ohpiu-piu-blog

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A regional treasure. #bergercookies

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Asakura Kouhel

Landscape, 2012

watercolor, colored pencil on drawing paper

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Woke up to this yesterday. So glad spring is sort of happening today. This weather is crazy!

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New Surrealism

The BMA had an exhibit of New Surrealists with a few pieces by Erik Thor Sandberg. I was beyond impressed.

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Old St. Paul’s for Bachanalia. 

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The Baltimore Art Museum: Contemporary Wing

Here are a few instagram goodies from my trip out to the BMA yesterday. Enjoy! (You can follow me @ susanmyager)

My big plan is to start posting pics to the tumblr, and blog over at ohpiupiu.blogspot.com. So head over there for more in depth thoughts. This space will be more of a visual grab bag of things going on and inspirational what-nots. Thanks! 

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Hot Chip: 'In Our Heads'

Here's a nice dose of textural electronic pseudo-ambience from Hot Chip's latest album 'In Our Heads' that drops on June 12. I recommend you NOT watch the video too closely; it's dizzying. 

I love the ever present humor and lightheartedness of this group. When I put this on I was instantly ready for a dance party. The album incorporates a ton of old school throw back influences that are a lot of fun. Check out 'In Our Heads' in its entirety streaming on NPR .

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Kate Shaw: Pastiche

I ordered this print off of Mammoth & Company the other day. I love the way Kate Shaw has reinterpreted traditional idea of landscape painting into something abstract but still relatable. She says,

The paintings deal with the tensions and dichotomies in both the depiction of the natural world and our relationship to it. I am concurrently exploring the sublime in nature whilst imbuing a sense of toxicity and artificiality in this depiction. The intention is to reflect upon the contradiction between our inherent connection to the natural world and continual distancing from it.

How cool! I love it when the look of something really resonates with the idea behind it. It gives me a deep connection to the work. Learn more about her here. Order prints here and here. 

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New Music: Passion Pit

Passion Pit released a song today off their second album "Gossamer" which will drop July 24th. Take a listen: 

I really love Passion Pit's EP "Chunk of Change" that came out in 2008. It was fully conceptualized by the bands leader, Michael Angelakos, on a single laptop using the built in mic. It was a Valentine's day gift to his girlfriend and became popular around Emerson College where he was going to school.  Later it was fleshed out by added band mates, all from Berklee College of Music. It's an imaginative and heartfelt piece of electropop. The full album "Manners" released the next year showed a pretty remarkable expansion of the EP and growth as a band. 

Since the releases of those albums the pop scene has exploded with a similar use of electronic gadgetry, so "Take a Walk" doesn't seem all that inventive. It's not as edgy as their previous work. In fact, it sounds ripped from the top 40 charts. And hey, I wish them that kind of continued success! Unfortunately though, that doesn't get me too excited about the album. But this Pitchfork interview with Angelakos does: 

I really [expletive] hate dishonesty, which a lot of indie music is especially prone to. I like artists that are really honest and talk about their lives, because people invest in that as much as they invest in the record itself. I had a really rough year, and I got engaged right before recording-- and recording takes a real toll on you. I vilified myself. I had to do it. I have a lot of issues, and a lot of people in the world have a lot of issues.

That's so true! Honesty is such a big deal to me when listening to music. The thing I find most interesting about "Take a Walk" are the lyrics. The interview also explores Angelakos' collaborations on the new album and his approach to writing songs.

It makes sense to release the song with the most mass appeal as a single. I won't hold that against them....yet. So, I'll be checking out "Gossamer" in July. Also, anyone that has ties to Philip Glass gets special attention in my book.

Check out more about Passion Pit here!   

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Happy Friday!

I'm off to do some celebrating with friends in Houston/Lake Conroe this weekend. I'm hoping for great weather like we had in Marfa when I took this picture at a quirky trailer park (or concept hotel, if you prefer) called El Cosmico. More on that later!

I'm going to listen to these guys during the rush hour commute from Galveston:

Have a great weekend!

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15 Untitled works in concrete

(photo credit)

I made it out to Marfa, TX for a long weekend recently and was completely struck by the work of Donald Judd. I knew the town became a contemporary art hub largely due to his contributions there, but I didn't know how strong an impact my experiences at the Chinati and Judd Foundations would make on me. 

"15 untitled works in concrete" was the first installation made by Judd at the Chinati Foundation. It took 4 years to assemble, from 1980-1984. The pieces stretch out along the border of the foundation grounds reaching out about a kilometer long. Walking the work was a meditative feat under the hot Texas sun. The views of each grouping of boxes close up was incredible after having admired the work as a whole from afar. 

(Last 5 photos by me and Mr. Y)

More about the trip coming soon!

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Nudité

While cruising Madewell for Spring fashion inspiration, Caroline de Mairgret, model and owner of Bonus Tracks Records, introduced me to the indie-surf band La Femme through her featured ultimate playlist. Caught by their rockin electro new wave, I looked over from this chic shift dress to note who they were. This above album cover from their December 2010 EP "Le Podium #1" struck me hard. 

Further research led me to this image:

  Wow! Now that's a statement. In case you're wondering, this is still censored. The original bares all.  It pays homage to Gustave Courbet's "L'Origine du monde".

Off the EP, "La femme ressort" is my current song obsession. Haunting and minimal from the start, it then groves into an energetic dance beat and an almost rap vocal line. The title translates roughly to "The woman rising". I'm hooked!

What do you think? Does nudity offend you? Would you listen to this band even if you were offended by the cover?