Free Speech v. Hate Speech: God Hates The Internet (Part I)
Holy crap. Anonymous actually did something worth really talking about. Quick catch up: For those of you who’ve been snoozing since 2003, Anonymous is an online group organized around goofy, dramatic, interesting, and oftentimes bizarre Internet goings-on. There’s really no great way to define them, because there’s never been anything like them. They’re responsible for…
what’s it/where’s it? Monday CAM mystery art pic and weekend answers
Hello, it’s Monday March 7, day 7 during Contemporary Art Month. During CAM we are posting a mystery art pic every day here at Artifacts. What is it? Where is it? We’ll get back to you on that ..if you know, just leave a note below. Sunday’s pic was correctly identified as an Invading Spaces…
Recycle your women’s day march sign and help Planned Parenthood
I’ve been telling my friends for days that on Feb. 18th, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to bar Planned Parenthood from all federal funding for any purpose whatsoever, including exams and birth control. How is this possible? Planned Parenthood provides life-saving medical services to millions, including HIV testing and breast and cervical cancer screenings.…
what’s it/where’s it? Sunday CAM mystery pic
Hello, it’s March 6, the first Sunday during Contemporary Art Month. During CAM we are posting a mystery art pic every day here at Artifacts. What is it? Where is it? We’ll get back to you on that ..if you know, just leave a note below.
what’s it/where’s it? Saturday’s CAM mystery pic
Hello, it’s March 5, the first Saturday during Contemporary Art Month. During CAM we are posting a mystery art pic every day here at Artifacts. What is it? Where is it? We’ll get back to you on that ..if you know, just leave a note below.
Review: Albert Alvarez at Fl!ght Gallery
By Natalia Ciolko Albert Alvarez’s show of drawings and a single painting at Fl!ght Gallery were, from a distance, innocent enough. Black ink drawings rendered envelope-size. But when approached, the painstakingly hatched characters — slovenly obese, wretched, and just plain disturbed — become electric. Themes of prostitution, vagrancy, and violence pervade the work, but with…
Anonymous seeking Anonymiss, feminist hackers wanted
Tomorrow many will take to the streets here in San Antonio marching for 21st International Woman’s Day March. Organizer’s for this year’s march have decided on the theme, “Sin Fronteras Mujeres Marcharán Por la Paz, Justicia y Solidaridad” translated in English “Without Borders, Women Will March For Peace, Justice and Solidarity” to define their vision.…
what’s it/where’s it? day 4 CAM mystery pic
Hello, it’s day four of Contemporary Art Month. During CAM we are posting a mystery art pic every day here at Artifacts. What is it? Where is it? We’ll get back to you on that ..if you know, just leave a note below. Nina, you’re right, of course. (see comment below). The wheels are part…
State Senator Wentworth touts his guns-on-campus bill in SA forum
By Michael Barajas mbarajas@sacurrent.com State Senator Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, all but assured staff and students at Texas A&M University-San Antonio Thursday night that they will soon have the right to carry guns on campus. A bill filed by Wentworth would allow students 21 and over who have concealed carry permits to bring their guns…
what’s it/where’s it? day 2 & 3 mystery pic answers
The mystery pic for yesterday, March 3, was a chalk portrait of Chuck Ramirez by Jeremiah Teutsch, photographed by Brian Rindfuss. It is on view tonight March 4 6-10pm at TRANSIT in the show Shot for the Current. Wednesday March 2 pic was a detail of Burn Out 02, on view in Idle Down!..Hang Around: Peanut…
“Before Home, After Work” & “Lang Samstag” by Adam Coronado
Introduction This week we have a double-header. Two from Adam Coronado. What struck me about these stories were the seemingly non-sequitur nature of their endings. As someone who loves metaphor, I found these pieces stretching my mind toward connections to ideas and narratives unexpected. What are the ends like? To whom do they relate? A…
Marvel Vs Capcom 3: 10 years in the making
Fighting games have the weirdest release times: it took Capcom ten years to release Street Fighter IV, SNK nine years to release King of Fighters XII and don’t get me started on Namco and Tekken Tag Tournament 2 which is 11 years in the making. Here’s the thing though, these games are expected to come out sooner…
what’s it/where’s it? the daily CAM mystery pic
Hello, it’s day three of Contemporary Art Month. During CAM we are posting a mystery art pic every day here at Artifacts. What is it? Where is it? We’ll get back to you on that ..if you know, just leave a note below.
Gilbert Zarate Jr. printing ‘Sweet gzas’ collection on American Apparel tees
Desiree Prieto Its popularity rose in the United States during the 19th century when soldiers were given the garments during the Spanish-American war. T-shirts eventually caught on with skilled laborers and basically anybody challenging the heat. But hippies and tie-dyed t-shirts taught us that the garments are as much about comfort as they are about displaying…
Cine en el Barrio: Eggshells
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-03-03 The Austin Chronicle called it a “rehatching” when Tobe Hooper’s film Eggshells resurfaced after being lost for four decades. Billed as a “time and spaced film fantasy,” as well as “an American freak illumination,” Eggshells captures the psychedelic glory of ’60s-era Austin by focusing on a houseful of hippies who…
Johnny Hootrock, Dick Wiggler & the Cattleguards, Mariachis del Infierno
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-03-03 Bond’s 007 Rock Bar celebrates First Friday with a rowdy lineup of psychobilly bands so twisted they could only hail from Texas. Countrified punks Dick Wiggler and the Cattle Guards are set to kick things off at 10 p.m., followed by the “evil” Tex-Mex quartet Mariachis del Infierno (11 p.m.)…
Taylor Thrash, The After Party, Colby Domino, & Another Song For A Girl
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-03-03 With enough hair products in play to fill a barge and song titles like “Secret Lover,” it’s not easy to describe Kansas City-based “new age boy band” the After Party without using the word “cheesy.” But with a forthcoming self-titled EP produced by Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (the duo…
Ian Moore & Buttercup
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-03-03 Austin-raised singer-songwriter Ian Moore may call Seattle home these days, but Texans will always claim the blues-rock guitar guru as one of their own — as they should. Moore, who is known for his distinct fusion of Southern soul, blues, pop, and gospel, honed his guitar chops on the Austin…
Art opening: CAM: Shot for the Current
Critic’s Pick Release Date: 2011-03-03 Photography has always sat a bit precariously at the art table. The use of a machine to make images was seen as wondrous by the public when the first daguerreotypes appeared in the early 1800s, but not everyone approved. Photography was considered a fraudulent practice, missing the touch of the…
what’s it/where’s it? today’s CAM mystery pic
It’s day two of Contemporary Art Month. During CAM we will be posting a mystery art pic every day (we hope) here at Artifacts. What is it? Where is it? We’ll get back to you on that ..if you know, just leave a note below. Here is a full view of yesterday’s pic- The painting is…
Charlie Sheen declared an illegal substance
In what has been called an epidemic by Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske, figures released by the Obama administration show that over 150 million Americans are addicted to Charlie Sheen. Charlie Sheen abuse, or what users on the streets often refer to as ‘Wild Thing’ has increased dramatically over the past decade. The narcotic was first…
Mogwai: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Mogwai: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will Label: Sub Pop Release Date: 2011-03-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording It’s been nearly 15 years since Mogwai’s debut Young Team, and they still have whatever it is that made us care why “Mogwai Fear Satan” in the first place. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is…
Various artists: Exponential Records’ Texas Compilation
Various artists: Exponential Records’ Texas Compilation Label: Exponential Records Release Date: 2011-03-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording Here’s what you probably know about Saytown’s music culture: we’re home to an excellent hip/trip-hop scene driven by skilled MCs and low-fidelity, hi-concept musical hijinx. What you probably don’t know is that there’s a gaggle of other electronic artists…
CAM’s First Friday
Release Date: 2011-03-02 Start First Friday out right with the only CAM-approved lunch in town: Artpace’s Taco Friday: CAM Edition overlaps with a 10-Minute Tour of the galleries (noon-2 p.m., tour begins at 1 p.m. Fri, Mar 4, 445 N Main). Before landing back at Blue Star, check in at the Hotel Indigo at the…
CAM’s First Thursday
Release Date: 2011-03-02 All aboard the mother ship: Blue Star Contemporary Art Center’s CAM Kick-Off Party (6-9 p.m. Thu, Mar 3, 116 Blue Star) ushers in six new shows you can read about on page 18, including Art from the Land of the Cougars at Blue Star LAB (6-9 p.m. Thu, Mar 3, 114 Broadway),…
Local review of Little Brave’s Wound & Will
Local review of Little Brave’s Wound & Will Label: Self-released Release Date: 2011-03-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording Little Brave’s Wound & Will comes off as a debut (it is, sort of), but it also bears the refinement of an artist whose talents have matured (they have). Little Brave is Stephanie Briggs, a New Braunfels-ite with…
Local review of Nicolette Good’s EP, Nicolette Good
Local review of Nicolette Good’s EP, Nicolette Good Label: Self-released Release Date: 2011-03-02 Rated: NONE Genre: Recording Nicolette Good’s five-track debut EP is a solid, condensed glimpse of what Current readers saw in her when they named her Best Singer-Songwriter in the 2010 Rammys. She starts off with her folksy side, doing harmonies with herself…
True confections: Pastries at CIA Bakery leading in seduction
The CIA’s new Bakery Café at the Pearl had its soft opening recently and will hold its grand opening Saturday. But a lot of hard work was apparent from the get-go. The place looked good, the staff (mostly graduates) appeared already to be on its game; the bread display was impressive, and the pastry case…
Just like in India: Pavani reminds us that some things are worth waiting for
In India, when someone tells you, “I’ll see you at 4 p.m.,” what he really means is, “I’ll see you anytime between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.” At Pavani Express Vegetarian Café, San Antonio’s newest all-veggie, vegan-friendly, and supposedly fast food restaurant, the “Express” in the name is more of a commercial gimmick than a…
San Antonio Museum of Art incorporates local contemporary artists into exhibitions
The image of the San Antonio Museum of Art has changed significantly since David S. Rubin arrived in town five years ago. Though SAMA was an early supporter of Contemporary Art Month, it was still known primarily as the city’s big collecting museum, more interested in representing historic art from around the world than living…
Contemporary Art Month: A story of power, control, and multiple births
Contemporary Art Month begins this week and continues through March with dozens of exhibitions, performances, and more than a few happenings that do what contemporary art is known for — stretch our understanding of what makes art, art. Now in its 26th year, CAM ran as a July event until last year, when it was…
Blue Star CAM preview
Blue Star Contemporary Art Center hosts the CAM Kick-Off Party this Thursday, March 3 from 6-9 p.m. Six exhibits will open the same night at the location where CAM began in 1986. Brian Jobe’s site-specific outdoor installation is joined by an indoor review of recent work. Jobe’s signature effect is his use of zip ties…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I am a mocha-skinned woman with long, curly hair and dark-brown eyes. Puerto Ricans always ask if I am Puerto Rican, Dominicans just come up and start speaking Spanish, Cubans ask if my abuelita made good arroz con leche, but Mexicans know I’m black. What gives? — La Morena Dear Negrita: The countries…
Tech Tease: Do we need laws for online dating?
Online dating: it’s here, it’s queer, it’s fabulous, get used to it! The idea for social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook wasn’t ever truly original. Myspace actually started out as an online dating community? It’s true. People have been hooking up through the World Wide Web for love or companionship since the early…
Free Will Astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “The most fundamental form of human stupidity is forgetting what we were trying to do in the first place,” said Friedrich Nietzsche. So for instance, if you’re the United States government and you invade and occupy Afghanistan in order to wipe out al-Qaeda, it’s not too bright to continue fighting and…
UTSA’s French Film Festival reinvents those who invented film
The French invented film, and then they invented it again. And again. And again. American Thomas Alva Edison may have started work on it before anyone else, but it was the French in 1894 who first perfected the cinématographe. In 1895, La Sortie de l’usine Lumière à Lyon (Workers leaving the Lumière factory at Lyon)…
Revolution: Beer for education
The Rally for Texas Beer Freedom at San Antonio’s Main Plaza last week was no Boston Tea Party, but it did have a revolutionary implication. Instead of dumping beverages into a harbor, craft beer lovers and curious onlookers lined up for free samples of local brews and paid for some Texas microbrewery favorites. The most…
Standout stand-up comedy opportunities increasing across San Antonio
Tom E. Morello steps off stage and quickly shuffles to the back of the bar. The audience, with an image of his sonogrammed testicles fresh in their heads, reward him with a smattering of cheers and applause. The Boston native has just painted a rather personal and unpleasant scene for the 30 people watching, but…
Critic’s Pick: Cedar Rapids
Making morons out of men isn’t some innovative concept in the comedy genre. If anything, man’s link to his Neanderthal ancestry has been magnified by the big screen ever since The Three Stooges in the ’30s (Chaplin did slapstick, but wasn’t an idiot). Just last year, Steve Carell in Dinner for Schmucks, Zach Galifianakis in…
Black and Brown Feminisms in Hip Hop Media Symposium and Concert coming to UTSA
When one thinks of women in hip-hop, chances are the sight is grim. In the bowels of crunk and radio rap, women are filed with money, cars, drugs, and power as one more calling card of a man’s success. In more fortunate circumstances, lady MCs find themselves on equal footing with their male counterparts, but…
Texas’ medical marijuana bill (HB 1491), nuclear ‘socialism,’ and GEO immigration detention center revisited
Green-leaf relief Anyone hunting for any hint that the medical marijuana movement had reached Texas can be forgiven for missing HB 1491, filed on February 17 by Austin-based House Representative Elliott Naishtat. The rep hasn’t exactly been banging the gong this session. His website shows zero press releases have been issued (compared to some reps…
The will of the Brave: Little Brave “kills” Stephanie Briggs and takes charge of her career
New Braunfels’ Stephanie Macías likes to hide. She first hid as Stephanie Briggs, her married name, which she performed under and used in her first two albums: Spark (2007) and Birds Barely Know Us (2009). Now single again, she hides behind the name Little Brave and, instead of a photo, uses a painted self-portrait for…
After the DREAM: Students fighting for a path to citizenship still looking for reliable allies
Two months after police arrested over a dozen DREAM Act-supporting activists and students who dug in at U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s San Antonio office and refused to leave, the senator told San Antonio business leaders she would try to craft a new, lesser version of the DREAM Act — one without a path to…
Country strong: Nicolette Good never listened to country music, so where does her music come from?
Alternative country-rock and folk, Americana, slide guitars, a powerful voice that sounds like it’s straight out of Nashville, and even more powerful songs. No doubt about it: Nicolette Good is a rootsy, country girl. “Actually, no,” she says. “My music is a mystery even to myself. I never really listened to country music, so I…
How the International Woman’s Day March places women in positions of power
DREAM Act Now!, the UTSA-based activist organization dedicated to opening a pathway to citizenship for students brought to the United States as children, was the product of the effort of many students — but none more so than founder Lucy Martinez. But the undergraduate student of North Texas-based Mexican parents didn’t enter the fray out…
Live & Local: Los #3 Dinners at Boneshakers
Los #3 Dinners isn’t just a band — it’s a San Antonio icon, like the Alamo or the Spurs. The band is beyond good and evil. Too often, perhaps, they’re taken for granted: they’ve been rocking for 30 years and, barring some unforeseen cataclysm, they’re here to stay. But is the band still musically relevant…
Andrew Weissman’s Sandbar now taking reservations; still awaiting Il Sogno
Andrew Weissman, proprietor and chef of Il Sogno and Sandbar, has finally done it. Months after opening his two restaurants at the Pearl Brewery, he is finally ready to offer his customers the one thing they’ve been begging, screaming, clamoring for — reservations. Sandbar is filled with fresh seafood, caviar, and hordes of well-to-do people.…
what’s it/where’s it? a CAM daily mystery pic
Hello, it’s March 1, the first day of Contemporary Art Month. During CAM we will be posting a mystery art pic every (maybe) day here at Artifacts. What is it? Where is it? We’ll get back to you on that…..if you know, just leave a note below.
