greetings from Los Angeles, with its iconic nightmarish beauty: smog soaked, monarch filled, bright blazing sunlight (honestly no better depiction of the nauseating side of LA's sunshine than punch drunk love), dilapidated apartment complexes with proper names like Western Pride or La Casa Bella (nothing bella there), and most of all dripping with confusing childhood memories. this return "home" is the root of my delinquent newsletter writing behavior, which is why this guy is a week late.
being out west its so easy to hibernate in the heat, check out in your bathrobe eyes squinting when you step outside, and avoid the hungry pulse of the east coast. that's not to say there's not tons i'm excited about or processing (like defeating donald trump, reading zadie smith's white teeth for the first time ever, my upcoming writing workshop to zapata ranch with molly wizenberg, or sinking into my dislike for the vapid movie challengers).
i'm also enormously proud of the work i'm doing with summertime gallery, a space in east williamsburg that supports artists with intellectual disabilities to develop a more inclusive art world. on july 26, danielle levy and i hosted a private soiree, which we called the grill and chill. We opened to the current residency up to our guests and grilled hots dogs outside the gallery, sipped on hibiscus infused Yola mezcal cocktails, and sumac dusted watermelon. we also commissioned artist dean millien to make a 9 foot rose out of his medium of choice: tin foil. it was so joyful and celebratory. if your pockets are in the mood for giving, may i suggest buying their artist made towel for the last weeks of summer?
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now onto this week's brilliant push picks. i actually think i met gabe through an ex but ended up collaborating with him over the years on various projects, including an infinite object that sold out in days. anyhow his work is ever-evolving and so compelling. enjoy!
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about gabe barcia colombo
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Gabriel Barcia-Colombo (Gabe BC) is a mixed media artist whose work focuses on collections, memorialization and the act of leaving one's digital imprint for the next generation. His work takes the form of video sculptures, immersive performances, large scale projections, and vending machines that sell human DNA. Gabe's work has been featured at LACMA, the V&A Museum, The Neon Museum of Las Vegas, TED and Grand Central Station. He is also the co-director of ITP at NYU where he teaches classes such as Video Sculpture.
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what kind of life do you want to live?
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A quote that defines my life is :
"Our Heads Are Round so Our Thoughts Can Change Direction"
-Francis Picabia
My work is hard to define. Sometimes I'll make a video projection of people in glass jars. Another time I'll make a vending machine that sells human DNA or a performance about the internet and death. I believe that the life of an artist should not be defined by one image or style or even type of artwork. If I wanted to do the same thing over and over there are a million of other jobs. To be an artist is to be open and willing to change with the world. My life is split between making art, traveling and teaching. My work is about people and I just want to live a life around lots of different people in lots of different places with lots and lots of art.
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I just finished this 90 screen video installation in Times Square called "A Chorus"
A Chorus is a Renaissance style silent composition of a very Times Square scene: a crowd of New Yorkers pausing to witness something captivating yet unnamed. Featuring over 180 individuals, many of whom either work in or frequent Times Square, the artwork draws a frame around the notion of community and the shared experiences that make up daily life in a post-pandemic New York City.
Within the artwork, some observers stand in contemplative thought while others snap photos of the awe-inspiring subject, intentionally omitted from the screen. Are these individuals merely observing the plaza below, or are they participating in something sublime, confounding, or even disturbing? Evocative of a Greek chorus, which comments on collective hopes, fears and joys, A Chorus turns the tables on the dynamic between spectacle and audience. Moreover, it serves as a reflection on the barometers of social connection, often overshadowed by our mobile devices and technological distractions.
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gabe's social impact project
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Materials for the Arts is one of the most amazing organizations in the world. They believe in creative re-use and provide recycled and donated items for artists and schools around the new york city area. As an artist and teacher they hold a special place in my heart.
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My film of the week is "Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV"
Nam June Paik is my favorite artist of all time and this documentary is a great retrospective of his life and work. I wish there was a bit more about fellow artist and partner Shigeko Kubota but the film is a very interesting portrait of an unconventional artist.
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My song of the week is Lithonia by Childish Gambino: it's his last album and this song feels bombastic, dramatic and like the end of something.
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gabe's article of the week
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When I was a kid I went to a Bill Viola show at LACMA that absolutely changed my life. Viola was my gateway to artists like Nam June Paik, Laurie Andreson and Pipilotti Rist. This article about him on the week of his death is a great encapsulation of his life and work.
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Big Swiss by Jen Beagin. I absolutely loved this book. It's bonkers in the best way. If you like dilapidated houses, sex therapy, and bees then this is the book for you.
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I grew up in Los Angeles in a Mexican American household. I pretty much need to eat Mexican food at least two days a week to stay happy. My food of the week and of all time will always be Mexican. A specific dish that I dream about is: Gabriela Cámara's Pescado a la Talla at Contramar in Mexico City.
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Here is an artificial infinite flower I made that grows and changes infinitely over time. It's from a series of artworks I'm doing called "Natural Selection" examining the role of artificial intelligence and technology on our perception and depiction of nature in art.
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and a few picks from push...
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I highly recommend you apply to this residency in ridgewood!
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check out this eater article on eating for olympians, not olympic eating
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I was so devastated to hear of shelley duvall's passing. enjoy this long feature on her in her later years.
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invested in taking my children to some of these bug centric locales!
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next time you're in LA, I encourage you to check out this amazing women-led arts nonprofit.
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we hope you are staying cool and that you enjoyed another installment of push picks. as always, if you like what you read, forward it to someone or encourage them to sign up. it would mean the world to us 🌎
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