On Summit

I recently reviewed Sold Out , the Tim Rietenbach exhibition at Angela Meleca Gallery for Columbus Underground. If you haven't had the chance to see it, go now. It's a terrific show that plants its flag in that aesthetic sweet spot just between incisive and cynical. It's an exhibition that's piercing in its cultural observations, but somehow generous as well. Rietenbach has an approach to art making that acknowledges the conceptual elements of art in the 21st century while managing to hold a high degree of visual interest. And while I discussed a number of the pieces in the show in some detail, I made absolutely no mention (save an illustration) of what was undoubtedly my favorite piece. For all it's apparent simplicity, Rietenbcach's Brutus serves as ground zero for so many potential discussions it's hard to know where to begin.   Tim Rietenbach, Brutus , 2015 33 1/2" x 31 1/4" Let's start with the formal elements. Brutus clearly ...

Traffic can get weird on Summit and 4th streets, scary even. This is particularly true of those stretches between Hudson Avenue and the OSU campus. That's not entirely surprising given the easy access to OSU, the Fairgrounds/Expo Center, Mapfre Stadium, the Short North, and downtown. This geography ensures these corridors present a dangerous mix of young, aggressive drivers ("Check out my Challenger!"), impatient commuters ("I'll take Summit! It's quicker!), bewildered tourists ("Are the fairgrounds around here? Oh! Is this street one way?") and impaired drivers ("Dude, I said I was cool. Give me the keys!"). It should go without saying that any changes to these roads and the traffic they carry should be done carefully and thoughtfully. Unfortunately that has not been the case. As part of a project that involves adding bike lanes to Summit and 4th, the City of Columbus also plans to remove the traffic lights at the following intersec...

Exhibit A: Circling by Nogah Engler, Oil on canvas, 59 x 79 in Go ahead. Click on the image. Spend some time with it. I'd suggest going to see it in person, but I think today was your last chance. It was on view at the Pizzuti Collection as part of their This Just In exhibition (July 1-August 15).

You know what's worse than watching the Crew SC blow a 3-0 lead to Toronto FC in the 89th minute? Watching them blow that lead while goons in the Nordecke chant: You're all a bunch of cunts! You're all a bunch of cunts! Fuck You Toronto! You're all a bunch of cunts! Seriously. People chanted this. In public. With enthusiasm. This, right here: You're all a bunch of cunts! You're all a bunch of cunts! Fuck You Toronto! You're all a bunch of cunts! And lest you think this was just an isolated case of gender specific insults conjured up by a toxic mixture of dollar beer night and fan frustration, I can assure you it's not. Gendered insults pop up in the Nordecke in a way that's as alarming as it is regular. If an opposing player gets hurt or goes down, you can expect to hear this chanted ad nauseum: She fell over! She fell over! She fell over! She fell over! Get it? Because girls can't take it. They're weak and stuff. ...

Make sure you check out the Zanesville Museum of Art . I visited recently to see their 71st Annual Ohio Exhibition . As the title suggests, this show is a juried event that features work by artists who presently live in (or have previously lived in) the state of Ohio. Taken in tandem with the State Fair's Fine Arts Exhibition the Zanesville exhibit offers a great opportunity to see some of the best work by Ohio artists. Like previous shows, this one was another winner. Thanks to either a liberal photography policy or the fact that no one noticed me, I snapped a few pics of some of things that caught my eye. Here are my highlights: Moon Rabbit Anita Dawson I'm not sure if I'm sold on the collage elements, but the rabbit and the sky and the palette and the whole almost creepy storybook vibe just knocked me out. I looked at this one for a while, never entirely sure if I should pet the rabbit or run away from it. If this intrigues you the way it does me,...

So, I guess for all my admonitions to "just be cool", it turns out I can be pretty caustic and pretty cynical myself. By way of proof, I offer up the list, "How to Become a Rockstar Librarian in 10 Simple Steps". See, the term (and archetype) Rockstar Librarian has become a sort of short-hand in our profession for those thought leaders, innovators, and agents of change who manage to become well-known in the profession. These Rockstar Librarians typically pen columns, present at conferences, write influential blogs, end up on various "best and brightest" lists, and deliver keynote addresses. The truth is, many Rockstar Librarians are lovely people. They sincerely want the profession to grow, to flourish and to remain relevant. They want libraries to improve and they want the lives of library users to improve as well. That said, there are a number of pretty unflattering behaviors associated with the Rockstar Librarian type. These include an inflated sens...

Perhaps the only thing more tired than business buzzwords is the backlash against business buzzwords. Maybe it's the circles I run in, but it seems that barely a week goes by without at least someone I know sharing an article about buzzwords that are overused, buzzwords I should stop using or buzzwords I should avoid immediately. The teasers all sound very knowing and very ominous. Typical are headlines like, "Most Annoying Buzzwords", "Buzzwords Gone Bad, and "Office Jargon: Six Tired Buzzwords to Avoid". Inevitably I'll click the link and find - much to my dismay - a bunch of words, phrases, and sayings that I either use myself, or find pretty much innocuous. Heck, I'll go one step further. Most of the buzzwords people spend their time decrying are actually useful; useful in that they do what good language is supposed to do; they convey the desired meaning in a manner that's both economical and easy to understand. Further, they almost alwa...