O’Hare, so hot right now

I’m flying out to Hong Kong in less than an hour!

While I spend the next myriad hours in transit, you can:

In the Un-valley by Jackie Furtado.
(Image courtesy of The Prospective Series.)

·         See some art: I was asked to write a piece for the latest catalog of The Prospective Series, a new organization that cultivates the relationship between emerging artists and young collectors. Chicagoans, pick up a copy at their pop-up art show tomorrow! (I went to their first—and most recent—show and it was great. It was also in a speakeasy. So. Cool.) If, like me, you can’t make it or aren’t in Chicago, you can view the catalog online here.

·         Get free art supplies: Chicago artists and arts educators, visit the Chicago Center for Green Technology tomorrow and Saturday for materials from ZeroLandfill.

·         Get annoyed: Specifically, at Mashable’s ludicrous “If You Use the Web, You Are a Curator” article. I have, as you can imagine, strong feelings about this. (And this isn’t the first time I’ve railed against the co-opting of the word “curator.”) As you can see from the more recent Facebook thread, I’ve answered some questions for a piece Sixty Inches From Center will publish sometime. When that happens, I’ll make an accompanying discussion post here. (Let’s hear it for discussion posts!)

·         Be amused: A 1,100-year-old paint pigment, believed to be the oldest of its kind, has been found in a 10th century artist’s studio in China and will go on display. This is exciting news, of course, but mostly I’d like to direct everyone’s attention to the comment section of the linked Telegraph article. Trolling in the deep.

Thanks so much to the artblog for the shout out!

And don’t forget: For daily updates (including photos!), follow along on Twitter (where I passed the 500 follower mark last week—welcome, new followers, and thank you, everyone!) and Facebook. See you soon!

“Will you be electric sheep / Electric ladies, will you sleep”

I’m delighted to say that I’ve been invited to conduct portfolio reviews at Sixty Inches From Center and WBEZ’s “Get Archived!” event (a great opportunity for artists to “take ownership of their place in [their] city’s cultural history”), happening at art centers and community bureaus in the Chicago neighborhoods of Bronzeville, Englewood, Rogers Park, and Little Village. Artists, come and show me your work! (Also, according to those links, I’m “established,” awww yeah. And awww shucks.)

For the past week, I’ve been featured on the front page of Gapers Block. (I snickered that a photo of me surrounded by glowing phallic objects was, at one point, next to an article with “nuts” in its title. Because sometimes I have the sense of humor of an 11-year-old boy.) In case you missed the previous post, I got interviewed about Dreams of a City. And about how weird my life is.

If you’re on Facebook and / or Twitter, make sure you follow Artists on the Lam there! Observations from the past week included a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it art moment (the screen cap above) in Janelle Monáe’s latest music video (although the entire video is an art moment let’s be real). News / interestingness included portraits derived from DNA in hair and gum found in public places. You’ll also be privy to things like this.

O Pioneers

Gapers Block interviewed me about Dreams of a City. Check it. A million thanks to Caitlin Bergh!

From 108th St. & Broadway. New York City, May 2009.

Happy May, everyone. Here. Have some Beyoncé Art History. (Also relevant: this.)

2 weeks ‘til Hong Kong!