3.06.2009

Bits: 03.06.09


From Elizabeth Heyter's The Travelers: James "La Smoothe" Patterson Jr. Born: September 1966; Died: February 2004

Worldchanging looks at lk RIP: About death and self-representation on the internet at Mediamatic Amsterdam. An exhibition that looks at "what you leave behind in the online world," the show appears to be in turns macabre, funny and sobering, ranging from Elizabeth Heyert's nearly life-size photos of elaborately dressed deceased Harlem residents, a Ghana-made teddybear coffin, and the website ikRIP.nl, which includes digital last wishes for online profiles.

• Must-read: Bruce Haley's Tao of War Photography (via Kottke). Some of Haley's musings are incredibly funny (i.e don't wear shorts when riding an Asian elephant), but if you look at Haley's porfolio, the more serious offerings stand out: "11. Do you believe in a personal, loving God who really cares about us mortals down here...? Go to a few war zones and famine areas and watch all those innocent children die, then answer this question." (It's followed by: "12. On the flipside of #11: many of the people who have actually suffered through such hardships show the greatest faith I’ve ever encountered on the planet... go figure...")

• In two posts on "branding the recovery," NYT Magazine "Consumed" columnist Rob Walker looks at the Obama administration's recovery logo, calling it, "a bit wimpy to me, a bit, I don’t know, Facebooky or something — or like it represents an iPhone app." (Co-worker Chris emailed that his concern is that the gears don't mesh.) Here, apparently is the rightwing version of it.

• Thoughts about MoMA's NewYorkTimes-worthy MoMA's new website design?

• Opening tonight: Landescape, a group show reconsidering landscape at Thomas Barry Fine Arts. (I plan to review it, so check back.)

• "God Hates Signs!"

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