2 at BookForum

For BookForum, I document the first installment of Cabinet's 24-Book Series, in which the magazine invited an author to write a book in 24 hours [Attempts at Exhausting Cabinet's 24-Hour Book Series], and I review Gary Lutz's book Divorcer.

Feist, Claire Fontaine, and Beecher's

I met Leslie Feist at Lafayette House for BlackBook -- the resulting profile piece was published here. My profile on the artist duo Claire Fontaine (whose exhibit just opened at Metro Picures) was published in Modern Painters. HTMLGiant made nice mention of a piece of fiction I recently had published in the first issue of Beecher's.

Salem

An essay of mine about Salem, "Sweethearts of the Occult," and the mystery (or not) thereof, was published in the Believer's music issue in the company of one of my favorite music compilation CDs the magazine has put out yet. The compilation focuses on contemporary composers like Tristan Perich (whose 1-Bit Symphony excited me when I first heard it at Sanity Disobedience for a New Frontier, a show curated by Rod Malin at a micro-gallery in Williamsburg). Also, there are some great interviews with Trey Anastasio (by Ross Simonini), Brian Eno, and David Byrne.

Ai Weiwei's New York

Bill Clinton, Allen Ginsberg, and Drag Queens at Wigstock



In conjunction with the opening of the exhibit at the Asia Society Museum of the photographs of artist Ai Weiwei during his life in the East Village in the 80s and early 90s, I prepare a selection of photographs from the exhibit for Flavorwire. Bill Clinton, Allen Ginsberg, and Chinese expatriate intellectuals are among those in the artist's portraits.

Promoters Changing NY Nightlife

On Top, The Cosmic Cavern, and ABRACADABRA


At BlackBook, I cover five show promoters and/or artists who throw interesting events in New York. Suzanne Bartsch, Kenny Scharf, Todd Pendu, and more...

Ritual Films

I went upstate yesterday to partake in one of artist Micki Pellerano's ritual films. I wore face paint, fur, had my hair teased, was asked to wear real snake skin (said no), and held a brass unk cross. Micki is in the tree here, as is Bruno from Light Asylum, and Danny. More on this coming soon...

Rashaad Newsome at Flash:Light

Herald Cut Short



I write a piece for Artinfo about Rashaad Newsome's aborted performance of Herald at Flash:Light, the festival within the Festival of Ideas for the New City presented by the New Museum.

Rashaad Newsome

Artist Rashaad Newsome creates mash-ups of hip hop and the rites of heraldry.

Alexander McQueen

Coinciding with next week's opening of Savage Beauty at the Met, at Flavorwire, I take a look back at some great moments in the career of fashion designer Alexander McQueen -- like the insane asylum-themed show, for example, the center piece of which is pictured above.

Food Trucks, Supper Clubs and Dead Theaters

Photo courtesy High Society Dining Club

On Flavorwire this week, I explore artisanal food trucks (like Coolhaus) across the US, the Rise of the Pop-Up Restaurant and Supper Club, including JBF LTD, LTO, Veronica's Sunday Supper, one pop-up in LA -- Underground Wine Tasting Dinner -- that takes place in architecturally significant homes, and another -- the High Society Dining Club -- that takes itself literally. Also, Dead and Repurposed Movie Theaters in homage to the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival.

BEBE ZEVA for VICE

Almost Famous


Photo: Leigh Alexander

I wrote a piece for VICE on Bebe Zeva and BEBE ZEVA, the film Tao Lin and Megan Boyle directed of the almost famous Internet personality. Tao Lin called her a "genius." A genius! Read here. Decide for yourself.

The piece has some imaginative comments. Take these examples:

"..." says: I really hope virtually everyone involved with this article dies young. And I don’t mean “bad lifestyle, middle aged heart attack” young, I mean “flowers laid against a wall, photos tied to lamposts” young.

"Republik of Mancunia" says: Heres a thought why not follow someone useful and of interest like a childrens cancer doctor or street cleaner. In fact why not just turn over the whole of Vice to the street cleaners.

"workingclassfuckup" says: Cuntpuppets!

"Hoppy Harry" says:

I dunno… it’s in the language she uses.

“I try to prove myself on the internet by like getting friends like that,” she says.

Who the fuck talks like that in real life?

"JL" says: Fuck celebrity, fuck virtual success. Fuck the entire internet generation, with their entire lives mapped on Facebook from birth to death.

VICE Presents Sasha Grey's Neu Sex

@ Housing Works





Brandon Stosuy interviews Sasha Grey.

Sasha Grey made an appearance at Housing Works to promote her new book Neu Sex out by VICE. Stereogum's Brandon Stosuy interviewed her about sex as art, her albums out on Pendu Recordings and being honest with her family about working in the adult film industry. During the Q&A, she was asked by a man "when's a good time to tell my 39 year old son that I'm a Sasha Grey Junkie?" "Any time's a good time, man," she said. Everyone felt awkward for her.

Cheap Art from Some of the World's Most Expensive Artists

So Richard Prince, Yoshitomo Nara and Tracey Emin




Top: Tim Noble and Sue Webster's Toxic Schizophrenia
Bottom: Tattoo by Tim Noble and Sue Webster sold at Gagosian Gallery.

Here's a rundown of cheap (and cheap-ish) great stuff you can get by some of the most renowned artists if you can't afford the real deal. For Flavorwire.

Salem on Tour

Salem stops at Santos Party House on their US Tour

Gallery of Photos from the AIPAD Photo Show NY

Highlights from the AIPAD Photo Show NY

Massimo Vitali, Simen Johan and Julie Blackmon





Photos: From top to bottom Simen Johan, Mark Seliger

A selection of highlights of the upcoming AIPAD Photography Show New York -- the biggest international photo show.

Yes I was on the Inaugural Bruise Cruise

Along with the Black Lips, Vivian Girls, VICE editors and more...









Ian Svenonius was the cruise director and the ship's elder statesman of punk. His underlings included 400 indie rock fans along with the bands--The Black Lips on the beach, Vivian Girls, Thee Oh Sees, The Strange Boys, Ty Segall, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Surfer Blood, Jacuzzi Boys, and Turbo Fruits--and VICE, the editors of which were there to shoot The Black Lips video. See the full pictorial at Flavorwire.

Hahn Bin: Visionaire's Mozart

A Salon in the old Boom Boom Room



Violinist Hahn Bin performed for a small gathering at the top of the Standard Hotel in New York for Visionaire's party to celebrate Fashion Week. Read more at BlackBook.

Tamaryn at MoMA PS1 Saturday Sessions

Tamaryn performs at MoMA PS1's Saturday Sessions with Mirror Mirror and special effects by Thunder Horse Video.

How to be a Witch House Poser

Brush Up on your Salem, Shams and Pendu



If you want to get in on the Witch House scene, read this piece first and enter with dark cred.
For example: Listen to Horror Scores for the Dance Floor Vol. 4, deny the legitimacy of the term "Witch House," and please, please, please have an opinion on Salem, even if only to say that their fame rides on Jack Donoghue's hair.

Ariel Pink, Mongolian Contortionists and 12 Liberty Ponies

THE ROCK & ROLL CIRCUS


Ariel Pink

The Rock & Roll Circus happened over two days in Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park. Punks be Not Proud--a photo essay with pictures of Japanther's performance that ended prematurely--can be viewed on BlackBook.com. Day 1 had performances by the So So Glos, The Pharmacy and Japanther. Day 2 had Ariel pink, Aska + Nick Zinner, Saint Motel and Amazing Baby. While you can see a photo essay up on BlackBook as well, here are more photos of the 2nd night.



"Mongolian Contortionists" (must we still objectify peoples' nationalities...)



Aska + Nick Zinner (Played the most haunting beautiful set while people were walking into the tent)


Aska + Nick Zinner



"Kenyan Boys" (must we still objectify peoples' nationalities...)



"Acid Baby" (Kept talking about getting lubricated)



Saint Motel (All I could think about were this guys red suspenders)


Saint Motel


Saint Motel



"Russian Aerialist"



Amazing Baby


Amazing Baby

Break Time


Acid Baby and friend







VIP Loungers






Big Apple Circus performers







Aska + Nick Zinner







12 Liberty Ponies (People screamed more loudly for these ponies than for anyone else)

ARIEL PINK


(He does a good parody of a musician but I kinda wished it was Geneva Jacuzzi)