A Note from Siria, Welcome to a New Year…
Many of you may see this as belated, but I personally feel that well wishes for the new year can be communicated throughout the whole month of January (I feel quite the opposite however, when it comes to Christmas lights remaining present past the first or second week of a new year). I actually have a tradition of sending out Happy New Year’s cards as opposed to Holiday cards to those I don’t get to see on a regular basis and they rarely go out before the second week of January.
With that said, “Happy New Year, the game done changed!”
That was a statement that stuck with me ever since I coverd the Feel Mode 2 DVD release last summer.
A lot has changed, this is true. However, in the end it doesn’t necessarily mean the rules have completely changed.
As I have listened to some of my friends and colleagues sharing their goals for the new year, I hope that in this next year follow-through will be more constant (including with myself). I don’t generally make New Year’s resolutions, but if I did they would primarily include making more time to spend with friends and loved ones as those who know me personally know I get pulled in various directions constantly and making time is usually my hardest challenge. (more…)
OUT IN TRAFFIK – FEEL MODE 2 DVD RELEASE @ DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT
During last night’s Downtown Artwalk, the Graffiti Art sub-culture was the main focus at the Downtown Independent Theatre during the Art Show doubling as a DVD Release Party/Screening of Feel Mode 2. Although it can easily be argued that this artform is probably the most highly visible and most easily accessible to the general public, the negative connotations associated with the lifestyle of the in your face result of tagging up walls can often deter art lovers from actually accepting this as a valid form of art. The FeelModeInc., behind last night’s event, is trying to help change these viewpoints by establishing a multi media design house specializing in the Graffiti and Urban Arts market and by releasing their Feel Mode Graffiti DVD series which is an ongoing project that started in 2004 showcasing a wide range of some of the country’s most prolific graffiti writers, according to their site, www.feelmode.com.
Last night the Feel Mode crew brought the streets to a more controlled gallery setting taking advantage of the various multi-media facilities available at the Downtown Independent, which included: DJ’s (Zo, King Solomon, Fat Jack), live paintings, projections, and even some impromptu skateboarding on the rooftop bar; paintings and art on canvas prominently displayed on the first and second floor lobbies and walls; and special screenings of Feel Mode 2 in the theatre itself.
Here is the trailer for Feel Mode 2 – “The Game Done Changed”
With last night’s event the Downtown Independent showed it’s versatility as a space that not only lends itself to carefully selected film showings/screenings for music lovers (The Harder They Come, Wild Combination, This Is The Life, The American Astronaut), wine enthusiasts ( Corked!), as well as film buffs (The Guatemalan Handshake, The Times of Harvey Milk, Jake’s Corner), but also often plays host to events (International Festival of Cinema and Technology, LA Japan Film Festival, Zero Film Fest).
Their low ticket prices (most film engagements stay at about $5) and their more than reasonably priced concession stand ( most items are well under $5 including beer and wine) are the equivalent of flipping the bird or sending a “shame on you” message to big name chain theatres. It is definitely worth checking out and even more so if you are a resident of downtown Los Angeles (downtown residents often get discounts for events that have admission fees)
Currently playing is Know Your Mushrooms - “From the award-winning director of COMIC BOOK CONFIDENTIAL, GRASS, GO FURTHER and a host of paradigm-shifting films reappraising the backwaters of popular culture, Ron Mann investigates the miraculous, near-secret world of fungi with his newest piece of cinema, KNOW YOUR MUSHROOMS.”
The Downtown Independent is located at 251 S. Main Street Los Angeles, California 90012. Visit www.downtownindependent.com for more info.
Out in TRAffIK – Artwalk Culver City Part I – THE EXPERIENCE: Artwalk-ing in High Heels
Despite not living that far from the Westside, I rarely make it to that part of town (Culver City, Westwood,Venice), only because it always seems to take me forever and a day to get to my destination, I avoid the 10 West like the plague (I think the 10 West might be the only free parking in Santa Monica–I should try leaving my car on it one day, walking to my destination, and then seeing if it’s still in the same spot upon my return). The surface streets near the 405 fwy entrance around Santa Monica Blvd. are not much better. This area does have many great gallery spaces, restaurants, boutiques, not to mention the Nuart Theatre so it is worth the journey, and generally if you take Olympic Blvd. down you can avoid a lot of the traffic.
With that said, I braved the drive to make it to Artwalk Culver City last Saturday. You see if we ever put up events on TRAffIK, it’s usually because we’re (either Brandy/”BB” or I, or both) going (next week look for us at the Wine Tastings and screening of Corked and The Graffitti Art Event at the Downtown Independent–we’ll put up details soon).
About 3pm, I gathered a bunch of the girls (among them Lady Di and Maureen Shampine) and hit the road to the Washington Blvd. La Cienega intersection where this was all taking place. Somehow, Notes From Vivace had already made it there and called me as I was still looking for parking. He was antsy to make it to the beach, but was willing to wait around for us and walk through a few of the galleries. We found him quickly at Indie Collective and laughed as we crossed the street towards him at the display we must’ve made comparing it to the Sex and the City intro–briefly arguing about who was more like Charlotte– Lady Di or I? I say neither and both, but we did agree Maureen would have to be Samantha) We ended up checking out about 3/4 of them (in actuality, I think we really only missed about 3 or 4 of the 41 total galleries exhibiting that day). Our favorite piece was located at the LeBasse Projects Gallery, where it was decided I should commission UK artist Joe Black to create a piece in my likeness like his Lost and Found button collage (read Maureen’s much better write-up on Artwalk and this piece here), I insisted that it was more of a Michelle Marini piece. Speak of the devil who do we run into right as we’re exiting the gallery? Michelle and our friend Jason who had spotted us upon arrival, but had lost track of us. So I had to go back inside and show her the piece, and she agreed. Lady Di’s friend Jamie (who is also an artist) caught up with us and he also spent most of the afternoon with us.
I believe this was the fourth annual Artwalk Culver City, but I feel that it was still missing a lot of the community vibe that it should have had. It was nice to see some parents and grandparents bringing out their kids/grandkids to experience the art, since there aren’t many kid-friendly art shows these days. We had a great time enjoying the art (but we have a great time anywhere we go for the most part), but I couldn’t help but feel like each of the galleries was having it’s own private party as opposed to one big party.
We left shortly after our feet started to hurt and headed towards our girl’s night at Amanda Jones’ house. I would tell you about it, but what happens at girl’s nights stay at girl’s nights.