Work in progress shots

Here are some WIPs, will be letting the paintings rest for a while.

We are alone after all

A UFO report released in the UK (and online here) shows we are actually alone in the universe, or at least no one has visited that we know of.
Darn. Though some are still hopeful/adamant…despite those pesky naysayers.
Some takeaways:
Lord Gainford said he had seen a U.F.O., which he described as “bright white ball with a touch of red followed by a white cone,” at a New Year’s Eve party in Scotland. Some children saw it, too, he added, and they “had been drinking soft drinks.”

None of their accounts were as detailed as that of a 78-year-old ex-soldier in Aldershot. His story, which he told to a U.F.O. investigator, can be found in the newly released files.

Out fishing in 1983, the man had just poured himself a cup of tea, he recalled, when he was approached by two four-foot-tall beings wearing pale green overalls and large helmets. They led him into what turned out to be their ship — “I thought, Christ — what the hell’s that?” he said — and, apparently considering whether to subject him to extraterrestrial experiments, suddenly announced: “You can go. You are too old and infirm for our purposes.”

“Anxious to avoid causing offense,” the report said, the man asked no questions, even obvious ones like, what planet do you come from? Instead, he returned to the riverbank, where he finished his tea (by then cold) and resumed fishing.

He was reluctant to tell his family, the report says: “I knew my wife would say ‘No more fishing for you, old man.’ ”

Young peoples

Here’s some pics spotted on Huoshen, Shanghai Eye’s favourite website for pics.

If you were wondering who/what won Eurovision

Russia won, this bloke Dima. Home country advantage, we was robbed, etc…
You can watch other runners up here, such as Montenegro. Where is Andorra again?

greece were good.

Second skin fashion

Via boingboing, they now do virtual skin fashion, or something..what?
“The Exploratorium projects the human imagination into the 21st century of fashion. San Francisco’s popular, museum of science, art, technology and human perception hosts a quirky evening event — Second Skin: Imaginative Designs in Digital & Analog Clothing — where science/technology and art/fashion converge at a runway fashion show… ”
erm…

Evil dead the musical

yes, its true

Looks like its currently touring Korea. Will definitely visit if it comes to Shanghai.
Update:

UPDATE: Al Gore’s Inconvenient truth is also going to be made in to a musical.

La Scala officials say the Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli has been commissioned to produce an opera on the international multiformat hit for the 2011 season at the Milan opera house. The composer is currently artistic director of the Arena in Verona.

By coincidence, Shanghai Eye has a script for an as yet unmade bollywood zombie flick set in Shanghai.
(Editor’s note: that’s enough musicals)

New category for weird stuff

Well, time to finally add the new category, for signs of the coming apocalypse, mayan calendars and other such stuff.
So this can be the first entry:
Washington nuked, apparently this was thought to be a good idea by someone in government. No zombies unfortunately.

Mini news roundup…

Banksy in the news again, this deserves to be reproduced in full:
Banksy’ here today gone tomorrow
nlnews@archant.co.uk
28 May 2008
MYSTERY surrounds the appearance - and sudden disappearance - of a graffiti mural that may be the work of “guerrilla artist” Banksy.

Someone descended on Newington Green Road and used stencils to spray the image of a crouching youth in a hoodie on a metal grill. The life-size figure, next to The Alma pub, was rendered in three-tone Banksy-esque colours and drew admiring looks from some passers-by.

But just days passed before somebody removed the metal grill - possibly thinking it was by Banksy, whose paintings fetch hundreds of thousands.

Retired Ruth Napolitano, 64, of nearby Mildmay Grove South, said: “It was in black grey and white and it had that stencil look to it which Banksys have. Also the figure was looking through the holes in the metal, so the painting was using the environment - like the Banksy in Essex Road which uses a strip on the wall as a flag pole for a Tesco bag.”

She continued: “Did someone put it there to see if they would get a response? Did someone take it away because they thought it would be worth money? It is a pity it has gone.”

Do you know anything about the “Banksy”? Call our newsdesk on 020 8342 5777.

In other news…
Some art controversy in Australia:
The Prime Minister has spoken out against a photographic exhibition but his own nephew is himself a victim of alleged art censorship.

IT’S rather ironic that Kevin Rudd should be declaiming in the furore surrounding the Bill Henson exhibition while Rudd’s nephew, Van Thanh Rudd, is caught up in a controversy involving claims of “censorship” of another variety.

In more local news, via Shanghaiist, Canadian artists is selling paintings for earthquake relief. Similarly Eastlink is doing something over the weekend.

New book out…

Got this press release:
ANDY WARHOL CHINA 1982: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHRISTOPHER MAKOS

LAUNCH AND EXHIBITION ANNOUNCEMENT

( Beijing, 19 May 2008) Andy Warhol will revisit China for the first time since his historic trip in 1982, this time in an exhibition of photographs by his personal photographer at the time Christopher Makos. Titled ‘Andy Warhol in China,’ the exhibition will make its world debut at Timezone 8’s two venues in China ( Beijing 798 and Shanghai M50) Saturday May 24, 2008 where it will continue to be shown through the Beijing Summer Olympics.

Iconic sights of a vastly different Beijing form as much the subject as the backdrop for Makos’ stunning black and white photos documenting Warhol’s brief visit: a rented Red Flag limo, a Beijing Hotel suite, Mao’s portrait in Tiananmen, wide streets empty save the odd bicycle, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City.

Lost and liberated at the same time, Warhol was far from the glam and commercialism that made paparazzi and autograph-seekers follow him and his glitterati friends in New York. He was a stranger here, unrecognized, unremarkable, just another curious tourist in a city devoid of any of the commercial trappings of his home in New York. This sense is conveyed poignantly in the photos, where Makos reveals the person behind the persona, private moments in the private life of one of the world’s most public figures.

Of course, another of the great ironies of this series of photos of Warhol in China was that a man who so embraced popular commercial culture could be found in what was at the time one of the world’s least commercial cities. There were no brand names, luxury cars, restaurants, movie stars, none of the trappings that characterize Beijing and Shanghai today.

Still Warhol sensed that change was afoot. ‘When asked what he thought about China not having a McDonalds,’ recalls Makos, ‘Andy commented, “Oh, but it will.”‘

‘I think Andy would have loved the Beijing and Shanghai of today,’ says Makos. ‘The glam, the luxury, the beautiful people, toys and nightlife. He would have felt so more much at home.’

Photographer Christopher Makos will be on hand in Beijing May 24 and Shanghai May 31 for the exhibition openings and book launches where he will speak about his experience as the photographer of the famous pop artist.

Makos will also give a talk and slide presentation on ‘Andy Warhol in China’ at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art Sunday, May 25 at 5:00pm.

Accompanying the ‘Andy Warhol in China’ exhibition, will an exquisite large-format, cloth-bound book published in Hong Kong by the contemporary art publishing house Timezone 8. Contemporary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has written an introduction for the book due out soon. The book will be available for purchase in Beijing and Shanghai during the exhibition and bookstores around the world during the Olympics in August.

Apolcalypse watch: Jesse also runs for the hills

Here’s a fascinating interview with Jesse Ventura on Larry King.
Yours truly interviewed Jesse a few years ago when he was in Shanghai, which was interesting. He referred to himself as a “United Statesian.” He also thought my English was pretty good.