ArtWalk's - 5 Cool Things - 11/19/21
A weekly creative entertainment newsletter
5 COOL THINGS
1) FILM/TELEVISION
NOBODY - (2021 Film)
If you’re looking for a little fun, then Nobody might be the right call for your viewing pleasure. Bob Odenkirk definitely delivers a punch in this thrill ride. Most people will be familiar with Odenkirk from the acclaimed series Breaking Bad, where he played the character of Saul Goodman, the witty criminal defense attorney to Walter White.
PLOT: A docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves, which, coincidentally, leads him going to a bloody war with a Russian crime boss. - *IMDB
This was an easy watch that included the always clever, subtle comedic timing of Odenkirk.
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2) MUSIC
ARLO PARKS - (British Singer/Songwriter, Poet)
“Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho, known professionally as Arlo Parks, is a British singer-songwriter and poet. Her debut studio album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart.” - Wikipedia
I’m currently vibing out to the music of Arlo Parks as my Spotify playlist drops down one song after the other. Full disclaimer, I am pretty new to Park’s music, but what I have heard so far has me wanting to explore more. I am finding that it is no surprise her music has gained a ton of popularity, particularly in the UK. It is subtle, with smooth beats and lyrics that melt into a vibey form. And I’m digging it. I have a feeling that Arlo Parks is a name that will become extremely popular in the years to follow.
Here is the music video for one of her hits Eugene:
3) ART
MIKE WINKELMANN (BEEPLE) - (American Digital Artist)
The artist known as Beeple has surely made a name for himself in 2021. And it was a big coming out party to say the least.
“Michael Joseph Winkelmann, known professionally as Beeple, is an American digital artist, graphic designer, and animator. He is known for using various mediums in creating comical, phantasmagoric works that makes political, social commentary while using pop culture figures as references.” - Wikipedia
Beeple sold a digital piece of art, known as an NFT (non-fungible token) with the partnership of a Christie’s auction, for 69 million dollars. Yup. That happened. Beeple had made a piece of digital art everyday, for the past thirteen years, then turned it into the collage piece titled EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS. What the hell is an NFT you ask? Well, that is a lesson unto itself that this newsletter does not have the bandwidth for, but here is a link explaining it in broad terms: https://www.theverge.com/22310188/nft-explainer-what-is-blockchain-crypto-art-faq
Beeple has now become the Godfather of the NFT space after this nice little payday, and continues to make work regularly. Although trying to get your hands on a Beeple NFT these days is nearly impossible, as there are often times a lottery system during auctions with hundreds of thousands of people attempting to get lucky, sometimes with only ten pieces to be sold. Here is a collection of some of Beeple’s work:
The Christie’s Auction moment: https://www.christies.com/features/Monumental-collage-by-Beeple-is-first-purely-digital-artwork-NFT-to-come-to-auction-11510-7.aspx
Beeple’s website: https://www.beeple-crap.com/
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4) BOOKS/WRITING
GOING TO CALIFORNIA - (ROBERT PLANT / JIMMY PAGE)
Spend my days with a woman unkind
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
Made up my mind, make a new start
Goin' to California with an achin' in my heart
Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair
Took my chances on a big jet plane
Never let 'em tell ya that they're all the same
The sea was red and the sky was grey
I wonder how tomorrow could ever follow today
Mountains and the canyons start to tremble and shake
The children of the sun begin to awake
It seems that the wrath of the gods got a punch on the nose
And it's startin' to flow, I think I might be sinkin'
Throw me a line, if I reach it in time
Meet you up there where the path runs straight and high
Find a queen without a king
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born
Standin' on a hill in the mountain of dreams
Tellin' myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems
5) PHOTOGRAPHY
RICHARD AVEDON - (American Fashion & Portrait Photographer)
As I was deciding on who to feature as my next photographer, I was bumping up against a lot of good photography. A lot of portrait photographers that had taken very nice photos of celebrities, and those photos ended up being just that for me….nice. Then I came across Richard Avedon’s work. There was something different with these photos. They spoke. They moved. There was life and energy. Unforced still frames that gave feeling to the viewer. A kinetic pulse that emanated from the rectangle. When I look at photography, I want to feel something turn and twist a little inside of me. Avedon’s work represents just that:
More information on Richard Avedon and his work can be found at: https://www.avedonfoundation.org/
I've sure missed Odenkirk ever since the Breaking Bad series ended.He sure didn't disappoint in ''Nobody.'' Great movie! Beeple's work is interesting & what a payday for digital art! Wonder how they'd appraise the value of the work of the never-ending hands-on creative artist...Robert Crumb? Really like Avedon's black & whites...and,of course,the Plant-Page song was a major part of the soundtrack of my hippy-era days....never forgotten.Thanks Aaron...