SCOTT PRIOR, THE SWIMMER

I thought this would be appropiate for these dog days of summer we are currently in.

JAMIE WYETH

I recently took a trip out to Monhegan Island, off the coast of Maine. I went there with the intention of hiking and looking at Wyeth books that I borrowed from my grandfather. This is one of my favorites, "Newfoundland," an oil of Wyeth's dog Boom Boom, though I believe this picture is actually backwards.

PETER SUTHERLAND

Peter Sutherland is bringing back the vertical in a way that makes me wonder what I've been doing with my life. He also has a great photo series on the Badlands over at Vice. Keep on the watch for his new website that launches "soon."

RADIOLAB LISTENING PARTY @ THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE

Last night Josh and I attended the Radiolab listening party at the Boston Museum of Science. Part of their When Science Meets Art series, the event was held in the planetarium and the host and producer of Radiolab, Jad Abumrad, was their for a Q&A sesh. The sold out crowd filed into the planetarium and leaned back in our chairs. The lights dimmed and above us appeared the night sky. For the next hour, we listened to the Space episode from season two. As the program shifted between stories and interviews, the sky above us moved as well.

There's something to be said about events like this. In the past, evening radio programs were best experienced in a group setting. We all know the image of a family gathering around the radio after dinner for the news and variery programs. There isn't a drive for this communal experience anymore. Radio has been limited to road trips and portable podcasts. All of us could have listened to this episode online from our own home's, but we chose to come out to the Museum of Science on a wednesday night and sit in a dark room together. So it was exciting and fun to experience such interesting topics with strangers.

The Museum also opened up the Blue Wing for a mingle session, some interactive art, and also a chocolate fountain. Jad was there to answer questions and hang out.

So many people kept coming up to him that I don't think he ever got to try the treats. Josh and I sure had our fill of chocolate covered strawberries.

The interactive exhibit was a media installation where you could stand in front of a green screen and have your image be kaleidoscoped with other people and topical background images. It was alright.

One could easily find similar attractions at other museums. Also, the screen was too small to even see the components that made up the final image. It would have been more fun if it was larger.


We had more fun exploring the other floors on the Blue Wing and playing with the optical illusions. The museum was also a new adult gallery, so for their first show they featured photographs by Edward Burtynsky. I recommend people see the documentary Manufactured Landscapes, which is about his work.

Overall, it was a fun time and I'll be looking forward to the next When Science Meets Art event at the museum. Listen to all the Radiolab episodes and also there podcast on their website.

ASGAR / GABRIEL

What's alive here?

TONIGHT

ANDY KEHOE

I stumbled across this painter a few weeks ago after searching "humanity" in Google images. I can't get his characters or scenery out of my head lately.

All of his paintings are up on his website. I suggest you look at every single one http://www.andykehoe.net/

LIFE AS A FREE SPIRIT?

Honestly, if I could live in a place like Swiss Family Robinson, I would be there before days end. But...I think this might be the closest I actually come to achieving that dream.

Free Spirit Spheres, located on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Sure, I could rent one of the two spheres that they have set up, but this company also provides you with the ability to buy pieces to make your own sphere. The choice is between wood and fiberglass, and the difference happens to be about 100 thousand dollars. Don't ask me why wood should cost so much more, but I'll certainly take these figures into consideration when I realize that I could probably be living in suspension much sooner if I went with fiberglass.

BENJAMIN CARRE

I found this artist online a little while ago because a film blog I read posted about his Star Wars fan art, (two examples I liked a lot are below, Vader and the prototype for his new Tie Interceptor as seen in episode IV, and Darth Maul kicking ass against a rancor.) Then I went to his website and found a lot of gems, some of my favorites are below but not limited to so definitely check out his website for a lot more: http://www.blancfonce.com/ Click on any to see them in high-res

EUGENE FINNEY AND GLORY AT SEA

Today, at the SMFA, we met (among others) Eugene Finney who, trained as a painter, now makes some pretty wonderful sculptures that he likes to call "post apocalyptic design theories." His works included a shelter made out of wood scraps from a an old brownstone that was being renovated as well as a boat made of scraps and found objects (complete with skids for a base and a projector screen for the front sail). I didn't get to see the pieces in their full glory (pun noted for later), but was rather forced to view them in his cramped 3rd year SMFA Masters studio. For this reason, I propose that anyone who wants to come with me should go to the MFA Thesis Exhibition at the Tufts University Art Gallery sometime between December 4th and 21st (2008). It will be a great time.

Honestly, these works really interested me not only because they were assemblage sculptures meant for very distinct functions (taking assemblage to a new level), but mainly because the sailboat reminded me an incredible amount of Court 13's Glory at Sea:

Glory at Sea is a tale with elements of magical realism that depicts a small town outside New Orleans who discovers that they can visit their lost loved ones who still remain very much alive in the ocean. Once realizing this, they band together build a makeshift ship out of "the flood's" wreckage and attempt to discover "where the dead people go."

So, naturally, to round out this entry of shameless plugs and inspirations, I bring incredible news (at least for Family Family Tree). The following has been posted on the McSweeney's website:

Wholphin No. 7 will feature a short film by Gus Van Sant based on a William S. Burroughs short story; a documentary exploring autism from the animators of Waking Life; Field Notes from Dimension X; the SXSW award-winning Glory at Sea; and a curious documentary about men living in relative isolation on Bodmin Moor, one of whom in particular subsists on a strict roadkill diet. Issue 7 will also include a special bonus disc containing a highly controversial interactive scientific experiment in retroactive causality, in which the Wholphin audience, just by watching, will help to determine the role of consciousness in the establishment of a physical reality.

AWESOME!