books

Mr. Byrne. (Photo:  Catalina Kulczar)

David Byrne Making a Little Too Much Sense: How Music Works Is Safe and Boring

About two-thirds of the way into How Music Works (McSweeney’s, 352 pages, $32) by David Byrne, one of rock music’s most omniscient presences, there is a rare attempt at stark self-awareness: “The online music magazine Pitchfork once wrote that I would collaborate with anyone for a bag of Doritos,” Mr. Byrne recalls. “This wasn’t intended as a compliment—though, to be honest, it’s not that far from the truth.”

This helps explain why David Byrne the brand is getting, for lack of a better word, boring. Read More

Art

6 Photos

David Byrne, Bigamist (2011). Pigment print with hand-applied paint, unique, 28½ x 19½ in.

The Whole World, In His Hands: David Byrne Brings His Art to Chelsea

After the Pace Gallery’s Marc Glimcher completed his recent purchase of prime real estate beneath the High Line between West 24th and 25th streets—it abuts one of Pace’s two branches on 25th Street—he faced a dilemma: what to do with the empty space before construction began on the new gallery he plans to open there in fall 2012? “I thought, O.K., we need the old demolition party, or something like that,” Mr. Glimcher, Pace’s president, told The Observer.

But then Mr. Glimcher’s wife, Andrea, the gallery’s communications head, who he said had been the driving force behind the acquisition of the space (“As usual, she got what she wanted”), had another idea. “She thought that this would be the perfect place to do a project with David,” he explained, referring to David Byrne, the former lead singer of the new wave band Talking Heads who has since ventured into the art world.

“I first encountered David’s work in the 1970s,” Mr. Glimcher said. “The fact that I waited at the stage door, trying to get an autograph from Dave back then is not important to the story.” He laughed. “Actually, I just found my pin from the concert they did in Central Park, which was nice. But I digress.” Read More

The Eight-Day Week

Rangel.

The Eight-Day Week: August 3-August 10

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, August 3

The Ultimate Art Machine

Is the Guggenheim the Shake Shack of museums? Locations, locations, locations! Not content with outposts in the Basque Country and the United Arab Emirates (as well as the now-shuttered Las Vegas outpost, which seems in retrospect a bit of an overreach…to Read More

Arad Chic: Fashion Flock Unwinds With Sculpture at MoMa

Last night at a private viewing of the Ron Arad: No Discipline exhibit at MoMA, guests received a much-needed break from clothes and runways. No Discipline is the first major U.S. retrospective of this influential artist and it was a fantastic introduction to Mr. Arad’s work.

Mr. Arad’s asymetrical sculptures with Modernist lines Read More

Events Roundup: Friday, February 27, 2009

6 p.m. The New York Wine Expo. offers more than 170 producers and more than 600 sample wines. At the Jacob K. Javits Center, 655 West 34 Street. Admission ranges from $75-$95.

7 p.m.
“Brother, Can You Spare Some Rent?: A Modern-Day Depression-Era Fundraiser” will be held to help preserve Williamsburg’s City Reliquary Read More