Open Spaces

Galería Abierta is a unique gallery located alongside a side street in a busy market district of Barcelona. In June of this year, the geniuses behind the 2006 Difusor project petitioned the city government to tranform a series of 34 street-level spaces, once reserved for advertising, into rotating canvases for graffiti artists. The Galería Abierta, or "Open Gallery" completely transformed the wall enclosing the Parc de les Aigües into an exhibition space open 24-7, 365 days a year. The 2×4m frames are open to anyone, and the organizers simply ask that aspiring painters fill in a simple online form. The panels vary in quality - some are intensely beautiful and well designed, while others are distinctly amateurish - but the fluid nature of the gallery means it will always merit a repeat visit.

Un Dia Ple D'accio

In the morning, Pepita's beautiful niece Emma was born.

In the evening, we took advantage of our Christmas presents of tickets to see Muchachito Bombo Infierno at Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi. The story has it that Muchachito, a native of the immigrant-heavy Barcelona suburb Santa Coloma de Gramanet, was discovered playing guitar in the street in 2004 and invited to open for Ojos de Brujo on their world tour. The 10-piece band went on to become hugely popular in Barcelona, building on the success of similar rumba/flamenco/reggae/swing party bands like Dusminguet and Tonino Carotone. Their Barcelona performance was the last stop on a year long European tour. Haven't heard much about a possible American appearance, but judging by the overwhelming reactions of the local crowd, it won't be long.

Els Putxinellis

La Puntual is the only theatre in Barcelona dedicated exclusively to puppetry, aka "putxinellis." The tiny theatre, "a performance space made-to-measure for puppets, marionettes, shadows and any other subjects that let themselves be manipulated" was built by Catalan puppet master Eugenio Navarro in 2005. The restored space had been the workshop and rehearsal room of the renowned Barcelona puppet company La Fanfarra, and was renamed in honor of the emblematic Catalan modernist play "L’Auca del Senyor Esteve" which is centered around a haberdashery shop called La Puntual, located very near the actual theatre in the Santa Catalina neighborhood.

La Puntual is currently in the midst of their annual Winter Puppet Festival, taking place until January 4. In addition to 4 charming shows for families, the Winter Festival features a short series of shows and talks by English puppeteer Rod Burnett, regarded as one of the world's leading Punch and Judy performers. That's the way to do it!

Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis

A perfect little Christmas gift from our generation's Irving Berlin, Tom Waits.



Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

The Skin of a City

While the street art of Amsterdam is characterized by clean design and an attention to detail, the graffiti in Barcelona has a fierce urgency. Despite a year-long campaign to clean up the city, graffiti is everywhere - on public and private buildings, on the walls of churches, in schoolyards, on banks and parkbenches, and on the exterior walls of private homes. The work is completely varied, but if there is any abiding theme it is "resistence." The residents of Barcelona are resisting just about everything you can think of - the government, the King, the church, America, the European Union, consumerism, the price of housing, and most of all, anonymity.

Spuistraat Squats

Through a lucky series of events, we had a cup of tea on Spuistraat in one of the last remaining squats in Amsterdam. From the early 70's until the mid 2000´s, Amsterdam had a loud and vibrant culture of occupation. A liberal interpretation of property rights and an unusually open period of police communication resulted in a code of laws that benefited the young people who entered and repaired abandoned buildings.

In recent years however, a series of lawsuits and standoffs with the authorities had caused a decline in the number of squatted houses, until finally just this one block of apartments remained. Like the other squats on Spuistraat, the building we visited had been vacant for some 20 years before being occupied. The three-story home had been completely cleaned up, pigeons and rats were removed, timbers replaced, brickwork patched, and the house was painted inside and out by artists from around the world.

Sjoerd, the bouncer/squatter/graffiti artist who explained all of this to us hinted that he knew of a few more sites scattered around the city, but they had all adopted a low profile in the hopes that it would keep them alive a little longer.

Sjoerd was proud of what he and a few dozen colleagues had accomplished, but was philosophical about the general nature of squats. "All housing is temporary." he said, "You may sign some kind of contract, but no one keeps a home forever. Squatters just get more aggressive notice when it's time to move on."

Boekie Woekie

Boekie Woekie ("Bookie Wookie") is one of the world's foremost speciality stores for handmade and limited edition books by artists. The tiny shop, tucked into a side street in central Amsterdam, is packed floor-to-ceiling with precious hand drawn tracts, silk screened folios of Dadaist poetry, original photocopied zines from the 1970's, odd collections of fluxus-era artifacts signed by George Maciunas himself - a dragon's lair of riches. I was overcome.

In the store for more than 90 minutes, only two other people ventured in. One man was thinking to find paperback novels. One woman came in looking for photocopy paper. Both left shaking their heads. Boekie Woekie, which has existed in one form or another since the mid 1980's, clearly does not survive based on casual browsing by locals. Rather, International book fairs and the internet have allowed the store to persevere if not quite flourish. Collectors from around the world shop on the store's quirky and extensive website, or consider themselves lucky to encounter the Boekie Woekie stall in Frankfurt or Guadalajara.

Reports From Amsterdam

Pepita and I spent 4 active days in Amsterdam. Pretty much every waking hour was spent on the streets, admiring the vibrant culture of this clean and efficient little city.

As always when in a new city, what first grabs my eyes is the street art. In keeping with the focus on clean design that seems to be a national preoccupation, the graffiti in Amsterdam is remarkably respectful and well presented. There is very little tagging to be seen, and a whole lot of colorful murals and elaborate stencils.

Just wandering aimlessly we found some world class pieces from FAKE, Plusminus Produkties, and Ben Frost as well as dozens of reaches by anonymous locals and passers-through. And of course, I couldn't resist the temptation to make a few humble contributions of my own.

As soon as I find a nice speedy connection, I'll post many more photos on Gurldoggie's flickr page.

Back to BCN

Once again, I'm off to Barcelona for a month of food, family, and Mediterranean winter sunshine. I'm bringing a few projects this time, and Pepita and I are stopping off for a few days in Amsterdam on the way to Spain, so with enough time and internet access, I'll keep posting periodically.

This gorgeously alphabetical series of photos of the Barcelona sky is by German designer Lisa Rienermann, who spent a few weeks in courtyards looking up at the heavens as part of her course work in typography. More about the photo project here. More about my Barcelona projects, hopefully, here.

What the Mux?

Local renaissance man Michael Hall, who the Stranger called "the Baudelaire of Seattle" and "the Holy Ghost of Northwest Hiphop" (aka. Specs One, Specs Wizard, Mic Mulligan, the Elevators, etc.) just released a new comic anthology, "Mux Adapter," published by yet another Hall alter ego, Capstan Media. The 80 page collection reunites us with Hall's character Reum the Cosmic Architect, and fills us in on his ingalactic roamings since 9/11/2001.

The limited edition trade paperback is available in Seattle at Wall of Sound or Zanadu comics, or for $7 per copy directly from Michael at Capstan Media, PMB 824 1122 E Pike St. Seattle, WA

Hall is performing as rapper Specs One on December 12 at the Free Sheep Foundation and December 21 at the Comet Tavern.

The News Today. Oh Boy.

28 years ago today, on December 8 1980, pop icon and peace activist John Lennon was killed in New York city.

11 years before that, in 1969, a 14-year-old named Jerry Levitan managed to talk his way into the Beatle’s Toronto hotel room. Lennon let him hang out, and allowed the teenager to record a rambling five-minute chat that covered war, peace, hidden messages in pop music, and the arrival of the Bee Gees. Last year, Levitan teamed up with filmmaker Josh Raskin to make a 5 minute animated film based on their conversation. “I Met the Walrus" has since been nominated for dozens of international awards including a 2008 academy award for Best Animated Short Film. The conversation is loose, the animation is beautiful, and the film is one more reminder of how many people were profoundly inspired by Lennon's art and by his example.

PRFM #5 Wraps Up

Gotta say, the fifth Punk Rock Flea Market was a doozy. At the last minute, 4 unexpected vendors showed up and one dropped out, bringing us to a grand total of 58 vendors selling records, clothes, furniture, computers, stereo equipment, housewares, toys, videos, CD's, tamales, falafels, handbags, skateboards, 'zines, fetish wear, smoking supplies, watches, knives, jewelry, pickles, plastic robots, zippo lighters, hoodies, stickers, political propaganda, soap, soup, books, art, bike parts, baby stuff, handmade cards, and curse words hand-sewn onto recycled clothing.

Exactly 880 people paid to get in, plus another 100 or so who found the secret entrance, and then at about 7:00 everyone was tired of working the door and we decided to just forego the entrance fee altogether. It's safe to estimate some 1200 people making their way through the Underground on Saturday. Massive.

Glad to report that the Wrecked Chords got over their break-up drama to kick the music off in style at around 7:00, followed by the red hot Absent Minds who drove up from Portland just for the show, then a surprise set from the Yellow Hat Band. Everyone left standing at that point was pummeled by a blistering set from Suburban Vermin who had recently recruited Seattle Punk superstar Chris Crass on lead guitar. Damn, Sam.

In all, an exhausting and satisfying day for us organizers, and hopefully for all the vendors, bands and friends who showed up. Keep an eye out for #6, some time in spring. Hell yes!

Adios a La Mano

It's a sign of the times. The extraordinary painters and printmakers at Los Angeles' La Mano Press have decided to call it quits. For the past 14 years Artemio Rodriguez and Silvia Capistran and their ever-growing community have done as much as anyone in this country to promote Latin American arts and artists. La Mano has been a cultural center organizing exhibitions, offering workshops in traditional and modern crafts, and publishing gorgeous limited edition books.

And of course, they launched the legendary Graficomovil, a traveling mural, mobile cinema, gallery and print studio which is touring the country as you read this.

Rodriguez and Capistran are going to focus on their work in Mexico, including the burgeoning "El Huerto" project, a new center for ecology and arts in Michoácan, built from an old adobe house and featuring a demonstration ecological house, a childrens library, a cafe and workshop space.

The very last La Mano event will be the upcoming Christmas sale on Dec. 5-7 which features new and old work by Silvia & Artemio, as well as prints, crafts, jewelry, books and paintings by Javier Granados, Jose Lozano, Emilia Garcia, Burnt Tortilla Creations, Colectiva Mujeres en Movimiento, and many more. If you're in LA, stop by, offer your support, and wish them well. They've earned it.

Spooner

The other show I saw in Baltimore which left a strong impression was a series of handmade mechanical toys by the brilliant British kinetic sculptor Paul Spooner. For a limited time, you can witness a wide sampling of Spooner's automata genius as a Virtual Exhibit at the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre website.



The videos are clever, but can't do justice to the feeling of turning the cranks of these marvelous machines by hand. I saw his work at the American Visionary Art Museum. The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry also has a real life exhibition through March 2.

A Saint I Ain't

A very nice concrete poem/stencil from Rob Giampietro, written in honor of pioneering fluxus poet Emmett Williams, who died last year. The poem reads, “A saint I ain’t. I rap in sin. I rain in print. I pray in rap. I rant in pain. An ant I ain’t. I paint.”

Punk Rock Flea Market Mere Moments Away

It's less than a week until the Holidaze Edition of the Punk Rock Flea Market, going down on December 6 at the Underground Events Center. In addition to 55 vendors (!) we've also got 3 awesome bands playing in the evening. Starting at around 6:00, we've got killer sets from Absent Minds, Suburban Vermin, and the Yellow Hat Band. Plus we're heralding the long-awaited return of DJ Port-a-Party and his old school 45 rpm mixes.

The PRFM is taking place on the same day as a handful of other craft shows and art fairs in the same general neighborhood, and in a very healthy break from holiday-time competition, all of the organizers are sharing info and shoppers the best we can. If you're making your way down to Belltown for the PRFM, why not swing by the Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle Center, the Vera Project's Bring it-Screen it Bazaar, and the Hollow Earth Radio Record Sale. Then come back to the Underground to drink beers and check out the show. What could be better?

Thanks to Espressobuzz for the above photo, taken at the summer '08 PRFM.

The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine

Beginning this Friday, SIFF Cinema is showing the film The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine, a documentary on 96-year old French sculptor Louise Bourgeois. Bourgeois has been working since the 1940's creating strange, perverse, unsettling objects. Over the years her work has evolved from painted wood carvings that resemble tribal art, to abstract cocoon-like forms, to the menacingly sexual figures that came to dominate her work in the 1970's.

Possibly her best known works are the monumental spider structures, titled Maman, from the late 1980's, but even these massive works only scratch the surface of a huge and complicated body of work.

In June of this year, Bourgeois opened a show of recent work which has garnered some of the strongest reviews of her endlessly impressive career. The show opened at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, moved to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in October, and will close at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. in May 2009.

A review of the show in the New York Review of Books said:

Perhaps the most amazing of the many remarkable aspects of Louise Bourgeois is that if she had died in her middle seventies we would not have known how daring, strange, ambitious, or disturbing an artist she could be. We would not have known how lively a colorist this ninety-six-year-old sculptor is capable of being; and we would have been deprived of the full measure of one of the loveliest aspects of her art, her feeling for a range of weathered, frayed, and matte textures.

The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine, in the making since 1992, is an intimate and ambitious documentary of this extraordinarily complex artist. Plays November 28 through December 4.

A Terrible Sadness

My friend Douglas Paasch died suddenly on Saturday. His most recent show, the Wizard of Oz, had opened the day before at the Seattle Children's Theatre.

Doug was Seattle's best puppeteer, bar none, as well as a hugely imaginative thinker, a giving friend, and a total sweetheart of a man. I worked with him on a whole mess of shows, and saw and admired his work in many more. He was one of the very first puppeteers to commit to being part of Drunk Puppet Night, way back in 1998, and I always believed that Doug lent that whole crazy enterprise a dose of beauty and professionalism that it otherwise would never have deserved.

The most beautiful puppet show I ever saw was Doug's adaptation of dozens of Paul Klee paintings into a living, breathing piece of theatre. I believe Doug was extra proud of that one too, but day in and day out for 20 years or more Doug made gorgeous objects and brought them to life. He was a beautiful man and his loss will be sorely felt by the many people who loved him, by the hundreds who worked with him, and by the many thousands of theatre goers who were captivated by his work without ever knowing his name.

Lead Story

While in Baltimore, I saw a small and miraculous exhibit of Dalton Ghetti's work at the American Visionary Arts Museum. Ghetti makes phenomenally intricate carvings from the centers of pencils. Using a razor blade and a sewing needle, he can take months or years to create his precise carvings of boats, churches, linked chains, and a bust of Elvis. One of the pieces is made up of 26 different pencils, the tip of each one carved into one of the letters of the alphabet. Splendidly obsessive.

Making It Plain

I’ve been around Baltimore and DC for the past few days, and to say the least, the mood here is ebullient. Everywhere I go, people are practically giddy with pleasure, proudly calling themselves “community organizers,” exchanging hand slaps and hugs with strangers, and referring again and again to “November 4th, 2008” as a date that already has the ring of history.

While here I’ve had the great fortune to see and hear a number of political leaders, all of whom have much to say about the end of one era and the start of another. By far the most impressive of these was the great civil rights era lawyer Vernon Jordan, who spoke at one epicenter of DC book culture, Politics and Prose, to promote his new book "Make it Plain."

The well-known power broker who led Bill Clinton's presidential transition team in 1992, was in the news again recently to say that a "president should pick a White House chief of staff first" - advice which Obama followed. Jordan's speech at the bookstore didn't focus on the recent campaign season, but rather on an unknown and unsung chain of events that made Obama's victory possible. He cited a number of battles and law cases that most people in the audience had never heard of, including one emotional story about Primus King, an uneducated man who sued the Georgia Democratic Party for his right to vote in 1944, and won. It was a tremendous reminder that Obama's success was not a singular event or the work of one smart politician and his team of advisors, but was rather the latest blessed link in a long and arduous chain of events.

"Lest we forget that moments like this are not happenstance: They are the direct result of the work, sacrifice and passion of disturbers of the unjust peace."