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April 24, 2006
Podcast Volume Six
I uploaded my sixth podcast. Details, of course, are on my podcasting page.
The 6ths / The Sailor In Love With The Sea
Ministry / She’s Got A Cause
Hidenodu Ito / Cut
Prince / Darling Nikki
My Morning Jacket / What A Wonderful Man
Sleep / Bucket
Zongamin / Spiral
Passage / Free Luv, From Left Field
Lo-Fi-Fnk / Change Channel
The Flaming Lips / Free Radicals
Jurassic 5 / Remember His Name
Motocompo / www.motocompo.com
DMX Krew / You Can’t Hide Your Love (AFX Remix)
Doppelzimmers / In The City
Recoil / The Defector
Posted by shane at 08:10 PM
April 22, 2006
Twenty Six
Don’t Offend My Delicate Sensibilities.
Posted by shane at 08:02 PM
April 10, 2006
Tokyo Visions
Tokyomama
Tokyology
Energyokyo
Tokenessyo
Teletokyo
Tokeness, yo!
Tokyession
Straighttokin’
Tokeness
Tokester
Tokyopia
Pokeyo
Toke‘yall
Straighttoke‘yall
Tokよ
Tokyolive
Tokeasaurus
Tokeaholic
TokyoEye
The Tokinator
Tokyocity
Manitokyo
Posted by shane at 10:53 PM
April 09, 2006
KaiKaiKiKiiiiii
Two nights ago I casually met Takashi Murakami and Aya Takano at this opening party, which is at once rather absurd, and completely expected. Somehow I suppose this is a related extension to my previous post, in particular about not being impressed by things, and about being able to work with anyone. There is one caveat I might add to this previously stated precept, and that is that the rule breaks down when the artists in question have reached a level of relative superstardom that puts them (and their fees) out of our reach. These cats are surely within this category.
It’s strange how small Japan is. As Toshiko and I mused, had this party been in any other country, particularly in the US, somewhere like New York perhaps, the likes of us would certainly not be in attendance. Oh no, it would be exclusively invite only, there would be a hefty door fee, and Lucy Liu, Kirsten Dunst, and Sophia Coppola would be hanging around. Yes Sophia, who made that film whose name I don’t need to mention that goes nowhere in terms of exploring the absurd / expected duality of a foreigner’s experience in Japan.
No but seriously though, I was literally told all of these people were in regular attendence at other Murakami-related openings in the US. In Japan however it’s a small audience, there are basically no foreigners save for perhaps one eccentrically dressed jet set art patron on tour, and certainly none that speak Japanese. So you stand out, you can be introduced to the well spirited, oyaji-like Murakami-san by your friend, and have him tell you jokingly that you ought to often use the phrase 逆にヤバい to surprise Japanese people with your fluency, while otaku superstar Mr. dances in his underwear somewhere in your peripheral vision.
It’s kind of a time warp every time I go visit my old home in the US and see the smattering of arty design books from the late 90s and early 2000s that I used to be fond of on my old bookshelf. One of the major ones there is Murakami’s Superflat. I even went and re-read its introductory philosophy when I was last in my old bedroom. I remember seeing that exhibition in LA’s MOCA when it came through. It’s strange to think that I hadn’t even yet been to Japan at that point, and for what it’s worth, many of the things I saw in that show were probably a spark to investigate even more, and eventually to end up here.
And now Aya Takano shows up at our Donuts show on Saturday and personally hands Alex and I passes to go see her Parco exhibition again. If you understand Japan you’ll get my response to this turn of events: Fucking absurd, yet completely expected.
Posted by shane at 03:08 PM
April 08, 2006
The Simplicity Factor
There’s no mystery to it really. You find the best people, the most unique, that will get you the most mileage, with the biggest buzz surrounding them. It is useful, or elucidating to look at an agency as a curator of pop culture. We curate ‘art’ as something that can apply to a vast audience, by debuting it within advertising. Ad becomes another medium for the sponsorship of expression. If it’s working for a brand, somehow in the transmission art and brand molecules hybridize, and the resulting brand-organism grows, becoming stronger, more sophisticated and multi-faceted. The artists gets some money (though not enough) and exposure. I remember at first being amazed at how we do anything we want, and work with anyone we want without reverence or regard for any kind of cultural or intellectual border. Our very practice makes culture flat, and indistinct (at least to the practitioner).
It’s absurd. It’s a shortcut. And it’s not about design in any sense that kids think of it coming out of art school. It’s about selection, but when you can pick from within the creative community of the entire world, it’s a bit overwhelming. The value of work flattens because everything is brilliant. Everyone is talented. When you stare at only beauty for too long, everything ceases to be beautiful. An individual talent, or even a talented friend that you know personally seems tragically no longer special. You develop a heady attitude and are virtually impossible to be impressed. Not only are you curating, but overseeing, organizing--campaigning. You develop a false ego. Creating something by and for yourself can seem like a futile and ridiculous act. I’m 25. Will I have a holding interest in visual expression 10 years from now? Will I assume to know everything, even if having personally created nothing?
Posted by shane at 01:26 AM
April 03, 2006
Donuts
I will participate in Mas' live this Saturday, for the first time in quite a while! Should be fun. Here is the website for the show. And below is a little info.
Pasadena + Mas presents
Donuts / ドーナツ
Saturday 4.8.2006
O-Nest Shibuya / 03-3462-4420
Open 17:00 / Start 17:30
Adv : 2000¥ / with 1 donut +1 drink
Door : 2500¥ / with 1 donut +1 drink
Live Acts
降神 + DJ Shun
タカツキバンド
Pasadena with Poundhip Upsetters
Mas
Visuals
DaDaKingZ
Shane Lester
Genki Ito
Posted by shane at 01:31 AM