So: I decided that before I returned to Ethiopia I should take a trip to Europe. I have amassed a decent amount of friends in a range of countries. The plan as it stands now is to visit: Ireland, England, Netherlands, Germany, France. Currently writing this from a hostel in the western town of Galway, Ireland. (more on Ireland in a later post) Im staying basically a week in each country that I'm visiting. It's likely that I'll be posting with a frequency of once per week after I leave the each respective country.
Firstly however as a little last hurrah in the United States I spent a few days with friends in NYC. I have only been to New York a handful of times. I met friends old and new, checked out a few shows in Chelsea, the New Museum with a retro of Chris Burden's work (really amazing), and basically hung tuff.
Chris Burden's show really took me by surprise. I of course had been familiar with his work with the rather epic "Shoot" piece he did which changed performace art forever. The work in this show was a bit more expansive however, and he really up the ante with his work over time. The work starts to take on a more and more monumental feeling to it. Like he had to go bigger and bigger - eventually creating a work worth over 4 million USD (look up the stack of gold bars that he shows occasionally, lucky if you find a photograph).
Otherwise its always interesting to be in New York - seems like theres always something crazy happening. It's wild that all of us ended up there at that same time too actually. People just sort of came out of the woodwork to get together and hang.
Here's a few pics from the weekend:
Peace Chicago (obligitory plane pic)
Sup East Coast (not yet final obligatory plane pic)
Chris Burden's All the Submarines of the United States of America (1987)
Still life at Sara's place
Chirs Burden's Big Wheel in motion
This crazy artist dude painting with his own blood after he tapped an artery
Pretty friends
Jono maxin a pancake sandy
These crazy dancing chicks at this party
Ej gettin trill
Parting pic