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May 17, 2007
What a cute brochure from Con Edison! Too bad the reality of power failures in the naked city happens to be so much more ugly than mama and papa pushing baby in the Bugaboo down Main Street with doggie while the sun shines. In fact, Con Ed is under tremendous regulatory pressure—especially now that regulatory powers do exist thanks to having Governor Eliot Spitzer in office—due to its sordid failures during last year's blackout.
Although New York urgently needs additional power plants, endless squabbling as well as NIMBYism makes placing new generators and sooty plants a big problem in New York City. But let's read on through our glossy brochure, shall we? The opening page lets us know that "If you have power problems, please contact us right away." Which of course you should do from your cellphone as your home phone (if you still have one) won't be operational, unless you keep an old-school corded phone requiring no electricity plugged in somewhere. Maybe that phone is tucked away in an overstuffed closet; forget about finding that in a blackout, because it likely will take you a few minutes in the darkness to find those candles you squirreled away or your mini-mag light.
To be fair, Con Ed wants you to know they are "committed to providing the reliable service you expect"—that's why so many of their trucks feature the thumbs-up and mugs of happy workers telling you they are ON IT. I see a lot of these workers on it every day wandering around Manhattan, and there sure is a lot of down time when you are on it. Down time to read the New York Post (fortunately only a quarter again after an aborted run as a 50 Cent rag), down time to eat a tuna sandwich or slice of pizza, down time especially to keep the motors of those polluting trucks chugging away. Ever talk to these guys? Most of them have very colorful language regarding their employer, though the Verizon guys generally use more four-letter words per sentence.
Speaking of polluting motors chugging away, did you hear Mayor Bloomberg is actually providing critical leadership in the global warming sphere? That he convened a major conference of mayors from big cities around the world, attended by President Clinton? That Rush Limbaugh thinks he was set up last night into finally meeting his own bugaboo?
Anyhow, back to Con Ed, which wants you to urgently call 800-75-CONED in case of blackout. The lines will be busy, but you can keep calling. Remember those residents of Queens who complained they phoned over and over, to no avail? That's the sort of situation you'll encounter. They are additionally "ready for your call or Web site report 24 hours a day, seven days a week." Just you try it. I've tried repeatedly to submit my gas meter reading via their website, and found it never works, even after 13 months (unlucky number) of trying. You could also try their automated line, but that hasn't worked for me either.
By the way, Con Ed wants you to know "If you see a smoking manhole or a manhole fire, you should call 911." That oughta do the trick.
Tags:
bill clinton, con edison, power failure, rush limbaugh
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Posted on 5/17/2007
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May 02, 2007
Artist and designer Matthew Larkin's stunning new book of ambrotypes, Suspended in Time revives a classic mid-19th century photographic process by creating positive silver images on black glass. In spending two years with the Rites of Passage suspension group, Larkin's extraordinary photographs chronicle these devotees whose practice in modern times underwent a major revival following the publication of Re/Search's Modern Primitives in 1989. Suspension groups quantum-leaped forward thanks mostly to the Internet, in particular due to the devotion of Shannon Larratt et al in Canada through their BME zine, where no shortage of suspensions and groups can be found.
What makes Larkin's work so captivating and poignant are his ingenious methods of capturing these practitioners in a timeless way. While other books such as Larratt's Modcon have focused on the wide pantheon of body modification, Larkin's is the first to exclusively cover suspension, and his brilliant photographs are augmented by the clever and handsome design by New York-based Binocular Design. With 70 duotone illustrations, the full-page images of these suspensions have a lush quality, glossy with tinted varnish. In a limited edition of 2000—one hundred of which are signed and numbered by the artist—the book is available directly from Black Barn Editions.
Listening to Larkin describe the process of transferring these fragile glass plates to his New England-based printers, The Studley Press, you begin to understand what a tremendous labor of love is involved in the antique photographic process. Last night at the book launch party at The Xchange, a terrific party space on West 28th Street, a number of the practitioners were surrounded by the curious attendees, who observed both the ambrotypes and the suspendees with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Of course, business suits and heavy mods don't regularly mix in Manhattan, but since pioneering ad executive Fakir Musafar reached the pinnacle of success through Modern Primitives, the staid set has taken up tattooing—as anyone who wanders around New York City in warm weather can attest to. Suspension, in contrast, remains rather esoteric for most Manhattanites, even for the challenged corporate executives who otherwise brag about their mountain-climbing trips to the Andes or retreats in the Himalayas. In publishing Suspended in Time, Larkin again reveals not only his mastery of bygone photographic techniques, but also marries his visionary photographic abilities with a keen eye for observation of the modern primitive. True to form, the well-attended opening featured large C-prints that were suspended with hooks and ropes used in actual suspensions. Larkin's next book, The Ornamental Hermit: The Fictional True-Life Story of a 19th-Century Hermit, returns to yet another world the artist has explored in depth, which will be a highly evocative (and likely provocative) exploration of fanciful 19th-century decorative 'living hermit' designs.
Tags:
binocular design, bme zine, fakir musafar, matthew larkin, modcon, modern primitives, rites of passage, shannon larratt, suspended in time, the xchange
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Posted on 5/2/2007
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May 01, 2007
New York's own legendary Sonic Youth released Daydream Nation nearly 20 years ago, and a number of upcoming concerts will celebrate this legendary L.P. Sonic Youth returned to opening night of the Coachella Festival last Friday, April 27th. Didn't head to Indio for the festival? No problem. Components of Sonic Youth will be at Brooklyn's No Fun Fest in mid-May.
You can catch the Daydream Nation performances in Europe in June; Chicago, Nor Cal and So Cal in July; and London at the end of August. Or stick around New York to catch the show on July 28th at Brooklyn's McCarren Park Pool. Even though Daydream Nation was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2005, it's taken nearly 20 years for a phenomenal re-release on 2xCD or 4xLP, slated for June 12th. Fortunately, The Whitey Album by Sonic Youth alter-ego Ciccone Youth was already re-released, featuring three of the finest covers ever heard: "Burnin' Up," "Addicted to Love" (channeling Robert Palmer as well as Madonna), and "Into the Groovey." Speaking of Sonic Youth covers, their takes on the New York Dolls' "Personality Crisis" and Ramones' "Beat on the Brat" are two you also want to get your hands on, in case you've never heard them.
Even after listening to it 100 times, Daydream Nation still has the fresh, raw energy, the long chords, great feedback and classic Sonic Youth sound that emanated from the original Confusion is Sex, Kill Yr Idols and live Sonic Death LPs from the early 1980s. Some highlights on video include some really obscure live clips as well as mash-ups done by YouTube addicts:
Teenage Riot:
Silver Rocket:
Eric's Trip:
Kissability:
("Look into my eyes, dont you trust me/Yr so good you could go far/Ill put you in a movie, dont you want to/You could be a star/You could go far")
Finally, until May 12 at KS Art in Tribeca, check out Thurston Moore's first solo exhibit of his collages, handsomely-framed fanzine-like archival inkjet artwork. From Iggy Pop to Lou Reed to Patti Smith, all the antics of the New York music scene are chronicled in these deceptively serene collages, which sell for $1200 each. (Splat No. 9 D O A evokes the Andy Warhol disaster series.) Also available are his 'zine for $10 a pop, a nice homage bygone punk bands, especially Dez of Black Flag.
Tags:
coachella, daydream nation, indio, sonic youth, the whitey album
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Posted on 5/1/2007
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