I know.. I know.. I don’t update this thing enough.. one day it will happen.. I promise. When I say I promise.. I mean.. I probably won’t.. but if it makes you feel better I’ll be glad to lie to you.

I recently had my 31st birthday and Shelley and I went to Disneyworld to celebrate. I had a great time. One of the things we did was see two movies that day.. as I love movies.. and we don’t always have time (and I don’t have the patience for movie-going audiences) to see them. We saw Land of the Lost and The Hangover. I thought they were both hilarious and you should go see them both.. but a few people have been hating on me because of my love for Land.. and I don’t get it.

I never expected it to be a special effects champion. I mean.. the effects were horrible.. and pretty on par with the latest X-Men movie.. but I wasn’t watching it for the effects. I wasn’t watching it for story or plot development either. I had a good idea of the Saturday morning show from a while ago and wanted to see an updated version of it.. starring two of the funniest people on Earth. Accomplished. Will Ferrel is a comic genius (I’d still like to see a movie with him and Dave Chappelle sitting in a room together trying to be funnier than the other) and Danny McBride is proving to be funnier than I even thought humanly possible. Watching the flick gave me (and Shelley) more laughs than we have had in a long time. You should go see it.. twice. I’m wanting to go back.. and can’t wait for the DVD. Also, East Bound and Down comes out on DVD June 30th.. you should get two copies of that as well.

Let’s see.. I have moved studios.. (as of this writing I still have a few more things to move out of my old studio.. whoops) and I’m loving the new studio. It’s got good studio mates, a good vibe, and I feel I can get some work done there. Speaking of work… I’ve been busy. It’s kinda great.. and kinda not so great.. not so great in that I enjoy being lazy kind of way.

August 24 – September 4 I’ll be having a show at the USF Centre Gallery entitled Hookers and Autobots which will be recent work of mine all based on pop culture hollywood films and the like. You should check it out indeed. The week after I’ll be in another show at the Centre Gallery with the rest of the USF MFAO. And then September 8 – 11th [ fladry + jones ] will be doing an exhibit and performance (on the 11th) entitled Greed is Good. Busy times ahead.

I’ve also been doing some work here and there for some other artist and did some video work in downtown Tampa recently.. it’s been fun. I don’t really have much more that I feel like saying right now.. until next time I remember to post…

Sorry for the lack of participation on my part.

I’m going to be part of a few show’s coming up in Florida.. more info to come.. but.. I’m submitting the proper paperwork (late I might add) for this catalog.. so here goes my statement and bio.. (I might as well share so you can tell me what is wrong with it)

Statement
“In Exchange For Money” reflects the idealism of how Hollywood depicts the prostitute. Using footage from both “Pretty Woman” and “American Psycho” exemplifies the highs and lows of how we see this profession. The stark contrast between the scenes is indicative of how the prostitute is both the princess and the victim.

My current work revolves around the idea of the remix and popular culture. I believe that most anything I as an artist feel I have to say already exist in a tangible form. I am currently examining how we as consumers digest the media exhibited to us in the forms of gender, sexuality, economics, government and religion.

Bio
Robb Fladry is a digital video and sound artist exploring pop culture and digital technologies. He holds a BFA in Studio Arts from Austin Peay State University, and a MA in Theatre from the same institution. He is nationally and internationally known for his video installations and live video performances. He has exhibited works the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, the BEA Festival for Media Arts in Las Vegas, Electronic Language International Festival FILE: Rio de Janeiro 2009 and FILE: Såo Paulo 2008. Fladry enjoys the music of Billy Idol, Billy Joel and Billy Ocean among others.

Here is the work, for those of you who haven’t seen it. (Stills to be printed in catalog.. Video link below)

“In Exchange For Money”
2008
Video (Dimensions Variable)
3:51 minutes total run time

In Exchange For Money from Robb Fladry on Vimeo.

Let’s see…

Pop Culture: Referenced & Remixed | 8/24 – 9/4 | Centre Gallery
[ fladry + jones ] Greed is Good | 9/8 – 9/11 | Oliver Gallery

There’s other stuff I’m forgetting.. but that’s because Chris is trying to show me unsightly pictures on the internet.

I did a quick website layout for this new gallery space in Tampa called SuperTest.. check it out.. they rock. http://www.supertestprojects.org/

I also think I will be rocking the lemur and the vj gear for the Strawberry Sampled event.. it is sure to be a visual overload.

Ok.. that’s all I got.. if I should have mentioned something else.. well.. whoops.

Thanks for your participation.

Robb

I know it seems like I don’t use this blog anymore.. but I promise you I’m still here.. waiting for the perfect moment to write something super awesome. I apologize that the true meaning of the blog hasn’t come to light. Both of my readers have probably been keeping themselves up an night crying over the lack of bloginess.. and for that.. I am truly sorry.

I hope to have a super awesome update soon.. until then.. you get this.

Also.. don’t forget Mother’s Day. It’s coming up soon.

Brief Notes on Janneke Adema’s “Schyzophonia. On Remix, Hybridization and Fluidity”: “

Walter Benjamin

Image source: Open Reflection

Critical Note: Janneke Adema recently wrote a long post on her blog Open Reflections about remix culture, titled ‘Schyzophonia. On Remix, Hybridization and Fluidity.’ Aderna cites parts of my essay ‘Remix The Bond of Repetition and Representation’ in order to extend her own views on remix culture. One thing that caught my attention is the concept of the ‘work in progress’ which she entertains when citing an interview with Joe Farbrook. Farbrook’s propositions are parallel to my own views on constant updating, about which I wrote a couple of years ago in another essay titled ‘Regressive and Reflexive Mashups in Sampling Culture.’ Adema interestingly enough considers knowledge remixable, and she cites my own position on history to support her argument. While I don’t think knowledge itself is necessarily remixable in terms of Remix proper, I am compelled by Adema’s argument. On this regard, the following question recurs: When should one stop calling cultural hybridity a form of remix? On her part, I think Adema does a good job in entertaining this preoccupation, ending with a reference to none other than Walter Benjamin. The article is worth a careful read. Other great resources are mentioned as well.

———-
I read Lawrence Lessig’s Remix a few months ago, a great book with a stimulating positive approach to the whole piracy and copyright problema, focusing on finding solutions which cater to the increasingly prevailing remixed and remediated forms of digital art and culture, in which the hybrid has become common ground. Lessig discusses new musical ‘innovators’ like Girl Talk, who creates elaborate and eclectic remixes of current pop sounds and anthems, creating a new musical discourse which reflects, winks, ironizes and mocks, while still standing firmly on its own. These kind of adaptations, versionings or reinterpretations have been part of music since its beginnings, coming to the forefront mostly in dub, hiphop, turntablism and the use of samples in electronic music. Just think about all the beats, breaks, loops and glitches that have made a career for themselves and their derivative offspring in musical history.

Read the entire article at Open Reflections

“

(Via Remix Theory.)

I’ve got a lot of work to show.. and maybe someday I will.

Arthouse is coming up at USF and I’m involved with a few things.. Here’s a couple posters.. I’ll post more info when I stop being lazy.

Featuring the work of Ellen Mueller

TAMPA, FL – “Complete With Illustrated Manual,” a performance piece in the format of an infomercial will take place Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 8:00pm at the William and Nancy Oliver Gallery. This work follows Valerie Hartman, a woman who is determined to maintain control of her life, as she attempts to share her new product, “The System”.

With a dry sense of humor, this performance addresses resisting change and grasping for control. Viewers are invited to participate as the live studio audience for this infomercial. Following the performance, video footage of the event will be on view at the William and Nancy Oliver Gallery, February 18 – 20, 2009 from 11am to 3pm each day.

Collaborating artists include Toni Billick, Clark Brooks, YvelIsse Cedrez, Ami Sallee Corley, Robb Fladry, Robbie Gomez, Phil McCollam, Ellen Mueller, and Nicole Smith. Further information available at http://EllenMueller.com/complete

PHOTO CREDIT: http://europuppyblog.com

Written by Robb Fladry

Visiting the dog track has always been one of those things I have thought about but never done. I put it up there with buying prescription drugs in Mexico and visiting a brothel in Las Vegas; legal but frowned up. I’ve always thought of the dog track as a seedy place and more so a ‘poor man’s’ horse track – though I’ve never actually been to a horse track either. Now that I’ve visited a dog track I can safely say it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be going in.

Arriving at the dog track I was blown away at the number of cars in the parking lot. I assumed there was going to be a handful of creepy uncles in the parking lot but that was about it. After noticing the neon lights and snapping a quick picture on my phone, I entered and saw a sign that said free admittance and another that said betting sheets $1.25. I figured I needed a betting guide book and went ahead and started the money losing process. I also noticed a tip cup.. great.. two dollars down.

Upon walking down what seemed to be a runway almost pouring onto the track itself I noticed the scoreboard. The scoreboard reminded me of the first time I saw a college football game and I couldn’t help but wonder about the poor guy who had to climb the sign to change lightbulbs when they would go out. I wouldn’t want that job, no way. After staring at the sign and still having no idea what the numbers and spaces were for, I started wondering why in hell everything in Florida has to have a palm tree in it somewhere. It’s a requirement, I just don’t get it.

So the first race went on and I was pretty underwhelmed with the actual act of dog racing. I guess I thought beforehand that it should be like Nascar and they should complete 500 laps. Yes, I understand this is totally unrealistic and would kill the animals, but this is where my mindset was. I then began to notice my surroundings a bit more and took notice to the people standing outside. Not as creepy as I was led to believe. Then I decided to go inside for a tasty snack.

This is where I noticed the large bank of televisions and the people hovering over them as if they were reading porno magazines in middle school. Old men sitting there with piles of tickets on the table in front of them having no expression on their face whatsoever. At this point I really didn’t want to make eye contact, I really wanted some nachos. After eating my nachos I figured it was time to bet. I had to get some explanation on what to tell the guy at the counter, but soon after a short lesson I was ready to proceed. I bet two dollars on someone to win, it doesn’t matter who, as that two dollars was gone rather quickly.

I was destined to not let the loss get me down, and figured I should try some of the other fancy betting methods I had been hearing so much about in this fancy betting book that cost seventy-five cents more than it should. The trifecta, that sounded pretty sweet, regardless of what it really was. Two more dollars, another race. I picked these dogs by pure aesthetic reasoning; they were all black. I realize the irony; I was about to make a bet based on a line in a Wesley Snipes movie. I made the bet, once again after some pre-bet coaching. This time I won. Holy crap, I’m a winner.

After collecting my winnings, a sweet $18 and some change, I decided to sit out a few races. I noticed more people and they all looked the same, desperate. This was the general overview and not everyone I encountered. I did see some guys there that seemed like they were on their first trip to the dog track as well, but they had fancy watches, so maybe not. I observed the lack of females at the track. I assume thats common, but I would have never thought beforehand.

During my trip to the dog races I did have to relieve myself. Standing at the urinal doing my business a guy comes up the spot next to me and decides to start up a conversation. Wow, is this really happening? So while there I learned about some race that involved winning a free entry to a $10,000 race and getting a twelfth spot in the olympics. I really have no idea what was happening but I shook my head and tried to hurry. I did the quick handwash and tried to lose this guy with the not so awesome magnum p.i. mustache. Too late, he followed me out and I realized he didn’t wash his hands. Luckily I found a classmate and could strike up a conversation.

After my one win I decided to bet a few more times, hoping my dogs would come in, no such luck. I then read about the trifecta box on the back of the score booklet. Seemed like a smart idea, I didn’t have to pick an order the dogs came in. 6-1-5. This was an easy pick because I was told 6 & 5 were possibly the fastest dogs ever, the 1 came into play based on the Nashville area code. Easy. The race started and 6 & 5 were doing great. Number 1, not so much. He (or she) tripped in some fashion and didn’t make it, coming in last place. Number 8 took the third spot, oh well I thought. That was until I saw the winnings would have totaled $30,000 if I did my math correctly. Only if I had a time traveling delorian.

Towards the end of the night I had two of the $1 cheeseburgers based upon Zach’s recommendation. Score. Those things were easily worth $2. I’m a sucker for food, especially of the fair persuasion. I was not let down by the dog track food, though I plan to return simply for the fact that I want to try the derby dog. Overall I enjoyed my dog track experience and wouldn’t mind going back and taking my wife. This says a lot because I know I can be protective of places where the creepy men gather, so the dog track somehow wins an odd seal of approval. I do want to return when it is warmer and I wonder if maybe someday I will adopt a greyhound myself.

Derby Lane
10490 Gandy Blvd.
St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2395

Telephone Number
(727) 812-3339

(Via Our Radiant Tampa.)

Harmonic 313

When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence

Mark Pritchard. Man of old school acts such as Global Communication, Jedi Mind Tricks and Link puts out this lovely mix of hip hop, 8 bit, electro and dubstep.

I think someone finally knocked some sense into the execs at Warp Records after their run of average discs the last few years. Perhaps it’s just music trends. The groove is unmistakable on tracks like ‘cyclotron’, ‘cyclotron c64 sid’ and ‘Quadrant 3′. Overall, this quirky album has a very vintage sound, but is really modern as well.

Link Here

(Via Hierarchy of Life.)

[ Thanks Josh ]