The Mixmaster

A Shrink Psychoanalyzed Artist Denise Prince and Her Work Live at CentralTrak Last Night

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:03:25 -0600

Who's on first: Artist (left) and analyst at CentralTrak

Last Saturday night, I swept my eyes from left to right, then back again, over photographer Denise Prince's four pieces at CentralTrak as if I was flipping through pages in a magazine. On another wall, there was a bigger neon display, its bold blues and pinks distracting you from the bigger picture: In one corner, there is an impossibly polished model, and in the other, you are looking at a dead woman.

Over the last few years, Prince, who grew up in Dallas, has been recreating images from a 2009 Missoni ad campaign, called Replication and Breakdown of the Missoni Estate Line Catalog. She assigned the model roles to women and men who'd experienced physical trauma or deformity. In the above case, she photographed a recently deceased woman in India and juxtaposed her with the ad's original model.

The pieces were part of CentralTrak's current That Mortal Coil exhibit, which focuses on more radical depictions of the body and contemporary beauty and fashion. Her models were there among Ari Richter's heavily contested "Wolf Dong," R.E. Cox's architecturally precarious prosthetic leg sculptures, and Nina Schwanse's "Squirting" video series. It was a lot to take in.

Which is why I was so excited to know Prince's work would be psychoanalyzed by Dr. Charles Merward, her L.A.-based shrink, at CentralTrak a few days later, during a talk called "Not on Speaking Terms."

A Cursing Mayor, a Tweeting Six-Year-Old and Other Highlight From A Way with Words, Live at Lakewood Theater

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:04:45 -0600

There was nary a nose ring in site at last night's A Way With Words event at Lakewood Theater. The grammar geeks filed in cheerfully, dressed in springtime pastels and pausing just long enough to order Malbec doubles at the bar.

Yes! A Way With Words Comes to Dallas was the hyper-liberal's version of a gawdamn rock show, and someone there probably had a Hemingway tattoo. Now, let's crowd surf through the night's highlights.

My Eyes!
NPR celebs Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett did some awkwardly bookish dancing to Cameo's "Word Up." Which was more painful to watch than the original video, featuring lead singer Larry Ernest Blackmon in a red leather codpiece.

The Magic of Underground, ArtLoveMagic's Annual Art Party

Fri, 17 May 2013 07:00:55 -0600

ArtLoveMagic

From left; ArtLoveMagic's Michael Lagocki, Justin Nygren and David Rodriguez.

The 10 to 15 artists and musicians who performed at ArtLoveMagic's first "REACH" event in 2007 wasn't exactly what co-founder David Rodriguez had in mind.

"Since ArtLoveMagic started I had the vision of Underground in my head," Rodriguez says of the grandiose interactive art experience that returns this weekend. "It started with one or two musicians and some poets. It was successful but I really wanted to see the formula work on a larger scale with more of a variety of talent to exhibit, a little bit louder, a little bit crazier."

Drew Carey Favored Young Hotties and Other Whose Line Wisdom from Ryan Stiles

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:00:48 -0600

It's chicken enchilada night at Ryan Stiles' house, and he's manning the stove.

Stiles does all the cooking for his family. He is, after all, semi-retired. But he'll be back on the road again this summer with Whose Live Anyway?, the 90-minute, live version of Whose Line is it Anyway?, which aired on ABC from 1998 to 2006. The group will perform some of the games made famous during their TV days plus lots of new ones.

"Couch Session" at CentralTrak to Feature the Artist Sitting Silently with Her Psychoanalyst

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:11:48 -0600

Isabelle Ten, July 2011, Denise Prince

Denise Prince's current collection of photographs sprung from four years of psychoanalysis. It was in the final two when the work became strangely experimental, compulsive and packed tight with neurosis.

The show, now completed, hangs on CentralTrak's back gallery wall, as one part of the new group exhibition That Mortal Coil. Tonight, you can hear the meaning behind the work, which gives a reformative view of fashion adverts modeled by corpses and disfigured women -- but not from the artist herself. That wouldn't do. Prince's analyst, Charles Merward, will run the "couch session" while Prince sits present and captive, but silent.

"My goal is to try and help viewers encounter what Denise sees and encounters through her photographs, like a telescope." Says Merward. "We're kind of like a Penn and Teller act."

14 Awesome Things to Do in Dallas this Weekend, May 16 to 19

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:44:56 -0600

This could be you at Strokers on Saturday!

William Shatner is back as a special Dallas Comic Con guest -- just another excuse for you to dive into three days comic book digging, celebrity appearances and costume one-upmanship. There's also a fundraiser at a biker bar, a beer pong battle suitable for straight-edgers, and one downright exciting day of art. Brace yourself, and set your phasers to stunning, because it's The Weekend.

Share this list with your gang and click on event titles for more information. I'll see you out there. (I'll be the one serenading Shatner.)

Thursday 5.16
Experimental Live Couch Session Art Discussion at CentralTrak -- This is one of the oddest and most intriguing art projects of ...ever, maybe? Photographer Denise Prince spent several years putting together her "Missoni" collection, currently on display at CentralTrak. It's intriguing work that deconstructs a fashion campaign through unconventional muses, including one dressed up human corpse. A-aa-a-nd here's where things get weird: Rather than presenting her own artist talk, she's flying in her analyst, Charles Merward, from Los Angeles to give a live couch session regarding the work. She'll sit silently as it occurs.

The Five Best Comedy Shows in Dallas This Weekend, May 16-19

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:00:33 -0600

nuvo

Rawr. Ms. Schumer is here Friday at the House of Blues.

Every week we highlight the best comedy of the coming weekend. Find more comedy events at dallasobserver.com/calendar.

Amy Schumer at the House of Blues
Schumer is the creator, star and writer of Inside Amy Schumer, her Comedy Central TV show that premiered last month. You've seen her roast some of the best on Comedy Central, including Roseanne and Charlie Sheen, and she's also appeared on The Howard Stern Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Tickets are available online.

This Weekend's Beer Pong Tourney in Addison Does Not Include Beer for Some Reason

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:00:51 -0600

Via Wikimedia

This weekend, North Texas Beer Pong is hosting its Battle of the South Weekend, a multi-day event of beer pong tournaments at McFadden's in Addison. It kicks off with the King and Queen of the South, the men's and women's singles tournaments, and builds to an eight-round squad tournament with 10-player teams cupping off against each other.

But before you start polishing your finest balls there are two things you should know.

1. Registration is closed. This is some serious stuff guys, and regional teams from San Antonio to Maryland are showing up.

2. There's no beer in the cups because of a Texas law, which means there are Texas laws relating to beer pong.

Previewing Dallas Comic Con from A to Z

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:31:32 -0600

Kevin Tedora

Dallas Comic Con, that annual ode to pop-culture nerdery, arrives at the Irving Convention Center this weekend. If it's anything like last year's, it will be glorious.

But for noobs and vets alike, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. So we've created a simple-to-follow-if-you-know-your-A-B-Cs glossary, to give you the rundown of the good, the bad and the ugly of Dallas Comic Con.

Reality Show The Quest Is in Search of Dallas' Tolkien Nerd

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:28:42 -0600

Thought all subcultures were already tapped for reality television? Guess again. A new program is gaining momentum and intends to fill its cast with our favorite obsessives, The Nerds of Earth.

The Quest has been described by its creator as "Amazing Race in Middle-Earth" and takes its potential crew on a mission to "follow their dreams."

Those selected should be somewhat obsessive, though the focus of their gaze can range the rough terrain of geekly pursuits, from Dungeons and Dragons, LARPing and Tolkien to Game of Thrones and other genre fascinations.

In order to piggyback off Comic Con's momentum, there will be a Dallas casting call this Friday from 8 to 10 p.m. at Barcadia, which should be hilarious, given the collegey, booty-bump crowd that fills in the venue on weekend nights.

Quest's casting management says that a good candidate will present themselves as a competitive spirit, you know -- someone fully committed to winning. Whether that means slaying a few orcs to be deemed a hero or resorting to sneaky tactics -- they want to see a drive. So don't be afraid to let out your inner Gollum.

Currently The Quest isn't linked with a specific network affiliate, but Profiles Television is behind its early stage development. They've got a Lord of the Rings executive producer on board and the creative minds of Amazing Race, so if it all shakes out, you'll see a larger-than-life celebration of sci-fi and fantasy arrive on your dial soon.

Your Guide to One of the Year's Busiest Evenings of Dallas Art-Hopping

Wed, 15 May 2013 07:00:12 -0600

"Billowing Beauties" by Anne Ferrer

These inflatable sculptures will fill Red Arrow Contemporary on Saturday

Dallas' sprawl is often seen as a weakness, especially when it comes to creating community. But sometimes a little distance is useful. It allows for distinctive pockets of artistic personalities to emerge, and when those pieces click together, as should happen on Saturday, our city's many influences become visible, tangible and, at times, interactive.

To witness that panoramic view, break away from your usual stomping grounds, update your mapping app and pack your car with friends. Also, bring snacks. If you want the complete tour of Dallas art this Saturday, you'll need to maintain for 12 hours straight.

A Pregnant Lady's Etiquette Tips for Pregnants

Wed, 15 May 2013 06:00:41 -0600

Welcome to Alice Column, in which Alice Laussade writes stories about things on (roughly) the same day of (roughly) every week, making it (roughly) a column. Got an idea for a column? Start your own blog and write it up, you lazy shit.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas alerted me that this week is National Etiquette Week. Apparently people have been celebrating this since 1997, which must be when shit started to hit the fan, politeness-wise. Makes sense. Meredith Brooks' "Bitch" was No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year and everyone knows she's the worst etiquetter ever. (And a liar. Never trust anyone who tells you she's "a goddess on her knees.")

This in mind, here are some helpful etiquette tips to pregnant bitches from a pregnant bitch. (Mad I called you a bitch? Practice these skills for a week and I'll call you a lady.)

Baby Fashion Is Out of Control

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:02:51 -0600

neimanmarcus.com

$195 is not too much for shoes for someone who can't walk and doesn't know what the word "shoe" means.

If you're a new parent, of course you want the best for your beautiful little angel-bundle of piss and dump. And don't fancy designers know it. Here are five ridiculous baby-clothing options that are currently available in the world. Prepare to be amazed.

Gucci Double-Strap Sneaker, Pink (above)
You, too, can buy your baby designer shoes for only $195. This shoe looks like a kid already threw up on it. Under "You may also like," they should have included "bending your wallet over and letting Neiman Marcus take advantage of it."

In Defense of "Wolf Dong," the Dog-Hair-Covered Dildo at CentralTrak (NSFW)

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:15 -0600

"Wolf Dong," by Ari Richter

"Lately it feels like something's come between us."

There's a lot going on in That Mortal Coil (Rebuking the Ideal in Contemporary Figurative Art), CentralTrak's newest group show, curated by Heyd Fontenot. The exhibition is a search for beauty in unconventional bodily spaces, and a retaliation to how the human figure is perceived in terms of physical perfection.

Also? There's a dildo covered in dog hair.

Real World Auditions Are Coming to Dallas

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:36:48 -0600

Before they were strangers who decided to stop being polite and start getting real, the cast members of Real World were just stars in waiting.

MTV's iconic staple of reality television is now casting for Season 29. The show's vetters will be in Dallas at Redrock Bar and Grill on Saturday, May 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in search of seven new faces. To be considered, you'll need to be at least 20, and appear to be between the ages of 20 and 24. If that's you, just bring a photo and an ID to the open casting call.

Can't make it that Saturday? Submit a casting tape instead.