An Invitation from Lars Von Trier

Controversial film director (pictured above with his Fuck tattoo) is challenging artists around the world "to reinterpret six great works of art through the lens of their camera or recording of sound." The project, entitled Gesamt (which comes from the German word for whole or cumulative) is supported by Danish Agency for Culture and has a set of strict rules to abide by as stated on the official Gesamt website. Works of art include Irish writer James Joyce's Ulysses and rat pack member Sammy Davis Jr's Choreography.

Rodolfo Loaiza's Disasterland

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Disasterland is Mexican artist Rodolfo Loaiza's tribute to pop culture, fashion, animation, horror films and the undeniable attraction of celebrity. The stage is set for fantasy to collapse and surrender to the inevitable apocalypse of 21st century Hollywood. Fairytale characters continue to dominate his latest project –this time caught in the headlines of our favorite tabloid stars. Continuing his penchant for cleverly depicting the "uncouth" customs of our dichotomous society, Rodolfo explores what would happen to our fables if they were flesh and blood and confronted with the frenetic and excessive world of fame. Who among them would prove susceptible to the excesses of drugs, alcohol, harassment or vanity? On view through September 2 at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, 4633 Hollywood Blvd, CA.

Taste It

London based Daniel Brereton has directed the brilliant new music video for Daniel Avery's track Taste It off his EP Need Electric. Brereton says, "I don't want reveal how this is done before you watch it, so watch it first. It might be easy to tell but this was all done an an everyday scanner, I just had the idea to do a video full of scanned images. So i just got the girls to move scan by scan, like in stop-frame animation. They didn't really "get" what was going on at times, but that is cool as it creates mistakes, and i often asked them what they thought would look good."

Kisses Return with Funny Heartbeats

After two years of touring the world and recording, Kisses, comprised of couple Jesse Kivel and Zinzi Edmundson, have unveiled their latest single. Funny Heartbeat, a track about love and high anxiety that calls attention to the end of Summer and a new chapter for Kisses. While putting the finishing touches on the duo's second LP, with production work from Saint Etienne's Pete Wiggs and Tim Larcombe, the group decided to release a song that sits between the disco sheen of The Heart of The Nightlife and the pulsing freestyle beats of their forthcoming LP.

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Kisses

Free Pussy Riot

Russian punk band and feminist collective Pussy Riot are facing up to 7 years in prison for "hooliganism on the grounds of religious hatred" after singing a peaceful protest song in Russia's main orthodox church. The detained include Maria Alekhina, 24, poet and student at the Institute of Journalism and creative writing; she is also a mother of 5 year-old boy, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, visual artist and 4th year philosophy student, and mother of 4 year-old girl, and Ekaterina Samucevich, 29, visual Artist, degree from the Alexander Rodchenko school of photography and multimedia. To help in the legal defense to release three young women simply standing up for their beliefs and freedom click here.

Harmony Korine's Caput in Los Angeles

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LA-based duo Io Echo is playing tomorrow, August 9 at Dilettante - featuring a special screening of the new short film by Harmony Korine Caput. Caput is scored in part by Io Echo.  RSVP to io.echo.la@gmail.com, Dilettante 120 North Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles

Alec Soth's Looking for Love

Now availble for preorder on Kominek publishers, Alec Soth‘s photobook Looking for Love, 1996,including his photo series of the same name, looks back to the time of the beginning, the time when everything is still open and exciting, when everything gently falls into place. It's the phase of the beginning, that forms the basis not only of a new love, but also of each new photographic project. It‘s a book about searching, about the curious and intuitive approach to people and their stories. About falling in love to a medium that opens insights to worlds that would otherwise stay hidden – intensive and haunting like an interminable night at the bar. Looking for Love, 1996 will officially be available this September.