This was my first visit to the Art Institute. I pass through Chicago often and always try to take in at least one cultural item each time. However in recent trips the excellent performances by the Steppenwolf Theater crew, or the cute penguins at the Shedd Aquarium have always won out.

I only had a few hours to visit. I grabbed the museum guide and lucky for me on the back was a section “What to do in one hour.” I loosely followed it with my primary intention to see the much hyped Modern Wing, which recently completed its constructed in the rear portion adjacent to Millennium Park.

When I arrived at the Modern Wing I noted the abrupt transition from the elegant wide stone staircases of the main building to the clean lines and minimal interiors. It’s a drastic change, from stone pillars and cluttered glass cases on pedestals to a wide main hallway with borg-like rooms on each side of the three stories.

There’s a lot of open and empty space, which I suppose is good because modern art is in fact minimal. Off the grand hall of the new wing is a beautiful courtyard, where I took a break before going upstairs to the exhibit rooms. In retrospect I might have appreciated the exhibits more had I partaken in some mind altering substances. But before I could ask around for some a nice lady from Rockford informed me that the door had locked behind us, so together we walked across the courtyard to the attempt reentry.

My first impression of the new wing was that the space devoted to exhibits was disproportionate to the vast amount of open space in general. A full review by Lee Rosenbaum of the Wall Street Journal had this to say:

There is much to admire about the new Modern Wing: its sleek blond oak floors, the Miesian suspended staircase, skylights through which you can perceive sun, clouds or rainwater, and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that offer attractive views of the city. But it leaves much to be desired in terms of audience-friendly, art-enhancing design. Visitor flow is impeded by the too-narrow staircase (single-file, both ways). This main circulation pathway leads to a similarly tight two-lane hallway outside the galleries. The rooms for large-scale contemporary work are more reminiscent of cramped office cubicles than expansive artists’ lofts.

I appreciate modern art, however I tend to prefer photography as some works of modern art take the term “art” a bit casually. Of course I’m not one to judge what makes modern art art, but I can have a personal opinion and say “that’s ridiculous,” while a more adept artist might would return “that’s because you just don’t understand.” Conversely many might find the photography of Catherine Opie strange and absurd – but I’m a big fan.

I’ve always joked with friends that my modern piece would be a group of small, various TV sets in a rotating restaurant pie case, running videos of the more horrific news reels over the past years. Point being that these life changing major events are being filtered through the sanitized “pie case” of the media. While there are plenty of diner style pie displays for sale, I wouldn’t know how to keep the cords from getting tangled up as it rotates. But whenever I view exhibits like these my idea doesn’t seem that far fetched.

Left: This untitled piece by Robert Gober displays a wedding dress (sans head) in a room surrounded by small bags of kitty litter.
Right: I’m not sure of this is an exhibit with the items strategically placed for a purpose, or if some kid just dropped their stuffed toy.

Here’s a box of tissue with some sort of pipe through it, and a more interesting sculpture of a headless lady in a bathtub. (She looked pretty cool up close.)

The piece, which I took a short video of, is titled “Clown Torture,” and is the work of three local artists. It’s set inside of a dark room with video loops of three clowns, all in a state of frenzied maniacal panic over something. One clown is sitting on the toilet, while another bursts through a door – over and over again. With my limited time I didn’t stay in this dark room too long appreciate it. I took more interest in a couple kids that were actually sitting down watching it – wondering what they were thinking. Or if they perhaps knew something I didn’t. Chicago’s Decider has the details on this one.

Less scary – the view of Millennium Park from the Modern Wing.
And all workstations use my old iMac G5!

Below: The beautiful traditional staircase in the main foyer. I found this much more impressive than some of the new pieces. Its architectural beauty and elegance is stunning.

And two works by Grant Wood, at left the original “American Gothic.”

There are thousands more categories and items to view than the select ones I’ve mentioned, and while I make light of the modern pieces I will definitely be returning to further explore the paintings and photography. The Art Institute of Chicago is at 111 South Michigan Avenue
Full info at www.artic.edu.

Created by artist Tom Otterness, these little characters lightheartedly depict life in the city and the subway – with tourists, officers, and city dwellers interacting and going about their business.

More from Otterness’s “Life Underground” collection at  Tom O Studio.com - and an NPR article from a couple years back.

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The answer is “Yes – we DO have such an attraction!” I tell them “No need to visit Prague or Copenhagen” where you might expect such larger than life works. Just trundle downtown to the Denver Art Museum

The artists Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg designed this piece in June of 2006, and are known for their other large scale objects sitting unproportionately around the globe.. The official name is “The Big Sweep” Here’s their site, with some sketches and reflections. More of their large scale objects are found here.

This landmark can be found outside of the Denver Art Museum – downtown at 14th and Broadway.

Not specific to any genre it looks like many institutions are participating, from the large museums to small gallerys in the  Santa Fe arts district.

Also many of our local institutions are offering discounted yearly memberships, including my neighbor the Botanic Gardens, the Museum of Nature and Science, and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

This Life on Capitol Hill article has a list of select events.

Featuring a collection of films submitted by independent artists, this annual event covers a wide range of outdoor adventure activities including surfing in Indonesia and climbing in South America – with a focus on nature, art, and awareness.  Some are shorts of 30 minutes, while others are full length feature productions. More than just the usual cinematic eye candy of chiseled snow capped peaks, categories also include “Activism through Adventure,” focusing on the environment and world around us.

If you have no travel plans soon, extreme or otherwise, check out this fun way to armchair it.

Listings, details, and schedule at AdventureFilm.org.  Full program PDF file.

2007′s tshirt looked pretty cool too.

The “skeletons” of all subjects, not just humans, are amazing. To me it has a certain architectural feel seeing the backbones of not just people and bugs but infrastructure and mundane city things as well. His site nickveasey.com features more photos, reviews, and short films.

Selections from Veasey’s collection will be on display in Orlando at Milenia Fine Art. It opens this Friday and you can view it through December 11th. Say hello to excellent Denver photographer M.P. if you’re there Friday and complement him on these fantasic Obama photos.

100 years ago officials in the town of Guanajuato found 23 well preserved mummies while moving grave sights. A museum called the “Museum of the Mummy” was founded – and now they’re traveling around Mexico, taking an absence from their home in the less traveled central Mexican town.

The mummies are on display until December 28 is in Monterrey, Mexico, at the Carlos Prieto Auditorium – coinciding with the Santa Lucia Festival.  SLC Tribune article.

The creation was thought up by Dr. Robert Jackler, a dean at Stanford University, after his mother was diagnosed with lung cancer.  He explores the rational and reasoning behind stifling real smoking studies of that time, (money,) and how the cigarette manufactures reach extended cart blanche into every aspect of media, including the Sunday funnies.

Having grown up in the 80s, (with non-smoking parents thankfully,) our opinions were certainly more forward thinking.  As a result I tend to see these ads as kitschy and hilarious, however the N.Y. Times describes the work of copywriters and the accompanying photos as disturbing and flabbergasting.

“They used images of doctors to reassure the public, but these characters came right out of central casting and only looked like doctors,” said Dr. Jackler.  “The medical profession didn’t complain, because the ads made doctors appear noble. And the public were taken in by the ads, because if a doctor smokes, it must be ok.”

“Not A Cough In A Carload: Images Used by Tobacco Companies to Hide the Hazards of Smoking” is on show at the N.Y. Public Library from October 7 to December 26, 2008

NYPL Site with details, and even if you don’t see this personally on the road – the NY Times article has a slideshow of select ads worth checking out.

Since Neighborhood Flix opened its doors a year ago, it has had to fight against larger territorial movie chains for the fair opportunity to showcase first-run films,” she wrote. “In the film industry, the first few weekends of a film are the most lucrative.

“We’ve been working very hard to secure these opening films for our fans, and to help us bring in the business we need to keep our doors open. Yet, we haven’t been successful due to the overwhelming influence, deep pockets and business practices of our competitors.”

Perhaps someone with an entrepreneurial spirit can tailor the establishment to be more financially viable. This is a unique place in a wonderful neighborhood, and its quite sad to see it gone so soon. They’re a close neighbor, and I’ll miss their contribution to the community.

If you’re reading this and consider yourself that someone check out my article and review written in the past year to see what a wonderful place this is. Or was. Or could be again…

In the meantime support your local businesses. Or you may lose them. Sigh.

I’ve passed by this sculpture a few times by daylight, but at 30 feet tall with beady shiny red eyes this certainly makes an impression at night.  Yikes.

Photo from this March Rocky Mountain News blog entry.

In less seizure inducing (old) news, this snazzy new tourist office opened this spring, and greets arrivals opposite the big fountain in the main terminal.  Clean lines, good lighting, and more helpful and welcoming than a brochure rack.   I was there at 11:30pm and they were still open!  Even better it doesn’t frighten children.

More current: The Fastracks “A” line (downtown/airport) alignment and stations have been revised. Check out the updated map at this RMN article, and see info on how to make your opinion heard. The title of my blog suggests I won’t be riding it regularly when it opens in 2014. But that’s a long way off…

Were you wondering what’s new at Watercourse Foods?  I’ll be visiting this week with my gluton-free, non wheat or dairy eating mom. She’s never been to Watercourse or City O’ City and I’m looking forward to surprising her!

Per MSNBC young people like fancy cars they can’t afford. This causes many of them to remain living with their parents as they choose a hefty car payment over rent. If you’re going to show off a nice car, which nets you attention and status, (whether deserved or not,) wouldn’t that all come crashing down once admitting you’re 25 and live with your parents? It reminds me of this Dallas based project called “The $30,000 Millionaires.”

Apparently some bored teenagers drove up to a tiny upstate New York village called “Oniontown,” and via a YouTube video titled “Oniontown Adventures” made fun of the less than glamorous locals in hopes of make some sort of amateur reality “Deliverence” style project I guess. Upon their return trip this week a local youth pelted them and their car with rocks.  Sooo – as miserable as these three guys are for spending an entire day mocking those that don’t live in track home McMansions, and making a video of it, it turns out their analysis of the local populace was relatively spot on.  But then again I wouldn’t want some random jerks cruising up to my house making fun of it – and the peeling paint.  Note to self:  one of the many risks of taking pictures of everything I see.

This is a quite the random gathering of photographs, (everything from babies to business exteriors,) but the photography exhibit Bill Wood’s Business showcases life in Fort Worth, Texas from 1937 to 1970. Bill Wood’s was a photographer and took these photos for clients and business purposes rather than artistic. The documents gathered an appreciation over the years. Its being show at New York’s International Center of Photography.

This 1961 photo shows an old Montgomery Wards truck leaving a warehouse.

Update: I checked yesterday, and my Cockeyed.com signs are still up at the Home Depot sheds!

Artists both locally and abroad showcase ways they’ve “greened” and livened up their cities and transformed gray concrete parcels of the city into vivid personable spaces – via gardens, paintings, and murals.

Perhaps my neighbor with the new yard garden was inspired from this!

There’s also a free day coming up on Monday July 21st. More online at botanicgardens.org

Photo from Denver Botanic Gardens.

Some find Maher to be a cantankerous and extreme left wing shrew, and others appreciate is non-bending criticisms of the government, current administration, and the agendas of various special interest groups.

I would lean midway to the latter side on the ruler.  I enjoy Maher in doses, and occasionally catch his show “Real Time” on HBO.  Although I find The Daily Show more entertaining he’s an excellent interviewer and debater during the panel segments on his show.

So see you there maybe – don’t bring tomatoes if I’m up front. 

(photo from billmaher.com)

I watched curiously for a bit, but this particular side street was empty of people so there was no one around to ask what was going on.

Due to leave soon on a boat back to Buenos Aires I didn’t think too much more of it until reviewing my photos. Later, at home, I posted the photo on a few travel forums soliciting answers, but I didn’t receive any replies.

I recently received an email from Shirley – answering my question and directing me to the site candombe.com- which explains the art, history, music, dress, and everything else beyond what’s captured in this small group.

From candombe.com:

Candombe (can-dome-bey) is an African derived rhythm that has been an important part of Uruguayan culture for over two hundred years. Uruguay, with a population of approximately 3.2 million, is a small country located in South America, bordered by its two massive neighbors, Brazil (162 million) to the East, and Argentina (34 million) to the West. This rhythm traveled to Uruguay from Africa with black slaves, and is still going strong in the streets, halls and carnivals of this small enchanting country.

Frequently, many drummers assemble onto the streets of Montevideo, playing their drums under the moon lit sky. As these drums move down the narrow streets of Montevideo, doors and windows swing open wide to receive this message that’s being delivered. At intervals the cuerda will pause, and by setting a fire, will heat their drums’ skins for tuning purposes. Pure candombe.

To learn more about this Afro-Uruguayan music, and it’s history and long journey from Africa check out candombe.com. And thanks Shirley for the email!

Patrons can enjoy dinner and drinks, then retire to the theater.  Or – order your meal and eat during the show.  In the entry and dining area framed movie posters adorn the walls.  It’s studio themed, but not over the top kitschy like movie themed diners.

Last week I dined with Caleb and our friend Michael.  We had the Penne Pasta with Plum Tomato Basil Sauce, the Louisiana Cat Fish, and the Shrimp Gumbo with Dirty Rice. If you want to ditch your diet for the night I recommend the Sesame Ginger Sweet Potato Fries. If you just want a drink before the show there’s a large soft lit bar, and you can bring your drink into the show as well.

The intimate “Bistro” cinema has sofa/lounge style seats with tables in the rear (behind the seating rows,) allowing you and your other to dine during the movie, (just like at home.)  Initially I didn’t think much of hearing my fellow movie goers chomping and slurping behind me, but while watching the film “Lars and the Real Girl,” I was not at all distracted, as the tables are set back from the seating rows, and the large furniture absorbs any noise.

While I would never put down the fine group of Landmark theaters in Denver, one advantage that Neighborhood Flix has, (being a brand new venue,) is very comfortable seating.  Older theaters have small and narrow seats.  In contrast, enormous high backed reclining seats are found in suburban stadium-plexes.  Flix is cozy and comfortable, and each theater is of a proportionate size with their largest, the “Premiere Cinema,” at 189 seats.

They’re centrally located in the Lowenstein Theater Complex at 2510 East Colfax. It’s adjacent to the Tattered Cover, Twist and Shout, and the now open “Encore Restaurant.”   Check out what’s playing and plan your visit.