Are you a mod or a rocker?
         
Um, no. I'm a mocker.

After attempting to study, heating up some spaghetti for dinner and restlessly flipping
through reality television I found comfort in catching A Hard Day's Night. 
Sometimes classics just hit the spot. 

I really really want to see the boyfriend dressed up as Archibald Alexander Leach in North by Northwest. All he'd need is a slick gray suit, pomade and a tiny plane on his shoulder. *Swoon*

There's something weirdly comforting about watching a Hitchcock film you've seen a dozen times. Tonight I'm in the mood for To Catch a Thief:

I have a slight thing for Cary Grant.
Especially as an ex jewel thief.

Do you have a favorite Hitchcock piece?

ew.

Christian Rex van Minnen via my love for you

I watched the documentary Food, Inc. this past weekend. It touches on the corporatization of America's food, factory farming, meat contamination, and sustainability. It was as horrifying as food documentaries come. I'm not going to lie though, after watching it I still had a craving for a Chipotle burrito bowl. Those are hard to fight. Of the many topics covered I found the idea of cloning animals for feed really disturbing. I had no idea scientist and farmers were still cloning animals, let alone cloning for consumption. I can't articulate why I find this to be so gross, but it just is.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The FDA has admitted that meat and milk from the offspring of cloned mammals such as cows, pigs, goats and sheep could very well have already entered the food supply in the United States.

"In January, the FDA declared that foods derived from cloned animals and their offspring were safe for human consumption. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, however, asked food companies to voluntarily maintain a ban on products from clones. The voluntary ban did not extend to the offspring of cloned animals."

"Consumers are likely already eating meat and drinking milk from the offspring of clones."

A box of matches with label by Ben Vautier, 1966.

I recently watched a documentary on the weatherman underground-- that radical 70's organization that caused a stir this past election. I guess I can fault this film for now having bomb-threats on the brain. Our PA system just went off with a warning from the maintenance dept that they're doing some testing. For a brief moment I was so excited that something might be going on and I could go home today. There's something majorly wrong when the possibility of a terrorist attack in my office is thrilling.

must see: Earthlings

What else could be a perfect follow up to the heart shaped salami than this grotesque displays of human consumption and slaughtering?

Sunaura Taylor; Chicken Truck, oil on canvas 2008

Sue Coe; Slaughterhouse Trenton, 2006,Oil on canvas

On recommendation by a friend I've been watching Earthlings at my desk. I haven't even finished it because there is so much wincing and pausing involved that by the 35 minute mark it's been an eternity. I'm not going to stand on a soap box and make grand declarations but I suggest see it, if you haven't already.

You can watch the full film here.

EARTHLINGS is a feature length documentary about humanity's absolute dependence on animals (for pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) but also illustrates our complete disrespect for these so-called "non-human providers." The film is narrated by Joaquin Phoenix and features music by the critically acclaimed platinum artist Moby.

faux french

I have a major soft spot for everything in these film stills.
Elizabeth Digiovanni
forget me not; super8 film stills 2004

for Naty

I just found out my best friend has chicken pox. She's beyond
bummed so I'm posting Jan Svankmajer's Alice especially for her.
But if you like surrealism, taxidermy,stop motion,Lewis Carole,
and randomness then I'm sure you'll enjoy this too.

N: I'm sending over this rabbit to soothe you in your time of pox. He'll know just what to do.

weekday link wrap up

Culotte Veloski

• Kyoko Okubo's figures via booooooom
  
• My future head piece
  
• middle finger stitchwitchery
• This crazy lil Totoro tattoo via A(S)UB
• falling in love with all the etsy wonderfulness out there
• stop motion wolf & pig via the wizard gang
• The pyramid stud knuckle ring now comes in bronze
  
• Andy burger!

good things

Goodnight, John-Boy-this makes me smile.

A few other things making my Monday:

• I can't stop thinking of the film Crazy Love we saw last night-unsettling yet somewhat sweet
  
• ikea pscabinet love
• this oh so cheeky birthday surprise
  
• little needlepoint teaser via design for mankind
• someone prove themselves as a mcm whiz
• Miami will be cooling down tomorrow!?!?
  
• obsessed with everything from Radio-Guy especially this clamp light
• Kris Chau drawings
  
• wishtank media garden is becoming a consistent go-to
• watching this video for like the 2oth time during lunch
• all things soap!
  
• Thinking of becoming more girlish and joining the birdies panty of the month club
• my friend's line was featured on thinkCONTRA today
  
• I'm recently drooling over large leather sacks (pause)

F Scott Fitzgerald's bag

lover's eyes

Do you remember that scene in Mad Love where Drew Barrymore's character has a crazy episode and glues pictures of eyes all over the walls? No? Well if you weren't a highly impressionable tween in 1995 then you probably have no idea what Mad Love is. That freaky obsessive meltdown scene was very influential; many girls I knew back then had random magazine cutouts of eyes in their rooms.

(can't find appropriate film still)
This Lover's Eye series by Tabitha Vevers is a beautiful and less nuts and way of displaying a bounty of eyes.

These tiny painted pieces based on the eyes of well known classical paintings speak to me in that same way. They comment on privacy, the woman's gaze, modern portraiture and dissociation.

influence: streetwise

My bf recently came home with the book Seen Behind the Scene: forty years of photographing on set by Mary Ellen Mark. I had somehow forgotten the fact that MEM was a significant photography inspiration while I was growing up. One of her projects that really influenced me was Streetwise.
Streetwise is a stark photo essay and Academy Award Nominated documentary film. It's an intimate portrait of teenagers who survive as pimps, prostitutes, panhandlers and small-time drug dealers living on the streets of Seattle in the early 80's.
Here are some shots of "Tiny" a 14 year old prostitute and focus character:

(Her style seems so editorial and fashion relevant today)
I strongly recommend checking out both the film and photo essay.
Resources: youtube, Book

Inspiration: Herb and Dorothy

You don't have to be Rockefeller to collect art. Call me out of the loop but I just learned of Herb&Dorothy and I am so inspired.This darling couple has successfully managed to build an unparalleled art collection with a rather modest income. Their passion and commitment to art is inspiring. Check out the documentary trailer and story:

Dorothy, a 73-year-old retired librarian, and her husband Herb, an 85-year-old retired postal clerk started buying minimal and conceptual art in New York in the early 1960s, living on Dorothy’s salary and spending Herb’s on art. Thirty years later, the Vogels had managed to accumulate over 4,000 pieces, filling every corner of their living space from the bathroom to the kitchen. “Not even a toothpick could be squeezed into the apartment,” recalls Dorothy. Their apartment was near collapse, holding way over its limit - something had to be done.

In 1992, the Vogels made headlines that shocked the art world: their entire collection was moved to the National Gallery of Art, the vast majority of it as an outright gift to the institution. Many of the works they acquired at modest prices appreciated so significantly that their collection became worth several million dollars, yet the Vogels never sold a single piece to breakdown the collection. Herb and Dorothy still live in the same apartment today- with 19 turtles, lots of fish, one cat -once completely emptied, now refilled again with piles of artworks.

I really want to start putting some money aside to slowly build my art collection. When I recently visited Gallery Diet to see the Daniel Milewski show I was impressed with their selection of artists and surprisingly affordable original pieces. Here are a few that caught my eye and I'm tempted to pick up.

Maria Jose Aronja, Origami Rabbit 2008; edition of 356; $100
Or one of these modern quilts by Andrew Mowbray:

The holes 2006; tyvek and thread; 19x19; $800

The Victorian 2006; tyvek and thread; 19x19; $800

happy Friday and Valentines day weekend!

Valentines Day usually involves doing something cute and date-ish. If you have a chance this weekend I totally recommend watching Synedoche, New York.  It's not your typical date movie but it's pretty sweet and will certainly inspired conversation. 

surprisingly romantic

One of the lead characters, Adele is an artist who creates these impossibly tiny paintings. Of course I can't get these miniature works off my mind. 

If it's playing in your area I totally suggest seeing it right away. I'm shocked it's not being shown on a large scale national level. 

Great movie: Harvey

I saw this for the first time last night and I am in love! Harvey is an inspiring film about a delightfully pleasant man named Elwood P. Dowd who is best friends with an invisible 6'3 alcoholic bunny.
I have a soft spot for Jimmy Stewart, bunnies and pookah's.
Favorite quote: "Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it."-Elwood P. Dowd
Resources: IMDB; clip "Nobody ever brings anything small into a bar"