If it’s boiling hot and humid tonight go see  I Am Love with the marvelous Tilda Swinton. We saw it last night at BAM where the air conditioning was cold (despite Con Edison voltage reductions). Here’s an excerpt from the New Yorker review:

The best sex you will get all year, if that’s what you crave in your moviegoing, is between Tilda Swinton and a prawn. In the middle of “I Am Love,” a succulent new film from the Italian director Luca Guadagnino, Swinton’s character, Emma Recchi, sits down to lunch in a Milanese restaurant. Placed before her is a dish of seafood with ratatouille. She takes a bite, and finds herself deluged with sensation. The rest of the room grows dim, surrounding sounds are muffled, and Emma alone begins to glow. She is already incandescent, with her halo-gold hair, and a dress of flame red, but now illumination seems to fan upward from the plate and possess her. She is irradiated with a dangerous joy—a gourmet’s parody of Mary at the Annunciation, perhaps, though I couldn’t help remembering the end of “Kiss Me Deadly,” when another curious blonde opens a box with something nuclear inside, and gets a faceful of light.

On July 12 at 7:30 PM: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic will open the 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series. Performances are held Monday nights at 7:30 PM at Wingate Field, which is located on Brooklyn Avenue between Rutland Road and Winthrop Street opposite Kings County Hospital. Possible rain date on Tuesday night.

The public is encouraged to bring their own chairs because seating is limited.

On the fourth of July at BAM as part as their Contraband Film Series on Sun, Jul 4 at 7:15pm: join Kathleen Cleaver (Emory Law School professor, author, and former Communications Secretary of the Black Panther Party) and curator Kazembe Balagun for a Q&A following a screening of William Klein’s documentary Eldridge Cleaver.

Eldridge Cleaver
Directed by William Klein

Under pressure from FBI’s counterintelligence program, Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver and his wife Kathleen left the United States for Algeria. There, he set up the International Section of the Black Panther Party which quickly became the hangout of revolutionaries from the Vietnamese and African liberation movements. Klein’s moving interview follows up with Cleaver during the Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algiers, where he expounds upon the Vietnam War and Black Power during a time when “revolution was the main theme of the day.”

A candlelight march was held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to commemorate those killed since the military coup on June 28, 2009.

Haven’t you always wanted to rent an art studio in the Gowanus?

A friend is subletting her studio. The rent is $950.00. But the space is big enough to share.  It has great light and a great location-near the Smith/9th street stop on the F/G trains, near Lowe’s in the Park Slope/Gowanus section of Brooklyn.

It is available for all of July and August, but she will consider renting it for all or part of that time. Email me if you are interested: louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com

Movies alfresco at Brooklyn Film Works on the big turf field behind the Old Stone House. The first show is on Wednesday, July 7th at 8:30 PM:

July 7: Kiss Me Kate (1953) – A witty take-off on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, this fabulous Technicolor musical stars Ann Miller, with music by Cole Porter, directed by George Sidney.

July 14: Girl Shy (1924) A comedy classic from under-celebrated silent screen great Harold Lloyd playing a shy tailor attempting to win his girl in this hilarious romance featuring one of the greatest chase scenes of all time.

July 21: The 30th Anniversary Asbury Shorts New York: Short Film Concert — An array of award-winning short films from festivals around the world, including Manolo Celi’s Nueva York; Mike Ehler’s Lunch and Jeremy Kip Walker’s Super Powers.

July 28: Piper Film Workshop Student Films – Live on-screen! More amazing presentations from Piper Theatre Productions summer program by students ages 12 to 16.

All shows start at 8:30 PM

While most movies provide structural comforts such as resolution, closure and narratives that resist interpretation, Dogtooth, is of a different breed. A winner of the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes in 2009, Dogtooth is about a family living within the confines of the high fences that shelter them from the outside world. There are therefore no exterior influences on the children.  Perhaps they should be called offspring, since all three siblings—if we are to exclude the one unseen sibling who everyone believes lives on the other side of the fence—are of a young adult age. This may mean that the children will soon be leaving the compound. The title, in fact, refers to moment when one can do this: when one’s dogtooth falls out, “dogtooth” being one of many made-up or mis-defined words that the father has inserted into the family’s vocabulary. It is part of his cult leader-like methods of control, which also include numerous competitions for prizes and orchestrating the sex lives of those in his home.

If the description is confusing, it is then an apt synopsis for this incredible Greek film currently playing at Cinema Village.  Nearly every scene requires the viewer to piece it together as the action of each scene is either not immediately clear or the motivation is not immediately able to be understood. Unlike most films with unusual conceits, Dogtooth dispenses with exposition creating a mysterious narrative for the audience to work through. In doing so the viewer also feels thrown into this world; the offspring are thrust into games blindfolded and we are also forced to feel our way through. An incredible must-see work from director Yorgos Lanthimos, the film is disturbing and unsettling right down to its final shot which can only be summed up as wonderfully confounding.

It all happens on Friday, July 9, 8:00pm at Galapagos Art Space 16 Main Street at Water Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY.

Brooklyn Poets: Past and Present
American Opera Projects presents new songs based on works by Brooklyn poets.
Music by Gilda Lyons, Daniel Felsenfeld, and Andrew Staniland
Text by Walt Whitman, Keanu Stowe, Tristan Regist, and Tyler Forsythe
Performed by Adrienne Danrich and Nicole Mitchell.
Kelly Horsted, piano. Hamilton Berry, cello.

Removable Parts
Selections from the music-theatre piece
Music by Corey Dargel
Performed by Corey Dargel and Kathleen Supové

The Bloody Chamber
Opera on Tap presents scenes from the new one-act opera
Music by Daniel Felsenfeld
Libretto by Elizabeth Isadora Gold
Based on the novella “The Bloody Chamber” by Angela Carter
Performed by Indre Viskontas, Ross Benoliel, and Amanda Villegas
Musical Director, Jennifer Peterson
Stage Director, Sarah Stern

The Coney Island Museum is celebrating P.T. Barnum’s 200th birthday. Here are the details:

If P.T. Barnum had lived he would have turned 200 years old on July 5 of this year, which is about the age he once claimed Joice Heth, George Washington’s nurse was.

In observance of the fact, on the Glorious Fourth (one day early) at 4:30pm Trav S.D. will speak a piece at the Coney Island Museum. The topic of his lecture will be the legacy of Barnum and Barnumism (bunkum, hokum, humbug and hooey) in vaudeville and show business in general.

And because, showmanship is the name of the game, he will be joined by the great Lorinne Lampert, a.k.a., Uke-Lola – tap-dancing; song-singing, uke-playing, juggling vaudevillian extraordinaire.

(The host may do a turn or two himself along with other special guests TBA.)

What better place to spend the 4th than Coney Island? Watch the hot dog eating contest! Ride the rides! Go for a dip! And then come see the real dips at our presentation!

And, if you can’t make the show, tune in to the swell Barnum radio documentary by James Rana, featuring Trav S.D., Todd Robbins, and many others. Various NPR affiliates are carrying it, including WFDU-FM, which will run it at 8am on the 4th. (If you don’t get it in your area, ALL radio stations stream online nowadays, ya doofus!)

Trav S.D and Friends – A Barnum Bicentenary: Talk and performance by Trav S.D. and friends in observance of P.T. Barnum’s 200th birthday

When: July 4, 4:30pm
Where: 1208 Surf Avenue (near West 12th Street) (The Coney island Museum is on the 2nd Floor)
Admission: $5 for public, free for members of Coney Island USA
More info: http://www.coneyisland.com/museum.shtml

In a Fort Greene Connecticut Muffin, I spoke with Brooklyn’s multi-talented musician/model/voice-over artist Emily Zuzik about her life and music.  The results, along with some photos from her recent show at The Rockwood Music Hall are posted in a closeup of Emily at Now I’ve Heard Everything.

The Texas Tornados came to Brooklyn on Saturday and blew away the audience at Celebrate Brooklyn with their unique blend of Tex-Mex rock ‘n’ roll.  There’s a video (of a different show, unfortunately) and a link to a free track from The Tornados here at Now I’ve Heard Everything.

–Eliot Wagner

I was in Spoke the Hub last night at an exhibition of drawings from a recent figure drawing class taught by Russell Floersch. It was an interesting and diverse selection of drawings by adults who have enjoyed this weekly exploration of the body through drawing. The class included people who’ve never drawn before, as well as those who have. Floersch seems comfortable and delighted to work with all experience levels. He is offering this class in July and August. Go to the Spoke website (above) for more details.

The space has been hugely renovated since I was last in Spoke the Hub, when OSFO was 3. Way more space, a huge dance studio that doubles as a space for Floersch’s figure drawing classes with Russell with a live model.

This summer Spoke is running Camp Gowanee, located at Spoke’s other space at 748 Union Street & 295 Douglass Street. Look at the ambitious creative offerings. It might be just the thing for your child this summer for full or half day participation:

Week 1: Circus Arts (July 5-9)
* ages 7-11 / ages 12-15
* Juggling, magic, tumbling, mime, clowning, hula hoops…

Week 2: Street Dance, Culture & Art (July 12-16)
* ages 7-11 / ages 12-15
* Street Dance (hip hop, locking, stepping, breaking), rapping, poetry slams, grafitti (without destroying others’ property) fashion, mtv…

Week 3: Rhythm Week (July 19-23)
* ages 7-11 / ages 12-15
* African drumming, tap dance, poetry, rapping, music composition, visual rhythm composition in art …

Week 4: Tahiti Express (July 26-30)
* ages 7-11 / ages 12-15
* Polynesian dance, culture, language, crafts, music, synchronized swimming…

Continue reading Camp Gowanee for Kids of All Ages at Spoke the Hub. →

Williamsburg Walks and Northside Festival

Today is Day 4 of the  Northside Festival and it’s also Williamsburg Walks: A two day shut-down of Bedford Avenue between N 4 and 9th Sts organized by the Neighbors Allied for Good Growth, the L Magazine and Project for the Public Spaces with the support of the New York City Department of Transportation Weekend Walks Program. Bring the kids and the dogs and the bikes!

Art Benefit in Dumbo

Now through July 18, in Dumbo, A.I.R. Gallery, founded in 1972 as the first artist–run, not–for–profit gallery for women artists in the United States, is having its 9th annual postcard show/benefit: Wish You Were Here 9 includes original works by more than 400 artists. The 4” x 6” artworks, as well as diptychs and triptychs based on this size, are created and donated by A.I.R. Gallery Artists and hundreds of other national and international artists. These cards range widely in style and media and encompass a broad spectrum of themes, including work by Kiki Smith and Mary Frank.

Film

playing all weekend: I Am Love at BAM; Toy Story 3 at the Pavilion

Music

Sunday, June 27th at 9PM at Barbes: French virtuoso Guitarist Stephane Wrembel seems to have channeled both the technique and the fire of Django Reinhardt. He studied for years with the manouche (the French Gypsies) but has also gotten deep into American vernacular musical styles. His weekly sets will mix up the traditional Django repertoire along gypsy swing re-interpretations of standards

Theater

Shows this weekend: Gallery Players: 13th Annual Black Box New Play Festival

Sunday, June 27th at 7PM at Barbes: The Twenty-Five Cent Opera of San Francisco presents theater slash performance slash entertainment brought to you once monthly by the playwriting firm of shulman delaney gassman kosmas and copp. Featuring new works for the tiny stage by landscape artist Erin Courtney, theater architect Yelena Gluzman, & word contstruction worker Kristen Kosmas.

Art

At the Brooklyn Museum: Andy Warhol: The Last Decade is the first U.S. museum survey to examine the late work of American artist Andy Warhol (1928–1987). During this time Warhol produced more works, in a considerable number of series and on a vastly larger scale, than at any other point in his forty-year career.

Food

Sunday, June 27th on Smith Street between Douglas and Degraw: Stink-Fest ‘10 Rocks Smith Street with Fun For the Whole Family Fourth Annual Cheese Eating Contesting.

Sunday, June 27, 12 – 5PM at The Bell House: The 2010 Unfancy Food Show. With dozens of local purveyors including, but definitely not limited to, Brooklyn Brewery, Sullivan Street Bakery, SCRATCHbread, Cut Brooklyn, Sweet Deliverance, Marlow and Sons, McClure’s Pickles, The Brooklyn Kitchen,, People’s Pops, Salvatore Brooklyn Ricotta and Nunu Chocolate, the UnFancy Food Show is the most aggressively awesome gathering of small producers in New York.