12ozProphet

If you walked the streets of Manhattan today you may have noticed people handing out free copies of The New York Times Special Edition. After being pleasantly surprised by the price, readers of the NYT SE were most likely then incredibly surprised by the headline reading IRAQ WAR ENDS. Further reading revealed that the US Patriot Act was repealed by congress, ExxonMobile and ChevronTexaco were nationalized to fund climate change efforts, Bush was indicted for high treason, bike lanes are replacing car traffic on every other avenue and every 5th cross street, and the date is July 4th, 2009 .

The bootleg dream-world Times was perfect in every way and after an amazing election, gave New Yorkers 100 additional reminders of what audacious idealism could possibly achieve. This act of guerilla hope-mongering was perpetrated by the Yes Men - a cabal of brilliant agit-prop art pranksters best known for making complete fools of WTO types as recorded in their eponymous documentary. Read the NYT SE online.

You know the deal. Go with a friend. Bring a book. Don’t go home until you push a button or pull a lever. Meet me at my place later and bring fireworks.
 

I went to do some canvasing last weekend and spent all day walking around neighborhoods and shaking hands in Philly,PA. Every street I went down had friendly people, fantastically decrepit buildings, and gorgeous community murals and hand lettered signs. If you have the time, I definitely encourage it, volunteers are always appreciated. A few more photos over here.

This past month I’ve worked with the masterminds at Animal New York and the master craftsmen at Geekhouse Bikes to create artwork for a Barack track bike. The frame was hand built for this project and the patterns are sublimated onto the frame with some kind of magnificent new tricknology. The bike is for up on auction on ebay, the proceeds will go to the Obama campaign. Tell Kanye if you see him. Press release. More Photos.

Friday night I perused a couple local galleries on an art walk sponsored by Art Log - which is a community of artists, curators, and collectors. I was amused and impressed by Eric Yahnker’s work at Jack the Pelican  and Adam Dant at Pierogi Brooklyn.

Eric Yahnker / Chicken Fight, 2008 Graphite on Paper

Eric Yahnker / Glory Hole # 2 ( New England Bait & Tackle ), 2008 Cross stitch with drilled hole

Adam Dant / Monastery (Chrysler Building II), Ink on Paper

Adam Dant / Brooklyn Bridge, 2008, Ink on Paper

‘Census’ is a three color letterpress print on Speckletone Natural recycled archival paper and measures 13 by 20 inches. All money from sales will be donated to the Obama campaign. Paper and printing were generously donated by I am Still Alive in the heart of Brooklyn. Please don’t snooze. If this doesn’t secure a progressive victory in November a second edition will be printed with my tears, and the proceeds from the sales will fund my immigration to Europe. Available at IamStillAlive.net.

R 20th Century in Tribeca is currently showcasing their midcentury modern furniture next to some amazing prehistoric artifacts - mammoth skulls and giant geodes and such - all surrounded in wallpaper by flavorpaper. The show is called Sticks, Stones, Bones, and it’s curated by Michael Reynolds. At the opening reception I was psyched to see the Elysian Fields paper in pink paired with some fantastic cave photographs. Great stuff if you’re into fancy furniture or spelunking. Register to vote.

You should register to vote. Register to vote. If you haven’t already, register to vote. The deadline is coming up soon. Seriously. It’s not that difficult. If you’re not registered in November, then we’re officially no longer friends. ( exceptions will be made for foreigners, youngsters, and felons* ) But you should really , really, register to vote.  Also tell your friends, family, neighbors, enemies and strangers. Especially if they hang out in Missouri, Ohio, Colorado, Michigan, or Florida.Do it.

Here is one of the quickest ways to register to vote.

Seymour Chwast / End Bad Breath - 1967

Andre Simmons; Man of mystery, mayor of Niketown, Portland food critic and gadabout -  and now revealed to be secret photographer. These and several more gems available at andresimmons.com

I’ve found in the past four years since Obama’s call for unity in his historic DNC address, it’s been more and more difficult to remember that about half our voting population are not old, white, malicious, fuck-witted war-pigs, but misguided, old, white people that believe that they’re doing good for this nation. Historically, progressives have tried to appeal to the logic of the electorate; We can’t spend money we don’t have. Tax breaks for the hyper-rich won’t help you. Gays and gay marriages are no threat to anyone.  but it should be painfully clear that if these truths haven’t sunk in by now, a new approach is desperately needed.

I know it’s instinctual to become more combative in the face of increasingly loud and ugly Republican smears, but I have to believe we’re better than this. Jonathan Haidt’s piece ‘ What Makes People Vote Republican ’ addresses issues of divisiveness and plurality thoroughly and with interesting empirical studies. Well worth the read.

Jasper Johns - Moratorium, 1969