Oh no piano

Frantically packing for Tokyo and scanning the always useful Tokyo Art Beat to see what's on. Deciding what to put on my shuffle for the flight... I'm currently a bit obsessed with the virtual Stevie Wonder duets created by Oliver Laric (who curated an AMAZING show in the basement of Seventeen at the moment with video works by Seth Price and Samuel Beckett). I love that the people in his duets probably dont even know they've 'performed' together.

Maybe I just have a thing for piano music. I was born to a recording of Ravel's Pavane pour une infante defunte...

Dehara

I go to Tokyo on Saturday. Last time I was there I was working on Creative Space and had the pleasure of including the grotesque genius Yukinori Dehara in the book. I was very happy to see you could get some of his books at Giant Robot online, esp Cakees - based on his incredible series of animated shorts about cakes which were in fact Yakuza. The result is utterly brilliant pastiche of 1960s Japanese gangster films - a total pleasure and I dont even speak Japanese.

Image of the Day

Addiction

I think art might be addictive. Something about overstimulating the eye and brain. I've been having withdrawal symptoms. Thankfully lots of doses this week (and blow the snow forcing me to hide away any longer). Conrad Ventur tonight,


William Eggleston (top), Oliver Laric (below) and Damian Roach opening tomorrow


and an interesting sounding pop up in Soho Sat 16th - by appt 07796 266 388:
Swan Song - a one-night group exhibition that will take place in an evacuated 19th Century townhouse off Dean Street including work by Tereza Buskova, Katarina Forss, Henry Krokatsis etc, St Anne’s House, Diadem Court, London W1

Mai

I love this poster from the Paris 1968 May riots. I have a proof of the one above (from a recent reprint) which I found you can buy online at Keep Calm Gallery. If I'd have know I would have snapped up the ones below:

Naturally Warm

I have two weeks to finish of the next book before I go to Tokyo... I found this French artist Estelle Hanania on my research journey. New anti-snow outfits? Got to be warm in there...

More Cameron Jamie

Finally framing all the artwork that has been in my cupboard. Soon to go up on my walls are pieces by Rick Myers, Steve Viezens, Julie Verhoeven and a proof from the recent reprint of the 1968 Paris Riot posters - alongside the work already up by Christian Schoeler, Francois Halard, Paul Davis and a ton of reworked postcards. It seemed like perfect moment to buy more... In my case a silkscreen (with an invisible glow in the dark layer!) from my favourite artist Cameron Jamie. I got mine from the oh so well curated Donlon Books. Thank god for Habitat's cheap and unobtrusive Aluminus frames...

Class Art of 2009

My top ten exhibitions of 2009

1 Teresa Margolles at the Mexican Pavillion at the Venice Biennale.


2 Marina Abramovic Presents at Manchester International Festival.


3 The Dark Monarch at the Tate St Ives.


4 VORSPANNKINO at KW Berlin.


5. Mike Kelley at Galerie Hussenot.


6. Andro Wekua and Daido Moriyama at Unlimited at Art Basel.


7. The new curation of SPACE studios under Paul Pieroni. (Overexcited about the Destroy All Monsters show opening January...).


8. Tom Ellis' daylight fireworks and Jennifer Lewandowski's Triptych at the Boathouse at Port Eliot Festival.


9. Ryan McGinley 'Moonmilk' at Alison Jacques gallery and Seb Patane at Maureen Paley.


10. Julie Verhoeven at MU in Eindhoven - because I had so much fun.