"The Birth of the Cool" and the Life of Mrs Davis.

Renowned artist Barkley Hendricks' in conjunction with the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University is exhibiting "Birth of the Cool" around the nation at select locations. ( see below).

In Hendrick's Exhibit is the 3 foot high image of a shy young girl with a not-so -shy afro holding her arm protectively. It's titled 'Lawdy Mama'. The image is of Atlanta Muralist and cousin to Barkley Hendricks, Kathie Davis. Mrs Davis has painted murals for many Atlanta based celebrities including Ludacris and Dorsey Levens. A little over two months ago Mrs Davis finally succumbed to a long bout with cancer leaving behind her a lifetime of artwork and two talented children.

My friend Atlanta based designer Azure Davis is her daughter. This is a really special post for me because I know how much she went through towards the end of Mrs. Davis life.

When you're young, your emotions are insecure but your body is strong, when you're older your emotions are secure but your body just won't keep up. Life is pretty ironic. So Az yeah...in line with the rest of our convo..that's what I think about when I see your mom's panting. It's got to feel good to see her immortalized like that and by such a talented artist: young and beautiful forever.

Rest in Peace Mrs. Davis.

Kh.

Looking For Lady Writerz

I'm always looking for women artists who are up to the task. So in today's fadeout ( meaning right now I should be working ) I did a little research. I'm hell bent on finding lady writerz that can hold their own. The race is on...the leaders ( In America )are Sherm out of LA and Siloette. Its just my first day tho...

AU NATURAL

Heels meets Nature. ( Alexander McQueen and Jimmy Choo) Layout for Online Mag Pedderzine. OoohWee!

INSA PROTEIN AD.

IAM1 x INSA from Protein® TV on Vimeo.

Jason Thielke

I came across this artist recently. I have to say I love Jason Theilke's style...the ink drawings remind me of paint by numbers. Its pretty with an edge

SaxsoFunny "Every Image Has A Sound" campaign

Featured on "Communication Arts". I just think its fly to see commercial artists think outside the box. I guess they did too. ( thnx Miss Brown for the link)...

You have to shake the metal paper to get the thunder sound. That one took me a minute to get.

Disney is playin' Chess-Queen takes Everything

The Walt Disney Co. said Monday it is buying Marvel Entertainment Inc. for $4 billion in cash and stock, bringing such characters as Iron Man and Spider-Man into the family of Mickey Mouse and WALL-E.

You know I was really hoping Disney would buy out yet another brand-its terrible how poor those people are.

Hip Hop Joe Budden vs...Who?

I don't know who Random is, but i'm feeling the way Joe Budden handled this hip hop beef. This is another beautiful snatch from www.illdoctrine.com. Rappers KNOW they're getting old, its time to act like it.

( Go to the site to view the clip)

Long Distance Tagging- Get Yours! Palestine

RAMALLAH, West Bank – This is so damn cool -- The newest and most politically charged Graffiti space-the massive concrete barrier separating Israel from the Palestinians.
Over the Internet, a group of Palestinian graf artists ( members of the Palestinian Peace and Freedon Youth Forum) are offering to spray-paint your personal message on Israel's towering security wall in the occupied West Bank.
It costs $40 a message and you can say whatever....just don't get too crazy
I'm doing it...I'm thinking " The World Is Ours!" in all caps...its a chance to be a little part of the hope-making process. And your message will stand until peace reigns... Knowing Israel and Palestine thats gonna be a minute.

www.sendamessage.nl

"It is a new way to speak with the people, that we the Palestinians exist," says graffiti artist Yusef Njm।

Shepard Fairey fighting Associated Press for his Obama Image

Are they serious? The now famous "Obey" style Image of Obama was based on a photograph taken by Associated Press's freelance photographer Manny Garcia...So now they want a cut of the tens of thousands of dollars that has swirled around the image. Fortunately it seems that Shepard Fairey didn't make more than a little added fame off of it-(well that's his story for the moment anyway). It took the photographer two seconds to snap that photo and prob took Fairey hours to repaint it. The photograph isn't what excited the globe and it couldnt have, it is one of millions and easily replaceable, Fairey's hard work made it gold.

I don't think they deserve a cut ( especially off of a photo they never even used), but that's me.

( Video Chat Coming to the Iphone?) Meet George Jetson...

his boy Elroy....

Apple filed a massive patent that includes a gang of services that are needed for video chat:
"video conferencing", "Optical Sensor" aka video cam, "digital videoing

...Daughter Judy

Of course this doesnt' mean its set in stone. Apple patents a lot of nonsense just on principle. But i'm getting excited... I may have to (gulp) switch to AT&T.


Jane his wife!

This is a Graduated Human Being

Shawn Crawford gave up his Olympic silver medal to Churandy Martina, the sprinter who originally finished second in the 200 meters but was later disqualified for running out of his lane.
“It wasn’t about doing the right thing. It’s just me as an athlete—I feel like we all compete and train for four years to get to the Olympic Games,” Crawford said. “We got there, he was told he finished second after all that, he took a victory lap. I can understand his humiliation and embarrassment and all that."

Nicely Put...

"Gaza" From Artist Carlos Latuff.  This just about says it all...The year has just begun. Thnx to atlanta artist Will-Kem for sending this to me. Keep the city warm for me, i'll be there in a few days.

Gold Plated Turntable

Solid Gold Turntables...for my Mix-masters out there...  Unlike the fat cars below, I believe this works. Half a years salary just to get on it:

This thing goes for $38,790. By Transrotor . If i were a d.j. i'd buy it and charge people extra just to watch me use it...then i'd be too scared to mix...i'd just let the track run. lol!

Damn that's a Fat-Azz Ride!

The "Fat Cars"  are created by Viennese ( sp) artist Erwin Wurm...you'll definitely catch people's eye if they ran. It would almost work as a getaway car because the license is covered...but then as soon as you type in the make and model it's all over

...And a Happy New Year.

I am inspired to say something with a Holiday Spirit by the head of one of the companies I do business. I stood in the crowd as he gathered all of his employees around him and talked about how hard he has been fighting to keep them with him. I was touched. 2008 was a tough year for so many of you guys. I mean really-Artists got hammered this year. ( many many )Lost jobs, lost homes, cars and credit debt. For some I know it was literally hard to eat this year, but the fact is that we're all still standing, and in some of the toughest cities in the world. we're still eating and making it.

We made it through the Bush regime and if this the best they can do to take us to rock bottom, I think this year is going to be lovely. The world is yours to do with what you will. And the way the world looks is the way you've decided it looks to you. So look up, I see big things in the year(s) to come. As I go into the new year i'm saying " 2009 I'm About To Get Mine."

I want you all there by my side.


Always

Khia.

Merry Xmas

I want someone to buy me these books and put a ribbon on it. And i live in queens. I'm just sayin'

I Like How Gaudi Gets Down

Just back from Barcelona and thanks to Lion I've learned about Spain's pride and joy: Spanish Architech Antoni Gaudi.

His work is something else...its kind of wild. His buildings make him look like a hardworking maniac. There is something haphazard about the way he does his thing that I like. For instance all of this totally different stuff comes off of the same building. For his buildings he designed everthing down to the light fixtures and the gates and the doors and the keyholes in his signature look
(he died having only one girlfriend on record never married-who'd have guessed). And he seemed to have more unfinished projects than finished. He walks off a project when the heads involved cramp his style.

As a designer he's my new hero. To refuse to bend to anyone's will and create these crazy pieces in the early 1900s...crazy.

EPMD-Back in Business

Privileged to see the album release party for EPMD new album " We Mean Business". Album out now. They're back in business and Judging by Parish Smith's big smiles, they were happy to be there. I can't recommend the album yet, but I can recommend the group!

Coup D'Etat ( Clothing Line Brother Omi will LOVE)

I bought a black and metallic " Teach the Babies" t-shirt in Harlem and then Rocked it to EPMDeee's album release last night.  Eric Sermon and Parish Smith are making dollars again. Peace to D.J. K-Salaam for putting me on the list and spinning a great show..and to Bouncer Mike for making me tell him jokes to actually get inside. 

I bought this shirt because Dan Tres (aka Brother Omi) is always talking about the babies and what they learn.  Now this is when the post gets messed up....Danny ( mi maestro) I ALMOST bought you a tee and mailed it to you.Almost.

...but yeeaah bruh its a recession. So just so you know that I thought about you I'm telling you about Coup D'Etat. Click the Link and Go cop somethin'

Was Juno ( the Movie) A Ripoff?

People love to hawk movies in this country from Asia as tho there is no internet.  I recently worked a gig here in NY with a korean woman named Juna Lee...so her name started this conversation. Apparently there is a Korean comedy movie called Jenny, Juno written and directed by Kim-Jo Hoon. It's about a middle school girl and her boyfriend who gets pregnant and then delivers. Sounds a little familiar but even though the Korean and American versions are dead on screen writter Diablo Cody says she never knew it existed. I guess that's possible...

Naaah Kehinde Wiley this doesn't sit well

I've been off my blogging game lately. My bad. But Yashua Klos told me to tell it like it is so... 

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to go up to harlem and check out Kehinde Wiley as he spoke about his latest exhibition " The World Stage:Africa".  I've had convos with friends about Kehinde's artwork. Originally my reaction to his work was total awe and in time it turned to " what on earth?".  

Kehinde has become famous for painting image after image of gigantic black men in traditional european poses. They are gorgeous and technically sick.  But there are so MANY of them after awhile I began to question his message? I guess it was supposed to be ironic, but It began to seem like he wanted to make black men dignified by making them act non-black. One friend defended him saying that Kehinde's idea was that because we (blacks) are not repped in history he was "painting us in". I said " really, well that's cool". So when the opportunity presented itself I had to ask Kehinde what the real deal was ( turns out btw I wasnt the only audience member disturbed). 

He fumbled a little as he said he was fascinated by european art and he found it the utmost in dignity and wanted to depict the men this way (paraphrasing). It kind of makes me sad. With the many many gigantic and time consuming paintings he did this is the best way he found to make that point. And then he turned it into a gimmick. I've seen at least 17 of them 6 ft tall a piece. Well, we all have to eat and Kehinde is eating well.

Kehinde, babes. This is OUR world every last one of us. White-Black-Yellow-Beige.  There is no longer one standard. Pretty paintings tho, but I'm glad you've moved on. :)

A Cure for AIDS????!!

Cough it the hell up! Big businesses make me ill. People have been thinking cures have existed for decades...and me being the little conspiracy theorist I am...well, you can only imagine whats going thru my head.

A 42 year old American in Berlin has gotten a bone marrow transplant that is usually used for leukemia that has pretty much cured his AIDS symptoms and all sign of the disease. Scratching my head as to why this isn;t front page news. Oh yeah, the republicans are still in office.
(Check out my images-of course these ads come from the French. Smile- I like to keep you folks on your toes.)
See more of the story (here)

RIP MAMA AFRICA...

10th November 2008
Johannesburg

The world was dealt a blow early this morning, in a small town outside Naples, Italy when Zenzile Miriam Makeba..Mama Afrika to the world, passed away.. and left this earth, aged 76 years. She was born on 4th March 1932.

The Money Shot!

Three of us had the same good idea but of course photographer Myron Christian had the best one. These get saved for the grandkids.