Milan is the last place you’d imagine being able to live under a left-wing city government. Even with Berlusconi’s people out of office, for the first time in eighteen years. However, that shouldn’t dissuade you from consuming revolutionary-themed food products. Or your kitty, for that matter. Let’s face it: when it comes to eating, we all redistribute calories. Esselunga, October 7.
Obama in Turin
In an ideal world, one would be justified in cutting Obama out of this picture. Silvio Berlusconi makes a fine “First Enemy” all on his own. Unfortunately, considering the President’s own failures, as shocking as this pairing seems, he had it coming. More»
English in Berlin
The economic miracle barely touched Berlin. During the post-war period, reconstruction was regional, and prosperity selective, especially in Germany’s historic capital city. To this day, despite obvious signs of gentrification, Neukölln, my Middle Eastern immigrant neighborhood, remains poor. Throw in the global downturn, and you get graffiti like this. More»
Framing History
One of the world’s greatest media museums sits just across the river from my apartment. Its name is the Museo Nazionale del Cinema (National Museum of Cinema.) Located inside Torino’s Mole Antonelliana, a 19th century building originally designed to be a synagogue, the place still has something of a holy purpose. Especially for an LA native, like me. More»
Dolls in the Hood
When I was in kindergarten, I was a tomboy, dreaming of skateboarding with the surfers. I wanted a pair of Vans, but they were hard to come by then. For some reason, I also wanted a Barbie doll. Maybe because the other girls had them. More»
Versioning Martyrdom
The martyr is a universal archetype. Someone who dies for a cause, someone who is victimized for their beliefs. Every society has one. Blame it on religion. Blame it on backward concepts of national identity, of personal sacrifice. It would be a relief if we could somehow rid ourselves of the notion that we might give our lives for a greater good, when that ‘good’ is usually questionable. More»
Wake Up, David Cameron
Kudos to the Twitter client, TweetDeck, who were acquired by Twitter itself last week. The tiny British startup will get the support it needs to create an even better product. Of nearly equal interest was The Guardian article announcing its acquisition, Twitter buys UK’s TweetDeck for £25m. More»
Presidential Visit
He was the worst head of state in US history. The loser in the 2000 elections, he was installed in office only by court order. Unprepared for the 9/11 attacks, he led America into two major wars, one of which remains ongoing. During his last year in office, he presided over the collapse of the real estate and stock markets. George W. Bush, disguised as the bomb he was. Brick Lane, London. Feburary, 2011.
Personalization is Not a Crime
When it comes to online activism, Eli Pariser is a pioneer. Best-known for his leadership of Moveon.org, Pariser can be rightly credited for having laid the digital groundwork for Barack Obama’s election to the US Presidency. More»
Let’s Get Physical
Forget cloud computing. What matters are the means of production. Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, Shanghai. July, 2009.
Music for Children
Format is always age-specific. Baby Boomer equals vinyl, or so it goes. Whether it be crate digger or fan, today’s vinyl fetishist also equals youth. One such generational mashup, mixing childhood nostalgia (“gli anni passano” or the years pass) with gender. Neighborhood thrift store, central Milan, 2010.
Heads to Go
The briefcase isn’t quite wide enough. However, it makes for a macabre pedestal. Marche aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt, Paris. June, 2010.
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