FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Author Signing – Matthew Specktor
American Dream Machine
Sunday May 19 2-3pm

GR2 – 2062 Sawtelle Blvd LA, CA 90025
www.gr2.net 310 445 9276

Matthew Specktor is the author of the novels American Dream Machine, which is currently being developed into a series for Showtime, and That Summertime Sound, as well as a nonfiction book of film criticism. His writing has appeared in The Paris Review, The Believer, Tin House, Salon, and numerous other anthologies and publications. He is a founding editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books.

For any information:

Eric Nakamura
Giant Robot Owner/Publisher
eric@giantrobot.com
(310) 445-9276

Director Lee Isaac Chung took top honors at the 2013 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, which handed out its awards at the closing ceremonies on Thursday night, May 9. Chung’s Abigail Harm, starring Tetsuo Kuramochi and Amanda Plummer, won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature, and Chung also received the Outstanding Director Award.

Additional narrative film awards given out included: Outstanding Screenplay, which went to writer Jeff Mizushimafor the script for Sake Bomb, and Outstanding First Feature Award, which went to Keo Wolford for The Haumana, his feature directorial debut.  Acting awards were given for Breakout Performance by an Actress, Vera Miao in Best Friends Forever, and Breakout Performance by an Actor, Jason Tobin in Chink.

JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS

A production of the Center for Asian American Media

and Pacific Islanders in Communications

Directed by Tadashi Nakamura

Watch trailer:  www.lifeonfourstrings.com

PBS National Broadcast Premiere

Friday, May 10, 2013 at 9:00p (check local listings)

Please set your DVRs!  On your cable box search for “Jake Shimabukuro”.  Record in HD if possible.

Find your local PBS station at:

http://www.pbs.org/about/faq/station-finder/

(Youtube link)

I think the figure below has the cutest cat face ever. Who taught this kid how to do the eyes like this? …and green nose? Love it. I could go on about the goodnesses of each piece. There’s something in all of them that I like. Well, most of them, even from the one who couldn’t get a start.

Thanks Kizuna, DKE, OCBC and JANM.

Tons of kids, each with a custom figure.

See how tiny the girl in orange with the pink glasses is? She’s 6 and did a great job with her figure.

Gary Baseman

The Door is Always Open

Did you ever question Gary Baseman’s work? Were his strokes too thick? Are the characters too cartoonish? Did the absence of a fine controlled line thwart your viewpoint of his basic schooling? Is he too low brow? Was Cranium too commercial? Was it his multiple Emmy Awards? Did he talk your ear off?

After a slow walk through of The Door is Always Open at the Skirball, you’ll see a comprehensive execution of a concept that revolves around family, history and memories. Regardless of what you might have thought about him or his work, from here, like Monopoly, go back to Go. Gary Baseman is a legend.

Yes, his strokes are thick and perhaps at this point, quite economical. His volume of works filling in the self designed wallpapered rooms depicting his childhood home is captivating. It’s a barrage that seems like it’ll never end. Yes, they can become a blur, but that’s ok. Whether you gravitate towards one piece or you remember a few things about a few pieces, seeing the span of work tells his story. The details in the execution of the exhibition layout are equally amazing.

The characters are cartoonish. It’s his vision and life’s work. This isn’t him jumping on a bandwagon. He’s helped create it. He’s been working and developing his style for a generation. Most of us surround ourselves with toys from at best, the last few decades. Many of us collect from the last few years. Baseman displays his collection of toys and statues from the 1930s. A completely different reference point.

Controlled fine lines? It’s there, and he can do it. In fact, some pieces from 1982 show that he has or had technique and patience. Would he say, “That was so 1982.” Perhaps he’s over it.

Low brow is just a title, and whether if he is or isn’t shouldn’t matter at this point. If he is, and he illustrates a deep upbringing through an exhibition, then it’s low brow at it’s finest. He prefers “Pop Surrealism”.

Cranium? Perhaps it is commercial, but it’s a vehicle that most artists wouldn’t deny. It’s a fun game and it brings families and friends together, which fits into his overall art theme. The same can be said with his multiple Emmy award winning project, Teacher’s Pet – and you can’t shoot photos in that room.

Yes, Baseman has talked my ear off and with that, is his passion. His latest conversation was about his Jewish family history, Concentration Camps and it’s relationship to this exhibition at the Skirball.

Photo set by Dean Gojobori

One of our closest friends, David Horvath explains how Uglydoll wasn’t just born out of a plush doll, but it’s a process of drawings that aren’t just doodles like what most people would think. Uglydoll is actually born out of stories from own daily lives. The things that happen become situations between characters. It’s much deeper than you’d ever think. I’m proud to have directed David Horvath.

Thanks again to Ashton Kutcher and his Thrash Lab.

Let’s back to why I’m giggling. Chinko means penis and Ochinko I suppose is the honorific of penis. So in the end, this guy’s uniform is a joke in Japan.

Years ago, another similar name stood firm. Bob! Bob Owchinko with the “w”. Owchinko. I remember laughing every time an announcer would mention his name. “It’s Bob Dick pitching!” He played a 10 year career that remained fairly unremarkable, but he did carry that familiar name. Meanwhile, check out Kotaku‘s article that pokes more fun at meanings of foreign names in Japanese.

The silent auction included special lunch with George Takei. That would be fun no matter what.

Norman Mineta, Greg Kimura, and Gordon Yamate. Thanks much for the work, y’all and thanks Gordon Yamate. Glad I didn’t drink the vodka.

What seems like bean soup is actually the bean soup that Daniel Inouye used to eat. It’s the actual recipe for the soup from DC. Evidently, he’d invite people to eat bean soup with him if you donated a certain amount to a certain place. It was nice to have it with him. A great idea for the night if you think about it.

After party shenanigans. That’s a silhouette of Edwin Ushiro waving against a projected photo of… Edwin Ushiro waving.  Photo from GR Biennale 3

That’s a portrait of myself with Luke Chueh. The pieces we’re reflected in is a beautiful metallic sculpture. Yes it has KAWS like eyes. Maybe they really are KAWS eyes, but it would be funny if it’s Murakami doing a KAWS, right back at him. 

That’s Matt Furie and Aiyana Udesen measuring out the wall. Mark Todd… where are you?!

If you’re a writer, you have to like this man. Roger Ebert wrote tons of reviews, watched plenty of movies, but understood how to keep doing it and at the same time adapt to new technology and changing times. That might have been one of his better gifts. He also championed films from a wide spectrum of people and understood what the playing field was like for them and worked accordingly. I’m glad to have met him at the Hawaii International Film Festival. I’ll see him at the movies. (Chicago Sun Times – Roger Ebert)

Bartholomew Punchyface Release Party – Luke Chueh and Scott Tolleson

Sat April 13, 2013 5-8pm

The official release of the first plush collaboration between artists Luke Chueh and Scott Tolleson. 

Bartholomew Punchyface is the collaborative efforts of artists Luke Chueh and Scott Tolleson. Chueh’s cynical narratives combined with Tolleson’s nerd chic culminate into a character anyone who’s had a hard time in school can empathize with.

The most pathetic nerd bear you’ll ever meet. Buy him to bully him or save him from the other bullies out there.

This limited edition plush bear produced by 3DRetro is making its debut at Giant Robot 2.

Giant Robot will also have a set of two prints edition of 50 by Luke Chueh and Scott Tolleson.

Sat April 13, 2013 5-8pm

GR2
2062 Sawtelle Boulevard
Los Angeles CA 90025
http://gr2.net/

eric (at) giantrobot.com
310 445.9276