tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81020972008-07-23T18:58:56.183-07:00ranianoreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-19660593780183576442008-07-23T18:29:00.000-07:002008-07-23T18:51:34.041-07:00

olympics antics have descended upon the capital. in addition to all the bizarreness reported in the media, here is a brief listing of the idiocy that i have experienced first hand: taking photos of foliage around town prompts neighborhood watchmen to inquire about what you're doing every single available advertising space is taken by either government propaganda declaring 'Beijing 2008' with the

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-66007945778472743572008-07-02T13:03:00.001-07:002008-07-07T20:11:42.055-07:00

Beijing denizens, if you are leaving town or upgrading your home theater system please note: we at the arrow factory are looking for donations of tvs, dvd players and sound equipment for our upcoming exhibition. Instead of giving it to your ayi, or throwing it on the street, give it to us! art is a good cultural cause, recycling is environmentally friendly, and we'd be forever grateful. We'll

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-63288489721666326912008-06-10T11:56:00.000-07:002008-06-10T12:01:50.515-07:00

ok sports fans. if you are in beijing and you have some free time around 5pm, then you MUST MUST MUST come to hear Patty Chang speak at the UCCA: A Chinoiserie out of the Old West: An Artist Talk by Patty Chang Thursday, June 12 Time 5:00pm UCCA auditorium Organized in collaboration with UCCA and the Arrow Factory, Beijing New York artist Patty Chang comes to Ullens Center to talk about her

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-86516999778642665512008-06-02T18:09:00.000-07:002008-06-06T18:20:45.881-07:00

i'd never heard of the Alxa League prefecture of Inner Mongolia until I got there. After driving due west for two straight days from beijing we arrived at a bizarre vegas-like architectural structure that marked the edge of the inner mongolian badajilin desert. Our friend, Wu Er Shan, was scouting locations for a film and going to visit his cousins who are herdsmen in badanjilin. wangwei and i

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-31553556845685907032008-05-01T08:57:00.000-07:002008-05-01T09:13:59.233-07:00

侧侧切 SLICE 新作品New Works by Wei Weng 翁维 Rania Ho 何颖宜 2008年4月30日－6月3日 April 30-June 3, 2008presented by the Arrow Factory, a new storefront space for art in in Beijing. I've just set up a ping-pong table made of cardboard that levitates ping-pong balls! Wei has created a stunning mural on the back wall. Wah! If you happen to be anywhere near the Confucius Temple in Beijing, come

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-57030118189784434012008-04-03T20:41:00.000-07:002008-04-03T20:52:47.260-07:00

超级城: 一期 The Contractors Super Complex-City Phase I: Hands-Free Strategy for Creative Business Practicing at the Long March Space 2008 年 4月5日 下午15:00-18:00 地点：长征空间 北京市朝阳区酒仙桥路4号院 5 April 2008 15:00-18:00 Long March Space 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 联系电话 CONTACT: 1352 284 2430 或 or 1381 169 6303 或 or info@thecontractors.cn On April 5 2008, The Contractors will open a

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-22070609604720065452008-03-30T08:43:00.000-07:002008-03-30T09:03:18.713-07:00

finally updated my website with some (relatively) new work. finishing up a kupa design project. rented a storefront with some friends to turn into a small exhibition space. getting ready for the contractors extravaganza at the long march space on april 5. see post below. too much information in too few lines. i know, and not even a photo to go with it. more later.

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-59258486225068705462008-03-16T07:20:00.000-07:002008-03-16T07:46:03.473-07:00

i know i used this photo before, but it's really appropriate this time. for those of you in Beijing on April 5, 2008, COME ON DOWN! The Contractors are seeking vendors, small businesses and anyone who wants to sell, promote or advertise their products/services to come to a Saturday market on the 5th of April 2008 from 3-6pm in the Dashanzi Art District of Beijing. Space for vendors is free

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-69421846039822186032008-01-26T22:49:00.001-08:002008-01-26T23:03:56.373-08:00

包工头乐队祝您 恭喜发财 新春快乐! The Contractors wish you a glorious, happy and prosperous Year of the Rat! www.thecontractors.cn [here is an alternative link for those within the great firewall of china]

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-19126640113871679142008-01-23T18:58:00.000-08:002008-01-24T01:32:57.521-08:00

And now presenting... our new studio! whoohoo! wang wei and i are slowly moving into our new workspace in Chaochangdi, in the north of Beijing. the whole area is sort of turning into the next "hip" art district which i have mixed feelings about, but i alone can't stop "progress", so we march on. we've got 150 sq.m of internet-free fun. why internet free? we figured we'd get more done without

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-65753002696400723182008-01-16T05:25:00.000-08:002008-01-16T05:45:56.529-08:00

ok sports fans, here it is. we're vacating our artist-designed and handsomely-built apartment and putting it up for rent during the olympic games this august to those interested parties who are coming to beijing and got the FEVAH. details if you follow this link.

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-38393532536176115922008-01-10T21:11:00.000-08:002008-01-10T21:20:02.687-08:00

the best moments in beijing are when reality far exceeds your imagination. this seen on a digital marquee adorning the front of the silk market shopping mall is one such moment. it takes the "one dream one world" olympic motto to totally new heights, and is by far the most honest representation of what china is today. you don't really know what people are thinking when they come up with stuff

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-48904865178557911602007-12-30T20:05:00.000-08:002007-12-30T20:53:24.656-08:00

we sent out this card and some people asked if i was holding a snake. uh, i wouldn't hold a snake let alone put it near my face. so, no. it's not a snake. been working on an architecture design project in beijing. Gutted this apartment, moved walls and put in a whole new stairwell. we're about halfway through. and this was christmas eve dinner: a massive feast with good friends. what better

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-11220887709431107832007-11-18T20:34:00.000-08:002007-11-18T20:58:36.459-08:00

The Contractor show at Yugong Yishan last Wednesday was a blast. The lead singer of the band RandomK(e), who took the stage after us said, "I have seen lots of bands in my lifetime. I have never seen anything like that." We took it as a compliment. photos to be uploaded soon. In the meantime, WE GOT MERCH! Official Contractor t-shirts are NOW ON SALE! here is the back of the shirt, modeled

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-81375621532366388292007-11-02T05:26:00.001-07:002007-11-02T06:27:31.655-07:00

RandomK(e) and The Contractors Redefining the definition of "Show" Together at last! RandomK(e) and The Contractors offer you an evening of post-rock, performance art rock, and something else, we're not sure what. Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 9pm Yugong Yishan 东城区,张自忠路3-2号段祺瑞执政府旧址西院 West courtyard, former site of Duan Qirui Government 6404 2711 Beijing, China ....................................

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-75722593688905051292007-09-19T18:27:00.000-07:002007-09-19T19:21:30.091-07:00

there is a ritualistic team building exercise in korea called "MT" (membership training) where everyone from a school department or company gets together for an overnight trip to the countryside. usually, they all pile into a vehicle, drive to a pension by the seashore or in mountains, unload themselves into a big room and then eat and drink copious amounts of food and alcohol in order to "get to

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-86902463443190357582007-09-13T03:32:00.000-07:002007-09-13T08:52:24.365-07:00

so we survived. the open studios was on monday and there were simultaneous openings in the gallery downstairs and at a nearby gallery called Loop. good move on the part of the organizers. another good move on the organizers was to have one of the artists make fried chicken as part of his performance in the gallery. free food is always a good draw. a surprisingly large amount of people showed up,

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-34348487044039593102007-09-04T22:07:00.000-07:002007-09-04T22:10:12.607-07:00

just a brief announcement: Open Studio Michael YUEN (Australia) Studio 402 Rania Ho (USA/China) Studio 401 10 September 2007 www.ssamziespace.com Michael Yuen: www.yuen.va.com.au Rania Ho: www.dancingtoasters.com Open studio: 2-8pm 5-129 Changjeon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea(121-190) +82-2-3142-1693 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. Two new work-in-progress pieces by media and sound

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-30641127541107976712007-09-03T14:51:00.000-07:002007-09-03T15:14:00.470-07:00

working on a couple pieces here in my studio at ssamzie space. the first is a (so far untitled) fountain made of found styrofoam structures. I'm attempting to grow sprouts on them. kind of a large scale chia pet. this is a photo of an early experiment with the sprouts: the other is an elaborate contraption to hum bottles, which is entitled "No Hands." Sitting on the bike seat

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-3137945756193410702007-08-27T19:35:00.000-07:002007-08-29T19:09:49.045-07:00

it's been ages since posting. just want to update with photos from what i've been doing... ate at a noodle shop in seoul that served all-you-can-eat peanut butter on toast to accompany your kimchi ramen: discovered that they sell hypodermic needles in the art supply store: started growing sprouts in fishnet stockings: went to an electronic music performance where this trumpeter made sounds

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-82287141873151639662007-07-24T00:34:00.000-07:002007-07-24T01:58:19.777-07:00

Ah the Octopoda. I had another run in with this delightful life form at a restaurant in seoul. My first experience was here. In this second experience, we went to a restaurant that was famous for this octopus dish. I only believe this because there were photos of the owner's numerous tv appearances over the years all over the walls. So we sit down with rami, my korean translator, and michael,

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-80202420241172122882007-07-21T07:04:00.000-07:002007-07-21T07:39:20.889-07:00

can i just take a brief moment to draw your attention to this fascinating video of inmates at Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines as they do michael jackson's thriller. this is crazy nutty. the fact that they are prisoners just makes it all that much more insane. watching it is like witnessing a pile of post-modern theory implode in on itself and go up in

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-39348043961794449902007-07-16T05:11:00.000-07:002007-07-16T05:50:16.544-07:00

Exhibit A: on the left is the window of a bbq joint in Seoul called "Sexy Pig". We chose to eat there based on the name alone and were not disappointed. We ate nice fatty pork, some very tasty beef, a crab soup, great side dishes and spicy salads among the post-industrial surroundings of a wall of cinder blocks and a nearby empty lot (or at least that's how i remember it). I have finally

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-20873998112994050252007-07-07T07:01:00.000-07:002007-07-07T07:17:42.144-07:00

The Contractors performance at Borderline just got a nice mention in the Asian Art Archive July Newsletter. scroll down to the bottom of the page. Thanks Megan for putting in a good word for us. Karaoke! for all our friends!

ranianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8102097.post-16735767860104227132007-07-05T20:52:00.000-07:002007-07-05T23:10:49.464-07:00

just arrived in seoul for a 3 month residency at ssamzie space. The art center is located in a section of town called hongdae- just down the street from the Honggik art school. lots of cafes, clubs, boutiques around - standard fare for "arty cultural industries" areas. anyway, it's still a nice area to wander around on foot. cafes are really cute, and i found a place that would sell me REAL

ranianoreply@blogger.com