Man Burning w/
Keegan McHargue
September 11–24, 2010

Saturday, September 11: Glasser
Friday, September 17: Houston
Friday, September 24: Yemenwed

———————————

Glasser
A cappella at 8pm

W/———
141 Division Street
New York NY 10002

———————————

Afterparty at B.East
10:30pm–late
DJ sets by Jon Santos

Broadway East
171 E. Broadway
New York NY

Sponsored by Fader

hello@withnyc.org
withnyc.org

eighteen touches, one strike.

Union Football League Playoff Semi Finals this Sunday, June 7th.
Schedule and Map and on league website:

Yrsa Roca Fannberg, In Total Ecstasy (sexual), 2008. Watercolor on Paper, 18 x 26 cm

by Jennifer Doyle

“Art versus Sport” is the name of Yrsa Roca Fannberg’s blog detailing the ups and downs of being an artist and Barcelona Futbol Club supporter. Entries alternate between meditations on the trials of experimental documentary filmmaking and the melodramas produced by loving perhaps the most storied side in the world. Illustrating this blog are Fannberg’s watercolor studies of life on the pitch—men in training, leaping into each others arms, throwing their bodies in the air, or glued to the ground in stupefied defeat.

It is tempting to think that Art and Sport sleep in separate beds. The discovery that one is at home in bohemia is often accompanied by parallel experiences of deep social isolation, of awkwardness and bullying, of being taunted for walking, running, or throwing “like a girl.” Maybe in your childhood, men and boys gathered in the living room around televised sport spectacle while you sprawled across your bedroom floor on your belly, pouring over magazine photos of Andy Warhol, Halston, and the superstars of Studio 54. For many of us in the arts, sports provided the childhood setting for our exile from normalcy. We tend to imagine these worlds as separate spheres, in which sport is fully masculine, and art is coded socially as effeminate and queer.

Full essay published in X-TRA contemporary art quarterly, Summer 2009.

Antonio Puleo, One For Me, One For You

Cherry and Martin presents Antonio Adriano Puleo’s exhibition I Am a Bird Now, featuring ecstatic murals, paintings and sculpture that possess a bold fusion of natural history and modern abstraction. This will be the first solo exhibition at the gallery’s new location at 2712 S. La Cienega Blvd.

Antonio Adriano Puleo’s pictorial exploration is a twenty-first century hybrid of art history, including the painterly experimentations of modern abstraction as well as the illustrations of the 19th century American naturalist John James Audubon and Medieval illumination. The third in a series of solo shows by Puleo, I Am a Bird Now, follows up on two previous exhibitions, To This World I Must Give In (2005) and Birds and Beasts (2007). Whereas Puleo’s previous exhibitions furthered a pictorial investigation of the tensions between opposing forces (Birds and Beasts) and the individual’s place amongst these tensions (To This World I Must Give In), Puleo’s new body of work explores the manipulation of these tensions through symmetry, pattern and the hermeticism of alchemy. Inherent in Puleo’s work is the translucent dimension of ecstasy, the idea that revelation can be had through the polarities of perfect geometrical proportions, radiant color and a visceral connection to the material world.

Central to the exhibition and the artist’s concerns are two wall installations, Follow The Light (2009) and They Know Why They’re There (2009). Painting becomes architecture as vibrant bands of color seamlessly emerge from strategically placed, intimate canvases. These small paintings, whose compositions magnify exponentially onto the gallery walls, chart the implicit energy of expansion and contraction.

by Julie Bosman

The scruffy players in brick-red jerseys and secondhand shoes hailed from Haiti, Togo, Mexico, Honduras and Harlem. The fresh-faced team in black had neatly trimmed hair, new gear and degrees from Carnegie Mellon, Syracuse, Pace and universities in China and Australia.

Most of the players in black work together at the Royal Bank of Canada, bonded by the financial cloud hanging over their industry. The reds, too, are united by financial circumstance, sharing a temporary address, 1 Wards Island: a homeless shelter.

They faced off the other night at Chelsea Piers, perhaps Manhattan’s premier soccer spot for young professionals, and this spring also the base for the newest team in Street Soccer USA, a 16-city network of homeless players that started in 2005 in Charlotte, N.C., and is under the umbrella of Help USA, a national homeless services provider.

The idea behind homeless soccer is something like this: Take a group of poor people, disconnected from the regular rhythms of life, lacking both physical exercise and much to look forward to. Add soccer.

In Ann Arbor, Mich., and Austin, Tex., Minneapolis, St. Louis and Washington, the program has been credited with helping players pull themselves out of homelessness. There is even a Homeless World Cup. This year’s, the seventh, is scheduled for September in Milan.

“When I’m out there, I feel like I can’t do any wrong,” said Dexter Burnett, 47, who played soccer in his native Jamaica, where his speed earned him the nickname Pepper. He was laid off last fall from a job as a medical assistant. “It allows me not to think about my situation so much and just relax and enjoy the moment.”

The league is the brainchild of Lawrence Cann, 31, once a nationally ranked soccer player at Davidson College, who moved in the fall from Charlotte to New York, with one of the nation’s largest homeless populations, estimated at 35,000, but no established homeless soccer team.

With the help of a few volunteers, Mr. Cann cleared out a dusty gymnasium that had previously been used for storage at the shelter on Wards Island, a patch of land in the East River. He recruited a few reluctant players, promising they would not be punished for missing the standard 10 p.m. shelter curfew.

At an early practice on a rainy night in March, a couple of the 15 people standing expectantly in a circle had evidently been drinking. Most spoke little English. And they did not even know one another’s names.

“Hey, you,” one player called out before kicking a clumsy pass that landed far from its target.

Taking note, Mr. Cann imported a drill familiar to early practices of soccer teams everywhere: Before making a pass, the kicker had to call out the name of the receiver. He gave instructions in English and Spanish. He declared that anybody who showed up drunk or high would not participate that night (but could return the next week). And between running, passing and shooting, players are expected to talk to the coach about their goals outside soccer, their job searches and their state of mind.

Of the 30 people who have turned out for a practice, only six have not returned a second time.

“You need something to occupy your time around here,” said Woods Matthews, 45, a regular whose long braid swings when he plays. “That’s why people get so mad around the shelter. We don’t get any exercise, we’re all cooped up, and then people get in fights.”

As the players smoothed their ragged edges, Mr. Cann began to look for opponents.

Chelsea Piers, with its state-of-the-art facilities, is among the city’s most expensive places to play — $2,450 per team for 10 games — and normally has a waiting list of more than 25 teams. But the bad economy led a lot of corporate-sponsored teams to drop out. Mr. Cann raised the entry fee, Nike donated equipment, and Chelsea Piers provided matching jerseys, as it does for all the teams that play there.

Just getting to the field is a 70-minute trek: the M35 bus to Harlem, a downtown train, then a half-mile walk to the West Side Highway.

The homeless players lost their debut game, 14-4, playing without a single substitute. The next week, they faced a team from Bloomberg, the financial information company, whose players were politely intrigued.

“I guess I figure being homeless, they’ll play pretty aggressively,” predicted Louis Brun, 22.

Street Soccer NY lost again, 11-5. As the teams headed to the locker room, Mr. Burnett chatted up an opponent, asking if Bloomberg was hiring.

“If these guys can get out there, feel comfortable talking to new people, and not get frustrated, then it’s really going to help them integrate,” Mr. Cann said. “Then eventually they’ll keep jobs and not get kicked out of their apartments.”

He is already seeing progress: One player left the shelter and returned to his family. Another, Jarvis Strose, who had refused to meet with caseworkers and regularly missed curfew over two years of homelessness, arrived promptly at practice every week. A caseworker told Mr. Cann that a third man, who had developed a nervous disorder after being beaten in prison, was beginning to recover from his trauma because of the exercise.

On Tuesday, Street Soccer NY met the team made up mostly of Royal Bank of Canada workers, called the Gunners.

Chris Lodgson, 25, who plays center back on the homeless team, came straight from his new job at the cafe at Bloomingdale’s; he was planning to move from the shelter to an apartment in Washington Heights. He will continue to play with Street Soccer, which he said has been instrumental in his getting back on his feet.

“I don’t want to say it’s a return to being normal, but it makes me feel like myself again,” he said. “Two weeks ago, that was, like, the first time in a while that I forgot. I forgot where I was and what was going on.”

The red team took an early lead, passing fluidly, players calling one another by name. Players from the adjacent field wandered over to watch.

“Is that the homeless team?” asked one. “Wow,” he said, cocking an eyebrow. “They’re good.”

Mr. Strose scored his fourth goal of the game, panting with exhaustion as he ran off the field. When Mr. Matthews, sent in to substitute, kicked for a goal but missed the ball entirely, his teammates shouted encouragement.

“When we started, they didn’t know how to play,” Mr. Cann said. “They didn’t know how to pass. They didn’t trust each other.”

Final score: Homeless 10, Bankers 4.

Mr. Cann, surrounded by celebrating players, looked relieved. “We really needed a win,” he said.

Still clapping, he called out to his team, “Shake hands!”

Thanks Ryan

UFL All-Star Weekend
Sunday, March 29th, 5 till 9pm

Parkside FC will be representing on the UFL All-Star team with 3 of our players (Moises Francia #8, Johnathon Law #10, Ricardo Martinez #21) and our keeper, Fernando Dimas #1. Come watch as top talent from the Union Football League takes on Hollywood United FC.

5pm — Atletico 1315 vs Telemundo
7pm — UFL All-Stars vs Hollywood United FC
9pm — Awards and Certificates

That’s right, we handed the LAPD their first DEFEAT of their season — a very physical game. #10 Law went to work quickly in the first half, striking with his left while streaking left across the goal with an amazing shot into the right side. LAPD equalized later in the half when our keeper #1 Dimas came out to challenge, missing the striker, who was left with a wide open goal. Early in the second half #10 Law made a remarkable flick to #4 Santander who volleyed the ball into the upper right corner. We had several additional opportunities to score, but each time our shot went wide or just over the cross bar. The LAPD controlled the possession, of the second half. Ironically, for all their “physical” play, we went down a man, #2 Puleo, who made a clean tackle on ball, but was given a second yellow and show the red. With just 10, Parkside FC went defensive, with most the play in our half, but with only a few threatening shots on goal from the LAPD.

View the rest of the season schedule and league table here.

New league, new kit: black/white shirt, black/white shorts, black/white socks.

adidas is the official equipment sponsor of Parkside FC and the Union Football League.

Another exciting Sunday at the Union Football League!

We went up 4 to 0 in the first half, but Dinamo came back early in the second with spirit and scored 2 quick goals. After being hacked in the box 3-4 previous times, #4 Geronimo got a kick from the dot and took us up 5 to 2. Later, #21 Martinez weaved his way through 2-3 defenders in the box and put a beautiful shot into the upper left corner. That sealed the game, Dinamo made several inspired runs up the center and wings but couldn’t penetrate for any additional goals.

View the rest of the season schedule here.

After a 7 — 0 loss to Nikys last Sunday (and a practice the next day) Parkside FC came out against South LA 1031 and scored 4 in the first 20 minutes of play. We expected at most a draw against the club from South Central, but came out with our first win of the season at the Union Football League. We expect to hit our stride by game 5.

View the rest of the season schedule here.

Season opening matches for the Union Football League this Sunday, February 8th! All played at 7th and Union (entrance on Valencia St and Ingraham St):

Registration for Union Football League begins Monday, December 29th, 2008!
$1600 for a roster of up to 20. $40 for each additional player (Maximum of 26 per roster). This includes all games, referee fees, registration, ID cards and more! Games are on Sundays at 1pm, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm — all played at 7th and Union. If your team is interested, please contact the league Director for details:

George Best Interview, Part 1 of 4.

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

We’ve opened up our Cybershop for the holidays — assorted sizes from our backlist are now available for purchase through our site between today and the New Year. All designs are short sleeve t-shirts, regular-fit, off-white or black, sizes S, M, L and Womens (M). Oh, and they’re all on sale, 25% off.

— Jonathan and Rafaël

Backgammon, Couch Potato, Egg In Cup, Hourglass, Jellyfish, Moon, No Book and Paper Bag. Also available for wholesale order through Textfield Distribution or contact your local retailer.

Would like to welcome Sebastian, Mark, Michael and Tiffany. They’re going to put the rest of us to shame, watch.

Our sides were evenly matched and EPFC played very fair. Both sides had many opportunities to score on breaks up the wings with crosses into the center, neither converted. Our first goal came off a free kick by Johnathon Law #10, the keeper never had a chance. We struggled in the second half to put another in the net after several 1 on 1 breakaways, their defenders managed to challenge at the last minute and a few shots were either deflected by the keeper or went wide. We sealed the game with a great sequence of passes and a breakaway by Ricardo #13 who dribbled around the keeper for an easy shot on goal. The game could have gone either way, but most importantly we had a good time playing with the other club.

Thanks to Moira and her husband from Region 78 who came out and refereed our match.

Friendly Match tonight at Vista Hermosa Park against the Club we practice with every week, Echo Park FC — wish us luck!

The Peregrine Falcon: Nature’s Top Gun. A tribute to the peregrine falcon, including shots of jet fighters. Made from clips of a documentary about the peregrine falcon.

Thanks Michael

From the then-exotic Tango to the lethal Mouldmaster and the pigs bladders of yore, a review of six essential makes of ball.

Thanks Jennifer

True Tales From Another Mexico

Newspapers trumpeted Vicente Fox’s election as Mexico’s president with the headlines “Ya Cambio” — Change has Come. Fox ousted Mexico’s ruling party, the PRI, and ended its 71 years in power. But as Sam Quinones convincingly shows in this book, much of Mexico was changing before the July 2000 presidential elections. Fox’s victory marked the triumph of another Mexico, a vital, energetic, and creative Mexico, tracked by Quinones for over six years and perceptively presented in this book.

“The press, other governments and tourists are most aware of the official, elite, corrupt Mexico; the Mexico that won’t allow a poor man a chance; the Mexico behind the sunglasses. I’ve even been told by people, including Mexicans, that this is Mexican culture. But I know that’s not true. There is another side of Mexico.”

Here are its stories — stories from the Mexico that exists far from the headlines, beyond Cancun and tequila, mariachi bands and Carlos and Charlie’s. Some of the tales Quinones brings us are strange and exotic; but more often they are from mainstream though ignored parts of Mexican life.

Chalino Sanchez was a migrant worker who became a underground singer of narcocorridos — ballads about drug smugglers — until his murder, which remains unsolved. Two traveling salesmen trundled through a sweltering small town one day, plying their wares. The next day they were hanging from the town’s bandstand lynched by a mob, a thousand strong.

True Tales From Another Mexico takes us to the Bronx — the rude boys of Mexico’s Congress. It immerses us in the world of Oaxacan farmworkers in Baja California. We see how a bunch of illiterate rancheros invented the Michoacana ice cream stores and turned it into the most successful small-business in Mexico. We visit the cult of Nueva Jerusalen, a theocratic village run by a charismatic excommunicated Catholic priest, where residents receive voting instructions from the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Thanks Michael

Sterling Geometric Study

Video for Flying Lotus’ Dance Floor Dale (Parisian Goldfish) track, directed by Eric Wareheim, co-directed by Eric Fensler and Devin Flynn.

Warning: contains explicit images

Thanks Mason

Below: comment on Jennifer Doyle’s article, el Resto del Mundo

Jennifer,

What intrigues me most about your entry/article is the section that covers local footballing culture. I currently play regular pick-up at Pan Pacific Park (usually on Wednesdays), but am constantly in search of better grounds. Though there’s always the option of joining a league or even an officiated formal meet-up, I really can’t commit to anything of the sort. Pan Pacific Park, or “P3,” has but one proper “field,” (i.e. one w. goal posts) one that’s all dirt, dust, rocks, pitons, and storm drains. Everything but hierba; yes, it’s a total favela. This means no firm-ground boots, just the thick-soled hard ground type. When you’re done for the day, you look like you’ve just been teleported from Black Rock City.

The rest of the park is pure green, but littered with those infamous signs. The only sanctioned green areas: mine fields booby trapped with boulders, storm drains, and mini palm trees, all in an effort to deter any would-be 5 v 5 action. OK, so the conspiracy theorist in me ascribes authoritative intent to the random placement of said obstacles. We used to play in these areas, but…

About a year ago, a guy slipped and collided with one of those trachycarpus mini-palms, cracked his head right open down to the gray. Pools of blood. See, this type of palm is squat with no shaft, just an armor of godendag-like stegosaurus plates evolutionarily equipped to render you a Regarding Henry Memento type. Dude didn’t have insurance, much less a green card. Refused to go to hospital; just laid there, supine and motionless. So much for the blood-brain barrier.

Partially at fault for this tragedy, I might add, was the lack of illumination. At P3, only the field and designated football ‘patches’ lie unequipped for nightly use. The baseball diamonds, by contrast, transform into veritable film sets come sundown. This brings me to the war: America’s Pastime vs. The Beautiful Game. Yes, the BASEballers hate us. They won’t return shanked balls, or even respond to our calls. Worse, even when there’s no game on, they’ll kick us off the outfield. I’ve even seen the free youth clinic being booted on a number of occasions. Why? The coaches are in with the management, who, in turn, never hesitate to call LE (similar experience at Cheviot Hills Park and others). One P3 baseball coach called us out:

“You guys have no self-respect. Whenever we reseed the soccer field, you guys tear it all up by slide tackling and over-playing and not respecting the reservation protocol.”

Wonder if by “you guys,” he meant foreigner/imigrant/Euro-trash? Rather than responding with irresponsible accusations of veiled-racism and the like, I’ll say this: the one time they fenced off the area and reseeded, yes, it was beautiful. They manually watered till the leaves grew to knee height and then mowed. But here’s the thing: they used the wrong type of seed. We needed zoysia or plastic; they gave us some stunted bahia strain. And worst of all: after they mowed, they never watered. Within 2 months it was desert again. Sabotage.

In my search for greener pastures, I’ve inevitably looked east. I live in East Hollywood/K-town, so naturally, I’ve tried Mac Arthur and Lafayette. Both are pretty crowded, but offer some rotational (5 in, 5 out) mini pick-up play. Griffith East, along Crystal Spring Drive is the only grassy expanse in L.A. where I’ve been able to find regular, no-reservation, open pick-up where the authorities are lax about the “no” rule. Cool. But the thing is… it’s very clique-y and lacks the “everyone plays” accommodating attitude of P3. At Griffith (and elsewhere), most games are dominated by one homogenous coterie or another. Completely tribal. Salvadorian, Guatemalan, Armenian, Korean, Oaxacan, Sinaloan, etc. No outsiders. No mixing. Where’s the love?

P3, on the other hand, has the best vibe and is vertically integrated skill wise. Fathers, sons, Europeans, Africans, emos, cholos, queens, jailbait, lipstick lesbians, drunks, stoners, little people, university scholars, Korean-Argentineans, middle schoolers, Turks, Armenians, and yes, Palestinians and Israelis. Players from every economic walk of life. Oh, and groupies. There’s even a lady with an ice chest who dispenses cold water to the weary, free of charge. This is true americana. And it’s crowded.

So, after this longwinded rant, here’s my question: is there anywhere in L.A. with a pick-up vibe like P3’s that features real grass?

And lastly, Jennifer, the whole MexiMoz thing is a truly awesome phenomenon. My friends and I have always been fascinated by this unlikely marriage. In a way, it symbolizes the ineffable vibe that is P3 pick-up. See you on the pitch…

Sincerely,
Solus Woodrose

September 27, 2008 2:02 AM