Reading with Robin

Well, time flies, when you're gounded. Time to catch up - let's use our little wings. So first and foremost we're happy to let you know that our star author on the 'One Two Three Fun Club Initiative', Robin Pineda Gould, has become a youtube sensation while we were busy staying silent. Secondly, you should definitely check out and follow his channel: it's delicious! Thirdly, there are too many written words as it is, so stop reading and start watchting!

FUN CLUB LOGO - VOTE OR DIE

A while ago we introduced our "creative tool" Peter Rings to you, in case you don't remember, that's him. He is quite a hotshot in the field of modeling, which is to say an expert in the three-dimensional world, however, he took on the quest of designing a two-dimensional 1,2,3 Fun Club logo. Here are some of his suggestions, please help us choose. You can either leave a comment beneath or send us your absentee ballot via email.

CHILDISH ASYLUM CRAFTS - DRAWINGS BY ROBIN PINEDA GOULD

Close friends and fans might remember that ingenious musician and filmmaker Robin Pineda Gould was the first renowned artist to ever give an interview to the 1,2,3 Fun Club Initiative. It was about time to turn back to this fascinating and always well dressed young fellow. He basically left us no choice when he released parts of his new project: Childish Asylum Crafts. Here and now we will show you the works that have been released so far along with artist comments that might help us to understand why we feel so much at home in his work or should we say "at house". Find out yourself:

"Now you may be asking yourself why this particular tableaux is called 'the trouble (for dogs) of living with christians'... and well, you may be perplexed although I think it is quite clear. These folks just love to praise the lord and they cry and wail 'Jesus gonna be here' with eyes all extraorbital and flay the skin after whippin' it red and swollen, or some such antics. Some of these folks will rip out their fingernails or cut off their testicles, but fortunately Jeb has spared us from such a grizzly scene and just stabbed himself with a good ol' kitchen knife. Of course he unloaded his revolver, shootin' like a madman (notice seven bullet holes -strange). And now that Jeb is dead as doornail who's gonna feed poor pooch? The symbolism of this painting goes from Bosch through Aquinas up to (and through again) the Bible belt. Oh! Happy day!"

"Dancing is important. But it is also very primitive. What is quite paradoxical is that when some of us dance we look quite primitive, while others look quite advanced (usually women). At any length, dancing is strange. Moonlight dancing has been a long favorite topic of humanity, and this piece explores that passion. They are dancing to "The Technology of Tears", a piece written for contemporary dance by Fred Frith. The next track on the jukebox is I ragazzi giu nel campo (Les mauvais enfants de la vallée) with lyrics by none other than Pier Paolo Pasolini. Some read homosexual overtones into this image but it is not entirely clear to me why that is. I think, more than anything it beautifully encapsulates the awkwardness of dancing inherent in a modernized being."

"As you can see this is a farmer, but he is also psychotic. Sometimes farmers have sex with animals, and this is due to what Kurt Vonnegut called bad chemicals. But they are just chemicals that are beyond all good and evil, and thus we are scared to go to some farms. But this farmer isn't really sexual, his psychosis resulted in killing his dog, and then sitting in his rocking chair and staring straight ahead, with no sexual connotations or desublimations. You can't tell but he is listening to Hank Williams (how appropriate)."

"Digging (with Digger the dog -if you didn't get it that's a Chris Cutler reference) through some other old boxes I came across this curious figure. It had more text but it disintegrated in my hands. I think it said something like this: If you have ever had to urinate in a bucket there is really no need for explanation. If you don't like to be naked there is no need for explanation. If you have never said "penis" or "vagina" while talking to your parents you need an explanation, but sadly, none will suffice. Something of the sorts. If you like to be naked, you are a wild individual. I am not sure where the text ended, neither here nor there. Even when the eyes are red, it is an ordinary cigarette. This archive does not endorse smoking anything other than tobacco, not because of any moral problems, but because it is not really all that cool."

Ewa Kniaziak - Let's Give Up On The Idea Of Romance

Our second or third winner for that matter, Ewa Kniaziak, introduced her submission to the 19,99 € Award with the kind words: "Dear jury, the first photo was taken at the .HBC in concert. I'd like to win for the money. Thank you." She immediately stroke me as a smart tactician since she knew by the time she sent in her application that our terrific 19,99 € Award ceremony was going to go down at the .HBC as well. Then again, pretty much everything decent in Berlin is happening there lately, so I guess I don't have a point. I also know her pretty well, thus I didn't really have to make any guesses about what kind of person she was. Our jury however didn't know her, so I'm all the more happy that they noticed that she's a good one. It sort of consolidates my believe in the fine art scenes, since it seems mostly pretty random what these folks like and dislike and 90 % of the self-proclaimed connoisseurs repeat some crap they found in already renowned blogs anyway. Yet my incapability of developping sound and profound judgments about pieces of fine art still remains, it's pretty different with literature, I don't even have to read it to know if it's good or at least worth burning.

If it comes to Ewa Kniaziak's photography "Let's give up on the idea of romance", our jury had some concerns about the title, yet they all agreed sooner or later that it was way more than just corny, technically very well-done and beautiful this is.

Gusti Gould Korban: "I still like "Let's give up on the idea of romance". I had an initial hesitation before choosing it (perhaps somewhat similar to your initial feeling that it's kitsch, Martin) because I felt it was "too mainstream". But then I realized that wasn´t a good reason (worrying about how I looked!) for rejecting it. It's visually quite beautiful with great textures and use of light. [...] From what I've seen so far it looks like none of us is ready to give up on romance."

Lasse Lawrence: "My second favorite piece would be "Let's give up on the idea of romance". I cannot really explain why, it's cheesy and a little hippie or 70's revival. But I must say that despite of that it's a beautiful photography work in terms of light and shapes or movements. I printed it in a very bad quality on a shitty paper on my terrible printer at home and I must say that it still looks beautiful, maybe better! I like this impression of suspended moments, I know a song called "Suspended in Love" (it's not a cheesy song at all, it's even completely hysterical), maybe it has to do with that. Time, motions, senses being suspended and that's the other part, the other side of the picture, that keeps us away from the danger, the danger to be drawn, to fall out of senses. Being suspended reminds us that we all will fall at some point."

Martin Beck: "I printed out the Romance-Picture as well, and I must say it makes a much better impression, when it’s not in that Windows-window where you always see that silly title above it. What strikes me is the complete lack of sexiness of that scene (that’s of course a very subjective thing), and I guess that indeed justifies the title to a certain extent. As I always have a problem with making my mind up with a single photography, I did something forbidden and googled the title, and seeing it in the context of the other pictures I think it’s not stemming from such a cheesy mindset as my first impression was, and there is an interesting examination of light, contrast etc. And on first glance I find some of the other pictures better than the submission. Still I think the title is a no-go."

Cornelia Huth: "Yes it is the most pathetic theme to choose ever. It's drinking too much and writing love songs. Black and white. I get the cheesy, the mainstream, being to agreeable and over-aesthetical. It is somewhat the perfect picture (and picture perfect) for a hip advertisement in Berlin Mitte, just name one. That's the thing, but that's no reason to dislike it, as Gusti said, just look at the streetart sell-out shit that's happening at the moment. There is no real or unreal, I think the context is wide in this case. It captures an individual, intimate moment and generates another individual feeling, memory, taste or smell. That's not new at all, it’s not pointing at problems or arousing intellectual discussions but it shows the ability of an artist in general to generate something out of everything. The apparatus just made the transportation visible, one to one. Moreover this little box changed the way of our perception in general. It just brings us to see pictures everywhere and see everything in pictures. All the other things I agree with too, interesting shades of light, unexpected effects, not able to localize, looks like underwater. [...] This could be the work of Ryan McGinley's assistant (who by the way was the youngest artist showing at Moma ever and at the same time working for the New York Times, the Olympics, fashion stuff etc.). It includes all the references of subjective photography or like other people say, documentation photography (Goldin, Tillmans). Although I like the medium and it's way of transporting the theme, I am having a hard time, like Martin, judging photography by just one picture and without any context information."

Here we see the young lady early in the morning, still haunted by nightmares that only a good cold morning shower can wash off.

Malgorzata Szandala - Nearly Impossible

Last week I presented Bas Hendrikx' Award winning candy distributor "Candybars", today I'm honored to introduce the second first winner of this year's 19,99 € Award, Malgorzata Szandala, and her piece "Nearly Impossible". The thing with having two first winners is that there's a strong tendency to refer to a first first winner and second first winner. Is Bas Hendrikx the better first winner because I presented him first? (Am I a chauvinist for treating gentlemen before ladies? Or a feminist (with a sweet tooth for Marilyn Frye) for the same matter?) Or is Bas Hendrikx the less valuable first winner because I spent less words on his presentation? Then again, why do I mention his name so often? It's a damn cool name, that's for sure, but so is Malgorzata Szandala, Malgorzata Szandala, Malgorzata Szandala. I just love the beauty of echolalia. However, I really couldn't care less and I'm mostly asking myself why I'm asking myself all these damn questions. Despite the fact that there were moments in my life when my psychological constitution was to be considered more sane than it is these days, I'm rhetorically prancing through these questions because there is indeed a reason why I presented Bas first and Malgorzata second.

For weeks now I've been going through all the letters our jury members exchanged in the process of finding a decision. While reconstructing the spirit of decision making within the art industry, I discovered that our jury didn't exactly fall in love with Malgorzata's piece at first glance or as Gusti Gould Korban so felicitously verbalized: "It grows on you." Here we see "Nearly Impossible":

And here are a few things our jury members pointed out in the course of their "postmodern" discourse:

Cornelia Huth: "I like this one. A short message made of stones (that's what I see) thrown intentionally on the ground to make it look like the complete opposite, just fallen there, saying "nearly impossible", sounds like a funny parody to me. The blurry symbolic language puts it in-between: high and low quality, streetart and land-art, serious and ridiculous. As Lasse said before, I do like reading short messages everywhere as well and finding this while wandering around would make my day. Moreover, I somehow experience a zeitgeist feeling here. The phenomenon of transporting messages, expressing feelings, staying in contact, making arrangements these days. Everything you have say to your friends / family / lover / world is in 120 letters. Starting with text messages and facebook. I can’t even remember reading a letter on real paper. Like the title says: (For me) it is nearly immpossible to explain things in this form, but that's what we do all day. Funny too. I just like the twists this piece is able to transport."

Gusti Gould Korban: "I can hear the crunching sound that walking on such gravel makes, something which always makes up for its ugliness and here the touch of green does the same. The message is a pleasant surprise that subtly humanizes the barrenness. The idea is a clever one that works. It brings an immediate smile to the observer who then is able to easily make a myriad of associations both aesthetic and philosophical. And it grows on you. The combination of inanimate rubble, green life and the unexpected words of man, barely visible at first glance, makes for intelligent whimsy. I wish I were able to join you all for a drink..."

Lasse Lawrence: "Even if I don't really get the topic of this piece, I like the idea of walking down some random dirty rocky path in a nature park or something, finding such an unexpected mysterious message on my way, it reminds me of Cosmos, a book by Gombrowitz, where the walkers find a bird hanged on a branch in their way to a refuge, and start their investigation from this point - and start to see signs in the smallest elements of the surrounding environment, leading them to some unlikely speculations."

And here you see a picture of Malgorzata, Bas didn't send me one, but I'm sure he's also pretty:

Bas Henrikx - Candybars

Life ain't scary, it's just pretty expensive. Sometimes I'm glad I don't have any wives nor kids that I have to shoot when there's nothing more to pawn. Bas Hendrikx from Amsterdam, one of two winners of this year's 19,99 € Award, doesn't have to worry about money anymore.

Jury member Martin Beck writes about Bas Hendrikx' installation "Candybars" from 2009:

"Candy Bars is my winner because of its intricate and complex entanglement of the aesthetics of minimalism and our regressive desire for cheap sensual pleasures. References to minimalism can be found in its rectangular box shape as well materials such as frosted glass, metal and neon lights, rendering it a highly aesthetic piece. Yet the minimalistic practice of manufacturing a work of art with the means of industrial production seem to be reversed by artistically recreating a functional object that is itself a standardised item of serial production. The resulting piece fits well into an art space, yet it confronts our wish for a refined acknowledgment of its formal and material qualities with our regressive sensual desires and the automatism by which consumer capitalism is ready to cater them.

An image that reminds – judging from the rather bad quality picture – of a pink bucket, a drink or a meaningless abstract emblem, offers a pleasure that is as cheap as it is sweet, unhealthy and redundant. At the same time promising and withholding the designated object of our infantile desire, Candy Bars represents a study on display, taste, aesthetic experience and objecthood at times when the art sphere is increasingly incorporated in the entertainment industry."

Jury member Lasse Lawrence adds:

"I like the piece because of its triviality in an art space. [...] I like Candybars because it reminds us that art turned into the product of some diluted consumption and exhibitions are the places where this diluted consumption takes place. It's not only "let's have a break, let's have a candy bar!" it's also let's have a break, let's examine why we visit exhibition spaces, what we come here for?"

 

The 19,99 € Award Fun Explosion - A First Glimpse Of The Ceremony

AND THE WINNERS OF THIS YEAR'S 19,99 € AWARD ARE BAS HENDRIKX & MALGOSIA SZANDALA! 

So unfortunately we have to divide the 19,99 € in half. We will inform the winners shortly in person and agree on a safe way of shipping the fortune. [As soon as we have enough time to breathe.]

 

 

Eight Things That Matter

REASONS TO READ FUN CLUB ________________________________________________________________

§1
We have reason to believe that superhero Baby Dee might answer a few of our questions. Don't forget to mark March 25th in your calendar - don't you miss Baby Dee's show at the Berghain!

§2
A review of Randy Twigg's masterpiece "Undone" is in the making.

§3
Our review of Houellebecq's and Lévy's "Volksfeinde" ("Ennemis publics") will be continued.

§4
We will soon introduce you to the winner(s) of this this year's 19,99 € Award.

§5
Our HUGE literature award/competition will launch in a few days.

TIME TO GO FUN CLUB ________________________________________________________________

§6
On February 28th we will present the winner(s) of this year's 19,99 € Award in a spectacular show at the HBC. We would like to take a minute and thank our co-operation partner Sunday Extraordinaire.

FRIENDS OF FUN CLUB ________________________________________________________________

§7
Please check out "lobby" at Kino Arsenal, a project by our jury member Martin Beck inter alia. Daily from 11 am to 10 pm or later - February 12th till February 21st.

§8
Please apply here for the air band contest at next week's Sunday Extraordinaire. Don't miss out on 200 €.

"7 Year Itch" Art Show - Snooped By Uwe Schneider

While our 19,99 € Award jury is curating the hell out of all the wonderful submissions we found in our mail box, Fun Club's music and literature expert Dr. Uwe Schneider goes down on the art scene like an eagle. Once again he proves why he is considered the first German "Universalgenie" after Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.

"In Billy Wilder's movie from 1955, the title “Seven Year Itch“ refers to the declining affection between partners after being in a relationship for seven years. I’m not the one to decide if this is a psychological phenomenon to be taken seriously or a mere cliché – in the case of the notorious Strychnin Gallery, whose Berlin branch was founded in 2003 by Yasha Young and whose best of exhibition was named after this quote, it surely gains different aspects of meaning. Strychnin, with their vast range of genres and styles is far away from a “monogamous“ relationship with any particular movement within the fine arts. Maybe this is why there is no sign of declining interest at all to bear. In some languages, „itching“ is also a metaphor for feeling restless about something, and it might serve as the most appropriate connotation of the phrase: Strychnin looks back on seven years of prolific and restless art shows and now presents their first retrospective.

The anniversary celebration started last Friday and presents a selection of about 60 international artists, who all have exhibited there before. When talking about various styles and genres, one shouldn't ignore some obvious combining elements that are leitmotifs of some sort in the history of their choice.  I'm talking about a focus on phenomena usually labeled „lowbrow“, „pop surrealism“ or „fantastic realism“ - styles in which classical modernism, folklore and counter culture meet, where influences from comics, book illustrations and underground music are hard to overlook, and whose subjects are figurative and narrative in the deconstructive way of a Murakami novel or a movie by Julio Medem or Tim Burton. For example, this is the case in the works of two Davids from across the Atlantic Ocean, Hochbaum and Stoupakis, who can't be missing among Strychnin's greatest hits. Consider Stoupakis' childlike fairytale set pieces, which are both kitchy and nightmarish and gained a lot of critical reputation in mags like Juxtapose and Hi Fructose; or think of the collaged foto and painting fragments of Hochbaum's mythical dreamscenes full of mediaeval cityscapes and strange women with brushwood on their backs – they all appear like screenshots from a folk tale which follows a surrealist script and is accompanied by some punkish score. 

Music, by the way, isn't just a metaphor in the exhibition's context. Whilst Stoupakis could easily illustrate a sexy dark cabaret outfit, Benjamin Vierling has actually contributed artwork for folk chanteuse Joanna Newsom. His „oil and egg tempera on panel“ works belong to the most traditional ones on the Strychnin roster, comprise influences from the 15th to the 19th centuries and are of a highly symbolic nature. Ansgar Noeth's prints under glass must be mentioned as well in context of a new symbolist tendency in contemporary art. The striking heads of his allegories, however, are a far cry from any pre-raffaelite contemplativeness. They subtly balance between earnestly showing and slightly mimicing the sins they deal with. More focused on the counter cultural element are the black and white images of Clive Barker-illustrator Richard A. Kirk (not to be confused with the composer Richard H. Kirk), the symetric "Devil's Caravan“ by a certain Gothic Hangman, and the death metal-like fantasies of The Ring's make-up artist Chet Zar, who contributed some canvas work – something monstrous with a strangely humorous twinkling of an eye. Another prominent figure from the movies is special effects bigwig Cliff Wallace. Confronted with his „Penitent“ and „Lamia“, my companion and I had the same association with Pan's Labyrith, and indeed Wallace collaborated with Guillermo del Toro before. 

Scott Radke's almost decorative mixed media work, the human faced "Snowflake“, leads us to a neo-baroque focus that is chiefly represented by some wondrously strange dolls whose charisma ranges from shy eroticism to an implied mental derangement that is hard to describe. Some of the dolls are way sweetish in their melancholy appearance, like for instance Marina Bychkova's porcellain "Agnetha“. Others, such as Virginie Ropars' "Alba“ or Beth Robinson's "She Caught Her Stallion“, which is made of clay, fabric and human hair, are rather recommendable to those who seek the morbid side of a decadent baroque scenery. Highly influenced by this period of cultural history is also art's most (in-)famous dog Ray Cesar, whose ultrachrome print "French Kiss“ has been on display since last year's "Magistrates“ show, from wich a number of exhibits are still hanging. It's impressive how his works combine schemes of childlike characteristics with a touch of fastidious audacity and sometimes even wickedness. 

When it comes to facial features, these childlike aspects inevitably evoke associations with the world of Japanese anime and manga art with its saucer eyed girls of willingly simplified design. This elements, however, have an independent tradition in Western lowbrow art in general. It is obvious in works of painters like Mark Ryden, children's book illustrator Nicoletta Ceccioli as well as in Leslie Ditto's „Rusty Memories“, which also shows her influence from hot-rod street culture. The anecdote says that some of her first artistic impressions came from helping in her family's Harley Davidson shop, where she could watch her father painting the gas tanks and other parts of bikes with popular fancy images of powerful, sexy women. Many of her paintings represent a somehow melancholy side of rock'n'roll, show vital yet desperate scenes. Less melancholy are the lively pin-up variations of Berlin based digital artist and illustrator Mimi S., whose work derives from traditional animation and found various usage in poster-artwork and other music related stuff in the last couple of years. Graphics like these build a bridge to another kind of cult movement of 1950s popular culture – the funny and brightly colored phenomenon of Californian Tikki bars with their South Pacific flair that were highly fashionable at that time and can look back on quite a few revivals since then. In some corners of the gallery you'll find pieces from a former show devoted to that subject: handpainted and artistically modified ukuleles, prints, sculptures and more.

There are also pieces that lack the vintage element that is very much in the focus of the selected work. Another local hero for example, "Jack“ from Manuel Cortez' foto book "Berlin Calling“, is mainly rooted in contemporary urban art. The candy coulored plastic world of Michael Frojman aka Bijou, a French designer and DJ, may transcent the daily "here and now“ in the opposite way and plays with the stereotypes of a bubblegum fun society, apparently not disagreeable to the artist. It would be too much namedropping to mention all the other contributors, too much talking theory on subtle otherness and a new historicism without regress, too much cliché to go on babbling about weirdnes and joyful morbidezza. Needless, however, to say that I was excited and that I recommend you to drop in.

7 Year Itch. Anniversary Group Show featuring over 60 artists
Opens February 12th at 7 pm.
Exhibition runs until March 7th.
Opening times: Thursday - Sunday 12 noon – 6 pm
Strychnin Gallery
Boxhagenerstr. 36
10245 Berlin
www.strychnin.com"

Dogan, Donate, Susan's Sick Sister & ASCII

Desperate times call for desperate anecdotes. Two days ago I went to see my favourite and somewhat legendary Spätverkauf manager Dogan, he runs the so-called "Späti International" located in Neukölln Weserstreet. I don't know exactly how he does it, but sometimes there are more people hanging and drinking in his fucked-up shop than in all these bars that spread in said area like the rash on that contaminated baby's skin that I always have to picture before falling asleep, let's hope that it doesn't exist.

Liquor, cigarettes & candy on the counter and I was searching for a 5 € bill amidst a few 100 € bills when he said: "Hey, I can change that 100." I was really confused for a minute, meditating about how this could possibly be a rip-off, when he said: "You know, I collect them - think they are beautiful." I just nodded my head a few times and said something boring like "that's right" in response, then we exchanged bills, he didn't even check if my 100 was good to go. Looking back on said event, I doubt that Dogan is an expert on bills, he's just a collector blinded by beauty. So next time I go shopping I might try to con the poor man. You can keep me from pulling such a mean scam on my (almost) friend Dogan (perhaps you could call him a facebook friend although he is not a facebook, at least not to my knowledge) by trying out FUN CLUB'S new DONATE button. If we raise a 100 € till the end of the week, his ass is safe.

We will use the money to cure Susan's sick sister. We just found out a few days ago that she suffers from a strong form of incontinence, the real medical term was too sophisticated to remember. However, Susan even took on a second job as an ASCII artist. 

 
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About Interns, Streetart, Fashion, Tony, Family & Masked Kisses

February 3rd, 2010 - a historical day. Our chief executive Tony Abstract was to be the first human to eye-witness a phishing attack on open street, the victim turned purple before he shut down. What an exorbitant lie, but how else would we steal your attention, for sure not by reminding you once again that the 19,99 € Award deadline is closing in. I won't back down, spoke the deadline, before casting a cloud over your every move. And suddenly you lost sight of this silver lining that we all constantly chase, while only a few ever come to wear it as a necklace. We got carried away. What we indeed discovered a while ago is a new tattoo on Weinmeisterstrasse. We took a picture of it almost a week ago, when the the colour was still fresh and fragrant, but then we forgot about it, thanks to liquor and love.

 

 

In regards to our award ceremony on the 28th, we would like to announce that we're looking for two camera teams. One camera team is supposed to document the ceremony, while the other camera team should document what their colleagues' are doing. This way we hope to offer enough transparency, the media just play a crucial role in any healthy democratic system. We're dead serious about that, so please apply here.

We're gosh darn happy to welcome our new intern Henrique Churumabilioso in the Fun Club team. One of the many ordeals the young fashion photographer had to go through during his job interview was a fashion shoot with our chief executive Tony Abstract himself.

Tony wears blue 'cause he feels blue most of the time, at least that's what he says. The "blue suit" is part of the "Urban Knight Collection" his half-sister Antonia created and crafted by means of recycling old rags she found in the closet of Tony's (but not her) old man Anton Abstrakt der Ältere. The beautiful mask was provided by the hosts of Berlin's legendary Instant Kuss Party series, well-known in secretive circles for their gigantic masked balls.

12 45 84 - A Movie Review On Voice Recorder

As any good major business corporation, the 1,2,3 FUN CLUB INITIATIVE has its fingers in many pies. Thus it might not surprise you that we employ a whole bunch of cinéastes. A few days back the nerd crew approached our chief executive Tony Abstract to recommend "12 45 84" by Hadrien Touret. Instead of putting pen to paper, the lazy man mumbled a few brief comments in his voice recorder.

0.10 min
Good, nice, well-done.

0.20 min
Oh, ah, I'm not sure if I like this, it's just a lot like a "short movie".

1.30 min
Oh, no, this is really really good! Yes, me like it!

6:52 min
Still enjoying it very much. Beautiful.

9:16 min
Ah, sad, that's just a bit too much. Was it necessary...

9:40 min
Ah, no, he GOT me. That's brilliant - LOVE it. What a tricky bastard!

Conclusion
Very recommendable flick, amusing, beautiful & somewhat different.

12 45 84 from hadryen on Vimeo.

19,99 € Award - Jury Member Lasse Lawrence/Laurent Lasselin

'Tis a good day for the fine arts, after long and tenacious negotiations Lasse Lawrence agreed to join our jury. Not only is the young man a legend in the Parisian-Berlinian undergound burning art movement, he also is the self-proclaimed Chancellor of a very mean elitist alliance by the name of "mean club", closely related to another darn aggressive group known as "Berlin's fashion police". (Our jury is now complete, nothing can stop the 19,99 € Award.)

 

"Lasse Lawrence is the temporary pseudonym of Laurent Lasselin. Lasse Lawrence is born in the Eighties, maybe a little before, studied History and Philosophy. One day he entered an Art School just to visit. He decided to stay. Five years after that, he finally got out with a diplom of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Art de Paris Cergy in 2006. After living in Lille and Paris in France, he lives now in Berlin since 2007. He worked for many galleries in Berlin, but not anymore and for the Berlinale each year since 2008. Lasse Lawrence is operating as an artist, a critic, a writer, a musician and choreographer, and developing now a curatorial activity in a little space in Neukölln when he doesn´t have to sweep the floor or do the dishes. Lasse also works as tax assessor, but that's more of a hobby." 

Fine tunes, damn hot coffee, psychosexual moods - Adolph Pineland

A few minutes ago FUN CLUB's mailbox almost exploded when Professor Pineland's hail of words finally met their target. Still suffering from the collateral damage the elaborate and intense piece has brought to the Fun Club Burö, we're unable to decide if we should call it an essay, a review, a novel, a manifesto, a provocation of all senses that are still doing their job, a revelation perhaps or once again just a symptom of insanity incorporated in a poem that just got out of hand - won't meet the first and only criteria for poetry: its shortness. However, we are thrilled to publish Professor Pineland's discoveries:

"I would like to present a damn fine song that marked an era and had great influence on many great musicians and groups, such as The Wolfgang Press, Nick Cave, Smoker Jesus, Lydia Lunch, The Knife, ad nauseam. But I must profit from this casual suggestion to tackle some more pressing issues, however uncomfortable they may be. I must start by means of an anecdote steering as clear as possible from dithyrambic wanderings to whatever extent possible, lest this collective journey be made unpleasant. I also want to signal how cool one very particular and unique German artist actually became.

It all happened as I woke up to an unusually chilly morning of -30, somewhat shaken from a caustic dream. I urinated in the pot and it felt good and the sound of the stream hitting the water reminded me of my youth and of the girl with the flaxen hair. After shaking off the last drops that seemed to rid me of my dream I thought of coffee and walked over to the stove. I reflected on my life as I walked by means of manly, heavy steps (although I felt lighter after having relieved myself):

"it is hard to be cutting edge for a long time, yet my blade had not yet rusted or become blunt, yet blunt was my stride."

A little maxim for us revolutionaries of indifference. The coffee was ready. I sipped my damn hot and fine coffee and walked outside. It was summer. Not. It was only summer in my head as I imagined warm furs engulfing me. Summer by furs. So it went on this morning of minus thirty in all its psychosexual glory and it was these very small bursts of thought that brought my dream back to prominent consciousness.

My dream: I had dreamt of a fighter plane that after showering the land with fire collided into a mountain of hamburger meat and bone. The pilot was propelled out of his metallic husk of death-making and lay mangled and battered at a great distance from the once killing machine, near the base of the mountain. This all occurred in an exotic land somewhere between Russia and Germany even though it was most likely all in my head. The pilot was naked yet covered in fat, and as a moderately oversized, furry bunny attempted to sodomize the unconscious soldier, his body (the pilot) burst into many little boys at the moment the bunny's paws spread the ass cheeks hoping to facilitate penetration. It became clear to me as I sipped my damn hot coffee that the man of my dream was non other than Joseph Beuys (for those of you who may have trouble following my lightning fast and ultra sharp wit: boys = Beuys. That was quite obvious a giveaway; such are the workings of the unconscious. But there are other motifs that helped my epiphany).

I realized that I was going to tread dangerous grounds but with my caffeine high and the cold low and the stiff virility of my dream I decided to march along this line of reasoning. Joseph Beuys was a cute little Nazi in the Luftwaffe until he smacked into the ground and was wrapped in fat and fur by a Tartar (to avoid confusion with the popular sauce or some shitty college teams (pre 21st century) that have nothing to do with this anecdote, I will switch to the preferred spelling: Tatar). The Tatars, especially those of the Crimean Khanate (were Beuys smacked into the ground) were known for their prowess in gardening and good looks. If in any doubt, take a look at Charlie Bronson, albeit a Lipka or Polish variation of the fine Tatar clan, which does not affect looks but gardening, which may explain the inconspicuousness of Charlie Bronson's gardening skills. Anyway, the Crimean Tatars were a kind people, yet somewhat naïve, but they also enjoyed engagement in greasy activities such as playing with grease and cheesemaking. In all good will they decided to save this badly mangled pilot and also launch his artistic career, thus killing two birds with one stone. Two things are shown by this incident. Not all Nazis were necessarily rotten to the core and were often complex human beings (albeit all guilty but they have Jesus to answer to for that), and secondly, how could a former killing machine become an art machine? Just as my damn hot coffee scalded my tongue, the shock of the crash and the grease incubation that followed knocked some sense into the fine Joseph Beuys and he left dropping bombs on people for exploding onto the art scene.

After this politically correct and academically sound assessment of this dream and its connections to life, I can move on to presenting the song I had in mind to begin with. Ronald Regan is a character all too often left out of musical adventures, and we have Mr. Beuys to thank for not omitting him from a marvelous song that has inspired and proved most influential to many musicians, and still stands as a landmark of fine music, singability and just plain old killer groovin'."

We Deny Everything But Good Art

It is about time to introduce our "creative tool" Peter Rings, also known as Peter Ringo. Right now he's sitting crossed-legged in the FUN CLUB studio working on a (hopefully) three-dimensional FUN CLUB logo. A few minutes ago he sent us the long expected 19,99 € Award slogan via text message: "We deny everything but good art - the 19,99 € Award." The brilliant slogan was followed by some rather unfriendly mumbling a bit later on the phone, I guess you all know how artists can be since you all consider yourself artists anyway, however, Ringo said that he didn't have the time to design the 19,99 € Award Logo/Flyer around the slogan, so we're now looking for another intern to do the job. Anyone? 1,2,3.

There's no reason to pronounce the first syllable of "weekend" since it in fact just ends. However, we're grateful for the chance to finally officially dislike something, the Fashion Week After Party at Warschauer Str. 34 was just insanely pale and all things considered dispensable. A bunch of dressed-up rowdies from the suburbs prancing around like they haven't been laid for too long and perhaps they played some music there, but I really don't remember. We feasted on the open bar till it closed, then we met friends and discussed  The Mystery Method.

How beautiful in comparison was our Saturday afternoon at the Heroes. We really have to review this unobtrusive gem more thoroughly, since it just always allures us to stay happily ever longer than our tight schedule commands. Perhaps it's the cuisine, aah, one sweet taste parade, on Saturday we went for the "cake rumble", tomorrow we'll attend the Cantine du Jeudi for the first time, this week they offer Lasagna.

The beautiful lamp you see above is designed by French designer, artist and wood master Romain Houssais and to be found at the Heroes.

Oh, it is almost time for our late night photo shoot with Susan, so we have to tell you about the spectacular robot performance at the Sunday Extraordinaire another day.

19,99 € Award - Jury Member Gusti Gould Korban

Once in a while everything just falls into place. As an acknowledgement of our gratitude we shall remain silent.

"Gusti Gould Korban studied art at the Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst in Vienna and the Academia de San Carlos in Mexico City many a fine year ago. Presently she is co-owner/director of Cumbre Centro de Inglés in Colima, Mexico and also translates from Spanish to English. Anyone interested can view some of her artwork on facebook. She considers it an honor and privilege to collaborate in this humble form with Tony Abstract."

19,99 € Award - Jury Member Cornelia Huth

Many years before students and other failures even thought about infiltrating Berlin's number one ghetto, Cornelia Huth opened a small, yet very charming gallery in an apartment somewhere in the depth of Neukölln. She still has the smell of the street in her nose as you might notice when you read her self-depreciating autodescription. We say "thank you" to our ordinary Joan for joining our international jury.

"Cornelia Huth (*13.06.1982) studies history of art/philosophy and is one part of 18ergold altogether in Berlin. Constantly searching and asking."

[Also see here and here.]

Announcements - Successful Outsourcing & Robots Robots Robots

1, 2, 3 FUN CLUB INITIATIVE is proud to inform you that the great outsourcing has begun. In only a few hours a book review will be released on 1, 2, 3 FUN CLUB that - for the first time in 1, 2, 3 FUN CLUB history - is not written by our chief executive Tony Abstract. (As you might have figured yourself, we're trying hard to be listed as google's favorite choice for "chief executive".) We will introduce the brilliant professional writer and her piece in extenso soon.

We would like to add a few recommendations for the weekend that is about to absorb us. Besides the aforementioned Tilt! Party, you might want to go to the AKA tonight to see the grand opening of Cy Wilson's exhibition. There are many more things to do, but let us concentrate on this weekend's "Sahnehäubchen", the heart of the beast or should we call it the machine's CPU? There are robots to be touched at the aforementioned Sunday Extraordinaire, for more information dive into this. Our chief executive Tony Abstract will be there himself, he promised to wear a tank top only and called it his way of showing the winter that he couldn't care less. On his right arm you will find the word ROBOT in nasty big letters, whether in washable ink or in form of a permanent tattoo mostly depends on how much money can be raised till Sunday.

Appendix:

On Saturday we'll meet at the solarium, when and where will be announced on 1, 2, 3 - FUN CLUB.

19,99 € Award - Jury Member Martin Beck

Fun Club headhunters caught Mr. Fake or Feint. We welcome Martin Beck as the first accredited member of 19,99 € Award jury.

"Martin Beck has studied philosophy in Hamburg and Berlin. Besides that he is an author and curator who loves to cook. He has written for several art magazines and recently co-curated the ‚fake or feint‘ exhibition series at Berlin Carré. Currently he is participating in a project called ‚lobby‘ which, as a part of Forum Expanded, consists in a spatial setting and running the bar at Kino Arsenal during this year's Berlinale. Since the insane topic of 19.99 € award’s first edition is ‚bars‘, he will provide the selection process with his newly acquired profound metaphysical insight into that matter."

Goodbye Glowing Sperm - Karol Slowik

A sad day for the city, Berlin says goodbye to Karol Slowik. Confused by the smell of new leather we find Polish sculptor Karol Slowik behind the steering wheel of a rental car, singing his favorite tune with an intensity only to be understood by those who are waving goodbye as we speak. Karol is accompanied by Polish photographer Ewa Kniaziak, the very same Ewa Kniaziak that left a comment below; one of many differences between both fellows being that she's coming back in a few days, while Karol is returning to his hometown Milanowek for good.

We were close to firing our oh so retarded intern Ronny when we found out that he forgot to ask Karol for some images of his literally enlightning work. We had to show mercy with the baboon mainly because his father-in-law (well-known patron of the arts Kasper da Punchinello) is one of our major stakeholders as well as the head of our board of managment. However, we curse him for forcing us to steal footage from Karol's website and his facebook profile. For those of you who haven't heard about facebook yet, it is a marvelous social network, please check here and convince yourself of the improvement of living conditions this network has to offer.

As you can see Karol works with photoluminescent materials, lion-heartedly exposing his hands and lungs to what might be highly poisonous. His advanced techniques and crafty tricks have to remain his secret, but we do think that everyone should have one of this oversized figurines swinging like a newly-laid alien maverick above their sleeping skulls. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, tells us Exodus, but nature refuses to cooperate. Thus we see in Karol's work an answer to prayers that have yet to be spoken and addressed to the spirits and genies that farm and fructify our souls.