Filling in the Cracks

From the New York Post:

“The city’s infrastructure is crumbling, and there are few funds for repairs, but one artist may have a solution: Legos.

Two weeks ago, German artist Jan Vormann and a team of volunteers began filling in cracks in city buildings with the plastic building blocks.”

Here are some photos from Vormann’s website:

Sadly, most of the Legos have been removed by now :(. Why not leave them up?

The website NewYorkology also reported on the Legos, aka the “Dispatchwork” project, which has also graced the crumbling walls of cities such as Tel Aviv and Berlin; I love the nugget of info they included in this editor’s note:

(Editor’s note: Credit goes to 14-year-old Christopher Langfield who first spotted the Chelsea Legos on Feb. 21 and said it looked like the work of a European artist he’d read about.)

Those kids, always slacking off with their video games and their….knowledge of European street art.

View more photos of Dispatchwork on Vormann’s website.

Let Jet Lag Fuck You Up

That’s essentially the message of this wonderful, surprising little article from the Boston Globe, by writer James Parker. Is he a Buddhist? A yogi? He must be:

(Jet lag) reminds us not just that we have bodies, but that we are bodies. Flout the time zones and you will feel unusual. You may even feel depressed, as gravity reasserts its claim upon your person. But so what? Be the depression. Lay aside the melatonin. Sweet hamster, forgo that Viagra. Don’t, please, start rising like a monk in the predawn hours, fours days before your trip.

And this:

Because really, if you’re not lagged to a standstill, how can you tell that you’ve gone somewhere? This is, in a phrase I intend to copyright, “the wisdom of jet lag.”

Do yourself a favor and read the article – especially if you’re traveling anytime soon. It’s lovely, and a very quick read.

Individuality

“Our individuality is all, all, that we have. There are those who barter it for security,. . . but blessed in the twinkle of the morning star is the one who nurtures and rides it, in grace and love and wit.”

-Tom Robbins

Creative Philanthropy

Given Wednesday’s post about Food, Inc. and creative activism, when I came across this article this morning, I had to post it here: “Secret Society” Tests Boundaries of “Philanthrophy,” from the Idealist NYC blog. The article’s author, Putnam Barber, describes the Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy:

“Creativity may be more at the core of the Secret Society’s work than traditional notions of philanthropy. Participants get $100 (their own, or a gift from another member) to spend in some way on a “committed act of kindness” – whether it’s handing out umbrellas during a rainstorm, hiding $5 bills (with brief quotes about doing good works) in unlikely places, or sending the whole amount to help with relief efforts in Haiti, New Orleans or Darfur.”

I like the idea of extending people’s thinking about ways to serve their fellow man to include small acts of kindness. It’s like the person who thinks they can’t be a filmmaker because they don’t live in Hollywood, and never thinks to just pick up a FlipCam and start making films with friends (especially in this day and age, making movies is hardly the sole purview of official Hollywood). Translation: If you only have 10 dollars, you can still help someone. If you only have an hour, you can still help someone.

Of course, not all acts of kindness or generosity have the same impact Read the rest of this entry »

Food, Inc. and Creative Activism

When I started my last blog, Creative DC, with its stated mission of “inspiring and showcasing creative living in Washington, DC,” the question quickly arose: What, exactly, is creativity? My friend Jaime was quick to point out that activism is a form of creative expression, and I couldn’t agree with her more.  At its core, creativity is about the expression of something inside you – a feeling, an idea, a belief. While some people express themselves through paint, or film, others choose activism as their medium. For example, here’s a photo of a protester I saw at a peace march on the National Mall, back in 2007:

Protesting "sleepy corporate media"

Of course, sometimes the line between art and activism isn’t so clear. Read the rest of this entry »