ten things five
1.
2. hou hanru is such a tiny little man. i thought about putting him in my pocket.
3. i took Memo, a kurdish trash picker from my neighborhood, with me to the Grande Opening Party of the Tenth Istanbul Biennial Shme Shme Pahrty. the only thing he said:
"So this is who comes to art things."
the party was on the terrace of Nikki's, overlooking the bosphorus. the international art world glitterati were there in full force, clutching their Louis Vuittons in one hand and their Cloud Nines in the other. they stood with their backs to the view.
then the deluge came, sending them running for nonexistent cover. we watched them wait for cabs, all wilted hair and wet leather. then we went for kebabs. we ate them with our greasy fingers.
4. i never thought i would be able to use the words 'clarinet' and 'badass' in the same sentence, but...
5. building a repertoire rather than an archive
6.
turkey is hard to get at.
7.
9. chunkin' up the deuces. goodbye, istanbul. hello, mumbai.
10. the faux-bravado of #9. I'm actually a little bit scared out of my mind.
the sultan menu
2. hou hanru is such a tiny little man. i thought about putting him in my pocket.
3. i took Memo, a kurdish trash picker from my neighborhood, with me to the Grande Opening Party of the Tenth Istanbul Biennial Shme Shme Pahrty. the only thing he said:
"So this is who comes to art things."
the party was on the terrace of Nikki's, overlooking the bosphorus. the international art world glitterati were there in full force, clutching their Louis Vuittons in one hand and their Cloud Nines in the other. they stood with their backs to the view.
"Oh, I think it was better last year."
-it didn't happen last year. it's a bi-ennial
"That Hou Hanru, so cute!"
-this is mildly offensive, but honest - see #2
"I mean painting is d-e-a-d dead. Dead."
-in which 1992-issue art magazine did you find that gem of an observation?
then the deluge came, sending them running for nonexistent cover. we watched them wait for cabs, all wilted hair and wet leather. then we went for kebabs. we ate them with our greasy fingers.
4. i never thought i would be able to use the words 'clarinet' and 'badass' in the same sentence, but...
Thursday night discovery: a group of Turk-Roma youths, on the roof of a run-down hotel overlooking the Bosphorus, circling like feral beasts to the Roma rhythms created by the eight-piece band. The beat never dropped when I thought it would, but these kids caught it every time. One by one, as each inferior dancer realized his role in the hierarchy he dropped to one knee and began to clap out a syncopated beat. Soon a circle of vanquished dancers formed. Meanwhile the girls waved their white linen napkins and passed bottles of wine from lip to lip on the outskirts of the circle while stomping out a rhythm of their own, working their midrifs in ways that would shame Shakira and making that 'zena: warrior princess' noise. After some
time there were only two dancers, one brash and young, one fluid and a
bit more weathered. They circled each other like panthers, arms outstretched, chins up. They stomped at one another, but neither was phased. They took turns kicking and dipping, spinning on their heels, pounding their chests. After a few passes the winner was clear.
Weathered Yet Fluid emerged victorious and, as Brash and Young took a knee, everyone else jumped to their feet and started running stutter-stepped laps around the restaurant. Meanwhile, the badass clarinet man played on and the terrace shook til dawn.
Weathered Yet Fluid emerged victorious and, as Brash and Young took a knee, everyone else jumped to their feet and started running stutter-stepped laps around the restaurant. Meanwhile, the badass clarinet man played on and the terrace shook til dawn.
5. building a repertoire rather than an archive
6.
turkey is hard to get at.
7.
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I’m not the man they think I am at home.
Oh no, no, no. I’m a rocket man,
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
9. chunkin' up the deuces. goodbye, istanbul. hello, mumbai.
10. the faux-bravado of #9. I'm actually a little bit scared out of my mind.
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