October 11, 2013
I recognized Kumar Pallana from his role in the movie The Royal Tenenbaums, and learned he had appearances in other Wes Anderson films. But I had no idea about the remarkable and remarkably rich life Pallana led, prior to him being in films.
Read More...
September 15, 2013
Disarm is an exhibit by sculptor Pedro Reyes, transforming decommissioned weapons into musical instruments. Extending a prior project where he converted over 1,000 guns into shovels, Reyes brings new life to these devices that were (once upon a time) designed to take lives.
Read More...
August 28, 2013
Though it’s dated, I found this old documentary about creating marbled paper to be really fascinating (and really soothing to boot). It’s surprising that such simple tools (colors, liquid, and rakes) can produce such interesting designs and patterns.
Read More...
August 12, 2013
This looks to be a really fascinating documentary, though it also looks like it would be really tough to sit through. I still haven’t gotten up the courage to watch The Cove yet, and some portions of the trailer strike me as being difficult to watch.
Read More...
July 28, 2013
About halfway through, I realized I had mentioned Kusama’s work before on here – as she was the artist behind the amazing Obliteration Room. Having just seen her most recent work in 2012, I’d be curious to know more about what she was making at the start of her career, some 50+ years ago.
Read More...
July 15, 2013
His film documents his six-month journey aboard a container ship, travelling between New York and Singapore via the Suze Canal. Combining both still image and video, the documentary covers a wide range of topics: the various jobs on board the ship, the precautions taken for fear of pirates in the Gulf of Aden, and the constant comfort/problem of monotony.
Read More...
June 12, 2013
I was so taken with the concept and the trailer, the moment I heard they were doing a Kickstarter campaign… I signed up to contribute. Though there has been a pretty long (almost a year) delay between when the funding was reached and kit showing up at my doorstep… I really don’t care. There were some large gaps where not a lot of info was shared regarding the doc, but work is still continuing, and the film is nearing completion. Even if I didn’t get any perks or prizes, I’d still have contributed – as I really just dug the concept, and what the filmmakers have done so far. Really can’t wait to see the finished film – been looking forward to it for some time now.
Read More...
May 11, 2013
And rumor has it that there might be a 3207 screening here in Chicago! Nothing definitive yet, but I’ll definitely post up something here if I find out anything for sure. I had a blast watching this documentary on my TV at home, and would love the chance to see it on the big screen.
Read More...
May 2, 2013
Oxyana is a documentary about Oceana, West Virginia. What once was a mining town has since turned into a city so inundated by the prescription drug Oxycontin that it’s now referred to as Oxyana.
Read More...
April 24, 2013
“I remember the feeling, the sense that we just really weren’t connected to anyone else’s reality. We were flying across the country, at a rate faster than anyone else was going for a constant time. So in a way, my view looking back now on it: I still can get back to that same feeling. I felt almost like we were hovering over the Earth, while we were driving. Whether it was a couple feet or a couple inches, it… there was a complete disconnect. “
Read More...
April 24, 2013
“I don’t race on weekends for trophies, I race because there is thrill in driving and satisfaction in winning. Going across country was no different to me.”
Read More...
April 24, 2013
In my research, I ended up finding a Google Talk that Alex gave back in 2008. I think it’s really worth watching, particularly if you’ve seen the documentary. As was the case in the documentary, I found Alex to be a highly charismatic, engaging person… and also a great public speaker. In his talk, he adds a lot of details that weren’t included in the film.
Read More...
March 2, 2013
De Ceulaer was interested in using plaster as “an end material,” and not just something used for making moulds. He tested out this approach by filling a balloon with plaster, and ended up with a fairly useless object that had perfectly smooth sides.
Read More...
February 21, 2013
Living across the street from an auction house, John Maloof ended up purchasing a box full of negatives for $380. From there, he discovered the work of Vivian Maier and began trying to unravel who she was – her history, and her passion for photography.
Read More...
January 16, 2013
That snare had a breaking strength of two tons. The dart was full of something called Telazol, brought to you by Pfizer, the same people who make Zoloft and Viagra. Next thing I know, I’m wearing a VHF collar and have my own radio frequency. They also gave me a number. I’m Bear 71.
Read More...