BURN OUTS

The artist Aurel Schmidt has a book out called 'Burn Outs'. Buy the book here.

AUREL SCHMIDT IN CONVERSATION WITH ANA FINEL HONIGMAN. Read full interview here.

AFH: You frequently feature cigarettes in your drawings. What do cigarettes symbolize for you?

AS: Cigarettes for me symbolize anti-life. Man unlike any other animal knows it will one day die, to smoke is to consciously move closer to that inevitability. You know it will kill you and you continue with it. Addictive or not, it is still a self destructive and terribly romantic personal decision against life. I don't regularly smoke, but when I do have a cigarette I am very aware of my decision. On a simplistic level though, I like to take my subject matter from my everyday world and cigarette butts grow like grass in New York City.

AFH: Sickness and death are obviously part of nature's processes, but are you saying that we need to accept that pollution and other human waste is also a part of nature? Are you saying that humans, in all our ugly aspects, are connected to nature even when we're behaving at our worst towards nature?

AS: I think that this way of viewing nature is realistic. The word 'nature' generally refers to the parts of the world that exist independently of human beings and civilization. I can't help but feel that this traditional idea of nature no longer refers to the current environment on earth. Nature in its pure form has become a romantic fantasy. Global Warming, pollution, and human expansion have changed every inch of this planet. Human beings are not connected to nature; human beings have destroyed nature.

AFH: Do you think there is a possibility an anti-consumerism movement could also become popular?

AS: I wish. I think an anti-consumerist movement is much more difficult then a conscientious consumer movement because it goes against the entire structure of our present society. Everything would have to change. I think minimal-consumerism could catch on though. I feel like there is already guilt in consumerism. There is a gaudiness to excess that I think a lot of people find undesirable. I think there was a time when having a lot of things and showing off what you had was something to be desired by most people. Post shop-a-holics, mall walkers, and corporate hip-hop, it all just seems a little shameful.

THREE GREAT THINGS

Robert Wyatt - Sea Song

You look different every time you come
From the foam-crested brine
Your skin shining softly in the moonlight
Partly fish, partly porpoise, partly baby sperm whale

HERE IS ALWAYS SOMEWHERE ELSE

In 1975 the artist Bas Jan Ader took to the sea in the smallest boat ever to sail across the Atlantic. 9 months later the boat was found off the coast of Ireland, but Bas Jan disappeared forever. Here is Always Somewhere Else is a documentary about his life and work that was made in 2008.

HARMONIA

VISULA COMPARISONA

WOAH AHH AHH AHH

"When I'm alone, I count myself. One count!"

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

This book will make you happy- Reasons To Be Cheerful: The Life And Work Of Barney Bubbles.

SESAME STREET 40th ANNIVERSARY

Today Bert and Ernie celebrate Sesame streets 40th anniversary google style...

BERT & ERNIE CELEBRATE THE DIFFERENCE

Bert and Ernie are as different as two friends can be. Bert is tidy and has a paper clip collection. Ernie is messy and likes cool sunglasses and treaners. Heres my favorite Bert and Ernie story where Bert has an identity crisis but soon realizes that its the differences that makes them happy and special and keeps them such good friends. (click on images to see full size)

THE SINGER NOT THE SONG

My friend Cat has a photography exhibition at Rough Trade East from November the 5th till 30th of January. (Private view this Friday)

POWER - POWER

DOWNLOAD - Films - Gary Numan

ZUMA SERIES

John Divola - Zuma Series 1977 & 78

Here's an excerpt from a statement John Divola wrote about these photos-

On Initially arriving I would move through the house looking for areas or situations to photograph. If nothing seemed to interest me I would move things around or do some spray painting. The painting was done in much the same way that one might doodle on a piece of paper. At that point I would return to the camera and explore what ever new potentials existed.

Every time that I would return to this house I would notice that it had changed. Often it was a minor change, some rearranged papers and a few empty beer cans in the corner. The change was at times more substantial, like arriving to find the house full of large tree branches that had recently been set on fire and extinguished, water still dripping from the ceiling. On another occasion there might be a strong wind blowing through the window. Once I arrived to find the house gone.

SARAH DOYLE

Dancehall Danceoff from Sarah Doyle on Vimeo.

My friend Sarah makes amazing animated films of her paintings and drawings. See more of her artwork and films here.

STEVENS GET YOUR GUN

This ones for you Cat... ROAAAARRRR!!!

CASSETTE PLAYA X ROCKERS NYC

New T design from collaboration with Cassette Playa and Rockers NYC.
LOOKS LIKE P E A C E M A N TOOK ACID N LISTENED TO TOO MUCH DARKTHRONE!