Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 1063

Birthdays Today, May 23: Jewel, Drew Carey, Lena Meyer-Landrut, Melissa McBride

She is, overall, a great Singer. She is Jewel Kilcher or, simply, Jewel and she is our Top#1 Famous Birthdays Today, May 23. She was born in Utah in 1974 and, from Yareah, we wish her and her family all the best in this special day. Congrats and happy birthday, Jewel!

Famous Birthdays Today, May 23: Jewel at Yahoo Yodel 2009. Source: flickr. Author: Yodel Anecdotal/Yahoo! Inc

I’ve had mentors who were kind of the troubadour singer-songwriters, like Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, and that’s just what I’ve always liked – people who would talk real honestly about their lives and their circumstance.

Jewel

Hard times make you bitter or make you more compassionate.

Jewel

More famous birthdays today, May 23: Drew Carey, television show host; Lena Meyer-Landrut, pop singer born in Germany in 1991; and Melissa McBride, actress.

Happy birthday to all of them. Have a very nice day, dear friends.

Famous Birthdays Today, May 23 Video: Jewel – Foolish Games (Official Video)

Birthdays Today, May 22: Daniel Bryan, Katie Price, Ginnifer Goodwin, Naomi Campbell

Our Top#1 Famous Birthdays Today, May 22 is for the wrestler Daniel Bryan. Congrats and all the best for him and his family in this special day. Happy birthday, Daniel Bryan!! From Wikipedia: Bryan Lloyd Danielson (born May 22, 1981) is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his tenure in WWE under the ring name Daniel Bryan.

Famous Birthdays Today, May 22: Daniel Bryan, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion at the post-WrestleMania Raw on 7 April 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Source: flickr. Author: Megan Elice Meadows

I am not the biggest, I am not the strongest, but I am Damn sure the toughest!

Daniel Bryan

Around here, no one deserves anything. You have to earn it.

Daniel Bryan

More famous birthdays today, May 22: the actress Ginnifer Goodwin, known for her role on the series Once Upon a Time; the beautiful model Katie Price; and another beautiful model, Naomi Campbell.

Happy birthday to all of them. Have a very nice day, dear friends.

Famous birthdays today, May 22 Video: WWE Network Exclusive: Daniel Bryan Career Celebration

Tirana International Film Festival

DocuTIFF presents in collaboration with Gallery On The Move “Screening #2902”, a special project with videos by Halil Altindere, Fikret Atay, Barbara and Ale, Michele Bressan and Larisa Sitar, Luca Bolognesi, Erik Bünger, Francisco Camacho, Kajsa Dahlberg, Dina Danish, Miha Erman, Dora Garcia, Khaled Hafez, Ra Di Martino, Alban Muja, Bruno Muzzolini, Steve Piccolo, Artan Shabani, Shingo Yoshida, Helidon Xhixha and Fani Zguro, from 1 to 8 June, 2016. This is part of a series of screenings which will be continued to different venues as Accademia delle belle Arti di Brera, Milan, Tirana International Film Festival, Parallel Vienna, Art Market Budapest and many others…

Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images

SCREENING #2902. Special Project.

Halil Altindere, Fikret Atay, Barbara and Ale, Michele Bressan and Larisa Sitar, Luca Bolognesi, Erik Bünger, Francisco Camacho, Kajsa Dahlberg, Dina Danish, Miha Erman, Dora Garcia, Khaled Hafez, Ra Di Martino, Alban Muja, Bruno Muzzolini, Steve Piccolo, Artan Shabani, Shingo Yoshida, Helidon Xhixha, Fani Zguro

DocuTIFF, Tirana (Albania). From June 1 until June 8, 2016.

Image: Erik Bünger, The Allens, color, sound, 2min, 2004, courtesy of the artist.

TIRANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Address: P.O. Box 8361, Njësia 5, Pall.1 Maji, Shk.18/54, 01101 Tirana (Albania)

Brooklyn exhibitions. The Idiot by Dave McDermott

Brooklyn exhibitions. Brennan & Griffin is pleased to present The Idiot an exhibition of new work by Dave McDermott at the gallery’s Red Hook, Brooklyn location.

Dave McDermott, The Idiot, Installation view at Brennan & Griffin: Red Hook

In his new work, Dave McDermott continues his ongoing allegorical examination of the complexities of human nature and the societies we build to house them, the isolation inherent in those structures, and how we represent those ideas through art itself. Double profiles, bust-like heads, pointing hands, female breasts—all are pulled from both distant and recent histories and reorganized as totems within McDermott’s lexicon to impart new meaning.

The exhibition takes its name from Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot. The novel’s protagonist, a young prince returning after a long absence to society and its machinations, is seen alternately and sometimes even simultaneously as an idiot and an “intelligent fellow.” Loved and scorned, sought after and shunned, his mind is eventually torn apart by the inability to reconcile his own nature with that of the world and its other inhabitants. McDermott finds in the complexities of Dostoevsky’s tale a fitting armature upon which to build his paintings. For McDermott, The Idiot acts as a symbol (or perhaps a mantra) for “the idiot” both as artists, a group who in Santayana’s words are “unfit for the world into which they were born”*, and, by extension, art itself, in the contradictions inherent in representing a common world through a private language.

McDermott’s work presupposes an insurmountable opacity in all forms of language—verbal, visual and physical—which results in an ongoing sense of disconnection and isolation. But instead of taking this state of affairs as an excuse for ennui or weariness, McDermott’s paintings depict characters seemingly locked in a frantically optimistic effort to overcome it. There is something grand in the refusal to give in, however doomed to failure the endeavor may be.

Like Dostoyevsky’s characters, McDermott’s figures exist in a tentative state, their narrative being occasionally suspended in order to question their very invention. They are grouped together on crowded stages—sets on which they reach, gape, fumble and stare, but without ever connecting to one another, seeming to assume the closest of connections by mere proximity. In paintings like “The European Arrangement” the figures on the panel seem locked in a static moment of importance. In the four large yarn paintings in the gallery, we see reference to psychological moments referred to in Dostoyevsky’s novel. There is the discomfort of a new meeting and a jagged sense of Modern graphic design in “The Introduction,” and an ebullient joy in “The Fit” that calls Matisse to mind. In “Heroin and Karate,” on the other hand, the artist has stepped completely out of Dostoyevsky’s narrative, and given form and proximity to two pursuits that he has found to be humorously linked in the lives of his contemporaries, often self-described idiots of their own making.

Awkwardness and how it is addressed also play out in both novel and painting. Where Dostoyevsky uses his prince as a crux to hold together disparate and seemingly unrelated personalities and segments of society, so does McDermott use his paintings to bring together various histories, textures and methods of working. Seemingly quick, expressive brushwork is paired with the labor-intensive application of yarn or sharp edges of overlaid color. Variations in speed within each painting call time into question, as the fast and the slow are both locked permanently into the same shared space on the panels. And here, too, on this material level we see the particulate whole take on the appearance of unity, while still remaining at its core a collection of diverse elements. Each collaged section of canvas, each strand of yarn, works with the others to form a unified whole, while still refusing to let us forget their singularity and separateness. The effect is one that never entirely lets us drop our guard, or default to a single quick categorization. As usual, McDermott’s blending of image and materiality confers an enigmatic sense of wonder, rather than a didactic lesson in morality or theory.

* George Santayana, The Sense of Beauty (Being the outline of Aesthetic Theory), (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1896), 41.

___________________________________________

Dave McDermott was born in 1974 in Santa Cruz, CA and currently lives and works in New York. Recent exhibitions include Passing Leap, organized by Yuta Nakajima and Madeline Warren, Hauser & Wirth, New York, NY; Goethe’s Girlfriend, Brennan & Griffin, New York, NY; The Power and Influence of Joseph Wiseman, Grimm, Amsterdam, NL; and others. McDermott is the subject of a new monograph being published by Snoeck and Grimm in Spring 2016, with an introduction by Katy Seigel.

DAVE McDERMOTT: THE IDIOT. EXHIBITION EXTENDED THROUGH MAY 29TH.

BRENNAN & GRIFFIN: RED HOOK. 62 DELAVAN ST. BROOKLYN, NY 11231.

Two Oil Paintings by John Singer Sargent Exceed $4 Million at Sotheby’s

John Singer Sargent rocks! Liz Sterling, Head of Sotheby’s American Art Department, commented: “Last night we saw the continuation of the ‘masterpiece market’ that we have witnessed in recent seasons, with top-quality works inspiring competition and commanding strong prices.

Poppies by John Singer Sargent. Courtesy Sotheby’s

We were encouraged by international participation as well as bidding across categories, including senior members of both our Impressionist & Modern and Contemporary Art teams fielding bids from their clients. It was a particular privilege to offer not one but two oil paintings by John Singer Sargent last night, and collectors recognized and responded enthusiastically to the rarity of this occasion in the auction market.”

Four works by John Singer Sargent totaled $11.2 million last night, surpassing their combined high estimate of $8.7 million. The sale was led by Poppies, which Sargent completed while at work on his masterpiece Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose. Three bidders competed for the oil on canvas, which outperformed pre-sale expectations, selling for $6.9 million (estimate $4–6 million). The painting was most recently included in the museum exhibition Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse, co-organized by the Royal Academy of Arts and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Four bidders sought Sargent’s Stairway in Capri, driving the work to a final price of $4.1 million – well in excess of its $2.5 million high estimate. The painting was previously in the collections of Auguste Hirsch, a French artist and friend of John Sargent Sargent, as well as Pamela Harriman, the United States Ambassador to France in the mid-1990s.

Jamie Wyeth’s surreal self-portrait, Pumpkinhead, from 1972 was one of the night’s most eagerly sought-after pieces. A prolonged battle between four determined bidders drove the final price of the work to $1.7 million – more than triple its high estimate of $500,000, and three times the previous auction record for the artist. In addition to Jamie Wyeth, new artist records were established last night for: David Brega, Gloria Engelhard, John George Brown and Gregorio Prestopino.

Embodying Norman Rockwell’s all-American appeal, Road Block fetched $4,730,000 (estimate $4–6 million). One of his most ambitious covers for the widely-read The Saturday Evneing Post, Road Block features no less than 25 figures, including a self-portrait and a depiction of his son, Peter. Other highlights of American Illustration included Maxfield Parrish’s Winter Sunshinefrom 1955, sold for $850,000 against an estimate of $400–600,000.

Christopher Hodges at Utopia Art Sydney

Christopher Hodges has been a practicing artist for over forty years. At the same time he has been a gallery owner, philanthropist, and an advocate for art and artists.

Christopher Hodges at Utopia Art Sydney

It is more than ten years since Hodges has exhibited paintings on canvas. During this time his focus has been on sculpture.

‘FORMAL’ re-acquaints us with his shimmering surfaces which act as perfect foils for the geometric forms that sit upon and within them. The paintings are comprised of three basic colours, red white and black, with the use of other colour as under painting, or in surface washes, which give them depth and mystery.

Hodges artistic practise has been utilising the formal qualities of geometry for some time and in these new works the circle, the square, the rectangle and the rhombus are occupying the picture plane in ways that make us think that the form is pushing the edges of the canvas or paper, trying to escape.

Also included in ‘FORMAL’ are a series of small timber sculptures. One group are comprised of squares and rectangles, painted in either red ochre, white or black, which are then assembled to create free standing ‘paintings’.

There are several tall, timber sculptures up to 3m high with some left in their natural state , others using the red, white and black theme and one other that is fluorescent pink.

In ‘FORMAL’ Christopher Hodges shares with us the beauty he finds in geometry and the endless possibilities that arise when using basic forms and a reduced palette.

TV Shows Today, May 19: The Blacklist, Bones, Grey’s Anatomy

Well, it’s Thursday and it’s time for these great TV Shows. First, we recommend The Blacklist. Today’s episode is the season finale: Alexander Kirk: Conclusion. Season 3. Episode 23. 9:00 pm. NBC. From Wikipedia: The Blacklist is an American crime thriller television series that premiered on NBC on September 23, 2013. Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader), a former U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal, voluntarily surrenders to the FBI after eluding capture for decades. He tells the FBI that he has a list of the most dangerous criminals in the world that he has compiled over the years and is willing to rat out the lads and their operations in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

Our second choice is for the series Bones. Today: The Strike in the Chord. Season 11. Episode 16. 8:00 pm. FOX.

And our last recommendation is for Grey’s Anatomy. Today’s episode: Family Affair. Season 12. Episode 24. 8:00 pm. ABC.

We hope you enjoy the shows. Have a very nice day, dear friends.

TV Shows Today, May 19 Video: The Blacklist 3×23 Promo “Alexander Kirk: Conclusion” (HD) Season Finale

Birthdays Today, May 19: Malcolm X, Sam Smith, Yo Gotti, Andrea Pirlo

Famous Birthdays Today, May 19: Malcolm X in March 1964. Ed Ford, World Telegram staff photographer – Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c15058

Human rights activist born in Omaha in 1925. He was a great man and he’s our Top#1 Famous Birthdays Today, May 19. He was Malcolm X Rest in Peace.

The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.

Malcolm X

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

Malcolm X

More famous birthdays today, May 19: Sam Smith, English singer born in London in 1992; Yo Gotti, rapper; and one of the best soccer players I’ve ever seen, Andrea Pirlo.

Happy birthday to all of thgem. Have a very nice day, dear friends.

Famous Birthdays Today, May 19 Video: Malcolm X: Speeches and Interviews (1960-65)

Your carriage awaits… crowning moment for young welders

The winning students with their weld

Students from Coleg Cambria in North Wales were crowned the best young welders in Britain after creating a metal replica of the royal carriage to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. The college team won Weld Off 2016 and £3,000 in prizes. The annual contest, hosted by Morris Site Machinery and partners Speedy Services, for welders aged 16 to 26, was on the theme of ‘God Save the Queen.’

Matthew Hughes, Gareth Phillips, Owen Fitzgibbon and Thomas Lavender wowed judges with their model carriage, complete with gilded crown, ornate royal detailing and even a piece of red carpet inside which the Queen herself has stepped on.

Morris Site Machinery, supplier of ArcGen Welding equipment and in association with Speedy, hosted the competition which required four finalist teams of students between the ages of 16- 26 years old from across the UK, to showcase their welding prowess. The competition comprised a Q&A round, a skills section and a creative test which challenged contestants to create an inspiring exhibition piece based on the theme of ‘God Save the Queen’.

Four teams competed in the final at Speedy’s National Distribution Centre in Tamworth.

National business broadcaster, Steph McGovern was a special guest who assisted the judges and gave support to the contestants.

Phil Winnington, Managing Director at Morris Site Machinery, said: “This has been an outstanding year for the Weld-Off and it was a truly competitive atmosphere! Every year the bar is raised and we have been astounded by the level of creativity, quality and interpretation of the theme which celebrates Her Majesty at 90.

“British manufacturing is seeing a renaissance and we wanted a theme which would compliment this. Our competition attracts and uncovers a wealth of talent and skills we have in the UK. This is something we wanted to champion and encourage more young people into engineering to ensure that Britain’s skills base and manufacturing heritage are retained as best as possible.”

Coleg Cambria have won the Weld Off competition for the third year running. The runners up were City of Wolverhampton College who created London’s Tower Bridge replica, Training 2000 students in Lancashire who also welded a Royal Carriage and New College Durham who produced an afternoon tea display in metal.

Jane Nugent, Marketing Director of Speedy Services, the UK’s leading tools, equipment and plant hire services company, said: “Everyone was very impressed with the calibre and creativity of work. The contestants’ work ethic, skill and passion really shone through and all 16 are a real credit to young people in the manufacturing and engineering sectors.”

ForeScout Appoints Former Cisco Sales Leader Da-Qian “DQ” Li as Vice President of Sales APJ

Da-Qian Li, VP of Sales APJ, ForeScout

Leading Security Firm Expands Global Presence in Asia Amid Continued Momentum

CAMPBELL, Calif. – 18 May 2016 – ForeScout Technologies Inc., the pioneer in agentless cybersecurity, announced today the appointment of Da-Qian “DQ” Li as Vice President of Sales in Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ). Li will apply his extensive track record developing and managing APJ-based sales teams in fast-growth, channel-focused markets to continue fostering ForeScout’s unbridled global momentum.

Da-Qian Li joins ForeScout after a decade-long tenure at Cisco, where he directly managed the sales leaders and sales team supporting their Global Enterprise Clients segment in Korea, Japan and Greater China regions.

“ForeScout’s Internet of Things (IoT) and network security technology is above-and-beyond what any other company currently offers, and will continue to evolve to meet customer needs,” said Da-Qian Li, Vice President of Sales APJ at ForeScout. “I could not be more thrilled to help expand ForeScout’s global growth in Asia.”

“2016 is off to an incredible start. Our product is exactly what the market needs to battle the security challenges that accompany the acceleration of IoT inside corporations large and small. We continue to be able to attract the top sales talent in the security industry and are thrilled to have DQ join our team. He is exactly the leader we need to help ForeScout grow our APJ business,” said Michael DeCesare, President and CEO at ForeScout.

ForeScout helps organisations better manage their security stance with visibility into both agentless and agent devices, multi-vendor orchestration and automated security controls. This holistic approach has become necessary in a time when smart devices associated with the Internet of Things, dispersed workforces and siloed security solutions continue to introduce risk to enterprises’ growing networks.

About ForeScout Technologies, Inc.

ForeScout Technologies, Inc. is transforming security through visibility. ForeScout offers Global 2000 enterprises and government organisations the unique ability to see devices, including non-traditional devices, the instant they connect to the network. Equally important, ForeScout lets you control these devices and orchestrate information sharing and operation among disparate security tools to accelerate incident response. Unlike traditional security alternatives, ForeScout achieves this without requiring software agents or previous device knowledge. The company’s solutions integrate with leading network, security, mobility and IT management products to overcome security silos, automate workflows and enable significant cost savings. As of March 2016, more than 2,000 customers in over 60 countries improve their network security and compliance posture with ForeScout solutions. Learn more at www.forescout.com..

© 2016. ForeScout Technologies, Inc. is a privately held Delaware corporation. ForeScout, the ForeScout logo, ControlFabric, CounterACT Edge, ActiveResponse and CounterACT are trademarks or registered trademarks of ForeScout. Other names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners.