff on color field work that plays with it's approach to decoration and california surf culture of the sixties. These are great images that gives the viewer both an intellectual kick and a goof at the same time. Susan Dory, who I've spoken of before was also showing - is continuing to produce great work.

Noland #13 "Surf Bunny Beach", 2008



Josef Koudelka: Prague 68 at the Aperture Foundation
I was not prepared for how much I liked this exhibition. Shot over a period of 7 days during the soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia by Josef Koudelka who would have to wait over 15 years to even put his name on the photos he would smuggle out of the country to show what was happening on the ground when no one could find out anything. This is an amazing show with one of the greatest back stories I've seen in quite a long time. This work has never been shown in it's entirety and is well worth waiting the 40 years it took to be able to show it. It is a powerful and urgent show, probably the best of the season.

Highly recommended.

Russian Tank in Prague, 1968

Labels: New York, Painting, Photography

Matthew Langley - Paperworks

Green Line Art Projects
3649 Lancaster Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Now - through November 7, 2008
Opening Reception September 12 from 6pm to 8pm

Indirect Enquiries, 2008, 9" x 9", Acrylic on paper

Labels: Galleries, Matthew Langley, Painting, Philadelphia