Andy Warhol & Textbook Mag & Art shit viewpoint.

Andy Warhol once said, "An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have."
And he is correct; and he could not have been more correct! Look at this video.



I have a well-known hate-love relationship with Andy Warhol, because of his brilliance in selling-out his art, his friends, his fake personality, and then America. I hate him for selling everything and commercializing emotional relationships, yet I love him because it is -- as we all know -- damn hard to sell-out like Warhol did. To sell out and cheapskate his way into the high society and then to become a legend of the times?! Whoa, babe, you gotta chill out. Speaking of this tone on art & the art business....

I meant to blog about this way earlier.

I went to the launch of Textbook Magazine at Gesamtkunstwerk on April 24th. I even dragged along my girlfriend who still had to study for her finals (I think she came because yeah, she's interested, but more because I had asked her and she probably knows that I do not have too many friends to socialize with these days*). This event's highlight, the launch of Textbook Mag, which is quite endearing as it focuses on entrepreneurial minds of Vancouver and taking ownership of the print material, was overshadowed by the awful event place; alas, when the event venue is announcing its greatness and to out-show the highlight, then the energy of the people and the mingling gets all offset. At the end of the dya, it was just so damn cliche... and I was suffocating a bit. So I left quite early (apologizing to my friend for being a terrible accompaniment for the night). I was there about an hour or a little over an hour for the speeches and the high-times of the party (big congratulations to the Textbook crew!).

* I am not a loner. It's just people have left Vancouver and I had found the perfect time to return to Vancouver. I don't know if this is a smart retort to my ordeal or a pronounced denial. 

 Source: Vancouver Vantage Twitter

Source: Socialettes Twitter

The venue, then, Gesamtkunstwerk... What is wrong with this place? Well, I felt as if this venue is a tool to brainwash all the innocent folks of Vancouver on upcoming city planning and the plan's ridiculous highrises that are only of the architect's self-pleasure on accomplishment. These buildings are supposed to leverage the potential of beautiful Vancouver and enhance Vancouver as a world-class city that appeals to the young people with disposable income. As if these new buildings that boast impressive facades will actually facilitate to the standard of living for a city as a whole--hell, the city's in on building a goddamn ghetto to "improve sustainable housing" and "provide a solution on the drug use." Right. I bet that some suites inside these goddamn buildings are going to be so UN-LIVABLE (meaning super impractical), but the brainwashed buyers & tenants would think they are the new it-suite. Whewf. I finally ranted it out into the public world wide web space. Suck it.

Source: Derek Gaw's Twitter

There was essentially nothing super wrong with the event, except that I have strong, subjective viewpoints on "art" and "culture" and "business." These emotions and ideas of mine that I cannot seem to eloquently put into words for you, but they're along the lines of conflicting sentiments that I have with Andy Warhol. Either way, what I have utterly attempted to convey here is that

• An event as important as a launch needs to be held at a venue which will amplify the product's worth.
• I hate modern marketing fusing art and culture and beautiful cities. 
• But I love the fact I can do point made above, because I work in marketing. 
• Subsequently, I hate that I am giving it free press by ranting about it online. 
• But I love the fact that it had enough potential for me to rant about it online....

And please, can we have less conventional artsy-culture-I-care-white-walls-wine-ahamagawd-I-am-a-professional-hipster events in Vancouver? I don't want to choke on my wine while gulping it down like a no-class-mufucka when I should be networking.

I sound like an angsty teen, eh? Oops.


>> Read more about fancy Gesamtkunstwerk's brainwashing HERE. 
>> Because installing a CHANDELIER under a bridge where SOCIAL HOUSING exists is so COOL AND BEFITTING. Read more about this fancy get-up Gesamtkusntwerk's behind HERE. 
>> How to pronounce this German mouthful? Get in with it HERE. 


On the other hand, if you can grab a copy of Textbook Mag, it's a great great great mag. Loved two articles in it--like LOVE. And make sure to read it in order, as I find the order was impeccably executed. The mag houses a mish-mesh of articles and topics and for them to have an effortless flow from top-down demands acclamation.  

 Too many words? My Tumblr has none. 

 Get more personal on IG@rachelchungg. 

Tobias Wong

Meet Tobias "Tobi" Wong.

On Oct 4th, I was lucky enough to be invited by Nigel to attend an exhibition talk at the Museum of Vancouver. I was a naive little girl, having no idea who this internationally acclaimed artist, Tobias Wong, was, yet entering an intimate circle of his -- friends + family -- at the talk.

I have all sorts of mixed feelings about this night. So I think I will just point form my thoughts.

a) I didn't like how yuppy the crowd was. I didn't like myself for not being as open to talking with any of the people there. I thought that I was someone who really likes "art," including all the pretentious fuckeries and beautiful bullshit phrases that are involved with it. But it wasn't so. And I had many internal conflicts.

b) I thought his death was super interesting. I liked this guy, Tobi Wong, more due to his death. He was one helluva sleepwalker. He finished art pieces and cleaned his whole house while he sleep walked, and that is FASCINATING already, right!? But he had committed suicide while sleep walking. Now, that. That gives me the shivers.

The NY Times made a limited edition newspaper scented candle in honour of his death

c) He was an asshole artist. He created stuff with objects that already existed as his mediums. He gold-plated everything cheap and made it into a luxury while he destroyed everything luxurious to make it into cheeky art. I can't deal with that; it is unethical and immoral BUT IT'S SO GENIUS so I'm really jealous. Again, I'm conflicting with myself.

The Money Pad made out of one hundred $1 bills and sold for $199.

The $20 000 Warhol print wrapped around a box....

The gold plated things...

The ring series including the Killer Ring.

Nigel having fun with the silver plated light switch.

d) Needless to say though, his pieces are pretty cool. I liked how some of them were super TRENDY but you can tell that some are timeless art and they definitely deserve love and special care.

e) The thing that Nigel said which was BANG ON about the evening (and I am not a living voice recorder so I don't remember the word-for-word quote, but it was something along the lines of...): "It's almost like it is not enough to just like his art, but we have to like him, too. I've never been to such an event where they ask for us to like the GUY making the art as much as his work." Then we kept talking to come to a conclusion that the leading and famous artists of today must be liked in 360 degrees point of view. For example, we not only like their music, but they have to be talented, beautiful, a good dancer, and also a philanthropist. Go figure.


Intrigued?
Meet Tobias Wong through NY Times: The Mysteries of Tobias Wong
In the Georgia Strait: Object(ing): The Art/Design of Tobias Wong praises a true provocateur

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D-3 til K-Town

아이들의 권선생님

MMMmmmmm webtoons are Korean mangas. Mmmmmmm. I read a lot... Mmmmmmm first it started as me reading Korean and improving Korean, and now it's just I read it on the phone or when I want to procrastinate and now I read just like a lot. But I mean, once in awhile, you come across one that you just get HITCHED to, y'know ? It's just pretty much immaculate and yer all about it. Well this one's one of them for me.

Errr, all you need to know is that the guy in the suit is basically Korean mafia trying to kill time as a teacher in middle of nowhere town. And then he develops all these connections with them. Ultimately, this one's fiction and it's really reaaaaally reeeeeaaaaaaaaally touching.

CLICKCLICK for the whole series up to date CLICK CLICK

OBEY x Keith Haring

OBEY x Keith Haring -- Available at Urban Outfitters.

OBEY x Keith Haring from Urban Outfitters on Vimeo.

I want to go into menswear.

@rachelchungg

It's awkward when I'm editing pictures of myself

AT SCHOOL. IN A LIBRARY. WITH PEOPLE LOOKING OVER EVERY SINGLE LAPTOP THEY PASS. Other than that, you know. It's all the same old.

I still live in Vancouver and what not.

And my novel is going nowhere when it is about going somewhere.

More than that, this blog was on the longest hiatus ever.... my apologies. What can I say ? Except to be sheepish and look down at my toes while whimpering, "Sorry. Been busy......" Don't meet my eyes don't meet my eyes don't meet my eyes don't meet my eyes.

POSTERS FOR YOUR ROOM

Welllllll they're actually for the workplace. Idk. They brought me a huge smile when I saw them, so thought to share. LIVE BY THESE WORDS, kekeke.

Source: Division of Labour

THE GAMBLER BY FYODOR DOSTOYEVSKY

Just finished two days ago, it still rings through. It's such a sweet, short read that I just want to force it upon everyone I meet. Russian literature has a peculiar effect; the emotions are so raw and real yet there are so many embellishments that it's almost a fantastical journey. Hmmm. Other than that, this book made me want to go to the roulette table and bet my ass off with whatever money I have.. like $100 and then strike rich and make it $50942958730984713. WOW. But that's not how it is, gambling ruins you it says... well to the outside world. But the thing is with all addictions, it can ruin you in terms of societal values but on personal values, that specific addiction is life and you need it and you crave it and once you have it, it's the best thing ever and you feel invincible !!!!!!!!!! Good read anyways. Lots of random French here and there and perfectly crisp racist remarks all the way through. Way to go Dostoyevsky !

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES -- the film

Sofia Coppola is a weird obsession, almost as much as Wes Anderson but maybe even MORE. Because she speaks SO MUCH through her slowness. It's almost watching super old flicks that are bordering on boring you til death but you never get bored enough to fast forward because maybe the soundtrack is too good and you feel bad to fast forward. But wait, I said ALMOST because that is never the case with Sofia Coppola. She has SUCH an aesthetic appeal in every scene she does and it should come hard and she should be putting in too much effort for it, but she carries it EFFORTLESSLY. As if like it's the most normal thing to be ethereal. She's a true girl. True morbid girl. I like that. She likes flowers as much as death and she likes sexualizing (is that even a word !?) young girls as much as showcasing their complex nature to the world. From her debut flick here, The Virgin Suicides (actually first a novel by Jeffrey Eugenides), to Oscar winning Marie Antoinette, to her recent film, Somewhere. AHHHHH I LOVE THEM ALLLLLLL. AHHHHH.

Trailer Trailer Trailer Trailer Trailer

This one, unlike the other ones, had killer plot. Probs because it was adapted from a book. The mystery of the Lisbon sisters and the fact that nothing was solved in the end really epitomizes adolescence. Can you even imagine having four sisters going through high school together ? I think that itself is a huge burden that noone else would understand. No matter how well you'd be getting along with your sisters, the complexity of relationships and thinking through people would be exponentially enhanced !!! AHHHH. Anyhow, go watch it if you haven't. Kirsten Dunst is at her finest, and OMG Josh Hartnett... I had no idea he was such a HEARTTHROB A;OIHG;ELAMKFD;HF !!!!!!!

Playground Love by Air

Final party scene (SO SOFIA COPPOLA. SHE'S GOT STYLE... I wanted to say SWAG but that sounded so lame and out of place.......... LOL)

I think I wrote too much. Went too overboard. Catch you later with my belated "new" haircut post. Muahahaha. Take care !!!

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Tumble for eye nyamnyam's

WEBTOON N°2

Situated in the Best Dojun [베도] page of Naver, Holy Mountain 홀리마운틴 by Abikyuhwan is the reason I got into checking out Best Dojun webtoons. In case you don't know what best dojun means.. These webtoons aren't the picked, paid, and official webtoons that Naver sponsors; these are unpaid and are products of attempts to get on board the official webtoon list. Anyone can upload on the Dojun site, and the best rated ones get promoted to Best Dojun. Pretty simple.

Holy Mountain, 홀마 for short, is a story about a girl and her affiliations with the concert hall, Holy Mountain. Deals with variety of parts of life: school, Korea's idol culture, developments in the smaller areas of the cities, gangsters, and friendship. I love how it touches upon very unusual occupations and that it has viewpoints from adult characters as well as a middle schooler (the protagonist). But the whole thing has a musical background and I can proudly say that this guy has a FANTASTIC MUSIC taste ! His first episode features GIRLS !!!! I've never heard of a Korean - living in Korea - that knew about Girls when they debuted !!! TOO COOL.









홀마 also has a huge design element. This author is not only just a mangaka, but more of an artist. The way he incorporates music into each piece, he also makes sure that there are a variety of cuts and different angles. His play on text is especially interesting and his unique darker pop-art style is definitely something to note.





So I got really interested in what kind of a human Abikyuhwan was. And you can find out more about him at his blog here: click click 작가블로그 Abikyuhwan's blog click click You can tell that he loves music and manga; no wonder he can produce such a quirky masterpiece like Holy Mountain. He made me make a Naver account so that I can leave comments on Holy Mountain and on his blog, too !!!!! ><;; This is how much I love this webtoon. Sigh, hehe.

click click TO GO TO THE WEBTOON EP ONE click click
click click TO GO TO THE WEBTOON EP ONE click click
click click TO GO TO THE WEBTOON EP ONE click click

SPOTLIGHT on BO NINGEN

Witch psychedelic rock noise metal ?

Above five words describe this androgynous non-identifiable band, Bo Ningen. Based from London, these 4 Japanese guys look just like girls, somewhat. Well when I first saw their YouTube performance, I was totally down that the singer was a girl... until he sang. HAHA !! SOOOO ANDROGYNOUS !! SOOOOOOOOOO PSYCHEDELIC !!! SOOOOOOOOOOOO CATCHY !! You like 'em ? Then you are hooked. This is a band you don't forget about very easily. You will come back looking for them.
Bo Ningen likes to SCREAM. And JAM. And CHANT in variety of languages.



For some reason, they remind me a lot of Deerhoof and Satomi from Deerhoof ! Because the music is fast and non-sensical; especially the lyrics. I never understand what Satomi is saying except when she's getting formally interviewed. THIS IS JUST THE CASE FOR BO NINGEN !!!!!!



It's too bad that they usually play shows only in Europe; they say they like to perform in France. If I go to Europe for an exchange, you can definitely bet that I'm going to go hunt down these delicious looking boyzzzzzz. You know that I'm a sucker for long-haired men. HEHEHE.
Find us in London-

click click BO NINGEN on MYSPACE click click
click click BO NINGEN on MYSPACE click click
click click BO NINGEN on MYSPACE click click

CHAIRS SOFAS COUCHES

IT'S A CHAIR !
IT'S A SOFA !!
IT'S MADE OUT OF CHOPSTICKS !!!

...and it's from Japan.... sigh. As we all know, Japan is going through a major crisis which is world-threatening in my opinion. Everything's a mess and I just get more depressed every time I watch the news, listen to the radio or even go on Twitter.
We must carry on with our heads held high and visualize a better future by helping and assisting the world to come back into normal pace. Each second we spend to mourn and grieve is outweighed by each second we spend to help, donate, and pray !
WOW, well I sound like a preacher !!!! Enough talk. Back to this great great piece of art + innovation !!

It took 3 months work + 8000 chopsticks. It sits three people.
Everybody a warm welcome to Yuya Ushida !!!!!

SOFA_XXXX created by yuya ushida from yuya ushida on Vimeo.

BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !!
BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !! BONUS !!

Kube's theater chairs. Aren't they slick + compact !? I'll buy them for my house. I'll attach them to a random wall and we can just sit on them to stare at the wall across from us. #PROCRASTINATION101


Source: thechairblog

WEBTOON N°1

Because I've been REALLY INTO these Korean online manga sorts called webtoons lately, I want to share some of them with you.
Like a Webtoon showcasing series, hehe.

It is a definite plus if you read and understand Korean, but if not, just look at the art below and get inspired. I'm not tossing the word, "inspired," around. I'm actually implying "inspiration." To me, the little cuts and lines and drawings that might have taken the illustrator seconds mean the biggest thing. Such as. I should live one more day and learn to draw like that. I should start on liking the things I do. I should go and pursue what I want.

It might be because I'm all confused these days. I blame it on my leaky house. GUGH !



Situated in the Best Dojun [베도] page of Naver, 진부한 로맨스는 영원히. by Heymilk is one of the best webtoons I've read.

It's a collection of short (some being only two squares) stories of love. The good parts, the sour parts, and even the heartbreaking realistic parts of love. Love is a common topic, the author insists, but that may be the appeal of it all. It is so common and all around us, yet most of us are clueless on how to approach it all.
I also love the feel of the drawings. The colour choices and the squiggly lines. Hehe.






!!!!!!! CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE WEBTOON PAGE CLICK CLICK CLICK !!!!!!!
!!!!!!! CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE WEBTOON PAGE CLICK CLICK CLICK !!!!!!!
!!!!!!! CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK TO THE WEBTOON PAGE CLICK CLICK CLICK !!!!!!!