blogs, links, events and art from the teens behind ►

Check out some of the films that will be shown on Saturday at the All City Youth Film Festival.  You may be able to see them on youtube, but come on, what’s better a crappy low-res youtube video or a full screen version in the Walker Cinema?

Karma by Hannah Bates

Writing Backwards by Jack Anderson

Dutch artist Theo Jansen demonstrates his amazingly lifelike kinetic sculptures, built from plastic tubes and lemonade bottles. His “Strandbeests” (Beach Creatures) are built to move and even survive on their own.

Here’s a really great community art project by Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada that was recently posted on wooster.

This project reminds me of Harrell Fletcher’s “These Fine People (1998)” and “Some People…’(1998). Check it out below.

Recently WACTAC got the chance to visit Burlesque of North America’s design and printing studio, as well as being able to interview one of their members, Mike Davis. Burlesque is a collective of artists and graphic designers best known for their poster and album cover work with a multitude of musicians. Watch the video to learn more, and don’t be afraid to visit www.burlesquedesign.com

So you’re feeling kinda lame. You just realized that your supposed A to Z music selection is really just Ashanti to XZibit. What happened to originality? Well 50 Cent killed it. Yeah that’s right, I said it what are you going to do about it? Well look no further, well actually look south. Whether its Cumbias, Punketon, Regaton, or you just have no idea what the hell I just said, Mexican Hip/Hop and Rap is alive and well. Better known acts such as Molotov have pierced the American market, while other (and very lame) chicano groups like Daddy Yankee have also left their print in the mainstream music scene. One group though, Control Machete, remains in relative obscurity here in the US of A even as it has gained rabid notoreity in “Mejico” and everything south of it.

Known for their driving beats, and accessible lyrics that deal with anything from Mexican politics to life in northern Mexico, Control Machete is basically accessible to anyone who doesn’t know who Spiro Agnew or Miguel de La Madrid was.

This is sweet.  The Upper Playground guys each paint a face of a cube. 

Artist Axel Peemoeller won several international awards for his painting of this parking garage. I think it’s innovative, and obviously took a lot of planning, but the end effect is incredible. Check it out.

Also, i want to start a website where people can submit voicemail messages you enjoyed. I have quite a few left by drunk friends, and I think it is an interesting form of communication, which hasn’t been around that long. The idea of communicating through your voice at a later time is a pretty strange thing to me, when I think about it… Sorry for the terribly inarticulate post, I’m being distracted by Witt and some sort of ‘meeting’ he’s having.

Read the rest »

Most of time I am a little apprehensive to share skate videos with non-skaters simply because what impresses most skaters doesn’t impress the general non-skateboarding public and vice versa. Anyway with the use of green screens, you are bound to impress both skaters and non-skaters alike. Check out this video (via theberrics.com) If you like it go to alexismilant.com. Enjoy.

Pikapika is inspiring artists all over the world to create there own flashlight animation

all it takes is a few friends

some flashlights.. (maybe some cool bulb colors)

darkness

and a digital still camera

… and maybe quicktime

.. when is the Walker going to have them over from Japan to do a workshop?

I came across this video while I was poking around trying find some info about Miguel Gutierrez’s Everyone (he will be performing at the Walker Thursday through Sunday). I love the simple use of loops.

If you are a fan of the Flaming Lips, you have to check this out. They managed to organize a parade of over 1,000 people in celebration of Halloween!

This is an 18+ show, but we thought we would add it anyway.

Like many others, I was first tipped off to Justice when watching the youtube clip of Kanye whining about how they “stole” Best Video at the MTV Europe award away from him. If you haven’t seen the clip, check out the video below. Hilarious.

Regardless, Justice’s video deserved to win.

Here’s the info on the show.

Last weekend I watched a friend’s copy of and it is hilarious. Makers-Minneapolis natives Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, began collecting found videotapes in 1991 after stumbling across a training video entitled, “Inside and Outside Custodial Duties” in a McDonald’s break room.They find the cream of the forgotten crop. The clips mainly from the seventies and eighties are actually histerical- they range from dance instructionals to  Self Defense (my favorite is the bearded knife guy). Now they’re back at home with two shows at The Heights Theatre on Oct. 23rd at 7 and 9:00. The guys dish and discuss throughout and afterwards, and they’re always availavle to accept submissions of your favortie find. Even if you can’t go, rent this or something… it’s all i’ve been tlking about for the past week.

foundfootagefestiv

Next week, we get the pleasure of meeting artist Tomas Saraceno. This will be the first of several visits to Minneapolis for Tomas. During his residency, he hopes to work on his ongoing Museo Aero Solar project, a solar-energy balloon made of reused plastic bags. Check out the video below and if you want to get more info click here.

This interview with stencil artist extraordinaire Broken Crow is the 2nd in a continuing series that features Twin Cities-based artists. After you are done watching Mr. Grider talk about his life, stencils, and day jobs, be sure to check out our first interview with Burlesque of North America’s Mike Davis.

If you are a fan of Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy, Gerry and Elephant) you should check out this FREE SCREENING (Wednesday, March 29, 7:30 PM) of Parnoid Park. Check out the trailer.

If you plan on attending, make sure to show up early.

A couple weeks ago WACTAC had the opportunity to meet Dan Perjovschi, a Romanian artist and illustrator included in the Brave New Worlds exhibition. Check out the video (thanks for the edit Bre!).

If you are interested in hearing more about Dan’s work, check out the interviews from his massive MOMA installation (video 1 and video 2) …or shut off your computer, get out of the house, and see the installation with your own eyes at the Walker (it’s up through February 17)!

So today a couple of my friends and I headed downtown St. Paul to see Jennifer Baldwin and Christina Baldwin do a FREE opera show called Opera Demystified with the Skylark Opera…and of course it was awesome. It was the show that they usually do for students when they come to schools and it’s pretty much just like an opera 101…but Jennifer and Christina Baldwin made it really fun/funny and if they haven’t come to your school…you should get them to come (even if you think your not that big on opera) …BECAUSE….

Read the rest »