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Artist: M. Matarrita
This Current Gallery profiles the work of Harlem, New York Artist: Marthalicia Matarrita www.myspace.com/2005war
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Temporary parks dominate parking spaces across the U.S.
PARK(ing) Day, a collaboration between San Francisco nonprofits Rebar and Public Architecture and the national Trust for Public Land is an event during which more than 40 cities across the country have seen countless groups take over parking spaces and turn them into an extremely wide variety of interpretations of the "public park."
PARK(ing) Day is a wonderful chance to spread the message that urban environments don't have to be a never-ending field of concrete and steel, and that even if you don't have a traditional garden, you shouldn't feel cut off from a life with green things.
On this third PARK(ing) Day--the first occurred in 2005 when Rebar set up a temporary park in a single San Francisco parking spot--the creative spirit is definitely in the air, and it's not just ordinary citizens who are getting involved.
In a way, PARK(ing) Day was a dress rehearsal for what Public Architecture hopes will be a series of permanent installations set up in urban streets.
Of course, even PARK(ing) Day had its rules. Those who had commandeered parking spaces had to pay the meters. At one point, at McLaughlin's sustainable rooftop garden, a couple of her colleagues noticed that a meter maid was coming.
"We'd better feed the meter," they said urgently.
But over at the temporary beauty salon, where there weren't any meters, but where the space was in a one-hour parking zone, Cara Buglil said the meter maid was simply driving by and honking happily at her and her fellow cosmetologists.
PARK(ing) Day, a collaboration between San Francisco nonprofits Rebar and Public Architecture and the national Trust for Public Land i... more -
A polite display of power
100 persons stop traffic, just crossing the road.
An action by TrafficKills.com community.
www.traffickills.com
Join your local TrafficKills Meetup! 100 persons stop traffic, just crossing the road. An action by TrafficKills.com community. www.traffickills.com ... more -
Guerilla Gardeners dig in to beautify otherwise lost and wasted spaces in cities.
Tired of reading about the negative side of humanity?
"City workers on overtime? Nope, no budget for that. These were "guerrilla gardeners," a global movement of the grass-roots variety where people seek to beautify empty or overgrown public space, usually under the cover of darkness and without the permission of municipal officials.
"What we're fighting is neglect," said guerrilla gardening guru Richard Reynolds of London, founder of the Web site guerillagardening.org" Tired of reading about the negative side of humanity? ... more -
DC Sexy Time!
Washington, D.C., aka Chocolate City, shows off its street style in this installment of Street Styles: DC.
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OBSERVING THE FLAG | By Paul Treacy | Category: Portfolios | Blurb
Observing The Flag is a sardonic look at American life and Americans' love of their flag by photojournalist, Paul Treacy. First published in 2008 by Photohumourist.com. This book is available in soft & hardcover. Observing The Flag is a sardonic look at American life and Americans' love of their flag by photojournalist, Paul Treacy. First publis... more
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Beep-Beep, Toot-Toot: David Byrne Plays the Whole Building
New Yorkers would pay very good money to silence the daily New York Symphony, sounds composed and performed by the urban din of garbage trucks, car speakers, bus brakes, warped manhole covers, knocking radiators, people yelping down from high windows and the racket of numerous blaring television sets.
But just leave it up to the goofy David Byrne, an avant-garde artist and musician, to create a huge sound installation in New York City that makes such "music" on purpose, although many wouldn't call it music at all!!
David Byrne’s "Playing the Building" is a sound installation in which the infrastructure of New York's Maritime Building has been converted into a giant musical instrument: a gargantuan cast-iron orchestra.
Photographs and two videos of the "Playing the Building" sound installation are included. New Yorkers would pay very good money to silence the daily New York Symphony, sounds composed and performed by the urban din of garbag... more -
Invincible feat. Finale- "Locusts" (docu-music-video)
Detroit based Hip-Hop artists Invincible and Finale rhyme about the impacts of gentrification on the Motor City. This piece includes interviews with community activists discussing displacement and predatory planning versus sustainable development in the D.
Both the song and video for "Locusts" by Invincible feat. Finale, (produced by DJ House Shoes) are from Invincible's debut album Shapeshifters available on www.EMERGENCEmusic.net and www.bling47.com). Detroit based Hip-Hop artists Invincible and Finale rhyme about the impacts of gentrification on the Motor City. This piece includes i... more -
The People's Park!
In the summer of 2007, an energetic group of artists, activists and community members re-claimed an unused former train yard in Syracuse, New York, turning it into a community garden and sculpture park. Individuals volunteered their time and energy to plant a large flower bed, create hand made signs and donated large scale sculptural works of art for display.
Located in a historically creative neighborhood (the near west side), Lipe Art Park was named after a local inventor and businessman, C.E. Lipe, who owned the C.E. Lipe Machine Shop at 208 S. Geddes Sreet. Established in 1880, this shop became an incubator for inventors, with 360 patents coming off the corner of S. Geddes St and West Fayette Streets. C.E. Lipe is also known for his many prolific inventions including: a cigar-rolling machine, a broom-winding machine, motion picture equipment, automatic looms and time recorders. Lipe Art Park, in its completion, represents a re-birth of this historic innovation.
Lipe Art Park is now a popular public space that provides a venue for artists to show their work, paint, sculpt, sing, play musical instruments, write, recite poetry, dance, join in a drum circle, or invent in a large outdoor greenspace. It also serves the direct neighborhood as a central meeting area and a flowering park.
In the summer of 2007, an energetic group of artists, activists and community members re-claimed an unused former train yard in Syracu... more -
Helen Levitt: 7 decades of New York street photography
Helen Levitt's street photography in New York City spans seven decades, photographs taken mostly throughout the city's working-class neighborhoods. Her wonderfully candid black-and-white shots, of urban kids playing and ordinary people just going about their everyday lives, have inspired generations of photographers.
Great photographs and a delightful video slideshow of Helen Levitt's photographs are included. Helen Levitt's street photography in New York City spans seven decades, photographs taken mostly throughout the city's working-class n... more -
Arrakis - documentario su amianto e abbandono industriale italiano (+ english sub)
Sto cercando blogger interessati a partecipare al rilascio di questo documentario sociale.
Chi fosse interessato può contattarmi su Current o direttamente su arrakis AT vh5n1.org
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il video segnalato è solo una breve anteprima, il documentario completo dura 20' ca.
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Cos'è Arrakis?
Arrakis è un documentario poetico di tributo ai luoghi e alle vittime del progresso industriale italiano.
Vedute di fabbriche abbandonate fanno da sfondo ad una voce trasformata dalla malattia.
E’ la voce di Silvestro Capelli, un ex-operaio della storica Breda Fucine di Sesto San Giovanni.
E’ la particolare voce di un laringectomizzato.
Silvestro nel 1996 ha subito un intervento di laringectomia totale per estirpare un tumore causato dall’amianto inalato durante gli anni del lavoro in fabbrica.
Come molte altre persone da anni combatte una battaglia sociale e legale.
Da una parte ci sono semplici cittadini, dall’altra ci sono le istituzioni, l’Inail, i sindacati, i dirigenti d’azienda, i partiti politici.
Racconta Silvestro in Arrakis:
"Tutti sapevano e nessuno ha parlato. Lo sapevano i sindacati. Lo sapeva la direzione dell’azienda. Lo sapeva l’assessorato alla sanità. Lo sapevano tutti, e non gli operai che c’erano dentro. E così ci hanno condannato a morte, a menomazioni, ma non solamente noi che lavoravamo all’interno della fabbrica. Perché le fabbriche non sono state costruite sotto una campana di vetro […]" Sto cercando blogger interessati a partecipare al rilascio di questo documentario sociale. ... more -
OBSERVING THE FLAG | By Photohumourist
This is the follow up book, just published, to my Current project looking at US flag etiquette in New York.
If interested, you can see images from the project at:
http://paultreacy.com/flag.htm
The book itself can be previewed at:
http://issuu.com/photohumorist/docs/observingtheflag?mo...
Feel free to comment.
Thank you.
http://www.photohumourist.com
This is the follow up book, just published, to my Current project looking at US flag etiquette in New York. ... more -
Baltimore "worse than life under Soviet Communism"
This is from a blog very critical of Baltimore entitled "Baltiless." The writer states that he has three friends, two of whom were raised in Soviet territories and a third who grew up in communist China. All three agree that Baltimore is worse off than any city in their home countries when they were younger. This is from a blog very critical of Baltimore entitled "Baltiless." The writer states that he has three friends, two of whom were ra... more
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MAKE: Blog: The Sciencebarge - NYC
Continuing on the list of things to do, MAKE and learn about in NYC for Makers, I visited the Sciencebarge in NYC, here's a bit about it and my photos!
The Science Barge is a prototype, sustainable urban farm and environmental education center. It is the only fully functioning demonstration of renewable energy supporting sustainable food production in New York City. The Science Barge grows tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce with zero net carbon emissions, zero chemical pesticides, and zero runoff.
The Science Barge Education Program focuses on sustainable food production and renewable energy resources. Following an introductory discussion on food systems and the concept of urban farming, students are led through an inquiry-based tour of the Science Barge, focusing on three main topics – food, water, and power. Topics on the tour include renewable energy, Hudson River ecology, reverse osmosis purification systems, pollination, integrative pest management, plant life cycles, hydroponics, greenhouse climate controls, aquaponics, vermiculture composting, oyster gardening, and constructed wetlands.
From May to October 2007, the Science Barge hosted over 3,000 schoolchildren from all five New York boroughs as well as surrounding counties as part of our environmental education program. In addition, over 6,000 adult visitors visited the facility along with press from around the world.
The Science Barge is currently open to the public and located at Pier 84, Hudson River Park (West 44th Street & 12th Avenue). Guided tours of the Science Barge run six days a week at the following times:
Public Tour Schedule:
Tuesday: 4.00pm
Wednesday: 4.00pm
Thursday: 4.00pm
Friday: 4.00pm
Saturday: 12.00pm, 1.00pm, 3.00pm, 4.00pm
Sunday: 12.00pm, 1.00pm, 3.00pm, 4.00pm
Public tours are free and operate on a first come, first serve basis. The tour duration is approximately 45 minutes. Continuing on the list of things to do, MAKE and learn about in NYC for Makers, I visited the Sciencebarge in NYC, here's a bit about ... more -
Tri-Rail in Serious Jeopardy | Transit Miami
In case you haven’t heard, Tri-Rail is in big trouble.
Larry Lebowitz wrote a piece a couple days ago (sorry for the tardiness in reporting) outlining the impending doom for the Tri-County commuter rail line:
Tri-Rail may be facing no weekend service and a 60 percent cut in weekday trains in the fall after the state Legislature failed Friday to pass a major commuter rail bill that jeopardizes funding for the South Florida train.
Tri-Rail has been battling for years to get the Legislature to approve a dedicated funding source so it doesn’t have to seek money annually from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties.
Without dedicated funding, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), which operates Tri-Rail, is preparing for massive service cuts starting in October.
Tri-Rail executive director Joseph Giulietti said the agency would have to kill its entire Saturday, Sunday, and holiday service — about 15 trains a day — and reduce weekday commuter service from 50 trains down to 20.
SFRTA had been hoping two years ago that the Legislature would pass a measure that would allow Tri-Rail counties to hold a referendum on initiating a $2 a day fee on most rental cars that would provide a dedicated funding source to Tri-Rail. The result? Transit-hater Jeb Bush vetoed the bill. This year, two more bills pushing the $2 rental car fee passed the House, but died in the Senate without a vote a few days ago.
So this is how it will likely go down now: Palm Beach County will cut its share of funding down to the legal limit of $4.23 million. Of course, Miami-Dade and Broward will follow suit, resulting in an $18 million dollar loss for Tri-Rail.
This is almost unfathomable considering the following:
* Tri-Rail is one of the fastest growing transit systems in America
* A $440 million doubling-tracking project was completed less than two years ago
* Ridership is up 28% from this time last year, largely stemming from service increase
* Tri-Rail provides the only regional north-south transit service between Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties
Can it get much worse for transit in South Florida? We finally have a successful transit system that serves a critical role in the regional transportation network, it’s seeing rapid growth every year, and that’s not even good enough? Shameful, embarrassing, moronic — these words that immediately come to mind don’t even do justice here.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/519255...
http://www.cfrail.com/newsevents.asp?type=news&id=4...
http://www.mcall.com/topic/sfl-0430trirail,0,6237169.st... In case you haven’t heard, Tri-Rail is in big trouble. ... more -
Bike-sharing program hits the US
The Velib program which started in Paris summer 2007 has proven successful and a sister program is about to launch in Washington DC.
Starting next month, people in Washington DC will be able to rent a bicycle day and night with the swipe of a membership card.
A new public-private venture called SmartBike DC will make 120 bicycles available at 10 spots in central locations in the city. The automated program, which district officials say is the first of its kind in the nation, will operate in a similar fashion to car-sharing programs like Zipcar. The Velib program which started in Paris summer 2007 has proven successful and a sister program is about to launch in Washington DC. ... more -
Yesteryear’s New York: The Belly of the Beast
During the 1970s and 80s, an adventurous blonde named Jill Freedman with a quick eye for the unusual and bizarre focussed her camera upon the spirited characters and gritty sidewalks of a now-bygone era in New York City life. This modernist documentarian was a self-taught photographer who captured raw, intimate images in black and white, transforming urban scenes into theatrical dramas.
Freedman’s portrait of New York reflected a fallen city that was strewn with piles of garbage. Prostitutes and bag ladies walked the streets, while junkies staked out abandoned tenements next to children playing in vacant lots. For reasons involving both a shift in photographic styles and her own declining personal circumstances, Ms. Freedman faded from the popular scene in the late 1980s. But today, at a moment when much of Manhattan is awash in money and glamour, Freedman’s photographic legacy offers us a vivid portrait of a metropolis once defined by violence, poverty and disarray, a New York that once was.
Photographs, a video and photo-gallery are included. During the 1970s and 80s, an adventurous blonde named Jill Freedman with a quick eye for the unusual and bizarre focussed her camera u... more -
Impen
Impen is a teenager raised in slum from a family of a shameful past. Bullied and teased as scarface, he finally fought and defeated Ogor.
Based on the short story 'Impeng Negro' by Rogelio Sicat. Impen is a teenager raised in slum from a family of a shameful past. Bullied and teased as scarface, he finally fought and defeated Og... more -
Stop Killing Children: Newspaper Launches Citywide Campaign
The Chicago Sun-Times featured a front cover with all backwards lettering and an image of a caucasian group of residents with their backs turned to the camera, in what they call a start of a campaign to stop the killing of children in inner city Chicago. This came after a weekend in which 26 shooting incidences resulted in 9 deaths and dozens of injuries. As with everything else, this should have started earlier because children have been killing each other worldwide for the past 55 years, but other American newspapers should follow the lead of the Sun-Times and the Baltimore Sun. The Chicago Sun-Times featured a front cover with all backwards lettering and an image of a caucasian group of residents with their ba... more
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Texas Street Artist 'Give Up'
Texas Street Artist 'Give Up' talks about who he is and the message behind his work. Give Up's work is currently showing at Aerosol Warfare Gallery in Houston, Texas.
video by PR!MO Texas Street Artist 'Give Up' talks about who he is and the message behind his work. Give Up's work is currently showing at Aerosol Wa... more
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