Category: art

art

Captain America: Dead

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First Superman, then Batman. Now Captain America. He’s dead. Marvel killed him. Can’t wait for him to come back…
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Read more after the jump.
Via Gary
Captain America has undertaken his last mission — at least for now. by the AP
The venerable superhero is killed in the issue of his namesake comic that hit stands Wednesday, the New York Daily News reported. On the new edition’s pages, a sniper shoots down the shield-wielding hero as he leaves a courthouse.
It ends a long run for the stars-and-stripes-wearing character, created in 1941. Over the years, some 210 million copies of Captain America comic books, published by New York-based Marvel Entertainment Inc., have been sold in 75 countries.
But resurrections are not unknown in the world of comics, and Marvel Entertainment Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada said a Captain America comeback wasn’t impossible.
Still, the character’s death came as a blow to co-creator Joe Simon.
“We really need him now,” said Simon, 93, who worked with artist Jack Kirby to devise Captain America as a foe for Adolf Hitler.
The superhero was spawned when a scrawny arts student named Steve Rogers, ineligible for the army because of his poor health but eager to serve his country, agreed to a “Super Soldier Serum” injection. The substance made him a paragon of physical perfection, armed only with his shield, his strength, his smarts and a command of martial arts.
In the comic-book universe, death is not always final. But even if Captain America turns out to have met his end in print, he may not disappear entirely: Marvel is developing a Captain America movie.
Captain America Is Dead; National Hero Since 1941 by George Gene Gustines (NY Times)
Captain America, a Marvel Entertainment superhero, is fatally shot by a sniper in the 25th issue of his eponymous comic, which arrived in stores yesterday. The assassination ends the sentinel of liberty’s fight for right, which began in 1941.
The last episode in Captain America’s life comes after the events of “Civil War,” a seven-issue mini-series that has affected nearly the entire line of Marvel’s library of titles. In “Civil War,” the government began requiring superheroes to register their services, and it outlawed vigilantism after supervillains and superheroes fought during a reality show, accidentally killing hundreds of civilians. The public likened the heroes to weapons of mass destruction that must be controlled.
The registration act polarized the superhero community. Captain America (whose true identity was Steve Rogers) considered the legislation an erosion of civil liberties; Iron Man, on the other side, believed that training heroes as the military, firefighters or the police are trained would only benefit society. When the factions came to blows and caused more destruction, Captain America chose to fight his battle in court.
But in the current issue of his title, Captain America takes bullets in the shoulder and stomach while on the courthouse steps. The assassin is alleged to be Sharon Carter, an intelligence agent romantically involved with Captain America. She was apparently under the control of Dr. Faustus, a supervillain. “It seemed a little radical when it was first brought up,” said Dan Buckley, the president and publisher of Marvel Entertainment, about the hero’s death. “But sometimes stories just take you places.”
“We as publishers and as creative people knew where the ending was going to go for a long time,” he said. “We knew people might not like it, but I think we delivered a compelling story that made everyone think.”
He added: “The stories we have planned dealing with Cap’s death are really compelling too.”
This is not Captain America’s first brush with death. Toward the end of World War II he plunged into the ocean during a flight on an experimental plane, and he was presumed killed in action. Actually, he was encased in ice and in a state of suspended animation. Many years later he was discovered by the superhero group the Avengers and thawed out to continue his career.
More recently, Bucky, the Captain’s wartime partner — who was thought killed by an explosion as he tried to defuse a bomb — was revealed to be alive. Bucky was saved by Soviet forces, who put him on ice and thawed him for their own missions. Captain America broke the Soviet hold on Bucky, and the two had a brief reunion. Bucky, who has taken on the name the Winter Soldier, is now on a quest to redeem his actions.
So is this the end of Captain America? “He’s very dead right now,” Mr. Buckley said.
Still, these are comic books, where characters have a history of dying and returning. Most famously, DC published “The Death of Superman” in November 1992. That comic was a best seller, but the Man of Steel eventually returned to the land of the living in August 1993.
Fans on newsarama.com, a Web site devoted to comic book news, quickly posted their reactions to Captain America’s death. They ranged from a cynical “Yeah, right!” and “I know it’s temporary” to the more media-savvy: “I’m fairly sure killing Cap with a movie in development (plus a possible Avengers flick on the way as well) would not be very sensible. So, I shall wait and see.”

art

From the Stolen and Found Department

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“The Scream” can scream publically again in Oslo and every Nowegian can breath a sigh of relief. Not to slight the country but they don’t have that many famous people and Munch is at the top of the list. I read about the heist in the New Yorker and let me tell you, those guards were some incompetant bastards. It was a blackeye on the whole country but all’s well that ends well. After jump, read all about it.
OSLO, Norway (AP) — Police recovered two paintings they believe are the Edvard Munch masterpieces ”The Scream” and ”Madonna,” two years after masked gunmen seized the priceless artworks from an Oslo museum in a bold, daylight raid, authorities announced Thursday.
Both paintings, stolen from the Munch Museum in August 2004, were in better-than-expected condition, police said at a news conference.
”The pictures came into our hands this afternoon after a successful police action,” said Iver Stensrud, head of the police investigation. ”All that remains is an expert examination to confirm with 100 percent certainty, that these are the original paintings. We believe these are the originals,” Stensrud said.
“I saw the paintings myself today, and there was far from the damage that could have been feared,” he said.
They were recovered following the conviction of three suspects in the case in May, an international police hunt and the offer of a nearly $300,000 reward by the City of Oslo, which owns the artworks.
During the hunt for the paintings, Norwegian news media reported that they might have been burned to get rid of evidence.
Stensrud said it was not possible for the news media, or the public, to see the paintings yet. He also refused to discuss the methods or details of the search that led to the stolen artworks.
Munch’s emotionally charged painting style became a major influence in the birth of the 20th-century expressionist movement.
The two paintings recovered Thursday were part of his ”Frieze of Life” series, focusing on sickness, death, anxiety and love. ”The Scream,” which shows a waif-like figure apparently screaming or hearing a scream, has become a modern icon of human anxiety. There are three other versions of the painting.
Munch died in 1944 at the age of 80.

art

Why The Dutch Continue To Rock

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A young Dutch architect named Janjaap Ruijssenaars has created a floating bed which hovers above the ground through magnetic force. Sure it costs over 1.5 million dollars but still, its a friggin floating bed! The Dutch continue to amaze me, and not just because they have legalized soft drugs. Hup Holland!
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After the jump, read the article
Via Phyl, a woman who loves the Dutch as much as I do…
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – originally published on 8/8/06
A young Dutch architect has created a floating bed which hovers above the ground through magnetic force and comes with a price tag of 1.2 million euros ($1.54 million).
Janjaap Ruijssenaars took inspiration for the bed — a sleek black platform, which took six years to develop and can double as a dining table or a plinth — from the mysterious monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 cult film “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
“No matter where you live all architecture is dictated by gravity. I wondered whether you could make an object, a building or a piece of furniture where this is not the case — where another power actually dictates the image,” Ruijssenaars said.
Magnets built into the floor and into the bed itself repel each other, pushing the bed up into the air. Thin steel cables tether the bed in place.
“It is not comfortable at the moment,” admits Ruijssenaars, adding it needs cushions and bedclothes before use.
Although people with piercings should have no problem sleeping on the bed, Ruijssenaars advises them against entering the magnetic field between the bed and the floor. They could find their piercing suddenly tugged toward one of the magnets.

art

Musical History Lesson

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Mr. Long Island Billy Joel’s song “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” has been put into a flash movie (with appropriate images appearing in sync with the tune) by Ye Li, who I assume based on the movie URL is or was a student at the University of Chicago. I like how she included the lyrics and the year that goes along with each name/place/event. After watching it, I have decided to take today to learn more about Johnnie Ray (40’s), Pannumjom, Santayanna, Malenkavo, Prokofiev, Roy Cohn, Dacron (50’s) and Pasternack (60’s). It seems that I’m pretty up to date on everything from the early 60’s to today.
Since I have never seen the Patron Saint of LI in person, I bought 4 tickets to see him at MSG in February. I just know way too many of his songs to not have seen him live. The first 7 shows sold out so they added an 8th. He’s giving Mr. NJ (the Boss) a run for his money (in terms of the number of “hometown” shows played in a month) but I think Bruce’s record run of 14 sold out Brendon Byrne Arena shows is still safe. So far its only Jessie and I going. Make a good case as to why you should get the other 2 tickets and we’ll talk…

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George DeStefano Jersey City Art Show

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George DeStefano’s fantastic art will be shown all December long at the Love Is The Message Gallery in Jersey City, NJ. This Saturday night, 12/10 is the Art Opening Party which starts at 7:00 PM. It’s located right by the Grove Street PATH stop and it’s super easy to get to from Manhattan. Stop by on Saturday or at any other time during the month, check out in person what I’ve been raving about for years now and and grab a few pieces for your walls before he gets too famous and they cost way too much.

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The DeStefano Mona Show

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In the middle of last Tuesday’s show, I snapped a picture of George DeStefano (right) talking to close friend Gary Drewes (left) about the mythic corner paintings.

Go to Flickr and check out the rest of my photos from George DeStefano’s recent NYC art exhibition.

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George DeStefano: NYC Art Show

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A few months back I posted about George DeStefano, one of my favorite up-and-coming artists. I am very happy to announce that he finally is showing his work in NYC.

The show is tomorrow night, Tuesday September 27th at Mona, a bar/lounge located on 988 Amsterdam Avenue (109th St) from 7:00 – 11:00 pm. I will definitely be there and cannot wait to see what new masterpieces he has put down on canvas/wood and whatever else he uses.

Please join me and/or tell a friend – this is just the start of a what should be a stellar career. As art’s an investment, it’s always good to get in on the ground floor. Not sure if he’s the real deal that I say he is? Well, stop by Mona tomorrow night and see for yourself.

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Homage to Frank Lloyd Wright

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Google gives a shout out to FLW by displaying “Fallingwater” and the Guggenheim Museum on its home page:

While Jessie does not necessarily love museums, I can always get her excited about going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by telling her we’ll stop by the Frank Lloyd Wright room. It is by far her favorite part of the museum and its one of my favorites too. The fact that it happens to be next to Arms and Armor? Well, that just makes it even better.

art

Union Square Clock Mystery Solved

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The digital clock part of the “Union Square Clock,” which is actually an art installation by Kristin Jones & Andrew Ginzel entitled Metronome is called The Passage.

The Passage is a digital timepiece composed of 76,800 light emitting diodes in 15 panels (each approximately five feet in height) behind a clear glass curtain wall. The numerals indicate with atomic precision the time since midnight and counting down in hours, minutes, seconds until the midnight to come – the sum and balance of the day. For example, at precisely twelve noon, The Passage will read 120000000000012.

Lately it has changed: now instead of displaying the ascending and descending time, it is counting down to some event which thanks to Grubby Kid I know is the time when the 2012 Olympic Bid is decided.

Thanks Neu