MY CHICAGO TRIP

So, this isnt really Berlin related, but i thought i should share anyway.

I went to the chi for my bros wedding. it was gorgeous. the bride was gorgeous.

2 years ago my brother Dave asked me to shoot photos of him eating nuts and bolts at the dinner table. I never did it, never got around to it- you know how these things go.

Anyways, He is the brother that got married, so I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to fulfill the request! I took the idea and thought id be great if i created a domestic/ post war, American dream themed photo series, where the wife is at home cooking and the husband out working hard as a laborer- as their wedding gift.

MUSIC vs. ART

Everyday around 10pm I find Ike sitting in the living room, with his studio headphones on- ignoring his surroundings for hours to make music. He says he's trying to make something that will please himself, but i know, he is secretly aiming to impress his favorite DJs-

But, no matter what the reason...music makers are subconsciously paving a new path for the music world.
Its a race, sort of . No one ever really wins though. People feed off of each other, try to impress one another, and the good thing is, there is enough space for everyone. Music is nice that way, there are infinite possibilities, millions of old work to reference, and a huge audience to play it all for.. to influence or alter the current condition of the art. Visual arts are like that too- but then when you evaluate the music community/world with its seemingly similar Art world counterpart, the differences are overwhelming. The Art community- there's a buyers and sellers market- the makers are left completely out of the equation... creating work who's value- they cant even personally afford- and when an artist, like myself, realizes how backward it all is- the hope and passion gets drained out and left barren-

And so... there is something nice about Music- something increasingly more refreshing- musicians can support other musicians - there aren't tracks that are worth tens, of thousands of dollars, and there surly aren't auctions full of people with toy poodles, and multimillion dollar homes, trying to fill there house with artwork that they could not possibly comprehend, or care to understand at all. Music is not about decadence, and even less about fortune. its about the plain, refreshing notion of doing it simply for the love of music. Because, lets face it- no one is getting rich off of it- and the people who are, are working hard- really hard- and communicating to their community- not an entire other community of 'buyers' and auction houses.

I see Ike doing this- along with so many other friends who make music... i think that Music is more about a conversation between peers- its about having a good time with its community and much less about fame, fortune, and a 'jeff koonian' approach. Don't get me wrong. . . there are artists who make art for themselves, use creation as a type of personal therapy, and even make things that are supposed to be enjoyed for their conceptual appeal, and not held on a pedestal for its monetary value... and those things are fine, initially. . . until the art community grabs hold of it- and turns that same piece of art into an empty, soul-less decoration.

heres a company who is releasing a couple of Ikes tracks: Trackdonalds-


Maybe i'm just a skeptic...aren't all recent grads of whichever profession, supposed to resent the last four years of their life, along with everything they'd learned during that time- as a sort of 'payback'??? --- well.. if not, that's how i'm responding...

ME AND WOLFGANG LUCIUS

my german professor :) he's as jolly as he looks-

and he claims he doesnt speak english- its his ploy to make us try as hard as we can

(but i know he can... haha)

THE BAADER-MEINHOF COMPLEX

Watching a violent film is one thing. Watching a violent film that is based on a true story is yet another. And watching a violent film, based on a true story in the city where it happened is almost surreal. I felt this as i walked out of the theater. The Central Kino is just a stop away from our apt- with grafittied walls, cobblestone drives, and walls on all sides. And as we walked through the Hackesche Höfe (the name of this enclosed maze of courtyards and buildings where the theater is-it felt like i was living in the film. Perhaps there had been a similar feel when i stepped into the streets of chicago after seeing the latest batman movie- but because 'the baader- meinhof complex' was a true story, it felt all the more real- i never heard of it before i got here to germany, but its about this group called the RAF (red army fraction) who functioned in Berlin and other european cities for nearly 40 years- fighting against war and imperialism...but in such a violent way- that they were considered terrorists. By the end of the film, there message grew unclear and their actions more aggressive- and in the end, they are sorta just these hippies trying to stand for something and reacting the only way they knew how.

FLAG TO PLANT IN BERLIN

BERLIN, BERLIN

i live in a neighborhood called mitte now. "mitte" means - middle in German, so therefore, I am in the middle of the city, the middle of the action, the middle of a sentence...

There is so much to explore, and such a lack of crime, that you can feel comfortable pretty much anywhere anytime. Its the feeling you get in the subburbs of a city, that sense of safety and security- but all the while being amidst a super interesting urban center.

There is a sense of magic here- a feeling that will fade as i experience the city, meet more people, and learn more german words. But for now, Berlin is my own private society where I cant possibly see a familiar face, hear a familiar word, or not have a question about something new that i come across, constantly finding things that inpire me.

And besides that mystery and excitement, i think that berlin is at a moment right now that wont last forever, a moment in music and art history that will be influencing others in the near future, noted, quoted and recorded in the future, and referenced in the more distant future still.

Im lucky to be here-

BERLIN GRAF

so. graffiti's everywhere here- and with a new city comes new styles and new names to get attuned to- theres so much, that i haven't even begun to document it, but here are some flicks to get a preview.

S IS FOR SUNDAYS, AND SUNDAYS ARE FOR SKATING.

Because 75 percent of the city fails to open, i'm constantly looking for things to do on a sunday... and its always a scramble on saturday night- to get groceries for sunday, or buy this or that to keep you occupied for the next day. Thankfully the Art museums and Galleries are open, and yesterday i went to an indoor skatepark called Skatehalle who also realizes that people are alive on sundays. There are 2 outdoor parks in berlin, but berlin is not a city you would exactly come to for its perfect weather... actually- i am pretty positive that there hasnt been a day with no precipitation since ive arrived.

SO Berlin Skatehalle is massive, with a redbull half-that has to be 12 feet tall or somthing- 4 foot bowl, and mini, and various street courses-i have video of it, but ill have to post it later- so here are a few flicks.


i brought the only friends i have here in berlin: jasper (10), louie (8) and Autur (11)-

CTM- Club Transmediale 2k9

"festival for adventurous -music and related visual arts"

heres the website: http://www.clubtransmediale.de/festival-09.html

We went to the opening night of this fest yesterday, and arrived just in-time for the second half of a Dub documentary entitled: dub echos-i think they start the fest with dub- because it was the beginning of the 'dj' - thus the beginning of electronic music.

so anyway-- we wait in the guestlist line for the show (ikes work is sponsoring the event) and this line was easily 4 times longer than the regular line. When we finally enter, it felt like stepping into the interworkings of a futuristic/ cosmic 3-d version of a flash website. Lights flashing everywhere, projections on everywall, and crazy visual illusions above the bar to display the drink list. The space, decor, and overall atmosphere was really amazing- check out a short clip and photos:

(sushi room, fully equipt with zen painting, and pebbles for a floor...)
Lounge-
1 of 2 stages - w/ projections surrounding the whole area


(stage)
another lounge- those letters were really coming off the wall! like styrophome installation or something!



- dancefloor- before dj went on stage.

MORE G-10 PHOTOS

Richard Avadon Exhibition - Martin Gropius Bau- Potsdamer Platz, Berlin. -

*' the chicago 7' - didnt know much about this group before the exhibition. But pretty interesting poltical pranksters. - funny how their style looks like what is back in fashion now-

'the factory'- really impressive larger-than-life portraits of Andy Warhol and the other 'factory' inhabitants/workers/artists

(no cameras were allowed, so sorry for the slanted/ not quite composed- photos ;)

2009 ACHIEVEMENTS THUS FAR...

1: I learned how to whistle.  I finally pulled myself aside, and said- this week I will learn to whistle.  I put my mind to it... and wow. At 23 years old, I can finally whistle (Although it is only on an inhale) 

2. I made money without having to work!!!  I found 20 euro on the street on my way home!  

3. I have finally spotted wild boar- I have been looking, searching, asking, and waiting... and then one winter day heading out to babysit by train- I saw them!  Take a look :)

making cookies.

So I really would like everyone to have cookies. And only about 5 years ago, I discovered that they are one of my favorite things to eat. I mean . . . they were always good, but- never something i craved. Of course I mainly just eat the cookie dough, and if someone wasnt always there, asking if I was planning on just eating the whole bowl of dough, making me think twice about it, I would probably never cook a cookie ever. So heres a recipe that you should try, to make everyone ( or atleast a large piece of your community) happy with some cookies.


CRISPY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

40, 000 lbs. sugar
30, 000 lbs. butter
192, 000 eggs (yolks only)
1, 000 lbs. molasses
120 lbs. vanilla
500 lbs. baking soda
700 lbs. salt
42, 000 lbs. flour
32, 000 lbs. chocolate chips

Bake at 340 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes. Makes 200 million (45 to 50, 000 pounds) chocolate chip morsels. No preservatives.

NEW YEARS EVE II

It was like a war-zone out there, on the streets around Brandenburg gate- explosions everywhere, small fires on the street, people scattered around- but everyone was in great spirits! It was new years! The strange thing was- when the clock struck 12- there were counting down, and cheers, but no stranger-to-stranger contact...no hugging left and right, and definatly no confetti. It was strange amongst a mass of a half-a-million, you still felt like you were alone.

NEW YEARS

MOVED IN

Neues Wohnzimmer (New Livingroom)
Neues Kuchen (New Kitchen)

Neues Badezimmer (New Bathroom)

Neues Schlafenzimmer (New Bedroom)