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Exhibition McDermott and McGough in Vienna
David McDermott and Peter McGough could care less about smart phones and the hunt of the rest of the world to get the latest of everything. McDermott was quoted: “I’ve seen the future and I am not going.” This probably best sums up their dandyish attitude to escape the dullness of life by keeping things how they used to be. But not to be misunderstood, they don’t claim that everything used to be better back in the day, it just looked better. The duo met in New York City in the early 80s and back then the East Village was a dangerous neighbourhood where the two of them walked around in top hats and frocks. The spirit of past centuries also wafts through their aesthetic constructions: rural idyll instead of concrete, silent films instead of high-definition TV, a photo camera from the 1910s instead of a digital camera. In the early 90s they moved into a house outside of Dublin and when you pass the threshold you feel like being in a different century, there is no central heating, no computer and the phone is from the 1920s. On the 20th of October the Kunsthalle in Viena opened an exhibition of McDermott and McGough’s work which essentially is a picturesque portrait of their home in Dublin. The exhibition is titled after the address 26 Sandymount Avenue. Images of the house in Dublin will be presented which have been produced after a historical printing process (cyanotype) which gives all the images a melancholic dreamy shade of blue. Apart from the images of the house the exhibition will feature a series...
El Barato: a midight oasis
El barato is a bar that is full of surprises. At first glance it looks like a simple neighborhood bar, which in Barcelona means dirt, grit, football and colorful characters getting drunk on cheap alcohol with a quasi-religious zeal. Perhaps it is not the most aesthetic setting, but on Saturday and Sunday mornings, El Barato functions as an after hours club, and a killer party atmosphere half-hidden behind a sliding door awaits you. What looks like a mere broom closet is actually a door to another universe inhabited by frenzied creatures reveling in the decadence and excess of modern urban social life. One night stands, a thirst for chemistry and sex, nocturnal instincts gone wild: you will find it all here at the Barato. This spot brings everyone together, from the police to the anarchopunks, gay, lesbian, straight and Blessed, modern classic fashion victims and conservatives, the dirty and the tidy. It offers a much needed space to finish off the night which always promises adventure. It is an oasis that offers the hope in the desert of dull uniformity which this city has become. As it should be, anything goes does not mean anything, and common sense respect for patrons and other customers should be shown. Try not to make noise entering and leaving so the neighbors can get some rest as well. Try not to tie up the bathroom with your bad habits; somebody might need to use it for its intended purpose. The bar might be cheap, but that doesn’t mean you have to be, they reserved the right to refuse admission or kick you out...
We are scientists concert in Helsinki
One of the best bands representing the post-punk revival in the world today is, without a doubt, We Are Scientists. This group, born in 2000 in New York, began with Keith Murray on drums, Chris Cain on bass and Scott Lamb on vocals and guitar. Then Michael Tapper came to play the drums and Keith started playing guitar and doing the vocals, the formation which is maintained until today. The group, which is influenced by The Rapture, Franz Ferdinand and David Bowie, jumped onto the scene with the release of their second album called With Love and Squalor, which sold no less than 100 000 copies in the first 6 months. Their second breakthrough was the album Brain Thrust Mastery, which reached number 11 of the UK chart. Outstanding; if anyone knows rock, it is the sainted motherland of such greats as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Promotional hype has nothing to do with their commercial success. Two songs that were part of this release, “After Hours” and “Chick Lit”, were also in the top 40. Their third album, Barbara, was released on June 14th this year, moreover, and was accompanied by a short film that bore the name of Steve Wants His Money. Currently the group is promoting their latest release by touring the world and will come to Finland to do a show on December 2nd at Tavastia. If you want to attend the We Are Scientists show, rent apartments in Helsinki and enjoy one of the most important bands representing the post-punk revival today. More information: http://www.tavastia.fi/ Tavastia: Urho kekka katu...
Maxxi museum wins prestigous Stirling Prize
The MAXXI, a new contemporary art museum in Rome that was designed by architect Zaha Hadid recently won the Stirling prize awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Hadid´s career is illustrious, and she was the first woman to obtain a Pritzker (which is considered the Nobel of architecture). She is also responsible for designing the swimming pavilion in the London Olympics in 2012. According to the jury, Stirling´s building is ” a mature piece of architecture, the distillation of years of experimentation, only a fraction of which ever got built,and this is one of the main reasons which were given the award.” Critics have hailed it the best work of her career, or quipped that it does not mesh with the urban environment which surrounds it. Love it or hate it, it’s still a winner Hadid won a generous cash prize as part of the award; other buildings short listed for the prize include a housing project in east London and the Neues Museum in Berlin. The competition was very stiff. Ruth Reed, president of RIBA, said the MAXXI was a worthy winner and is very excited for having given the award to Zaha Hadid whom she considers one of the most important architects of Great Britain. As you can imagine the MAXXI is incredibly impressive not only because of the thrilling works it contains but also because of the building design. If you want to a visit this brilliant temple to contemporary architecture, rent apartments in Rome and enjoy browsing. More information: http://www.maxxi.beniculturali.it/ MAXXI: Via Guido Reni, 10, Rome, 153...
Val del Omar exhibit in the Reina Sofia
Visit the Reina Sofia Museum to see an exhibition about Val Del Omar, an artist, filmmaker and inventor from Granada. National Center director Manuel Borja-Villel would like to introduce this figure to a wider audience. The show runs through February 28th, 2011 and presents seven chronological sections which showcase his work since 1930 until his death in ´82. Why is this show so important? Because, according to Borja-Villel, the artist is one of the “great unknowns of Spanish culture.” In fact this is the first time a major museum and the Reina Sofia have undertaken a major retrospective of this nearly forgotten cult artist. The artist managed to break with traditional Spanish cinema and that is why many failed to understand his work. Being a misunderstood genius is a terrible fate to suffer; however retrospective exhibits ameliorate the collective guilt felt by those who live on after an underappreciated artist dies unrecognized. Show your remorse by attending the exhibit on Val Del Omar, which will deepen your understanding of his work. Val Del Omar was not only well known as a filmmaker, his technological innovations and inventions are also hailed. His passion for recording, playback, micro-projectors and different formats led to techniques that were later used by some of his colleagues. If you want to attend the exhibit about one of Spain’s most important forgotten artists, rent apartments in Madrid and enjoy an exhibition that will delve into his career. More information: http://www.museoreinasofia.es Reina Sofia Museum: C / Santa Isabel, 52, 28012, Madrid,...
Alice Cooper Theatre of Death Tour Barcelona
If you like Alice Cooper, make sure you are in Barcelona on November 23rd to see the pioneer of Shock Rock, present his new album “Along Came a Spider” in Barcelona as part of his Theater of Death Tour. It is a great opportunity, perhaps the last, to enjoy this great spectacle live. The concert will be at the Sant Jordi Club, near the city center, where you can find a wide selection of apartments in Barcelona. Alice Cooper first got into rock music in 1964. In those days Hard Rock music, sinister-looking makeup and provocative performances had never been seen before in a rock concert. Alice Cooper´s stage shows greatly influenced legendary bands such as Kiss, Zombie and Marilyn Manson. The group´s name apparently sprung out of singer Vincent Damon Furnier´s (Alice Cooper) consultation with a Ouija board, during which he was contacted by a nineteenth century witch named Alice Cooper who told him he was his reincarnation. Vincent proposed to his colleagues that they change the name of the band from The Nazz to Alice Cooper and they agreed. Frank Zappa noticed them and included them in his Straight Records label. Later, Alice Cooper had a career as a solo singer, using the group name as his. During the 70´s he rose to fame thanks to his notorious tours and crazy stage antics. Later, in the late 70´s, his career went into a decline because of problems with alcohol, which even led him to a psychiatric hospital. During this period he released the album “From the Inside.” His revival came in the late 80’s thanks to the...
Bronzino exhibit in Florence
Tori Agnolo di Cosimo, known as Bronzino (1503-1572), is one of the oldest conceptual artists in history. Although conceptual art as we know it reached its apex in the middle of the twentieth century, Bronzino´s figures feature the icy rigidity that we associate with works of modern art. In the fixed and flat faces of his portraits, nary a trace of a soul or identity. In their eyes we see a mysterious void that makes up the icy beauty that attracts us so much. In his view read the same impenetrable rigor of a statue? With typical ingenuity of a Renaissance painter, Bronzino was able to make an accurate representation, but not of reality, rather, his paintings are inhabited by figures as fossils, and sad ghosts. Now the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence will house an exhibit by this genius of the Renaissance entitled “Bronzino. Artist and poet in the Medici court.” Inaugurated on September 24th, the exhibition will remain open until January 23, 2011 and includes masterpieces by the artist which will be complemented by works of Pontormo, and Alessandro Allori, who collaborated with Bronzino in his famous workshop. This way, the viewer can delve into the artist´s work thematically and chronologically. In one of the galleries devoted to patronage of the Medicis of Florence, you will find fabulous portraits of the Medici children, which showcase Bronzino´s painting talent. In addition, religious-themed works from the most picturesque churches in Florence will also be displayed. If you miss them in the Palazzo Strozzi, you can find their traces throughout the city. This show is a must for art lovers, so...
Two Door Cinema Club concert in Vienna
Two Door Cinema Club is a band that was born in 2007 in Northern Ireland and little by little became known on the burgeoning Irish indie music scene by playing in small bars and clubs. Then they got a record deal with French label Kitsuné Music, famous for having in their ranks bands like Crystal Castles, Hot Chip and Hurts and the rest is history. With Alex Trimble handling vocals and guitar, Kevin Baird on bass and Sam Halliday on drums, they have finally completed its first album, called Tourist History, which they released this year. Thanks to songs like “Cigarettes In The Theatre ” and “Something Good Can Work” they have been able to tour the world and even managed to conquer an American public that, in many instances, is rather reluctant to accept new groups. Today the band is emerging as an indie darling, thanks to a very particular sound that blends unique guitar riffs while getting audiences shaking thanks to synthesizers and beats. They are currently the opening act for bands that are already established in the music business such as autoKratz, Delphic, Foals and Metronomy and recently began a tour to support their recent release. Two Door Cinema Club will be in Vienna on December 2nd to play the Wuk. If you want to see one of the most promising indie groups in years you can rent apartments in Vienna and enjoy a musical show that will, as my mother says, knock your socks off. More information: www.wuk.at Wuk: Währinger Straße 59, 1090 Wien, Vienna, Austria...
Controversy about Larry Clark exhibit in Paris
On October 2nd an interesting photography exhibition opened at the Musée d´Art de la Ville in Paris focusing on the controversial work of Larry Clark. The director of the legendary film Kids (1995) Clark is first and foremost a prolific photographer, who has been documenting the seedier side of life and youth culture for decades. Both in his film work and photography, Clark is dedicated to representing lost youth, violence and rebellion. The exhibition, entitled “Hello Kiss the Past”, features over 200 works by the photographer, some of them unpublished works which were recovered recently. His best-known works such as “Tulsa” and “Teenage Lust” will also be shown. In this way the exhibition provides a broad spectrum of photographer´s work, highlighting its direct and authentic way of looking at adolescence with everything that it encompasses: love, drugs, violence and sex. However, the Musée d´Art Moderne de la Ville in Paris has caused a huge controversy for having taken the decision to refuse entry to minors under 18 to the exhibition. According to Sébastien Gokalp, curator of the exhibition, as a public institution, the museum could not openly allow minors access to sexually explicit images of Clark. Moreover, the management of the museum feared having to face a wave of protests from the Catholic community in Paris. However, considering that many of these works have been shown in other renowned museums and/or feature minors themselves, some criticize this move as being too drastic, and highlight that it threatens artistic expression in France. If you do not want to miss this interesting presentation and you are of age, rent apartments in...
