Ryoji Ikeda / Skoltz_Kolgen / Alog / Richard Chartier / William Basinski - all Performing in SF

Official Ryoji Ikeda site


Those of you who know the work of digital minimalist composer Ryoji Ikeda also no doubt know of the rarity of his US performances and recognize this as the opportunity it is to be aurally & visually stunned. Especially in the case of the surround performances. Sadly, not happening in my town and I was just in SF a month ago and won't be able to attend these shows. Breaks my heart. If you live in the Bay Area the word I would use is Unmissable!

Recombinant Media Labs Ryoji Ikeda site


Montreal multimedia maestros Skoltz_Kolgen will be perfoming a new audio/video piece in SF a week later as well as an exhibit of their installation piece "Aaska" which was premiered at Mutek last year in the Museum of Contemporary Art and was a thing of beauty. Making for another couple nights of unmissable sound/video arts.


Recombinant Media Labs Skoltz_Kolgen site


If that aint enough Rune Grammofon artists Alog from Norway are perfoming in the SF Electronic Music Fest that same week along with James Tenney among others:

SF Electronic Music Fest site


...And Richard Chartier, William Basinski, Tim Hecker and Frank Bretschneider are performing as part of the 'Bleeding Edge Fest' along with a number of other quality names in a diverse bill of good avant-rock and exceptional electronic sounds:

Bleeding Edge Fest site


I shoulda invested in that time machine and moved to San Francisco six months ago.
Fark.

Lead Pencil / Lawrimore Project : 'Maryhill Double' Installation / 'If These Walls' Opening

Once again Lead Pencil go about their ingenius work of blurring the definitions of architecture and installation - best read the details at the site rather than me getting all wordy on it - this one being out in the middle of nowhere aka the Columbia Gorge. Future roadtrip in order!

Lead Pencil 'Maryhill Double' Installation site


SuttonBeresCuller - If These Walls 'Revelation Ceremony' - Opening July 15. Yep, a bit post-event on this one, but if you've ever had the joy of seeing the mobile installations by SuttonBeresCuller such as 'There Goes the Neighborhood' or their 'Trailer Park' out and about town, this is an opportunity to witness more of their work - albeit in a 'bug caught under glass' ( ie: presented in a gallery) sort of way that takes away the situationalist-public-interraction aspect that I find to be my fave thing about their various works. The Lawrimore is an attractive gallery and certainly shows much promise for future shows, no surprise in the fact that the space was designed by Lead Pencil.

Lawrimore Project - SuttonBeresCuller site

New Films by : Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Yoji Yamada, Cristi Puiu - at NWFF & Landmark

Seems like cinema is the only thing I've been writing on as of recent - probably due to there being an abundance of films like these going on - all return engagements of some of my SIFF faves from this year:

The new Hou Hsiao-Hsien is at the NWFF - just saw it last night - man is it ever slooooow, but good. More methodical than his last two "Millenium Mambo" and "Cafe Lumier" and more varied in style - reflecting each of the three 'times' depicted - 1966 - 1911 - 2005. Prepare for the clock to stop. Serious.


"Three Times" site w/ Trailer


Yoji Yamada's second film in the trilogy after "Twilight Samurai" another beautifully shot quiet examination of the struggle of the individual vs. the feudal institution - at the Landmark - Varsity 7/13 - 20:


"Hidden Blade" site w/ Trailer


Cristi Puiu's Cannes award winning film "Death of Mr. Lazarescu" brutal examination of a man's slow corporeal decline - sounds painful to watch and it is, but pretty incomparable cinema experience too. Landmark - Varsity 7/28 - 8/3


"Death of Mr. Lazarescu" site

Cannes Films Festival + Cinema Miscellanea

Yeps, so ok lotsa cool stuff was at Cannes this year. These being the prize winners this time around. Bummer that like none of them made it into the West Coast SIFF/SFIFF Fests. Was hoping we'd at least get the Almodovar:


Palme d' Or - Ken Loach "The Wind That Shakes The Barley"
Best Actress and Best Screenplay - Pedro Almodovar "Volver"
Best Director - Alejandro González Iñárritu's "Babel"
Jury Prize - Andrea Arnold "Red Road"
Camera d'Or - Corneliu Porumboiu "A Fost Sau n-a Fost?"
Un Certain Regard - Chao Wang "Luxury Car"

Looking forward to many of these appearing over the coming year stateside! And here's more Infos on some personal faves/oddities/curiosities that I'm anticipating from the fest :


Article in Sight & Sound on the new Almodovar:


http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/49286


Pen-Ek Ratanaruang the Director of "Last Life in the Universe" (which was quite good) also has a new film titled "Invisible Waves":

http://www.invisiblewaves.com/


Turkish Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan who's last film "Uzak" (which I liked) has a new one:

http://www.nbcfilm.com/iklimler/iklimler.php?mid=1


And the Pang Bros "The Eye!" new film which at least styistically/technically looks way cool - sci-fi/horror alternate reality thingy - featuring Tsai Ming-Liang's fave actress:

http://www.re-cyclethemovie.com/


And this one from Korea by Joon-ho Bong the director of "Memories of Murder" just looks totally ridiculous! - in a Ultramonster kind of way:

http://www.thehost.co.kr/

Summer of Samurai Film at NWFF : June 16 - July 6

Northwest Film Forum Site

Woo! Epic Samurai Cinema from the late 50's and early 60's! Not a 'guilty-pleasure' for me, but instead a 'pleasure-pleasure'. Much of this genre, like any is schlock, but the good films rock like no others. Fast paced sword play set to the slow moving backdrop of the convolutions of honor when the lone individual (Ronin) Samurai chooses to oppose the immovable establishment. The Kobayashi films here are especially excellent and are some of the finest examples in the whole darn genre. Okamoto's "Sword of Doom" is also a good one. That Criterion released all three of these in the past year says somethin'.


From the NWFF site:


"A MAN, A BLADE, AN EMPTY ROAD brings you two 1960s masterworks by Masaki Kobayashi, enthralling sword-swinging efforts by major talents Hideo Gosha, Hiroshi Inagaki and Kihachi Okamoto, three vintage movies from the hugely popular ZATOICHI THE BLIND SWORDSMAN series and two from the master himself, the great Akira Kurosawa. With such wonderful work emerging from the samurai genre, it deserves to be appreciated as part of a cross-cultural give and- takea global conversation that includes German expressionism, Nouvelle Vague innovation and the American Western. Its a genre that, at its best, combines ferocious excitement with astonishing visual beauty, grace, rowdy humor, pathos and even tragedy. A MAN, A BLADE, AN EMPTY ROAD is nothing short of a tale of a great moment in cinemas history."

"The Future Sound of Berlin" : Basic Channel - Chain Reaction - Rhythm & Sound

Massively hailed in the world of mid/early 1990's techno, most notably by The Wire, Moritz Von Oswald and Mark Ernestus' 'Basic Channel' project stomped out some of the most sublime, maddeningly redundant, confoundingly long, bass-heavy, grainy, minimalist excursions into 'heroin house' (as it was being called then) ever dedicated to wax. And by wax, I mean vinyl. These guys were/are a firm advocate of the format and its inherent surface, fuzz and analog warmth bringing more depth to their booming vertical-techno scapes. The Von Oswald/Ernestus run Hard Wax record shop in Berlin was essentially *the* place to pick up the most recent 12" techno transmissions from around the world and over time also became the home base of their various self-run labels and musical imprints. Not content with releasing their own musics and opening a record shop to cater to the growing German scene, they then established their own mastering studio Dubplates & Mastering, set up to ensure a desired dynamic quality for the vinyl and in-house control of the releases.

Basic Channel ceased transmissions in 1995 but were followed by a string of other German variations on the Detroit Techno/Jamaican Dub themes. Among the most important was Chain Reaction, which released non-Von Oswald/Ernestus productions and helped launch the careers of dub-influenced minimal techno producers such as Monolake, Scion, Substance, Vainqueur and Thomas Koner's Porter Ricks project with Andrew Mellwig.

Simultaneous with Chain Reaction, Von Oswald/Ernestus manifested their own next step in the fusion of Dub's bass and Techno's boom with Rhythm & Sound. Released on two separate imprints Burial Mix and the self-titled Rhythm & Sound, the former dedicated to vocal-based Reggae tracks and the latter Dubbed-out instrumental excursions. Bringing in a global cast of Toasters and MC's - their transnational Dub/Reggae project gave platform to some of the greatest vocalists in the history of Jamaican music. Stepping up to the mic on Rhythm & Sound tracks were: Sugar Minott, Love Joys, Chosen Brothers, Paul St. Hilaire and on the legendary "King in My Empire" featuring the deeply soulful voice of Cornel Campbell, among many others over the course of their 10" (historically, the format of choice in Reggae) vinyl releases.

Always progressing in their digging deeper into the bass and the history of Dub, Von Oswald/Ernestus have now established the Basic Replay imprint, which specializes in classic and out-of-print reggae and dancehall reissues. Seemingly having come full-circle in their musical evolution back to the original Jamaican sounds that inspired them from the onset, its uncertain quite what is to come next from this transnational/cross cultural institution, but the quality, depth and bass of their history (and no doubt, future-sound) is undeniable.

Link to The Wire 'Underground Resistors' article on Basic Channel

Link to The Wire 'Future Sound of Berlin' article on Chain Reaction

Link to Basic Channel site

Link to Chain Reaction site

Link to Rhythm & Sound / Burial Mix site

Seattle International Film Fest : May 25 - June 18

Link to Seattle Intl. Film Fest Site


Yep! Its that time of the year again. Amazing that this little town of ours has one of the largest film fests in the whole stinkin usa. Schedule is released on May 11 and listings, catalog and tickets go on sale then for the general public. Make sure to get on it in advance if there are specific films you dont wanna miss, as this thing can be insaaane and films can sell out on the first day of ticket sales. Be seeing you guys in those long-ass lines!

:: Some of What I Intend on Cacthing in the Fest ::

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Friday May 26
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5:00 PM - Apichatpong Weerasethakul "Worldly Desires"*
Northwest Film Forum
DESI31A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=20730&FID=13

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Friday May 26
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9:30 PM - John Hillcoat "The Proposition"*
Neptune Theatre
PROP26A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16410&fid=13

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Sunday May 28
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5:00 PM - Brothers Quay "Piano Tuner of Earthquakes"
Northwest Film Forum
PIAN26A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16371&fid=13

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Sunday May 28
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9:30 PM - Jan Svankmajer "Lunacy"*
Northwest Film Forum
LUNA28A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16424&fid=13

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Monday May 29
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6:30 PM - Yoji Yamada "The Hidden Blade"*
Pacific Place Cinema
HIDD29A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=17007&FID=13

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Monday May 29
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9:15pm - Mohamed al Daradji "Ahlaam"
Egyptian Theatre
AHLA29A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/rdir.aspx?SID=2771

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Tuesday, May 30
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7:00 PM - Betzy Bromberg "a Darkness Swallowed"
Northwest Film Forum
SWAL30A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=18556&fid=13

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Tuesday, May 30
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9:15 PM - Cristi Puiu "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu"*
Pacific Place Cinema
DEAT30A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16356&fid=13

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Wednesday May 31
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9:30 PM - Chris Marker "Case of the Grinning Cat"*
Northwest Film Forum
CASE31A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=21013&FID=13

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Thursday June 01
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9:15 PM - Seijun Suzuki "Princess Racoon"
Pacific Place Cinema
RACC01A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16647&fid=13

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Thursday June 01
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9:45 PM - Danis Tanovic "L'Enfer"
Egyptian Theatre
HELL01A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16482&FID=13

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Saturday June 03
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MIDNIGHT - Various - Barney/Noe Etc. "Destricted"*
Neptune Theatre
DEST03A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=18551&FID=13

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Sunday June 4
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9:30pm - - Gela Babluani "13 (Tzameti)"
Neptune Theatre
13TZ04A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/rdir.aspx?SID=2481

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Monday June 05
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7:00 PM - Christoffer Boe "Allegro"*
Pacific Place Cinema
ALLE05A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16364&FID=13

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Thursday June 08
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7:15 PM - Mat Whitecross "The Road to Guantanamo"
Egyptian Theatre
ROAD08F

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=19981&FID=13

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Sunday June 11
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7:15 PM - Andrew Lau, Alan Mak "Initial D"*
Neptune Theatre
INIT11A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16411&FID=13

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Monday June 12
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9:30 PM - Alexey Uchitel "Dreaming of Space"
Neptune Theatre
DREX12A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=16397&FID=13


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Tuesday June 13
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6:30pm - Hsiao-Hsien Hou "Three Times"*
Harvard Exit
THRE13A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/rdir.aspx?SID=2969

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Friday June 16
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9:15pm - - John Williams "Starfish Hotel"
Harvard Exit
STAR16A

http://www.seattlefilm.org/rdir.aspx?SID=2858

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Sunday June 18
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6:30 PM - Michel Gondry "The Science of Sleep"
Neptune Theatre
CLOS18B

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=18570&FID=13

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Maya Lin "Systematic Landscapes" at The Henry Museum : Apr 22 - Aug 3

Henry Art Museum Site



Havent always been consistently wowed with her installation work, though a good percentage def' has been innovative, atmospheric and deeply expressive in a way that reflects a consciously designed interpretation/reflection of/on nature and perception. This one both in style, technique and scale looks like its going to be an impressive landscape occupying the Henry's larger gallery. ("Avalanche" pictured above) Certainly worth giving it the time.

From the Henry Art Museum:

"This spring, the Henry devotes its expansive Stroum and East Galleries to a dramatic exhibition of new work by Maya Lin. Systematic Landscapes, organized by Henry Art Gallery Director Richard Andrews, focuses on a trio of large-scale sculptural installations that offer a different means for viewers to encounter and comprehend the landscape. 2x4 Landscape is a vast hill or wave built of 65,000 boards set on end; Wire Landscape, a distorted grid in space, can be walked under or viewed from above. Visitors can walk through Landscape, modeling an actual mountain range near the artist's Colorado home that is sliced into a grid."

"Maya Lin has continuously addressed notions of landscape and geologic phenomena in her work. She has an extraordinary ability to convey complex and poetic ideas using simple forms and natural matierals. She thinks and works in a scale that relates to the land. This exhibition is a meditation on our relationship to landscape, whether direct or reinterpreted via computer or satellite imagery. Wedding a deep interest in forces and forms of nature with a long-term investigation into the possibilities of sculptural form to embody meaning, Systematic Landscapes offers a rich, immersive experience for visitors. Following the model of previous Henry exhibitions of the work of Ann Hamilton and James Turrell, Systematic Landscapes confirms the museum's commitment to the art of our time and to the possibilities of contemporary installation art."

Lucile Hadzihalilovi's film "Innocence" at NWFF April 14-20

Northwest Film Forum Site

I'm gonna shut it for once and not say anything about this film, other than the fact that I will definitely be seeing it a second time in the theatre and it features some of the finest cinematography I've seen in something like a year ... and there's a helluva lot more to it than just that.

From the NWFF:

"An all-female boarding school sits in the middle of a seemingly endless forest, with a thick, insurmountable wall keeping the outside world from entering this otherworldly community. Inside one of the school's creaking houses, a group of young girls gather around a coffin: its lid opens, and six-year-old Iris climbs out. Iris is quickly introduced to the school's bizarre customs and strictly observed rules, but she grows boldly and perhaps dangerously rebellious as she becomes increasingly curious about the school's central mysteries (Where do the older girls go at night? What lies beyond the outer wall? Will any of them ever be allowed to leave?). A bracing debut from a major new figure in French cinema, the supernatural fairy tale of INNOCENCE has been a critical and audience favorite at festivals around the world."

"Boys & Flowers" Exhibition at Western Bridge Gallery : Mar 30 - Aug 12

Western Bridge Gallery Site

Kutlug Ataman: The Four Seasons of Veronica Read
Scott McFarland: Photographs
Jeffry Mitchell: New Installation
Paul Morrison: Mesophyte
Kirsten Stoltmann: Boys and Flowers
Universal Nonlinear Design: Make Believe
Stephen Vitiello: Hea - Sound Installation

Works by Nobuyoshi Araki, Morris Graves, Jim Lockwood, Robert Mapplethorpe, Roy McMakin, Cristina Lei Rodriguez, Glenn Rudolph, Michael Velliquette, Paul Wonner, Amir Zaki.

Titled after a video by Kirsten Stoltmann, Boys and Flowers features new commissions from Paul Morrison, Jeffry Mitchell, and Universal Nonlinear Design, a four-channel video installation by Kutlug Ataman, a sound installation by Stephen Vitiello, and a variety of botanical masculinity in photography and works on paper from the collection.

Covering all four walls of our large gallery, Morrison's mesophyte mixes naturalistic and cartoonish floral and landscape imagery. Stumps, firs, pulled weeds, garden flowers, set out of perspective with a continuous horizon line, create a thrillingly artificial world of nature.

Jeffry Mitchell's new installation juxtaposes a handmade Japanese byobu screen of molded paper with a vitrine containing ceramics in the vein of Chinese funerary sculpture—though this particular tomb is for a soon-to-be closed Seattle bathhouse, Club Zodiac.

Seattle architecture firm Universal Nonlinear Design presents a proposal to raise a section Seattle's Denny Park to its original height before the Regrade, some 60 feet above its current elevation. An architectural model is shown with work referring to the movie Parallax View and the work of Carl Andre and Michael Heizer.

Kutlug Ataman's Four Seasons of Veronica Read, a four-channel projected video installation, obsesses over an obsessive collector, an English woman who maintains nearly a thousand Amaryllis bulbs in her small London flat despite being seriously allergic to them.