New Works by Elizabeth McGrath
December 15, 2007 – January 5, 2008
at
Billy Shire Fine Arts
5790 Washington Blvd.
Culver City CA 90232
ph: 323.297.0600
web: www.billyshirefinearts.com
Artist Statement:
Los Angeles-born artist Liz McGrath has always had an eye for the strange beauty in the grotesqueries of life; this appreciation is nowhere more evident than in her new works. Inspired by the relationship between the natural world and the detritus of consumer culture, she brings forth a new cavalcade of creatures from the darker corners of the streets, the city, the imagination: Leading the pack comes ‘Deerhouse’, a delicate, upholstery-covered deer who carries a furnished Victorian Painted Lady on its back, complete with fine china. Then comes ‘The Buffalo’, a life-sized burlap-covered buffalo head balancing a luxury liner cruise ship. It is this melancholy interaction between man-made status symbols and suffering specimens of nature that make up the Incurable Disorder.
It is, of course, Christmas time once again. If carefully manicured shop fronts and carols in November don’t make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, perhaps you should come see what Liz McGrath can do with your childhood sentimentalism: A live installation piece, “Sinister Christmas” comes complete with head-banging reindeer, a nocturnal take on Mr. Claus in all his nightmarish glory, as well his naughty little helpers with their poisoned candy cane kisses. Drenched in black velvety dreamscapes and dripping rhinestone razorblades, Mcgrath’s Christmas makes it clear why your parents made you stay in bed when Santa was around.
More work by Elizabeth McGrath at:
http://www.lizmcgrath.com
Miss Derringer at:
http://www.myspace.com/missderringer
—
Also the songstress check out Miss Derringer’s new video “Black Tears”, the 2-D version available here:
http://www.myspace.com/missderringer
The LinuxChix miniconf is now able to announce our final schedule. Our one day programme will feature the following presentations:
* “Heroes”, presented by Pia Waugh
* “So you want to be a sysadmin” presented by Joh Clarke
* “Not-common-enough code optimisations” presented by Jacinta
Richardson
* “Memcache, keeping data in the handiest place: memory”, presented
by Brenda Wallace
* “Who’s Behind Wikipedia?”, presented by Brianna Laugher
* “From behind the monitor: Communication challenges in open source
projects”, presented by Adaora Oniya
* “Community work, adult education, computer recycling/refurbishing
all using Linux”, presented by Robyn Manning and Kylie Willison
* “What does a community manager do?” presented by Stormy Peters
Please join us on Tuesday January 29 2008 at linux.conf.au at the University of Melbourne for the LinuxChix miniconf; open to all linux.conf.au attendees.
Schedule and Location
The miniconf will be held on Tuesday January 29 2008 at the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, as part of the annual Australiasian linux.conf.au conference, and will feature talks by nine women on topics ranging from programming techniques to community management.
See http://conf.au.linuxchix.org/ for more about the miniconf
http://conf.au.linuxchix.org/schedule/ for full details of the
schedule.
Undergrowth presents : SOLSTICE TRAILS : a solar art carnivale
DETAILS:
what is it: a solar art carnivale of free art, music and films in the park to celebrate the Solstice.
when is it: Saturday 22nd December 12 noon-12 midnight
where: The centre of Edinburgh Gardens, next to the historic missing Queen Victoria statue.
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
ABOUT:
Solstice Trails is a solar art carnivale being held in the Edinburgh Gardens to celebrate the summer solstice on Saturday the 22nd of December, (07) organised by the Undergrowth art collective. We are inviting the Melbourne community to come in creative celebration of this annual event when the earth reaches it’s apex of solar energy, so why not enjoy it out in the open air, under the sun? In this spirit, the power for the event will be supplied by the sun thanks to the Labrats Solar Powered Sound System, and the ‘renewable energy’ of Melbourne’s creative community creating an artistic carnival atmosphere. Celebrate creativity not consumption. Celebrate life from the sun – this is what Solstice represents.
As part of the carnivale, we will be transforming the park into an open air gallery for one day, from the trees we will be hanging works by local artists, Chayya Clancy, Raku Pitt, Tim Parish and Antonia Green who will also be erecting her geodesic creation as an artspace over the day. Music will be provided by Miso, Pataphysics, slam poetry jazz outfit ‘Sipher Alley’, Dub the Magic Dragon, Labrats and more, with chill dj’s until nightfalls. Finally when the sun sets there will be a selection of consciousness raising films including shorts, animations, the Ministry of Truth radical media tv pilot, and the official launch of ‘Tales from the Ghetto’ by Izzy Brown, MC of Combat Wombat about her recent collaboration with Kenyan hiphop collective Sinpare while in Africa. All free.
THE HISTORY OF SOLSTICE
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, a sacred festival for cultures all around the world, connecting the ancient pagan celebrations as it marks the period of greater fertility in agriculture. In China it is a celebration of yin, the earth and the feminine. It is the original inspiration for the date which is now Christmas, and in many cultures the ancient myths of the virgin birth of the son at this time actually relate to virgo giving birth to the sun… We believe that as environmental awareness increases around the world, so does our awareness of reconnecting our culture to the natural cycles of the world, and a revival of these ancient earth centred festivals can play a large part of that. As a counterpoint to Christmas, which has been grafted on to the date of the Solstice, we want to celebrate creativity not consumption.
Often celebrated on the 21st of December, the actual date of the the longest day changes each year to the day before or after, and this is why it is often called the day when ‘the sun stands still’ before it begins to move back toward winter. In 2007 the longest day of the year will be Saturday December 22nd just after most people have finished work for the year, so what better time to come and celebrate play, and creativity than when the source of all our creation is at it’s peak in our skies?
BYO CREATIVITY
We want everyone to know that while Undergrowth is planting the seed and setting the stage with many artists and musicians on the day, everyone is invited to come and bring their own creations, set up their own space, show art, bring instruments, sculptures, theatre, picnic, whatever you want… art is a participatory activity, not just a spectator sport. Everyone is invited to come and play.
ABOUT UNDERGROWTH:
Undergrowth is an organic media art collective involved in independent publishing, utilising art to inspire environmental consciousness and evolutionary culture. Through our website Undergrowth.org we host art, writing, films, music ebooks and regular digital magazine of Australian artists, and in the real world we publish books, organise art exhibitions, work with festivals and hold events that promote conscious memes in the Australian culture.
We are all change agents.
Engage the flow and swim with it.
In it.
Become it…
{we live not Underground, but in the Undergrowth}
For more information or to get involvedcontact:
Tim Parish: – art(a)undergrowth.org
Scott Foyster: zines(a)undergrowth.org
Solstice Carnivale Website
O’Reilly have just issued their gift for geeks list which includes:
Books for Hardcore Geeks — If you want to give a surprise — a gift full of meaning, something that will bring delight to a technology enthusiast’s eyes, something utterly classic but totally cutting edge — there’s nothing like a book from O’Reilly.
Books for Gadgets and Gizmos — Looking for that special book for the digital lifestyleror DIY-er on your holiday list? Well, check out this handy, geeky guide of new books that is sure to bring delighted smiles to the iPhone lovers, digital photogs, backyard astronomers, and Lego maniacs on your gift list.
MAKE Gift Guide — Gifts for the makers in your life! Make it: DIY Kits, Gift Certificates, the MAKE Hoodie, just added new T-Shirts, and a whole lot more
CRAFT Gift Guide — Gifts for the crafters in your life! Everything from Sushi Wallet Kits, “DIY” Laptop Bag by Skooba, Craft Back Issues…
Of course if it’s too late to get something off-shore there is always the local equivalent of a good brain mash at Gonzo’s, Polyester; Chocolate shops, Koko or Haigs; and an upgrade on your boyfriend’s iPod system a la Bose speakers. !!
Within the constellation of allied hobbies and subcultures collectively known as geekdom, one finds many social groups bent under a crushing burden of dysfunction, social drama, and general interpersonal wack-ness. It is my opinion that many of these never-ending crises are sparked off by an assortment of pernicious social fallacies — ideas about human interaction which spur their holders to do terrible and stupid things to themselves and to each other.
Social fallacies are particularly insidious because they tend to be exaggerated versions of notions that are themselves entirely reasonable and unobjectionable. It’s difficult to debunk the pathological fallacy without seeming to argue against its reasonable form; therefore, once it establishes itself, a social fallacy is extremely difficult to dislodge.
Five Geek Social Fallacies
