Storm Tharp

Legendary filmmaker and documentarian Albert Maysles (Grey Gardens, Salesman, Gimme Shelter, Christo The Gates) is heading to LA this week. He’ll be screening rarely seen film portraits of Marlon Brando and Truman Capote at the Hammer Museum’s Billy Wilder Theater on April 10th. The screening starts at 7pm followed by a talk with Albert. He’ll be signing copies of his amazing new book A Maysles Scrapbook published by Steidl after the screening. The event is part of Los Angeles Art Weekend. For more on the programs check out their site.

Admission at the Hammer event is free and seating is first come basis.

Last week Michael Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak of M/M (Paris) were in NYC with curator Hans Ulrich Obrist for the launch of Obrist’s new series of books called The Conversation Series (published by Walther Konig). The ongoing series documents long conversations with influential artists including John Chamberlain, Robert Crumb, Thomas Demand, Olafur Eliasson, Gilbert & George, Konrad Klapcheck, Philippe Parreno, and Wolfgang Tillmans. To celebrate the launch M/M designed an installation called The Future Library at is up at USM Moduar Furniture in Soho until May 5th. The installation features two human scale shelving units in the shape of robots and a wall covered in a poster featuring dozens of artists reply to a simple question posed by Obrist: What will the Future Be? M/M’s response ends the list: “the future will be a poster.” If you go by USM check out the install and take away a sheet of stickers designed as part of the installation.

USM
28–30 Greene Street
New York, NY 10013

How are you? My name is Oliver. From Loden Dager. I from Russia, city Cheboksary. To me 28 years. I shall tell to you about myself a little. I am lonely sexy woman. I corresponded with the man from the your country before. His name Mark. He is from your country. We had a long correspondence and Mark wanted, that I have arrived to him in the your country that I have seen what life there. We have together submitted the statement on reception of the visa in your country! Mark spoke, that will help my in our meeting. I thought, that have met on the Internet the love.

I and Mark made the big plans for the future, but in a flash all has changed. From the moment of submission of the statement for the application of the visa has passed 5 months. For these five months there was for what I least waited. Mark informed, that his former wife has returned to him and lives together with him. Soon they should get married. And now in Mark plans there is no me. I wrote to him some times after that, but Mark have wished me only good luck in the further searches worthy men and have told, that our ways miss. And in October to me there has come the invitation in embassy behind reception of the visa.

In the beginning I wanted to throw out the invitation in embassy. To me it was sad, because my dreams were failed, I have nobody to fly in the your country. But my uncle have dissuaded me from resolute actions and have told, that else there is a chance to find worthy the man and to use the visa to a meeting with him. I well know English and practically I have visa your country. My uncle speaks, that it really solves many problems.

Approximately in 7 days the visa will be ready, and I should go to Moscow behind reception of the visa. I write to you because in my heart there is an empty seat. I do not search rich or poor. I search careful and responsible man which wants to enjoy a life together. Is this person you? I think, that I ask not much. I have told to you a little about my life. I have told not all about myself, but it will be easier to me to write about myself if you will ask questions which interest you. I have told to you my history, and now I shall look forward to hearing from you with impatience. Write to me! I shall send you more photo in the following letter. I wait you answer. xoxo Oliver.

I shall answer with pleasure if you write to me on: Oliver at LodenDager dotcom

Tonight was the opening of Tim Noble & Sue Webster’s Electric Fountain at Rockefeller Plaza produced by Art Production Fund and Jeffrey Deitch. In Las Vegas the piece wouldn’t rank a mention but in New York City and specifically at Rockefeller Plaza it adds a touch of joy to the night. Every art installation at Rockefeller Plaza I rememer reminds me of nothing other than their iconic Xmas tree - Jeff Koon’s bunny, Louise Bourgeois’s giant spiders, Murakami’s balloons… they all seem to me like characters from the same play. It would be interesting to see something there that subverts the idea of an icon all light up roped off. Something that treats the plaza as more than a stage. But tonight belongs to Electric Fountain.
- Alex Galan

I paid a visit to Fort Collins, Colorado last week to visit some friends who have started an arts group called

Articulate City.  They put on events at least once a month for all the members of the group, as well as notify the community of the art and art related events happening.  As I get into town, there is a matinee performance of the Vagina Monologues.  It was a real hoot. Following the play there was a reception where a few of the local pastry chef’s competed for best dessert, all washed down with vagina themed cocktails.   Monday I checked in with my friend Andy Weiss who owns and operates Market, the local skateboard store.  He’s amazing and has been keeping the kids informed and outfitted for over ten years. We caught up on all the skate videos I’d missed lately. From Market I headed over to the local art supply stores to load up on paper and pencils. A local art studio collective was having an evening studio session called Drink n Draw where they hire a model and clear out a space and all the participants brings their mediums and some booze. The model was incredibly cooperative and help up for two solid hours.  Tuesday morning, I went headed out to Portland, Oregon. I rented a prius so I wouldn’t stick out as non-green, only to realize I should have rented an old volvo preferably a station wagon.  
Portland lived up to its beautiful and rainy reputation.  The mountains were covered with snow, and the city was never quite dry. Mandana Towhidy from Oyster magazine was roped into showing me the town, and she was a fantastic tour guide.  We drove around looking at the sights, getting the local dirt.  A delay out of Denver put me in later than expected so we didn’t get much shopping done, pointed out a couple of men’s stores, and we hit a couple of record stores looking for some local bands.  Anthem Records and Everyday Music started us off in the right direction.  31 knots: The Days and Nights of Everything Anywhere  and Talk Like Blood has whet my appetite for these local lads.  Mandana and I then headed off to Aalto lounge for a glass of wine and to catch up with another friend living and studying in Portland Wednesday morning started off good coffee and good company.  one thing I loved about Portland is the prevalence of good coffee.  Everyone knows how to make it correctly.  Picked up coffee and my friend Rebecca Gates who was in town to play with her supergroup The Shadow Martins at Valentine’s, on Valentine’s day. Rebecca also does a sound magazine called The Relay Project with Lucy Raven. We took the dog out of the house on a long winding walk up the hill to get a lay of the land.  Amazing old craftsman houses mixed in with new development that didn’t look half bad.  Of course that is coming from an outsider.  Anyone who lives there would be appalled.  We then headed off to lunch with a couple of her friends who gave us some great vintage stores to check out:  Una and Stand Up Comedy.   - Paul Marlow

Dear Arkitip,
This is Alex Galan writing the inaugural Loden Dager entry. There are five of us - Paul Marlow, Oliver Helden, Matthew Sandager, and Amy Von Harrington. We each have our own spheres of influence but gravity brings us together at least a few times week. These regular entries will be posted by any one of us at any given time. Sometime we may speak in one voice. Imagine it as a low, sweet, seductive voice tinged with cognac and cigarillos. Just kidding kind of.

New York Fashion Week officially started today Feb 1st. Our show is on Saturday February 2nd so we spent the day Friday plugging away at lists and fittings with the models who are each doing multiple other shows each day. Last night Paul Marlow and I took a break and went to a few fashion week warm up events. First up was this massive, vaguely eco-conscious runway show called FutureFashion hosted by Barney’s, Lexus, Earth Pledge and Pure & Natural. The designers featured included Behnaz Sarapfour, Boudicca, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Derek Lam, Diane Von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Doo.Ri, Duro Olowu, Giambattista Valli, Givenchy, Isabel Toledo, Jil Sander, Marc Jacobs, Marni, Martin Grant, Martin Margiela, Michael Kors, Moschino, Narciso Rodriguez, Ralph Lauren, Rodarte, Rogan, Stella McCartney, Thakoon, Three As Four, Versace, and Yves St Laurent. Fabian Baron did all the printed media, Alex Betak did the production, Michel Gaubert did the music, Brana Wolf did the styling and Andrew Weir did the casting of many great models including Shalom, Elettra, Amber, Guinevere and so on. Where will all this green lead us?

We left that show and walked a few blocks to the Fashion Institute of Technology where Yagi, a Japanese company that provides us with much of our fabric has sponsored a show of Madame Gres. If you find yourself in the garment district or by Penn Station any time soon and need a beauty break I highly recommend a visit to this show. It’s a killer.

The next stop on the train was Studio B in Williamsburg where The Thermals played and then hosted a Karaoke session. The floor was so sticky both of Paul’s heel came off his hand made Rachel Comey shoes. The band came by the Loden Dager studio today to pick out some clothes. They fly out of town tomorrow so they’ll miss the show. Not that we are at a loss for guests. We have over 500 rsvps for a space that fits 320 people at any time. We’re doing our show in the Hoffman Refectory on the grounds of the ancient Episcopal Seminary. The room is over 150 years old but looks much older. Its just been opened afer years of being closed up. They are going to sandblast it and soup it up in the next few months, and then everybody will be having their wedding receptions there. But we won’t be there then.

We’ll check in after the show.

Our very best,

Loden Dager

Happy to be a part of the Arkitip Intelligence family. Posting to commence shortly…