Intimate Conversations

Séraphine to Joshua - Speak To Me In Whispers  

 Portrait (detail) 2012

Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator 

Absinthe Journal

A good quality Absinthe (served straight up), is a little like Tequila if it were a cordial though not necessarily. Its consistency and texture, can be somewhat dense with a light herbal aftertaste depending on which brand you buy and as a rule .. 

The better the quality, the more enjoyable the drinking experience 

My personal preference is to imbibe gracefully, as one would with a fine liquor. The traditional method of adding ice cold water (filtered through a sugar cube), will thin the natural flavors and often result in tasting watered-down and artificially sweetened   

First- let's approach the Absinthe Mythology with a grain of salt 

Face it guys, if you drink enough of anything and your consumption reaches a toxic level.. SHIT WILL HAPPEN

Standards and Uniformity

Back in 18th century Switzerland, the standards for production and control were universally non-existent. Distilleries were producing spirit's with as much as 74% alcohol by volume meaning, 90-148 proof and was patented by the French doctor, Pierre Ordinaire c.1797

His goal, was to concoct an elixir that contained the medicinal properties of Artemisia Absinthium or Wormwood. At this point in history, Wormwood was used as both Remedy and household utility

Early use includes (but not limited to) a natural insecticide used by man and hunters to ward-off pelt eating critters, an anti-venom for stinging sea creatures and as an antidote to counter the effects of hemlock and toadstool poisoning

Due to its availability and abundance in many 18th century countries, Absinthe was far cheaper to produce than gin and vodka, pandering specifically to the lower and middle classes of Europe

To date, the precise origin of Absinthe remains unclear ..

The medical use of wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt and is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, circa 1550 BC

Wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves, were also used as remedies in ancient Greece. Moreover, there is evidence of
a popular wormwood-flavored Greek wine (Absinthites Oinos) in the same time period.. Ron Maubidea      

 Kitchen Prep Table

Photography: Alexia Martinez (c) 2013
 
Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator 

Gallery News: The Chinese New Year

For so many of us, the untimely death of a loved one 

is a tragic and inconceivable event 

Following the death of his long-time friend and writing partner, Don Greene (galerie post: January 22, 2012) were the passing's of Ron's father Albert and girlfriend-muse, Beth Young  

  

Like most of the people in his immediate circle, 

the latter was unknown to me and according to close friends
and family... the healing process is over

What would make these tragedies so difficult for anyone,
is the fact they all happened just a few months apart 

After more than a year, Ron Maubidea 

will be returning to the Gallery from an extended sabbatical 

The new work will include a series of Fictional Stories (in photo essay) and his collaborations with French writer Henri Abideau, Toggio Castillo and photographers Allison and Robert Jeffries

On behalf of all those affiliated with the gallery,
I would like to extend our appreciation for the beautiful cards
and thoughtful words ..

Festive Chinese New Year Celebration - San Francisco 
http://www.asianweek.com/2012/01/31/city-celebrates-chinese-new-year-with-parade-and-festival/ 

Suzanne Horowitz - Publicist

Preface: The Devil and Don Greene

*****

Hidden Cabin: Birnam Wood... Macbeth

From the first moment we met… I knew that my relationship with this charismatic over-achiever was going to be unique

He was musically intuitive (couldn’t read a note),

had never played an instrument and possessed the uncanny ability to paint mental pictures with words

Artistically speaking, Don was fearless and unrelenting…

and lived his Life in much the same manner

He was a natural leader and loved taking charge. His years of excellence in both Hotel Management and the Broadcast Industry, are but a few examples of his impressive talents 

Perhaps one of his greatest qualities,
lie in Don’s determination… because once he set his sights on something, no entity in the universe or natural disaster could ever deter him from reaching that goal

To say he was an enigmatic personality, all-encompassing and sometimes confusing would be an understatement…

Donnie could be both gentile and understanding while remaining cold and distant, more often than not (respectfully speaking) brutally honest and self-deprecating in the same conversation 

These characteristics which I believe in part,
were due to his cynical overview of the world as observed

A larger than Life sort of guy in the truest sense-

Often times perversely witty- and had a constant aura of energy
that seemed to attract (and influence) most people

The attitude behind his words were like a double edge blade
and cut both ways simultaneously-

As a poet and performer,

he would snarl, whine and growl at the audience...

Could spit out verse like a $10 crack-ho on a Jones!

And in the aftermath... 

make you believe that every word was part of a gospel

Ron Maubidea

The Devil and Don Greene

*****

Blue Mango Garden - Udine

On January 11th, I received an email informing me

that my best friend for over fifteen years had passed away-

We lost touch sometime back in 04’ when life in the Big City      began to get complicated 

It was the mid to late 1980’s when I first met Don Greene. I was working in Cable Television when an ad was placed in the Village Voice reading, Electronic Musician (that would be me) seeks similar or opposite for compilation recording. Send demo tapes to...

A few days later, the music of Verbal Drama

was being pumped though the studio

His music was a mix of Punk and “Socially Conscious” high energy New Wave. That was the beginning of a long friendship, an artistic collaboration and thousands of unforgettable moments

A Few Select Memories

Re: The Santa Cruz video…

Not exactly MTV quality (replete with photo montage and hi-end special effects) but a rather whimsical, moody vehicle

for an elegant song written by Don Greene and Billy Cote

Re: The Stone Pony performance with Hole

Our friend's band (Madder Rose) with Mary Brett Lorson and BIlly Cote had just left the stage… Courtney Love was standing off to my left holding her baby and looking rather annoyed-

Where’s the MC, she asked… where’s the fuc*in MC!!

She then passed the kid to her nanny and took off in a huff-

This place is run like sh*t someone declared and under the circumstances, I couldn’t have agreed more

I ain’t goin’ on that stage without an introduction, Courtney grumbled… LIKE NO FU*KIN’ WAY

That’s when Donnie turned to me with a peculiar look in his eye and I started to laugh. At this point, the energy between us was kinetic

He then raised an eyebrow, did a complete about-face and took off for the stage like a soldier on a mission

He made no announcement nor did he ask-

just did what had to be done in typical Don Greene fashion

Without hesitation he grabbed the mic and shouted,

YOU PEOPLE WANNA HEAR MORE MUSIC?

The audience went crazy… I CAN’T FUC*IN HEAR YOU, Don repeated

IF YOU WANNA HEAR MORE FUC*IN MUSIC…

MAKE SOME FUC*IN NOIIIIIIIIISE and the place lit up

like a terrorist in Baghdad

Body parts (metaphorically speaking) were flying everywhere!

The guy next to me… got hit in the face with a bloody lung or maybe a bottle of beer (still undetermined)

The show was one of those “Outdoor - Indoor” events. There were people shimmying up the poles that supported the tent

to get a better look at the stage…

After all, we were in New Jersey and this sort of behavior was generally expected from the locals. Have you even seen the Jersey Shore… my point exactly (no disrespect intended)

Somewhere amidst the mayhem,

Hole took the stage and Donnie returned to Earth

How’d I look up there… do you think anyone heard me (laughing)

You were great man… absolutely great!

We later heard that the missing MC was discovered “nursing a nod” in one of the dressing rooms. Or maybe found dead… face down,

drowned in a toilet and I don’t recall which

*  *  *

Re: The Witch Hunt video story-

Cinéma Vérité at its most challenging and as they say in Brooklyn,

If you got the stones for it… go for it and if not, get out of my face! To be posted at a later date…

Re: Letters to Serial Killers by Don Greene

What I recall most was a cold winter afternoon…
I had stopped by Don’s apartment to play catch-up when he handed me a half dozen letters

What are these I asked? It’s the beginning of my correspondence with serial killers; you may recognize one of the names-

This guy is famous, but why are you writing to these people? I have a new book project in mind… what do you think? I think it’s strange and possibly dangerous… a unique concept indeed

This one is from a gang member on Death Row. He seems pretty cool about the idea of a book and doesn’t mind me sharing his thoughts with the world. Why is he on Death Row, I inquired?

He kills people for the gang, I guess he’s a Hit Man

Don, I really don’t think this is cool at all. The guy is a contract killer… and that is “uncool”

Don: You know what really gets this cat off… killing cops

But before he shoots them or however he decides to kill them,

he slowly humiliates them in the most heinous ways imaginable…

and loves doing it!

Ron: On second thought, I think you should drop the whole idea

There are other books you can write that are safer and can offer a more constructive reading experience

That’s when Don’s phone rang...

It was the serial killers mother (Mama), and she was asking Don to send her some money. It was never clear what sort of deal Donnie struck with her son regarding his part of the book

Apparently, there were favors being dealt from a West Coast prison to New York’s Rikers Island and my boy was smack in the middle of it

Here Ron (handing me the phone)… she wants to speak with you

What do you mean; she wants to speak to me?

She asked to speak to Ron, that’s you

Yeah... but how does she know my name?
I told her about you, and she knows that we’re close friends…

- As a Final Thought - 

Gang members, their affiliations and relatives are simply everywhere… and in every city and state. From the supermarket to the Post Office, the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security and in every branch of government including the military

They are patient and methodical and can track a person… anywhere, which may include International travel

From a former address… a place of work, the names of friends and family etc. I say this because one day after the fact… SK’s Mama found me just to say hello, and my phone was unlisted 

For those of a different mindset…

if you search long enough for trouble, it will find you and that’s a fact

To some readers…
the idea of writing letters to serial killers may seem a bit odd if not terrifying, but to someone the likes of Don Greene-

It was a stroll thorugh the gardens of a Countryside Manor,

serving tea with crumpets at four

To be lovingly continued… R.I.P. my Dearest Friend Don

Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator

Color Phasing: A Step Forward in Digital Art

*****
The term “color phase” as it pertains to Abstract Automatism

and digital painting, seemed an appropriate reference in terms of its similarities to Audio Phase Shifting

Audio Phase Shifting defined...
http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/phasers/phase.html

In this instance... I was calibrating the color yellow as it relates to brown and green

After enlarging a small section of the painting
a peculiar texture emerged 

Surface Treatment: A

Surface Treatment: B

It was a texture not unlike, (and in combination with other enhancements) a magnified view of human skin with characteristic patterns. It was also reminiscent of aging oil paints

Clearly, the above image does not resemble skin in the classic sense It does however; contain an organic architecture often found, when observing samples under a microscope

* * * 

No Special Effects were used in the Making of this Image

Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator

Of Special Note

A Tribute
to the People and Organizations who provide and train

Special Dogs for Special Needs Children

Anya - Dog Trainer

Although the portrait of Anya is not that of an actual person
it symbolizes the Dedication and Purpose by those whose daily activities are focused on others... far less fortunate

To the Men, Women and Children
suffering from debilitating handicaps

PBS has painted an extraordinarily touching view
of the People and Dogs, whose lives have been transformed
due to the loving efforts... by those who care

Through a Dog's Eyes

a PBS Special Presentation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB0QM_bLd1I