As Above So Below is a visual narrative based on a series of randomly selected photographs from my collection of National Geographic Magazine, dating between 1940 and the present day. The idea was to take visual motifs from a version of the real world and push them into the realm of the subconscious, a kind of dream generator. Dreams are made up of fragments of experiences, elements of stories which when laid side by side, often become striking or fantastical. Using a random number generating website I created a series of numbers. Each series became a month, year and page number, which were then cross referenced with a corresponding magazine. The first image that came up was from an article describing an archeological dig at a Corsican pagan tomb, the second a photograph of temple street market in Hong Kong, other references came up with pages of text and I would fix upon a phrase or name which conjured up an interesting image – such as an unfinished castle, upon an island or an animal shedding it’s skin. The theme of crossing dimensions and of an event happening simultaneously across the world emerged. The title comes from medieval hermetic philosophy, and relates to the alchemical relationship between microcosm (the body) and macrocosm (the universe).

After graduating from London’s prestigious Royal College of Art in 1998, Sweeney embarked on a prolific illustration career; he’s doodled for the likes of Silas & Maria, Levi’s, and Stüssy, and appeared in the Gas Book series, The Face, and Sleazenation. Musically, he has made his mark as a guitarist for XL Recordings’ Zongamin (the brainchild of frequent design collaborator Susumu Mukai) and by designing album art for Beck, and Architecture in Helsinki, whose Places Like These cover he spun into a full art show in Melbourne, Australia. Of course, there’s the veggie-filled Tales From Greenfuzz series of comics and its attendant toys, plus his label, Alakazam, an optical acid bath of dancing pharaohs and voodoo jukeboxes from the future past.

If you’re in Paris, Will Sweene will present some works at Lazy Dog Gallery next week.

As Above So Below Will Sweeney
16 Pages, 19.5 x 25.5 cm, 5 Color Offset, First Edition, 2010
Edited by Nieves
More : www.alakazamlabel.com

Discographime Récréatif
Assemblages de Patrice Caillet – En Marge / ed bricolage – octobre 2009 / more
Exposition « Insiders » au CAPC – Musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux du 9 octobre au 7 février 2010
Présentation du livre à la librairie du Palais de Tokyo le jeudi 29 octobre à 19 h
Salon Light au point Ephémère, vendredi 6, samedi 7 et dimanche 8 novembre, au 200 quai de Valmy, Paris
Surboum approximative à Vinyl office (Disquaire d’occasion) le samedi 14 novembre, au 9 rue Trousseau – Paris 11ème
Thanks JB / Born Bad for the tip

1/ inès de la fressange 2/ andy warhol 3/ edwige & loulou de la falaise

Philippe Morillon « Une dernière danse ? »
Photographies et textes de Philippe Morillon et introduction de Karl Lagerfeld
Compilations d’articles d’Yves Adrien, Roland Barthes, Alain Pacadis et Paquita Paquin.
Editions Steidl. more

Francis Bacon « Incunabula »de Martin Harrison
Editions Thames & Hudson / Actes Sud

Superbe livre regroupant les sources et documents de travail de Francis Bacon. Enfin traduit et disponible aux Editions Actes Sud. More

Edited by Sara Jaffe (Erase Errata) and Mia Clarke (Electrelane), The Art of Touring is a book of art, photographs, and writing reflecting life on the road. Beautifully printed on glossy paper, this 7-inch-square, 156-page book also includes a DVD of live footage. More

MOMA
Looking at Music : Side 2
until November 30

http://moma.org

ROBERT LONGO
Retrospective
27 juin – 29 novembre 2009

« Sur la scène artistique américaine contemporaine Robert Longo se démarque par la puissance de son expression, en partie grâce à la technique composite qu’il utilise, dans laquelle entre abondamment l’usage du crayon au graphite, en partie par les sujets qu’il aborde. De tout temps, l’artiste, par le biais de la commande ou spontanément, souvent comme malgré lui, a traduit les problèmes profonds existentiels de la société dans laquelle il évoluait ; il en est de même avec Robert Longo, dont l’œuvre immense, forte, dramatique, nous oblige à une réflexion sur notre monde contemporain… » more

http://www.robertlongo.com
http://www.mamac-nice.org

This fantastic but rare book by Michel Saloff & Jérôme Jullien captures perfectly the palace era, a must have if you can find it. More pictures can be found here

Ill Studio (Paris)

Ill Studio is a french collective based in Paris, their first CD « Audible Visions » has just been released. A few words from them :  » We are proud to present the first ill-studio mix CD in collaboration  with Alexis Le-Tan. A spaced-out musical ceremony in which sounds from the past meet ideas from the future. This mixtape from another dimension blends electro, new beat, space disco, minimal-synth, afro and new-wave grooves in a concoction which, after one listen, is bound to give you sonic hallucinations. Just in case that wasn’t enough, we came up with an otherworldly packaging and poster to seal the deal! »

www.ill-studio.com
Audible Vision video teaser