This post is about a film coming out today that is worth watching. Last year I went to the exhibit at Yerba Buena with the same tiltle and loved it.
BEAUTIFUL LOSERS celebrates the spirit behind one of the most influential cultural moments of a generation
In the early 1990’s a loose-knit group of likeminded outsiders found common ground at a little NYC storefront gallery. Rooted in the DIY (do-it-yourself) subcultures of skateboarding, surf, punk, hip hop & graffiti, they made art that reflected the lifestyles they led. Developing their craft with almost no influence from the “establishment” art world, this group, and the subcultures they sprang from, have now become a movement that has been transforming pop culture.
Starring a selection of artists who are considered leaders within this culture, Beautiful Losers focuses on the telling of personal stories. It speaks to themes of what happens when the outside becomes “in” as it explores the creative ethos connecting these artists and today’s youth.
The artists featured are now leaders in they’re respective fields. Two of them were big influences on me growing up. Ed Tempelton pro skater/artist’s/photographer and Shepard Fairey the man who started OBEY.
Beautiful losers is a perfect illustration of people considered outsiders and how they ended up shaping popular culture because they wanted to produce things that they were personally interested in. Carving out spaces for themselves.
Cant speak for everyone but i know what it feels like to be an outsider. Early on in my life i had the option to take over my Dads dental practice but I knew that i would not be happy and needed to do something else. Luckily my parents were supportive and understanding of me. As far as i can remember I have been in art school because my parents and teachers recgonized my talents and wanted me to further develop them whether I wanted to or not.
Looking back at myself growing up I always smile. I was a skinny curly haired black kid in art school with a protensity for creativity and a quick mind(tongue). On my free time during school I would go to the library to read the Reptile and Amphibian encyclopedia or go into the woods to observe and catch them while horrifying my mom with me bringing Lizards and Snakes home. She enrolled me in the JCC after school program for more studies and I would go home and listen to heavy metal/rock. In my teens while in art school I got into skateboarding and later on got into Ballet. Due to me having such varied interests people had a hard time understanding me because I was not able to be categorized or put into a box. Can you imagine me having to explain to my skating friends that I cant skate today because I have ballet class? I would always say that “its not that bad, and I get to hang around half naked women all day” to shut them up. Or I would say “maybe if you took ballet you might not suck.” (I was kinda a punk:P) I eventually had to give up skating because I decided to pursue dance but never gave up on any of my other interests. Interestingly enough in my dance training I never wanted to join a company much like me not wanting to take over my dad’s practice. I wanted to do my own thing but had no clue that was. 26 years later with a solid 16 years of schooling under my belt I am finally seeing my vision opening up for me. Not because it was handed to me either. I had learned all that I needed to for me to be able to do what I want with the tools that were given to me. Not letting go of my vision and staying true to myself other’s started to respect my work. “Weird” and “unique” quickly changed to “progressive” , “amazing” because of the pure honesty of myself and work and not trying to be anyone else.
Anywho, my point being is that you have to follow your own path and dreams to make it in this crazy mixed up world. No one can stop you from your dreams as long as you believe in yourself. If you dont who will?
Did i just get really deep just now:) Who cares. The film is worth checking out.
Tomorrow night New Chamber Ballet opens its season at City Center with 3 new ballets by Miro Magloire, Lauren Toole and Constantine Baecher. The last few weeks I have been designing and constructing 10 new costumes, with mulitple pieces per costume, in the midst of end-of-summer vacations and Labor Day weekend. It goes without saying, it has been nuts! But I am really excited about them, mainly because they represent a pretty big departure from the norm for me.
Sketch of female costume for Baecher’s Arachnophilia. It is a nude unitard with a tunic dress and cowl neck veil of varying nets and meshes that I have cut into.
{The ladies of New Chamber Ballet: Elizabeth, Emily, Maddie and Emery. First fitting over practice clothes, without unitards. Took me a few moments to realize Emily and Emery needed to switch and a bit longer decide what needed to be added or taken away once they started moving in them. Basically, I am constantly adding to and editing it in my head.)
Tonight is dress rehearsal and I still have to hook and eye and put straps on all of the dresses for Cascade (Toole’s ballet). It is at times such as this, I like to remember that there are stories of Karinska getting into the cab at 8p on opening night to head for the theatre with the costumes and dancers waiting in the wings in just their pink tights! Yes, I will take a deep breath in and remember I am actually very, very close to the end result………..the performance, when I can finally exhale!
Tomorrow night and Saturday at 8p. City Center Studios. 4th Floor.
Today was the first rehearsal with new company members: Aleyse Bradford, Heidi D’Alessandro, Chanelle Lagacé, Brigitte Mitchell, and Quincy Junor. It was so great to share the space, and begin the very special process of sharing our work with the individuals who will be responsible for sharing it with the world. Sounds a bit…hoaky, I know… but it really is something intense that anyone who has created work can surely relate to. The dancers are the more than the vessel, they are the living breathing translation of what the work is and will shape up to be. It’s funny seeing a piece I have seen many times with a new perspective. We began learning a bunch of core phrases from “Abravanel” today and they blew me away.
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I look forward so much to the coming months as we get to know each other in a variety of ways.
After rehearsal Lynn and I had a meeting at Chelsea Art Museum where we think we may have our Benefit in November (fingers crossed!!!). Then we headed to a meeting with one of our Board members to discuss that in a bit more detail. She works for a hedge fund in Midtown, so we love getting free waters and juices!!!
What a day of running around!
A couple times today I just stopped to think that, WOW, I was fishing with my fiance this weekend in the middle of nowhere in Northern Vermont, and this evening I was at a Hedgefund office on 5th Ave in NYC. Crazy where life takes you…
With the oil prices being outrageous I elected to not go far and have my first ever Summer “Staycation”. Over the past couple weeks people around me have been talking about Summer like it is already over. I have accepted that fact. The end is near and I would like to bow out gracefully.
Here are some pics of my Summer “Staycation”. I did not go too far but I had a fun and productive Summer anyways. All of the pics that I have decided to posts are all varied activities involving work, play or personal interests. Enjoy.
And
here
we go
The X-men moved to San Francisco for serious
Me on the 4th of July
Bobbi Smith from Batsheva
Bobbi and I working in my home studio
Dancers in the making
Perez Hilton and I
Joker from The Dark Knight
Patrick Lennen on the 1’s and 2’s in the studio
Artist’s Davie Crockette. You will be seeing a lot more of him real soon.
In Friday’s NY Times, Alastair Macaulay writes a nice piece on one of my favorite films of all time - Powell and Pressburgers’ “The Red Shoes”. Evidently it is the 60th anniversary of the film, so if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, and you happen to be nursing a sunburn/not interested in being outdoors, this may be something to watch.
Powell and Pressburger
I wrote a bit more in depth about the film in a previous post (from 2005, yikes!).
One of the greatest things about this movie, besides the intriguing characters and beautiful cinematography, are the choice lines - usually delivered by Lermontov.
Lermontov
“Even the greatest magician cannot produce a rabbit out of a hat, if there is not already a rabbit in the hat.”
Here’s a clip of the gown/staircase/Monte Carlo scene Alastair describes…
alternately, here’s a version of some of the dancing parts of the film set to Timbaland’s “Apologize”… wait for it at 48secs…
I have been seeing your “Google ME” signs since the beginning of the summer and am real happy I can help make the winger a place where the people can find out more about you share their own stories about you. The chickens make this sign next to the gas station on 125th my favorite. Hello to all the people in the cars who followed the sign. I looked at your myspace page. The pictures are great. This one really shows what you are about: living in peace and being healthy.
Artists depend on others to chronicle their work. The 2003 times article by Alan Feuer is a good start but nowhere near a complete story. My posts arent bad either but there needs to be more. I think people need to know more about how rich your life is before they can really understand what you got to say. Lots of folks think you are crazy or homeless. People should see your paintings and hear your music and read your poetry. If you could share the view from your terrace or inside your art studio the people would really know and want to help support your work.
I think we should create something together with images, music, video, books, wisdom, technology and people. We should continue to use the internet and signs to communicate to each other and with the people. It was great to meet with you on tuesday thanks for giving me a call on my birthday. Let me know next time you are putting up an installation so we can artifact it. I am in the neighborhood.
Tony
I dont know what you know and you don’t know what I do but together we got a whole lot of know.
Otis Houston Jr.
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