Today NYTimes featured sketches of the Whitney’s satellite space off the Highline.  It’s kind of awesome.  I wonder how the new location will affect the types of shows they put up.  Also will the new space bring fresh energy to their exhibition design.

I saw this show at the Guggenheim &  it was amazing – now I know I
intern there, but this  one by
Cai Guo Qiang  called “I believe” is amazing.  I want you all to go -
it’ll blow your mind! [Also for those of you with the babies - it's a
kid friendly show - no naked biker chicks on the backs of the
boyfriends bike a.k.a the previous show ]

Highlights
1. 9 cars suspended from the ceiling in a free fall with lights coming
out simulating a car bomb
2. Manmade river with a raft boat that adults can get into and push
themselves down the stream [seriously!!!!]
3. A pack of wolves running along the rotunda that eventually take off
(you can walk with the pack)
4.  Live artists sculpting life size sculptures from an earlier
imperialist period – sculptures only meant to last for duration of
show
5.  Fireworks & gun powder

Check out the video of the installation
http://www.guggenheim.org/exhibitions/exhibition_pages/cai.html

Go & be inspired!

Cultural Development Program Associate

High 5 is currently seeking an experienced, motivated, and outgoing Program Associate for Cultural Development to join our staff. This new position will be responsible for overseeing event donations from arts organizations, managing ongoing relationships with our cultural partners, and cultivating new relationships with organizations throughout New York City.

Responsibilities will include:

• • Work with the Director of Programs and other program associates to create and implement strategies that increase cultural partner participation.
  • Manage weekly, monthly, and seasonal requests for ticket and event donations.
  • Manage High 5’s online cultural event listings.
  • Providing ongoing support and services to existing and new cultural partners.
  • Liaison between High 5 and cultural institutions for performances, educational programming, and special events.

Requirements:

• • Computer literate with Microsoft Office experience. Basic HTML and Photoshop knowledge preferred, but not required.
  • Extensive knowledge of the performing arts and cultural communities in New York.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated work experience within New York’s cultural community, prior arts administrative experience and superior oral and written communication skills. Resumes, including salary history, and a cover letter that specifically highlights your familiarity with cultural institutions may be sent to Chris Kam, General Manager at hr@high5tix.org. NO Phone Calls.

Salary-30-35K. Full benefits package, including health insurance, vacation, and retirement plan.

I’m back for a little bit – only I guess to get pulled away by the upcoming holiday extravaganzas. I saw this article in the New York Times today on Pantone choosing it’s color of the year. Perhaps the general public would not care that “Iris Blue” is the color for 2008 according to Pantone.

“Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspects of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic.”

Personally, I’m appalled by my lack of awareness of there being a color of any year – this is news!!! I’m not being facetious, check out the full article in NYTimes

But why are the designers so pissy about all the excitement over Pantone’s announcement – well you see Pantone is a color service – only the designer can decide what’s in

I’ve been a slacker of late – sorry for the lack of posts. Lots of things going on – lots of met and unmet deadlines flying by. Right now I’m writing a paper – well right now I’m at work blogging – right now in the gestalt I’m writing a paper on the ritual of pilgrimage in western and non-western culture with specific emphasis on architectural expression as manifested in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella in Spain and Ise Shrine in Japan. It’s a fascinating topic – but it’s taking a long time to write.

In other news – referring to my last post on Pratt Foundry, there was an article is yesterday’s NYTimes about the foundries in India who make NYC manholes. Not surprisingly, it’s cheaper to do this is in India than it is here. Our foundry workers get $25 an hour whereas the factory workers in India get paid a few dollars a day.

Read more

Here are some photos from the bronze casting session at Pratt last week. The first is a photo of Professor Isolani, the second shows the pot(?) where the bronze is being melted – pieces of bronze are being added slowly to build up temperature – the green you see is copper being burned off. The last image is of the bronze being poured by students in the senior level 3D class.

It was a great way to spend the day, art historians, chemists, studio artists all coming together to watch one of the nexuses of where art and function meet. Learn more about lost wax process here

Tonight Cynthia Smith, curator at the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum will be speaking at Pratt’s Brooklyn Campus.

Thursday, November 15 2007

6:30 PM

Main Building (Brooklyn) Room 230

The 4th Annual Internship will be taking place on Tuesday, November 13th from 12-2 p.m. in the Student Union on the Brooklyn Campus and is open to all current students. 66 Companies attending and you can see the full list by clicking

http://www.pratt.edu/cs_internships/annual_internship_fair/list_of_companies_for_2007

On Tuesday November 13 from 10am to 5pm Prof. Licio Isolani’s class will be casting bronze, in the Pratt’s Metal Shop. Art conservators from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including Ancient Metal conservator Debora Schorsch and her class from NYU Conservation Center will be attending as well as several other conservation scientists. I will be also bringing my Chemistry and Art students to observe the class.

The process of bronze casting has not changed much since the ancient Greek times and for that reason it is interesting from an art conservation perspective. Please feel free to go see the process it is very interesting.
If you need directions, please e-mail edelfede@pratt.edu and/or Prof. Isolani : lisolani@pratt.edu

This weekend is the international fair: 1900 -contemporary at the Park Avenue Armory (at 67th street). Get more info at the Sanford Smith & Assoc. website

November 9 -12, 2007 – Should be good if you’re not too busy writing a paper or hibernating in a library.