Speed of Life

In an earlier post, I referenced a photo taken by Lefteris Pitarakis of a female protester kissing an Egyptian police officer. A Protester in Egypt Kisses a Police Officer photo by: Lefteris Pitarakis / AP A guide for protesters in Egypt has been circulating. Alexis Madrigal on the Atlantic site has published a translation. Reading the manual it is evident that the protests are intended to be peaceful. The manual was sent out in anticipation of today's events. The illustration, below, taken from the manual echoes Pitarakis' photo. More at: Egyptian Activists' Action Plan: Translated

A Protester in Egypt Kisses a Police Officer photo by: Lefteris Pitarakis / AP This evening President Barack Obama spoke out after a phone call with current Egyptian leader Mubarak: THE PRESIDENT: Good evening, everybody. My administration has been closely monitoring the situation in Egypt, and I know that we will be learning more tomorrow when day breaks. As the situation continues to unfold, our first concern is preventing injury or loss of life. So I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protesters. The people of Egypt have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere. I also call upon the Egyptian government to reverse the actions that they’ve taken to interfere with access to the Internet, to cell phone servic...

Henry Taylor Chicago Cous 2007 Acrylic on canvas 24" × 20" Samsøn Projects, Boston More info on Boston's Samsøn Projects Tonight at Barker Hangar, the Art Los Angeles Contemporary art fair opens at 8pm. The fair runs from January 27, 2011 until January 30, 2011. Gregg Chadwick Ko-Omote (Winter Face) oil on silk 2011 My studio at the Santa Monica Art Studios is located across the street from Barker Hangar and will be open tonight for the opening party and this weekend. Please stop by and say hello. Santa Monica Art Studios Studio #15 3026 Airport Avenue Santa Monica, California 90405 Also of interest, on Sunday at 4pm at the Ruskin Theater across the street from Barker Hangar, the Honor Fraser Gallery presents Rancourt/Yatsuk's Omega Club: 2011 Annual Gathering , a fictitious multi-level marketing company’s annual event. Conceived as a rising star of the trillion-dollar health and wellness industry, Omega Club will host its first annual gathering of 2011. Details on A...

Remarks of President Barack Obama - As Prepared for Delivery Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans: Tonight I want to begin by congratulating the men and women of the 112th Congress, as well as your new Speaker, John Boehner. And as we mark this occasion, we are also mindful of the empty chair in this Chamber, and pray for the health of our colleague -- and our friend -- Gabby Giffords. It's no secret that those of us here tonight have had our differences over the last two years. The debates have been contentious; we have fought fiercely for our beliefs. And that's a good thing. That's what a robust democracy demands. That's what helps set us apart as a nation. But there's a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. Amid all the noise and passions and rancor of our public debate, Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something ...

Paul Cézanne Young Italian Woman at a Table 36 1/8 x 28 7/8 in. oil on canvas circa 1895 - 1900 Getty Museum Collection, Los Angeles photo by Gregg Chadwick Gregg Chadwick Paul Cézanne 20"x16" black and sanguine conte on paper 2009 (from the book Wordcatcher )

photo by Gregg Chadwick "There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. In these hours of need and moments of pain and anxiety, all of us would hope to have a hand to hold, a shoulder on which to lean – a loved one to be there for us, as we would be there for them." - President Barack Obama, April 15, 2010 President Obama issued a directive to the Department of Health and Human Services to work to prohibit discrimination in hospital visitation. On April 15, 2010 President Obama directed Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius to "initiate rulemaking to ensure that hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid respect the rights of patients to designate visitors. The President further advised that the rule should ensure that participating hospitals may not deny visitation privileges based on factors including sexual orientation or gender identity." Today, January 19...

Photo by Greg Bryan Christina Green’s parents, Roxanna and John, and her brother, Dallas, at her funeral service. Dear parents, Like so many Americans all across the country, Barack and I were shocked and heartbroken by the horrific act of violence committed in Arizona this past weekend. Yesterday, we had the chance to attend a memorial service and meet with some of the families of those who lost their lives, and both of us were deeply moved by their strength and resilience in the face of such unspeakable tragedy. As parents, an event like this hits home especially hard. It makes our hearts ache for those who lost loved ones. It makes us want to hug our own families a little tighter. And it makes us think about what an event like this says about the world we live in – and the world in which our children will grow up. In the days and weeks ahead, as we struggle with these issues ourselves, many of us will find that our children are struggling with them as well. The questions my daughter...

Gregg Chadwick Las Piedras del Cielo 16"x20" oil on linen 2010 "I call on Americans to observe a moment of silence to honor the innocent victims of the senseless tragedy in Tucson, Ariz., including those still fighting for their lives. It will be a time for us to come together as a nation in prayer or reflection, keeping the victims and their families closely at heart." - President Barack Obama Sometimes a still wind is more powerful than a gale. Sometimes silence is more powerful than taunts. Sometimes peace is more powerful than battle. I present this simple image of a figure at the Canyon's edge in Arizona as my moment of silence today as I mourn the victims of Saturday's violence in Arizona. For those who perished I stop in silence. I give thanks for the lives they led and the people they touched. - U.S. District Judge John Roll, 63. - Gabe Zimmerman, 30, Giffords' director of community outreach. - Dorwin Stoddard, 76, a pastor at Mountain Ave. Churc...

President Obama speaks from the White House on the shootings in Arizona and on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Full transcript below: THE PRESIDENT: As many of you are aware, earlier today a number of people were shot in Tucson, Arizona, including several who were meeting at a supermarket with their congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords. We are still assembling all the facts, but we know that Representative Giffords was one of the victims. She is currently at a hospital in the area, and she is battling for her life. We also know that at least five people lost their lives in this tragedy. Among them were a federal judge, John Roll, who has served America’s legal system for almost 40 years; and a young girl who was barely nine years old. I’ve spoken to Arizona governor Jan Brewer and offered the full resources of the federal government. A suspect is currently in custody, but we don’t yet know what provoked this unspeakable act. A comprehensive investigation is currently underway, an...

A new exhibit of Sol LeWitt's artwork is currently being installed at the L.A. Louver Gallery in Venice, California. The opening reception is on January 20, 2010. For those interested in artistic process the gallery is streaming a live video of four L.A. artists, working with Gabriel Hurier from the Sol LeWitt estate, as they create the work onsite. Streaming Webcast of Sol LeWitt Wall Drawings installation in progress

by Gregg Chadwick Celluloid Dreams at the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, Japan I woke up from a dream this morning that seemed to have been pulled from a Hayao Miyazaki film. In my dream a tender sapling reached towards the light as it sprouted from my wrist. Above, russet clouds moved in a cerulean sky. I look to my dreams as openings rather than fortunes. Yet, since I recently returned from Tokyo, I should remember that in Japan the first dreams of the New Year, hatsu-yume 初夢, traditionally provide markers for the dreamer's upcoming year. Hayao Miyazaki Sketch for Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) pencil and watercolor on paper 2001 (Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, Japan) The vision and mystery of Hayao Miyazaki's work will surely provide inspiration for me throughout 2011. In December, I was fortunate to visit the Ghibli Museum which was created to feature the art and films of Hayao Miyazaki and also the breadth of animation done by Studio Ghibli since its founding in 1985 by fil...