“crop circles… named doug and dave.”
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This Week
💦 Google whistleblower reveals there’s a ghost in the machine
💦 a latex catsuit, peeled off the body after an evening of wear, washed with lukewarm water
💦 Michael Armitage’s Gaping Arseholes
Events
This week we are hopping on our bicycles to gallery sweep seeing as the good people of the rail unions are taking a stand against terrible pay, non-existent pensions and shitty job cuts.
🧊 22 June | 6–9pm | Alexei Alexander Izmaylov: OPINIONS, FILET Space [Hoxton]
🧊 22 June | 6–8pm | Laila Majid: Wipe Clean, Moarain House [Bethnal Green]
🧊 23 June | 6–9pm | Lucas Dillon: Glowworm, Dinner Party Gallery [Clerkenwell]
🧊 23 June | 6–8pm | Back Home: Heidi Bucher, Tenzing Dakpa, Bronwyn Katz, Amadeo Luciano Lorenzato, Minoru Nomata, Alek O, Ishmael Randall Weeks, Andre Ricardo LAMB [Oxford Circus]
🧊 23 June | 6–8:30pm | Heartbreak Picnic: Bhasha Chakrabarti and Matt Smoak, Grove Collective [Fulham Broadway]
🧊 23 June | 6–9pm | Goldsmiths BA degree show, Ben Pimlott Building/various locations [New Cross Gate]
🧊 23 June | 6–8pm | Claire de Rouen bookshop opening [Bethnal Green]
🧊 24 June | 6–8pm | Nicolas Deshayes: Gargouilles, Modern Art Helmet Row [Old Street]
🧊 24 June | 6:30–9:30pm | Episode 8: Steph Huang, A Great Increase In Business Is On Its Way, Goldsmiths CCA [New Cross Gate]
Art Basel Special
spittle is delighted to bring you our second annual Art Basel summary! The 2022 edition saw the fair return to its usual slot in June– and queue temperatures were so high (we’re talking 35-40 degs no joke) that we were glad to stay put in the Messeplatz. Given the heatwave, we were happy to see Art Basel taking its environmental impact seriously by greeting exhibitors with, err, reusable water bottles, presumably to rehydrate them after long and arduous business class flights and get them feeling fresh and ready to install artwork shipped in from all around the world… The Marni x Uniqlo collab was everywhere: techs, gallerists and collectors alike were seen strutting in their iconic checks and stripes. Equally ubiquitous were furlane slippers (tell us you went to Venice without telling us you went to Venice). Michael Armitage’s show at the Kunsthalle was beautiful, haunting, and offered a grounding antidote to the bustle of the booth. Painted on Lubugo bark cloth, which typically contains holes, Armitage has made the most of the natural material and transformed these holes into assholes– we love an artist who retains their sense of humour even after they’ve hit the big time. Upstairs at the Kunsthalle, Berenic Olemedo’s Hic et Nunc explores the possibilities and aesthetics of prosthetics. Both shows run through September. Some of our fave artists spotted at Liste include: Elise Corpataux’s sultry sunsets; Katelyn Eichwald’s dreamlike castles; Sharif Farrag’s mad-max ceramics; and Nevine Mahmoud’s sensual sculptures.
Hot Links
🥧 “Made this spelt focaccia apple tarte tatin bastard in a moment of terror and desperation last week” - We stumbled across this site completely by accident and are both in awe of its beauty and overwhelmed by the wondrous free resource in its depths. Follow @bread_on_earth for visual stimuli and check the site for recipes including Sneaky Rutbaga Table Loaf, Neglected Slab, Dirty Handkerchiefs, Sweet Potato Slugs, and, of course, Challah However You Can.
👽 “lack of alien sightings just proves how advanced the aliens are because they are invisible” - The New York Times delves into the history of crop circles, and how they ‘were made by supernatural forces. named doug and dave.’ No alien visitors, ancient spiritual forces, weather anomalies, or secret weapons tests to be blamed here.
🍗 “there aren’t enough old cars, not enough trash, the BBQs are too small, and the people are too clean” - Random people in Poland are spending their weekends LARPing as Americans in Ohio. Chasing that broken American dream, the group draws from sources like Hillbilly Elegy, Nomadland, and Three Billboards [Outside Ebbing, Missouri]... spittle is considering launching an international splinter group, but with a focus on North Carolina. Prepare to get specific.
👾 Google whistleblower reveals there’s a ghost in the machine - software engineer Blake Lemoine reveals that LaMDA software – Google’s artificially intelligent chatbot generator that mimics speech by ingesting trillions of words from the internet – is sentient, raising ethical concerns about how might behave in the future. Heeding warning, Timnit Gebru remarks: “We are obsessed with AI and robotics because we don't understand ourselves, and that's the primary reason why this won't stop.”
🧝♀️ “a manic amalgamation of remix culture” - As part of Resident Advisor’s technology month, Günseli Yalcinkaya explores the infinite possibilities and impact that gaming has had on club culture. Following a new phenomenon in partying where patrons, both physical and virtual, LARP and dance the night away, a new generation of clubbers look to decentralised systems to express themselves in an increasingly digitised world.
Add to cart
Latest news in bonkers artist/designer collabs – Richard Prince x Darren Romanelli x Katz + Dogg present a line of furniture and clothing available at Gagosian’s online shop. Channelling, in their own words, a ‘hippie/stoner-inspired aesthetic’ #lol, spittle was particularly drawn to this patchwork loveseat combining vintage levis, flea market quilts with the artist’s child-like sketches. Unfortunately at $20,000 we’re unlikely to add-to-cart this week. Available here.
Parting shot
As the DALL E AI image generator has risen as our favourite way to waste time on the internet, we couldn’t help thinking, what would DALI think of these? Below are some of our art-related faves: