BAY AREA --- In both SF and Berkeley from May 23rd to 29th, the Landmark Theaters will be showing The Fake Case, a new documentary about famous Chinese artist and activist Ai Wei Wei.
If you’ve somehow missed the drama surrounding Wei Wei, he has been harassed by Chinese authorities for a supposed “subversion of state power” because of his internet postings. This documentary specifically focuses on another charge against him, this time for $2.1 million in tax evasion through his company Fake Ltd. It follows him quietly and intimately with his family during his home arrest and then builds to discuss some of his art works in the context of his involvement with Chinese authorities.
I highly suggest getting to one of these screenings, watching this film is an invigorating and powerful example of the influence one person can have, even in the harshest political environment imaginable. In his own words, Wei Wei says, “Political artists aren’t real artists. I’m not a political artist. I’m just political.” Whatever he may consider it, the work of Ai Wei Wei is a prime example of both art and activism, and we Americans might take a cue from him.
Congrats on our buddies at Needles and Pens on being open and rad for 11 years now. Mission Local did this little short video featuring Breezy giving a little heads up on what Needles and Pens is all about.
Next time you're in SF, or for those who are here now, stop in, buy a zine and say hi. 3253 16th Street
Zachary Zezima (BFA Illustration, Parsons School of Design, 2009 - MFA Experimental Animation, CalArts, In Progress) emailed over a couple of recent short animated works.
Got an email from Emanuele Pizzolorusso, a Helsinki based industrial designer, yesterday to let us know about his latest project Lucetta: a smart set of two small magnetic bicycle lights. Never seen them in person. Have no idea if they're worth a hoot or not, but the concept is pretty interesting and simple. Looks like a great idea to us.
Many movies end with hopeless characters turning to crime. No movie ends like "Stroszek." Bruno and Mr. Scheitz take a rifle and go to rob the bank, which is closed, so they rob the barber shop next door of $32 and, leaving their car running, walk directly across the street to a supermarket, where Bruno has time to pick up a frozen turkey before the cops arrest Mr. Scheitz. Bruno then drives to a nearby amusement arcade, where he feeds in quarters to make chickens dance and play the piano. Then he boards a ski lift to go around and around and around.
This last sequence is just about the best he has ever filmed, Herzog says on the commentary track of the DVD. His crew members hated the dancing chicken so much they refused to participate, and he shot the footage himself. The chicken is a "great metaphor," he says--for what, he's not sure. My theory: A force we cannot comprehend puts some money in the slot, and we dance until the money runs out.
Madre Wednesday, 18 May 2011 /// Written by Trippe
Madre is a short film that documents artist Wordtomother time at Fame Festival, Italy in 2010.
The film features Lucy Mclauchlan, Cycop & Kaf and the man responsible for Fame festival Angelino Milano.
The soundtrack is available to download for free
soundcloud.com/?lucasse/?madre-sole
A Telling Tale Production Presents 'Madre'
Camera and Edit - Andrew Telling
Grade - Luke Morrison @ The Mill
Music - Buddy Peace & Lucasse
941Geary in San Francisco is pleased to present The Belle of the Brawl, a solo exhibition of new work from Oakland-based artist, Jesse Hazelip.
In The Belle of the Brawl, the artist continues his ongoing examination of the sociopolitical patterns of repetitive historical mistakes. As the dust settles from the war in Iraq, the anxiety of crisis looms large over Afghanistan. The artist seeks to address the pending inevitability of violence and destruction through a visual examination which will include iconographic imagery from the artist’s earlier work: herons, buffalo and WWII weaponry, while introducing a new assembly of symbols and motifs. The exhibition will feature over 20 mixed media works on found wood as well as a transformational approach to 941Geary’s 3,000 square foot space with a 16’ x 46’ ft installation piece and a second clandestine installation to be unveiled at the opening reception.
The opening reception The Belle of the Brawl, will be held at 941Geary on Saturday, January 15, 2011 from 7-11 PM. The exhibit will be on display through February 26, 2010 and is free and open to the public.
A love triangle between God, the Earth and Mankind. - Progeny of the 2010 Animator in Residence program - Thanks to the students at the University of Wales for animation assistance. - Also Charlie Piper for a perfect score and Roger Wooster for his unrivalled gravelly pipes.
By Tony Comley who also made the short below entitled Abigail
As the gap between the ground and a burning airplane gets smaller, one passenger has other things on his mind...
Created at the Royal College of Art, Abigail has screened at 80 festivals worldwide and won recognition from Annecy 2006, Creative Review and The Animation Show.
Directed by Ralph Arlyck in 1970... This kid was only 4 & 1/2 years old at the time and lived with his parents in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco...
Filmmaker Ralph Arlyck interviews his neighbor, Sean Farrell, a 4-year-old living on San Francisco's Haight Street in 1969. Sean gives his thoughts on life in his home, a hippie crash pad, and casually mentions that he smokes pot, which caused this short film to become a national sensation.
Is much more amazing if you watch it fullscreen. Thanks to Receiver for emailing this over. --> A FULL-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art across a photographic point of view where main subjects
are already-built spaces. Sometimes in an abstract way. Sometimes surreal.
Credits:
CG |Modelling - Texturing - Illumination - Rendering| Alex Roman
POST |Postproduction & Editing| Alex Roman
MUSIC Sequenced, Orchestrated & Mixed by Alex Roman (Sonar & EWQLSO Gold Pro XP)
Sound Design by Alex Roman
Based on original scores by: Michael Laurence Edward Nyman. (The Departure) Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns. (Le Carnaval des animaux)
Directed by Alex Roman
Done with 3dsmax, Vray, AfterEffects and Premiere. thirdseventh.com/
On whichever side you sit with Prop 19 (if passed would legalize the sale of marijuana in California) you gotta love the animation I Shot Him made in support of the proposition. ~thenewleaf.org
Produced and funded by I Shot Him Because I Loved Him, Damn Him, a cause-driven design studio. We did this because we care about our fellow Californians and the future of our great state. We hope TheNewLeaf.org helps voters to make informed decisions on this important proposition.
