Subnormal Magazine is back here with the latest and greatest in music, art, film and more, exclusively for NewsBlaze. Originally a hard copy rock, film, and human rights magazine published in the 90’s on into 2000, Subnormal is now found exclusively online at www.HollywoodSentinel.com, and later with its own website.
One of the greatest artists of our time, Elliphant blends genres and surpasses expectations in this cut below. Brilliant.
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry has and remains one of the greatest bands of all time. Incredibly they are still together, and appear to be getting active again.
ASL, otherwise known as Age Sex Location, has an absolutely great band name. The mellow acoustic live video track here is surprisingly nice with some very fresh and workable unique harmonizing from a female that goes by the name Shungduzo, and a male vocalist named John Ryan. Ryan’s voice hits notes higher than the woman here, and generally stays on key which is impressive. I’d like to hear Shungduzo and Ryan each by themselves, particularly Shungduzo who is a bit overwhelmed by Ryan’s voice in this mix, who tends to dominate the track as she gazes lovingly at him in the split screen. Shungduzo aka Alexandra Govere, who looks and sounds lovely, was on the reality show the Real World San Diego. I’d like to see her front her own band, because she certainly has what it takes.
BMG has signed Jane’s Addictions’ Perry Farrell for the release of his upcoming new solo album “Kind Heaven.” This is reportedly the latest new work by Perry since 2001. The album is sure to be amazing including members of the Cars, Soundgarden, Tommy Lee, Mike Garson from Bowie, and many more. The album will be recorded in Dolby Atmos, where the sound is designed to move around in 3 dimensional physical space, rather than being stationary. A Star is Born with Lady Gaga was also filmed in the same manner, so be sure to see it at a Dolby theatre if you have not seen it yet but plan to. 3 more versions of A Star is Born exist, starring Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, and the 1937 version which I just saw that is brilliant, starring Janet Gaynor. Definitely a must see.
ART
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), announced this week that it is reinstalling the monumental wall work by Los Angeles-based artist Barbara Kruger (b. New York, 1945), Untitled (Questions) (1990/2018). The emblematic red, white, and blue artwork was originally commissioned by MOCA in 1989 for the exhibition A Forest of Signs: Art in the Crisis of Representation and was last installed in 1990 on the south wall of MOCA’s then Temporary Contemporary building. The work holds an iconic presence in the collective memory of Los Angeles’ art community and is considered part of the museum’s curatorial highlights over its forty year history.
This iteration will be installed on the north facade of The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, facing Temple Street, measuring 30 ft. by 191 ft. in size. The work includes nine questions such as “Who is beyond the law?,” “Who is bought and sold?,” and “Who is free to choose?” The artwork uses these questions to point to issues of patriotism, civic engagement, and power relations. The work will remain on view through November of 2020.
“I continue to try to address the issues of control, loyalty, hope, fear, and the uses and abuses of power,” says Kruger. “It’s both tragic and disappointing that this work, thirty years later, might still have some resonance.”
This installation is the first public facing project since the appointment of Klaus Biesenbach as MOCA’s new director and reflects his commitment to the museum’s active engagement in civic dialogue, democratic participation, and community activation. In connection with the work, a series of voter registration efforts will be anchored by the artwork in advance of the 2018 midterms, as well as the 2020 general election.
“When I started working as a curator in 1990s I first learned about MOCA through this iconic Barbara Kruger work,” recalls Biesenbach. “For me this work always stood for MOCA going forward and was a great emblem of the museum’s ability to engage artists and support their important role in society! It means a lot that Barbara agreed to this new installation reflecting on forty years of MOCA and at the same time looking forward with a plea for civil engagement.”
The work will remain on view for a two year period through November 2020, in celebration of MOCA’s forty year anniversary. MOCA thanks the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and the City’s Cultural Affairs Commission. This project was initiated by incoming MOCA Director Klaus Biesenbach and is organized by MOCA Senior Curator Bennett Simpson.
American readers, we don’t often tell you this, but get out there and register and VOTE. American Midterm Voting is absurd, because dozens of persons to vote for concerning posts such as local judges and more, have no party information or other political positions about them listed on the ballot, or even the so called voting guide, so you can either have fun trying to get correct information looking online, or skip those. But for those you DO know you don’t like, be sure to vote ‘against’ them. They may still try steal the election as they often do, but if not, at least you did your part. — Peace.
