Monday, February 1, 2010

"Sneakers" and Astrid-kicking, not necessarily in that order

    Despite my original plan, I never did devote this blog to the ups, downs, and sideways (sidewayses?) of business school. This is because it took me only 24 hours of orientation in September to realize that I could never, ever write anything about the UC Irvine faculty, administration, or my peers without everyone immediately finding it and hating me for my lack of discretion.

    And so I channeled my energies into kooky things, like studying. And wearing blazers with pearl earrings. And discussing things like "incentivizing". Amazingly enough, I've learned a lot and met lots of great folks and have generally been having a fab time, sometimes even with nachos and beer -- which is why it IRKS ME TO NO END that I can't write about it! Well, I could, but then people would kick me.

    So, with all the potential Astrid-kicking floating around, I kept my mouth shut for several months, but TODAY IS THE DAY I BREAK DOWN AND START BLOGGING AGAIN. This probably won't last long, since I'm still swamped with work and trying to balance that with a social life, but you know what? I really miss writing.

    And here's how I'm kicking off my return to blogging: Artists of the Film "Sneakers".

    For those of you who've seen the film "Sneakers" and love it as much as I do, you'll understand completely why I'm writing about this ever-important topic. It's a very stylish film, and it features some rather bizarre art. Even more interesting, I hadn't realized until last night (after re-watching for the tenth time or so) that all the artists in the movie are listed in the credits! Holy cow! So, here they are:

    Jonathan Borofsky


    This sculpture is in Venice, California, and it always creeped me out, and I had had no idea that its creator had his work featured in "Sneakers". I have no idea what work of his was in the film (maybe this?); so if you DO know, then please let me know. You know?

    Robbie Conal


    I'm just as clueless about Conal in "Sneakers". Again, post any leads if you've got 'em.

    Sonia Delaunay


    Clueless.

    Helen Frankenthaler


    Really clueless.

    Robert Mapplethorpe and an Artsy page about Mapplethorpe


    LOVE his work -- but still don't recall any of it in "Sneakers". Huh.

    Dan McCleary


    Judging by what I can find online, I think he did the prints of flower vases in Liz's loft.

    Tatsuo Miyajima


    I think he did the LED wall art in Cosmo's PlayTronics office.

    Mark Stock


    No clue about his "Sneakers" connection.

    Donald Sultan


    Still clueless.

    And here's the ultimate question: who did those awesome zeppelin prints in Cosmo's office?



6 comments:

  1. Robbie Conal's (George H. W.) Bush poster is plastered on the exterior of the condemned federal building where Redford meets the faux NSA agents at the beginning of the film. You're meant to notice them and connect them with the beggar who repeats the line "Spare chang? Government took my home..."

    Didn't Borofsky do those negative-image trenchcoat men prints in Cosmo's office?

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  2. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Let me know if your super sleuthing turns up anything else....

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  3. * I think there's a Mappelthorpe of the Golden Gate Bridge photo hanging in Bishop & Associate's waiting room, on the right side of the frame.

    * I think the Stock is the large painting hanging all Diego Rivera-style at the reception desk of the Coolidge Institute.

    * I think the Sultan is hanging in Stephen Tobolowsky's bedroom, but I can't find a clean angle on it, look over Liz's left shoulder when she's trying to call the guys from his apartment.

    * There is of course the Nagel in his living room :P

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  4. Here's a salient Borofsky...

    http://www.borofsky.com/index.php?album=individual&image=individual-24.jpg

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  5. I'm wrong about the Stock, look at this...

    http://www.modernisminc.com/artists/Mark_STOCK/?image=Airwhale

    I'm probably wrong about the Mappelthorpe too, comt to think of it I don't think he ever did scenic/architectural stuff...

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  6. Regardless of accuracy, I'm still impressed by your sleuthing. And yeah, why didn't they credit Nagel? Very peculiar. Funny aside: I have the same Nagel right in front me on the wall as I'm typing this. WOO 80s WHOO.

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