NYC sidewalks are becoming an artist canvas for painter Paul Richard. On my way to the F train last night, I snapped this iPhone pic. Very appropriate message with the recent BP Gulf Water oil spill. Gaffe prone BP CEO Tony Hayward’s remarks from his congressional grilling today should be interesting if not revealing.

Thierry Guetta aka Mister Brainwash in Exit Through The Gift Shop

Provocateurs or victims of being punk’d, that’s the debate of the film/mockumentary, Exit Through The Gift Shop. Former LA schmatta retailer, Thierry Guetta aka Mister Brainwash plays the Eve Harrington to the film’s star/director and infamous street artist Bansky.

Posting a note about the film earlier this week, Chris and I viewed the docu-drama at the Sunshine Theater on the Lower East Side. Decide if this ultimately is a critique on the art world or just love the fascinating process that these international street artists devise for their global illicit installations.

Bansky in Exit Through The Gift Shop

Screen shot from film 34 x 25 x 36

The beginning of the year is usually the time we’re reconsidering our measurements, myself included! But choosing a personal healthy proportion is different than feeling societal pressure influenced by media or fashion. Although, change is happening with the German magazine, Brigitte, using realistic models, Madrid Fashion Week banning the super-skinny back in 2006, and recently the over zealous photoshop-ing of size 8 model Filippa Hamilton morphing her waist to an alien size for Ralph Lauren’s Blue Label called a public apology. And just this week Terry Richardson’s photo shoot One Size Fits All for V Magazine’s Size Issue is redefining the idolized shape.

These images by director Jesse Epstein from her clever short 34 x 25 x 26, chronicles the design and manufacturing of the seductive mannequins by Patina V Mannequin Factory in Los Angeles. The documentary questions the assumptions by Patina V’s owner and designer that they create the “perfect bodies”. Presented by POV | PBS Video, has created lesson plans for 6 – 12 educators to discuss our preconceptions and to advocate a healthy body image. This doc was recommended to me by my friend Meredith Gray and watch the video here.

Screen shot from film 34 x 25 x 36

Screen shot from film 34 x 25 x 36

Screen shot from film 34 x 25 x 36

Screen shot from film 34 x 25 x 36

Emiliano Ponzi

The illustration to the left by Emiliano Ponzi designed for New York Times Op-Ed Contributor Sophie Egan’s piece Junior Fear Abroad first published Dec 5, 2007 initially drew me into this dark story surrounding the Seattle student, Amanda Knox, accused murderer of her roommate, Meredith Kercher in Peruglia, Italy. Now, exactly 2 years later, Knox and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are found guilty and will serve 26 years. But the controversy continues with Knox’s family defending Amanda’s innocence against the allegedly biased Italian judicial system influenced by salacious tabloids.

“‘Does the lady not understand that these Big Speech Events are serious and important? Not a cocktail party?’” wrote one Chicago Tribune reader. “”The season is winter. The occasion is business. Dress was wrong place and time.’”

Obviously Ms. Obama does understand these events and our First Lady appeared confident, contemporary and represented the ultimate working woman. The same sentiment is shared from the quick poll posted below. Read more conflicting opinions from The Daily Beast and The New York Times.

The following illustration by Igor Kopelnitsky was recently published along with this Letter to Editor in the New York Times in response to “The One-State Solution,” by Muammar Qaddafi (Op-Ed, Jan. 22).

Colonel Qaddafi’s one-state solution is not merely absurd. It includes a clear hidden agenda, which shows once again how the self-proclaimed leader of Libya really views Israel.

There are reasons a one-state solution will never and should never happen. With an immediate Arab majority over the Jews, it would be instant politicide for the Israeli government. Israel will never allow this, nor should it. As even Colonel Qaddafi notes, the Jewish people deserve their homeland.

And if the area became united under one combined country — even if there were some constitutional guarantee of balanced power between Arabs and Jews, it would be an utter disaster. If you disagree, ask the residents of the former Yugoslavia for their opinion. Or take a look at Lebanon. No such country would be a homeland for the Jews.

The two-state solution has strong prospects for success. Let’s give it a try rather than clandestinely ramble on about what people like Colonel Qaddafi have wanted to do since 1948 — eliminate the Jewish state of Israel.

Hillel Buechler
Waltham, Mass., Jan. 22, 2009

ABC News: The Other Side of the $1 Salary

“The chief executives of the big three American automakers might give up most of their salary if they end up getting assistance from the federal government. The $1 salaries are meant to be a symbol to shareholders, employees and taxpayers that the bosses are doing everything possible to fix their companies’ problems. But the CEOs of GM, Chrysler and Ford are still likely to earn millions.” Read the article…

Warhol began to paint images of dollar bills in the early 1960s, producing canvases arrayed with endless grids of bank notes. Returning to the subject in the 1980s, he isolated the dollar sign and replicated that symbol in paintings and prints interpreted in a sketchy, improvisational style. Warhol’s Dollar Signs are direct and wry reminders that, by the 80s, paintings had themselves become consumer items and metaphors for money, a phenomenon that he readily accepted. “I like money on the wall,” he said. “Say you were going to buy a $200,000 painting. I think you should take that money, tie it up, and hang it on the wall. Then when someone visited you, the first thing they would see is the money on the wall.”

The “Palin-effect” has brought a sizzle to the political machine that we haven’t seen from a candidate. I enjoyed the fitted skirt suits instead of the pant suits watching Sarah rally our 50 states. Her “triple threat hot hockey mom” moniker paved a runway for her ultra-right platform. But in keeping with a more “conservative” budget to match our current financial crisis, the worlds sexiest retailer, Victoria Secret is looking vice- presidential. From their recent on-line catalog, I found the perfect RNC Red campaign suit photographed on Giselle. A bargain at $139 compared to the pricey tawny convention buys.

WASHINGTON – When you go to the polls in some parts of the region – watch what you wear.

If you live and vote in Virginia, you are not allowed to wear any politically themed clothing, like buttons or T-shirts, to the polls. The rule, according to Valerie Jones of the Virginia State Board of Elections, is that there can be no campaigning within 40 feet of a polling place entrance, including from people going to the polls to vote.

The American Civil Liberties Union argued that political clothing is protected under the First Amendment, but the Board of Elections voted Tuesday to uphold the ban, saying the wanted to keep polling places as neutral as possible.

The same ban applies to polling places in D.C. If someone is to show up with politically themed clothing on, the voter will be asked to either remove or cover up the item.

In Maryland, voters are welcome to wear clothing or buttons, but the same cannot be said for poll workers, election judges, or others stationed inside a polling place.