I couldn’t resist.  I recently saw the Vik Muniz exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum.  Muniz’s real genius shone through in this exhibit and was truly accessible to art lovers and everyone who can appreciate magic of any kind.  He is the master of illusion, allusion and great art.  I even bought the poster of Mona Lisa rendered in peanut butter and jelly.  Should I splurge for the Muniz placemats?  I will follow up with some more on Muniz at a later date, but for now… the placemats!

Mounds [Placemats] 

[limited edition set of four placemats]
Vik Muniz
New York, NY: Printed Matter, Inc.. 2005

This set of four laminated placemats made especially for Printed Matter by Vik Muniz includes four different images of mounds of incongruous elements. The contents of each mound are printed in pale gray beneath the image. One of the four placemats in each set is signed and numbered on the reverse in an edition of 200.

Mound #1[pictured] contains Rat Poison, Jade Buddhas, Pectin Drops Meteorites, Taylor Pins, Aspirin, Granola, Silver Glitter, Killer Bees

Mound #2 contains Dinosaur Dung, Shredded Ezra Pound Canto (XIX), Dice, AZT, Plastic Babies, Cat Hair, Beetles

Mound #3 contains Brillo Pads, Gold scrap, Viagra, Jelly Beans, Public Hair, Curry Powder, Metal Screws, Edible Worms

Mound #4 contains California Rolls, Headless Army Men, Coke Caps, Marijuana, Poison Scorpions, Feathers, Wrist Watch Parts, Desyrel, Ô de Lancôme.

Category: Printed Matter Edition

$350.00
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This news brought to you too late.  AVAF was at the Bronx Musueum for an exhibition of Brazilian art (Tropicália: A Revolution in Brazilian Culture).  I first became somewhat acquianted with his work as part of the Whitney Biennial.  AVAF created quite an impression among the exhibit-goers with a psychadelic room of art and sensory experience.  I would love to see more of his work in person.

I have oftern heard AVAF described as an individual (as described after the jump) and a collaboration.  I think it may be both under the artistic control and leadership of Eli Sudbrack.  The concept is interesting to me as a frequent skeptic of the “art scene.”  The name — although bringing attention to itself — is meant to deflect from the personality(ies) and identity(ies) of the artists, and the focus is the work itself.  I find this admirable, if not also a little gimicky, in that our art culture(s) and gallery culture(s) and museum culture(s) have become celebrity obsessed in the same way our mainstream culture has, and in the same vein we do not hold these celebs to any real standards.  We are just happy to be graced by their presence.  Of course, that is a generality but one I see making inroads at greater and greater speed.

This news is almost too late:  Gothamist brings us an invitation to a benefit for Brazilian Street artists, the proceeds of which are to be used to bring these artists to share experiences in New York.  I would love to learn about the end results of this collaboration.

The benefit is organized to raise funds for eight Brazilian street artists from São Paulo and Choque Cultural Gallery representatives to participate in a multi-tiered cultural immersion in New York City. Artists will raise awareness of Brazilian art and culture through community outreach and educational events. Projects include a public mural project, live painting demonstration and art exhibition, and Brazilian-themed celebrations. Proceeds from the event will go to BrazilFoundation and to support travel and lodging for the group of visiting Brazilian artists.

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Cabeça Acústica (Acoustic Head) performance at Barra Beach, Salvador, Brazil, 1995

Marepe’s extensive international exhibitions include the 2003 Venice Biennale.

Listen to interview with Marepe.

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I first learned of Os Gemeos while living in Sao Paulo.  Obviously they had made it by that point; my first viewing was a painted ceiling at the ultra establishment interior design show of Casa Cor.  Their colors and figures just grab your attention and won’t let go.  I would love to see more of their work.  A little search has come up with a few resources after the jump.

Also, from Deitch Projects: 

Os Gemeos (pronouced “ose zhe’-mee-ose.”) are two artists from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Born in 1974, they are identical twin brothers (Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo) and their name translates to “the twins” in Portuguese. In recent years Os Gemeos have gained international notoriety for their unique works created on the streets of Sao Paulo. They also paint canvases, make sculptures, and are both graphic designers and photographers.

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I can’t wait.  Who do you want to win??  Follow it at joga.com.  Not that Nike needs my support.

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I recently returned from a vacation in Sao Paulo.  One of the first things you notice upon landing is the presence of the shantytowns, or favelas, around the airport.  A significant number of the poor Brazilians live in these types of squatter villages, which are present in most every Brazilian city large and small. 

It really is an awful thing, but not an uncommon site in the developing world.  Although Brazil is in some ways one of the richer countries of the world in terms of natural resources and accumulated wealth, a large segment of its population lives in abject poverty.

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Wildly entertaining modern dance troupe.  Grupo Corpo explodes across the stage in hundreds of colors and movements.  They combine beauty, grace, originality, and that Brazilian flair.  The dancers are hot and so is the music. 

They are frequently on tour in the U.S. and Europe.  I saw them in Sao Paulo and it was a combination Las Vegas spectacle and moving modern dance.  You will remember your first show.  Grupo Corpo is not to be missed.

Some modern dance can be tedious after a while.  This is the cotton candy of modern dance and can be enjoyed by everybody.  It is a good way to expose yourself to dance if you have not done so before.

Grupo Corpo was founded in 1975 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

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As seen on The Wooster Collective, street art from Salvador, Bahia in Brazil:

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Like everything in contemporary Brazil, the art is hot.  The people are hot, the beaches are hot, the clubs are hot, the restaurants are hot, the architecture is hot, the music is hot.  Carnaval is hot.  Everything hot.  Here are a few of my personal favorites with many more to come.  Chaia and Fraipont are represented by Galeria Vermelho in Sao Paulo.  De Souza is represented by Galeria Luisa Strina in Sao Paulo.

(c) Lia Chaia

(c) Edoard Fraipont

(c) Edgard de Souza

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