Celebrations | 2009, 400th Anniversary of the Telescope

One of the only two surviving Galileo's telescopes d at the Institute and Museum of the History of Science, Florence

2009 marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of telescope by Galileo Galilei.

The telescope opened a new window on the Universe, allowing human perception to observe remote worlds before left to theories and imagination. The telescope greatly influenced the transition from a geocentric view to the heliocentric theory of Copernicus.

Happy Holidays and Happy 2010 :: Namaste

Exhibitions | NYC, Bernardi Roig at ClaireOliver

Vernissages | NYC, Chelsea, December 17

Helio Oiticica, Drawings, 1954-1958 at Galerie Lelong

Paul Kolker at Studio 601

Lou Reed, Romanticism, at Steven Kasher Gallery

Places | Hudson, Winterwalk

Another winter and another winter celebration in Hudson, one of my favorite places in this side of the planet. Winterwalk, the annual winter celebration organized by the Hudson Opera House, populates Warren Street with mimes, acrobats on stilts, surreal windows and grand finale with fireworks.

Although I usually experience Winterwalk as a spectator, in 2007 I greatly enjoyed it as a participant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBHOow2Iyzk

This winter the tone of the celebration was not as festive and energetic as in the past years ---the weather combined with the economy? But yet Winterwalk is always a wonderful way to win the winter blues before the holidays consumistic madness, in a small city where diversity is very much part of the community.

Endurance | NYC, Zoe's Black Belt

On December 5 Zoe took a three-hour test for a first degree black belt in Tae Kwondo. Although not a practitioner, I have always shared martial arts structure and endurance and been impressed by the five taekwondo tenets:

• Courtesy
• Integrity
• Perseverance
• Self-Control
• Indomitable Spirit

The first hour of the test was about endurance, in the form of excruciating warm-ups, hundreds of jumping jacks, sit-ups push-ups.

Great guidelines for life itself,and metaphor --- especially for those of us in creative professions, trying to make art, culture or critical thinking...

More about Zoe's journey toward the black belt at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytdpic-FRfM

Spectacles | NYC Hyperreality: Thanksgiving Parade

In less than 30 days apart from each other Central Park West stages two of the most popular annual events: the NYC marathon and the Macys Thanksgiving Parade.

The events are totally different in nature: the NYC marathon is a celebration of human endurance at its barest mean,s while the Parade is a celebration of the "bright" side of consumism, full of gadgets and powered by simple but spectacular technology in the almost 100-foot tall inflatables. What the events have in common is the attraction of huge crowds. In both events crowds are civilized, exhibiting very differently behaviour from several sports events. It is surprising how there has never been a stampede or major accident. People gather in the surrounding blocks from the other NYC boroughs, suburbs or even other cities, "visiting" the inflated balloons the night before or standing, waiting for the parade from dawn.

Although I have been living for twenty years only one block away from the starting of the parade, this is my first year that I am actually a spectator. And, quite paradoxically for somebody who does leave home without a camera, this morning I did not bring one; and totally regreted. The surreal spectacularity of the five+-storey high Shrek, Spiderman, Ronald McDonalds, Snoopy and many other popular characters generated excitement and overcame the grey day and general atmosphere.

Vernissages | NYC, Looking Back: The White Columns Annual

Looking Back: The White Columns Annual, selected by Primary Information, opened on November 18.