Art by J. Fiber, close up, ink on paper. Cloud Nine is open until May 13

Anyway, I was at this opening (I’ll have to borrow someone’s snap since I didn’t take any of the opening) and this show is called CLOUD NINE and it’s at this Billyburg gallery, The Front Room, and it’s crowded as shit, hot, the beers gone and I get introduced to this artist, Disney Nasa Borg, (?), and he’s a surfer but he looks like he’s from Road Warrior. So we’re gabbin’ about cold water when this angry little thing in glasses places herself in the middle of us, like a ref, looks up and says “excuse me but can I see the art?” and bulldozes her way to the big life size collage of a naked fat dude in a room encrusted with fast food wrappers. (by Cham Giobbi) She was a pisser that one. Why at an opening that is so damn crowded in a small room? It’s not like I haven’t seen it before but there is that simmering aggression of the desperate under appreciated artist that flowers in unlikely places. I appreciate her segway – so I went to the show the next day when the gallery was relatively quiet.

Photograph by Jung Nam Lee

The Believer* Style (in that it’s longish form)

So if I don’t think about some kind of intellectual joust with the establishment and society’s need to be numb that has been posited by the curatorial statement, I can be perfectly happy just looking at the work. CLOUD NINE, the group show at The Front Room is really kind of messily perfect. Larry Walczak has put together a gemutlichkeit floater of a show that just puts enough hard likker work to make the prettier work even prettier. Now don’t get bunched up because I said some of the work is pretty, for crissake I know it’s more than that. Hell, the photograph by Bruce Checefsky is drop dead beautiful, as is much of the work I have seen by Bruce. His waterless aquatic florals caught in light are mesmerizing as they are cinematic. The twisting graphic strands of bold color by Patricia Fabricant, emanating from a central stem flow outward in post psychedelic tendrils, and like Checefsky, clearly demonstrate meticulous attention to execution. I can see these pictures filling theater screens, and though Ms. Fabricant works in the tight design of book covers, Checefsky I know from the C.I.A., where I met him as the director of the Reinberger Gallery but really we connected when we talked about producing a Polish action film for the American market. He is an accomplished filmmaker, so it’s no great leap that his vision translates to any scale.

Art – Patricia Fabricant, gouache on paper. More work by the other artists below.

Already ginormous, conflicted send offs to historic painting are Cham Giobbi and Gregory de la Haba. Nothing held back here in either as these artists revel in excess above-the-line reference to the history of painting. Giobbi is allegorical in his true scale photo assemblage that would be a stand up version of Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon eating Mickey D’s while de la Haba figuratively alludes a hoodie Goya ghost on brick wails supported by a pall bearing foundation of the reverse halo of neon, a paean to Mike Kelley. These works both evoke curiosity, a thought bubble, because they utilize physical materials that are fearlessly hard to manage and layer them with images that pack a wallop. The ultimate juxto faces de la Haba’s moonlike hooded figures with Chris Clarey’s web-based gay porn blown up and mounted on stretcher bars like the expensive process it must surely be. The images run from more than real size to the tiniest of stamp-sized patterned wallpaper that on a close look, yep, are tiny little dirty pictures. Slick dick, that Chris Clarey.

Art – Gregory de la Haba, oil on mixed media, neon, 2012

Moving around in the gallery is truly loaded because each work in spite of their size deserves a separate scrutiny that would drive a writer to “essay” each one, but I can’t pay myself enough to do that. David Kramer’s classic 50’s-60’s style graphic sexy pulp style never ceases to please me with the satire that he injects with copy, and it doesn’t get in the way because his brushwork is spare and like his women, lush. I don’t really get Jeanne Tremel’s intimate abstraction on paper but I respect it. One could easily live with it, that I know, and learn the secret she imbues over time if one has the acuity. It’s easier to focus on more spectacular works but that doesn’t mean anything. An Indian miniature painted with a hair can illuminate a chunk of the universe. The tag team of J.Fiber (Jane Fine and James Esber) does that. The elaborate freeform meta-entrails wrap inside each other in a translation of the psychedelic experience as sexual as one can only try to imagine the freedom of allowance for anything to happen, happens. I can’t say they were skidelikked. I looked and it might just be the memory of intense mind altering substance disinhibition. The beauty is in not knowing the artist’s state since that is their spirit territory, and they know it. i’ll just say it’s worth the price to ponder. I do know that Jane Fine herself has delivered wondrous challenges for the viewer at Pierogi 2000, where she has shown consistently with distinction.

In the end, the truth is that looking at the work and writing about it is transformative only I really do not want to be the fusty critic with a toolbox of wrenches because that part is over for me. Chris Jehly’s explosive larger painting would on size and spectacle dominate the wall with a Fred Tomaselli and an Amy Hill but it doesn’t because the art holds it’s own, and Linda Ganjian’s intricate game piece sculpture in the center of the room anchors the exhibition with strategy that brings in the Lorella Paleni dreamscape, Brent Ridge’s Heaven or Hell, and Jesse Lambert’s floral life and death scape. The walls are only walls, the show is one, and if I have it right it’s made in Brooklyn, a place I cut my teeth on and now I know they were baby teeth. This show isn’t for babies, but it’s seriously playful, professional, and psychologically spacious.

Art – Jesse Lambert, paint on paper. More image loading through the show!

Art – Cham Giobbi, photo collage (left) and Lorella Paleni, oil on canvas (right)

What else can be said that the headline didn’t take care of? I can’t help it if there are times when art is just art and life is life and taking care of life or working on a film about doctors that I started and became all consuming and blotted out everything in it’s path? I suppose working on a documentary is another form of long-form journalism. It’s like I started it and it turned out I had to go to another country, medical country. But it’s our country and it’s our screwball heath non system and it effects everyone even if you don’t think it effects you. It does. It surely will. It has more to do with art as much as it does finance. It’s all connected. You’ll see.

Pharmacists art the new bartenders is by Lisa Levy (aka Dr. Lisa)

Mercer St. Medical Case Documentary Film Kickstarting Soon:
Synopsis: Dr. Daryl Isaacs is a celebrated family man and physician, a co-star of SUPER SIZE ME, and suddenly faced with financial ruin when he can no longer afford the rent of his sprawling, art-filled Soho practice. After 30 years of medicine and longer hour of work than ever, Dr. Isaacs hits the existential wall, because he’s a complicated creature, uniquely gifted in his calling, but the ground has shifted under his feet, and it’s America. Paul H-O, patient, filmmaker and friend, responds to Isaacs’ dilemma. Their connection is H-O’s film, Guest of Cindy Sherman. Isaacs was frantic, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. He’s not alone as we learn. He has a team of support in Dr. Sapna Westley, the younger partner. It’s “run and gun” verite with H-O embedded at the office for 2 months when Mercer Med goes homeless. That leads to a host of questions the GBM team attempt to answer in the unfolding story of life inside this unique facility. Has the “medical-industrial complex” eaten away at Mercer Medical, and will it survive? Are real family doctors a thing of the past?

Rising star artist, and MSM patient Brian Alfred, tells his story of his experience of the first time in his life that he had a family doctor, because he finally has access to insurance, but also has started a family of his own.

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Translation dubbed into English from the Italian and scraped up by this network. (bullshit) Let’s just say I had to tune the edit so lips and words almost sync up.

I go to see this show because veteran artist and facebook phenom, Judy Rifka, insisted I meet her there, a gallery I never noticed was there. I’d been on that street to see the skaters and bmxers in the railed platform park under the Manhattan Bridge. In fact, I love the location. There aren’t other galleries around and the hood reminds me of Flight of the Concords, which in fact, was filmed close by. Jesse Edwards is a funny, experienced street tagger artist with what I would assume is shred cred. That appeared through one comment on YTube and some asking around.

His work is quite engaging because it has the raw honesty of a thrift store home cooked still life memoir. There are compositions that include pot plants, lava lamps, guns, big boobed girls from the internet, Jesus, and one street fighting scene. There’s a variety of ceramics – very post 9/11, Occupy masks, spray cans, and vintage TV screens. He moved to New York from Seattle, and he still has the just-got-off-the-boat demeanor. He knows how to sling paint, and has a stubborn fundamental streak about virtuosity that reeks of the Ash Can School or Robert Henri. He didn’t slide out of the cookie cutter MFA art schools. He’s poppin’ fresh.

He needs to work on his descriptive banter but maybe this is the time to catch an artist on the cusp. He’ll become more of a pro and slick it up, but I liked him and the work has outlier soul.

The show is down so this is as close to it as you’re going to get, and the taping going the way it did, an experience you’d never have, thanks to Judy Rifka. She is such an enormous talent in more than just art, but the art of communication.

I rarely attend these museum parties anymore but I wanted to see this show, “150 Diverse Black Males”, and be in a crowd where I really didn’t know anyone. Turns out I knew about two, and met more, but I was an observer to another part of art culture that was a complex video/doc driven black male experience mash. I really wanted to see what, and who, were a part of producing this ambitious project of identity.

Installation View photo by H-O

As part of helping the effort, actor Delroy Lindo was up front and center to speak, then melted into the crowd. I wanted to meet Mr. Lindo, because he’s such a badass on the screen. Having a conversation either happened or it didn’t, but I could see that there was the camaraderie of people that all know very well what it is to play any part of a very good, community building concept that is just plain hard to construct. Art video is one thing, but art video that pointed to a kind of “every black man’s story” rolled into one is beautiful service when executed with a deft touch. A local 9th grade teacher, Elizabeth Trina, told me she had brought her class of 15 males to see the show and they were so stoked about it they couldn’t stop talking about it afterward. How cool is that?

Delroy Lindo, and gallerist/producer jack Shainman

The installation gallery and the party. All photos by H-O All rights reserved 2012

Episode 75 Part 1 of 3 (First time we meet Tracey Emin, empty room, unknown, chilly dealer bloke, can’t take a joke) lol
Same copy.

Episode 75 Part 2 of 3 (sometimes I wish I could have had more discretion)

Kristin and Spencer have been together since 1994 and we discuss our long ties with GalleryBeat and regale the audience with tales of hooking up, and taking it on the road. their unique bond as the Lollapalooza of partners/artists/parents. Classic early clips from GalleryBeat Television make this one truly bizarre, yet lovable! CHECK OUT SPENCER’S http://www.spencertunick.com/to see updates – and The Dead Sea Project. Also included on this show – Robin Cembalest of Artnews, Mrs.& Mr.: Kristin Bowler and Spencer Tunick, Ann Carr from the Web Series THE ACTRESS, Sanford Biggers and his big show at The BMuseum, and Dr. Daryl Isaacs, Head Physician of Mercer St. Medical. The show was taped in front of a live audience in the space-age wing of the museum, and it sounds like it.

Part of the live COOKING WITH GALLERYBEAT @ THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM. Part 3.YOUR HOSTS
PAUL H-O AND DR. LISA LEVY
WITH MUSIC BY
PAT DAUGHERTY New York Electric Piano

DIRECTOR - PAUL H-O

PRODUCERS
-SAMANTHA SCHALIFER
-LISA LEVY
-PAUL H-O

ASST. PRODUCERS
-DEBRA KOWALSKI
-TAMERA WEG

PRODUCER – EVENT FUNDRAISERS
-SONO OSATO
-PAUL H-O

CREATIVE TEAM
-PHIL BUEHLER
-LISA LEVY
-SAMANTHA SCHLAIFER
-DEBRA KOWALSKI
-TAMERA WEG
-SONO OSATO

CAMS AND AP
-ROGER ADAMS
-TZIPORAH EDERY
-KEATON VENTURA
-PAUL H-O

STILL PHOTOGRAPHY
-PHIL BUEHLER
-SAVANNAH SPIRIT
-JUNG NAM LEE

Sponsored by the
-BROOKLYN MUSEUM
-FILMLIKE’S GUEST OF CINDY SHERMAN
-RAFIK FILM AND VIDEO
-SUPERFINE
-RABBITHOLE STUDIOS
-SPACIAL REHAB
-SIXPOINT BREWERY
-CONCRETE TV
-GRAMERCY FLOWERS

Special thanks to all that contributed to this special event
-SALLY WILLIAMS – DIRECTOR OF PRESS RELATIONS BM
-MARCUS ROMERO – BM
-ADAM HUSTED – BM
-OSARO HEMENDEZ – BM
-JIM KELLY – BM
—ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAUL H-O GBM 2011

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The long simmering appetizer video, Cooking with GalleryBeat @ The Brooklyn Museum, Part 2 (shortie V.) with Robin Cembalest is the Chief Editor of ARTnews, the oldest and largest circulation art magazine in the world as she speaks of the history of art media, art, and her adventures chasing down stories. This dish also comes with teaser spots of GB guests Mrs.& Mr.: Kristin Bowler and Spencer Tunick, Ann Carr from the Web Series THE ACTRESS, Sanford Biggers and his big show at The BMuseum, and Dr. Daryl Isaacs, Head Physician of Mercer St. Medical. The show was taped in front of a live audience in the space-age wing of the museum, and it sounds like it. Hosted by Paul H-O and Dr. Lisa. For the full interview refer to CWGB@BM Part 2 full length. http://youtu.be/6TkF-QYLSr4 And thanks for watching, you rock!

As usual, YOU, and a lot of good artists out in the cold again. Hey look it’s VINCENT GALLO! WERNER HERZOG! ANGELINA JOLIE! Man, this is great, The good times are back for the lean mean WhitBi machine. Vincent Gallo? I have to look and see what his art looks like. I’ll get into that later, if it matters at that point, this list just came out of the Press Office. H-O

Kai Althoff, Thom Andersen, Charles Atlas, Lutz Bacher, Forrest Bess (paintings selected by artist Robert Gober), Michael Clark, Dennis Cooper and Gisèle Vienne, Cameron Crawford, Moyra Davey, Liz Deschenes, Nathaniel Dorsky, Nicole Eisenman, Kevin Jerome Everson, Vincent Fecteau, Andrea Fraser, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Vincent Gallo, K8 Hardy, Richard Hawkins, Werner Herzog, Jerome Hiler, Matt Hoyt, Dawn Kasper, Mike Kelley, John Kelsey, John Knight, Jutta Koether, George Kuchar, Laida Lertxundi, Kate Levant, Sam Lewitt, Joanna Malinowska, Andrew Masullo, Nick Mauss, Richard Maxwell, Sarah Michelson, Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran, Laura Poitras, Matt Porterfield, Luther Price, Lucy Raven, The Red Krayola, Kelly Reichardt, Elaine Reichek, Michael Robinson, Georgia Sagri, Michael E. Smith, Tom Thayer, Wu Tsang, Oscar Tuazon, and Frederick Wiseman.