Homer Jackson is a friend of mine. I actually have invited him to join this blog. So far, he hasn't accepted but, he's not much of a web person... Anyway, here's something of interest to you all to read.
Holding the Door Open: An Interview with Homer Jackson
Shine
Philadelphia’s Homer Jackson has launched "Shine: Conversations Between Artists," a quarterly newsletter he calls "a national, even international dialogue." Jackson is a important performance and community artist deeply concerned about the voices of artists of color. The first issue includes interviews with Atlanta’s award-winning poet Alice Lovelace and recording producer Richard Nichols, an article on the baffling health-insurance situation of the late MC Poetic, and a profile of Alternate ROOTS. Upcoming issues examine the role of the black performance artist and the worlds of community-based art and public art. Contributors and feature artists include Euware Osayande, Gary Moore, Robin Holder, Sherman Fleming, SuAndi, June Edwards and Rick Lowe. $10/year. E-mail: homershines@yahoo.com.

Florida's 80 Percent Arts Cut Florida's new budget was signed into law this week, and it means an 80 percent cut in arts funding. "The budget, signed into law Monday, provides nearly $5.9 million for the state's arts organizations, down from the $28 million they got last year and a far cry from the $35 million they'd requested for the coming year. Add to deep budget cuts the difficulty arts groups have raising money, and the result is a collective gasp."

...as if I need another sign to move!

"Bacterium restores glue-hidden fresco" Art restorers in Pisa, Italy have discovered that bacteria applied to medieval frescoes that were covered in glue 50 years years can cut through the glue and reveal the painting. "Scientists from Milan University have shown that the bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri, applied with water on cotton wool, can eat through 80% of the glue in about 10 hours. Chunks of the 14th- and 15th-century series of frescoes at the Camposanto (cemetery) were removed for repair and restoration in the 1950s" when they were covered in glue, and restorers have been trying to figure out how to remove the substance ever since. Responses?

VIII Bienal de la Habana 2003

The 8th Bienal de la Habana is being celebrated in November and December of 2003. The spirit behind this Bienal is "El Arte Con La Vida" (Art in Life), focusing on the works of international artists seeking to express the many ways daily living inspires and reflects art. The 8th Bienal embraces a critical and reflective perspective, and encompasses a celebration of all forms of beauty, irony and humor.

Francesco Bonami's 2003 Venice Biennale has been trashed already.

Venice Biennale: But where's the art? What are the expectations of art and artists in today's climate? Those outside the direct influence and knowledge of the artworld certainly don't find the search for some of the conceptual extremes that have received press in recent years. That lay audience still treasures realist works because they can grab ahold of it in their minds and relate to something they understand. Even "fantasy" based art and graffiti can do that. Abstraction and Conceptualism are more difficult but, many find it worthy and acceptable. What's your take on it (after reading part or all of the linked articles above)?

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Does anyone read this thing?

Nucleus allows you to easily maintain your own weblog(s) on your own server. It offers a system that is easy to install, but still offers maximum flexibility. More info... Nucleus CMS

An interface between you and your blog. Works with several different blogs. Sorry, I didn't check how well it supports mac os.:: w.bloggar ::

There are a lot of reasons to care about the new Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art. It is the first major American art museum designed by a woman. It is also the first major American commission completed by the London-based Zaha Hadid, one of the profession's most precocious talents.

But the best reason to fall in love with the building is its seductive pull. A vibrant composition of concrete forms stacked on top of a delicate glass base, its design is calculated to lure people into a titillating architectural experience. That it does so while showing art to its best advantage is what makes it a significant achievement in museum design.
Los Angeles Times: The art of the museum

Creativity - An Overused And Abused Idea Everyone seems to talk about creativity as if it were this force innate to every person, and that some sort of spigot is all that is required to cause it to gush forth. Barbican director John Tusa's new book explores what it means to be creative. "Creative, creation, creativity, as Tusa says in his introduction, 'are some of the most overused and ultimately debased words in the language', which are liberally applied by everybody from bureaucrats to politicians to thinktanks..." Taking creativity to task

The Web - How Audiences Work? "There are hundreds of millions - perhaps more than a billion - websites out there. If the normal distribution applied, then we would expect that most of them would cluster around an average in terms of size and link density. But this is not what is observed: although the web has a huge number of very small sites, the probability of encountering a big site is nevertheless quite high. up to now we have argued that the concentrations of media power and audience share that exist in the real world are the product of capitalist accumulation or inadequate regulatory regimes. But the web and the blogging culture are completely open. Yet, even in those ideal conditions, we see concentrations of power and audience emerging. Deep waters, eh? And is that curious noise the sound of Rupert Murdoch laughing up his sleeve?" The Observer (UK) 06/08/03

Finally, I got a permanent position offered to me teaching photography. Although it starts in August it will allow me to finally pay some bills, provided I'm not homeless before then. I need to design another course offering since I'm currently scheduled to teach two courses. I got home to find that nice message in my inbox.

While away I visited with my sister whom I haven't seen in 27 yrs.! She was not at the funeral. She hid away for some yrs, got involved with the wrong people after getting national attention for hair design, started dealing drugs, and the downward spiral. Both she and my brother have been failures at keeping in touch with each other and myself. It really hit home when my Uncle died because my father was very close with all his siblings, esp. this brother. Anyway, seeing what family was there was good. My cousin and I did some baking and you know that was good. Pound cake, none better than my grandmothers and her sweet potato pie (deceased)!

Speaking of food, do you know about the Food Culture Museum? Antoni Miralda, who lives parttime in Miami has created some very interesting works. Some of his work can be found at the Dacra bldg. in the Miami Design Dist. There was more international controversy with this work: "Catholics slam food art exhibit".

The Catholic priesthood is fighting for survival and respectability these days. Even as I walked thru the St. Louis airport my mind wandered off to the fondling priests as I saw a "collared" man pass in front of me. Kinda difficult to see innocence with such indictments throughout the country, even though the individual I saw cannot be said to be guilty of any crime. It's like what has happened to me so many times before, being the embodiment of an entire race without having done a thing. Even though the principle is the same, the priesthood is a MUCH smaller subgroup of the world's population and it's unfair to indict them all for the crimes of a few.