FirstPerson Magazine

It’s office party season and holiday gifts around the...

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:17:39 -0500

It’s office party season and holiday gifts around the clock!

Our fave SF shops are hosting lil’ parties and stocking the best items on the block right now from online orders to last minute dealios. This weekend, Mollusk Surf is holding a “Mollusk Olde Tyme Craft Faire” with works by local artists and live music 7-10pm this Saturday. Park Life Store has expanded it’s stock into the Gallery once again, and Gravel & Gold is hosting a warmer upper next Friday and a special display window tonight.

-Pictured here is an adorable office keeper from Mollusk.

B. Nguyen, Editor

So, I couldn’t wait to post this… This weekend is a...

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:34:00 -0500

So, I couldn’t wait to post this…

This weekend is a rave up for the Winter sesh in SF. Bronze plays the Eagle with a dubby set. First Person’s very own, Adam aka DJ Z Dust, will be on the wheels of steel hosted by an art party at the Lipo Lounge on Friday night. And Saturday, our friend, Conor is opening for Ewan Pearson who’s remixed the Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode at my new fave cozy spot, 222 Hyde St. We love!!! Must hold it down til Haus of Gaga on Monday XXX

-B.Nguyen, Editor and Raver

Photo

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:12:22 -0500

These are a few of my favorite things…

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:58:02 -0500

These are a few of my favorite things…

More Works on Whatever Towels, so beautiful. I cannot tell you...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:11:00 -0500

More Works on Whatever Towels, so beautiful.

I cannot tell you how much I love my Ed Ruscha WOW towel. I even bought the Raymond Pettibon one for a friend. And now… holy holy holy, there is a Peter Doig towel. Hero. Love. Lush. The detail on the towels is amazing and the plushness of it is so indulgent. I use the beach towel as my regular one for home. I can’t go back, seriously. Wrapped up in larger than life snuggly art is the best. Wishlist, nudge nudge.

-B.Nguyen, Editor

Sound Screen Design Trying to curate shows with artists who work...

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:48:00 -0500

Sound Screen Design

Trying to curate shows with artists who work with sound used to be a very challenging task. But now more than ever, the multitalented musician / artist is having a very successful run at both visual art and making extraordinarily different music experiences for a wider public. Perhaps a resurgence in the interest for performance art has something to do with it? Or our range of digesting multimedia has expanded with the internet’s influence.

Sound Screen Design, a New York based project works with this creative pool of artists who are effectively making work that involves a pouring of one into the other by delivering cleverly morphed series like limited edition books that come in record sleeves, and band shirts without band names on them like an elegant floral blur by Hisham Bharoocha or tiny swirls by Gang Gang Dance.

Pictured above is a poster designed by SoundScreenDesign

-B.Nguyen, Editor

"The camera makes everyone a tourist in other people’s reality, and eventually in one’s..."

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:48:00 -0500

“The camera makes everyone a tourist in other people’s reality, and eventually in one’s own.”

- Susan Sontag

Sandy Kim photography show and new...

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:11:00 -0500

Sandy Kim photography show and new book

Kim’s talent lies in framing the vitality of her friends due to her infectious positivity. Asking them to wear certain contrasting colored clothing against a natural backdrop, her work has evolved into the blurring of editorial and autobiographical photography. Always out headbanging, smiling and enjoying everything life has to offer with camera in hand, her shooting style is unobtrusive, or maybe you just can’t remember what happened the night before until you see it on her blog the next week.

In our “Realness” issue currently out now, Kim contributed a photo of her boyfriend’s band, Buzzer. When asked why her photographs (shot with film) on her blog contain so much blood in an interview she responds, “Because I bleed a lot. Blood is real. Sex is real. And I don’t shy away from showing any of it. Except now my parents have found my blog!” But there’s only so much our parents can understand right?

Pick up a book and follow this rising lil’ Ripper. Show up at Ever Gold 441 O’Farrell St. Go actually see it, again.

-B.Nguyen

"The sharing of art is a precursor to the sharing of other human experiences, for what is pleasurable..."

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:58:20 -0500

“The sharing of art is a precursor to the sharing of other human experiences, for what is pleasurable in art becomes thinkable in life.”

- Brian Eno.

For die hard Lennon fans! The artist Candice Breitz has filmed...

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:38:29 -0500

For die hard Lennon fans!

The artist Candice Breitz has filmed and recorded worldwide fans singing John Lennon’s debut solo album John Lennon / Yoko Ono Band in it’s entirety. I’ve been listening a lot to Lennon lately and I’m excited to give this experience a shot. I love song covers, and this one has been shifted slightly so the voices are a bit echo-ey. Installation view of Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon) (2006) pictured above.

Now til December 20th, @ SFMoMA

-B.Nguyen, Editor Chief

The Brief Happy Life of Workshop WorkshopDesign Miami/...

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:20:20 -0500

The Brief Happy Life of Workshop Workshop
Design Miami/ 2009

It’s time again for Spring Break New York! aka Art Basel Miami and all the Fairs and events surrounding it. But this cool happening will be a chance for onlookers and artist friends to come make work together and raise funds for a great non-profit space, Bas Fisher International, run by artist Naomi Fisher, whose photo graced First Person’s inaugural cover!

Workshop Workshop, a factory and salon created by artist Jim Drain,
poet P. Scott Cunningham, and sculptor Graham Hudson, produces zines
that respond to Design/Miami itself—its participants, objects,
conversations, histories, narratives, belief systems and forms. Even
the detritus of the tent’s construction has been put to use by Hudson,
who is in the act of constructing the space using remnant lumber,
rubber, plastic, furniture—anything the fair and the city (the larger
fair) has cast off.

In Workshop Workshop, physical and metaphysical byproducts are recycled
and put to use, creating an environment, a process, and a series of
works that reflect the intense interchange that occurs in Miami each
December, and creates a locus for collaboration.

Drain, Cunningham and Hudson will draw from a rotating—and
ever-expanding—crew of local and international artists, designers and
writers, in order to produce as many zines as it can during the length
of fair, with as diverse a range of content as possible.

zine [zeen]
1. An abbreviation of the word fanzine, or magazine
2. A handmade journal, with small circulation and hyperlocal aesthetics,
that maximizes the two-dimensional intersection of image and text,
using both original and appropriated content.
3. Any self-published work of minority interest reproduced via photocopier.

Completed zines cost $5.00 each or can be bartered for intellectual property.

Proceeds will be donated to two local non-profits, Bas Fisher
Invitational, an artist-run exhibition space, and the University of
Wynwood, a literature advocacy organization.

-Repost for JIm Drain, B.Nguyen Editor

Mist Monster x

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:19:00 -0500

Mist Monster x

13 days… til the House of Gaga descends upon SF, Bitches.

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:08:00 -0500

13 days… til the House of Gaga descends upon SF, Bitches.

Miu Miu Miu, Miu Miu Miu… When people think of caroling or...

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:55:00 -0500

Miu Miu Miu, Miu Miu Miu…

When people think of caroling or tinsel stars for the holidays, I think Miu Miu, lattes and mixers. Miu’s always have the right mix of elegance and fun, put together in a garment still allowing to mix and match with infinite directions. These looks are from their new Spring ‘10 collection, but the colors, hints of shimmer and light quilting details are so cosy chic.

-B.Nguyen, Editor

XMAS Suggestions ‘Tis the season to treat your friends and...

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:42:00 -0500

XMAS Suggestions

‘Tis the season to treat your friends and loved ones. So, between now and the end of December, I’ll be suggesting some great finds we’ve read, worn, and listened to, etc.

This book “Grey Gardens” was sent to me this year earlier from Arianna at DAP and it’s a keeper. If you ever need a lil’ pick me up, like “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” Dr. Seuss twisted enlightenment, this title is brilliant.

The book format, allows you to really hear the Bouviers, Lil’ and Big, without the distraction of their dilapidated house and eccentric dress, (both enchanting), giving you a deeper impression of their personal values. Living in a world of American aristocracy, Lil Edie could see the angling and materialism, and without judgement speaks about her love for a Kennedy who understood her, beyond her breeding and modeling and the value of Honor. With endearing drawings, collages and behind the scenes conversations between them and the Maysles, it’s a total treat to give someone who enjoys a bit of heart-on-one’s-sleeve humor.

-B.Nguyen, Creative Director

Creative Director: Maurizio Cattelan

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:32:52 -0500

Creative Director: Maurizio Cattelan

December 1 is World AIDS Day

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:27:00 -0500

December 1 is World AIDS Day

Stella McCartney for Adidas Cloud Jacket Sky camouflage anyone?...

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:38:00 -0500

Stella McCartney for Adidas Cloud Jacket

Sky camouflage anyone? When in Rome during these light sun grey days… makes it a bit enchanting.

Vince retail store opens Union Square SF I ran into Davey on the...

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:34:00 -0500

Vince retail store opens Union Square SF

I ran into Davey on the platform, and he mentioned to me that he was super excited to be the new manager at Vince. Formerly, at the Marc store on upper Fillmore and just a cool friend, I was intrigued. And found these awesome “cloud” jeans there. Not as retro as acid washed, but lighter and elegant quirky, I love.

-B.Nguyen, Founder / Creative D.

While I was gone… this happened on my birthday Oct. 29th...

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:07:00 -0500

Guggenheim Marquis

Jerry Saltz with lamp / champagne award

Italo Zucchelli & Nate Lowman

Clarissa Dalrymple & Joan Jonas

Delusional Downtown Divas & Rob Pruitt

While I was gone… this happened on my birthday Oct. 29th in New York!

New York is THEE art mecca. I felt like I was living in a magazine when First Person started there. The energy and work was real. The artists, infrastructure, collectors, collections, and interaction was unbeatable. So, hah hah, while I was sitting in my much needed Cali retreat before winter hit, our First Person artist fave, Rob Pruitt, whom we reviewed in Issue #1, finally realised his dream of producing / directing THE FIRST ANNUAL ART AWARDS! So cool, and such great recognition. Psyched LA was recognized for their Kippenberger show. Cash prize? Or just a wonderfully creative fundraiser… it feels nice to have a coming together to just say, “Good work and thank you”.

Artist of the Year : MARY HEILMANN Curator of the Year : CONNIE BUTLER Exhibition Outside the United States: JEFF KOONS, Château de Versailles, France  Group Show of the Year, Gallery: Who’s Afraid of Jasper Johns?, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York  Group Show of the Year, Museum : The Pictures Generation, 1974–1984, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York  Calvin Klein Collection New Artist of the Year Award: RYAN TRECARTIN The Rob Pruitt Award: CYNTHIA PLASTER CASTER Solo Show of the Year, Gallery: Manzoni: A Retrospective, Gagosian Gallery, New York  Solo Show of the Year, Museum: Martin Kippenberger: The Problem Perspective, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and Museum of Modern Art, New York  Writer of the Year: JERRY SALTZ

-Photos Rachel Chandler