Silas Vidar

De Zines (Zaragoza)

2011-02-13T02:40:00.000-08:00

Last year, the first De Zines event took place in La Casa Encendida de Madrid. Over 400 publications were showcased, ranging from underground DIY fanzines to some of the finest examples of contemporary magazine culture. The 3 issues of my magazine “kino” were also part of this exhibition.

The same selection - and a whole bunch of new titles - moved recently to Sala de Exposiciones de Caja Madrid in Zaragoza, where a new De Zines event will take place until the end of March. If you are in the neighbourhood, please go and take a look at this fine collection of contemporary editorial design.

De Zines
25.01.11 - 13.03.11

Obra Social Caja Madrid
Espacio para el Arte
Plaza de Aragón, 4
50004 Zaragoza

TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR

2010-08-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I visited the second edition of "Tokyo Art Book Fair". The fair is the only event of its kind in Japan for self-publishers and independent zines. Last year's edition - Zine's Mate 2009- counted over 150 booths and book-sellers, and some 8,000 visitors. This year, TABF2010 took place at the newly renovated arts center 3331 and Vacant, simultaneously. And even now, the place felt too small sometimes.

TABF2010 - founded by Zine's Mate (Hiroshi Eguchi (Utrecht) and Oliver Watson (Paperback)) - featured all kinds of books and zines. From big publishers such as Taschen, Beams and Foil gallery, to smaller bookshops and independent zine-makers. I personally enjoyed the booths by Split/Fountain, the Book Society and Ideabooks. They carried a strong selection in magazines, such as Graphic, Oase and DotDotDot, and books by Irma Boom and Hans Gremmen... Next to the various booths, you could also enjoy several activities and presentations. A small PechaKucha was held on Friday and on Sunday I had the chance to see a small Tee Party with Hanayo, Gabin Ito and Eguchi-san.

I really enjoyed walking around at TABF2010. My girlfriend and I even got interviewed. Can't wait for TABF2011!!

2. LOUISE BOURGEOIS RIP

2010-05-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

This morning, living legend Louise Bourgeois died because of a heart attack. The french artist became 98 years old and spend the last 10 years of her life in her house in Manhattan, working 7 days in a week and refusing to attend great ceremonies in her honour at the white house (USA), the Israeli Knesset or even meet the Japanese emperor. Which immediately draws her picture of a very intriguing and self-confident artist.

She is seen as one of the most influential sculptors/painters of our century, maybe even as big as Picasso, all-tough she gained fame only late in a long career. Her works — sometimes figurative, but often abstract and symbolic — often referred to women's sexuality and memories from her childhood. One of her well-known works is probably her giant "Maman" spider, of which you can see variable versions all over the world (Mori Art Tokyo, Tate Modern London and Guggenheim Bilbao).

"The spiders were an ode to my mother. She was a tapestry woman, and like a spider, was a weaver. She protected me and was my best friend."

Rest in Peace Louise Bourgeois!

1. MATTHEW BARNEY

2006-10-22T03:10:00.000-07:00

Matthew Barney
The cremaster cycle (I-V)
1994-2002

This weekend, Matthew Barney's art film epos the Cremaster Cycle is making an appearance at the Buda Arts Festival in Kortrijk. 4 Years after it's completion, the full 400 minutes will be screened at the Budascoop Kortrijk. Visitors will be given the choice to watch the five feature full lengths in thematical order (1,2,3,4,5) or in the order the artist made them (4,1,5,2,3). During the making of the cycle, the attention for Barney's work grew massively and so did his budget. Therefor it might be easier to watch the cycle in order of production, since the quality and ambition of the different parts is quite big and could be distracting if seen in numerical order.

The Cremaster Cycle is an art project that not only includes five feature length films but also sculptures, photographs, drawings and art books. Therefor it is sometimes referred to as the Star Wars of the art world. The artist borrows intentionally from the language used in Hollywood movies but manages to produce a video work that can't be more different from your regular chick flick. It's somewhere between Lynch, Cronenberg and Lords of the rings. Buda Arts Festival is showing his video work (the other related art works like sculptures,... will not be exhibited) on Sunday 22th of October. If you ever get the chance (because they don't show this often), you should definitely see this piece of art.