All Images From Top Dogs Exhibit (Courtesy of AKC Museum of The Dog)
This September will mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In commemoration, the AKC and Museum of the Dog will honor the Search and Rescue Dogs that participated in the 9/11 rescue and recovery efforts by sponsoring an art contest for which everyone is encouraged to participate, no matter your age or artistic ability.
Here’s the thing: Geoffrey’s neighbor owns an adorable little white dog named Teddy, who just happens to look exactly like the pooch in this fun video, which is at least partially why “The Light” from Glasgow melodic popsters The Pooches is this week’s featured Video Clip! Also, I love that you can easily mistake the 15 to 35 second mark for a dog food commercial. Just being serious.
Originally a one-man home recording project of singer Jimmy Hindle, but now now expanded to a 4 piece with Calvin Halliday on drums, Andy Kelly on guitar and Gavin Cormack on bass, The Pooches lo-fi pop charms have been described as sounding “like Julian Casablancas fronting The Beach Boys.” I am not the biggest fan of Casablancas‘ band, The Strokes, but I can see what they’re getting at, considering the band draw influences from the untouchable Stiff Records sound of bands like Any Trouble and Squeeze, the power-pop jangle of Big Star, whilst simultaneously carrying on the tradition of Glaswegian indie-pop stalwarts The Pastels and Teenage Fanclub.
Have I dropped enough band names here? Probably. The Pooches‘ self-titled debut full-length record is released on September 9th, 2016 via Lame-O Records. Enjoy! Click here for more info.
Abandoned Italian Ice Cart, Avenue B and 11th Street (All Photos By Gail)
Geoffrey said a funny thing to me today, which is that he read on the Interwebs that Winter Storm Juno was not so much a Blizzard as it was “a Storm with a Very Good Publicist.” Hah! So true. Juno failed to completely kick our asses to the curb but it did leave about six inches of white fluffy stuff on the ground.
At lunch today, I went for a walk in the hood and took some pictures. This is what it looked like around Noon on the day after the snowstorm in the East Village, NYC.
The streets had been plowed continuously all through the night and 80% of the sidewalks were at least somewhat shoveled, so it was not too hazardous to navigate my way without falling on my ass. The above photo is a good example of a sidewalk that no one had shoveled. It still looks very beautiful.
Cars parked curbside had not that much snow on them, really.
I’m not sure who this Shopping Cart belongs to.
Here I am at Tompkins Square Park. Let’s go inside and explore.
There is not that much snow on the benches. I have seen way better.
In the spring and summer, people play Ping Pong on that thing.
This is a Fancy Bird Bath. Or something.
These kids were making a few Snowmen with their mom.
Here’s another one that kind of looks like a Snow Ghost to me.
And another one pretty close by.
Little kids were Sledding on a not very impressive hill.
Many people were out running their dogs. Dogs Love Snow!
I enjoyed watching these little ones play.
Don’t even think about it.
Too cold to play Chess.
Snow untouched by humans. So gorgeous.
Garbage Bin Snow Cone.
Ice and snow covered Parks Department SUV.
On the way back home, I walked by a few of the remaining East Village Community Gardens. There is a story of life there, even in the dead of winter.
Do you enjoy the work of artist Nick Cave? I sure do. I especially like his very fun Sound Suits, but I also enjoy that he can change it up while maintaining his very distinctive design aesthetic. Nick Cave!
Detail from Above Work
On view now at Jack Shainmans’s West 24th Street space is Cave’s body of work entitled Rescue. The series includes sculptures that incorporate found ceramic dogs sitting on furniture within elaborate grottos or dreamlike dens.
Dogs have historically been associated with loyalty, class, breed, commitment, and protection. More recently, the term “dawg” has played a role in hip-hop culture as a moniker for brotherhood, respect, and power.
In the Rescues, Cave focuses each piece on a single canine that has quite literally been rescued from destruction, very much like an adopted pet. These dogs become the benevolent guardians of their self-contained worlds, focusing the spotlight on the forgotten and discarded.
A Doberman lounges on a gold sofa while a small dog fiercely guards a wishbone on a shoeshine table.
Wall Bas Relief Detail
The armatures that envelop these animals correspond with large-scale wall based bas reliefs dripping with crystals, beads, small ceramic birds and metal flowers.
The vast amount of detail in these works is astounding. You could spend hours in discovery, examining each piece. Very cool!
Detail From Above Work
Rescue by Nick Cave will be on Exhibit through October 11th, 2014 at the Jack Shainman Gallery, Located at 524 West 24th Street, in the Chelsea Gallery District.
On a recent art crawl I spotted Pink Poodle sculptures in two different exhibits – crazy! The Poodle above is from the Desire Obtain Cherish exhibit at Unix Gallery and the Pink Poodle below was part of The Last Brucennial on Washington Street and West 13th. Full reviews of both exhibits posting any day now!
