It’s been fun for us to field all of the “how did he do that?!?!” reactions. We leave the projection on at night so passersby can see it at all hours. The piece almost has two lives. During the day it sits next to his subtle and poetic gouaches, and the animation is almost a whisper; at night it is much harder to discern where painting ends and animation begins. Definitely something to see!

A few nighttime shots from my iPhone (click to enlarge):

Click to see installation shots & photos from the opening

-L&A

Here are a couple of snapshots during installation:

This Thursday, February 17^th we kick off our first series of evenings inspired by and in the spirit of happenings. We want to bring back the times when fine art artists collaborated with dancers and musicians. The performative and experimental element that happenings created is still exciting and compelling.

Just a few weeks ago a proverbial fire was lit under our derrieres when we were welcomed in the gallery by a massive leak from a burst pipe one floor above us. Having just finished renovating this whole space and then to hear what sounded like a mini waterfall pouring down our display window, we were definitely shaken.

Here is a link to the video taken of part of the ceiling damage once the water had stopped pouring in -The Aftermath

Thanks to our friend Kelsey Bennett, who pointed out that the leak fits in perfectly with the theme of our current show – ideas of destruction and rebirth. We decided to take this destructive thing and use it as an opportunity to rally the artistic and creative community.  We sent out an SOS of sorts & are filled with gratitude from the outpouring of excitement and willingness of everyone to help create and participate in a series of evenings we named A Call to Arms. All events are free and take place at Lu Magnus, 55 Hester.

Coming up this week:

Thursday, February 17^th, 7-9pm   – A Talk With The Artists – A talk with the artists from What The Thunder Said: Fawad Khan, Natalie Frank, Nathaniel Rackowe & Jean-Pierre Roy. Moderated by Liz Dimmitt. Artists will speak about the inspiration behind their work and how their works ties in to the theme of the exhibition, destruction and re-emergence.

Saturday, February 19^th, 7-9pm – Literary Reading: 6 pieces of fiction – Participants: Joe Millar, publisher of Brooklyn Art Press. Jason Covert, a Brooklyn-based artist known primarily for his visual work, will premier a 10-part poetic tale of life and loss accompanied by projected illustrations. Ann DeWitt, the Founding Editor of Gigantic, and a text-based artist interested in the implications and applications of visual language. Kristen O’Tool, associate editor of online literary magazine Anderbo. Keith Meatto, a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, teacher, and musician. Adam Wilson, Founding Editor of the International online newspaper. His first novel, Flatscreen, will be published by Harper Perennial in Winter 2012. Amelia Abdullahsani, Lu Magnus co-Director and co-Curator of What The Thunder Said

Sunday, February 20^th, 7-9pm – The Celebritist Manifesto: A Performance by Nic*Rad – Nic*Rad, a Brooklyn-based visual and performance artist, performs his The Celebritist Manifesto – a stirring defense of James Franco as the greatest artist of this generation if not all time.

We look forward to seeing y’all out ;>  - L&A

NBC recently visited Lu Magnus to view our current show What The Thunder Said. Anyone can stop by 55 Hester and see it through March 13^th.

The segment just went live today – Artlog.com: Lu Magnus.

Manish Vora of Artlog.com and NBC’s anchor Michael Gargiulo highlight Lu Magnus as one of the newest entrants to the growing and increasingly exciting Lower East Side.

We love this neighborhood for all its flavor and diversity. Amongst the near hole in the wall dumpling joints, you can see Chase Bank lit up with Chinese characters, tons of school kids (never seen so many in NYC!) all mixed in with hip boutiques, some of which are owned by the designers themselves like The Reformation, and restaurants like The Fat Radish…not to mention our favorite bahn mi restaurant An Choi, and the Hester Street establishment Brown Cafe, which is on our block.

If you’re on Hester Street, I wouldn’t miss a trip into The Sweet Life. It’s visually delightful & we feel like kids in there – they have everything sweet & yummy you could possibly want…homemade fudge, chocolate covered pretzels & Amelia’s childhood favorite Tim Tams.

Before Lu Magnus opened, we used to come to the Lower East Side to visit Canada Gallery, Simon Preston, Invisible–Exports, James Fuentes, Lisa Cooley, Nicelle Beauchene and Rental Gallery which is now Untitled. It’s fantastic to be surrounded by the company of incredible gallerists we now call our neighbors…including our good friends Ramiken Crucible.

We just got word that the segment will also be airing on Time Warner channel 161 Monday night at 830pm.  Check it out or come by the gallery! – L&A

I never miss a trip to Astrup Fearnley, where I have seen exciting exhibitions of both Norwegian and international artists. Regardless of what new exhibition is on view, I never tire of their permanent collection, which is always on view in the side gallery.

The images above are from Brazialian artist Ernesto Neto’s exhibition, which is no longer on view as an exhibition of work by American artist Dan Colen just opened yesterday. I must say though, the Ernesto Neto exhibition was one of the best I have ever seen and experienced. You could hear giggles from chilldren and adults alike. We are used to seeing the sparkle and wonder of the world in children’s eyes, but this exhibition brought it out in us all – a rare and much appreciated experience.

Another highlight for me is the Munch Museum. I saw an incredible exhibition Munch by Warhol at Haugar Museum in Tønsberg, Norway. It was fun to see how Munch inspired Warhol and then to visit the Munch Museum in Oslo and experience Munch’s incredibly inventive and unexpected use of color in his work. You know you are hooked when time is lost while just looking at one part of the work. – LSM

My favorite design piece is architectural and is the much talked about Oslo Opera House. It is not enough to view from the outside. You have to go in! I cannot get enough of the incredible mix of materials and textures. I want to run around touching everything. It really is wonderful to see a performance inside or just to take a walk around.

Last summer I got to see a concert by Al Green – the audience was outside on the slope of the Opera House & Al Green was on a stage specially built for the occasion and appeared to be floating in the water. Pretty special since I have wanted to see Al Green perform as long as I can remember.

For a lifestyle store that showcases some of the best in Nordic design, I always enjoy going to Norway Designs. It is just below the Royal Palace and not far from all the fashion boutiques in Frogner, where you can find independent boutiques & brands, some of which house clothes that are certainly art in themselves.

I love walking around Grünerløkka, an area that feels young and ecclectic with lots of little boutiques and restaurants. Delicatessen is located in this area & is a great place for dinner or a snack after shopping.

One of my favorite winter buys is a coat from Bruuns Bazaar in Frogner. Next winter Topaz boots (pictured above) are on my wish list. It will finally be the answer to my quest for boots that are warm, keep my feet dry and look beautifully Nordic. – LSM

The view from Ekeberg Restaurant:

For a beautiful view of the city I go to Ekeberg Restaurant, which is surrounded by a sculpture park of its own. It is also really lovely in summer, as you can sit outside for cocktails and order more casual fare than offered inside the restaurant.

For a cozy and special meal, my current favorite is Hos Thea. It is a little pricey but worth it if you are looking for something special. There are very few tables, it’s almost all white and I love the lighting… can be very romantic ; >

I frequent Delicatessen for a casual meal with good atmosphere and great tapas. I also love the feel of Olympen, which was founded in 1892 and has become a cool bar and restaurant for the younger set. It has more than 100 choices of beer, mostly from small producers, and you can also have a great 3 course meal.

My favorite breakfast & lunch spot Kolonihagen is tucked away from the streets of Frogner and shares a charming courtyard with a beautiful flower shop. The courtyard is perfect for warmer days, but for colder winter days the inside restaurant is warm and inviting. The restaurant also delivers baskets of the season’s best fresh produce right to your door. I love the croissants, fresh jams and juices.

-LSM

I spend quite a lot of time in Oslo, and it has really grown on me as a capital city that is charming and cozy. This year I got to experience my first proper White Christmas and learned how to cross country ski, which I discovered this little Southerner loves! The picture above is from Vigeland Park located in Frogner Park. I come here every time I visit Oslo. I love it in every season – a beautiful sculpture park filled with over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland.

Having a little fun in front of one of the most famous sculptures in Vigeland Park. It has been stolen several times, but still stands. An emotion we have all been familiar with at one time or another ; > More on Oslo to come…

-LSM

Art Basel Miami Beach was full of art, art lovers, fashionistas, champagne and lots of parties.  As our good friends at Artlog described, it is “the art world’s Superbowl” – artists, gallerists, and collectors from all over the world come together to make new connections and new discoveries.

It is a great place for a new collector to start looking and have some fun. The picture above is from the MOMA PS1/ Interview pool party at the Delano. Champagne from Moët & Chandon was flowing until the party ended, but not before we were all surprised with a performance of synchronized swimmers followed by a parade of costumed and feathered musicians that fell into a conga line that continued out onto the beach. Oh, and can’t forget the nude performers that closed the show. It was definitely something to see!

We ran into David Coggins at the party above and were psyched to see ourselves in an article he wrote for Gilt MANual as their man on the scene in Miami.

Fun parties and new discoveries aside, this year’s event was a real milestone for us. We reconnected at Art Basel Miami in 2008. Came back in 2009 with a dream to own a gallery, and then returned in 2010 having just opened Lu Magnus. It’s been two years of hard work. Now it’s time to make a splash! – L&A