Giant Robot Store and GR2 News – Tagged "News"– Page 178 – GiantRobotStore

News · Nov 13, 2012

OG Hapas Discovered in the Altai Mountains

A team of researchers from Barcelona, building on the findings of Mongolian and French teams several years ago, have discovered hard evidence of the original hapas. In the Altai Mountains of Mongolia, more than 2,000 years ago, East met West and produced some really good looking people. The key to this discovery is not that the Caucasians of Europe headed East looking for Asian girlfriends, but that the people of Central Asia were a dominant force expanding their territories into Western lands. This is a timely discovery for the day after the newly decided set date for Chinggis Khan’s birthday this year, although the genetic mix was happening even before his time. The people who live in Mongolia’s Altai Mountains today are mostly Kazakh Mongols, like the handsome eagle hunter pictured above. They’re a unique blend of Turkic, Mongol and Russian cultures and genes. They have faced challenges creating their modern identity in Mongolia, but they are absolutely a part of what makes this part of the world so fascinating.

Art · giant robot · GR2 · MW · News · sawtelle · susie ghahremani · Nov 13, 2012

Susie Ghahremani on Work and Non-Work (the show at GR2 as well as in life)

Susie Ghahremani is busy preparing a solo exhibition that starts this Saturday at GR2. Everyone already knows what an amazing painter, illustrator, crafter, and person she is, but I went ahead and asked her some questions to get a sneak peek and get everyone amped up about hanging out with a rad artist and my good friend on Sawtelle.

MW: Among your piles of projects from products to commissions to group shows, I’d imagine solo art exhibitions are special. Can you talk about that?
SG: Solo shows are so special; they are also absolutely terrifying. It’s thrilling to bring paintings into one room as a body of work rather than disembodied studies, experiments, and commissions. There is an overarching theme and style and it’s important and rare to have the opportunity to merge it in a realm outside of my brain.

I also love meeting the people who come to my shows, especially a place like GR2 which has been my art home for so long. Most of my work is done in isolation in a small space, and opening it up to public reaction in a large, adaptable space is really nurturing for me. It kind of completes the whole art-making cycle.

11.11 · china · News · single · singles day · Nov 13, 2012

11/11 Singles Day in China

Yes the four 1′s mean you’re all alone. Singles day is an alternative to Valentine’s Day and on 11.11, people take to shopping online and has become perhaps the largest shopping day on the planet thanks to the 180 million adult singles. Also leave it to some of the clever Chinese businesses. A “Singles Day”, becomes a huge business. (VagabondJourney – 11.11)

little saigon · los angeles · mayor · News · politics · tri ta · vietnamese · Nov 13, 2012

The Mayor of Little Saigon

That’s Tri Ta, who came to the US at 19 in 1992 is the first Vietnamese American Mayor of Little Saigon. He’ll be inundated with work and he’ll be held to a high standard. He’s also a young guy. (LA Times – Tri Ta) There also seems to be some rich stories about Little Saigon that are starting to trickle into media. Maybe it’s the Small Town, USA vibe, but keep them coming! We re posted one earlier about the local mail man who serves almost as a Mayor as well. (GR – Raymond Tran)

98.7 · howardamb · jon spencer blues explosion · jsbx · lady noise · mariachi el bronx · Music · MW · News · red krayola · refused · sandy yang · shekhan · the bronx · the fonda · Nov 12, 2012

Show reviews: Refused and The Bronx at The Fonda; Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at 98.7 FM; Sandy Yang, SheKhan, and howardAmb at The Smell

Last week got off to a great start with Monday night’s Refused show at The Fonda. But Friday wasn’t bad, either. I got to attend a free matinee by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at a local radio station and then saw some friends at The Smell.

When this particular gig was posted by JSBX on FaceBook a couple of days before, I sent an email to the contact, and actually received an invite to attend the performance at a ClearChannel building in Burbank. Weird but cool, right? The performance took place in a black box of a small room with a cozy stage and a few rows of pillows to sit on, but a full-on mixing board and pro speakers. Russell Simins played drums on a flipped-over tall recycling bin. The trio only played a few songs but they were heavy, including “Black Mold” and “Black Thoughts,” with references to Sandy’s recent damage to their hometown of New York City and neighboring states. JSBX is national treasure of punk rock ‘n’ soul, and they seem like cool dudes, too. We dozen or so guests weren’t allowed to snap pictures of the performance but Judah and Jon were totally down for a quick photo afterward. Rad! Definitely catch them on tour with the mighty Quasi if you can. And if I ever go to another show at the station, I’m totally taking Eloise…