Well, we've been pretty tired last couple days. Getting the Hecox exhibit here to Amsterdam and getting it hung in a single day and then having such a great opening...we're a little tired.
I had to go back to Denver for 6 days which was an eye opening and whirlwind experience. It was great to see friends and I had about 7 burritos, but not all at the same time. We dropped off our mail in ballot applications so hopefully everything will arrive in time for us to get our votes in for the critical upcoming election. The vibe is tense in the US with the financial crisis and the looming 5th of November.
The tenants at the Block Building seem to be doing well. FM magazine has just released their 3rd, crushingly solid issue. 1nventory is just as polished as ever. Tom has more artwork on consignment at Andenken than he could possibly know what to do with. Adam Sikorski has a cute new intern and the new guy Brian McFadden is a southern gentlemen. We do have mice in the building though, so I'll need to do something about that. FM also hosted a 'bang on' party at the Block Building while I was there, the theme...Michael Jackson .
There is something really awe inspiring and simultaneously irksome about the 20 something cool kids crowd and their sence of heady invincibility. They party really hard and with few taboos. The DJ's, particularly a dude name MUSA, were stellar.
But enough of the state side recap.
The Evan Hecox - Urban Abstract in Amsterdam exhibit, is underway at the Chiellerie, and the reception has been very very good.
All the work is available for sale at www.mathershop.com , and there are still a few of the prints available at www.andenken.com .
The show is just up here in Amsterdam for a few more days and then it is slated to arrive in Heerlen at the Glaspaleis in late November where it will stay on exhibit through 15th of February. This is quite a coup for us, to have our first curated show in the Netherlands traveling to a museum quality venue.
Yesterday was the last day of Addison's autumn school break. They have lots of breaks. It was raining cats and dogs all day, so we went to this amazing place called TunFun.
I've probably said it before, but if not, the Dutch are amazingly resourceful at using their limited space. TunFun is an undergound speilplaats (play place) for kinderen, built in a now defunct tunnel near Waterlouplein.
The city was planning to fill the tunnel, but apparently a playgound seemed like a better idea. The place is massive, duh, it was a tunnel for autos. This is like Chuck E Cheese on Hulk Juice, but without all the Uber fattening, somnabulent inducing deep dish pizza.
Also, again, here is a great example of the mentality of the Dutch with regards to Street Art / Graffiti.
The first step is in realizing that trying to stop Creative people from painting on stuff is impossible, so then you must ask the question, "How can we curb the destruction of private property and still allow for the painters to paint?" answer, Provide Public outlets. The entire interior of Tun Fun is covered with Graffiti. It looks awesome.
There is a slide in this place with about 6 feet of vert. Addi chickened out, adding the excuse after reading the sign, 'Deze slide is vor kinderen 7 jaar tot 12 jaar'. Yeah buddy, you can get by on that excuse for a few more months.
In Malia's last post there is a picture of the BakFiets we use to move big stuff around town. I love driving it, it is a real workout with a full load, but nothing makes you feel like an Amsterdamer like a giant work bike. I'll try to get some better pictures on Wednesday when the show comes down.
Anyway, that's it for now, here is an old Guided By Voices song.
hyland
