Complex Shit

I can't believe I missed this story.
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At the end of July, Paul McCarthy's house-sized inflatable artwork broke from its moorings, wreaking havoc in Switzerland. The wind carried it away. It downed a power line and broke a window.
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This work was a huge blow-up of dog doo-doo and titled "Complex Shit."
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The performative action of the enormous turd named Complex Shit blowing around in the wind sounds hilarious, but luckily no one was hit by it.
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Read here for more:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7558129.stm

Art Can Save YOUR Life

Art is truly a life saver, and now research backs that up. No kidding.

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Med students who studied art developed sharper visual perception and made far more accurate diagnoses than the med students without the art training.

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Studying art helped train the students to be better observers and to see things more clearly.

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When budgets are cut for governmental or educational programs, the arts are usually cut first as they are deemed frivolous.

Is a doctor who can examine you with great visual acuity frivolous? Or the doctor who first notices signs of cancer or disease? Hmmm, I think not.

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Read here for the study:

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2008/08/18/art-medicine.html?ref=rss

Art breakfast in Taipei

Since the start of the Beijing Olympics, the increase of F16 flyovers in Hualien has greatly increased. My apartment is between the 'hidden' airport and the ocean, so I'm jarred awake early every morning by these supersonic flying machines. Needless to say my nerves are so shattered that I'm taking a 2 week vacation. Out of here.

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So I'll miss this fun art event in Taipei, but I like the idea of a Monday morning coffee and art event.

Origin of biennials

Art biennials originated from the Olympics. However, I take a dim view on the nationalism both events seem to promote.

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The image on the left is the Chinese Taipei Olympic flag and the right image is Taiwan's national flag (which Beijing refuses to let fly).

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So following the world's logic that is dictated by Beijing, should the "Taipei Biennial" be renamed the "Chinese Taipei Biennial?"

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Now that the Beijing Olympics have officially begun, hopefully the incessant F16 flyovers in Hualien can now cease.