NYC Culture on the Cheap: Weekend 7/20

FREE and CHEAP Things to do in New York CITY, NYC, July 2012, 7/20-23/2012, affordable Cultural EventsClick to enlarge

Here are some of our suggestions for free and cheap cultural events in New York City this weekend:

1. Theater Slowgirl by Greg Pierce, with Sarah Steele and Zeljko Ivanek, at Lincoln Center’s new Claire Two Theater. All tickets $20. Extended through August 5, 2012.

2. ArtGhosts in the Machine at the New Museum. The new exhibit spans fifty years and traces the complex historical passage from the mechanical to the optical to the virtual. FREE Saturday (7/21/2012) 12-5pm with a visit to the museum’s block party. Otherwise $14 General Admission/$10 Student. FREE every Thursday 7pm-9pm. Through September 30, 2012.

3. MusicB.o.B FREE Secret Show at the Highline Ballroom; Sunday, July 22 at 9pm. Doors open 7:30pm. FREE with Ticket. Tickets available at the box office.

Also: Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra at the Brooklyn Bowl, Sunday, July 22, at 8pm. Doors open 6pm. $5.00

4. Comedy/PerformanceD’FunQT: Stand Up or Die at Dixon Place (LES) Fri and Sat, July 20 & 21 at 9:30 pm. Tickets: $15 advance, $20 at the door, $15 students / seniors
Written and performed Leguizamo-style, this one-person show celebrates the joy of survival in a world often intolerant of difference. As a queer boy/stud/trans person, D’Lo unapologetically takes center stage and uses his fluidly morphing form and spot-on timing to bring the fierce with the funny.

5. ArchitectureNew Practices New York 2012 exhibit at the Center for Architecture. Mon-Fri: 9am to 8pm Sat: 11am to 5pm, through September 8th. FREE

6. Design/PerformanceGlassLab Glassmakers from Corning Museum of Glass create pieces with contemporary designers. Glass blowing and all. Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 6:30 through July 29th. This weekend designers include Peter Buchanana-Smith and Paul Sahre. On Governors Island. FREE.

7. Art – Rineke Dijkstra: A Retrospective at the Guggenheim. Large-scale color photographs. Portraiture with a twist. Through October 8, 2012. Pay-what-you-Wish Saturdays from 5:45 to 7:45.

8. TheaterUncle Vanya at the Soho Rep in Tribeca, through August 26th. 99¢ Sundays same day at the door. Line forms one hour before show. Limit 2 tickets per person. 7:30 pm. 99¢.

9. DancePilobolus at the Joyce Theater. Through August 11, 2012. A limited amount of tickets available for $10 by calling the box office (212-242-0800). At the time of posting, only 1 ticket was left for this weekend, so best to try in advance. Showtimes and programs vary.

Also in Music: Bebel Gilberto/Criolo/Flavio Renegado/Beco Dranoff Saturday, July 21, 3-7 pm, Summerstage at Central Park. FREE

Also in Food: Les Salonnieres Country Blues Potluck Under the Stars. Dinner and Wine tasting. Bring a country-themed dish. Saturday, July 21, 7pm – 1am. Williamsburg Private Residence. Tickets $10.

More Food: 3rd Ward’s 5th Annual Pig Roast. Saturday July 21, 4pm to midnight. 195 Morgan Ave, Bushwick. FREE with RSVP

Also in Film: Coming Home: Short Films. Friday, July 20, 8pm. Rooftop Films at Metrotech Commons. FREE

Art on the Beach: Coney Island Annual Sand Sculpting Contest and Unity Day. (Here’s a video on last year’s event) Saturday, July 21, 12-5 pm. FREE.

Check last week’s Culture on the Cheap for additional (ongoing) events.

Molecule: East Village Water Café

Purified tap water cafe in East Village, NYC, to-go and refill options. MoleculePurified tap water cafe in East Village, NYC, to-go and refill options. MoleculePurified NYC Tap water, East Village Water Cafe, MoleculePurified NYC Tap water, East Village Water Cafe, MoleculeClick to enlarge

A unique kind of café has just opened a few avenues over from us: Molecule – A Water Café. The idea behind this new shop is to serve filtered (“purified”) NYC tap water using their $25,000 filtration system; a seven-stage processing treatment to create what the owners call “pure H2O.” There’s the to-go option, in a nicely designed glass bottle for $2.50 which you can have plain or with vitamin supplements and/or herbal infusions at an additional cost. If you bring your own container, water refills are provided at a range of $1 for a canteen to $10 for 5 gallons. A delivery service is in the works as well as “water blessing” events.

Being a big fan of unfiltered NYC tap water, I’m not sure I’ll be consuming Molecule’s water for now. The whole concept makes me chuckle a bit (I guess a Brita filter doesn’t cut it anymore) but I do like their branding.

Here’s co-owner Adam Ruhf discussing Molecule in a WSJ Video.

Photos: scoboco’s flickr; DNAinfo; and EV Grieve

via gothamist

Jarbas Lopes: The Debate Series

Vinyl campaign posters woven together to create an interesting effect, Jarbas Lopes, Brazilian artVinyl campaign posters woven together to create an interesting effect, Jarbas Lopes, Brazilian artVinyl campaign posters woven together to create an interesting effect, Jarbas Lopes, Brazilian artClick to enlarge

Brazilian artist Jarbas Lopes works in a variety of mediums, but much of his art pays homage to the Brazilian tradition of colorful weavings and craftmaking. He is probably best known for his bicycles woven with rattan that are still functional and meant to be interacted with. Here, in his woven “paintings” titled O Debate (The Debate), Lopes uses plastic/vinyl political campaign posters of both known and unknown politicians, tears them into strips and then weaves them together fusing the images, ultimately creating  hybrid political personalities. Some incorporate local Brazilian politicians, while others use images of American politicians such as Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, and George Bush.

Photos courtesy of the artist; Volta; Taxi Art; entretenimiento; and Tilton Gallery.

Patricia Waller: Broken Heroes

Superhero art, Patricia Waller, Galerie Deschler, Broken Heroes, Superheroes and childhood characters in unfortunate situationsSuperhero art, Patricia Waller, Galerie Deschler, Broken Heroes, Superheroes and childhood characters in unfortunate situationsSuperhero art, Patricia Waller, Galerie Deschler, Broken Heroes, Superheroes and childhood characters in unfortunate situationsClick to enlarge

Maybe it’s just me, and that I’ve recently become more aware of it, but there seems to be a lot of Superhero-themed art around lately. Even just strolling through the Chelsea Market a couple of weeks ago, the walls were covered with photos of superheroes in everyday poses by photographer Gregg Segal.

Currently at Berlin’s Galerie Dreschler, the Germany-based artist Patricia Waller has an exhibit entitled Broken Heroes. These sculptural pieces illustrate superheroes and cartoon characters in what look like humorous situations at first glance, but upon closer look, they evoke a sadness through their misfortunes and personality disorders.

Waller views her work as a critical reflection on the cult of celebrity, today’s substitute for the superhero:

They are role models and bearers of hope, they reflect our longing for the special. Heroes don’t just appear, they are created. The pressure to always look your best, the obligation to constantly be positive, and the knowledge of being observed all the time can result in identity disorders…

If you like these you might also enjoy Marcos Minunchin’s photos and Igor Scalisi Palminteri’s Superhero Saints.

Photos courtesy of the artist and Galerie Deschler.

Phlegm in New York

English Street Art in NYC, Phlegm, West 17th Street mural, Chelsea, street art, graffitiEnglish Street Art in NYC, Phlegm, West 17th Street mural, Chelsea, street art, graffitiEnglish Street Art in NYC, Phlegm, West 17th Street mural, Chelsea, street art, graffitiEnglish Street Art in NYC, Phlegm with Know Hope, East Village, street art, graffitiEnglish Street Art in NYC, Phlegm, East Village mural on grate, street art, graffitiClick to enlarge

I passed a large mural on my way to Chelsea and the Meatpacking District twice this week and the second time I decided to take photos and research who was behind the elaborate 3-part work. Turns out UK street artist Phlegm was visiting New York City this month and completed his first three murals in the U.S. right here in Manhattan—the other two in the East Village—and one of them an addition to an existing work by Know Hope (second from bottom.)

You can see a video of the bottom mural in progress here.

Bottom two photos by Matthew Kraus. All other photos by collabcubed.

Michelangelo’s David à la Missoni

Missoni sculpture in Meatpacking district, NYC, dEmo and Luca Missoni collaboration, The David, fun sculpture, installationMissoni sculpture in Meatpacking district, NYC, dEmo and Luca Missoni collaboration, The David, fun sculpture, installationMissoni sculpture in Meatpacking district, NYC, dEmo and Luca Missoni collaboration, The David, fun sculpture, installation

Click to enlarge

This past Saturday, on our way over to the High Line for an evening stroll, Daniela and I spotted a large — yet much smaller than the original — 5-meter tall version of Michelangelo’s David plopped down, smack in the middle of 9th Avenue and 14th Street sporting a classic Missoni zig-zag skin. Right in the heart of the Meatpacking District, this surprising sight was not missed by many. There was no sign or explanation attached, but upon googling I discovered that the statue is the creation of, and collaboration between, Spanish artist dEmo and Luca Missoni. Originally installed in front of the Missoni store in Madrid, Spain back in 2010 with a larger zig-zag patterned outfit, for their Fashion’s Night Out, the statue seems to have made an appearance in Barcelona as well, and is now in NYC until September 2012.

You can watch a video of the statue’s installation in Madrid, here.

Bottom photo solifestyle; all others collabcubed.

Ottó Vincze: Identified Flying Objects

Ottó Vincze, Hungarian contemporary Art, Installations with flying umbrellas, Facade Make-up for the OccasionOttó Vincze, Hungarian contemporary Art, Installations with flying umbrellas, Facade Make-up for the OccasionOttó Vincze, Hungarian contemporary Art, Installations with flying umbrellas, Life preservers, balloons, cool installationsClick to enlarge

Hungarian artist Ottó Vincze lives and works in Szentendre. Most of his works are installations, some with movement, others static. Many give the illusion of objects flying, and at least three of them involve umbrellas.

From top to bottom, the four installations above are:
Facade-Makeup for the Occasion
Sinking Centres of Gravity
Cognitive Save
Pioneer Progress

via molnar ani galeria

Sean Hart: Street Poetry

Typographic Street Art, French Street art, Sean Heart, existentialism, Shine, Yes FutureTypographic Street Art, French Street art, Sean Heart, existentialism, Shine, Yes FutureTypographic Street Art, French Street art, Sean Heart, existentialism, Shine, Yes FutureClick to enlarge

French street artist Sean Hart considers himself a poet (among many other things) and his poetry “is a weapon loaded with the future.” He paints large, existential-style statements in a condensed typeface on surfaces all over the world. His most recent series Shine (the blue and white photos at top) have an anamorphic quality, allowing his phrases to be read despite right angles and open doors in the center of the image. According to Hart all his works consist of paint, a camera, time and himself. No photoshop. No special effects. The works below Shine are from his series Yes Future from 2011, and the bottom image of a stabbed Tintin is from his series Parce Que!

UPDATE: One of Sean Hart’s recent interventions spotted on the streets of Madrid is over here on Escrito en la Pared.

via vandalog

CupNoodles Museum

Cup Noodles Museum, fun, interactive museum in Yokohama, Japan, make your own cup noodles, factory, park, museum, history, momofuku andoCup Noodles Museum, fun, interactive museum in Yokohama, Japan, make your own cup noodles, factory, park, museum, history, momofuku andoCup Noodles Museum, fun, interactive museum in Yokohama, Japan, make your own cup noodles, factory, park, museum, history, momofuku andoCup Noodles Museum, fun, interactive museum in Yokohama, Japan, make your own cup noodles, factory, park, museum, history, momofuku andoClick to enlarge

Just back a few days from their amazing trip to Japan, Em and Dan had lots to report. High on their list in terms of cool fun was the CupNoodles Museum in Yokohama, about 30 minutes from Tokyo. Opened last fall, the interactive museum chronicles the history of the instant ramen noodle created by Momofuku Ando in 1958. Included in the museum is a Design-your-Own Cup Noodle from content to package design, a replica of the shed where the instant ramen was invented, A Noodles Bazaar Food Court, and a theme park. Oh, and of course, a gift shop selling all things ramen, including the lovely set of chopsticks that they brought back for me, which I might just have to frame instead of actually use. When I questioned the relevance of the fun graphic logo, Em and Dan immediately responded with “No, it’s perfect. That’s exactly the feeling you experience the minute you step through the door.” ’Nough said.

Update: I just noticed that the exclamation points refer to the decorative border on the CupNoodle cup, so there’s that too…

All photos by collabcubed except second from top and second from bottom by Yuriko Nakao/Reuters.

Jon Burgerman

Jon Burgerman, Street artist, illustrator, fun, humorous, goofy, bright-colored charactersJon Burgerman, Street artist, illustrator, fun, humorous, goofy, bright-colored charactersJon Burgerman, Street artist, illustrator, fun, humorous, goofy, bright-colored charactersJon Burgerman, Street artist, illustrator, fun, humorous, goofy, bright-colored charactersJon Burgerman, Street artist, illustrator, fun, humorous, goofy, bright-colored charactersJon Burgerman, tribute to Maurice Sendak and MCA, Beastie BoysJon Burgerman, Street artist, illustrator, fun, humorous, goofy, Bushwick Band, Anxieteam, Bushwick DreamClick to enlarge

I attended the Reasons to be Creative conference last week here in NYC and was blown away by every single speaker. Such talent! Creativity! Passion! Truly amazing.

One of the more entertaining speakers — due to his charm and wackiness — was Jon Burgerman, a British expat living and working in Brooklyn, in addition to eating a lot of salad and pizza. An illustrator and street artist, Burgerman draws and paints colorful characters that have been made into Kidrobot toys, appeared on Pepsi cans, hats, sneakers and even a car or two. He is (as described on his website) “a multidisciplinarian carefully constructing a world in which the narrative of being an artist is played out across a wide variety of media for the distraction, enlightenment and delight of those who choose to tune in.” Also, a total goofball, in the best sense of the word.

He recently had a show in a pizza shop in New Jersey; walls filled with pizza slice characters on paper plates (I am now the proud owner of ‘Cheesus Slice’). His tribute to the recently passed Maurice Sendak and Beastie Boys’ MCA is perfect. And if all these projects aren’t enough, he performs with fellow artist and good friend Jim Avignon as Anxieteam, which, to me, has a low-budget Flight of the Conchords feel and looks like it would be a lot of fun to witness live.

Oh, Plastiksack!

Plastic bag exhibit at the Gewerbemuseum in Switzerland, cool art installations, paintings, product design all made with plastic bagsPlastic bag exhibit at the Gewerbemuseum in Switzerland, cool art installations, paintings, product design all made with plastic bagsSimon Monk, paintings of superheroes in plastic bags, Oh Plastik Sack exhibit,Plastic bag exhibit, art installations, products, photographs, made with plastic bagsClick to enlarge

Oh, Plastiksack! is an exhibition currently at the Gewerbemuseum in Switzerland. A tribute to, and a commentary on, the ubiquitous plastic bag; from trash to status symbol, as well as a reflection of consumption patterns, the plastic bag is represented as the medium of choice and running theme for all the sculptures, installations, paintings, products and photographs in the show.

From top to bottom, left to right:
Luzinterruptus
(lit dumpster); Simon Monk (Batman and Robin in plastic bags paintings); Ida-Marie Corell (Ikea bag installation and dress); Duty Free bag collection (artist?); Claudia Borgna (plastic bag installation in courtyard); Living room furniture made from plastic bags by Anne-Cecile Rappa, Biaugust and Ryan Frank; Luke Julius Keijser (tailored suits); and Nils Völker (plastic bag installation Eighty Eight).

The exhibit runs through June 21, 2012.

Photos: Gewerbemuseum, Claudia Borgna, Ida-Marie Corell, Bernhard Hageman; Tommi Makynen.

Thanks, Nils Völker!

Three Studio: Melted Manga Figurines & More

Melted Manga Anime Figurine sculptures, Three Studio, Contemporary Japanese Art, Cool SculpturesFish soy sauce container sculptures, Three Studio, Tokyo Baby, Contemporary Japanese Art, Cool SculpturesMelted Manga Anime Figurine sculptures, Three Studio, Contemporary Japanese Art, Cool Sculpturesthousands of Japanese fish-like soy sauce containers form cool sculptures, Three StudioClick to enlarge

Japanese art collective Three Studio, based in Tokyo, create contemporary colorful sculptures using Manga Anime figurines and fish-shaped soy sauce containers. The Melted Manga Anime Figure Sculptures are, well, just that. Three Studio melts thousands of the figurines together creating sculptural blocks, tableaus, and figures that include bodies. From a distance, the bunched up pieces become abstract, but up close the decapitated heads, loose torsos, eyeballs and feet become apparent for a humorous and, at the same time, slightly creepy effect.

Three Studio’s series of sculptures created with thousands of fish-shaped soy sauce containers filled with colored water, range in form from geometric shapes to a mobius strip and even a Tokyo Baby. Fun stuff!

via Slanted and Gradient

Brigitte Zieger: Women vs. Men

Drawings of women shooting by Brigitte Zieger in eye shadowDrawings of women shooting by Brigitte Zieger in eye shadowDrawings of women shooting by Brigitte Zieger in eye shadowClick to enlarge

German artist Brigitte Zieger is interested in the seductive power of violence. In her series of drawings titled Women are Different from Men, she collected images of women shooting weapons from the media on the internet, and recreated them using eyeshadow and glitter. From sexy girls to grannies, the juxtaposition of the softly applied, smudgy, colorful hues of eyeshadow with the unsettling and powerful images definitely packs a punch…or maybe a ‘bang’. I really like the retro pin-up and/or pulp quality that these possess.

Here’s an interesting interview with Zieger where she explains the thinking behind her work:

via else

Igor Scalisi Palminteri: Superhero Saints

Hagiographies, Batman and Robin as Saints, Igor Scalisi Palminteri, contemporary Italian art, Superhero artHagiographies, Catwoman as saint, Igor Scalisi Palminteri, contemporary Italian art, Superhero artHagiographies, Batman and Robin, Superman, and the Incredibles as Saints, Igor Scalisi Palminteri, contemporary Italian art, Superhero arthagiographies, agiografie, saints as superheroes, superhero saints, PalminteriClick to enlarge

Italian artist Igor Scalisi Palminteri from Palermo has always been fascinated by religiosity. For his series of sculptures titled Hagiographies, Palminteri transformed statues of saints, purchased in the street markets of Palermo, into superheroes by repainting the sacred works with bright acrylic paint, masking their faces and converting their traditional robes into capes and superhero garb bearing their recognizable symbols. Make of it what you will…

via tribeart

Frederick McSwain: Cells

Cells by Frederick McSwain, part of Love it or Leave It exhibit, NY Design Week, Gallery R'Pure,Cells by Frederick McSwain, part of Love it or Leave It exhibit, NY Design Week, Gallery R'Pure,Installation with photos of prisoners in their cells, Cells by Frederick McSwain, NY Design Week 2012 Click to enlarge

New York based artist/designer Frederick McSwain created his installation Cells — which was included in the exhibition Love it or Leave it at Gallery R’ Pure for NY Design Week 2012 — based on a memory from his childhood of a visit to his mother’s job as a bail bondsman in a county jail. The story is key to the installation as well as to the title of the piece and its many meanings:

One day after school, I was taken to the county jail. Escorted in, faded institutional colors and grimy furnishings painted the picture of another time. I sat down on a plastic dairy crate while fishing through my pockets for loose change. Shit out of luck, the fiery glow of a nearby vending machine taunted me as a feeling of anxiety began to creep in. Waiting impatiently, monotone hums from the fluorescent lighting composed a minimalist soundtrack, rapid heartbeats kept the time. My mother, barely visible through the glass window of a partitioned wall, was busy signing documents in the booking room next door. After what seemed like hours, she finally concluded her business and signaled over with the universal hand gesture for “Let’s go”. As we took our twenty paces to the car parked outside, she handed me a freshly snapped Polaroid. Still unclear, the image developed over the course of our drive home (a matter of minutes). Without revealing too much at once, the shadows slowly burned in, then the colors and highlights emerged, until eventually, a vivid portrait of a shirtless man came to life. It’s been with me ever since.
While the word “Cells” commonly refers to the smallest unit of living matter, it’s also synonymous with subjects ranging from statistical spreadsheets to terrorist organizations. In language, as in life, environmental factors play a vital role in shaping one’s self-identity and perception of the world. From the moment of birth, each of us is exposed to a continuous stream of information. Collectively, these people, places, and things guide not only our emotions but also our practical decision-making. Meticulously organized, the human brain has the incredible ability to decipher and store these real-world snapshots for retrieval at a later time. At the end of the day, we’re all simply the sum of our parts.

You may be familiar with McSwain’s tribute, last year, to the memory of his friend designer Tobias Wong made with over 13,000 dice, but if you’re not, you should definitely check it out here on Colossal.

Photos: Miller Taylor

Thanks Frederick!

Eltono: This Way in Warsaw

Social street art project in warsaw with French/Spanish artist Eltono, Otone, Vlepvnet, GPAScommunity street art project in warsaw with French/Spanish artist Eltono, Otone, Vlepvnet, GPASSocial street art project in warsaw with French/Spanish artist Eltono, Otone, Vlepvnet, GPASClick to enlarge

I love these kinds of projects. Originally French but living in Spain, street artist Eltono (‘the tone’) collaborated on a mural, last month, with kids from Mala Street in Warsaw as part of the project “This Way” implemented by the Vlepvnet Foundation and the GPAS. The kids involved in the project are ones who, because of their social environment, don’t have easy lives and spend much of their time on the street. With their help, a geometric abstract alphabet was created and words using those letters and selected by the kids were painted on a wall on Mala Street. From defining the letters to cutting stencils and spray-painting the words, the kids worked with Eltono every step of the way, taking pride in their art.

I wasn’t able to translate the wall but for those who want to give it a shot here is the alphabet and a Polish to English translator.
(Using the virtual keyboard and pressing the “Alt+Ctrl” key you will be able to use the Polish special characters.) If anyone figures it out, please share with the rest of us!

If you like this project, you might also enjoy Boa Mistura’s work.

via escrito en la pared

Trashman: Pprofessors

Trashman, Environmental art project, Urban art in Russia, Lublin Andrew and Mary Zaborovskaya, St. PetersburgTrashman, Environmental art project, Urban art in Russia, Lublin Andrew and Mary Zaborovskaya, St. PetersburgTrashman, Environmental art project, Urban art in Russia, Lublin Andrew and Mary Zaborovskaya, St. PetersburgClick to enlarge

St. Petersburg art collective Pprofessors (previously Red Men here), consisting of Lubin Andrew and Mary Zaborovakaya, created the Public Art Project Trashman to raise urban environmental awareness and, evidently, discourage littering. I wasn’t able to find more information in English or translatable Russian, but it seems pretty self-explanatory. I just like these colorful guys and think they’d put a smile on anyone’s face that came upon them — as well as give them the urge to toss garbage into the can.

via permm

Museum: Cortlandt Alley

Humorous collections of found objects and garbage from around the world in an old freight elevator in Tribeca, MmuseummHumorous collections of found objects and garbage from around the world in an old freight elevator in Tribeca, MmuseummHumorous collections of found objects and garbage from around the world in an old freight elevator in Tribeca, MmuseummClick to enlarge

This is the kind of quirky thing that makes NYC so great. Located in what was once a freight elevator in an alley behind a former paper warehouse, in the area between Tribeca and Chinatown, sits the Museum. This tiny space is filled with velvet lined shelves housing artifacts, objects, and, well, garbage from around the world. These pieces from assorted collections undergo a rigorous vetting process by the permanent curatorial staff who select only the most awe-inspiring objects.

Daniela and I went down for a quick visit today. Based on the 24/7 hours posted on the Museum’s website, we were not concerned about the time. These hours, we soon found out, are possible due to the three, different-level windows in the bolted shut door. Apparently, entrance can be gained by appointment only via email. I have to say that peeking through the windows works just fine and adds to the nuttiness of the whole concept. There’s a phone number on the door that acts as an audio guide service when punching in each object’s clearly displayed reference number. So, if a toothpaste tube from another country and/or its history would interest you, or maybe a misspelled food container label or air conditioner vent, then get yourself over to the Museum and peruse these lovely collections.

The Museum is located in Cortlandt Alley between Franklin and White Streets. Look for the windowed door under lots of scaffolding.

Photos: collabcubed