Ric Ocasek’s debut art show

WE'RE SUPPORTING

James Rajotte’s photo series on Rochester’s East High School is a revealing insight into the parameters of ’spatial relationships and the connotations of objects’. Of the work, he says: ‘My interest in photographing East came about as I was volunteering in a mentoring program in which students made short video productions with an anti-violent message. When I decided to photograph, I wrote a formal letter to the Superintendent and the Principal. After a bit of humming and hawing they made me East High School’s “official” photographer. They gave me a make-shift laminated pass and I became friendly with the security guards’. For an extended interview with James Rajotte, check out the Feature Shoot photo blog.

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

This organic form, revealing itself from the sprawling metropolis of Barcelona via the marauding eye of Google, is the Santa Caterina Market. Designed by the late architect Enric Miralles it has a floating ceramic roof that drapes the bustling market below in a parental way. The coloured ceramics, of course, represent the smorgasbord of fruit and vegetables on sale within and enable a majestic view, not only for Google, but also to its immediate neighbours overlooking the site.

WE'RE WEARING

Illustrator Hope Gangloff has a stack of her ‘election’ tees from the previous US election available for sale which she created with the talented New York-based artist (and her hubbie, no less!), Ben Degen. Even though they were done to mark Bush’s reappointment, they still kinda sum up her mood on the tussle between Obama and McCain. ‘If the election gets stolen’, she says. ‘What say we burn down the capital instead of blogging about it?’. Hmmm, now there’s an idea.

WE'RE THINKING

Project Squadt’s latest skull-masked collectible figure is already sold out, but it’s worth taking a look at their site to be ready when they unveil the next one. I’m not much of a toy-freak, but these are still pretty nifty.

WE'RE READING

Square America is a photo blog that’s sort of like Found magazine, but with more rhyme and reason. The eerie, antique photos are organized by theme, subject matter, and even the ways in which time or lens imperfections distort the images. Read more

Rarely is a film politically poignant as well as wonderfully written, acted and shot. The second feature from director Kimberly Peirce of Boys Don’t Cry was inspired by her brother, who joined the army, and was only possible after months of meticulous research. Read more

WE'RE LISTENING TO

Monarch are an incredibly grim, lumbering doom metal band from Basque country in France. Frontwoman Emilie Bresson is one of those rare female singers in metal that’s at once fierce and raspy, yet identifiably female, creating a haunting, menacing sound that can stand up against the most ragingly macho bands out there.