Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
giant robot time: 5.10.13 | print by: kozyndan GAME NIGHT 14 FEATURING: RETRON 5 AND SUPABOY BY HYPERKIN MAY 18, 6:30-10PM Scheduled are two Retron 5 consoles which as of this date has not been released along with 10 Supaboy handheld consoles. We’ll also be giving away 2 Supaboys and customized buttons. We’ll also be an official LA Streetpass event so bring your DS! Since its inception Hyperkin® has rapidly established a reputation for developing innovative, reliable and cost-friendly video game peripherals. Hyperkin® designs, manufactures and distributes a wide variety of accessories for every major platform including; Nintendo® Wii™, Sony® PlayStation® 3, Microsoft® Xbox® 360, Nintendo® DSi®XL, Sony® PSP™ as well as an extensive catalog of peripherals for classic platforms like NES, SNES, GameBoy™, SEGA® Genesis™, Saturn™ and Dreamcast™. MORE INFO | FACEBOOK EVENT WAITING — SOLO EXHIBITION BY EISHI TAKAOKA MAY 25 – JUNE 12, 2013 OPENING RECEPTION: SATURDAY, MAY 25, 6:30-10PM We’re not changing a thing. “Although the sculptures of Eishi Takaoka all portray the same serene expression, their outwardly calm façade belies a world of bottled-up emotions. With nowhere to go, these intense feelings manifest themselves in outlandish formations that sprout out of the top of each figure’s head. The uniquely sculpted heads of Takaoka are rooted in a personal fantasy world that is fueled by the emotional ups and downs of daily life in lower-middle class Japan. He instills his frustration with life in Kagoshima and feelings of isolation into each of the pieces, which are comprised of carved wood painted with raw mineral pigments placed atop empty glass medicine bottles.” Takaoka’s pieces have been seen in group shows including the Giant Robot Biennale I and III, and on the cover of novelist Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore. For this exhibition, Takaoka will create new sculptures at Giant Robot 2 in Los Angeles. He is currently attending school in his hometown of Kagoshima, Japan and will not be in Los Angeles for the opening. MORE INFO | FACEBOOK EVENT AREAWARE MICRO CUBEBOT Wooden Cubebots! From a cube to a bot. KOZYNDAN A VISIT BY THE VISIONARIES TO VICTORIA PRINT Close-up view of the larger panoramic print. SOUTHER SALAZAR WE DON’T KNOW WHERE THIS RIVER GOES POSTCARD Let your loved ones know they are special with this new postcard by Souther Salazar. SOUTHER SALAZAR INTO A WORLD THAT NOBODY KNOWS TOTE BAG Cute new tote from artist Souther Salazar. LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL MAY 2 – MAY 12, 2013 Visual Communications (VC), the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts center, presents the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) on May 2- 12, 2013 at the Director’s Guild of America (DGA), CGV Cinemas located in Koreatown, the Tateuchi Democracy Forum at NCPD in Little Tokyo, and the historic Art Theatre of Long Beach. REVIEWS: THE SOUND OF CRICKETS AT NIGHT AT LAAPFF, THE THREE O’CLOCK, KING TUFF, JT HABERSAAT & THE ALTERCATION PUNK COMEDY TOUR...
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Another year, another Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. I’ve attended such fests in the past as a member of the press, as a presenter, as a judge, and as a contributor. This was my first time it was a committee member who helped select the movies that were shown, write synopses for the program, and then introduce movies and conduct post-screening interviews. Honestly, it was a little more work than I expected but how could I say no when I was recruited by my friend/Visual Communications Creative Director Anderson Le? And the festival duties have turned out to be a lot of fun. Last night I was assigned to The Sound of Crickets at Night. I chose to write the program’s essay about the movie because I Ioved its honesty, rawness, and creativity when I saw the screener. So it was a real treat to introduce the Marshall Islands indie flick, see it on a big screen, and then have a brief chat with co-producer/co-director/writer/gofer Jack Niedenthal. Jack is a really personable and outgoing guy with a fascinating story (visiting with the Peace Corps, staying and entering local politics, becoming a self-taught filmmaker to represent the culture after his young son asked him why there were no movies about the Marshallese) so, really, I just had to hand him the mic and get out of the way. Almost too easy, but more of him and less of me is what the audience came for. Tonight is the fest’s closing screening of the Japanese dark comedy Key of Life, which will be followed by encore presentations of some of the its most popular movies (none of my pics, oh well) over the weekend. Support indie film! Support film festivals! Who knows when you’ll get to see these films at the movies, meet the filmmakers again, or surround yourself with like-minded cultural connoisseurs and patrons of the arts again? AUDIO REVIEWS The Three O’Clock – Live at the Old Waldorf Sadly, I missed the Paisley Underground band’s reunion shows at Coachella, The Glass House, and The Troubadour. But I couldn’t pass up this limited-edition live album, which captures The Three O’Clock at their arguable peak in 1983 with all of the swirling, ripping songs off their perfect Baroque Hoedown EP (one of the first records I ever bought back in junior high) as well as selections from their more psychedelic Salvation Army era (Befour Three O’Clock) and previews of their yet-to-be-released pop opus, Sixteen Tambourines (alas no “Jet Fighter”). The fact that the wafer-thin audio sounds like a bootleg taped off a Walkman will alienate lesser fans and the merely curious–who should pre-order the 20-track anthology with outtakes and demos from Omnivore Records instead–but this is a real artifact and a must-have for fans and survivors of the mod revival like me. [Burger Records] King Tuff – King Tuff Was Dead While I don’t have one friend who isn’t addicted to King Tuff’s self-titled perfect garage pop album on Sub Pop,...
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Watch this on the 10th! Imagine… a theater filled with folks who looked like they were cutting onions. It’s touching and deep. This is the story of a guy who is the best in the world at ukelele and you can see this free. A film by Tad Nakamura. 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/
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Strange Symbiosis exhibition featured J*Ryu’s first exhibition as an LA resident. His work is entirely sculpted, ushering in a new look and thought process of his own career. He’s not abandoning customizing, but his ability to sculpt from “scratch” is demonstrated in this “black” themed animal kingdom. (Photos are currently up at the Gallery Store) Scott Tolleson brought is range of customized figures that include both his and other works all bearing his magical color palate and argyle style. His Bittacrittas resins are cute. He includes two painting works as well. Leecifer, from Oakland brought his spirited self and his wife down for a visit. Super jovial at all times, this man is a pleasure to have around. His line of works include his hand casted Gammy’s and his PickleBabies. It’s great to know that he uses traditional paints on the vinyl figures. It’s about preparation! Lastly, Aaron Brown in his first four person exhibition at GR2 brought his imagination to customizing Gargamel figures. He adds his succulent and natural look and mesmerized viewers.
Many photos were taken by friends, bloggers and fans, and we’ll hope to see them online.
A great reception. These pics by DJ Tony Jr.
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