Music Friday: PS22 Chorus, Lisztomania by Phoenix

It's true...I cannot seem to not post on Phoenix every few weeks. I've written about them here and here and now in this post but honestly, I cannot think of a single person who dislikes their sound...hence all this posting, and after all, I like their sound. It's really magical. What's even more magical is when the arts in public schools meets contemporary culture. In an age where budget after budget is cut I cannot help but feel sad that generations of kids could be without strong arts programs.

If you have 19 minutes, and I hope you do, watch this video from Ted and Sir Ken Robinson about education and learning. There are so many good points about how the mind works, how we have treated education and why the arts are important. And if you don't have 19 minutes watch the PS22 rendition of Phoenix's Lisztomania and you'll see why the arts are important.



Hopefully you didn't skip the video above but this is awesome too:



Always more to come.

Have a good weekend.

Epilogue: SPE Philadelphia 2010.11

SPE National 2010 was another amazing experience. It's been a year or two since I met as many people as I did on this trip. Below I posted a few cards from all the people I talked to - about who they were, where they were from and mostly, their work. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to post a little bit more about their current happenings. Everything I saw was pretty fantastic.

This year I can't say enough good things about SPE in general. There were a few mumblings about how nobody was going to attend a conference on diversity but based on the turnout, I believe that didn't keep people away. And yes, if you're wondering, I have no official data to back this claim up but it seemed to me, as years go, it was a pretty full event.

There were some really great lectures on everything from eduction to Nicéphore Niépce and random artifacts now being persevered in his former house in Saint-Loup de Varennes. I went to as many events as I could but every year so many go unattended dude to scheduling but I tried to get in as many as possible. Lots of good stuff there.

The portfolio reviews and the curator walk though were as strong as ever. Each year I swear the curator walkthrough gets more and more popular. This year there was still tons of people looking at work as the dance party took off. Normally it's over far before the legendary dance party. It's really cool to see so many people looking at work.

Anyway, check out the cards below and look for a few postings featuring the work of the owner in the future. On a related note, if your reading this and for one reason or another we didn't exchange cards and you would like me to write a little something about your work, drop me a line and we work something out.

SPE National Conference 2010: Fin.

SPE Philadelphia 2010.10

Open portfolio walkthrough:

SPE Philadelphia 2010.09

Open portfolio walkthrough:

SPE Philadelphia 2010.08

The Green Room: Portfolio reviews.

SPE Philadelphia 2010.07

The view from the Marriott @ 7:30am. Not the greatest but at SPE it's really not what goes on outside the hotel as much as what's going on within. Looking forward to seeing a much art as I can on this last day. Cheers.

SPE Philadelphia 2010.06

SPE Friday night...

SPE Philadelphia 2010.05

Tom Fisher introducing the featured speakers Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie and Veronica Passalacqua.

SPE Philadelphia 2010.03

Just attended a lecture by guggenheim recipient Osamu James Nakagawa. Really interesting work in Okinawa, Japan. You can see more of his work here:

Osamu James Nakagawa

SPE Philadelphia 2010.02

Two really good quotes by Don Gregorio Anton from his lecture "It Is Not What You Teach, But Who You Teach."

Most of our fears are other peoples experiences.

Each head is it's own world.
Don Gregorio Anton's Grandmother

(I beleive the quotes are really
Close to being right)

SPE Philadelphia 2010.01

Showroom floor...

SPE Philadelphia 2010

So the SPE story goes...tons of stuff going on and while I won't be writing a lot I am going to post some quick shots frome the ole phone...onward!

SPE National confrence 2010

SPE UPDATE: blogging may be postponed due the fact that Internet is highly overpriced at the hotel. Affordable Internet: fail.

Maybe more to come...

Prologue: SPE 2010, Philadelphia

It's that time again when photographers and educators make the yearly pilgrimage to SPE. This year it's Philadelphia that will be overrun with camera-toting-art-loving scholars from all over. I again will be setting fourth with confidant and fellow educator Kyle Ford.



From Thursday to Sunday look back here for a liveblog covering as many events/people/things I can write about. And if you're actually going to be there then drop me a note and let me know....a frothy ale might be in order to conclude a day filled with wondrous art, perhaps we can fetch a pint together (Patrick, I'm looking at you, I owe you one).

Until then, many things are afoot and precious time to attend to them. So be patient, if you can, and look back here on Thursday for the happenings of SPE National Conference 2010.

Cheers.

Music Friday: A Commercial?

Yes, I know, a departure from a musically acclaimed artist this Friday because I thought I'd drop this viral commercial sweeping the interweb. This thing is really all over, taking things by storm (see here, here and here). And see below:



I wouldn't normally post on something like this but I found this 20 min segment where they talk to the creators. They work for Wieden + Kennedy and go into some details as they break it down. A lot of little facts here and there about how they made this commercial (which I'm sure most of you knew already knew) but there is one little fact that is thrown out there that is interesting, and the whole reason why I bring it up.



The real kicker about the spot (I'll save you the suspense I guess, unless you want to watch it, or already did) is that it's one shot. No CG. In a world that seems CG dependent it's like a throw back to a Wes Anderson film (think Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, but even then there's still CG). So I'm applauding that it was for the most part CG free. Good stuff there.

Anyway, have a good weekend out there. And if anyone is counting, 5 days until SPE, who's going?

Happy Olympics!

Cheers!