Asphalt Archeology

I’ve been in love with the idea of items buried in asphalt-intentionally or non-, after I saw scissors embedded in concrete in Boston’s North End, at the entranceway to a salon. And at the Fenway neighborhood’s King of Records, with their name spelled out in marbles in the entranceway. There were a lot of cool old men hanging out there, doing “yoga” (smoking pot), playing piano, and selling records and trinkets to young college girls like myself. It was the kind of place you had to move heavy pipes to get Stephane Grappelli records.

Anyway, Mike Mission is on a…ahem, mission to document items that have been buried in asphalt in NYC.

Boston Squared

Yeah, Boston has a lot of squares, most of them not in the shape of squares. Some are even corners (my favorite) or circles. Andy Woodruff has spent some time mapping the squares. Good lookin! He also has a really cool blog where he maps Boston in every which way–by radio station, tree, MBTA traffic– called Bostonography.

And if you’re so inclined, you can buy a poster of Unmapped Boston.

William Eggleston:Democratic Camera: Photographs and Video, 1961-2008

Who doesn’t love crotchedy old photographers? Is there any other kind? The Los Angeles County Museum of Art shows  over 200 William Eggleston  photographs, a video he made, early b&w photos from before he became a genius of color photography, and his dye transfer work from the 70s. The show runs through the middle of January, so go, see a living master.

I love his southern drawl. He prolly never thought his work would be available for download as a screensaver, huh? Once I lived near Eggleston Square in Boston, and thought about William Eggleston a lot because of it. I love his mundane moments turned vibrant!

Booo…Big Red and Shiny is ending

Big Red and Shiny, THE online art site in my opinion, is publishing its last issue. Run out of Boston for the last seven years, Big Red and Shiny was the place to go to to find reviews of shows in New England, read interviews with artists, articles on how to succeed in the art world, pictures of you and your friends at openings, and opportunities to show your own work.

Their archives will still be online, as well as their Exhibition Listings, Calls for Work, and Classes and Workshops listings.
Oh, we’re losing a good one. So go out and start your own cool thing. Like they say: If you can’t make it good, make it big. If you can’t make it big, make it red.

Harry Callahan and Nick Nixon at the MFA

Here are two photo shows you should really see if you’re in Boston.

Harry Callahan: American Photographer is up until July 5.

He worked in America in the mid 20th century, took piles of photos of his wife Eleanor through their life and relationship, taught at RISD and was a general photographic master. Yep.

He’ll clear out and make way for one of Boston’s own, Nick Nixon, whose show runs July 28-May 1, 2011. Plenty of time. The show is called Nicholas Nixon: Family Album. He’s taken pictures of his family over years and years, similar to Callahan. The series is called The Brown Sisters–portraits of his wife and her three sisters, at a rate of one portrait per year, starting in 1975. They’re always in the same order.

He’s also taken great cityscapes, but that’s for another show. His work of people with AIDS was an incredible portrait AIDS in the 80s.

Also, while you’re there, why don’t you check out some of the MFA’s archives that are on display, since they’re renovating, like every other museum in the country. Preserving History, Making History: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is up through the end of the year and shows historic photographs, archival documents and architectural fragments surrounding the museum’s life.

Look how pretty the first museum was, in Copley Square! It stood there 1876-1909. It was were the Copley Plaza Hotel is now. Purty!

Clover Food Truck

I’ve been obsessed with the idea of opening a food cart. Or cart of some sort. Boston’s Clover Food truck is my ideal quick food–they sell organic, local fresh food and a menu that changes with the seasons. Thanks for finally getting some hippie food, Boston!

In other news, if someone would like to finance my own food cart/truck, just let me know! I will put your money to good use.

Images from the Boston Combat Zone

Howard Yezerski has a show up until March about the Boston Combat Zone, with images from 1969-1978. I miss the Combat Zone, and I wasn’t even alive for it, but it must have been better than what it is now. I also miss Scollay Square, which I also never saw, ah well.

Three photographers show their work: John Goodman, Roswell Angier and Jerry Berndt. Yezerski’s website is great; it lets you look at the exhibition online. Glad this gallery is still going strong. Check out their other represented artists, I recommend it.

Seriously, Boston?

So. As you know Shepard Fairey was arrested before his show opened at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in Boston. While I could go on and on about the arrest, I wonder why Boston is wasting their time…you nabbed em Boston! Great job BPD! Seriously? This is what you’re concerned about? A little beautification of Roxbury? How about keeping the homicide rate down? How about some affordable housing? How about running more public transport down Washington, past Dudley? Hmmmm??? Really? The T isn’t looking so good anyway, a little Shepard Fairey piece here and there brightens up people’s days.

This is typical Boston-they think that they can get some attn for something really insignificant, blowing their efforts out of proportion, while letting everyone who isn’t a college student (and not funded by rich parents) rot. Remember, before the DNC in 2004, those stupid signs and flowers that started appearing in the middle of the road? What about the potholes on Mass Ave? What about, oh I don’t know, ALL of Dorchester? Oh god.

Remember when Boston bravely defeated those Aqua Teen Hunger Force lite-brite things?

Dear MTA and BPD and whoever else is taking this seriously: Get a life! Make sure people aren’t being killed before you start trying to act like you’re on top of things! Get some supervision on the orange line after dark! The list could go on and on, but come on. Argh!