Trick Art 3D Exhibition

Running now through the 5th of January 2014 - Trick Art Exhibition is surely bringing in so much entertainment fun to both, young and adults alike, at the National Science Museum.  

The 3rd Part in this much loved exhibition takes on Kitaro GeGe.,.  Scenes after scenes from this popular Japanese Animation were reproduced in giant canvases so as one may be able to interact with them, photograph and be a part of each scene.

I suggest you go on a weekday so as to avoid loads of people and long period of times waiting.  But if you do not have a choice and can only go on a weekend, I say "Brave the Crowds and the long was - and Enjoy!!!"  It will be worth it.  All you need is your entrance Fee and loads of enthusiasm  and imagination!!!

For More Photos - Pls Click Here!

ART Day

That is just what my day was today!!! Right after this Sunday Mass, with no Babysitting duties... All alone... And no good movie to see - I decided to escape the midday heat of the sun by taking in some art exhibitions... And what better place than one of Fave Art Museums in Taiwan, MOCA... Always something good, contemporary, and cool to see... And of course, the surrounding areas are an added bonus....

First up was a walk through the long strecth of the Zhongshan UNDERGROUND MRT/MALL...   which offers just about anything you could think of:   Rows and rows of shops selling clothing, books, DVDs, shoes, toys, magazines, abounds...   and in one of the BEST SECTION  the MOCA STUDIO...   an off shoot of MOCA...  cool exhibitions are always on view here....   artwork, interactive art, film festivals, performance art, etc.....   this time around three sections of Film Exhibitions - both Live Action and Animated films done by local artists....  one can spend hours watching all these shows - not only are they FREE of CHARGE, it also helps that the Underground Mall is much much cooler than being on the streets....

And the whole Underground Mall is quite an Art Space - at any given time, you can see photographic exhibitions or paintings of different genres....   even the store front gates are works of art, as each one are painted/graffitied by artists and regular folks alike....  it was an added treat to see a brand new section of Mural artwork today - this one taking the Alice in Wonderland theme and utilizing all the areas of the section to tell the story...  interpretations of the popular storybook adorns walls, doors, columns, and just about anything - masking their commonness and making them parts of the canvases....

After feasting on the Underground art exhibitions, it was time to check out what the real MUSEUM has in store for me....  and boy was it a pleasant surprise....  the main exhibition is about the work of renowned filmaker, King Hu....  one of the forefathers of the Chinese Kung Fu cinemas...  His numerous films (a personal fave, DRAGON INN, included)  had been studied, copied, and praised by many other famous Chinese Directors - Oscar Winner Ang Lee, included....   He also boasts garnering the Grand Prix price at Cannes back in 1975 for his epic film, Touch of Zen.... 

The exhibitions boasts countless video screens showing almost all his films....  sections of the museums were made to recreate some of the most essential parts/scenes for his numerous films...  A section also shows interviews of famous producers and directors  who had nothing but praise for Mr Hu...  a section was also devoted showcasing his many illustrations - being a talented illustrator, as well - with two major Animation films in the 1990s: Golden Monkey and The Boiling of the Sea.  Many of his original illustration art from both films were on display - so it was an added treat for me....  sadly, photographing them were prohibited - and this section was very much guarded....  intentional or coincidental - I really could not say....

Was amazed with the overall exhibition, I had to walk through it all for a second time....  Overall, it was a GREAT ART DAY FOR ME, I would say.... no, correction - I WOULD BOAST!!!

MUSEUM DAY

Another rainy wet day yesterday - so what could be BEST than taking a break from WORK and going to the MUSEUM... at least you get to go out, but still not out in the rain.... and you get to enjoy, be awed, and be inspired by so many FAB ART on exhibit....

Always a pleasure going to the Museum of Contemporary Art of Taipei.... I mean, even before you get into the actually museum - you get to enjoy all the wonderful, fun things surrounding the Museum.... sculptures that actually leads you the the MUSEUM.... and then right at the very front of the MUSEUM - always something happening... another exhibit unto itself.... and you do not even have to pay to see it all... so you get to enjoy some art already - FREE!!

Not that it is expensive to go in...actually one of the CHEAPEST MUSEUM ENTRANCE FEE I have ever known.... only NT$50 (less than US$2.00) to get in and enjoy the exciting & fun installations - usually, at least two or three exhibitions going at a time... this time I enjoyed the two main exhibitions:

Invisibleness is Visibleness Exhibition

PERSPECTIVE

You can view Complete Photos of the Exhibitions in these albums: MOCA 1 & MOCA 2

Murakami In Rome

A favorite artist, Murakami in a favorite city, Rome, for his very first Solo Exhibition in the city filled with Art Treasures from throughout history. The venue is the Gagosian Gallery and it will run from the 13th of November, 2010 through January 15th, 2011.

A couple of new paintings are being made especially for the exhibition, and a lot of his works will be on hand, as well.... am sure, including some of the Superflats he has made for Louis Vuitton - like this one below.... Aaaaaah, if only I could fly there to see this exhibition.... Oh Well.... add that to my XMas Wish List.....LOL!

Murakami @ Gagosian Gallery
November 13, 2010 - January 15, 2011
Via Francesco Crispi 16
00187 Rome
T. 39.06.4208.6498 F. 39.06.4201.4765
Hours: Tue-Sat 10:30-7 & by appointment

PLS CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THE EXHIBITION

Bench Goes Ala La Chapelle and then some....

Could not help but notice (and admire & love) Bench's brand new, strikingly colorful, ad campaign featuring Gerald Anderson & Kim Chui.... all the shots are Great and reminiscent of David La Chapelle's work.... as you know he is one of my FAVE artists/photographer.......and as an added BONUS... Bench's "IT BOY" Jake Cuenca is back in more tittilating shots - for a brand new line of Cologne...
You Did Me Proud Bench!!!

Murakami Love!!!

Elle Magazine's August Edition for the Taiwan market boasts Taiwan's reigning POP DIVA, Jolin Tsai on the cover - accompanied by one of my fave, and world re-known artist, Takashi Murakami's signature character -- for their FUN ART Issue!!!

Inside is a 7 pages of GLOSSY COLOR Photos of the collaboration... with Jolin Tsai dressed in various Haute Couture fashions posed against some of Murakami's more well known works.... each and every page - just FABULOUSLY ARTSY if you ask me....

This is actually GREAT as my only complain during the Art Taipei
2010 Exhibition was that I only got to see 1 work by one of my all time fave artist Takashi Murakami. This almost makes up for the lack of his work in the Exhibition - though it would have been great to have seem all these featured in the magazine in person....

More Photos Here

The Only Takashi Murakami on display at the recent Art Taipei 2010 Exhibition. This is a popular print used for Louis Vuitton X Murakami line.

Art Attack - Art Taipei 2010!

Friday, August 20th - though it was steaming hot out, I was more than HAPPY to go trek on to Taipei's World Trade Center - to meet up with Juliana and enjoy an afternoon viewing and admiring art works from all medias (painting, digital, photographic, sculpts, etc). Works from some of the Best & Popular artist right now - from all over the world - Taiwan, Japan, Korea, China & many more!

...
What a WONDERFUL Afternoon.... truly some of the BEST on display = both known and unknown to me..... so many I would have loved to have taken home - and one could as most on display were also For Sale - if only they were not as Expensive as they were.... but DEFINITELY WORTH THE PRICES.... so instead, we feasts our eyes on all the visual delights upon us.... and Thank God we were allowed to take photos for the most part... so we can remember some of the ones we loved at the exhibition, and share them all with you, too

Art Taipei is an annual event that normally runs one week long.... usually runs every August... and artists, museums, galleries from all over the world participates and bring over some of their Best Work to display, sell & share with critics, media, and art lovers alike.... and there is definitely something for everyone - not one particular art style.... not one particular art medium... anything & everything can be viewed and admired..... A Few Standouts For Me:

Complete Exhibition Photos Here!

..what a week....

...am so happy the weekend is upon us again.... what a week, indeed.... well it truly was not out of the ordinary... you know: working.... packing and shipping of stuff almost everyday.... answering emails..... trying to run when it is not a rainy afternoon and the gym when it is..... so nothing new, am quite used to it....

It only became trying because of a disgruntled long time customer who basically just decided to take her frustrations of not being able to get a Japan Exclusive item, on me... as we were not able to come through for her this time around... I apologized profusely through emails.... though it was not really my fault, as the allocations are decided by the company and not myself.. Totally, "OUT OF MY HANDS"... still, blame me she did and actually took her rantings on a few boards... so for a few days, this dictated my mood: sad, defeated, soured....

Thank God for friends, both online and here in Taiwan.... they helped me put things in the right perspectives... helping me think through all of this mess and actually getting over it all.... and of course, the little things that makes life a little better for me: my daily photo taking... trying to see beauty in just about anything.... the little toys I collect.... walking about the city and people watching.... seeing friends for coffee and other things...

So, it's quite TRUE... there is enough in the world to keep us HAPPY.... to PUSH AWAY all the UNHAPPINESS, the NEGATIVITY, & the NON-SENSE we are faced with, now and again.... so I share with you a few things that made me SMILE BIG, this week....

Beautiful Sunset where I run....

Lunch with Sue - even though it was a QUICKIE one....

9 new Bearbricks joins my collection - all from Series 20...

New Friends from Russia: these are actually a set NESTING EGG... they are of Cheburashka & Friends -- characters from this Russian animation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhPSAvZaujkA brand new rosary & Religious Frames from Lithuania (the items from the above photos are courtesy of David's recent Baltic Tour) - additions to my Rosary & Saints CollectionA GREAT AFTERNOON with Juliana, checking out all the cool paintings/sculptures/art of all sorts, from all over the world, at the Art Taipei 2010 Exhibition... so many FAVE artists from Taiwan, Japan, Korea & China were on Exhibit!!!!

Kurt Wenner: more ART ATTACK!!!

Possibly the highlight of our TREK to Pier 2 Art Center of Kaohsiung is seeing in person, Kurt Wenner's 3D Dragon Painting.... so AMAZINGLY large and sooooo commanding... truly a sight to see in person....Upon walking in - one is greeted by this giant painting on the floor that looks very much, except for it's size, like an ordinary painting... but upon reaching the end where steps are set up just right for a better view - then the whole painting comes alive... truly in the fashion of 3D - cover an eye and it is as if the Dragon is alive and ready to create some menace....The Master, Kurt Wenner, at work - as seen through a streaming video.

In another room a video is set up showing the process in which this masterpiece was done.... with Mr Wenner painstakingly applying each and every color onto the floor painting.... as well as, the actual unveiling of the masterpiece at Pier 2 Art Center - attended by so many people, art critics and art lovers alike... What a Treat for the eyes and senses....

I do not know much about Mr Kurt Wenner, or this particular art form for that matter, but after seeing this masterpiece am a FAN!!!

Manet, Picasso, Miro, Renoir, & Jean Paul Gaultier???

hahahahahaha - most of you must be quite puzzled as to what Jean Paul Gaultier doing with the likes of the aforementioned Impressionists.... well, they are all currently on Exhibit at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, that is!!!!

Juliana & I decided to take in both exhibitions in one shot.... and it was a good move.... we had just enough time to see the both shows before the museum closes.... and also was perfect timing to get out of the rain as it was pouring the whole time we were indoors, but had stopped when we were done.... so the GODS & the ARTISTS must have been on our side that day!!!

Well, the Gaultier Exhibition has been going on for about a month now.... the exhibition is Le Delfile - and it encompasses the costumes made by Mr Gaultier for Regine Chopinot's Modern Dance Ballets... I blogged about it HERE a while back - about a month ago really... and I just now finally able to come and catch it..... and it is worth all the wait... Sadly no one is allowed to photograph the costumes on display... and understandably so as they might somehow damage the fabrics.... Good thing there is a catalog of the exhibition available... so I was able to snap a few pages to share with you all... the exhibition is quite minimal - just like attending a Modern Jazz/Ballet Performance... Black background and just a touch of glitter (silver beading) hanging for accents.... everything on display was just colorful, phenomenal, and all screams GAULTIER!!!!

The other Exhibition, Manet to Picasso, is a collection of Impressionism artwork by some of the mosst famous ones in the field: Picasso, Miro, Manet, Van Gogh, Renoir, etc... paintings and a few sculptures depicting the beginnings of Impressionisms... all of these were on loan from the Philadelphia Art Museum... What a GREAT EXHIBITION.... was able to see earlier works from Miro and Renoir... ang got to know some new ones too: Bastillo & Pissaro -well, they are new to me anyway....

So it was TWO THUMBS UP for the TWO EXHIBITIONS.... just enough to satisfy the art thirst.... and wet the appetite for some more....

PHOTOS HERE

iHEART Kaohsiung & Art

love love love Kaohsiung.... as much as I hate the loooong bus ride to get to this city south of Taipei - everything is forgotten as soon as am city just keeps getting prettier and prettier.... and the city never ceases to AMAZE me as to all the things they have to offer and to discover....

the weekend was spent hanging out with the Wus... eating the local delicacies.... playing with Laifu/Lala .... fending off all the goodies Wu Mama wants to feed me - and believe me, it is never ending.... all the weight I lost the last 10 days - I gained right back the 3 days I was there... waaaah!!!!! still it was not just the feast for the taste buds but feasts for the eyes, as well...

Laifu Takes Refuge From The Summer Heat!!!

There was so much more to discover.... like heading back to the Movie Park by the Love River and taking fun photos with Laifu.... and with the bois, Johnny (formerly Jason) & Todd, now being certified drivers - we were able to run around so much more.... first stop was Johnny driving us to his school where a newly erected Mall/Amusement Park opened... EDA Mall... what a trip!!! Rivals some of the biggest hotels in Las Vegas or Macau.... with it's numerous shopping boutiques; an amusement park; movie house; food court for days - and an adjacent 5 star hotel - no one ever has to leave..... it is enough for a short vacation getaway.... The mall itself is reminiscent of the Venetian Hotel with it's indoor Blue Skies facade... and in the center of it all is a giant fountain with replicas of giant sculptures of ancient Gods....

Later in the afternoon, we switched drivers as Johnny had to go to work, this time out Todd was driving us around the city.... first STOP: Pier 2, where there are so many different Art Exhibitions happening.... and most are FREE ADMISSIONS for everyone to ENJOY.... Kaohsiung is really pushing the ART scene and from the looks of it - succeeding quite nicely.... after a good couple of hours going through one exhibition after another - we headed on to DREAM MALL - yep, my FAVE mall... we stopped in to eat and see "Knight & Day" before retiring for the evening....

So overall, it was a GREAT couple of days..... filled with NON-STOP FUN... all these were done even with the threat of a TYPHOON looming....

COMPLETE PHOTOS HERE (Under Construction)

David LaChapelle: World Tour Exhibition

What a Perfect Day to take in the Asian Premiere of David LaChapelle's World Tour Solo Exhibition at Taipei's MOCA on Wednesday April 28th - after all, Wednesday is always dubbed as a HUMP DAY - and the exhibition was oozing with so much SEX APPEAL.... from the naked sexy images.... to the star/celebrity power (Courtney Love reenacting the Pieta; Michael Jackson as Archangel Michael; Madonna as Hindu Goddesses; Leonardo DiCaprio channeling Marlon Brando; Paris Hilton as Herself; etc..).... right down to the VIVID colors of each and every frame exhibited.

Though a lot of the photographs on display I have seen in various fashion and celebrity magazines over the years, such as VOGUE (just about every single International Editions), Vanity Fair, GQ, Rolling Stone, etc.... - it is sooooo wonderful to have a large collections of them in one place..... to be able to take them in in a much bigger version and in a place where one can truly step back and admire the intensity and vividness of each one.... some of his more famous subjects -- from the world of music, movies, television, fashion, and tabloids -- were on display: Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Amanda Lepore, Lady Gaga, Pamela Anderson, Uma Thurman, Paris Hilton, Lil Kim, just to name a few... some of these celebrity shots I have seen in magazines at one time or another, not even knowing it was shot by Mr LaChapelle - but seeing them here, one can see that they just scream: "BY David LaChapelle!!!"... a section was even devoted with in showing on continuous loop, some of the music videos he has directed ("Everytime" by Britney Spears, "It's My Life" by No Doubt, etc...) just as Powerful, colorful, fun and thought provoking as his photographs...

A FAVE Piece of mine is the very large "The Deluge", his take on Michelangelo's great fresco in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. A video montage is even shown on the making of this particular piece.... from casting call to the actual shoot.... Just Amazing!!!

Part of "The Deluge" panel.
Another favorite section of mine is the "Jesus is My Homeboy" series, done during the early 2000's... here Mr LaChapelle envisions Jesus Christ reborn in present day, preaching his gospel. Mr. LaChapelle placed him as a man of the people and the streets - preaching and caring for the downtrodden and not the high society elite.

There were so many more favorites - so much more that am feeling a second or even third visit is necessary to be able to really take it all in... those of you in Taipei - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking in the exhibition -- TRULY a worthwhile experience - I know both Juliana and I enjoyed it tremendously...

EXHIBITION PHOTOS HERE

David LaChapelle in Taipei!!!

well his artwork, anyway..... Currently ongoing at Taipei's Museum of Contemporary Art - this exhibition is the first leg of Mr. LaChapelle's Asian Exhibition Tour.

The Exhibition runs from the 9th of April through the 30th of May. Museum Hours: 10AM thru 5:30PM Everyday.

MOCA

www.mocataipei.org.tw

Exhibition Info In Chinese

http://mocataipei.pixnet.net/blog/post/25112138

David La Chapelle in WIKI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_LaChapelle