The upcoming Los Angeles Art Show (LAAS), will be showcasing an exclusive exhibition of national works from Uruguay. The exhibition, curated by Gustavo Tabaro, coordinator of the Visual Arts Program at the Direccion Nacional de Cultura, will feature not only the feature works by Urguay’s most celebrated artists who all took part in the Uruguay Pavillion →

The Parenthetical Girls- “Thank God It’s Not Christmas”

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It is Christmas Day y’all. And regardless of your religious views or impressions of consumer-based holidays, if you live in the U.S., it a difficult feat to try and avoid the winter merriment. It is everywhere- holiday jingles, reindeer hooves propelled against car windows, energy absorbing Christmas lights, commercial advertisements geared towards “buying your loved ones something special.” It is an exhausting, seasonal affair. →

“My Girls” – Merriweather Post Pavilion

If you like the experimental pop mash-up that filters through in Animal Collective, you are in for a treat. The FADER welcomed Animal Collective onto their team, giving them editorial autonomy in their latest issue.  Apparently FADER  trusted Animal Collective in their creative direction as the band pulled a motley crew of  friends, idols and compatriots to contribute. →

The poet Ryunosuke Satoro said, “Individually, we are one drop. Together we are an ocean.”

This philosophy is the inspiration for 53rd issue… an exploration, celebration, commentary on the joys of collaborating. People collaborate on many levels. It occurs in nature, technology, science, art, music and politics. For this issue of Arkitip, Alex Calderwood and John C Jay asked artists, technologists, writers and friends to show  a recent collaboration or to create something new. →

Contemplating The Void: Interventions in The Guggenheim Museum (Preview)
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum – New York
2/12/09

Since its opening in 1959, the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Guggenheim building has served as an inspiration for invention, challenging artists and architects to react to its eccentric, organic design. The central void of the rotunda has elicited many unique responses over the years, which have been manifested in both site-specific solo shows and memorable exhibition designs. For the building’s 50th anniversary, the Guggenheim Museum invited more than two hundred artists, architects, and designers to imagine their dream interventions in the space for the exhibition Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum. →

Mavis feat. Ed Harcourt – “Puzzles & Riddles”

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Famed producer and DJ Ashley Beedle will be releasing his latest project, Mavis, in February of next year. The compilation is a collaboration between Beedle and musician Darren Morris. Inspired by Burt Bacharach’s cover of Mavis Staples’ “A House Is Not A Home,” the two produced an entire album’s worth of instrumentals modeled after the sixties soul singer’s music. They then enlisted the help of several singers to reproduce the rebellious and soulful quality of her music–the record combines disparate influences from sixties soul and R&B to reggae and Phil Spector-style “wall of sound” production. The first single, “Puzzles & Riddles,” features singer/songwriter Ed Harcourt on vocals and piano. It’s a wintry but soothing piece that’s sure to beautiful amidst cold winter holidays. →

If you’ve ever driven down one of California’s highways, you may recognize some scenes from The Dodos’ latest video off of their latest record Time to Die. The official video for “Longform” features a montage of video footage from within a car passing through some of California’s scenic vistas. →

Mas Exitos Goes Out with Bang!
Verdugo Bar – Glassell Park, CA
12/31/09

Hail in the new year with eclectic vibes and soulful sounds. All four selectors of Mas Exitos–Ganas, Enorbito, Lengua, Hoseh and Chico Sonido–will be spinning records at the Verdugo Bar on New Year’s Eve, from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Join them for a festive night of cumbia, jazz, disco, psychedelic rock and more from the North and South Americas. $10 cover charge, $5 before 9:00 p.m.

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http://www.myspace.com/masexitos

Photo by Jake Bergman in Bloomington, IN

Daedelus (né Alfred Weisberg-Roberts) is one of LA’s hardest working musicians. His music sounds like a concoction of unlikely samples and effects that warp and shift into often beautiful, sometimes monstrous forms. His manner of dress takes cues from the Victorian era, and his aesthetic reminds me a little of what Steampunk might be in a musical context, merging the past and future into a fantastic present. A founding DJ of Dublab and an avid crate-digger, Daedelus answered our questionnaire to talk about his upcoming EP Righteous Fists of Harmony (Brainfeeder), living in LA and inventors of musical instruments. →

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects”

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Nobody understands the true meaning of Christmas, quite like the incredibly gifted Sharon Jones.  The critically acclaimed artist gives us her perspective of this holiday in a song featuring her airtight band, the Dap-Kings.  She even threw in some strings from the Bushwick Philharmonic.  “There Ain’t No Chimneys In The Projects” recounts her childhood concept of Santa →