Sparked » Debate

Occupy Wall Street Goes Everywhere!

Geoffry — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:02:07 +0000

Occupy Wall Street Student Revolution at Union Square, Nov 18, 2011. Photo: Sparked.biz/Geoffry Gertz

This week brought an eviction notice to Occupy Wall Street‘s Zuccotti Park tent city. But reacting to the numbers at yesterday’s “occupation everywhere” rallies the occupier’s demonstration transcends the original cement block in the middle of the financial district to a bona fide global movement.

In NYC, a Union Square mobilization brought student participation to Thursday afternoon’s protest against the rising cost of school tuition, lack of funding and predatory student loans. Attracting an all ages group and families, the occupiers have marshalled their message of the 1% profiting from the 99% to the social conscientiousness.

Finishing the day into the evening, the multi borough rallies converged at downtown’s Foley Square bringing messages and endorsements from labor unions such as the CUNY schools and the UAW among others. The ‘peoples mic’ providing a platform for affirmations became electrified with a sound system that echoed throughout the 30,000+ crowd. Occupiers, making their way to the symbolic Brooklyn Bridge march chanting “We are unstoppable another world is possible” just might provide the “hope and change”, for the next election.

Occupy Wall Street Student Revolution at Union Square, Nov 18, 2011. Photo: Sparked.biz/Geoffry Gertz

Occupy Wall Street Foley Square Rally, Nov 18, 2011. Photo: Sparked.biz/Geoffry Gertz

Occupy Wall Street Foley Square Rally Nov 18, 2011. Photo: Sparked.biz/Geoffry Gertz

Occupy Wall Street Goes Brooklyn

Geoffry — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 03:46:57 +0000

Occupy Wall Street Brooklyn Rally at Grand Arm Plaza, Oct 15, 2011

In true Brooklyn fashion, the Occupy Wall Street wave made its way from Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park to Grand Army Plaza this Saturday afternoon. Across from the weekend Green Market at the entrance of Prospect Park, community minded Brooklynites joined the ‘human microphone’ to share their visions for equality or voiced grievances.

Compared to the Occupy protests spanning the globe, no civil disobedience here. The peaceful rally consisted of making signs, passing email sign-up sheets and musical jam sessions bubbling up from the crowd. Campaign finance reform messages and public funding for schools and universities or lack of, resonated while friends and neighbors discussing their solutions in this frustrating economy.

As a social movement that began by occupying one private park in the epicenter of the financial industry has proven to transform into a global movement with a world community affirming the failure of our political and monetary system.

Occupy Wall Street Brooklyn Rally at Grand Army Plaza, Oct 15, 2011.

Occupy Wall Street Rally, October 5, 2011

Geoffry — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:31:18 +0000

Occupy Wall Street Rally, October 5, 2011. Photo: Sparked.biz

IS America tuning up for an American revolution? Some call Occupy Wall Street the American Autumn. OWS in New York City’s financial district has become a lightening rod uniting cross cultural groups from students chained with ballooning student loans to a middle-age work force that has found themselves counted out of the national conversation.

You can think of yesterday’s rally that joined organized labor unions with the original rag-tag OWS protestors camping out in (Liberty Square) Zuccotti Park as a group catharsis moment!

The march captured a ’6os bravado with peace sign iconography signifying an anti-war sentiment along with the corporate greed message. “We are the 99%” was bellowed throughout Wall Street as to warn the 1% top-tier wage earners in the neighboring towers that it is time to pay their fair share.

Is this New York’s Madison, Wisconsin or Tahrir Square channeling the momentum that has spawned similar organized protests to Washington DC and across the country? Visiting Liberty Park and meeting supporters, like with any political movement, you have to peel away the layers of polarized messages to discover sub-groups working towards potential solutions.

Living in a city that has masked the financial crisis, since the original TARP bail-out, while saving a larger market crash, paid unnecessary bonuses to finance executives continued a pre 2008 economy, but relegated for some. Now, the middle-class squeezed to the limit with cuts and inflation along with recent graduates unable to begin their career beyond an unpaid internship and a Congress unwilling to raise taxes on the wealthiest ignited the current populist anger.

This is the referendum and if you’re interested to join an OWS group check out Occupy Wall Street.org and the Daily Kos.

Occupy Wall Street Rally, October 5, 2011. Photo: Sparked.biz

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEJvSKerI14

Occupy Wall Street Rally, October 5, 2011. Photo: Sparked.biz

Cookie Jar Or Urn & Surviving Doomsday!

Geoffry — Sun, 22 May 2011 15:39:23 +0000

Certificate of Exchange: Artist's Urn Is A Collector's Cookie Jar Series-Year 2011 by Akemi Maegawa at Bushwick's Vaudeville Park new exhibition 'Half Empty'.

What does it say that an urn for ashes can also double as a cookie jar? Artist Akemi Maegawa answers the multipurpose question in her new work ‘Certificate of Exchange’ shown in the group exhibition ‘Half Empty’ at Bushwick’s Vaudeville Park.

Upon purchasing the certificate, the collector has the right to exchange the document for the urn if the artist doesn’t expire after January 1, 2012 to be used as their cookie jar. However, if the artist does leave our earthly world prior to that date, the certificate is considered the artist’s last artwork.

Speaking with Maegawa, we appreciated the irony presenting the project on yesterday’s doomsday predication from prophet Harold Camping. As we survived the possible destruction, at 6pm, Camping just might be the ultimate performance art provocateur.

Surviving yesterday's doomsday prediction from Harold Camping at Bushwick's Vaudeville Park's 'Half Empty' group show.

Body Image at The Lake & Stars

Geoffry — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:52:07 +0000

The Lake & Stars Fall 2011 lingerie and shapewear collection, image: Style.com

At first blush, The Lake & Stars Fall 2011 collection and presentation at Pier 59 studios designers Zilberman and Dekker show a ’70s provocative bravado, referencing mid-century architecture firm Superstudio and The Dude magazine.

And to further push the boundaries, the Brooklyn duo expressed a fresh view of the ideal “model” body image, going beyond a size 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8. Not since the ’80s, designers would consider a size 8 for runway, but as the ’90s evolved the aspirational body type became straighter and thinner.

Refreshingly, curves have re-emerged defining the female form as seen in Italian Vogue Curvy advocating a sexy alternative.

The Lake & Stars Fall 2011 lingerie and shapewear collection image: Style.com

Slowing Fashion’s Night Out

Geoffry — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:29:45 +0000

Garment Center photo by: TheMartaReport

Next week the fashion parade begins with designers presenting their collections for Spring 2011. And on September 10th, the public can participate in the festivities at Fashion’s Night Out.

But fashion’s paradox of the moment revolves around 2 contrasting philosophies either enticing shoppers to feast on the upcoming Fashion’s Night Out or fast, following the Six Items or Less experiment. Another influential group, The Great American Apparel Diet, is a reconsideration on consumerism and a movement to inspire thought about our consumption reflex habits, has attracted many followers. The contradiction is fascinating, especially designing future seasons that advocate newness and change. And the current economic reset underscores a move to frugality.

The rub between the dueling ideologies, you have to consider that a collection to be thought of as “successful” is required to sell-thru within 2-3 weeks making room for the next group to refresh the floor. But over the past 2 years, predicting Wall Street’s future influencing the shopper’s mood, has made it increasingly challenging to designers and retailers envisioning the next season. Creatively, we’re motivated by impulse, and “retail therapy” can give us a shot of dopamine, but, now, we’re gaining more control or responsibility with credit habits slowing demand in all retail channels.

Enter “slow” fashion. The “slow” fashion movement can be thought of as a reaction to the “fast” fashion that has dominated the malls and avenues. Quick, usually imported designs produced inexpensively have replaced wardrobes weekly. However, these impulse buys made from synthetic cloth are sometimes quickly discarded filling landfills instead of re-purposed for raw material. Throughout the evolution of my design blog Sparked.biz, I’ve written about the ecological influence for fashion and recently shared a thought provoking show at Pratt’s Manhattan Gallery ETHICS + AESTHETICS = SUSTAINABLE. Beyond the scope of environmentally friendly manufacturing, fashion devotees advocate fair trade practices and slowing down fashion’s cycle.

One of the more interesting events in the packed Fashion’s Night Out schedule is presented by Brooklyn’s Textile Arts Center and Ecouterre.com. From 6pm to 11pm, the evening will define the “slow” fashion movement with guest panelists, do-it-yourself workshops and of course, shopping, but sustainably!

Paul Richard’s Big Foot

Geoffry — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:09:13 +0000

Artist Paul Richard sidewalk art sighting in Soho on Mercer Street, June 16, 2010

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.

All About Yves

Geoffry — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:56:02 +0000

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

34 X 25 X 36

Geoffry — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:24:23 +0000

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

Saint VS Sinner?

Geoffry — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:39:53 +0000

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.