Arts: March 2006 Archives

I know, I know, saving the world is a big job, but is art up to the challenge? According to Dave, the editor of the newly minted glossy mag, Art World Digest, the answer is yes.

I met Dave Cohen a month or two ago at a party in Greenpoint, where the conversation turned to art and Dave's belief that it can and should save the world--and, he added not too shyly, he was just the person to make it happen. Though said with a certain amount of bravado, Dave is a likable, inspiring guy, so I gave him my e-mail address and told him to send me an invite for his launch party.

The aim of Art World Digest, which did in fact launch last night at Galapagos in Williamsburg, is to publish the work of unknown artists and generally invigorate the planet with a collective artistic unconscious (my words, not his). Dave is willing to concede that conquering the world must happen in steps; he also believes that it also must be collective, and--in his vision--it will involve seeds.

As part of his next project, he's coordinating meet-ups where he'll hand out packets of seeds ($10 donation) and photograph the prospective planters, sort of a face-to-face MySpace for the environmentally concerned artist set. Seed-holders then go home and plant the seeds wherever they want--inside, outside, etc., with the idea that the plantings will be as creative as possible and perhaps spawn more art. He's planning to use the photographs to inspire his magazine's next incarnation (out in October, I believe) and as part of a larger exhibit. You can buy his mag online for $8.95 and support 99 artists who haven't made it big.

Playing the party last night was Aderbat, who are on MySpace, and in my humble opinion were quite good.

Below: One of the Aderbat clan playing his guitar with a violin bow.