Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
Due to players hitting the road, guys being relocated, and perhaps even the NBA Finals, the GR softball team was short some players on Thursday night so I was asked to be a sub. It's been a while since I was asked to not bring money for next season, but I'm not big on grudges. Making the appearance even cooler, big-time pitcher PK came out of retirement to take the mound, so I was tucked away in right field against a team of pull-hitting sluggers. Not that I was avoiding the ball; I tried to position myself to back up 1B and 2B on every play. Left to right, the four GR pitchers together for the first time in ages: me (self-taught, highly unorthodox, really taxing delivery that sometimes works pretty well), Bill (current pitcher who split hurling duties with me during the first seasons including one collaborative shutout), Sean (ringer who joined GR early on because he liked the mostly undersized and Asian team's gutty attitude and backup junk-ball pitcher), PK (the high-arc master from the splinter B team). GR lost, which never feels good, but it was nice to be part of the team again and I hit pretty well. See you on the field next time the usuals can't make it.
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Hopefully, we'll put up the video that Martin shot of Dehara giving a passionate speech during his second sake toast where this photo originates. We don't do these often, but when a guy travels 1000s of miles to be here, it makes the night more special. We're not the gigantic gallery – which would ofter a different crowd and perspective, we're not a museum which would make this impossible, but we do have a sense of family that other places might not provide. That goes a long way. If we can keep doing this, it's worth doing forever. You can see opening photos here in transmissions. Dehara and Kat. I'll bet Kat got a nice sketch out of him. Look at those smiles! The Canon T2i does it again. Sharp. That's the Daibutsu – Golden Buddha. The Jizo has a deep meaning. I've written about it before. It's both historical and cultural, and although he brings it his way, it's more educational than 99% of the art out there. Lo and behold, people actually learned something by going to his art shows. His themes are deep and meaningful, while he messes with the norm. Dehara can make effortless sketches and he did this for anyone who asked. That's Cate shooting a Twitter shot. My… Dehara's fans have changed. It's not just the toy fan, but fans with bangs!
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Dehara gives a heart felt toast. Created with flickr slideshow.
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That's Sto. But I keep calling him the letters, S T O. I have no idea what that stands for, but that's this dudes name. He's part of Cinders Gallery
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Art show opening Yukinori Dehara at GR2 June 5 – July 7, 2010 Reception: Saturday, June 5, 6:30 – 10:00 GR2 2062 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025 gr2.net (310) 445-9276 Giant Robot is proud to host The Jizo, an art show featuring new work by Yukinori Dehara. Dehara’s hand-painted clay depictions of debauched salarymen, brutalized gangsters, happy monsters, and other unique figures stand about 5-inches tall. Although the pieces are detailed and glossy, the subtle and intentional flaws of the Japanese artist’s self-described “crummy” style project more humanity than horror, and are oddly sympathetic. His sculpture, photography, and paintings have garnered a cult of collectors around the world, and are celebrated in books, figurines, and other merchandise, as well as by more daring art galleries around the world. For this show, Dehara’s inspiration will be Jizo, the Buddhist divinity who protects the departed souls of deceased children, babies, and unborn fetuses, whose likeness can be found in cemeteries and on roadsides in Japan. In Dehara’s words, these statues are “Japanese stone angels.” Giant Robot was born as a Los Angeles-based magazine about Asian, Asian-American, and new hybrid culture in 1994, but has evolved into a full-service pop culture provider with shops and galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, as well as an online equivalent. An opening reception featuring a rare U.S. appearance by the Japanese artist will take place from 6:30 – 10:00 on Saturday, June 5. For more information about Dehara, GR2, or Giant Robot magazine, please contact: Eric Nakamura Giant Robot Owner/Publisher eric@giantrobot.com (310) 479-7311
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