Greenpoint Artist Profile: Emily Noelle Lambert

Another post on a Greenpoint artist over at Greenpointers. Here’s the first paragraph:

For the second edition of Greenpoint Artist Profile we are proud to present Emily Noelle Lambert. I met with the artist over Easter weekend at her studio on Manhattan Ave where hoards of people were gathered in front of the meat market to prepare for holiday feasting. I was escorted into a building that looked part residential part industrial, up a couple flights where a number of artists divided and shared the space for art making. Upon entry I was struck immediately by the haphazardous and chaotic paintings lined along the wall. I was confronted by jagged tangled sharp lines, vibrant contrasting colors, elusive dreamy/nightmarish figures, and a strict ritual of organizing chaos. I was admittedly disturbed by the jarring pictures presented in front of me and it wasn’t till the end of our visit that I was able to sit comfortably with them, cohabitating in an emotively indeterminable space.

Read the rest HERE. And if you know any artists working in Greenpoint, pray do tell.

Reader: April 28th, 2009

– Bohemian Rhapsody old school computer remix. (via a million keys)

– An asshole of a criminal is chased by police, running over and killing a woman on Manhattan Ave. Shudder.

– William Powhida in NY Mag. (via WP)

– Awkward boners. (via art fag city)

– Photo Op freaks the shit out of people. (via Suzy)

– Swine flu inflects some in my hometown Queens. (via NYT)

– Look at this fucking hipster. (via art fag city)

– There’s no shortage of craft and flea markets in Brooklyn. Too bad there’s a shortage in my wallet. (via Brooklyn Based)

– Brezsny tells me to shut up till early May. (via Free Will Astrology)

– 175 art people, places, things to follow on twitter. (via art fag city)

– John Waters gives tour of his Boesky show. His eyes, and that stash… and Tina Turner… (via art fag city)

– I’m starting a blog. very Olivia like. (via art fag city)

– Jerry Saltz‘ favorite emerging artists as told via facebook. (via art fag city)

– Interview with W.A.G.E. (via art 21)

– On newMedia. (via art 21)

– Interview with InCubate. (via art 21)

– Texts from last night. (via art fag city)

– In Koons’ studio. Or sweat shop. (via art observed)

– Also Marcel Dzama, Marina Abramovic, and Lawrence Weiner.

– Bruce Nauman and his upcoming show at Phili. (via art observed)

– Damien Hirst paints the Hours’ cover album. (via art observed)

– How recession has affected Museums. (via art observed)

Illegality and the Dream Act

I’ve talked about my immigration story before and how important it is to get the Dream Act passed. In the weekend NYT there is a story continuing a series of articles on immigrations covering a family whose parents are both illegal, and whose oldest daughter graduated from college with no where to go due to her illegal status. Their younger son was born here and is automatically a citizen and a bit unappreciative of the gift of legality. I read the article again this morning and nearly balled in the kitchen sympathizing with this girl (who must be near my age) and her frustrations, the inability to progress and find a salaried job with benefits and insurance, to be granted scholarships and loans to go to any other schools than CUNYs, to not have to be pressured to get married for citizenship, to be able to travel and drive without fear of being caught and deported. And we are educated folk. My skin color is the only difference between me and the all american white girl. I have no accent, I am educated and am getting by doing whatever it is I want, thank you very much. I have a tax ID number which is granted for those without social security numbers that allows them to work only as freelancers and pay taxes. So, I pay taxes, hundreds of dollars worth, but receive NO BENEFITS. NOTHING comes out of that tax money I give to the government.

Sigh. What a tearful moment to start a day.

I’m getting all surged up again about the importance and necessity to get the Dream Act passed. With the economy flunking and the global market disintegrating before our eyes I highly doubt immigration will be an issue for quite some time. Which does make me anxious and forces me to consider getting married and falling “in love” ASAP. Any contenders?

You can read more stories and the status of the Dream Act and the possibilty of it being passed at Change.org and the DA portal.

I’m hoping soon to gather some people or join those already gathered raising awareness of this Act around the city and Brooklyn and perhaps sign petitions and what not. Maybe have a bake sale and bbq and concert to benefit Dream Act. Sigh.

NbPac Jury Panel Announcement and Blog Launch

I’ve joined the North Brooklyn Public Art Coalition and am helping organize the India Street Mural Project. One big duty is launching the blog which honestly didn’t take long but can be a bit stressful paying great attention to details and managing the time between NbPac organizing and all the other list of shits I have to do. But, I am VERY proud to present:

the NbPac blog, featuring events, notes, announcements, and all the juicy info you’ll need to know about the organization and upcoming project. I used the same theme as this blog since its easy and familiar and will be editing post traffic.

A few useful tid bits you should be aware of:

The Jury Panel meets on Wednesday and includes Marisa of Like the Spice (more on her later) and will choose 5 artists to commission a chunk of the mural and receive a $700 stipend each. I’m planning to meeting with each individual artist and profiling them and their work and hopefully publish it in a local paper soon.

The next general meeting will be held May 11th at 303 Grand to discuss suggestions and ideas for future projects whether they be murals or park events, performances, etc. If you’ve got an idea or project to propose, you should definitely attend.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the blog!

James Hyde at South First

This past weekend I visited the gallery South First (located on N. 6th) in Williamsburg for a second round viewing of the works by James Hyde. First time around I was dumbfounded and simply couldn’t make sense out of these works. There was an onrush of references from Minimalism to Rauschenberg’s Combines mixed with seeing something completely new, a complete abandonment of convention where even the use of found objects to recreate context and meaning has become norm and redundantly rehashed.

Jim’s interest and exploration with the allegorical figure of Painting is manifest in a conglomerate effort with materials and images and here, photographic images function as backdrops to abstract gestures of paint, mixing rigid geometric patterns with spontaneous expression executed directly on the photographic canvas. Scraps of wood adorn some works with sloppy paint drippings layered on top marking an active engagement between each distinct element of image, paint, and object. This is typical of Jim’s practice, merging materials as wide ranging as chairs, handles, rocks, and utilizing them to stimulate a discourse on Painting and setting up a difference between mediums rather than similarity.

In the current show the technical ground and image field of photography is used as a grounding to picture painting, a place for the painting to emerge, “a matter of trying to keep materials so they have their own voice and create their own picture.” Here images of nature and unfinished construction sites are covered in streak of paint, simultaneously accenting and silencing the image beneath. Perhaps evoking a duel between paint and photograph, but I’d like to think they are engaging in friendly banter, each color, branch, metal pole wearing its Sunday best for the viewer.
“A painting is made by covering a surface with paint. It is this covering which reveal the painting. It reveals what it is generically; that thing – – a painting. The covering as an act locates the place where the painting become individual; this particular painting. Covering to reveal, does this sound like the logic of lingerie?”
The show is up until this weekend, make sure not to miss it!

Reader: April 22, 2009

– “Even that state that we think of as the finest expression of the human spirit – love – can be tormented as well as powerfully exultant. So one has to be wary of assuming that just because emotion has been drained away, the machine is now lifeless.” R.I.P. J.G. Ballard. (via art fag city)

– Rose Art Museum stays open. (via art fag city)

– Ashes the hairless chimp. Creepy. (via awl)

– Obsolescence as cultural production. (via art 21)

– Holland Cotter wins Pulitzer for criticism. Can’t say I’m not disappointed. (via NYT)

– Art bum comix by Lawrence Swan. (via Hrag Vartanian)

– Why must art magazines be so glamour obsessed? (via artsjournal)

– “Connectivity is Poverty” (via bad at sports)

– Warning signs. (via eyeteeth)

– Bodies of Pyongyang. (via Gothamist)

– Stephen Cavanagh was behind the New Museum banner stunt. (via gothamist)

– Eva-fiore Kovacovsky. (via i heart photograph)

– How I see men. (via  icy & miserable)

– “I think my basic job as a critic is to get people out of the house, to get them interested, energized, inspired, or riled enough to just go see what I’m talking about…Criticism should be a pleasure to read and, at least some of the time, to write. I want my style to be conversational, to be an everyday voice, only funnier, more compressed and more provocative…if taste is made it is made almost always by artists, because no matter how things change, they’re still suggesting to dealers whom to show…I think sincerity and integrity are the primary value in art, and these result from making something as good as you can make it so that it reflects your ideas, interests, and your passions as clearly as possible…When you’re writing you have to suspend your awareness of the ramifications of what you’re writing. When you’re done, it starts to sink in. What I said a while ago about the audience is true, but you also have to write for yourself; you really have to dig in and get what it is you’re feeling about the work. Also, criticism isn’t a simple process of thumbs-up, thumbs-down. You write about what works and what doesn’t work. It is usually a matter of degrees…don’t think criticism is an academic discipline; it comes out of yourself. Some people can absorb all kinds of stuff and make it their own. Others are hobbled by it. Either way you have to find your own voice and you have to work mainly from your own reactions. I guess there’s academic criticism with footnotes and all, but that seems written in a private language for a specialized audience. It’s not useful to most people.” Irving Sandler interviews Roberta Smith in Brooklyn Rail. RIGHT ON.(via two coats of paint)

– Chloe reviews Broadcast show at Pratt Manhattan Gallery. (via Rhizome)

– Daily Candy takes a look at Fine & Raw’s chocolate factory. I recently wrote about them here. (via F&R)

– Niall McClelland and Lukas Geronimas collage. (via fffound)

– Ultimate asian hotties list. They all look the same. (via worlds best ever)

– Casual craigslist penis photographer. (via funny or die)

– Hipster Grifter’s boobs. Too gross to post here. (via world’s best ever)

– Hipster Run Off on grifter. This one’s even funnier. (via hro)

– Leo Fitzpatrick’s book Fuck Friends featers Koh, Bradley, Ackermann, Lowman, Neckface. (via Glob)

– Periodic table of knitting. (via craft zine)

– Google map typography. (via psfk)

– Cool Gucci commercial. (via psfk)

Week In Photos

During my brief and much needed mini vacation to Rosendale I saw:

A cat on dog match,

A horse on horse match,

and a dog on air match.

A mini valley stream,

a miniature underwater forest,

rocks adorning funky patterns,

an inverted fountain,

reveals a winking ghastly contorted face.

An abandoned railroad bridge above,

and glistening waves below.

A cloud ceiling that’s been ripple by waves on a greenpoint roof,

A loft party,

a foreboding sign,

and singing daffodils.

Feast: April 4th

2 weeks ago I attended the second FEAST. I wrote about the first one here. The second dinner brought nearly 300 guests and I baked mounds of coconut macaroons. A couple thousand dollars were raised, $1000 of which went to the winning artist group K.I.D.S. (Kindness and Imagination Development Society) who will be planting secret gardens around the neighborhood and present the outcome at the next dinner. A photo review:

First, the food. Fresh tagliatelle pasta with mushroom bologne. It was hearty, chewy, and filling. The meals were prepared by the couple over at one&supp.

Mixed veggies

Desserts are donated by random volunteers. Someone brought mini lemon muffins,

sweet tooth of the tiger made brownies,

I baked coconut macaroons,

whoopie pies looked a bit too intimidating for me,

same goes for the bread pudding, although it looks beautiful.

Masked figures pranced around the cafeteria at one point in a ritualistic dance awakening spring.

And sang a song.

This is about half the crowd. The line looped around the perimeter of the room at one point.

Loads of monies were made,

and piles of ballots were counted.

Winner receives a bag of cash.

Jeff the organizer with first FEAST winner Dan Funderburgh. Nice nails.

Next FEAST is May 9th. I might be too feasted out to attend this next one, I think I’ve volunteered enough hours and baked goods to last awhile. But you should attend with me and enjoy the food and entertainment and show your support.

Roos Arts opening this Saturday

Last weekend I had the privilege of visiting a friend in Rosendale upstate. I rolled around the grass imitating my pup and reveled in sweet reverie starring at trees and eating good food for 2 1/2 days. My writing experience was far less hectic and sporadic sitting outside in open air. There was nothing to distract me, only natural sweet vibes. There were ripples of pure relaxation and unfettered concentration. It was amazing.

But it wasn’t all fun and play. My friend is opening an art space in town called Roos Arts and its inaugural exhibition is this Saturday. The show is titled Meet & Cake and gathers friends working in various mediums and contexts. An excerpt from the release with images:

“This exhibition brings together parallel and unexpected ideas and practices.

In a painting by Meghan Petras, jagged red circles are melded together, suggesting an isolated and eroded chunk of stone.

Mark Gibson combines the dark bleakness of a cave with an oncoming stream of bright hues,

while Hannah Whitaker’s photograph of a spider web glitters with dewdrops, deceiving any assuming viewer of its faux creation.

While Giselle Potter’s portraits are nostalgic and silent, as if yearning for a by-gone era,

Karen Heagle’s figures are unabashed and seductive, frolicking voluptuous bodies that challenge our gaze.

Janaina Tschape’s balloons maneuver between rocks and mountains, moving with a conscious velocity that blends naturally into their environment.

Tamara Zahaykevich combines scraps and discarded materials to create sculptures bursting with playful colors while maintaining poetic abstraction. The works in “Meet & Cake” present personal expressions that give some clue to each of the artist’s identities and set up possibilities for alternate interpretations in this new context.”

Rosendale is abit over an hour to get from Grand Central, it’s a cozy cute town with bakeries and the stream and an abandoned railroad bridge. It’s all the quaint and quirk you can ask for, all wrapped in a mini vacation that I’m sure you need just as much as I did. The show runs thru May 30th. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you.

Homunculus: A Brooklyn EatEZ

A fews weeks ago I attended a supper club dinner hosted by my barista at Cafe Grumpy. It took place in a ground floor loft in Bushwick, in a space lit with candles and rustic romanticism. There was a table gathered with strangers (strangers to me at least, everyone else seemed to know each other) and the 3 hosts calmly scrambled around the kitchen preparing a 7 course meal for us hungry folk. I was hesitant only because it was slight pricey ($40 per person) and was skeptical the meal would make up for that empty space in my wallet. Luckily, I was proven wrong and was continually knocked off my feet with each dish plopped in front of me and my googly mouth.

First was the savory bread presented on the table. It was a mix of challah and foaccacia bread with caramelized onions and herbs. It was moist with subtle sweetness, crumbly but not falling apart in your mouth. It was a perfect start to the dinner.

Next up was a thick and sweet carrot soup, whose fennel and thyme elements sparked a complexity to the comfort food.

Most impressive I think of the meal was the charcuterie. We were instructed to start from one side and taste each house made crumbly cracker topped with in order: mushroom pate, cajuned pork, veal, pistachio pate, sherry and cassis chicken liver mousse, candied bacon (the best one!) with almon butter, and pickled radish and beet. Impressive no? Each piece varied in taste and texture, some creamy and indulgent, others smooth and delicate, and bursting with sour crunch.

We were still ranting raving about the charcuterie when out came the souffle. I’ve only had korean style souffle which was bland but comforting, and loved the resulting comfort of this asparagus, chvre & thyme souffle.

O and what’s this? a slice of cucumber?? Ah, a palate cleanser with peach/chive purree trickled on top to prepare you for the main course. How trickster.

I was half full by the time this main course rolld along, a beautiful filet mignon with celery and lemon grass purree. These medallions were so moist and juicy, slightly chewy and roll back your eyes in ecstasy good.

Our palate needed to be cleansed again, this time with the best salad I’ve ever tasted. This endive salad with fennael shavings, walnuts, temme de pomme goat cheese and “loft” dressing lifted my aversion towards salads, and I learned salad can in fact be creative and delicious.

Then of course, my favorite part of the meal, dessert. I was beyond full at this point and dazed with food coma but was ecstatic to see a slice of chocolate torte with ganache, candied hazelnuts and earl grey ice cream enticing me with its sexy sly demeanor. It had a brownie consistency that was less thick and more moist, the ganache pure chocolate in all its fantastic gooeyness. The ice cream was a great compliment, house made bitter tea that only emphasized the sweet indulgence the chocolate induced.

It was a fabulous dinner and can’t wait to eat more. You can contact Homunculus for future dates here: homunculuseatez@gmail.com