Proust

Have you ever read Proust in the springtime?

What are you waiting for?

An art joke for you, kids

Do you remember when I posted about this yard a few months ago? It may look like a bunch of toys and junk strewn about the front yard, but take a moment to really look at it. See how black Santa is supported by the lawn animals? See how neatly grouped the animals are in the center? Is this a brilliant installation piece about (quite literally) knocking down cultural icons? It references everything-- fragility, despair, childhood humor. Is it the work of a genius, demented old lady, or child? Enjoy.

Denim and Lace

At work I made this sign for the Denim and Lace bouquet. It was only up for about an hour before they asked me to make another one. (That's Anne and Nancy Wilson of Heart, for those of you who weren't sure).

More Aristotle

Aristotle must be in the air:

Initial results with the interventions have been promising, but sustaining them is tough. Months after a study is over, the people who have stopped the exercises show a drop in happiness. Like a drug or a diet, the exercises work only if you stick with them. Instilling habits is crucial. Another key: "fit," or how well the exercise matches the person. If sitting down to imagine your best possible self (an optimism exercise) feels contrived, you will be less likely to do it.

The biggest factor may be getting over the idea that happiness is fixed--and realizing that sustained effort can boost it. "A lot of people don't apply the notion of effort to their emotional lives," Lyubomirsky declares, "but the effort it takes is enormous."

Read the rest here.

Finally.

It took awhile, but perhaps the world is finally ready for Aristotle (again):

Biologists argue that these and other social behaviors are the precursors of human morality. They further believe that if morality grew out of behavioral rules shaped by evolution, it is for biologists, not philosophers or theologians, to say what these rules are.

Scientists have already taken the useful parts of metaphysics, the brain, and epistemology. It was only a matter of time before ethics was snatched up. Read the rest here.

What's a philosopher to do these days?
Seriously.

Back in Chicago

I'm back in Chicago and I have lots to post.

However, it's far too nice to blog today. Go spend some time outside.

Let's Dance

From Wired:

We'll be brief: Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words ("For sale: baby shoes, never worn.") and is said to have called it his best work. So we asked sci-fi, fantasy, and horror writers from the realms of books, TV, movies, and games to take a shot themselves.

Here are some of my favorites:

Longed for him. Got him. Shit.
- Margaret Atwood

Vacuum collision. Orbits diverge. Farewell, love.
- David Brin

Thought I was right. I wasn't.
- Graeme Gibson

Here's my crack at it:

• Let go of everything. Now what?

• Sat next to her--got up.
  

• Candy fell from the sky...again.
  

• He's come to take us under.

• And then it happened. That's it?

Leave your ideas in the comments.

[via 3quarksdaily]

Thomas Hirschhorn

This is a great little piece written by Thomas Hirschhorn about the intersection of art and philosophy:

There is no reason for an artist to write about a philosopher, just as there is no reason for a philosopher to write about an artist. As an artist, I do not need philosophy, because I do not use philosophy to make my work—I need philosophy as a man, as a human being.

Read the rest here.

New York Trip

So Brick and I were in New York just in time for all the art fairs. In addition to the usual running themes of sexy girls and anti-war sentiment in painting and sculpture I also noticed lots of...


Crazy, kitchen-sink, Christmas lights, high heels, everything-we-can-find-at-the-thrift-store sculpture





and plenty of


Rococo colors, luxury, the ol' Gucci bag made out of paper mache kinda sculptures.

This one was really beautiful in person.


The letters are made out thousands of those annoying pieces of plastic that connect price tags to clothing.

New York: Day 2

Day 2 of the New York trip was a perfect day:

1. Had a delicious meal at the City Bakery
2. Visited various Chelsea galleries
3. Ate cupcakes
4. Skipped while holding hands
   
5. Walked around Greenwich Village
6. Had Pinkberry
7. Found a nice cafe and had a good chat
8. Met up with a couple of old friends at Washington Square
9. Went to see the new Alan Ball play, All That I Will Ever Be
10. Had dinner with Janet and one of her roommates
11. Went to see the number one dive in NY.

It was a sunny and beautiful, 50-degree day in New York City. Everything went as planned and Fair White and I did all the things that we love to do.

The play was typical Alan Ball over-the-top drama, but with moments of poignant subtlety peppered in. It's the story of a gay prostitute that is a pathological liar. He lies because his life is unimpressive and because he doesn't want to be hurt. Ultimately, it's a play about letting go of hurt feelings and letting yourself be loved.

The dive was located in the back room of a deli in Lower Manhattan. After walking past the customers eating sandwiches and walking through a door that looked like it would lead to a bathroom, we had arrived. The bar itself was barely larger than a standard living room and it was filled with the downtrodden and nearly naked women. I was offered a free lap-dance.

I politely declined.


A perfect day indeed.
Stay-tuned for Fair White's NY impressions and photos.
.

Why Do You Think You Are Nuts?

Sopranos

The promos for the new season of The Sopranos have arrived:

SEX, GLITTER AND DOOM IN THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC

Wish I had seen this when I was in NY. I've always loved Weimar-era paintings because they are beautiful in unbeautiful ways. There's something appealing about the dirty glamor of 1920s Germany.

Enjoy these paintings.

Greatest Woman Artists of the 20th Century

A survey of the illustrations of the work of women artists contained in textbooks of art history reveals that art historians judge Cindy Sherman to be the greatest woman artist of the twentieth century, followed in order by Georgia O'Keeffe, Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, and Frida Kahlo.

Is this surprising? It's a little surprising, although I don't generally equate "greatest" with "in the most art history books".