i recently visited the MCA to see the talked-about-all-summer JEFF KOONS exhibit. koons, one of the most intriguing 20th century artists, opened up a studio in soho in the 1980s, hired on 30 assistants, and began to make a name for himself. he was inspired by the dada movement, marcel duchamp, andy warhol, and jasper johns. like them koons used ordinary, commercial and kitsch objects throughout all his work, turning the familiar into beautiful pieces of art. some of his works combine childhood innocence, such as popeye and inflatable floaties, with adult sexuality, like lips and images of the female body.

i have always been a koons fan, agreeing with the saying that "art is all around you". what koons does is exactly that; he places items such as hoover vacuum cleaners in glass display cases or basketballs in tanks of water. it is all about how the viewer chooses to see koons work; either look at it and think 'why is this in a museum' or look at it and think 'i never knew a (fill in the blank) could be so interesting.' koons tries to bring the viewer back to that childlike wonderment. And pieces such as the equilibrium series or the steel balloon-esque sculptures do just that.

i highly recommend this exhibit to anyone in chicago. it lasts till sept 21 so if you live in town or are visiting check it out. well worth the general admission fee of $10. plus they have a wonderful installation by Sarah Sze and an in depth look at Bruce Nauman.

has been insanely busy that i have had no time to update. i kinda look like and feel like this picture i found the other day (minus fur and blue eyes, but my nose REALLY is that red).

ive moved and am unpacking. slowly, oh so slowly. at least all the boxes in the kitchen are gone, but now the stuff just sits all over the counters. where to put everything.

i attended lolla fest 2008 and filled my weekend with music, siblings, and indulgences.

the guest room in the house seems like it will constantly be occupied. we might charge rent soon. or turn our place into a wild and crazy bed and breakfast minus me cooking and cleaning.

im working late, late, late once again stuck in catalog hell which will be over in two days. however i am not ready for it to be over and not because i will be sad (hell no) but because the catalog just keeps getting reworked. once again this is how we do it at JHG. oh well i tend to work better under much stress and pressure but damn do my eyes and back and mind hurt. but damn i absolutely love it all.

now to leave the stress behind with a peaceful image - the aegean sea

Tomorrow morning, Sunday, I say goodbye to an apartment of two years. I really nestled into the place; my rooms were painted, things were framed and hung, my work station was finally set up, and the closets were beginning to overflow. I know this apartment like the back of my hand. The sink faucet in the bathroom will drip if you do not use All your Might when turning the knob. In the summer ants will creep into the kitchen through the giant cracks in the molding by the back door, so have ant killer handy. To close the back door and lock it you need to first Slam, and then Push on the door as you turn the lock. In the summer time a fuse will blow if you dry your hair while watching TV and rocking out to music with the lights on. To flush the toilet you have to pull up on the handle. So many wonderful memories.

But I am ready to make more memories in a new home - full of new spaces to decorate, new quirks to discover, new favorite nooks to enjoy. And this time I am not doing it alone, I will be sharing it with Aaron.

THOM YORKE ////\\\\ THE ERASER

Currently at work we are in the messy thrill of shooting the fall catalog. The first day of shooting our office looked like an old crazy man's storage room - full of furniture, accessories, vintage pieces, hay, branches, a stuffed peasant, pillows, boxes, bags, packing material, lights, wires, tools, cameras, fabric, and food.
 

My desk grew in length to hold product and my papers. I am trapped at my desk, a catalog shoot keeping me in. This is my favorite time of the year at work.

 

find something - found.com

hung out with my cousins, ross and baby flo (it was great to see them again).

decided to bike down the Lake Shore path since I have lived here two years and have owned a bike for one and have never done it. So I did it and it was wonderful, invigorating, and relaxing.

Here is a sneak peak to some of my Istanbul photographs. I hope to get the entire gallery up by Monday so check back then for more.

ENJOY.

top to bottom right to left: Inside the AYA SOFYA (HAGIA SOFIA) | The BLUE MOSQUE | The HAREM in TOPKAPI PALACE | Three women | Man washing his feet before entering the BLUE MOSQUE | The GRAND BAZAAR

MERHABA! I'm back from my wonderful adventures in the country where east meets west - TURKEY or TÜRKIYE (turkish). I had an amazing time traveling throughout the country, starting off in giant city Istanbul where I got my religion on visiting old mosques. Then we headed towards the Aegean Sea's coast, where we stayed in a small Mediterranean town called Selçuk, relaxed on blissful beaches and explored the ruins of Ephesus. A couple days later we flew to a region called Cappadocia, where the landscape is unlike any other with massive canyons of red, yellow, and white stone, and "fairy chimneys' shaped millions of years ago by lava, water, and wind. Our hotel in the small town Göreme reflected the lives of the early settlers – Hittites and Christians – who dug into these chimneys and created cave homes and churches; the rooms were like our own cave dwellings. Overall the time I spent in Turkey will be unforgettable. I learned more about the Muslim religion and the lives of local Turks. I pushed myself further than before while hiking throughout rough terrain. I embraced the sun (100 degrees some days) and dealt with burns on my poor white body. And I learned that even though we (my family) still get into little tiffs now and then they are my best friends and trips like these wouldn't be the same without them around. Thanks family.

{I will slowly be putting up my photographs from my travels so check back for them}

Till then I want to share with you some of my wonderful gifts from Turkey. Above is a piece of tile I got in Göreme and below are my other ceramic pieces - a typical Turkey souvenir. The Turks are known for their handmade ceramics with beautiful Ottoman and Byzantine designs. The tulip is the flower of the Ottoman Empire so you see it used throughout most of their designs along with the color blue.

Topkapı Sarayı (Palace), which once was home to the Ottoman Emperor, is decorated from floor to ceiling with this beautiful tile. Below is an area in the Harem, where the Emperor housed all his mistresses and wives. Notice the use of the traditional blue color and the elaborate designs - there are about four different patterns here.

 

I am taking advantage of the free internet at our hotel in Selcuk (Hotel Bella) and decided to treat you all with a few shots from my trip so far here in Turkey. Turkey is amazing, beautiful and very unique. I am having a wonderful time talking with the locals and sightseeing.

In Istanbul we visited the BLUE MOSQUE

 

In Ephesus we saw ancient ruins.

 

And I went swimming in the Aegean Sea (excuse my white body I am working on it).

 

More to come! Tomorrow morning we venture to our last destination - Cappadoccia! 

To Turkey I go. If I can blog while I am away I will try to, things are not as restricted in Turkey as they are in China. If not then see you in July.

This will be the first place I visit when I land in Istanbul - the Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia). Wow, I am getting very excited! 

As I was walking home the other day on Clark Street I noticed writing on the ground and so I read it as I walked. Reading a word or two written in every other square, sometimes 5 squares apart. Who did this, I wondered. It was an interesting end to my semi-typical day.

the air, appearing and disappearing at the same time. it could be your last breath, unwinding in a slow downward spiral, an unplanned detour leading you to a delicate nowhere and hollow as grass.