art
I hope everyone's holidays are going well. Last post of the year.
I was serious about wanting to go to that Pervenche gig on the 28th, so I'm bringing it up again. Check my calendar for details and/or call me.
When I return from vacation mode, I'd like to go to this. "Out the Window - Spaces of Distraction" is an exhibition of multimedia art with fifty-seven artists from Japan, China and South Korea; it's being held at the Japan Foundation Forum in Akasaka starting 10 January. "Many of the selected participants are budding artists whose work will be shown in Japan for the first time and who offer a glimpse of the ever-changing East Asian art scene through their latest creations." In connection to this exhibition, there will be an "Artist's Talk Marathon" from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the 10th, and two events at Super Deluxe on the evenings of the 9th and 10th (Performance Night and Sound Session Night respectively, both featuring artists and musicians connected to the exhibition). And if I keep telling myself that Super Deluxe is in Nishi Azabu instead of Roppongi, I might even convince myself to go.
Hold my hand, will you?
Friday, December 26, 2003
Friday, December 19, 2003
Something
crap
Oh hell no. You want to see a picture of the Dandy? A very very bad picture?
Here. Scroll down to the second item. I'm the one who looks heavily sedated (long, black hair). Yeah. Remember that audition notice I posted about "Proof"? I auditioned my own self and got cast as Catherine. I didn't even have to sleep with anyone. I was sort of conflicted about the whole thing: on the one hand, I think acting can be silly and stupid; on the other hand, it's also challenging and a lot of fun. I'm talking cast parties, people. (I also have to admit that the story seemed real to me because I can honestly relate to people who've had close family members go "bughouse" on them.)
Anyway, I'll tell you more when we get closer to the run. In the meantime, please resist the temptation to Photoshop my head onto other people's bodies. Danke, darlings.
Oh hell no. You want to see a picture of the Dandy? A very very bad picture?
Here. Scroll down to the second item. I'm the one who looks heavily sedated (long, black hair). Yeah. Remember that audition notice I posted about "Proof"? I auditioned my own self and got cast as Catherine. I didn't even have to sleep with anyone. I was sort of conflicted about the whole thing: on the one hand, I think acting can be silly and stupid; on the other hand, it's also challenging and a lot of fun. I'm talking cast parties, people. (I also have to admit that the story seemed real to me because I can honestly relate to people who've had close family members go "bughouse" on them.)
Anyway, I'll tell you more when we get closer to the run. In the meantime, please resist the temptation to Photoshop my head onto other people's bodies. Danke, darlings.
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Ark of the Covenant
dandy
I'd say I've been a slacker for not updating, but that's not really true. I've been swamped since...well, September, but really really swamped for the past month or so. I've gained this weird twitch in my right eye because I've been getting little-to-no-sleep lately. I'm a freak! And because of my crazy schedule, I've had no free time to do other stuff and hence no motivation to look for stuff-to-do.
So no Dandy for you.
(All this may sound like whining, but I'm having a ball! I really am.)
I just came back to document one thing. Do you remember how I mentioned here that some people claimed that the Ark of the Covenant was hidden in Shikoku? Here's more information on that. Via Fark.
Because I feel guilty and want to give you something to read, I'm cutting and pasting a story I told people about this scary baby I kept seeing around Tokyo. (You may have read it already.) Keep an eye out for this little freak of nature. Okay, here:
You know, there's this baby I've seen around the city TWICE now and it is damn fucking creepy. You know those pictures of Mary and Jesus where Jesus is a weird, tiny size and supposed to be a baby but is not painted with baby proportions so he ends up looking like a pygmy with a crown? The baby looks like that. The first time I saw it, it was across the crosswalk from me with its mother. And I remember saying out loud, "What the fuck is that?" And then it started pointing directly at me—I swear!—and saying something to it's mother. And the mother started saying something to it, and they were going back and forth like that for over two minutes. (The light was taking a long time.) And it didn't look like the kind of conversation one has with a baby. They looked like they were speaking complete, long and diabolic sentences. I imagined the baby speaking with a British accent (like on "Family Guy") and telling the mother how it wants to kill me. And I can imagine the mother trying to talk it out of killing me, pleading for my life even though she doesn't know me. Anyway, then the light turned green and I tried to walk diagonally so as to avoid them. The next time I saw them (in a completely different part of town!), we were across the crosswalk from each other again and, as I passed them, I kept saying to myself, "Don't look up. Don't make eye contact." So it didn't notice I was there.
Anyway, sorry for that long story. I just thought you should know, just in case they fish my body out of Tokyo Bay and find tiny bite marks on my ankles.
I'd say I've been a slacker for not updating, but that's not really true. I've been swamped since...well, September, but really really swamped for the past month or so. I've gained this weird twitch in my right eye because I've been getting little-to-no-sleep lately. I'm a freak! And because of my crazy schedule, I've had no free time to do other stuff and hence no motivation to look for stuff-to-do.
So no Dandy for you.
(All this may sound like whining, but I'm having a ball! I really am.)
I just came back to document one thing. Do you remember how I mentioned here that some people claimed that the Ark of the Covenant was hidden in Shikoku? Here's more information on that. Via Fark.
Because I feel guilty and want to give you something to read, I'm cutting and pasting a story I told people about this scary baby I kept seeing around Tokyo. (You may have read it already.) Keep an eye out for this little freak of nature. Okay, here:
You know, there's this baby I've seen around the city TWICE now and it is damn fucking creepy. You know those pictures of Mary and Jesus where Jesus is a weird, tiny size and supposed to be a baby but is not painted with baby proportions so he ends up looking like a pygmy with a crown? The baby looks like that. The first time I saw it, it was across the crosswalk from me with its mother. And I remember saying out loud, "What the fuck is that?" And then it started pointing directly at me—I swear!—and saying something to it's mother. And the mother started saying something to it, and they were going back and forth like that for over two minutes. (The light was taking a long time.) And it didn't look like the kind of conversation one has with a baby. They looked like they were speaking complete, long and diabolic sentences. I imagined the baby speaking with a British accent (like on "Family Guy") and telling the mother how it wants to kill me. And I can imagine the mother trying to talk it out of killing me, pleading for my life even though she doesn't know me. Anyway, then the light turned green and I tried to walk diagonally so as to avoid them. The next time I saw them (in a completely different part of town!), we were across the crosswalk from each other again and, as I passed them, I kept saying to myself, "Don't look up. Don't make eye contact." So it didn't notice I was there.
Anyway, sorry for that long story. I just thought you should know, just in case they fish my body out of Tokyo Bay and find tiny bite marks on my ankles.
Monday, December 08, 2003
Southeast Asian Film Festival
film
Note that the Avicon post has been updated.
Also, there's this: the Southeast Asian Film Festival. It started on the 5th and will continue until the 14th at the Japan Foundation Forum, Akasaka Twin Tower. The linked sites are in Japanese, but an English description of the event can currently be found here.
Tonight's the only night I can go, but they're showing An Army of Peace, a documentary about a peace march by Buddhist monks through former Khmer Rouge territory in Cambodia, and The Red Lotus, described as a simple love story that also captures different aspects of Laotian life and culture. The film was made for only 5000 U.S. dollars...which makes me wonder how my brother managed to squander the financial backing I gave him for his 20-minute senior thesis... Feh.
Here's the schedule for the rest of the festival. Films marked with a star will have both Japanese and English subtitles. Tickets are 1000 yen at the door.
Note that the Avicon post has been updated.
Also, there's this: the Southeast Asian Film Festival. It started on the 5th and will continue until the 14th at the Japan Foundation Forum, Akasaka Twin Tower. The linked sites are in Japanese, but an English description of the event can currently be found here.
Tonight's the only night I can go, but they're showing An Army of Peace, a documentary about a peace march by Buddhist monks through former Khmer Rouge territory in Cambodia, and The Red Lotus, described as a simple love story that also captures different aspects of Laotian life and culture. The film was made for only 5000 U.S. dollars...which makes me wonder how my brother managed to squander the financial backing I gave him for his 20-minute senior thesis... Feh.
Here's the schedule for the rest of the festival. Films marked with a star will have both Japanese and English subtitles. Tickets are 1000 yen at the door.
Friday, December 05, 2003
Japan Times?
event
Because of other plans, I don't know if I'm really going to this; I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about it.
If you got the Japan Times today, there was a little "bulletin board" message on the bottom of the second page announcing "Bush's alleged Afghan war crimes face wrath of 'tribunal.'" According to a past article, Akira Maeda, a professor at Tokyo Zokei University "proposed the idea of a civic tribunal in February," a la Bertrand Russell, because he decided that "unless war crimes and relevant legal concerns are properly addressed, the arguments [against the war] will remain unconvincing." The article later mentions that the organizers "also believe Japan is responsible," but due to time constraints, they'll be focusing their arguments on Bush's actions. Okee dokee.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Afghanistan, scheduled for the 13th and 14th of December, is linked with the International Action Center, an organization that works "against U.S. imperialism, for people's needs" and that was formed by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark. (You can read more about their work on their website.) The Tribunal has been holding public hearings all over Japan (and even in Manila) since December of last year. For this month's trial, families of both Afghanistan and the September 11 attacks will be on the witness stand, testifying that "Bush's war was not what they wanted."
I have to say that this sounds almost surreal. Especially this part: "Amicus Curiae will be debating on behalf of U.S. President George W. Bush and his attorneys." Yeah. I mean, what Bush supporter in his or her right mind would even go to something like this? Maeda might get all Jerry Springer on their ass. (I'd pay to see that, actually.) But would this Amicus Curiae put up much of a fight? Would they be better or worse than an interested party at defending the president? You see the concern here? This whole thing will probably be preaching to the converted and may not provide much of a debate, but it's possible that you could learn a little bit about international law in the process. And won't that be relevant to your major when you go back to school? Yes. Yes, it will.
The trial will be held at Kudan Kaikan (near Kudanshita stn, [map]), admission is 2000 yen for one day or 3000 for both, and doors open at 10 a.m. An English translation will be available.
As always: Punch and pie. (Heh. Shut up. It never gets old.)
Because of other plans, I don't know if I'm really going to this; I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about it.
If you got the Japan Times today, there was a little "bulletin board" message on the bottom of the second page announcing "Bush's alleged Afghan war crimes face wrath of 'tribunal.'" According to a past article, Akira Maeda, a professor at Tokyo Zokei University "proposed the idea of a civic tribunal in February," a la Bertrand Russell, because he decided that "unless war crimes and relevant legal concerns are properly addressed, the arguments [against the war] will remain unconvincing." The article later mentions that the organizers "also believe Japan is responsible," but due to time constraints, they'll be focusing their arguments on Bush's actions. Okee dokee.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Afghanistan, scheduled for the 13th and 14th of December, is linked with the International Action Center, an organization that works "against U.S. imperialism, for people's needs" and that was formed by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark. (You can read more about their work on their website.) The Tribunal has been holding public hearings all over Japan (and even in Manila) since December of last year. For this month's trial, families of both Afghanistan and the September 11 attacks will be on the witness stand, testifying that "Bush's war was not what they wanted."
I have to say that this sounds almost surreal. Especially this part: "Amicus Curiae will be debating on behalf of U.S. President George W. Bush and his attorneys." Yeah. I mean, what Bush supporter in his or her right mind would even go to something like this? Maeda might get all Jerry Springer on their ass. (I'd pay to see that, actually.) But would this Amicus Curiae put up much of a fight? Would they be better or worse than an interested party at defending the president? You see the concern here? This whole thing will probably be preaching to the converted and may not provide much of a debate, but it's possible that you could learn a little bit about international law in the process. And won't that be relevant to your major when you go back to school? Yes. Yes, it will.
The trial will be held at Kudan Kaikan (near Kudanshita stn, [map]), admission is 2000 yen for one day or 3000 for both, and doors open at 10 a.m. An English translation will be available.
As always: Punch and pie. (Heh. Shut up. It never gets old.)
Watarium
art
It's been a while since I've been to Watarium for anything other than the downstairs shop.
But they've got three exhibits running right now that I'd like to see, not the least of which is "I Love Art: part 7," displaying works by Keith Haring, Nam June Paik and Fabrice Hybert. Frankly, I don't know what the connection is, but ain't it grand? My fascination with both video art and weirdo robots draws me to Nam June Paik in particular, all Fluxus-representin' in Asia. Meanwhile, this review of Fabrice Hybert's Watarium exhibit two years ago has piqued my interest in his "prototype d'objet en fonctionnement." It almost sounds like a euphemism. For what? Don't know. As for Keith Haring? Well, er, he's famous...eh? And, um...we dig his condoms.
The other two exhibits are of the product designs of Russian artist Alexander Rodchenko, who is also well-known as a Constructivist painter and photographer (it'd be better to see his photographs, but I'll take what I can get), and the drawings of Japanese artist Kaoru Arima, whose work leans toward twisted eccentricity, but not without a sense of humor.
All of these exhibits end in mid-April of next year, so we can take our time. As always, it's 1000 yen to get in, including repeat visits for as long as the exhibit is running.
It's been a while since I've been to Watarium for anything other than the downstairs shop.
But they've got three exhibits running right now that I'd like to see, not the least of which is "I Love Art: part 7," displaying works by Keith Haring, Nam June Paik and Fabrice Hybert. Frankly, I don't know what the connection is, but ain't it grand? My fascination with both video art and weirdo robots draws me to Nam June Paik in particular, all Fluxus-representin' in Asia. Meanwhile, this review of Fabrice Hybert's Watarium exhibit two years ago has piqued my interest in his "prototype d'objet en fonctionnement." It almost sounds like a euphemism. For what? Don't know. As for Keith Haring? Well, er, he's famous...eh? And, um...we dig his condoms.
The other two exhibits are of the product designs of Russian artist Alexander Rodchenko, who is also well-known as a Constructivist painter and photographer (it'd be better to see his photographs, but I'll take what I can get), and the drawings of Japanese artist Kaoru Arima, whose work leans toward twisted eccentricity, but not without a sense of humor.
All of these exhibits end in mid-April of next year, so we can take our time. As always, it's 1000 yen to get in, including repeat visits for as long as the exhibit is running.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
British Embassy Choir
music
First thing's first. Yo La Tengo have still got it. (Er...that wasn't meant to be a pun...) They were great last night, with a stamina rivaling that of Jon Brion. They have one more performance tonight, so go if you can...even though they're sold out. Mind you, the Dandy does not condone buying from scalpers. However, the Dandy does condone sneaking in through the back, risking embarrassment and possibly even arrest. Do it. You'll be popular.
Okay, so I may as well remind myself that the British Embassy Choir is performing their Christmas Concerts at three different locations this month: the Candian Embassy Theatre (on the 12th), Meiji Gakuin University Chapel (the 14th) and St. Ignatius Church (the 16th). More information (including maps) can be found on the choir's brand-spankin' new website. Note that admission is free, but as always, they'll be taking a collection for charity (The Terry Fox Cancer Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and UNIFEM).
I'd like to go to the first one since a friend of mine will be singing and my voice teacher will be a soloist. (Yay!) It's also another friend's last night in Tokyo, and we look forward to the mayhem that tends to accompany such a night. So, yeah, if you decide to go to that one, say hi.
First thing's first. Yo La Tengo have still got it. (Er...that wasn't meant to be a pun...) They were great last night, with a stamina rivaling that of Jon Brion. They have one more performance tonight, so go if you can...even though they're sold out. Mind you, the Dandy does not condone buying from scalpers. However, the Dandy does condone sneaking in through the back, risking embarrassment and possibly even arrest. Do it. You'll be popular.
Okay, so I may as well remind myself that the British Embassy Choir is performing their Christmas Concerts at three different locations this month: the Candian Embassy Theatre (on the 12th), Meiji Gakuin University Chapel (the 14th) and St. Ignatius Church (the 16th). More information (including maps) can be found on the choir's brand-spankin' new website. Note that admission is free, but as always, they'll be taking a collection for charity (The Terry Fox Cancer Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and UNIFEM).
I'd like to go to the first one since a friend of mine will be singing and my voice teacher will be a soloist. (Yay!) It's also another friend's last night in Tokyo, and we look forward to the mayhem that tends to accompany such a night. So, yeah, if you decide to go to that one, say hi.
Friday, November 28, 2003
AVICON
videoart
Next month, Videoart Center Tokyo will be presenting Avicon 2003, an Asian Videoart Conference.
I don't know about you, but videoart makes me laugh. It makes me giggle uncomfortably and squirm in my seat. Sometimes it makes me guffaw. Other times? Just smirk. But when it's good, really good, it makes me think. As you can tell from this web log, I'm very wordy, so I can appreciate when an artist possesses the ability to effectively communicate through image-manipulation rather than pure babble. I'm also particularly interested in analyzing how the symbolism used by certain artists relates to their culture. But, since it's been a medium largely dominated by "westerners" for so long, our overused cultural symbols seem to me to have turned the medium a little stale. Fresh perspectives by Asian artists could be one remedy. Barring all that, if they turn out to be pretty bad, I can just sit there feeling all superior and shit.
The conference will take place from 13 to 23 December at Pola Museum Gallery. Polar? Paula? No idea. (I hate Katakana.) It's in Ginza, anyway. Here's a map. Tickets are 800 yen for one program or 4000 yen for a free pass. Hopefully, they'll get their act together and launch the promised English version of the site, but you can find a Japanese schedule here. Notice that they have some Telepidemic programs planned.
There'll also be a four-day English workshop held at out-lounge under the subject "Urbanism as Media." You can read more about the call for participants here (both artists and auditors).
Update 12/8: English version of the site. Also, it's being held at the Pola Museum Annex. The site for the main Pola Museum is here. (When in doubt, check Pole Pole.)
Next month, Videoart Center Tokyo will be presenting Avicon 2003, an Asian Videoart Conference.
I don't know about you, but videoart makes me laugh. It makes me giggle uncomfortably and squirm in my seat. Sometimes it makes me guffaw. Other times? Just smirk. But when it's good, really good, it makes me think. As you can tell from this web log, I'm very wordy, so I can appreciate when an artist possesses the ability to effectively communicate through image-manipulation rather than pure babble. I'm also particularly interested in analyzing how the symbolism used by certain artists relates to their culture. But, since it's been a medium largely dominated by "westerners" for so long, our overused cultural symbols seem to me to have turned the medium a little stale. Fresh perspectives by Asian artists could be one remedy. Barring all that, if they turn out to be pretty bad, I can just sit there feeling all superior and shit.
The conference will take place from 13 to 23 December at Pola Museum Gallery. Polar? Paula? No idea. (I hate Katakana.) It's in Ginza, anyway. Here's a map. Tickets are 800 yen for one program or 4000 yen for a free pass. Hopefully, they'll get their act together and launch the promised English version of the site, but you can find a Japanese schedule here. Notice that they have some Telepidemic programs planned.
There'll also be a four-day English workshop held at out-lounge under the subject "Urbanism as Media." You can read more about the call for participants here (both artists and auditors).
Update 12/8: English version of the site. Also, it's being held at the Pola Museum Annex. The site for the main Pola Museum is here. (When in doubt, check Pole Pole.)
Wednesday, November 26, 2003
Lenne's Homeless Benefit
event
So, you know Lenne Hardt? She's organizing a homeless benefit for tomorrow night at Bar Isn't It?...in that place I avoid like the plague, Roppongi. Anything for charity, right?
Instead of the regular Tokyo Comedy Store show this week, Lenne, TCS comedians and other Tokyo-based performers (including Guy Perryman, Hakoita Bossa Nova Duo and Akaoni Daiko) will be taking the stage to raise money for Food Bank Japan.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., the show starts at 7 p.m. and admission is 2000 yen (including one drink). Attendees are encouraged to donate more, if they can. They'll also be collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper and other useful items to be distributed through Food Bank.
If you can't make it, but would still like to help, contact information (including account info for financial donations) can be found here.
So, you know Lenne Hardt? She's organizing a homeless benefit for tomorrow night at Bar Isn't It?...in that place I avoid like the plague, Roppongi. Anything for charity, right?
Instead of the regular Tokyo Comedy Store show this week, Lenne, TCS comedians and other Tokyo-based performers (including Guy Perryman, Hakoita Bossa Nova Duo and Akaoni Daiko) will be taking the stage to raise money for Food Bank Japan.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., the show starts at 7 p.m. and admission is 2000 yen (including one drink). Attendees are encouraged to donate more, if they can. They'll also be collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper and other useful items to be distributed through Food Bank.
If you can't make it, but would still like to help, contact information (including account info for financial donations) can be found here.
Friday, November 21, 2003
Dining Room
Audition
Help. I'm drowning in a sea of actors. And strange actor-type people.
I just got this e-mail, and if you've been toying with the idea of trying out for a play, pay attention.
The auditions for TIP's production of A.R. Gurney's "The Dining Room" are coming up in January. And the reason they're giving such an advanced notice is that the director is requesting two monologues for your audition. Don't freak out, though. They're not required, but they'd help. One of the guys in the next show, "Proof," told me that he auditioned for that with something from Colin's Movie Monologue Page. (It was his first audition ever.) And while you probably shouldn't do that for professional gigs, there's really no room for snobbery in community theater. (Still, if you can't shake the doubts, you can go here for links to monologue sites or buy a ridiculously over-priced monologue book from Kinokuniya.)
Here's the skinny:
Sunday, January 11th, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday, January 12th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 13th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
All auditions are on the 4th floor of Tokyo American Club.
Please prepare two contrasting monologues of no more than 2 minutes each.
Performance dates are March 12th, 13th, and 14th. (Plan to also be available on the 10th and 11th.)
For more information, contact David Neale at [Um...I don't want personal phone numbers on this site, so I deleted it. Contact him through TIP.]
We did "The Dining Room" at my high school. It really sucked. But as I mentioned before, this is the director who managed to make me like "Godspell," a musical that, for years, made me want to spit upon the very mention of it. If that isn't saying something...
Edited 11/25: adding that monologues are requested rather than required and changing the audition location from TAC's 5th floor (which doesn't exist) to it's 4th.
Help. I'm drowning in a sea of actors. And strange actor-type people.
I just got this e-mail, and if you've been toying with the idea of trying out for a play, pay attention.
The auditions for TIP's production of A.R. Gurney's "The Dining Room" are coming up in January. And the reason they're giving such an advanced notice is that the director is requesting two monologues for your audition. Don't freak out, though. They're not required, but they'd help. One of the guys in the next show, "Proof," told me that he auditioned for that with something from Colin's Movie Monologue Page. (It was his first audition ever.) And while you probably shouldn't do that for professional gigs, there's really no room for snobbery in community theater. (Still, if you can't shake the doubts, you can go here for links to monologue sites or buy a ridiculously over-priced monologue book from Kinokuniya.)
Here's the skinny:
Sunday, January 11th, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday, January 12th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 13th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
All auditions are on the 4th floor of Tokyo American Club.
Please prepare two contrasting monologues of no more than 2 minutes each.
Performance dates are March 12th, 13th, and 14th. (Plan to also be available on the 10th and 11th.)
For more information, contact David Neale at [Um...I don't want personal phone numbers on this site, so I deleted it. Contact him through TIP.]
We did "The Dining Room" at my high school. It really sucked. But as I mentioned before, this is the director who managed to make me like "Godspell," a musical that, for years, made me want to spit upon the very mention of it. If that isn't saying something...
Edited 11/25: adding that monologues are requested rather than required and changing the audition location from TAC's 5th floor (which doesn't exist) to it's 4th.
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