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Artist's Sea Level Rise Map Envisions A World Of New Seas And Coastlines

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Imagine a scenic cruise through the Amazon Sea, or a week at a seaside resort in Arkansas. Fanciful ideas in the early 21st century, these dramatic changes could become a reality in the very distant future.

Global sea levels have risen about eight inches since 1880, and scientists predict they could rise two to seven feet more by 2100, explains Climate Central. If global warming trends continue, even greater rates of sea level rise are possible in the coming centuries.

Martin Vargic, an amateur graphic designer from Slovakia, designed this map that depicts a world after 260 feet of sea level rise.

For average sea levels to rise this high, it would take the melting of both of Antarctica's ice sheets, along with Greenland and other ice caps and glaciers across the world. While this much sea level rise isn't likely for at least several hundred years, the increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels we bring about today create "largely irreversible" climate change for 1,000 years even after we curtail our greenhouse gas emissions, according to one study.

If you want to see what this much sea level rise would do to your hometown, Southern Fried Science blogger Andrew David Thaler shows how to "drown your town" using Google Earth.

"There is still a way to prevent all this from happening," Vargic wrote on his DeviantArt page. "If we limit our greenhouse gas emissions to bare minimum, we can still save our environment and our civilization from the worst."

[Hover your cursor over the map to zoom in.]







23 Questions Raised By Katy Perry's Absurd 'Dark Horse' Video

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Katy Perry unveiled the video for "Dark Horse" on Thursday, and boy, do we have questions. Lots of them. Like: Why? Why is anything that happens in it happening?

If you haven't watched, it appropriates ancient Egyptian culture and symbolism, and, well, that's about all we can tell you. We could pretend like we have all the answers, except we don't have a single answer. So here are a lot of questions raised by "Dark Horse."

Did Katy Perry lead to the demise of Memphis, Egypt?
katy perry

Why are these men blue?
katy perry blue men

Why did this pirate abandon his ship?
katy perry eyepatch

Who knew the ancient Egyptians had such modernized hair-dyeing techniques?
katy perry hair

How is this helping her vision?
katy perry eye

How did she survive this lightning strike?
katy perry lightning

Why does that pirate look like he belongs on the set of "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace"?
katy perry sandman

Why can't that snake bite Katy Perry so this will end?
katy perry snakes

Would Cleopatra approve of this look? (Hint: Not even Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra would approve of this look.)
katy perry teeth

Is that pyramid made of sidewalk chalk?
katy perry food

Is this really what Katy Perry looks like when she's hungry?
katy perry pyramid

When did ancient Egypt get Flamin' Hot Cheetos?
katy perry cheetos

What did she expect? She just ate a Flamin' Hot Cheeto.
katy perry hot

Why is this guy so useless? Who is this guy?
katy perry water

Is she auditioning for "Mortal Kombat"?
katy perry ball

How did Katy Perry manage to get this off the "Legends of the Hidden Temple" set?
katy perry temple

Doesn't this carriage look like it'll fall apart at any second?
katy perry buggy

How did this guy go from this ...
katy perry face

... to this?
katy perry crocodile

Why was this small dog selected to represent how we all feel about this music video?
katy perry dog

Where did this dude get his beard groomed?
katy perry beard

How did Katy Perry even get up there?
katy perry pyramid

Why are her eyes terrifying all of a sudden?
katy perry eye shadow

Why? Just why?
katy perry weird

What questions do you have about Perry's video? Watch below and decide.

You Need To See 'Community' Credits In 'The Walking Dead'-Style

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"Community" has one of the most passionate fan-bases around, and it's had some of the most epic episodes we've seen in a comedy. Perhaps that's why it was so easy for YouTube user atsp88 to recreate the opening credits to "Community" in the style of "The Walking Dead."

Over the years, "Community" has had plenty of episodes that have temporarily turned Greendale Community College into a post-apocalyptic nightmare, giving atsp88 plenty of footage to work with. Now, its fans can imagine a world fallen completely into chaos. Can Jeff Winger rally the study group to survive, or will he get eaten while he's giving one of his inspirational speeches? We may never find out, but after watching this video, we kind of want the show to go there.

The sitcom has proven quite the inspiration for this YouTube user, who has created several intros, including one in the style of "The Wonder Years."



"Community" returns to NBC on Thursday, March 6 at 8 p.m. EST.

6 Celebrities Who May Want To Stop With The Whole 'Art' Thing

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Please to meet a new term: fartist, a portmanteau of “famous person” and “artist.”

James Franco, our civilization’s leading fartist, believes everything he touches turns to art. Shia LeBeouf, who has been balancing art making with plagiarism of late, is an up-and-comer in the field.

In an open letter published in yesterday’s New York Times, Franco explains the rules. The system actors volunteer themselves into is a confining one. Every so often, it’s good to shake off those self-imposed shackles by behaving crazily enough to provoke a reaction from the unsuspecting public. This is art.

All is not tolerated though. A colleague should not, Franco warns, “use up all the good will he has gained as an actor in order to show us that he is an artist.”

Well then -- which of our greatest fartists are using up too much good will?

1. James Franco

2014-02-21-JAMESFRANCO_original.jpg

Career highlights: Took a goofy part in “General Hospital,” while simultaneously -- as he makes clear in the NYT -- courting Oscars; made a great parody of an even greater music video (#allrespecttothenewuncanny).

Lowlights: Missing a ton of classes-others-wanted-to-take during his whirlwind tour of America’s higher institutions all while keeping on loudly making art no one seems to want. Billing himself as a "modern day 'Renaissance Man'" on his Artspace profile.

Reception: Even Thought Catalog has grown weary.

Goodwill-ometer: The best case scenario for James Franco is that he's doing a great performance art piece on how to use up all the good will.

2. Shia LeBeouf

2014-02-21-SHIALABEOUF_original.jpg

Career highlights: Disturbing a jaded reporter with a crying spell during his ongoing bag hat stare show #IAMSORRY. “The wet spot on his bag kept growing. I couldn't take it anymore,” wrote the only witness in the room, a Defamer staffer.

Lowlights: Stealing this, this, this, and this, as well as the concept for the above highlight.

Reception: “Shia labeouf music video meaning” is a suggested Google search term. People are at the very least mildly curious about the spirit of what he’s doing.

Qualifier: A follow-up reveals the search is for the video he starred in, not the one he directed.

Goodwill-ometer: Shia LeBeouf is drinking deep from the good will cup. It could really go either way at this point.

3. Kristen Stewart

2014-02-21-KRISTENSTEWART_original.jpg

Career highlights: Publishing the poem My Heart Is A Wiffle Ball/Freedom Pole in the unpretentious pages of Marie Claire.

Lowlights: Doing interviews that by Franco’s definition could be performance art, but are definitely not.

Reception: While amateurs called it the worst poem of all time, poetry professors are down with MHIAWF/FP. “ I thought the second stanza was very delicate with sound play,” wrote one.

Goodwill-ometer: The question may be moot here. How much good will is Kristen Stewart even coming in with? Girl's got nothing to lose. (Bless her.)

4. Macaulay Culkin

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Career highlights: Making the kind of art a grown up Kevin McAllister nursed on millions of dollars would make. For instance, this painting of E.T., Waldo and the devil at a Korn concert. And, obviously, his “pizza-themed Velvet Underground cover band,” the Pizza Underground.

Lowlights: Drawing in audiences due to curiosity, but not being able to keep them.

Reception: “Gimmick’ is too strong a term,” says Brad Pfeifer, 31, a Bushwick musician.” (From a NY Post review of a Pizza Underground show).

Goodwill-ometer: There’s arguably no harsher critic than a 31-year-old Bushwick musician. Based on Brad’s lukewarm review, aka high praise, Macauley Culkin still has good will to spare.

5. Jay Z

2014-02-21-JAYZ_original.jpg

Career highlights: Getting a bunch of art world luminaries including Marina Abramovic into a gallery for a 6 hour rap marathon for his music video Picasso Baby.

Lowlights: Swiping the marathon concept from...Marina Abramovic. Offering a vague reason for his guest list. If he really wanted to close the gap between the “haves and the have nots,” why stage a supersecret invite-only party for the cool kids?

Reception: Romancing the art world had the accidental effect of exposing its flaws. "The discussion [inside] might be the best part of the enterprise,” wrote a Vulture commenter. “You can see people who are really smart about this stuff getting a little flummoxed. Don't want to get taken in by a hustle, but don't want to miss something cool and interesting either. It's a legitimate dilemma when you let a new element like Jay Z in.”

Goodwill-ometer: If immunity exists in Franco’s paradigm, Jay Z has it.

6. George W. Bush

2014-02-21-GEORGEWBUSH_original.jpg

Career highlights: Making people question all the political beliefs they hold dear by turning out some mad weird bathtub self-portraits. Who is this man? And now he’s painting skulls?

Lowlights: You might think they're the dog paintings because the subject is so predictable. But then you get into how many dogs Bush has painted and we're back at a weird highlight.

Reception: “Bad reputations are mitigated by good (or, in the instance of Bush, surprisingly not-terrible) art,” wrote Vanity Fair’s Juli Weiner, finding shades of Alex Katz in the W oeuvre. “Bush’s transmutation from iPod-threatening lameness monster into smiling blog mascot aligns closely with his painting career.”

Goodwill-ometer: Much like Kristen Stewart, Bush has little to lose. He may actually be accruing good will, an outcome Franco did not even consider.

Two Cellists Play AC/DC 'Thunderstruck' Like You've Never Heard It Before

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When Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser get on their cellos, they can make any song their own -- even if it's AC/DC's "Thunderstruck."

Watch the unstoppable Croatian masters of 2Cellos get in traditional Victorian garb and absolutely rip through this epic melody.

If you were impressed, be sure to also check out their rendition of "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N Roses here.

We can't wait to see what song they will cover next.

'Pompeii': A Live Blog

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In 79 A.D., the Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed by a volcanic eruption. In 2014 A.D., director Paul W.S. Anderson has created a cinematic version of those events that involves gladiators. There was a press screening for “Pompeii,” but it was at the same time as “3 Days to Kill” and “Non-Stop” (such decisions). That meant early on Friday morning, I purchased a ticket for “Pompeii” at the AMC Lincoln Square on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. While watching, I kept a running diary of the proceedings. Here is how that went:

10:22 a.m.: Around 25 other people purchased a ticket to see the 10:25 a.m. showing of “Pompeii” on a Friday morning, which was more than I expected.

10:37 a.m.: I just watched back-to-back trailers for “Noah” and a Jesus-themed movie called “Son of God.” The only observation I’ll make about “Son of God” is that the guy who plays Jesus could easily be on the cover of Bop magazine.

10:40 a.m.: The trailer for “Think Like a Man Too” just played. I’m now convinced that Kevin Hart will soon rule the world.

10:40 a.m.: Turtle is also in this movie.

10:40 a.m.: Turtle was also in “Last Vegas,” which, like “Think Like a Man Too,” is set in Las Vegas. I’m starting to think that Jerry Ferrara just hangs out in Las Vegas and just jumps into any movie that happens to be filming that particular week.

10:45 a.m.: “A Film By Paul W.S. Anderson” just flashed on the screen. I have nothing against Paul W.S. Anderson, but I will admit that every time I see his name, for a split second, I think it’s the other Paul Anderson and I get a momentary feeling of excitement.

10:47 a.m.: We’re introduced to a young child that I assume will one day grow up to be Kit Harrington.

10:48 a.m.: For now I’ll refer to him as “Johnny Pompeii.”

10:50 a.m.: Kiefer Sutherland is in this movie! What? He’s the bad guy and he’s doing a weird voice.

10:52 a.m.: People are now referring to Kit Harrington’s character as “The Celt,” which isn’t his name. I will continue to refer to him as “Johnny Pompeii."

10:54 a.m.: So, young Johnny Pompeii’s family was slaughtered by Romans, now Johnny Pompeii is a slave who is forced to fight in gladiator battles.

10:58 a.m.: Johnny Pompeii risks his life to help a horse that has fallen. This is how we know Johnny Pompeii is nice.

10:58 a.m.: Johnny Pompeii just snapped the horse’s neck. I can only assume he’s seen “Man of Steel.”

10:59 a.m.: Jared Harris is in this movie? What?

11:00 a.m.: Jared Harris is not even attempting to pretend that he’s from Italy.

11:02 a.m.: Unrelated: When I’m watching a movie and I’m hungry, the gruel that’s always served to prisoners looks appetizing.

11:03 a.m.: Kit Harrington just said the line, “He wants to know my name?” Yes, me too.

11:04 a.m.: If this movie were made 30 years ago, Dom DeLuise would have been cast as the man who is in charge of all of the gladiator slaves.

11:04 a.m.: We just got a sinister close-up of a volcano. I’m sure that won’t come into play later.

11:07 a.m.: Kit Harrington is actually pretty good in this movie.

11:15 a.m.: Honestly, Kiefer Sutherland’s voice sounds like it belongs in a Vaudeville routine.

11:16 a.m.: It looks like Kiefer Sutherland is thinking, The “Pompeii” wing of my house should be completed by the end of the summer, right next to the “Flatliners” wing.

11:20 a.m.: I really can’t get over the voice Kiefer Sutherland is doing.

11:22 a.m.: Johnny Pompeii just helped another horse.

11:26 a.m.: Seriously, Kiefer Sutherland’s voice is just the oddest thing.

11:28 a.m.: For Halloween this year I’m going to dress as Keifer Sutherland’s “Pompeii” accent.

11:36 a.m.: An hour into this movie, we learn Johnny Pompeii’s name is Milo.

11:38 a.m.: I have my suspicions that this movie isn’t historically accurate.

11:38 a.m.: My favorite scene just happened. So, Johnny Pompeii and Kiefer Sutherland are both in love with Jared Harris’ daughter, Cassia. Kiefer Sutherland tells Cassia, “Your father has granted me your hand in marriage.” The frame pans out and we see Jared Harris standing right there who says, “No, I didn’t,” with a “I’m standing right here and I can hear you” look on his face. This was like a scene out of a “Naked Gun” movie.

11:45 a.m.: “Pompeii” is a gladiator movie, only, every so often, a nearby volcano makes some noise.

11:47 a.m.: This movie isn’t particularly good, but I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would. Some of the fights are fun.

11:48 a.m.: Jared Harris just had his final scene in this movie. He has a look of peace and tranquility on his face that is so convincing it makes me think he’s not acting.

11:55 a.m.: The volcano has erupted.

11:58 a.m.: This has now become a different movie.

12:00 p.m.: It reminds me of a poor man’s “Titanic” all of a sudden. Everyone is trying to get to the harbor like people were trying to get to the life boats –- except for Johnny Pompeii, who goes back to save Cassia.

12:07 p.m.: There are fires, floods and earthquakes. This is disaster porn.

12:10 p.m.: Even in the middle of a volcanic eruption, there’s still time for one more gladiator battle.

12:12 p.m.: The volcano is back.

12:13 p.m.: I feel this movie doesn’t want to end, though it should have 10 minutes ago.

12:17 p.m.: Here’s where we learn if a horse can outrun an approaching wall of deadly volcano fire.

12:17 p.m.: Nope.

12:20 p.m.: Okay, that could have been worse. Though, if you must watch a Volcano movie this weekend, maybe just stick with “When Time Ran Out,” or something.

Mike Ryan is senior writer for Huffington Post Entertainment. You can contact him directly on Twitter.

2014 Olympics Photos: Day 16 Of The Sochi Winter Games

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Bummed you didn't get tickets to the most exciting event in winter sports this year? Can't believe you're about to miss your favorite alpine skiers? Wish you could see the bobsledding competition in real time? Don't fret. HuffPostSports and the HuffPost photo team are your eyes and ears in Sochi during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

From Mikaela Shiffrin's slalom run to patriotic face paint, here's a selection of the most memorable photographs of Day 16 of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Check back tomorrow as we'll have even more more photos from the XXII Olympic Winter Games.

Elders Try Flappy Bird With Hilarious Results (VIDEO)

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Flappy Bird is hard enough for millenials, but imagine if you didn't grow up with computer games?

In TheFineBros latest installment of their "Elders React" series, the comedy team sat a group of elders down in front of the latest gaming craze Flappy Bird.

The game, which made waves for both its simplicity and its difficulty, has recently been taken down. Previously, it was available in Apple's App Store and Android's Google play store.

Apparently, the people downloading the game onto their mobile devices weren't much different than the elders playing it for TheFineBros -- they also found it horribly frustrating.

"This is torture, you know?" one woman said.

"I hate this and I hate you guys!" another exclaimed.

Watch the video to see more!



Pink Will Perform At The Oscars

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Have the Oscars gone Grammys?

Producers of the 86th Academy Awards announced Friday that Pink will appear on the Oscar show. The Grammy-winning singer joins a lineup already set to include performances from U2, Pharrell Williams, Bette Midler, rocker Karen O and Broadway star Idina Menzel. Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan did not specify what Pink's performance will entail. They also haven't said what song Midler will sing.

Williams, Menzel, Karen O and U2 are set to perform their nominated original songs on the March 2 show.

10 Surprisingly Sturdy Items For Your Home Even You Can't Break (PHOTOS)

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We've all been there. You're hosting a dinner party and the gorgeous glass pitcher crashes to the ground. Or your kids bumped into your favorite lamp while playing in the house (which you've told them not to do a million times).

We feel your pain. That's why we've rounded up these 10 items that look every bit the part of their higher-priced, more fragile friends but will survive a lot longer than the average thing you'd pick up as a replacement. Because everyday chaos happens -- but that doesn't mean you have to trade style for practicality.


The Mushroom Lamp
lamp
As demonstrated at the imm Cologne and Maison & Objet 2014 furniture and trade shows in Paris, the lamp gently rocks from side to side after being knocked over until it comes to rest in a standing position, where it puts "normal" light fixtures everywhere to shame.



Menu Rubber Vase
rubber vase



Acrylic Stemless Wine Glass
wine glass



Acrylic Pitcher
pitcher



Polycarbonate Rocks Glass
rocks glass



Vivaldi Collins Glass
collins



Pedestal Bowl
pedestal bowl



Acrylic Dinnerware
dinnerware



Outdoor Dish Sets
more dinnerware



And, of course, this chair...


Have something to say? Check out HuffPost Home on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram.

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Do you have a home story idea or tip? Email us at homesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com. (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.)

Braden Summer's 'All Love Is Equal' Photo Series Showcases LGBT Couples Around The World

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A New York-based photographer's stunning series showcasing same-sex couples around the world is making the media and blogosphere rounds.

Photographer Braden Summers told The Advocate that he has always loved romantic imagery, but nonetheless "came to a realization that I have a subconscious disconnection from said imagery because of the simple truth that the majority of the most influential images depict straight couples."

Describing the "All Love Is Equal" series as being "reminiscent of the highly-produced romance images that we are fed on a daily basis," he told Buzzfeed the shots were "not documentations of reality, but illustrations using models and real-life couples to help my viewers dream about having that type of romance."

Summers raised over $23,000 for the project via a Kickstarter campaign. Check out more of his work here and on Facebook here.

Take a look at the "All Love Is Equal" photos below:

'American Idol' Lawsuit Claims Sony Music Has Withheld Millions In Royalties

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It's been a bad few weeks for U.S. singing shows. First, "The X-Factor" was canceled due to low ratings. Then, CeeLo Green announced he would be leaving "The Voice." Now, Sony Music is being sued for allegedly withholding millions of dollars in royalties from "American Idol" contestants and winners.

19 Recordings, the record label that was founded by "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller and is now owned by the show's parent company, Core Media Group, represents many of the show's contestants and winners, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks. The label, and by extension, its clientele, claims that Sony Music has stolen millions of dollars worth of royalties and has breached recording agreements. The lawsuit was filed after 19 Recordings audited Sony's books.

The two companies unsuccessfully attempted to reach a private agreement before 19 Recordings filed the lawsuit. "We did not want to have to file this lawsuit, but Sony left us no choice, so this became necessary to protect our artists," said Jason Morey, the worldwide head of music at 19 Entertainment.

The label is seeking at least $10 million in damages, claiming that Sony has paid incorrect amounts related to digital streaming royalties, music videos, compilation albums and other products, and has even improperly deducted foreign income taxes.

Sony responded to the accusations by saying that it has actually overpaid royalty recipients on digital track downloads, although the company has not countersued for that money.

Read more about the lawsuit over at The Hollywood Reporter.

This Ad For German Grocery Store Edeka Is Bizarre In The Best Possible Way

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We'll say it: if we lived in Germany this would be our favorite grocery store.

Via Reddit

This Year The Oscar Statue Will Have A Penis... It's About Time

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Meet Henrik (SNL former cast member and current writer Tim Robinson), the sculptor behind the Oscar statue's tiny penis. Not familiar with Oscar's johnson? That's because the two have been separated for over 50 years.

But that's all about to change.

Via Above Average

Mario Bros./'Seinfeld' Mashup Called 'A Parody About Nothing' Will Make You Feel Nostalgic

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What happens when you combine Mario Bros. and "Seinfeld"?

You get what one YouTube video creator calls "A Parody About Nothing."

With Jerry Seinfeld as Mario, Kramer as Luigi and (of course) George Costanza as Toad, this video gives an updated twist to two old favorites. Seinfeld's laugh track combines with Mario's characteristic sound-bites, essentially showing what would happen if you set up a comedy club in the middle of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Peach (presumably Elaine) and Bowser (presumably Newman) are mentioned in the video, but not shown, which is unfortunate because a Newman-ed version of Bowser would certainly be an interesting character.

'We Are All Barbie Girls' Illustrations By Colleen Clark Show What It Would Look Like If Dolls Represented All Women

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How great would it be if Barbie came in all dress sizes, body shapes and ethnicities?

That's what student and illustrator Colleen Clark thought when she was approached by Marie Claire South Africa to illustrate what a "feminist" Barbie might look like. For Clark, that meant an inclusive line-up of dolls that could represent every woman.

"I was very inspired by the idea that feminism is as simple as accepting others and yourself unconditionally," Clark told The Huffington Post in an email. "I wanted to make the point that 'Feminist Barbie' wouldn't have just one look, style, or culture to her, because feminism should include everyone."

Though Barbie is in some ways a good role model for children -- as Charlotte Alter at TIME pointed out, she's had around 150 different careers -- the doll's ridiculous proportions are potentially harmful to girls' body image.

"I think that our continuous discussion of Barbie’s influence on girls has made her more diverse than ever, and hopefully it will only get better from here," Clark told HuffPost.

Check out her amazing illustrations below.

barbie girls
barbie girls
barbie girls
barbie girls

Keith Haring Foundation Sued After Its Refusal To Authenticate 90 Works

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NEW YORK (AP) — Art collectors are suing Keith Haring's foundation in New York, saying it has cost them at least $40 million by refusing to authenticate about 90 works by the late artist.

The federal lawsuit was filed Friday in Manhattan. Haring started the foundation shortly before he died of AIDS in 1990.

The lawsuit says the foundation stopped authenticating his works in 2012. It alleges the goal was to limit the number of authenticated works so they would be worth more money.

The lawsuit was brought by collectors who began buying works in 2007 from two of Haring's friends.

Lawyers for the Haring foundation did not immediately respond to comment requests.

Ansel Adams Spiritual Photographs And Quotes Bring The Awe-Inspiring Power Of Nature To Life

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February 20 would have been Ansel Adams' 112th birthday, and we are celebrating by taking a moment to reflect on the photographer's singular ability to evoke the sacred power of Earth.

Renowned as a photographer and as an environmentalist, Adams' work manages to capture the magnificent power of nature, which is probably why his work has endured among the most beloved portfolios of American art.

Here are 5 of his stunning photographs, accompanied by quotes from the artist:

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter."

ansel adams


"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence."

ansel adams


"Myths and creeds are heroic struggles to comprehend the truth in the world."

ansel adams


"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration."

ansel adams


"The only things in my life that compatibly exist with this grand universe are the creative works of the human spirit."

ansel adams

'Hot Chicks' Drawing Series Has No Hot Chicks, Many Pixelated Boobs (NSFW)

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Warning: The following images may not be quite NSFW, but they sure get weird.

When you hear of a drawing series named "Hot Chicks," you probably envision an onslaught of scantily clad females with accentuated proportions and hyperrealistic beauty. The Moldy Peaches' Adam Green, however, has something very different in mind.

angry chick
Angry Chick




Green's drawings look like what might occur after a kid experienced his first erotic dream, scribbling frantically to recall the details of the sensual affair, yet jumbling them up with his daily dose of video game imagery. The electric crayon images, which make Willem De Kooning's "Woman" look like a realist work, resemble a game of exquisite corpse gone terribly, and somewhat gloriously, awry.

Part woman, part beast, part submarine, part octopus, part glob monster, Green's "chicks" bear little resemblance to their human counterparts. (They do all have boobs, though the boob count ranges from one to nine.) The works' giddy perversion feels like a pre-pubescent fantasy with a flurry of screens in the background, their imagery seeping into your imagination's frame.

For his exhibition "Hot Chicks," Green invited a series of artist friends including Dustin Yellin, Devendra Banhart, Alia Shawkat and Macaulay Culkin to contribute their own riffs on the sexy lady. We reached out to Green to learn more about the series.

baby chick
Baby Chick




How did the "Hot Chicks" series get its start?

I was on tour and we had a layover in an airport, me and my band. I started to draw stuff and I was kind of joking about whether or not I could draw something that my guitar player would jerk off to. Not that he would jerk off to [it] but, like, would that be possible. I drew like 10 women, nothing too hot. [Laughs]

And these were the women in the show?

At first I drew Tijuana Bible type stuff, cartoon girls with big boobs. Then on the plane ride I started drawing really abstract girls and the airline stewardess saw me drawing on the plane and she stopped me and said, "I got to tell you, those are beautiful." I was like "I found it!" I wanted to do these weird chicks. I was thinking about the digital transmission of erotic information and I think I've always been into this idea, ever since I got a cell phone, that we're pretty much living in a video game. I certainly felt like that when I got an iPhone, that I was immersing myself in a video game about life. I was thinking about downloading pornography as these little pixels and squares, these little bundles of information. I was trying to find a way to visually represent that. These women are visualizations of erotic information with all the errors and glitches and mis-loading. That was the feeling I was trying to share, as someone who grew up playing Mario.

beast chick
Beast Chick




When I was looking at these I was thinking that you so often see digital artworks looking like they're manmade but you rarely see the opposite -- handmade works looking digital. It really trips you up.

I'm inspired by different things, one being Paul Thek's digital flesh cubes. They're blocks of flesh. There is something about making analogue forms imitate digital forms that's really beautiful. Making a tactile version of pixels. You know those things where you push your hand into the pins and it makes your hands appear in the pins? [A pinpression!] For some reason that's such an impressive thing to look at. Something about the simulation. I think my interest in 3D printing comes from that as well, the idea of the internet becoming flesh.

There's a childish playfulness to the drawings and they're sort of perverted. Do you think kids have a sense of perversion that's washed out of you as an adult?

I think I identify with being a perverted child to some degree. I feel sort of like a naughty boy, I think. I haven't really grown out of that. There's a devious part of my personality that leads me to make erotic prank art. But I think there's also a punk aspect to a lot of my things. But as for my style, I admire the style of drawing where pens are applied with a lot of pressure. It makes me feel like there's a lot of feelings in the lines. When I look at lines I'm really looking for expression. Expressionism is in my heart, you know?

When you asked your friends to also draw female figures did you notice any difference between how the females and males portrayed women? Or was it more wrapped up in their individual styles?

I would say most people, when they drew women, they'd draw something kind of gross, I don't know why. It seemed like most drawings in the show were pretty grotesque or hyper violent or super zoomed in on genitals. Very few people drew a pretty lady. The biggest difference between the men and the women, I'd say, is some of the women focused more on fertility. That was something the men didn't really touch on.

blackout le chick
Blackout Turtle Chick


blue chick
Blue Chick


chick with ruff
Chick with Ruff


disco chick
Disco Chick


dog
Dog


glamorous chick
Glamorous Chick


night chick
Night Chick


queen
Queen


tit nose
Tit Nose


tits
Tits


turle
Turtle Desk Chick


adam

told

twoo

like

smoosg

All images courtesy of The Hole and Adam Green.

New Web Series Will Challenge Your Narrow Definition Of Art

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"Autointerventionist" artists Douglas Paulson and Christopher Robbins met for the first time a few years ago while living abroad in Denmark and Serbia, respectively. Although it was Robbins who, in the search of like-minded creators, first reached out to Paulson, it was Paulson that suggested that they meet.

But they wouldn't meet just anywhere, Paulson explained. They would meet in the exact midpoint between their two locations, the middle of a pond located in the southern Czech Republic, and not communicate again until they saw each other there at high noon at an agreed upon date.

It was an art project to be sure, but maybe not the kind that your high school art teacher assigned you in 2D workshop. Nevertheless, it's the subject of the inaugural episode of "The Art Assignment," an adamantly interactive web series by former Indianapolis Museum Of Art curator Sarah Urist Green. The series' goal, to "demystify the art-making process and bring you to a wider understanding of what art is and what it could be," is evident throughout the episode, embedded above.

"Hold on, I understand why this is, like, beautiful and metaphorically resonant, but this is not The Metaphorically Resonant Assignment. It's The Art Assignment," Sarah's co-host and husband John Green protests after Paulson and Robbins' border-crossing and definition-bending artwork is introduced. "Why is that art?"

"People have been arguing for a long time that art doesn't have to be an object or material. It can be something like Roy Ascott said: triggers for experiences... The definition [for art] has broadened." Sarah explains.

It certainly has. Sarah traveled across the country to interview Paulson and Robbins in New York for the web series, and is excited to visit more creative spaces. "I think for lesser known art hubs, Kansas City has a good cool art scene, Minneapolis has a great art scene, and there are places, of course, all over the country," she told HuffPost Arts, "and I'm really looking forward to continuing to discover new places."

Each stop will include an artist and an "assignment", one that viewers will be encouraged to attempt themselves. The assignments will be diverse: some in the future might delve into more traditional forms, but at least one will include the making of a GIF.

But are GIFs really art? Will they one day find their place in museums? This question made the former curator laugh. "I'm sure that an animated GIF has been shown in a museum already, but I think that the younger generation, as they grow up, maybe the distinctions between these mediums, like a video and a GIF and a photo, I think those will be less distinct and people will be more comfortable."

John, at least, has been convinced. He's already scheduled his "meet in the middle" masterpiece for this week, when he'll trudge through the snow and slush of Indianapolis to see a familiar face in a wholly unfamiliar backyard.

The art world might be changing, and only for the more exciting.
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