Psycho

Die Stimmungsbombe, 2000. Courtesy Sammlung Falckenberg

At the end of this year, the Sammlung Falckenberg will bring together seemingly poetic-surrealist images by US painter Ena Swanser and subversive-enigmatic works by Finnish artist Robert Lucander who now lives in Berlin.  The exhibition’s title of Psycho is a reference to the eponymous horror classic by Alfred Hitchcock and calls to mind the disturbed nature of schizophrenics, psychopaths and other psychologically disturbed persons. Psycho is Greek for soul and the term referring to insanity is derived from the notion that a human’s spirit or soul can become ill; psychoanalysis, for example, is used to treat deep-rooted psychological traumata and behavioral disorders. Bret Easton Ellis’ novel American Psycho exposed, for example, the ugly face of unquestioning materialism but left the reader in doubt as to whether the gruesome scenes depicted in the novel emanate from the protagonist’s psychotic fantasies or whether he actually carries out these excessively violent acts. Colloquially, psycho is used to describe a mentally disturbed person who displays behavioral problems and a tendency towards aggressive conduct, thus having an unsettling and threatening effect on their environment. The use of this term leads one to expect a confrontation with art that takes non-conformism, insanity and thus the threatening and the sinister as its theme. This exhibition is on view at the Falckenberg Collection in Hamburg, from December 18 through

Caput Zine Now Available on Pas Un Autre

We now have a limited edition zine, published by Autre, for a special screening of Harmony Korine's film CAPUT, starring James Franco, exclusively available on Pas Un Autre. With photography by Harmony Korine & Adarsha Benjamin, & drawings by James Franco, layout by Nicole Poor. Printed on wide, high quality 11X17 tabloid format, ONLY 300 available. $15. Purchase SOLD OUT.

Rock Seen

Sex Pistols & Rotten, Johnny & Vicious, Sid & Jones, Steve & Coo

The Fahey/Klein Gallery is presents a selection of photographs from Bob Gruen’s newly released monograph, “Rock Seen” (Abrams, 2011). For forty years, Bob Gruen has been documenting the rock scene, capturing now iconic images of The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin, New York Dolls, Blondie, The Ramones, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono among others. Bob Gruen says of his career and recent publication, “Photography has led me to some great experiences and enduring relationships. Blurring the line between work and play, many of the people I met through my work have become friends; some are like family to me. You can look at [“Rock Seen”] as a collection of my work, or simply as the family album of my life.” (“Rock Seen” Book Introduction by Bob Gruen). On view through January 14, 2012 – The Fahey/Klein Gallery is located at 148 North La Brea, between First Street and Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA 90036.

[MIAMI BASEL] Fendi Casa X Nick Cave

FENDI Casa Luxury Living and Beats by Dr. Dre announce a collaboration of sound and design highlighting the work of contemporary artist Nick Cave during the 10th edition of Art Basel Miami Beach tonight, Friday, December 2, at the FENDI Casa Luxury Living Showroom. Artist Nick Cave known for his “Soundsuits” which are bright, whimsical and other-worldly wearable fabric sculptures will unveil an installation featuring a one-of-a-kind audio and visual display of Cave’s artwork highlighting his iconic pieces. Friday, December 2, 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., FENDI Casa Luxury Living Showroom, 90 NE 39th Street, Miami, Fl 33137

Darkside

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21 year old Nicolas Jaar grew up between Santiago, Chile and New York City, riding the cross currents of musical influences. At 17 Jaar made is debut with his first record on record label Wolf & Lamb, but now runs his own show with a record label called Clown & Sunset. His long, infectious melodies rely on distinctly Jaarian beats that include lots of echoes, sound effects, and strong, haunting, beautiful, multidimensional layers of vocals. Together with guitarist Dave Harrington, Jaar has just released a new EP under the name Darkside.  With hints of Pink Floyd's soaring choruses and interludes, Darkside's new EP is the perfect soundtrack to being buried alive with the girl of your dreams.

DARKSIDE - A3

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Hyper-Reality

Brooklyn's Serum Vs. Venom attempts to turn the business of fashion on its head, "Hyperreality is used in semiotics and postmodern philosophy to describe a hypothetical inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from fantasy, especially in technologically advanced postmodern societies. Self Imposed Reality Check. Our previous attempts to inject new thinking and practices into an existing, institutionalized fashion system have failed. We have come to the conclusion that our philosophy, methodologies and products are sound and it has been our desire to engage a flawed system, which has lead us astray. We have proudly decided to disengage this broken system in an attempt to interact with our consumers directly and unfiltered. We follow no season and no calendar, only our instincts and what we feel is appropriate and relevant." SVSV's new Hyper-Reality collection is an engaging sartorial exploration of post-modernism and men's dress.

Eggleston's Southern Gothic Travelogue at Prospect 2

Whilst Los Angeles is in the heavy throes of the city wide art invasion known as Pacific Standard Time, New Orleans is hosting its own city wide site specific exhibitions and artists’ projects happenings called Prospect 2 on view through January 2012.  Now on view at the Old U.S. Mint, which is now the Louisiana State Museum, William Eggleston's 77 minute long groundbreaking, surreal Southern Gothic  travelogue Stranded in Canton, "a film that consistently teeters on the edge of dream and nightmare states. Its nocturnal visions of bar denizens, musicians (including Furry Lewis), transvestites and a variety of semi-crazies comes off like a Cassavetes all-nighter filmed by David Lynch at his most unsettling: faces loom out of darkness, shot in infrared, displaying pale glowing skin and deep black eyes." On view at the The Louisiana State Museum at the Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Ave. 

[Outlaw Cinema] Black Biscuit

"Bewildering, vague, self-indulgent, plot-less, risky, egotistical, limpid, raw, ugly, and imperfect are perfect," declares an edict in the manifesto of Pink 8, a burgeoning "gutter filmmaking" cineast movement founded by Nottingham based Fabrizio Federico.  "We're trying to give British film an adrenaline shot, and to make a film equivalent movement of punk and lo-fi music but with a mass inspiration appeal like Cool Britannia. We dont want no budgets, or actors. This is whats happened since UK Film Funding has been cut," says Federico. A new cult film, entitled Black Biscuits, which will premier on December 12 in London, is pure outlaw cinema made by a rebellious auteur: "I had to life model to come up with money to make my film Black Biscuit. The non-plot is about a guy who wants to be an artist but gets sucked up in the sex industry. I guess it's about not waving goodbye to your dreams."

Azzedine Alaïa in the 21st Century

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From December 11 to May 6 2012, the Groninger Museum will present the exhibition entitled Azzedine Alaïa in the 21st Century. This exhibition displays the most fantastic Alaïa fashion creations of the last ten years. Alaïa is one of the last major couturiers still active. The exhibition is a follow-on to the overview of his work shown in the Groninger Museum in 1998, which was subsequently displayed at the Brant Foundation in New York in 2002.