Bits: 06.14.10

Christoph Gielen, Untitled Arizona VII (2010)

• Hall & Oates is boycotting Arizona over its immigration law, SB1070. Others joining the Zack de la Rocha–organized "sound strike": Los Lobos, Cypress Hill, Pitbull, Rage Against the Machine, Kanye West, Sonic Youth, Carlos Santana, Willie Nelson, Joe Satriani, Tenacious D, Shakira, Massive Attack.

• New York workshop and dinner: Cross(x)Species Adventures with Natalie Jeremijenko and Mirhir Desai, June 19 at Eyebeam. The event introduces "the use of molecular gastronomy in service of ecosystems design. Like the web 2.0 of the food systems, the Cross(x)Species Adventure Club develops participatory, DIY, and multi-platform food systems to improve environmental health and augment biodiversity ... where food is a medium of art, adventure, pleasure and agency." (You can see why I quoted rather than paraphrased that.)

• Audio: Bad at Sports interviews Creative Time curator Nato Thompson (who also curated a favorite of mine, the 2004 MASSMoCA exhibition The Interventionists: Art in the Social Sphere.)

• Video: Twin Cities Indymedia publishes an hour of new footage shot by filmmaker Iara Lee aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla during the recent attack by Israeli forces.

• Minnesota exhibition: Dean Ebben -- Trails and Parallels, at the St. Johns University Art Center, Collegeville, through July 22. (Installation shots here.)

• While Paddy Johnson gives props to a portrait done by Minneapolis' Miles Mendenhall on last week's episode of Work of Art, artist Ross Bleckner tweaks auctioneer Simon de Pury's comment that "in a split second I can tell whether a work of art is great or not." He cites the late Louise Bourgeois, who slogged nearly unrecognized in the arts until she was in her 60s: "De Pury should remember that some things happen slowly, and not all artists—or their work—can be recognized as 'great' or 'genius' in a split second. Art is about slowing down time, and thinking—neither of which television does very well." And: Jerry Saltz completes the circle of mediation.

• Minneapolis Institute of Arts director Kaywin Feldman to head up the Association of Art Museum Directors.

• The Wire graffiti du jour: "Omar's comming."

• Metallica's "Enter Sandman," the swing version.