Tickles Your Mind

damn

2010-05-29T19:52:00.001-07:00

damn, dennis hopper died today. I would see him a lot at this gallery I worked at in Santa Monica. I went to his Venice home once to hang a piece of art. He had this amazing collection including blue chippers of the 80's NY art scene and then the Helter Skelter crowd of 90's LA. In the middle of it all, a Waterworld pinball machine. Badass.

collecting debris

2010-05-13T11:13:00.001-07:00

Today, I present some random debris. Think of it like the miscellaneous pieces of paper and receipts from a night out or the unknowing collection of objects on a kitchen counter. You don't mean to treat them as special, but then you start cleaning around them or filing the paper away. I guess I am asking, if this collection of links is an edit or just a group of debris looking to be signified like that ticket stub in a CD case?
link 1
link 2
link 3
link 4
link 5
link 6

Running

2010-05-10T15:11:00.001-07:00

Silent Running (1972) is an over the top environmentalist movie set in space. Bruce Dern is an ecologist in outer space growing forest and plant life to re-populate the earth. He hates on the fraternity boy spacemen, has an eagle land on his arm and feeds bunnies, all while being friends with technology (suitcase sized drones, robotic arms for pool and poker)... typical outer space ecologist activity.

I think it is worth 10 or 20 minutes to see these views from micro to macro scale as shots pull back from dewey flowers to trees to lights to geodesic dome to space freighter to space. Again, another movie with an individual fighting against the confines of "man" and searching for "another" way. In this movie, Vanishing Point and The Electric Horseman; the protagonist is also the antagonist. They search for individuality while being reminiscent of a time that has past, which makes them heroically cause trouble. Also, they are all connected to technology even though they are running from the current infra-structure... selected history. Plus, Bruce Dern gave me marathon training advice once at the Rose Bowl, so I always watch his movies.
trailer here
part 1 here

location

2010-05-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

"I am the painter of space...to paint space, I must be in position. I must be in space." -Yves Klein

The Hirshhorn Museum on DC is having a Yves Klein retrospective. They are using twitter, facebook and flickr to promote his process and projects. His work already had an ephemeral transient nature, so I guess the random posts and links are a good way to introduce his work to a different generation. Conceptual work is tough to retrospect in space. Here is a guy who jumped out of a window or didn't, my history is fuzzy, but the museum will show the artifact. A picture, or a picture with a long description. I am not sure if this method of social media will work, but as a way to roll out content for a static museum show, it is very promising to locate work in a contemporary format without changing the work.

I am really intrigued by location. It is physical, mental, conceptual and relational. What city fits you or do you fit into a city? Is your palm a road map to your next pre-determined space? How do you relate to the next person, can you get close or is there distance? Can you locate your practice of making so you make your work as oppose to being told what to make? Can space control you?
I leave you with a quote from Damien Hirst during an interview with William Furlong (NY Times article). "The reason I got to the top, because the top wasn't very high." Yes, a very one-liner statement. Location is attainable from the space you create ...and that is my May affirmation to Tickles.

someBody

2010-04-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

My version involves somebody I know, but they don't know me. There is a Culver City gallery dealer...I love his shop, but I see him everywhere. Almost to the point of absurdity. Around LA galleries, makes sense...Miami art fairs, ok sure...whole foods Glendale...margaritas on a Sunday...concerts at hotel bars, seems a little strange. I could use a puppeteer. It is not not I am a nervous person, I don't know what to do with my body. In those situations I almost need to bungee cords to constrict my arms to the side. I will cross, twist, angle, maybe even multiple fold like and accordion...almost any odd contortion...I have had people comment that I look skewed. For reference, I want to talk or want to get into the conversation the helicopter arms amped on coffee just get in the way.

Body for Business

Speaking with Body

Communicating with everyBody

If Tickles became a show on C-Span, it might look like this:

puppeteer

2010-04-22T23:09:00.000-07:00

I am sure it has happened to you that you see the same people all the time. Perhaps on a bus, in a cafe, in the gym, at your local bar... but you never really talk to them, maybe a "hey" and sometimes you watch them and wonder what they do besides hanging out in the same spot as you - right!?

This evening I found out that Eli is a puppeteer. I have a lot of imagination, but I would have never guessed this one... marvelous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz190K7yTJs

http://vimeo.com/10957835

http://vimeo.com/10957835

2010-04-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

You just made me a superb "movie trailer". I am sorry to say but I haven't watched it. The movie just made it to my top things to do in 2 weeks! And I'll go back to this post and command!

For now I have to change subjects, well just a little bit. We are moving into the advertising world. I just came across the ad from Nike with Tiger and the article about it in Applied Arts.

Nike and Tiger Woods

Published on Friday, April 9th, 2010 by Stuart Thursby

my favorite

2010-04-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

Vanishing Point (1971) was on last night. Why was everyone not watching!!! Barry Newman stars as Kowalski, a guy who has been a good cop, a motorcycle racer and now transports cars to dealerships. It begins with him delivering a car to Denver, not to be swayed with liqueur or women, he immediately takes his next job...deliver a 1970 white Dodge Charger to San Francisco. Kowalski decides it must be there in 16 hours. Amped up on speed and total disregard for the law he motors his way through all sorts of obstacles. Kowalski is never in a major city, but only towns and long empty stretches of road. While outrunning the cops, a local radio station's blind disk jockey, Super Soul, becomes his champion. "The last American hero...the last beautiful free soul on this planet" he preaches. As Super Soul blast the airwaves in his one stop sign town, the camera will pan along dirt roads with almost no one listening.

The cops are after Kowalski, but it is not just about him against "the man", but him connecting to the machine and the machine driving past the vanishing point. There are all these shots of roadways outlining the great expanse of the west and inside the roadways, linear patterns cut through the asphalt. Because of a cop blockade, a city truck painting lines on the highway slowly paints a curve on a stretch of road with no turn in sight.

Kowalski barely says a word, but the engine is always on. The voice or the narrator is the blind DJ, piecing together events from a police scanner. At one point the charger leaves the road, and ventures off into the dessert abyss, the last piece of civilization and structure is now gone, reality is obscured as Kowalski will now, never leave the machine. He takes more speed to power himself powering the muscle car.

How does it end? There is really only one way and existential road movie can end.

trailer

Be the first!

2010-04-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

1. I like the blog, and as your audience...you are very entertaining. As a participant, it is nice to direct the conversation. To talk and share and discuss in public - ideas and stories while in such a vast place, but still only talking to one other person is pleasantly awkward.
2. Audiences are nice. I have a studio at home where I am a participant and the sole audience all rolled into one. I understand the need to change.
3. The blog has made me a self-conscious social media user. I think about posting to facebook, then I say, who do I really want to say this too. Do I need to make another random comment to miscellaneous friends who may or may not even see the feed. I like feeling the web is not just some bull-horn, but something possibly to fine tune. There is plenty of great work on the web, but drawing the line in the sand and saying who and how you want people to respond and enter your dialogue is critical.
3a. Then, if they have the right conversation, they become participants.
4. I watch this show, How it's Made. It tells you exactly how things are made. It is a one to one transfer of information. No host and no hidden messages besides a Canadian optimism discussing all positive aspects of industrial breakthroughs (even if the reality is not so positive). In one 30 minute show you get a snapshot of systems; "how to make" guitars, metal washers, kayaks and Zamboni machines. Random. A little. I wonder if you zoomed-out, if there was a method to the mechanics. By focusing on one thing, you begin to understand the system.
4a. cookie
5. Lets make a deal, Ms. BMX Bandit - Patch/emblem + T-shirts blog is our safety net. That is the book deal and NYT Sunday magazine home run. This one right here, this is 72 cookies collapsed into one.

ONE more thought,
Is a switchboard a form of social media? In 2002, we were looking for numbers of friends. We called information. The 20 second info switch turned into a 5 minute phone call. The switchboard woman was distraught over Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopez' death. She became the first source, the i-report, the post to her followers (me and my studio mate)...the need to "tell" is important and that might help define the listeners and beckoners.

Another direction

2010-04-06T23:12:00.000-07:00

I am wondering if this blog thing is the right way to go... still no followers. Does it matter, perhaps not as long as you and I are amused . But on the other side it would be pretty nice to have an audience, just a small one... yes!? Mhhh but wait actually, I am your audience and you are my audience and at the same time we are both participants, that's pretty out there if you ask me. (Just like a huge cookie that fits into a pizza box).

Maybe we have more luck with turning this Blog into a "Patch/emblem + T-shirts blog".

PS: Whats the difference between an audience and followers? In the blog world, we have the blogger and the...? (blog-reader, blog-fan, blog follower, blog audience, blog-viewer).

PPS: Maybe we need to define this:
Twitter: tweet(ing) - tweeter - follow(ing) - follower
Facebook - ?
Blog - blogger - blogging
...... (What other social, unsocial networks are out there?)

what to do

2010-04-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Sarah Morris, this is really great. I wonder which one was the original inspiration and trigger for the other one. Perhaps they came to live at the same time... what was inspiration in the first place. Marvelous!

What we have to say about a day: Today is a shitty day, ohhh I had a great day today, today was so lala, today is my birthday, today one year ago...

But have you ever said: "Today is World Pillow Fight Day", Today I attended my first mob event and it is throwing pillows!?

Go for it!

World Pillow Fight Day 2010 - Los Angeles

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=240455942083&ref=mf

Or you could go to the Hollywood farmers market on Sunday and say, I have seen the The Blasting Company for the first time!

Or you could just watch them on vimeo - but live is always better!
http://vimeo.com/1507341

and perhaps you are lucky and see Gwen and Gavin shop veggies again.

or you could just cut phones apart - explanation to follow!

practice co-dependency

2010-03-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Your advice is invaluable, make a note for the future book...affirmations and truisms - chapter one, lets say, no more hallucinations for family members.

Co-dependency of practices - Sarah Morris makes paintings and films. The films are implied narrative explorations of the parts of a city; the thoroughfares, the inhabitants, the interiors spaces and back out to the aura of the entire space. She uses repeating sound tracks and what would be considered b-roll footage to give a specificity to location. The paintings are linear geometric abstractions that resemble reflections across mirrored skyscrapers and other buildings' windows.

What is fascinating about this work is how the two practices, very different in production and outcomes, need each other. Here are two paintings and her first two films, AM/PM and Midtown.

AM/PM (1999)

Midtown (1998)

All-nighters?

2010-03-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

For what and who would you pull an all-nighter?

Is there anybody that has never pulled an all-nighter? I used to think it was so cool, when I was ten. However, now it is my worst nightmare. I don't know how many all nighters I pulled in grad school, I don't even want to go there... and some of this time I don't even remember (staying up 3 days in a row means memory loss, so don't do it, although quite amazing what our body can do...) I am very much over it. The worst part is not keeping yourself awake all night especially if you are super busy, it's not even the next day. But the one after that! All in all it takes a few days to get back on track, it really throws you off.
So why would you do it? Deadlines, helping someone else finishing a deadline... for who would you pull an all-nighter? Lover, friend, family... yourself, a job, nobody?

Pulling an all-nighter for someone is probably one of the most dedicated thing you could possibly do... it's more than cooking a 5 * meal for someone, more than throwing a surprise party for someone, looking after their dog for weeks,...

"Top 47 Worst Reasons to Pull an All-Nighter" by Jeremy "Shaggy" Toeman

Heated "Less-filling" "Tastes great" debate.
Need to figure out which way is east. Wait for sunrise.
Watching Professional Wrestling.
Writing script to "Problem Child 3" in an attempt to put to rest all the unanswered questions from 1 and 2.
Cramming for a test you have the following week.
Waiting for friend to call back with answer to "How do you keep an idiot up all night?"
Anything involving Latin, Taylor's series, or heat transfer.
Attempting to discover how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
Slightly confused on that whole 5 o'clock shadow thing.
Listening to every CD you own using that cool "intro" feature that comes in so handy with every CD player available.
John Wayne-a-thon on channel 2.
Trying to figure out all the words to that Nirvana song.
UCBTalking to anyone you won't ever spend intimate time with. Same goes for IRC and Broadcast.
Watering plants. Dead plants. Rocks. Dirt. The cat.
Trying to draw a perfect circle freehand, with crayons.
Singing along with "Achy Breaky Heart" over and over again. What catchy lyrics that song has, eh?
Second-guessing your clock. (Also works well with Traffic Lights, and simply anything that blinks on and off forever)
Driving to every 7-11 (or Circle K) in town, just to check that they are being faithful to their "Open 24 Hours" policies.
Trying to figure out just why Wil Wheaton is a star.
Pricking yourself with a pin every 5 minutes, just for the heck of it.
Reading all the articles in your entire College Newspaper collection to see how relevant they are to today's economy.
Thinking about ways the world would be different if there was no cement.
Spelunking. In your basement.
Price shopping for beef jerky at any 24-hour supermarkets.
Thinking about that 14-year old brat who sent in $1000 to Clinton, when you splurge on a Whopper Combo.
Pulling out each strand in a Koosh ball. Reassemble the koosh ball. Repeat. Juggle on occasion.
Pretending it is really 12 hours later than it is. (i.e. Going to classes, eating lunch, waiting for the soaps to come on...)
Just watching that flashing 12:00 on your VCR because you looked at your other clocks already, and are simply looking for a second opinion.
Rearranging your room all night long, attempting to make the WORST setup possible, just to show that you would do such a thing.
Learn how to communicate better with the animal kingdom.
Trying to figure out how that counter works on a VCR. Once you do figure it out, borrow a friend's VCR. Repeat until insane.
Memorizing all the area codes. (Other good things: local phone prefixes, zip codes, time zones, etc...)
Wanting to see cool times on your clock like 1:23, 6:66, 4:56, 00:69, 6:30, etc... (If you actually look for some of these times, you may end up waiting more than all night...)
Pulling all your hair out so you can organize it by color, length, thickness, straightness. Continue doing so until they haul you off to the loony bin.
Learning sanskrit, serbo-croatian, ancient French, Klingon, or any other language you probably won't have much call for.
Anything that has to do with Star Trek. (especially watching Star Trek 5 or 1, really... or that Deep Space show....)
Catching up with all those missed episodes of Coach you taped, so you can follow along with the current, in-depth plotline.
Buying large amounts of bubble wrap, popping it ALL, then using it to ship stuff. Breakable stuff.
You have a life, yet you spend it reading lists like this.
Getting high on Marks-A-Lot markers.
Holding yourself hostage, but not telling anyone. Make large demands.
Trying to find food combinations that taste really bad.
Pondering all the hardships Michael Jackson has gone through in his life. Writing him a sympathy card would be a nice touch.
House of cards.
Reliving the war. Any war. Maybe a childhood schoolyard fight. Maybe just you stubbing your toe on that couch again.
Playing with heat-sensitive toys.
Writing the last three items to make this list at "Top 50 list". Be creative.

The Very First Time I Pull An All Nighter

Health Risks Undertaken to Pull an All Nighter
By Danny Daily

Our body is a complex machine, the functions of which are of a highly complicated and sophisticated nature. Each organ is connected to the other in more ways than one. In order to function properly it requires considerable amount of care and maintenance, coupled with rest and rejuvenation. That explains why, a full eight hour restful sleep at night is recommended by most health practitioners in order to lead a healthy and disease-free life. If your work schedule or study commitments force you to pull an all nighter quite often, it can tell very badly on your health.

The moment to plan to stay up all night, you're tampering with the normal resting cycle your body is otherwise used to. Though, doing it once a week will not have any seemingly grave impacts other than tiredness and fatigue, you should try not to repeat it often. Staying up for 3 to 4 consecutive nights can cause acute sleep deprivation, leading to severe outcomes. You could experience hallucinations, memory lapses and even complete loss of memory in the attempt to pull an all nighter. This happens due the extreme fatigue and lack of rest, your mind has been subjected to. It overworks, gets tired and fails to store information. As simple as that...

Tickles...that is kind of awkward

2010-03-23T13:35:00.001-07:00

10 miles with and 10 miles against, are you running without knowing...

Do we need followers? Meet Bobby Joe Neely, he exists on his own.

If, I mean a big IF, we got a family member to follow us (I mentioned it to my sister...no response) is that a good thing? Peter Vidmar talks about stop watching "the other guy".

I have been rearranging my place for the inevitable merge. If my second floor neighbors above seamlessly become my one story roommates, then they need space for their things. So, I have moved furniture to best "relate " to their perceived space. I can only guess on the decoration deciphered from muffled noises. The coordination is not as important as being able to communicate before and after. Hello, what was your name, again? Pleasure to have you in your/my home. Here are 2 scans from Jean Holabird's understanding of how Vladimir Nabokov mixed senses and processed language.

Long story...thanks for the clarification

Being impressed and a little scared at the same time

2010-03-21T21:24:00.001-07:00

"You have felt impressed and a little scared all at once"
Which things might have caused such a vibrant pallet of feelings, perhaps:

Watching a marathon runner that didn't look like one , walking past your neighbors tip top entrance front every day, reading the latest futuristic article in the NY Times, biting into a vegan cupcake, a blogger, walking down and up the Grand Canyon in one day, being allowed to launch an airspace shuttle, etc. ...

But what does this mean, 2 opposite words "saladed" together.
Lets looks at them seperately:

Tim Burton thinks being scarred is a good thing:

While the Blow Monkeys say: Don't Be Scared of Me:

Being scared could lead into fear and in the worst case steal your dreams:

fear is the thief of dreams:

some people also get a joy out of scaring other people:

Don''t be scared....:

Or watching others being scarred:

little boy being scared:

Looking at "impressed" without being scarred

Nathan Baker says: I am impressed by window washers:

A truck can be impressive too: Impressive Truck Climb:

Impressive girl archer:

Pretty impressive...:

Is it being in a situation, not knowing the outcome, not knowing if it'll be good or bad,not knowing anything but enjoying whatever this situation is?

or...

2010-03-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

... You could have gone and taken some photos, ran to mile ten with everyone on the road and then turned back going against the flow... realizing that you actually could have run the whole thing...
Next year — apparently it'll sell out even faster.

Congrats, all you runners out there!

things to do if you are not running a marathon

2010-03-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

1. find your spirit animal, I am a deer (possibly a bear, wolf or eagle...it is not a science).

2. listen to the beta band, the three eps.

3. make a no knead loaf of bread (recommended)

4. quilt mr. roosevelt’s necktie.

5. catch up on episodes of the 'bu.

7. avoid sunset, take fountain!

8. run it anyway and just use more ice...then start with the top of the list, you won't be moving for a while.

Synesthesia

2010-03-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

Synesthesia from Terri Timely

Lets give Comic Sans one more chance

2010-03-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

Everyone should deserve a second chance! Certainly MOCA is all the way for it... feeling sorry for Comic Sans, let's make it hip again...

How much power do you have to change someones image/life!

http://www.mocanomi.org/

Between You and Me

2010-03-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Obviously this has to stay "Just Between You And Me"
a project about objects of co-dependency by FROMKEETRA

Just keeping an eye on you.

I've got your back.

Just Between You And Me

You identified a huge problem here… but actually color coordination should start with your pjs. Just imagine a quake rattles your apartment, the floors crack and before you know it you are sitting next to your neighbor in the first floor apartment… and your outfit is just off.

Green - the color of spring:

Its not easy being green 1. here.

green-porno 2. here.

"Green Grass Grows" 3. here.

a small goal in 3s

2010-03-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Are you color coordinated or chromophobic? I was hoping you can help make this customized wheel. Let's think of it like a visual kit. I realized the need for an earthquake kit. Grabbing a pair of pants at 4am will only lead to Lord of the Flies/Red Dawn type responses by daylight. Maybe once all the pieces are put together, it will make me understand color...I can start with white.

white vanning interior 1 here.

white operatic winged horse 2 here.

white 6 year old Jordy 3 here.

sink to win

2010-03-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

Let me begin with a system of working. Simon Starling has 2 projects that kind of bookmark ways of making for me, ShedBoatShed and autoxylopyrocycloboros. autoxylopyrocycloboros is a project where he steamed a boat out into a loch in Scotland. He began to saw the wooden boat into pieces to feed to the steam engine. 3 plus hours later they sank in the loch.

ShedBoatShed - he disassembled a shed, build a boat, sailed it, disassembled the boat, and then made a shed. Good animation here.

Sometimes it takes a dismantling of objects to find the tickle.

Tickle Your Mind Collaboration Blog

2010-03-13T22:47:00.000-08:00

It's been a very long time that we have emailed each other strange internet findings that certainly tickled our brains... it's time to share them with you!

I think it all started with tattooed fish: