Photographer Chris Franko shares imagery from his journey home to Western Pennsylvania. While the steel industry has all but left the area, auto manufacturing has helped keep the region afloat, up until recently, where plant closures have further contributed to the loss of jobs. Franko captures the region with the sensibility of a native.
“The Rust Belt isn’t the most uplifting place but you can’t change where you’re from and it was good to be home and reconnect with my rusty roots,” he explains. “In any case, I approached the trip with my photographer’s eye: to boot, I’d just picked up a second-hand, medium-format film — yes, FILM!!! — camera and took it for a test drive.”
More of Chris’s work here.
A million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the earth (okay it was the mid- ’90s,) my college boyfriend hosted a radio show on Impact 89FM (shout-out MSU Spartans.) His deep voice and radio persona added considerably to his cool factor for me, a music geek already in the making. It was the era of the mixtape (cassette) in the car stereo, and he consistently delighted me with grand new cuts from bands like the Makeup, or favorite De Le Soul beats and Carl Craig’s latest tracks which were only available on 12″ vinyl back then. My ears wide and open for the next new sound — electronic, indie, hip-hop or otherwise. I was an audiophile sponge, but this boyfriend had taken music obsession to new heights. He was critical, discerning, and passionate. Shows, parties and record stores provided fodder for our musical debates.
He turned me onto all kinds of bands, scouring stacks for undiscovered gems or classics. Yet, a big part of his stash came from the insider vantage point he had at the college radio station, where he heard breaking records, and could spin pretty much what he wanted in his program segment — late night style. This college radio jock story has been repeated and rewound a thousand times over at universities across the country. And then when I set up based in Detroit, it was NPR ala WDET 101.9 at Wayne State University, where I found programming that was stimulating — my kind of talk radio.
Independent radio is the last frontier for breakthrough artists and refreshing news coverage — a perfect audience still searching for the new soundtrack of their youth and willing to test the boundaries on sonic journeys. That’s why this program — Toyota’s Free Yr Radio – caught my eye. Free Yr Radio, is a proven formula witha Broadcast Stage benefitting independent stations at popular festivals and music conferences including All Points West, Outside Lands, Bumbershoot, CMJ and Voodoo Festival.
Over 20 partner stations with tools to increase exposure and listener support, including KEXP (Seattle’s University of Washington radio station), The Current Minnesota Public Radio (Twin Cities, MN), KUSF (The University of San Francisco) and KXLU (Los Angeles broadcasted from Westchester campus of Loyola Marymount University). In the past funds have been raised through Urban Outfitters performances from supporting bands Sonic Youth, No Age, Mudhoney, Dinosaur Jr., King Khan, !!!, Dan Deacon, Grizzly Bear and Yeasayer The Toyota Yaris was in the prize pot for pledges. This fest season, indie stations will pop at festivals with audio captured at these stages distributed freely to the nation’s network of CMJ-reporting indie radio stations.
“Toyota and Free Yr Radio are proud to be a part of the vibrancy and energy of the music festivals and the ongoing support of indie radio stations and their fans,” Keith Dahl, Toyota National Manager of Engagement Marketing said. “This year we are going beyond the walls of intimate venues and broadcasting these interviews and performances to everyone.”
Free Yr Radio will donate to each festival partner station with further fund raising opportunities provided in on-site activities at the festival such as a photo booth Corolla, and a Shrinky Dink wearable art station.
Here’s the schedule with our recommendations bolded for the stage at this weekend’s All Points Festival where Jay-Z is the big headliner: [click to continue…]
VITAMIN-3D: New Perspective in Sculpture and Installation (Phaidon Press 2009) bursts onto bookstore shelves in September, unveiling 117 of the most iconic three dimensional works in the contemporary sculptural movement. But first there’s the packaging to hanker with — I pulled and prodded, imagining that this was a box containing a book. My optical illusion bad — it’s a sculpture within a book with kelly green page trim and a thick cardboard like cover, resembling a material used for a science project presentation. Brilliant, really.
And then for the imagery contained inside. I keep flipping to page 03 and a piece called “Overleaf” by Adel Abdessemed — essentially 9, 10 or is 11 dull knives stuck in one spot, casting a reflection against a concrete backdrop. I peruse past Urs Fisher’s giant nail in a piece of cheese with the brilliant title “Lie to a Dog.” Lili Reynaud-Dewar’s “Queen Mother Nanny of the Mountains” represent the Rastafarian flag with a ritualistic leanings, according to the text. I like the quixotic “Untitled” Bread House created by Urs Fisher — just that a house constructed out of stacks of bread loaves.
Authored by Laura Hoptman, a curator at the New Mueum, Jens Hoffman, director of the CCA Wattis for Contemporary Arts at California College of the Arts and Shamim Momin Branch Director and Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, here is a current discussion of sculpture and installation across the globe with plenty of fodder, imaginative materials, and vision for great discussion amongs the three-dimensionally inclined.
Okay it’s a recession. Okay, only a few lucky ones have $80k to drop on a sinewy sports car. Okay, how many people before the recession would drop 80k on their sports sedan? We’re guessing a good amount of the potential Jag customers still have the cash to pony up on this make — and after a few speedy, delirious days, I believe they’re justified in making this decadent purchase decision. I pretended I was that guy — the proud new XFR owner, someone who has a taste for the finer designs inside out, piloting a modern class.
XFR caused a commotion in my neighborhood — not a collision. What better vehicle to have for a special treat outing ? Don’t take my word for it Edmunds calls the XFR one of the best sports sedans around.
To understand the verve behind this frisky feline, I take you back to 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show when Jag unveiled the XF for the skeptical critics. Could Ian Callum and his team of designers translate their elegant concept into production reality? It was all very dramatic as the cloak unveiled the final version — not too shabby — was the general consensus. My fellow journalists and I circled in, glad we had made the trip to see Jag in it’s glory.
Then, a few short months later, I joined Jag staff on the road launch of the vehicle in sunny San Diego. Why do I reference the XF? To a novice’s eye, the XFR is almost a dead ringer, except for chrome finish, tailpipe additions and brawny Nevis 20″ wheels.
Where the XFR gets it’s roar is an inside job to the tune of 510 hp and 461 lb. ft of torque. Shezam!!! The sweet sound of this engine is defiant and satisfying, like the unleashed animal XFR is. Yet, I find a concerted explanation of how this beast is working at maximum efficiency to preserve precious fuel, really.
And the succulent 440-watt speakers of Jaguar’s audio partner in this top-of-the-crop edition is analogous beauty produced by Bowers & Wilkins when you’re feeling a little night music. I brought out Jag swinging – an outing with my beloved on his birthday. We rolled up to his favorite East Village restaurant in unashamed style creating a spectacle on E. 2nd. He insisted that we floss our whip before parking it in the garage.
Granted, this particular journey wasn’t designed for engine appreciation, I made my point — Jag earned it’s bragging rights. And while some high-end sedan feel tinny and flimsy, I felt confident making Manhattan strides – and electric kyanite blue 10.
We sure had a wild weekend with these beauties. Stay tuned for the skinny on fast blast:
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