Julia Cocuzza - Lackin' Human Interaction

TWO: Live & Dusty from Warren Street, Vol. 4

2012-01-07T15:00:00.005-05:00

my latest vinyl set! 50 minutes and 20 records of carefully disheveled dust. enjoy.

"Two (Live & Dusty from Warren Street, Vol. 4)"

(Download Quicktime)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

MAC: hold "control," click link, select "save link as"
PC: right click link, select "save link as"

Visit juliacocuzza.com/music for all my audio projects!

Griot Apparel, Shirt Production, December 2011

2012-01-06T15:53:00.010-05:00

I meant to post these weeks ago, but here are some nice shots of our December production run for Griot Apparel. In case there was any doubt, each tee we sell we produce ourselves, by hand, as demonstrated below. :) Griot Apparel's Online Shop is OPEN, with another production run this month that will ship February 1st. Don't slumber, put your order in now!

Live & Dusty Vol. 4 Snippet: "TOUCH ME, DISTORTION, TEASE ME, STATIC"

2012-01-06T01:01:00.006-05:00

I'll release Live & Dusty from Warren Street Vol. 4 any day now. But here's a lil' snippet I leaked earlier today. Add it to your playlist, you won't regret it..

"Touch Me, Distortion, Tease Me, Static"

(Download Quicktime)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

MAC: hold "control," click link, select "save link as"
PC: right click link, select "save link as"

Visit juliacocuzza.com/music for all my audio projects!

"i was a piano player in my last lifetime.."

2011-12-19T01:32:00.003-05:00

Time Travelin' (A Tribute to Fela) by Common

INTRODUCTIONS, Brooklyn Artists Gym

2011-12-13T01:23:00.010-05:00

My post-MFA residency at Brooklyn Artists Gym is coming to a close end of this month. But before I go, I am participating in a final group exhibition, featuring other recent grad residents (and, randomly enough, a couple dudes from my Brooklyn College class!). Unlike the last BAG fall salon opening, I am able to actually attend! Please join me this Saturday night!

INTRODUCTIONS
December 17, 2011 - January 3, 2012
Opening Reception: Saturday December 17th, 6-9pm
Brooklyn Artists Gym
168 7th Street (3rd floor)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
BrooklynArtistsGym.com

Participating Artists:

Dain Mergenthaler
Gregory Hayes
Ivan Rivera
JD Siazon
Jordi Williams
Julia Cocuzza
Kari Cholnoky
Laura Schneider
Lauren Gould
Lucio Lionetti
Miguel Torres Carlos
Rachel Shim
Rob Samartino
Sarah Zidonik
Will Hutnick

Quiet Storm

2011-12-03T20:04:00.005-05:00

(by Smokey Robinson)

20% off my ETSY shop!

2011-12-03T16:40:00.006-05:00

hey internet -

i'm discounting all paintings, prints, and apparel on my etsy shop for the holiday shopping season. get a fat 20% off until Monday December 12th. hell of a deal on completely original art and high end giclee prints. use the coupon code: COCOUPON2011 at check out. bunch of new items just posted! support independent artists and small businesses this season!

JULIACOCUZZA.ETSY.COM

¡WEPA! (2 brand new shirts added to Griot Apparel Shop)

2011-12-01T14:03:00.005-05:00

The original Nina Simone on black and my completely revamped Pedro Albizu Campos is now available for purchase! (men's tees only, women coming soon though!) Visit the freshly updated GriotApparel.com T-Shirt Shop for more!

Tees are a discounted $19 (+ shipping) until 12/9, ships on 12/19. Major deal, people, don't slumber!!

¡WEPA! ¡WEPA! ¡WEPA!

Nina Simone (on black - original design)

Don Pedro Albizu Campos (on blue)

- - -

stay on top of our future releases! please support by following us!

@GriotApparel

Facebook.com/GriotApparel

GriotApparel.tumblr.com

now open: GRIOT APPAREL Shop (Version 1.0)

2011-11-28T22:45:00.013-05:00

We are very pleased to present the 2011 online shop for GRIOT APPAREL!

As an introductory thank you to all our supporters, we are offering $5 off our usual prices from now until 12/9. Shirts purchased by then will ship by 12/19. Check out our first set of releases for the season. All are designed by yours truly, except for the putin, designed by the man, the myth, Nick DeSantis...

Thelonious Monk (on gray)

Nina Simone (on green)

Fela Kuti (on brown)

Vladimir Putin (on black)

- - -

if you're not ready to purchase yet - or waiting on women's cuts and future releases - please show your support via social networking!

@GriotApparel

Facebook.com/GriotApparel

GriotApparel.tumblr.com

"time is a master, time can be a disaster WAAOW!"

2011-11-06T20:13:00.008-05:00

(dub side of the moon "time" by easy star all-stars)

this weekend gave way to some rooftop spray painting. finally made something of my first firework experiment back in june. all in all, i'm happy with the results, both this 4 panel "in the black/in the red" take and the smokey cityscape..

finally took control over this rickety runaway train of a painting.. when in doubt, white that 'ish out..

Griot Apparel, 2011

2011-10-22T17:54:00.006-04:00

Griot Apparel is ending our hiatus and relaunching our so fresh so clean online store and new designs in mid November. Boom, for real. I'm the DJ, he's the rapper. Me and Kev are back! :)

As we prepare to drop, PLEASE follow us on twitter, facebook, and tumblr (different content on each so connect every way you can!).. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! We're excited to be back on our grind.

@GriotApparel

Facebook.com/GriotApparel

GriotApparel.tumblr.com

New Website/Online Coming Later This Fall! Stay Tuned!
GriotApparel.com

"sitting here waiting for you would be like waiting for winter.."

2011-10-21T19:47:00.004-04:00

(sade "love is stronger than pride")

lotta projects as of late.. teaching a freshman seminar at brooklyn college, re-launching griot apparel (details coming soon!), gettin' loose in the printmaking lab, working on a new live and dusty mix, seeking/receiving new freelance clients, peddlin' apples at the lincoln center farmers market, p/t office gig, and - of course - still pushing paint at brooklyn artists gym (as demonstrated below). got 99 problems, but being bored ain't one..

"i look at the world and i notice it's turning"

2011-10-20T00:32:00.005-04:00

(while my guitar gently weeps, george harrison)

self portraits in progress..

Fall Salon Exhibition at Brooklyn Artists Gym

2011-10-04T22:27:00.002-04:00

BrooklynArtistsGym.com

"one won't do, two is not enough for me, no"

2011-09-18T22:39:00.001-04:00

(j dilla "won't do")

"pardon me while i burst into flames"

2011-09-05T19:07:00.009-04:00

(incubus)

took a couple short breaks from NYC and made rounds in Boston, Philly, and Reading. somewhere in there i listened to incubus' "make yourself" album and lit some fireworks on top a forgotten painting.

sweet sadness

2011-08-23T20:43:00.002-04:00

"sweet sadness" by gabin

gently inching towards feeling like an artist again..

"Stranger In My Home"

2011-08-17T00:14:00.004-04:00

this summer i started doing some creative writing again. almost forgot how good it feels. i'm in an open, tender sort of mood tonight, so here's something i wrote one night about two weeks ago. the next step is to maybe record this as spoken word, since i kinda wrote it to be read aloud. ideally i'll put some type of original music behind it (without falling victim to the cliche corny open-mic-night-with-bongos-vibe). until i tune up my guitar and launch my garage band application, feel free to read a few lines. and yes, i recently listened to "people are strange" by the doors. :)

Seems that I’ve let a stranger into my home
I opened the door with immediate regret
Pawing through my things
He leaves nothing unchecked
I look on helpless
A stranger in my home

Seems that I’ve let a stranger into my home
He won’t sit down, nor will he leave
He stares out the window
Then stares back at me
Pacing awkwardly
A stranger in my home

Seems that I’ve let a stranger into my home
Too intimidated to kick him out
Hoping if he stays long enough
He won’t seem so strange
What length will it take?
A stranger in my home

Seems that I’ve let a stranger into my home
Doesn’t steal, just asks if he can have stuff
Feeling like a gracious host
I agree
Like the idea came from me
Not the stranger in my home

Seems that I’ve let a stranger into my home
Months have passed but he’s still strange nonetheless
Still intimidating
Still unable to get rest
In my own bed
A stranger in my home

All words/lyrics copyright Julia Cocuzza 2011.

Organs of Vision & Speech (OVS) Magazine, Winter 2011 Issue

2011-08-16T22:08:00.005-04:00

so hilariously late it's almost not worth mentioning.. but it's my only art news this week (and i just finally got my hands on hard copies and a PDF!). care of art editor and bomb illustrator beth page, i was included in the winter 2011 issue of Organs of Vision & Speech (OVS) magazine. awesome little art and literature magazine based in new hampshire. find me on pages 34 and 54.

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE WINTER 2011 ISSUE (16.6 MB)

Check out the OVS Magazine website to see more.

OVSmag.com

some like it hot

2011-08-02T18:47:00.006-04:00

where have i been? hard to say. the summer sun has kept me constantly in motion and abruptly inert, depending on the day. and now that i'm 30 (as of 5 days ago), i'm more restless than ever. post graduation i've been more preoccupied with finding work than pushing paint, but after feeling like crap about it for months - and still without new work - today i finally started messing around in the studio once again. true to form, i've got a handful of stuff in progress, all of which too soon to tell where they'll lead..

Summer Salon Exhibition at Brooklyn Artists Gym

2011-07-05T19:40:00.008-04:00

BrooklynArtistsGym.com

"you are the circus, i am the freak"

2011-06-28T00:28:00.010-04:00

(lovage: book of the month)

my brooklyn college residency is officially over :(

so while in between studio spaces (and while in a state with lighter restrictions on explosive materials) i've finally indulged my desire to physically collide two life-long passions:

1. making art on canvas
2. fireworks

can't decide if this is totally juvenile or totally genius. all i know is i'm excited! special thanks to my partner in crime, steven b cold. some raw footage..

and the result of this first attempt..

MEMORY PALACE (revisited)

2011-06-07T00:02:00.008-04:00

since we're de-installing our thesis exhibition this week, i'd like to do an official recap. before you read another word, you should first download our beautiful exhibition catalog!! PDF includes exhibition statement by Adam Thompson as well as selected works and artist statements of everyone included.

below are photos of all the work included in Memory Palace. much love and props to all my amazing friends in the program. the way everyone's work as developed has been a real treat to witness and there's a tremendous future ahead for all of us.

please check out the work of the entire Brooklyn College Art MFA Class of 2011:

Linda Bernal

Julia Cocuzza

Gregory Hayes

Megan Hays

Michele Liebler

Hector Madera-Gonzalez

Allison Merz

Madison Omahne

Ivan Rivera

Nooshin Rostami

Natalie Taylor

Boris Torres

a few final shots of our salon-style entrance way..

and lastly, some quick details of each painting of mine included..

Thought Bubble/Vacuum: "Too Much, Too Many People, Too Much"

Untitled (Chrome Cassette Wall, Fade Up)
Cassette 1 & 2 (Eyes Closed in the Sun)

Johannesburg Skyline (on wax 1)

Untitled (Blue Cassette Stencil)

Johannesburg (B&W Collage)

Dancefloor at Zanzu, Pretoria, South Africa (silkscreen)

Slums & Sky of Cape Town

South African Tree 2

Agression & Sexual Selection

Q-Tip (Rappers of 1990 Series)

Brooklyn: We Go Hard
MemoryPalace2011.com

"no idea's original, there's nothing new under the sun, it's never what you do but how it's done"

2011-06-06T00:48:00.006-04:00

(Nas)

trying to tie up some loose ends before i'm booted out my bomb studio later this month. just to catch up, a few shots of what led up to my thesis show piece..

and, until i finish the unfinished paintings from the semester, some new apparel for gifts, products, and otherwise..

MEMORY PALACE: Closes this Sunday 6/5!

2011-06-04T11:28:00.008-04:00

this weekend's your last chance to catch the incredible Brooklyn College MFA class of 2011 thesis exhibition! the opening was AMAZING!! below are just a few quick shots of the reception.. the work looked amazing, the crowd was fantastic, the vibe was some kind of wonderful. more shots of my work and work of all the participating artists coming soon!

Visit MemoryPalace2011.com for more!!

MemoryPalace2011.com

AUTO-REVERSE: Closes this Sunday 5/29!

2011-05-27T16:17:00.004-04:00

For those who didn't catch my lil' solo show at Art 101 last month, this weekend is your last chance! Gallery will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 1-6pm. Visit art101brooklyn.com for more info. Meant to post this sooner, but here's a few quick pics from before and during the opening (which hardly reflect the amount of lovely people in attendance!). huge thank you once again to everyone who came to see the show!

NAP's 22nd Invitational Salon Exhibition of Small Works

2011-05-26T16:55:00.008-04:00

For those in or around Berks county Pennsylvania, I'll have a piece in a group exhibition of small works opening tomorrow! Should you find yourself in charming Kutztown this Friday evening, or anytime between now and mid July, definitely check it out. My thesis and solo gigs are still going strong in Brooklyn and Queens, so I won't make it down for this opening. But have a drink for me!

NAP's 22nd Invitational Salon of Small Works Exhibition
New Arts Program
173 W. Main Street, Kutztown, PA
Friday May 27 to Saturday July 9, 2011

Opening Reception: Friday, May 27th, 6-9pm

napconnection.com

Walter Benjamin's "Outmoded"

2011-05-25T20:56:00.011-04:00

Gonna get nerdy one last time..

My final paper of graduate school for mona hadler's art criticism and theory class. Felt like I was running around with a paper bag over my head while working on this thing, but somehow it turned out pretty decent. it's an analysis of benjamin's ideas on obsolescence, dialectical images, profane illumination, surrealism, and hashish. click link for PDF.

Walter Benjamin's "Outmoded"

for more about walter benjamin in general, click here.

white flag

2011-05-07T00:16:00.011-04:00

(Gorillaz feat. Kano, Bashy & The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music)

grad art residency winding down - at top speed. it's getting weird.

thesis show prep..

yes, more chrome tapes..

learning my limitations with multi-medium layering (for example, spray paint plus screenprint ink does not equal stable ground for oil-based ink, i have proof)..

as for the mike lewis collaborative piece i started a few seasons ago, i think i've done enough confused damage.. mike, what's next?

MEMORY PALACE: Brooklyn College MFA Thesis Exhibition

2011-05-03T23:02:00.006-04:00

can't believe the end of graduate school is so near! please please please support me and my talented friends for our thesis exhibition!!

MEMORY PALACE
Brooklyn College MFA Thesis Exhibition 2011
MemoryPalace2011.com

Art by
Linda Bernal, Julia Cocuzza, Gregory Hayes, Megan Hays, Michele Liebler, Hector Madera-Gonzalez, Allison Merz, Madison Omahne, Ivan Rivera, Nooshin Rostami, Natalie Taylor, & Boris Torres

Curated by
Adam Thompson

Opening Reception: Friday May 20th, 6-10pm
RSVP via Facebook

May 20-June 5, 2011
Open Daily 1-6pm

Flux Factory
39-31 29th Street
Long Island City, Queens, New York
FluxFactory.org

Exhibition Statement (by Adam Thompson):

The ‘memory palace’ is an ancient memorization technique, one which exploits the fact that our visual/spatial memory far outperforms our verbal and numerical memory. To memorize a long text or string of numbers, you can use a remembered architectural space (like a childhood home) as a mental storehouse for the new information. You can transform each to-be-remembered item into a dramatic, eccentric, unforgettable image, mentally insert these images into specific locations within the remembered space, and later ‘find’ it right where you left it.

This show resembles a memory palace, in that it is idiosyncratic rather than unified, and endeavors to make a virtue of this heterogeneity. The differences between images, experiences, personalities are what make them visible, meaningful, and memorable. We can’t help but categorize artworks, but when we do we inevitably obscure what most compels us about them. It is particularity--not generality--that arrests our attention.

The idiosyncrasy of visual expression renders art a perpetually uneasy collaborator with academe, since schools necessarily prioritize rational, categorical thought. But the title of this exhibition provides an analogy for how this collaboration can function productively; the memory palace technique requires both wildly varied imagery and a framework to anchor and link that imagery. In an MFA program, the school supplies the quantitative structures that order the experience--the space, the time, the schedules, the deadlines--and the students furnish the bureaucratic boxes with color, with strangeness, with life.

When the palace fragments, when the menagerie vanishes and the walls of the studios are once again whitewashed clean, these sundry art practices will likely find themselves in more isolated rooms. But while at Brooklyn College, this group of artists built a home from their differences, a place to which they can always return in their mind's eye.

MEMORYPALACE2011.COM

Global Art Projects: International Artists At Home & Abroad Series (SoHo)

2011-05-02T21:07:00.005-04:00

I'll be one of 25 participating artists in this group show in soho.. If you're around and about, come check it out..

Global Art Projects
The International Artists at Home & Abroad Exhibition Series

Curated by Abraham Lubelski
Broadway Gallery NYC
473 Broadway, 7th Floor, SoHo
May 8-29, 2011

Opening Reception: Thursday May 12th, 6-8pm

BroadwayGalleryNYC.com

"Art Starts the Conversation Exhibition" @ Bklyn College

2011-05-02T12:07:00.007-04:00

Sort of last minute, but if you find yourself on the Brooklyn College campus tonight, come check out this exhibition featuring political and environmental themed artwork by BC students. I'll have one painting on display..

Presented by BC Progress Push (NYPIRG)
Art Starts The Conversation
Monday May 2, 2010
6-8pm
State Lounge, 5th Floor
Brooklyn College Student Center (SUBO)
East 27th St & Campus Road
2/5 to Flatbush Ave
FREE

RSVP via Facebook

This is a gallery that will display the work of students depicting the conditions we live in. All pieces will be featured in the lobby of the Library until the Fall Semester and two peices will be chosen as the figurehead of either the Environmental Campaign or the Straphangers Campaign of BC NYPIRG.

We will have LIVE entertainment including a performance by Brooklyn College's Tae Kwon Do club (6:45)!! Light refreshments will be served.

CUNY New Music Festival

2011-04-24T13:23:00.004-04:00

I'm very proud to be among the fine musicians and artists chosen to participate in this collaborative event of music & visual art ..

CUNY New Music Festival
Sunday May 1, 2010
Concert & Reception: 7pm
Baruch Performing Arts Center
55 Lexington Ave, NYC
$10 Admission
FREE for CUNY students & faculty

A collaboration of the Brooklyn Composers Collective & the Brooklyn College Art Department

Music by John Chittum, David Claman, Thomas Deneuville, Howard Kenty, Ines Thiebaut Lovelace, Eric Lyon, Ellen O'Meara, Vasudevan Panicker, Austin Shadduck, Amir Shpilman, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Dimitri Terzakis, & Marc Thorman

Visual Art by Linda Bernal, Rebecca Bird, Julia Cocuzza, Gregory Hayes, TJ Hospodar, Ronaldo Kiel, Jiyoun Lee-Lodge, Archie Rand, Nooshin Rostami, Ingrid Staats, & Boris Torres

For more info:
@CUNYNUMUSICFEST on Twitter
cunynmf@gmail.com

"History is full of praise for another's history...

2011-04-17T11:35:00.005-04:00

More and more than the one that came before both you and me
Left alone with our devices, whatever will be will be
A brand new story in the making beginning endlessly."
("Beginning Endlessly" by Prince)

love that jam..

another piece that MIGHT go in the 101 show..

some limited edition silkscreens i'll be giving away at the opening.. :)

and a quick lil' sumpthin i call "when A-side met B-side (at the club)".. :)

AUTO-REVERSE (solo show opens 4/22)

2011-04-15T16:26:00.007-04:00

My first ever solo exhibition in Brooklyn! Opening next week! It will be a good friday, regardless of jesus 'n such. Artists Jennifer Baker and Fara'h Salehi will be showing in the front gallery, I'll be holding down the back.. Don't miss it!

Julia Cocuzza
AUTO-REVERSE
Curated by David Gibson
April 22-May 29, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday, April 22nd, 6-9pm
Art 101 Gallery
101 Grand Street, Brooklyn NY

For more info:
David Gibson, Article Projects
Art 101 Gallery

RSVP via Facebook

"your little feet, working the machine.."

2011-04-05T00:16:00.002-04:00

Empire Ants (Gorillaz feat. Little Dragon)

"too much, too many people, too much"

2011-03-21T22:58:00.003-04:00

Brooklyn College MFA Open Studios: April 8th & 9th

2011-03-16T14:14:00.006-04:00

My final OS at BC! Come thru! :)

Visit Visit BrooklynCollegeOpenStudios.com for more info.

RSVP via Facebook.

Climb

2011-03-08T22:51:00.003-05:00

(Mos Def feat. Vinia Mojica)

"high off the ground from stair to skyscraper, culo thinkin' we loco, c'mon homie WE MAJOR!" (April & May Shows)

2011-03-02T10:50:00.008-05:00

Lotta good stuff in the works, so much I can't keep it to myself. More details to come, but 'til then, grab your calendar and pencil me in..

My last Brooklyn College Open Studios!

Brooklyn College Spring 2011 MFA Open Studios
Friday April 8th, 6-10pm
Saturday April 9th, 1-6pm
Boylan Hall 4th-5th-6th Floors, Brooklyn College
brooklyncollegeopenstudios.com

My first solo exhibition in Brooklyn!

Curated by David Gibson
Art 101 Gallery
101 Grand Street, Brooklyn
Opening: Friday April 22nd
art101brooklyn.com

Last but certainly not least, the climax of my coursework, the BC group thesis show!

Brooklyn College MFA Thesis Show
Flux Factory
39-31 29th Street, Long Island City, Queens
Opening: Friday May 20th
fluxfactory.org
(thesis show website forthcoming!)

METRO ART EXPO - Sat Mar 5th @ Fat Baby, LES

2011-03-01T09:49:00.006-05:00

for those who missed last week's jam in Astoria, here's your chance to get right..

METRO ART EXPO NYC
Fat Baby
112 Rivington St
Lower East Side, Manhattan

Saturday March 5th, starting at 9pm

the illest of music by
World Sound Traveler (featuring Jimmy Lopez), Sangha Tierra & DJ Cloak Dagger

bomb visual art by
Julia Cocuzza, Danny Arenas, Ray Mandal, Joseph Doeffinger, & DJ JONQ

http://metroartexpo.com/

Honk

2011-02-22T23:56:00.004-05:00

"Honk" by Kaada

Love & Acid Reflux

2011-02-13T19:21:00.005-05:00

hmm, maybe that should be the title of my made-for-tv biography: "Love & Acid Reflux: The Julia Cocuzza Story."

lately i've been polishing off some small pesky ideas to make way for some big sexy ones. my "heart in a cup" lino prints are finally complete. some technical difficulties but still turned out decent.

with the left over ink and scraps of bristol board, i made these bad boys right quick. it's honestly a coincidence that i made something resembling valentines around valentines day. never been a huge fan of the holiday, usually too much pressure regardless of which team i'm playing for. but, whatev, they're kinda boring but maybe i can give one to my grammy or sell them cheap on etsy..

and my personal struggle with acid reflux continues. on canvas. not my prettiest work, but it kinda sorta gets the point across. first one's finished, second maybe, third definitely not..

and, you know, other stuff..

¡Ya Yo Sé Que Tu Eres!

2011-01-30T12:52:00.005-05:00

Chico Mann: Ya Yo Sé

took a much needed week off from the northeast's "wintry mix" and escaped to puerto rico earlier this month (and ever since i can't get this awesome chico mann song out of my head!). anyway, feeling mighty relaxed, i'm finally back in the printmaking lab, gettin' loose with some lino block inks.. still two more colors to add, these prints are based on my "heart in a cup" painting from a few years back..

3 shows in 3 boroughs in February!

2011-01-26T15:57:00.010-05:00

i'm proud to announce three awesome group shows i'm participating in during the month of february. all events are open to the public and all are welcome - so if you live in manhattan, brooklyn, or queens, i've got you covered!

in brooklyn..

BROOKLYN COLLEGE MFA SHOWCASE 2011
Brooklyn College Student Center, 4th Floor
Campus Road & East 27th Street, Brooklyn

Opening Reception: Tuesday February 8th, 5-7pm

featuring all current MFA students at Brooklyn College

- - -

in manhattan..

COLLEGE ART ASSOCIATION NY AREA MFA EXHIBITION
Hunter College / Times Square Gallery
450 West 41st Street, NYC
February 9 – April 9, 2011

Opening Reception: Friday, February 11th, 6-9pm

The College Art Association New York Area MFA Exhibition, held concurrently with the CAA Annual Conference in New York, presents work by students currently enrolled in MFA programs in the Greater New York Area. This marks the seventh time that Hunter College will host this expansive exhibition, a survey of work from 20 institutions within a hundred-mile radius of New York City. Participating institutions include:

Bard College's Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts, Long Island University/C.W. Post Campus, Montclair State University, New Jersey City University, New York Academy of Art, Parsons the New School for Design, Pratt Institute, Mason Gross School of the Arts @ Rutgers, School of Visual Arts, Tyler School of Art of Temple University, University of Connecticut, Yale School of Art, Brooklyn College (CUNY), The City College of New York (CUNY), Hunter College (CUNY), Lehman College (CUNY), Queens College (CUNY), State University of New York at New Paltz, Purchase College (SUNY), & Stony Brook University (SUNY)

http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/art/galleries/

- - -

in queens..

METRO ART EXPO
Deja Vu
33-22 28th Ave, Astoria, Queens

Friday February 25th, starting @ 9pm

just like the MAE event i did in december, this monthly jam and one-night-only exhibition is not to be missed! $5 cover.

music by Sangha Tierra & DJ Cloak Dagger
art by Julia Cocuzza, Ray Mandal, & the Freestyle Graphic Concepts Crew

http://metroartexpo.com/

"try'na make it real, compared to what?"

2011-01-12T23:16:00.009-05:00

Les McCann's "Compared to What"
John Legend/The Roots' "Compared to What"

"Fig. 13: Learner Demands to be Shocked"

2011-01-07T11:32:00.003-05:00

Happy 2011, Internet.. FINALLY got my booty back in the studio, FINALLY finished "The Dilemma of Obedience."

related experiments..

and a sign of things to come..

CALL FOR VISUAL ART - The Brooklyn Review, Issue #28

2010-12-29T13:05:00.009-05:00

whatup world. i'm still regrouping after an intense finals week at BC and a long xmas weekend in the RDG. now that i'm back in BK, i'm just looking forward to slaying that studio first chance i get. but unrelated to any displaced creative aggression i'm experiencing today, i'd like to mention a project i'm involved with. i've recently accepted the position of Art Editor of the annual publication The Brooklyn Review and i am currently seeking visual artists to submit for our 2011 issue. although the Art Editor does not have final authority as to what gets published and what doesn't (so don't get upset with me!), i encourage everyone to submit their best unpublished pieces for consideration between now and February 12, 2011. but please don't contact me directly, email brooklynreview@gmail.com according to the guidelines below:

- - -

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!

The Brooklyn Review is an annual publication of the MFA Programs at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. We publish fiction, poetry, playwriting, interviews and art. Started under the direction of Allen Ginsberg, the Brooklyn Review has been guided by literary giants including Jonathan Baumbach, L.S. Asekoff, Amy Hempel and currently, Josh Henkin. During our outstanding 27 year history, we've proudly published work by Sapphire, T. Cooper, Wayne Koestenbaum, and David Levinson, whose story Blue is Just A Color in Issue 25 was selected as a finalist for the 2009 Pushcart Prize. Past interviewees have included Gary Shteyngart and Kevin Brockmeier. Please visit our archives to download previous issues.

The editors of the Brooklyn Review invite submissions of original, previously unpublished works of poetry, fiction, playwriting, and artwork. You do NOT have to be a Brooklyn resident, nor have an affiliation with Brooklyn College to submit. No fee to submit. All literary guidelines and past issues can be viewed on our website:

http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/bkrvw/

ART SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

We accept photography, drawing, painting, prints, or 2D documentation of any other kind. All submissions must be PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED, with all rights belonging to the artist. Up to five images may be submitted per artist. Files must be JPG, 300 dpi, with artistʼs name and title (Example: lastname_title.jpg). Entire submission must be attached in one single email to Art Editorʼs attention. In subject, write “Art Submission.” In body of email, include your full name, title size and medium of each piece, and your email. Only submissions via email will be accepted, do not mail original artwork or photographs.

Due to the large number of submissions, the editors cannot comment on or return manuscripts or artwork. Again, NO FEE TO SUBMIT! Notification of submission status shall be conducted via email.

Email Submissions (and other inquiries) to brooklynreview@gmail.com

Deadline: February 12, 2011, 11:59pm (Eastern)

Thanks!

The Dilemma of Obedience

2010-12-12T21:03:00.004-05:00

"The Dilemma of Obedience" finally complete.. okay, not really.. but it's getting closer..

prep work..

no title yet, but south african crop burning painting also finished..

tape wall installation..

and a couple other half-baked ideas..

Debut of Gold River Gallery

2010-12-02T17:00:00.007-05:00

here's another one-night-stand show in williamsburg i've been included in. an east river-front apt becomes a gallery tomorrow night. i'll be there on the earlier side, starting at 8, so if you're in the neighborhood, come through!! very chill, informal, no pressure, BYO style. all are welcome..

Gold River Gallery
119 Kent Ave. 3F, Brooklyn, NY
Friday, December 3rd
8pm-1am

RSVP via facebook

"A fabulous evening of Art, Wine and Song! Join us for an intimate group show in Williamsburg Brooklyn for sipping seasonal cocktails and overlooking the East River.Installation and video work by Chris Bennett, Photography and Printmaking by River Soma, Vinyl Paintings by Julia Cocuzza and Sculpture by Kim Macron. Featured for a one night only event to celebrate the on-going holiday season and the creative genius we all know and love!"

METRO ART EXPO - Thurs Dec 9th, 7pm @ Rose Live

2010-11-29T11:10:00.003-05:00

I'm proud to announce my participation in one seriously ill event, combining visual art and incredible live world music. It jumps off next Thursday, December 9th at 7pm at Rose Live in Williamsburg, Bklyn (L or G train to Lorimer/Metropolitan). One night only. Come early for the art (and complimentary gin!), stay late for the music...

Visit MetroArtExpo.com or RSVP via Facebook!

→ M E T R O — A R T — E X P O ←
"Music & Art Cultural Networking Showcase"

7PM-9PM GALLERY OPENING
9PM-Close MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC

Metro Art Expo is designed to give artists and musicians a platform to be both heard and seen under the same banner. On December 9th, MAE will again be showcasing some of the tri-state area's finest artists of all genres.

Metro Art Expo is continually looking for artists and musicians to be part of our events. Please contact: djcloakdagger@gmail.com for more info.

GET CONNECTED:
facebook.com/metroartexpo/
myspace.com/metroartexpo1/

*****************************************
The December 9th installment features performances by:

GAJJE
(Latin/Afro/Brasil Dub)
jessicolasante.com
myspace.com/worldsoundtraveler
myspace.com/gpfromvenice
myspace.com/eubiera
myspace.com/akikasuga

SANGHA TIERRA
(Latin Funk SalSoul)
sanghatierra.com
youtube.com/sanghatierra

DJ CLOAK DAGGER
djcloakdagger.blogspot.com/
myspace.com/cloakdagger/

And art by:

JULIA COCUZZA
juliacocuzza.com/
juliacocuzza.blogspot.com/

DANNY ARENAS
dannyarenas.com/
dripshots.com/

UTA BRAUSER
fishwithbraids.blogspot.com/
funkycitybaby.blogspot.com/

RAY MANDAL
freestylegc.com/
myspace.com/endles1

Master of Ceremonies:
Frank Pelligra
frankpelligra.com/

FREDDIE MERCURY'S MOUSTACHE

2010-11-21T23:59:00.002-05:00

mustaches vs. cancer benefit, wednesday november 17th. painted in one hour - in the dark.

the prep work..

gametime..

the completed painting..

and just to be clear on exactly how dark it was, here's a shot without flash..

final paintings of the other two artists at work..

Art Battle! - Mustaches Vs. Cancer - 'Stache Bash

2010-11-14T20:09:00.004-05:00

this wednesday, watch me throw down in a mustache-themed art battle - and help kick cancer's ass! no cover but donations strongly encouraged. come out and support - and don't bother shaving before you show up.

Visit MustachesVsCancer.org for more info or RSVP via Facebook!

"you don't wanna be over looked, but you don't wanna be looked over too much.."

2010-11-13T00:37:00.002-05:00

boom for real

2010-10-28T19:26:00.004-04:00

tapes and tapes upon tapes..

some screen printing..

watchmen totem pole complete..

etc..

MFA OPEN STUDIOS @ Brooklyn College - Nov 19 & 20

2010-10-19T22:05:00.005-04:00

Save the date people! The next and best-yet Brooklyn College MFA Open Studios is a month away! 25 ill artists going hard. Get to know us.

Visit Visit BrooklynCollegeOpenStudios.com for more info.

Or RSVP via Facebook.

Or download the press release.

"Out My Mind, Just In Time"

2010-10-11T00:39:00.012-04:00

by Erykah Badu.

my first french press!

2010-10-06T00:58:00.006-04:00

Whether or not you can read French, check this out! Review of my BC dean's office show in the local Flatbush paper Haitian Weekly (Haiti Liberte: Hebdomadaire Haitien), written by Prince Guetjens. :)

View it HERE or Download PDF of entire issue. You can catch me looking goofy with a cup of wine on page 19.

in other news, my "bases loaded" piece is complete:

my city/ambition piece, aside from a few touch-ups, is ready to go:

the watchmen totem pole is progressing along despite the slow drying ink:

and some other biz on the brink:

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GO PHILS!!

"storm wafted air"

2010-10-03T23:47:00.008-04:00

my "build a piece of writing" assignment for vito.. because it's fun! :)

Storm wafted air

A storm wafted the air

A lurking storm wafted the dank midday air

A lurking storm pensively wafted the dank midday air

In East Flatbush, a lurking storm pensively wafted through the dank midday air

While I idled on a stoop in East Flatbush, a lurking storm pensively wafted through the dank midday air

While I idled on a stoop in East Flatbush, a lurking storm pensively wafted through the dank midday air as I waited for inspiration to strike

While I idled on a stoop in East Flatbush, a lurking storm pensively wafted through the dank midday air as I waited for inspiration to strike, but dude never responded to my last text message.

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I idled, wafted, waited for dude.

smoke & mirrors

2010-09-28T22:28:00.006-04:00

"smoke & mirrors" by RJD2

some painting/printmaking pieces in prog..

a so-to-be collaborative piece by me and mike lewis. here's what he left me with. my contribution coming soon..

random, but while doing some drawings tonight i came across a bunch of really crude sketches i did of obama back in early 2009. they're pretty bad, as you can see, but odd and interesting enough to go public. okay maybe not, but the first one's kinda cool i think.. eh?

"and their necks crane, as they turn to pray for rain.."

2010-09-19T23:39:00.006-04:00

pray for rain (massive attack & tunde adebimpe)

a couple paintings in prog..

and my first woodblock in prog..

Selected Works in the Undergrad Dean's Office, Brooklyn College

2010-09-17T12:50:00.002-04:00

My next art opening.. (click to view larger flyer)

Julia Cocuzza - Selected Works
Reception: Thursday, September 23rd, 4-6pm
3208 Boylan Hall
Brooklyn College
2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
brooklyn.cuny.edu
2/5 to Flatbush Ave

Also, save the date!

Brooklyn College Fall 2010 MFA Open Studios
Friday, November 19th, 6-10pm & Saturday November 20th, 1-6pm
BrooklynCollegeOpenStudios.com

"even when i say nothing it's a beautiful use of negative space.."

2010-09-12T21:28:00.004-04:00

fire in which you burn (company flow, j-tred, the brewin)

in a sentimental mood

2010-09-06T21:38:00.003-04:00

by ellington & coltrane.

i need a beat

2010-08-31T23:26:00.004-04:00

semester's begun. hot as what, but still trying to get warm..

THREE: LIVE & DUSTY FROM WARREN STREET, VOL. 3

2010-08-24T21:27:00.002-04:00

a couple weeks ago i felt the sudden urge to knock out another vinyl mix before the summer's end. last spring i got so obsessed with perfecting Live & Dusty Vol. 2 that it distracted me from my studio and school work. with hopes of clearing the pallet and easing my mind before the semester begins, here's my latest! love love, everybody!

"Three (Live & Dusty from Warren Street, Vol. 3)"

(Download Quicktime)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

MAC: hold "control," click link, select "save link as"
PC: right click link, select "save link as"

Visit juliacocuzza.com/music for all my audio projects!

fight vs. flight

2010-08-16T23:18:00.007-04:00

R.I.P. Herman Leonard - “above all, enjoy the music”

"i'm loaded, don't know where to point this thing.."

2010-08-12T23:27:00.007-04:00

sade: war of the hearts. until i decide where next to point this thing, here are some cassette 'scapes and screen prints in progress..

7 panel detail, right to left:

separate 2 panel piece:

picasso portrait, two colors in:

love life music

2010-07-27T23:41:00.005-04:00

flatbush, full-time. love, life, music. (nicolay)

more dusty than digital

2010-07-19T01:34:00.007-04:00

took some time off to enjoy the fruits of the summer, worship the sun 'n such. somewhere in there i also moved into my new and improved studio space and started my new p/t job at bklyn college. long story short, it's great to be back in flatbush..

my cassette obsession continues..

since i recently sold my little picasso portrait, i'm working on some larger screenprints based on the same image..

and some other random experiments in progress..

walk alone

2010-06-23T00:42:00.003-04:00

constellation funk

2010-06-18T23:50:00.002-04:00

BROOKLYN COLLEGE RESIDENCY - COMPLETE SPRING 2010 WORKS

2010-06-13T23:29:00.003-04:00

History of Public Art, Spring 2010 Papers

2010-05-27T23:45:00.005-04:00

after one tough semester, i am happy to present in all my dorkchop glory the three papers i wrote for the CUNY Grad Center's History of Public Art in the US class. click title links to view PDF. just do me a favor, please don't steal them and sell them to undergrad students at pratt. :)

MTA’s Arts for Transit: The Most Public Museum’s Problem of Publicity

(arts for transit website)

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Louis Delsarte: Transitions (2001), Church Avenue 2/5 Subway Station, Flatbush, Brooklyn
(click each image to view larger)

(more info from louis delsarte's website)

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Keith Haring’s Subway Chalk Drawings: Graffiti’s Social Intervention of the Early 1980s

turbulent curiosity

2010-05-19T01:15:00.002-04:00

estimated number of paintings i'll show at my final reviews tomorrow: 71.

"i've been noticing the fact that nothing glorious can happen any more, we've run the gamut of our flith"

2010-05-13T23:44:00.005-04:00

(el-p "league of extraordinary nobodies")

fell off the wagon as far as coffee. productivity has increased..

when they reminisce over you

2010-05-09T02:38:00.004-04:00

haven't had enough time to make art lately, too busy reading and writing. and reading. and writing. but i did a little silkscreening last week. looking forward to playing with some more new supplies soon..

"and their eyes change, as they learn to see through flames.."

2010-05-03T22:58:00.003-04:00

("pray for rain" by massive attack)

been tied up lately with more art history work than i know what to do with. but i finally finished my big jo'burg piece..

re: oil spill..

and some other 'ish..

"she's so heavy"

2010-04-19T00:00:00.003-04:00

(the beatles "i want you")

a few things from from last week..

and how my studio looked this weekend..

a soundtrack of a painting

2010-04-18T23:33:00.004-04:00

did this last month as a project for vito. definitely a rough sketch, rubbing 33s at 45 speeds without much rehearsal.. but might refine it and slide it in a mix down the line.

a soundtrack of a painting..

(Download Quicktime)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

MAC: hold "control," click link, select "save link as"
PC: right click link, select "save link as"

"Can we pretend

2010-04-04T22:44:00.004-04:00

That from now on
There is no yesterday
Paint a portrait of tomorrow
With no colors from today

There's a light that shines in your face sometimes
That takes my feeling wraps them around your knee
But there's shadow hiding in your heart sometimes
That makes my feelings turn back in on me"

(bill withers "can we pretend")

i nearly forgot how awesome that song is, felt it worthy of a fast shoutout.. my easter sunday, spent taking interviews/research in the church ave station and a quick shift in the lab..

"...city-born into this world with no knowledge and no regrets..."

2010-04-02T20:11:00.004-04:00

("no regrets" by aesop rock)

Brooklyn College MFA Open Studios, Spring 2010

2010-03-20T12:12:00.003-04:00

We're wide open... free to the public and all are welcome!

BROOKLYN COLLEGE MFA OPEN STUDIOS
Spring 2010

Friday April 16th, 6-10pm
Saturday April 17th, noon-6pm

Boylan Hall, 4th, 5th, & 6th Floors
Brooklyn College
2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn NY
2/5 to Flatbush Ave

More info @ brooklyncollegeopenstudios.com

so what

2010-03-18T23:14:00.003-04:00

SEVEN: LIVE & DUSTY FROM WARREN STREET, VOL. 2

2010-03-10T23:48:00.004-05:00

this blend's been simmering for quite some time. time well spent. at last i'm finally really to let it go. my latest, greatest, live and dusty vinyl set. enjoy.

"Seven (Live & Dusty from Warren Street, Vol. 2)"

(Download Quicktime)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MP3

MAC: hold "control," click link, select "save link as"
PC: right click link, select "save link as"

Visit juliacocuzza.com/music for all my audio projects!

show me your gratitude

2010-03-03T23:23:00.003-05:00

"you are god, you best believe, don't waste your time down on your knees, it's everybody for themselves..."

2010-02-21T23:11:00.004-05:00

("wine" by saul williams)

range vs. depth

2010-02-15T00:47:00.003-05:00

if range and depth squared up mano y mano, who would win?

first swing at video art

2010-02-09T23:21:00.008-05:00

it's amateur night ya'll.. a vito acconci project leads to my first art videos.. weeee!!

(music: "Lies & Alibis" from Nathaniel Merriweather presents Music to Make Love to your Old Lady By")

"i've had to rely at times on silence and on talking quick, defending myself with nothing but my walking stick.."

2010-02-06T19:43:00.006-05:00

("untitled" by buck 65)

i swear, i'm not trying to sound so pretentious with these quoted blog titles, it's just some lyrics that were in my head today..

From Uptown Reading & Downtown Brooklyn @ Sisters' Gallery

2010-02-05T18:19:00.006-05:00

Quick heads up on a show I'm doing with my cousin Sybil Roe Thompson (aka Violet), launching the 2010 (re)opening of Sisters' Gallery. An opening in Pennsylvania, in fact, I will attend - Sunday, April 25th, 1-5pm.

Visit sistersgallery-stoudtburg.com or become of fan of Sisters' Gallery on Facebook for more info.

rickety rackety

2010-01-28T23:57:00.002-05:00

noise/funk

2010-01-25T23:44:00.008-05:00

bring in 'da noise, bring in 'da funk. my favorite b'way show, tied with my new other favorite b'way show: fela! the musical. GO SEE IT NOW! amazing!

okay. sorry, to switch into somber gears out of nowhere.. but..

like many of us, the devastating earthquake in haiti has haunted me deeply to say the very least. it's been two weeks and i still don't know where to begin, so i will refrain from starting up any downward spiral of a conversation about it, yammering about emotions and politics and all the weight in between. i haven't tackled any outright tragic and/or topical material in a long time, but for this, i felt a very specific urgency to speak to it visually. even if it's just a cry for it, without offering any comfort or solution. what is additionally haunting to me about this piece is how it came to be. if you've followed this blog through the last couple months, maybe you'll recognize the path this canvas taken. it started as a underpainting for a cape town bar scene back in december. then in early january i scratched that, flipped and hit it with some aggressive black oil paint - my intent to make a grim, sharp and steep, choppy and broken abstract scene with shots of color slipping through the cracks. i wasn't sure what my next move would be, if any. a couple days after the earthquake (after entertaining my mom and aunt who were in town for a couple days) i finally returned to the studio, knowing that i had to address this madness. it hit me like a truck, this is it, done! i already made a "cry for haiti" before even knowing what i was making. doesn't get much more haunting than that. added some quiet, dark and graphic imagery into the heavy shadows. different than my usual vibrant fun stuff, but i'm definitely pleased with it. will look better when it's dry and scanned.

in other lighter projects, here's a quick study i'm calling "noise" for lack of a better title:

my new york subway map is through its first phase, more progress to come:

not nearly complete, but i'll call it "white funk" for now..

and i'm still glueing tapes together.. and spray painting them.. mmmmm..

"it be's that way sometime"

2010-01-22T00:52:00.003-05:00

(nina simone)

odd & interesting spots you can see my art nowadays

2010-01-18T21:29:00.005-05:00

More shows to come in 2010, no doubt, but here are three different spots you can check out some of my art, live and direct, right now..

The V-Spot
156 Fifth Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn NY
spreadvegan.com

Brooklyn College Registrar's Office
West Quad Building, Bklyn College
2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn NY
brooklyn.cuny.edu

Wonderful Good Market @ Stoudt's Brewery
Rt. 272, 2800 N. Reading Road, Adamstown PA
stoudtsbeer.com

BROOKLYN COLLEGE RESIDENCY - COMPLETE FALL 2009 WORKS

2010-01-12T23:37:00.003-05:00

might be redundant, but here's a higher-res run down of everything i produced last semester. the best has yet to come. cheers.

"foods to taste, sounds to hear, love to feel / seeds to sow, things to know, fish to reel.."

2010-01-07T23:57:00.006-05:00

("i want more" by faithless)

Welcoming the new year while grappling with my own creativity, expectation, and gratitude. It's easy to get a little down and out during this severely cold streak (combined with not making art for two weeks and hopelessly seeking some steady paying work), but now that I'm back in the studio, life is once again gorgeous. I'm cocked, locked, and loaded with some big fresh canvases I'll be tackling soon. As of today's session, just trying to give some new life to some lost ones from last semester while sparring with some new thoughts and techniques.. Thank you 2009. 2010, lezdoit!

"el pueblo unido jamás será vencido.."

2009-12-19T18:46:00.002-05:00

wrapping it up for 2009..

rituals & artifacts

2009-12-12T19:32:00.006-05:00

although final reviews for the semester were yesterday, i'm still plugging away at a few final pieces for 2009. the holiday will be a welcomed break, but i'm already excited for next semester..

--

3 sentence artist statement for Brooklyn College first semester reviews:

My recent work focuses primarily on the rituals and artifacts of music, particularly within the scope of city life. With affection and optimism, I celebrate the depth, rhythm, and aggression of urban culture. Through vibrant narratives of nightlife and nostalgic salvaging of obsolete media objects, I aim to invoke the viewer’s own experiences and motives in such suspended moments in time.

sharp sharp

2009-12-04T21:54:00.003-05:00

two weeks in south africa. i don't know where to begin, so i'll save that for another day completely. no time to waste, back in the studio..

--
and this sunday, check me out in a creative educational capacity (that doesn't involve painting) THIS SUNDAY @ Marion Spore Gallery, Brooklyn