Last night, the Dumbo Improvement District, in partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Urban Art Program, installed the work of Dumbo resident and artist Eleanora Kupencow, entitled “Horsing Around the Arrows of Time,” in the Pearl Street Triangle. Per the Dumbo Improvement District’s press statement:

Adjacent to the Manhattan Bridge and DOT’s iron shop and fabricated out of powder-coated steel, the bold and colorful sculptures pay homage to DUMBO’s manufacturing and industrial story.

The four pieces in “Horsing Around the Arrows of Time” were designed individually – the Purple King, the Blue Thinker, the Magenta Acrobats and the Green Mother Earth. When arranged in a group, the sculptures work together to create a feeling of movement and energy.

The pieces bring more color to the triangle and has cool detailing. Check it out at the Pearl Street Triangle (Pearl Street between Water and Front Street).

{Photo set on Flickr}
{Press Release (PDF)}

What: Art Show Opening @ Zakka: FUTR WRLD – Book release party
When: Friday, July 3, 2009, 6-8pm
Where: Zakka NYC, 155 Plymouth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Live performance by Shinya Sugimoto (Electric Sound Music) starts at 7:00pm. More info at anti-motion.com and www.monkhaus.com.

Zakka Corp.
155 Plymouth Street, Dumbo Brooklyn
www.zakkacorp.com

Also see reviews of Zakka on Yelp.

For the months of July and August, Salon de Quartier in Dumbo is offering a special on full head highlights of $50 to $130.

Salon de Quartier (Dumbo)
43 Washington Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718.254.8791
salondequartier.com

Related:
{Salon de Quartier Dumbo Now Open, 08Sept2008}
{Salon de Quartier Opening Party, 24Sept2008}
{Salon de Quartier to Open in Dumbo, 18Jul2008}

A few shots of Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilary Swank during filming of “The Resident” (IMBD info) yesterday.

(Thanks to Winnie for sending in these photos!) A few more pics of Hilary Swank and her shoes after the jump.

{Filming: Step Up 3D (6/30) & The Resident (7/1), 30Jun2009}
Read the rest of this entry »

The Village Voice blog noticed Dumbo as the backdrop in Cartoon Network’s rebranding of itself to CN Real in a music video featuring Andrew W.K. While this isn’t really about Dumbo, it’s the image they want to convey in their rebranding efforts; as Village Voice states: “Xtreme sports! Fire-eaters! REAL people! Balloons! and oh yeah, cartoons…We are also assured it is “going to shred.” Commenters in the YouTube thread aren’t liking it:

• “Wow, this is like a direct middle finger to everyone. I want the Cartoon Network to actually show Cartoons, okay?”
• “You know why CN Real failed? Because kids don’t want live-action shows! You are CARTOON NETWORK! That means animation! Jesus Christ, are you people trying to kill the network?!”
• “You just don’t get it, do? you? CARTOON Network has (had, actually) a large fanbase of viewers. And guess what they liked to watch? Here, I’ll give you a hint: NOT LIVE-ACTION GARBAGE. I can flip to any other channel and watch that. You’ve just taken the last thing you had and flushed it down the toilet, along with my viewership.”
• “Whatever happened to “The Best Place For Cartoons”?”
• “Wow, and I thought the big wigs were losing it when they totally disregarded Toonami. These guys are clueless.”
• “Stop hiring executives to run cartoon network that don’t like cartoons!!!”

I can see how Dumbo as the backdrop is cool and urban, but the real question is for the marketing experts: Is CN trying to be MTV for a certain generation? and did it succeed?

(Photo by oh, poppycock)

Dumbo (and Brooklyn) residents, you won’t see fireworks this July 4th near the Brooklyn Bridge like the above photo. According to NewYorkology, this year’s fireworks will move to the Hudson River to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage. Unless you have access to a rooftop in Dumbo, you won’t be able to see the Hudson River fireworks.

The 2009 fireworks show will become part of the NYC400 celebrations, which will culminate on September 13th with Harbor Day. The NY400 is a celebration of shared history between the US and the Netherlands. If you’re interested in New York history, culture, and events, learn more about it at www.NY400.org. For more of Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks info, go to www.macys.com/fireworks.

[Note: This month's gallery walk is next Thursday, July 9 (not July 2), due to the holiday weekend.]

A festive occasion each month for art lovers. A chance to visit many quality galleries at night in the Dumbo Historic District – galleries showing works from artists of many disciplines, especially photography, while hosting receptions, producing live music performances and curator/artist talks among other highlights.

Let’s not forget the incredible views you can enjoy as you walk from one gallery to the next and the local drink specials afterward. Most of the art is for sale. Printed maps and 1st Thursday cards are available on-site.

Participating galleries may vary each month. For more information contact Zannah Mass at zannah@twotrees-dumbo.com or 718-222-2500 x38.

Check gallery websites for updates.
A.I.R. Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 228
Amos Eno Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 202
Brooklyn Art Project
Brooklyn Arts Council, 111 Front St., Suite 218
Caption Gallery, 55 Washington St., Suite 802
DUMBO Arts Center, 30 Washington St.
Farmani Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 212
Henry Gregg Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 226
Klompching Gallery, 111 Front St.
Kris Graves Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 224
Magasin Totale, 10 Jay St., Suite 724
Melville House, 145 Plymouth St.
Pochron Studios, 20 Jay St.
Powerhouse Books & Powerhouse Arena, 37 Main St.
Rabbithole Studio, 33 Washington St.
Randall Scott Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 204
Safe-T Gallery, 111 Front St., Suite 214
Smack Mellon, 93 Plymouth St. @ Washington Street
Spring, 126a Front St.
Umbrage Gallery, 111 Front St.
VII Photo, 28 Jay St.
Watermill Brooklyn Gallery, 55 Washington Street, Suite 216

Gelf’s Varsity Letters sports reading series returns on Thursday, July 2, at 7:30 p.m, with a night dedicated to baseball. At this free monthly event at JLA Studios in Dumbo Brooklyn (63 Pearl Street), hosted by Gelf, Scott Price, Selena Roberts, and members of the New York Daily News sports investigative team will read from and talk about their work, and take questions. Price has the wrenching tale of the life and death of a minor-leaguer. Roberts will speak about her controversial biography of Alex Rodriguez. And the Daily News team will discuss its exposé of Roger Clemens and steroids in baseball.

Doors open at 7:00.
Event starts at 7:30. FREE!

Visit reBar, around the corner, afterward; attendees of Varsity Letters and other Gelf events get discounts on food and drink.