I Guess I Have Orange in my Eyes

Kudos to my dad for being a trooper and taking these photos. 

A dinner party with one of my favorite family friends family. So cool, they are splitting up for spring break, mother and son going to New York and DC, father and daughter going to London. Absolutely cultured, present, charming and hilarious. Such a treat. And I got to dress up for the first time in awhile, despite my greasy-busy-bun I managed to rock some more formal looks. 

These boots (more images to come I assure you) are my newest choice find. They are scarlet inside! Thank you Nordstrom Rack.

     While I talked art and London life with these visiting folks my dad told me that he was very reassured and proud by my "passion in art". He said tonight was the first time he was shown that this wasn't just a fad. Seeing me communicate on an adult, academic level about museums in London, Damien Hirst, my budding passion for mob movies and Banksy, really showed him that (gasp of novelty) I am serious about my pursuit of art. One point for art students everywhere. 

As You Wish

Meet Wesley, our new friend. He is a 35 pound miniature pot-bellied pig. He is leash trained, potty trained and responds to his own name. He is more obedient than our dog. He was previously owned by a family friend and needs more yard time, and we are happy to have him. Scratch his belly, he'll lay down. 

Among the Rain

   The week has been trying- exams, installations and work. Among the balance I see you and I am lucky.  Standing in the rain waiting for the police, I touch your hand and admire your calmness. My father commented that you were attentive and sweet toward me, and even in company I feel you closely. When your face is next to mine and I feel your cheeks swell with a smile my heart melts. Thank you for listening. Sneaky quiet kisses.
  It is cold, we are getting rained on, lights are flashing and voices are strained, we are safe but we are tired. All the same you are authoritative and kind an impossible combination.
  An arm around me, you know I leave because I am asked to and not because I want to. Tomorrow we will do nothing and love every moment.

Worth It?

The Economy of the Gift

Felix Gonzalez-Torres, a new favorite.
The amazing thing about art is it's unique ability to induce empathetic/ understanding spaces. In my "Art Theory and Criticism: Postmodern Perspectives in Art" course last term, I struggled. The title alone was daunting. Reading about pieces and theories about marginalization of race, women, and the queer community I just couldn't relate. One day I asked my professor, a man I deeply respect a simple and totally naive question: "I am not a gay man in contact with the AIDS crisis, how am I supposed to understand this work? The answer was Felix Gonzalez-Torres. 

Two Perfect Lovers

Two generic clocks are set side by side set to the exact same time to run on the same brand of batteries. Naturally one battery begins to slow and the clocks lose synchronization. Eventually they both slow, one before the other  until one stops completely and leaves the other ticking on. 

If that doesn't pull your heart strings I dunno your species. 

So this is the artist I decided to engage in dialogue with my final. He did a series of paper stacks and candy spills each questioning the idea of the economy of the gift as posed by Nicholas Bourriaud, granddaddy of Alter-Modernism. This idea investigates the dialogue and exchange between audience and work as the actual art piece and actually more important than the piece itself. I reproduced this piece on campus. 

"What asshole wasted this paper?"

Phillistines. 

Getting a Woody

Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering – and it’s all over much too soon.

    Woody Allen  is one of my favorites. Neurosis and all he is poignant and a great critic of social "normalcy", particularly regarding relationships. I love watching his narcissistic characters spin themselves into stranger and stranger scenes. No writer has been able to capture people with such prolific absurdity and accuracy. 

    I knew my new relationship was going to work when I showed him "Scoop" and he loved it. Allen is definitely an acquired taste and quite frankly a make or break in my book. A lot is at stake, introducing my sense of humor, what Jewish families look like, and all of the oddities within each relationship. 

    The truth of the matter is I'm in love, and for some reason Woody is my guiding light. After the ugly demise of my relationship last year, I though relationships to come would be difficult and cynical. Woody has it right; relationships are definitely difficult, but you have to take it all with good humor and a grain of salt.  Any other form and you would just go crazy. But that's the best way to go with life right? I'm having a blast with this new one. I love listening to him talk about things I know nothing about (punk music) and being silly. After he borrowed the "Scott Pilgrim" graphic novel series from me I suggested Hemingway and I have never had a funnier response. He wants to read it to see what I like, but I'm certain he doesn't like it. What a trooper. 

    John Cusack in "High Fidelity" says that it's the little shit that matters (in relationships), movies, books, music. It seems shallow but the simple things are important. While Cusack plays a total jackass in that movie, there's something to be said about the newness of learning about somebody. There is something precious to the process of learning about someone new and being surprised and delighted by the things they like and feeling honored in their genuine curiosity in you.