What goes on at the World Economic Forum in Davos? I wondered myself what goes on besides an appearance by Bono. I stumbled upon a great presentation given by a former professor of mine (Marc Angelil) Dean of the Architecture department at the ETHZ in Zurich.  How much of our urban environment is driven and created by the real-estate industry? What are the dominant urban models for the largest growing segments of our population? Have a look:

Philip and Katy Leakey never hesitated to pursue their passions in conquering their humanitarian endeavors to do good for the Maasai people. Philip served as a member of the Kenyan Parliament for 15 years, Deputy member of the Cabinet for 14 years and a member of Cabinet for a year, while Katy nurtured her hunger to learn about diverse cultures as an artist and designer by breaking barriers and boundaries through understanding one anothers motivations.

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Spring time means celebrating the beauty of nature at its prime. It’s the time of year again when the birds are chirping and the Tidal Basin’s cherry trees are back in full bloom. The Tidal Basin’s cherry trees are a gift from the Japanese government in 1912. In celebration of this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Freer and Sackler Galleries are offering free ImaginAsia programs for children, a text-messaging scavenger hunt, demonstrations of a traditional tea →

Who knew bicycling could be expressed as a form of art? Crewest Gallery is proud to present Pedals and Prints, curated by Two Rabbits Studios. Pedals and Prints is an exhibition featuring a unique blend of hand printed bicycle related prints by artists including Briana Auel, Dale Dreiling, Eyeone, Joel Spellman, Matt Dobbs, Swank One, Skramble, Demon Slayer, Shing Yin Khor, Brooke Harker, Cherise Ward, ENIKONE, and more. →

Asbestos & More
Carmicheal Gallery-W. Hollywood, CA
06/04/10

Hop on the international rollercoaster Mood Swings Art along with seven of the urban world’s best emerging and recognized artists – Asbestos (Dublin, Ireland), Bumblebee (Downey, USA), Cena7 (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Fefe Talavera (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Imminent Disaster (New York City, USA), Labrona (Montreal, Canada), and Oddzoo (Los Angeles, USA). Seven very different voices scream the language of city streets near and far with a range of artwork as varied as the emotions behind them. →

From his home in Ethiopia, Mulatu Astatke gives a breakdown of the influences and processes for the songs on his new album Mulatu Steps Ahead. On Mulatu’s first official solo release in over 20 years, the revered Ethiopian musician explores new directions in fusions of Western jazz with Ethiopian modes, moving forward the pioneering sound he developed during the ‘60s and ‘70s.  →

Each week, the amiable British celebrity chef , Jamie Oliver, attempts to save Americans lives in his new ABC series “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.”  During the course of six weeks, Oliver visits Huntington, W.Va., a town referenced as one of the most obese cities in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. →

Echo Park PDA
Echo Park Ave. – Grafton St. to Champagne Terr.
4/3/10

This month, the neighborhood of Echo Park will be hosting another art walk. Local galleries, ateliers, boutiques and restaurants will open their doors to visitors and shoppers for a day of artwork and discounts. Visitors are encouraged to participate in an Easter egg hunt at each stop of the art walk. Each egg will feature a coupon to a neighboring store (10% discount, free coffee, etc.), so make sure to visit as many galleries and stores as you can for more savings. →

Alan Glass and French are two video artists who make up the collaborative duo Funeral Fog. In this interview, they discuss the inspiration and process behind their video piece “Summoning of Infernal Regions,” a dark and moody video rendition of the kind of images found on the back cover of heavy metal albums. →

Secondhand Sureshots DVD Release Party + Screening
Downtown Independent – Los Angeles, CA
4/3/10

The dublab brings together talented L.A.-based beatsmiths Daedelus, J.Rocc, Nobody and Ras G in the documentary film Secondhand Sureshots, where the four producers scavenge the city’s thrift stores for vintage vinyl and put together new music exclusive to the film. This Saturday, celebrate the movie’s release with a rooftop party and screening featuring live music and drinks. The film’s stars will be present to sample any surprise vinyl that guests bring to the table. →