Amigos Publishing & Shop

Doug Magnuson Q & A

2012-01-28T10:20:00.000-05:00

How did "OBJECTS ALSO DIE" come about?

In winter 2005, I worked with the Location Managers Guild putting together an outreach event to introduce location scouting and photography to a group of students from Jefferson High School in South Central L.A. The two day event took place at the Ambassador Hotel (location for dozens of films over the years) on its final weekend before demolition began. The event was designed for the students on day one, then to allow us day two to photograph the place for ourselves. We were granted only four hours access each day.

In the weeks leading up to the event, I decided, instead of photographing stills I would shoot this documentary. For many years I'd had a vision of how film could be used to describe a piece of architecture and the essence of a place. The Ambassador was the ideal subject and it was incredibly fortunate to be there at that moment in history.

As mentioned, we had access for only FOUR HOURS on each day! The first day we were busy teaching the students, so essentially OAD was shot, day two, in only four hours! They weren't messing around either -- security kicked us out at the buzzer. And that place was huge -- over 500 guest rooms, miles of corridors, ballrooms, pools, bungalows, basements, etc. sitting on 24 acres -- I could have easily spent four weeks shooting there, easily.

I moved quick as I could, shooting from a tripod with no time to deliberate or settle in. My brother Greg was there taking stills, and we split up to cover as much ground as possible. I kept the camera rolling at all times, catching as many images as I could. The hallway shots are me jamming from one place to the next. There was so much variety from room to room, floor to floor. Areas that appear to be in good shape were leftovers from film production, fresh paint having been applied by art departments. One of the greatest opportunities that day was the groundskeeper unlocking all the "off-limits" doors, giving us access to areas that had been chained shut for years. Some of it was downright ghostly.

Was the Ambassador a place that you had been interested in prior to making the film?

I knew very little about the hotel before I became involved with the Location Manager's project. I knew, once upon a time it was a big deal for Hollywood players and had hosted the Oscars. I knew RFK had been assassinated in the pantry and the hotel had shut it doors. I was aware it was a film location. But until LASUD announced plans to destroy it, I hadn't given it much thought.

How did working with Jocko Weyland and Elk come about?

The Ambassador compound was a fortress and there was no getting on the property without some kind of official business. Jocko, I've known since the early '90s, having met in NYC when were were both living downtown. In 2005 he was in L.A. and I mentioned to him that I had an appointment (regarding the Jefferson High event) at the hotel, having no idea it was an object of obsession for him. I invited him to come along and while I was in my meeting, he was able to wander around soaking in some of the derelict grandeur that was the Ambassador in its dying state.

Originally, I envisioned narration over the film and asked Jocko if he'd write it. This led to his essay "Objects Also Die" -- the title, from which my film takes its name, inspired by a line of dialogue in Georgio Bassini's "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis. Much later, as the film OAD took shape, I made the choice not to include any narration. Eventually we decided to make a book about the Ambassador with his essay as the centerpiece. This was finally realized as the Elk book "Objects Also Die", which also includes a DVD of the film.

Most importantly, Jocko introduced me to George Draguns, the brilliant musician responsible for creating the soundtrack. George is a friend of his from Philadelphia, who just nailed it. I love the music. It absolutely captures the essence of that space and really makes the film.

What are some things that have inspired you?

That is a very, very, very long list. But a few things in relation to Objects Also Die: the photographs of Julius Shulman and Lewis Baltz, the films of Terrence Malik and John Cassavettes, the music of Arvo Pärt (thanks Greg), the guitar tones of Sonic Youth, the rock gardens of Kyoto, the ambitions of cubism, and the mysteries of my grandmother's hundred-fifty-year-old farm in West Virginia. And of course the Ambassador itself, which was really something to behold. Being there it was impossible not to imagine what the walls had seen in their time. It's a sense of wonder I hope comes across in some way in the film.

What are you working on currently?

Currently I am in post on a new feature length documentary the working title of which is "Into a New Dimension: The Making of US4" about the making of director John Hyams' latest film "Universal Soldier Part 4". It's an amazing, in depth, warts-and-all adventure into filmmaking and the creative process I spent the past year filming in Los Angeles, New Orleans and Baton Rouge. We're launching a Kickstarter campaign this Saturday, January 28th to help raise finishing funds for the project -- so please check that out at kickstarter.com for more information!

Anything else you'd care to mention?

Thanks to AMIGOS SHOP!!!

Thanks to Doug Magnuson and Elk for allowing us to screen Objects Also Die. Please note the screening will be held at the store tonite at 7PM. Refreshments and other Elk titles will be available.

Objects Also Die Film Screening 1/28 @7PM!

2012-01-25T10:00:00.003-05:00

Objects Also Die, a short film by Doug Magnuson, is a "filmic memorial" of Los Angeles's now demolished Ambassador Hotel. Home to presidential hopeful assassinations, numerous Oscar ceremonies, and now the site of a Los Angeles school, The Ambassador truly lived a life of its own. The film, accompanied by the zine of the same name, was originally published by Elk in 2011.

Elk zines and books was founded by artist and writer Jocko Weyland. You can learn more about Elk and its publications at www.elkzine.com

Refreshments and copies of Objects Also Die, as well as other Elk zines and books will be available for purchase. You can also purchase the DVD with comes with a 44 page zine below.

Scrap Mountain

2012-01-23T19:04:00.001-05:00

Lila Jarzombek Q&A!!

2012-01-17T13:54:00.000-05:00

Your work was recently up in the shop in the Rocket to Nowhere show. You created both prints and paintings for the show. Can you talk about how your creation of the two mediums vary?

I’ve been painting for a while now. I am lot more comfortable with the process and materials than I am with screen printing. When painting, my hand is involved and I can manipulate and control the composition, color, paint, and support as I wish. Silkscreen does not afford the same kind of freedoms. It is a process that demands pre planning, and a real technical skill/knowledge. It’s more about producing an image. Rarely do I approach my paintings with a pre-mediated plan. They are usually worked out over an extended period of time, resulting in something that is unexpected. WIth the silk screen prints I did for the Rocket to Nowhere show, I really tried to approach the process of printing more like I do with my paintings and drawings. I treated each print as an experiment. I have little experience with screen printing, so I had a lot of fun working on the series for the show. The images I used for the prints were created from my drawings, and photos. I cut them up, and reassembled them on the photocopier. The compositions feel fragmented and very abstract... None of the prints I did are the same. I used the images in a way that let me really mess around with over printing colors, and screens. I could really work with color in a more direct way than I do in my paintings. I wanted to work with bright, intense colors that give off a sense of light and luminosity.

You and Jeff are a couple who also share a studio, how does this environment have an effect on your work?

When Jeff and I arrived in Providence 3 years ago, we spent weeks looking at studio spaces in Pawtucket, Olneyville, Lincoln, and Wakefield. We finally stumbled upon a space in the Providence Metallizing building in Pawtucket. Within a very massive space, we ended up building out our space with the help of my dad. There was always some question about how it would work out sharing the space. When we finally moved in and got working, it took us a few months to get used to the new set up. Jeff puts up with a lot of my crap, you know, but I couldn’t imagine working in a space without him!! We’ve worked out a real balance in there, and have a lot of respect for each others work. He inspires me!

And finally, what are some local things in Providence that are inspiring or have interested you lately?

AS220 Print Shop, B-Sharp, RI Antique Mall, Ken Weber, RK Projects, Amigos Publishing, Ada Books, La Arepa, Fort Wetherill, West Bakery in Hope Valley, Pizza Strips from Borelli’s on Charles.

You can purchase the above prints in the shop or here:

Relief for Amigos' Friends!

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Amigos' pal Monica Yi and her roommates were recently involved in a fire which destroyed their Brooklyn apartment. A donation site has been set up here to help them; one roommate is in critical condition after a 5 story fall and two surviving pets are being treated from smoke inhalation. Please donate if you can and spread the word!

Sticks and Stones at 186 Carpenter St.

2012-01-12T09:23:00.000-05:00

Amigos buds, John Hesselbarth and Kate Foster are showing new work at the awesome 186 Carpenter St this Friday, 1/13/12 from 7-10PM. This is sure to be awesome.

Abby Grenon Q & A

2012-01-06T15:00:00.000-05:00

Abby Grenon, the artist behind Amigos 003 Prospects, recently answered some Q's for us via email. Currently based in Los Angeles, Abby talks about her Amigos release, more recent work and what's good in art publishing lately.

Your awesome photo zine Prospects was our 3rd publication at Amigos. Can you talk a little about the work?

Most of the photographs in Prospects were taken after I moved to Los Angeles in 2008. Moving to California wasn't exactly the smoothest of transitions so when photographing here I mostly photographed things that reminded me of the east coast: dreary days and Halloween. Other photographs in the book were from the past few years and include some of my favorites, like the balloons on the sidewalk. Despite the inclusion of older work, the photos and the title were very much about moving to a new place and trying to feel comfortable.

Other than snapping kewl instant photos, what other types of work have you been creating recently? Anything on the horizon?

I'm still collecting fliers in the hope that one day I'll actually make that book I've been talking about since high school. I've recently acquired a better digital camera and got some film for my other camera so I'm just trying to get back into the habit of taking photos every day. And I still blog, but change my Tumblr URL every five seconds. For now it's abigailharrison.tumblr.com.

What are some cool thangs in art/independent publishing that have interested u lately?

Since I'm also a big fan of vintage internet, Monica Yi's Bookmarking Da Spirit Through Dial-Up: Coming of Age in America (Online) is like, the ultimate. Who can't relate to wasting costly dial-up minutes on AOL keyword channels? I won a horror fiction writing contest on one of those channels! Unbelievable! Monica's zine remind me of the times when we all thought the internet was so innocent, and not a horribly creepy black hole.

Any website/video/something on the internet you're currently obsessing over?

It is hard for me to get motivated to do my own projects so I'm into people that actually do, make, and accomplish things. I'm reading Rena Tom's retail strategy blog, it has a lot of great advice for small businesses and start ups. My friends Audrey and Ryan just opened up a gallery in Los Angeles called Favorite Goods and their second show is up right now. Make it happen, folks.

You can purchase Abby's zine Prospects in our webshop or in store. Select photos are also available in store or here.

Mass Moca Day Trip!

2012-01-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

We recently made a trip out to Mass Moca to check out their current exhibits. We especially enjoyed Memery: Imitation, Memory, and Internet Culture, of which this piece by Penelope Umbrico is a part of:

One Floor Up More Highly by Katharina Grosse in the museum's massive Building 5 gallery was also really sweet, (although unfortunately it came down January 1st):

Other exhibitions well worth the trip were The Workers and of course, the Sol Lewitt retrospective. If you get the chance, you should definitely check out Mass Moca, it's in a beautiful old complex of mills and they run a sweet hotel right across the street, Porches Inn, where you get breakfast delivered to your room! All in all, a great mini vacation.

AMIGOS 007 Now Available in Web Shop!

2012-01-04T21:31:00.000-05:00

We are super psyched on our new release, a 13x19, double-sided, digital offset print from Yolene Grant. These prints come from the project, Domestic Excavation. Here's Yolene:

"Domestic Excavation is a series of images derived from family photographs destroyed in my room during a flood. These images depicted my family in various states of play while we were living in Jamaica before we moved to the States. What happened next was a syrupy dispersion that formed on the underside of each photograph; using these abstracted forms, I then proceeded to collage various pieces of my own c-prints and rock formations taken from geology books into the project. Thinking about land and its connection to the family especially as it relates to a Caribbean household, the resulting work then pieces together this investigation of collectivity, movement and the creation of new space bounded by memory."

You can purchase the print below, or, in our web shop.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-30T18:50:00.000-05:00

AMIGOS wishes everyone an awesome and safe new year, thanks for an awesome 2011!

Our hours this weekend are:

Saturday December 31st 12-5
Sunday January 1st CLOSED

Also, please note that our winter hours for January and February will be:

Saturday 12-7
Sunday 12-4

Yolene Grant Q&A

2011-12-27T20:41:00.000-05:00

Work from your current project "Domestic Excavation Series" is currently up at Amigos through January. Can you talk a little about the installation?
The installation is a point of departure that stems from the discovery of found photographs that were taken of my family while we were living in Jamaica. These images were destroyed due to a flood. After inspecting the stack, each photo was bound to the next. Pulling apart each photograph carefully, trying to salvage what I could as I lifted each image, a colorful film residue stained each side of the paper. Left behind was a fantastical syrupy formation that destroyed the image yet had profound resonance in my current immigrant situation. The mixture of colors that bled onto the photographic surface took on a mystical dispersion across the physical photograph that seemed to reconstitute my past space by creating an expanse caught in the midst of transformation. It is from this foundation that I began to examine land and its connection to the Caribbean household. The installation serves as a venue that house these multimedia photographic objects and the varying states of entropy - decay/metamorphosis they embody. The collection of relic- like images present a framework that investigates the history of family and cultural identity.

Part of the installation includes the book "Afro-Creole" by Richard D. E. Burton. What significance does this book have to the rest of the pieces?
Well Richard Burton’s book, Afro Creole serves as the basis for the “Domestic Excavation Series”. As I was flipping through its pages, learning more about the Jamaican culture than I ever understood while living there, I read a small section that spoke about the ideas of “family land”. The author describes “the yard (land) space as an “institution capable of binding together nuclear family units and an extended family network in a single social space and physical space…The yard is an extension of the house, just as the house is the living core of the yard; the outer limits of the yard came to represent the outer walls of the house itself”…land is to be handed down to children and children’s children, till every generation “dead out” …family land is the spatial dimension of the family line, reflecting its continuity and identity”. This excerpt became a transformative piece of textual information that allowed me to grasp ideas of identity that dwelled outside of my own individuality. My lineage was apparent and where that lineage was born became blaring. This experience coupled with the happenstance destruction of my family photographs began the formulation of the project.

This work is far removed from traditional photographic techniques - is this a departure from your earlier photo work or has your work always been more rooted in abstraction?
Hmmm that’s interesting to think about, well the work can maybe function in both ways I feel. Though the modes of display that I am experimenting with throughout the installation may seem divorced from traditional photography it really is rooted in nostalgic darkroom executions. Some prints are made in the color darkroom, while others are digital replications of family photographs made in a color lab. The resulting collages begin to layer these archaic techniques, one onto the other in the hopes of creating create a binding photographic space based on the Caribbean family institution.
On the note of abstraction, I have never fully immersed myself in the process until this project. My previous work was purely about representation, and my attempts to subvert the realities I depicted. In my previous project, I was really interested in showcasing Jamaican folk tales that I grew up listening to. I would go out into my neighborhood setting off smoke bombs in an attempt to capture the unseen; I would photograph at night in the hopes of gathering the essence of another dimension. It was fun. I never felt fully confident to create a project that was just about line or forms until I was presented with the opportunity to make this project.

Now that you are finished with school, do you have any plans for the future?
Other than the occasional panic attack, starting immediately I will be applying to a bunch of residency programs geared towards emerging artists. I think I still yearn for discourse around my work that I may no longer have now. Maybe get a job but that is plan z.

What are some artists or things that have inspired you lately?
Kate Steciw. School Girl Crushes. Yamini Nayar. Sister.

Yolene's work will be on display throughout January. You can purchase her double-sided 13x19 poster from AMIGOS here or by adding to your cart below.

Party Picsss

2011-12-23T11:06:00.000-05:00

The party pics have been stacking up. Here's some from Yolene's opening/release party and from our Holiday Fair! Check them out after the jump! We will be open today 12-7 and tomorrow 12-4ish? If you want to come by after 4, get in touch! We will accommodate.

TBVO's weed shirt was a popular fashion item.

Two in one night!

Kaleb Durocher and Louis Kishfy! Cross blog reference here.

And from our Holiday Fair!

DJ's EZ MONEY

Vinny Martin (awesome new work on his blog here)

Mickey Z and Muffy Brandt.

Muffy and Olivia's merch!

Brendan, John, and Kate!

Walker and Julia!

Thanks for everyone that comes and kicks it for our events!

Walking The Dog by Brian McDonough

2011-12-19T11:26:00.001-05:00

Our good friend Brian McDonough put together some awesome photos for our new 2012 Calendar, Walking The Dog. Perfect for weed and music enthusiasts alike, Walking The Dog is a 12 month collection of carefully selected record covers with some clever disguises. The calendar is 8x8, full color, and comes with a mix featuring one track from each of the albums photographed. You can pick one up here or by adding it to your cart below.

2011-12-16T12:34:00.006-05:00

You guys!

We are having a holiday sale this Sunday, December 18, from 12-5pm!

Everyone's got it "going on" and they wanna share their wares!

Zines, prints, art, crafts, more, more, more!

There will be refreshments!

(On that note I was at Narin Asian Market 2 hours ago getting glutinous rice flour to make exotic mochi cake if this sounds up your alley!)

Come out for last minute gift shopping/socializing/loitering!

XXXXXXXXXX

Featured Item: Sunsets & Other Colour Photographs

2011-12-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Ann Woo's Sunsets & Other Colour Photographs looks like just what it sounds like and it's totally sick. It takes the form of a glossy, rectangular fold-out. Dreamy, pastel gradients are arranged in the middle and to top it off striking cave and ocean landscape photos are printed on the front and back. I bet it'll make you feel warm and summery in contrast to the real weather feeling cold and wintery here on the north hemisphere side.

Yolene Grant Opening Reception & Print Release Party 12/10/11 6-9PM

2011-12-05T19:23:00.001-05:00

Please join us for an opening reception of new work by Manhattan-based artist Yolene Grant this Saturday, 12/10/11 from 6-9PM. Yolene's work began as flood-destroyed photographs of her family in Jamaica prior to their move to the United States. The artist uses these images with a juxtaposition of rock formations to highlight a connection between land and family, specifically to a Caribbean household. In addition to this new exhibition, we will also be releasing Amigos 007, a double-sided print by the artist.

There will be music by Kaleb Durocher and Lou Kishfy and refreshments. Come party!

Featured Item: Exhumed, Book One

2011-12-04T14:19:00.000-05:00

This new arrival in the shop is a thick, drawing compilation zine. It is printed all in black and white by Exhumed Editions in Brooklyn. The pages are densely filled with messy paint, pencils, computer, markers, collage, etc. There are patterns, figures, shapes, scary stuff, weird stuff, lots of stuff. Total mental overload.

46 pages, B&W, perfect bound. $10

Artists within:
Mark Roseglass
Shane Butler
Daren Ho
Tessa Perutz
Brian Willmont
Antonia Kuo
Connor Camburn
Dylan Goettlich
Anjuli Rathod
Cody Defranco
Cody Hoyt
Nic Buffon
Maggie Lee
Kevin Clancy
Kevin Burney
Michael Collins
Alexander Demaria
Simone Fujimoto
Lieven Lahaye
Travis England
Owen Rundquist
Cassandra Baker

Jeff Hale Q&A

2011-12-02T10:09:00.000-05:00

You mentioned that you liked to talk about your work in relation to music. Can you elaborate on this connection?

I care a lot about music, and I think in general that musicians are much cooler than artists. A lot of musicians have been recording their own stuff and distributing it for a while now and obviously as technology has made home recording easier, musicians are less and less beholden to some kind of production model that keeps them from controlling all of their ideas. I think that in the last 10 years or so, hearing a lot of diverse music, and being exposed to certain labels/musicians especially; Mike Rep, Ron House, Jim Shepard & Vertical Slit, Dead C, etc... has really energized me (the title of the show 'Rocket to Nowhere', actually comes from my favorite punk classic by Mike Rep and the Quotas). Listening to this music, I just came to realize that I can make the kind of work I want to see and not really worry about who is going to appreciate it... Maybe that helps me explain why I think the institutional side of showing art might lame out things a bit. I also find that when people have a hard time with artwork, it is helpful to equate things to music, a lot more people have strong opinions about music than art and, in general, they are less literal in their expectations/interpretations of meaning or a songs expression.

You and Lila are a couple who also share a studio, how does this environment have an effect on your work?

Working in the same studio with Lila is really inspiring! I love her a lot, I really trust her judgment and she's helped me get better at making things. We have always had a strong affinity for one another and it started with our artwork (we met in art grad school on our first day there). Over time our artistic concerns have dovetailed and have diverged. But, we take a lot of inspiration from each other and even sometimes unconsciously copy each other. Friends and family who are supportive and pay attention to our work sometimes have trouble telling it apart. It isn't really a concern of mine at all that it can look similar. Some people put too high a price on developing a kind of signature style. I have always felt like Lila and I would do installations together at some point - work in a way where our two voices kinda came together. I plan to make paintings and drawings, etc. for a long time, and I am not too worried about developing a singular voice.

I was recently reading an article on new abstract painting and something they talked about was how the paintings become this filter of everyday life, would you say that describes your work?

I like that idea and to a certain extent I'd say it is a filter of my experience. My paintings really aren't transportive like a landscape can be, or referential like a pop art painting... so they feel less demanding as an art piece to some people and therefore more casual. But, I want them to capture something special and be challenging. Sometimes my paintings are more visual and create more of a feeling and sometimes they have their own sort of character or specific personality... It is kind of an artist's cliché but I spend a lot of time outdoors, in the woods here in RI, in the streets when I lived in New York City or in the mountains back home in Colorado. I love getting caught up in looking at things, and there is always some kind of surprise to find when you are walking around outside. You can see something strange and something beautiful. I don't work in any way from reference, or directly from nature, but I want my work to have that kind of feeling I guess. I like the idea of a more informal kind of art though... One that's first and best place isn't necessarily in a pristine white gallery.

You made a zine, Snuffed Out, specifically for Rocket To Nowhere. Could you describe it for everyone a little? Also, do you have any favorite zines or artists' books that you've seen lately?

Yes I did. It was the first time I have made something like that since making ninja comic books when I was a kid. I wanted to try something for the show and it was an experiment. I freelance as a graphic designer and I troll around a lot on the web during those working periods - I keep images in some labeled folders, like a virtual atlas. So I took a bunch of those, and manipulated them a bit, and then randomly copied them back to back on 11 X 17 sheets and randomly assembled them. Some of the image juxtapositions were pretty interesting. I know I wanted it to have a tone of menace. But someone said it made them feel sort of fortified when they looked at it - which I guess is at least as good as feeling menaced. It turned out okay, but I'd like to try another approach next time I make one.

Lately, I have recently purchased some zines from Printed Matter that are cool, Z-Art by Martin Zet, another by Louise Neaderland called Where is Home? It is really beautiful and printed beautifully. At Ada books I have picked up a couple I like a lot; RAV #3 by a Providence artist who is really good named Mickey Zacchilli, and a Punchline from SF called Cop that is really funny and eerie. And at Amigos, I bought the awesome Deadbeat Daughters by sweet and feral Daniella Ben-Bassat & Hannah Abelow as well as Holeshot #9 which is an compilation of zines you put together and that is super cool and features zines by Vinny Martin and Jake Honesto.

And finally, what are some local things in Providence that are inspiring or have interested you lately?

I think RK Projects is really cool and a very smart way to deal with the lack of opportunities for artists to show in Providence and it puts people into strange spaces around town. I read Mothers News every month and I think it is great. I like Amigos, Armageddon shop, Analog Underground, Load records, Pork Fiend, and I enjoy walking my dog in the North Burial Grounds (the cemetery off of North Main St.) it is a great place to watch the sun set!

Rocket To Nowhere will be up until December 8th. You can purchase Snuffed Out here.

Free River's Edge Screening Wed. Night!

2011-11-29T22:14:00.000-05:00

Please join us tomorrow, Wednesday November 30th, for a free screening of the 1986 classic River's Edge. Starring 80s screen dreams Ione Skye, Keanu Reeves and Crispin Glover, this chilling tale based on a true story is too good to miss! Come check out the final days of our Rocket to Nowhere exhibit and enjoy the screening. There'll be limited edition soundtrack bootlegs for sale as well! Please feel free to bring your own chairs and beverages.

Party Photos!

2011-11-27T13:11:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Providence's favorite party band, Party Pigs and a band originally named after their drums- two trash cans- The Toucans, played a quick show to coincide with the Rocket To Nowhere show up right now. It was fun and if you missed it, don't worry; we have one more event, a free screening of River's Edge taking place this Wednesday 11/30/11! River's Edge = Slayer, Crispin Glover, a river, Keanu, Ione Skye, teen angst,etc. Party starts at 7PM, C YA then!

The Toucans

Artists.

Party Pigs

Musicians.

BLACK FRIDAY SALE

2011-11-22T13:04:00.001-05:00

Starting Friday all books and zines are on sale! Come enjoy 10% off and build your collection or just buy your friends "nice" presents!

Our regular hours are:

Friday 12-7
Saturday 12-7
Sunday 12-4

As always, please get in touch if our hours do not work for you and we can set up an appointment!

Keith Allyn Spencer Q&A

2011-11-20T13:31:00.000-05:00

You have paintings up in our current show "Rocket to Nowhere," which also includes work by local artists Jeff Hale and Lila Jarzombek. How did you become a part of the show? Can you talk a little about your work in the show?
We originally connected from the work of mine they saw at the RISD thesis show awhile back. Jeff contacted me about an exhibit they were putting on at Amigos and asked if I'd like to join in.

I've always felt pressured to make BIG paintings. "You're a man! Make big paintings." or, "You're from Texas! Make big paintings." The small scale resists such notions, but then I might be lumped in with being precious. I'll take being precious even though the process and materials used might seem contradictory (rubbing them against the floors, walls, ceilings and empty stairwells to gather much needed filth, grime, debris and dust). People may see them as abstract paintings, but I don't. They're weird little objects with unknown powers only to be revealed later. In short, they're about not taking things for granted: the painting stretcher, the space they occupy, the freedom to make paintings about paintings instead of about human trafficking, hunger, or hate, so thank you gods, USA, and the governing forces of the universe that be for letting me do what I do what I please -- blessed are my souls.

In your CV, your solo exhibition listing consists of such accessible locales such as the post office and Ben & Jerry's. You state that these locations bypass "the conventions of art galleries and institutions by being installed and left within the interiors of public places." Do you leave your work in these spots without permission or are they formally on view there?
The paintings are installed and left without permission in public places my family and I visit, but who would ever expect permission to be granted for receiving a gift? I'd hope they're still on view, but not in the site originally placed. Ideally, they're in someone's living room corner, above a toilet, in an old attic chest, or within the city dump waiting to be excavated worlds later.

How does living in Providence compare to El Paso?
No place compares to home -- CHUCO TOWN 915 por vida!!!

Although, there are some similarities. Let me explain. Duration of crummy weather: Providence = long, cold winters; El Paso = long, hot summers. Both locals have mucho mucho pride in their hometown. Both have a vast, rich history. Both cities are in a state of in between: Providence = between Boston and NYC; El Paso = between East Texas and West coast (sorry New Mexico and Arizona). Both got bad drivers: Providence has MASSholes (as I've been told and not quite sure they deserve all the blame); El Paso has New Mexican drivers and Mexican drivers from across the border. I should clarify, it's not that the Mexican drivers are bad, they've just got a different approach. We're defensive while they're offensive, not necessarily bad, just different. The New Mexican drivers, however, as stated by their state logo, "The Land of Enchantment," are in la-la land -- Sunday drivers 24/7. Lastly, we, too, have a portion of people that think they own the world, feel entitled to taking they're time crossing the street when/where they shouldn't, play music from their mobile device as loud as possible, curse publicly and openly in front of children, and park in spaces designated for those with infants when the only thing infantile is the amount of consideration they have for anyone but their self; otherwise, people are quite nice, especially in El Paso <3.

You can view Keith's website here. Rocket To Nowhere is on view thru November.

The Toucans and Party Pigs Show Saturday Nite!

2011-11-16T20:17:00.000-05:00

Providence's finest bands The Toucans and Party Pigs are playing at the shop this Saturday November 19th. The gig starts early at 7PM so come on time! A great opportunity to view Rocket to Nowhere, our November installation, and listen to some tunes. The event is free as always and all are welcome!

Weepers by Brendan Campbell

2011-11-14T06:00:00.015-05:00

Our bud, Brenadan Campbell, recently dropped off a new zine he made, Weepers. One of our favorite new additions to our inventory, Weepers is a collection of found items - notes, photos, cryptic messages, etc. Nicely laid out and printed on AS220's offset machine, Weepers is available online and in the shop. To learn more about Brendan's undertakings check out Enthusiast Studio.

Snuffed Out by Jeff Hale

2011-11-13T13:03:00.006-05:00

Snuffed Out is a new zine by Providence based artist, Jeff Hale. Created to coincide with the opening for Rocket To Nowhere, Snuffed Out deals with the element of chance; spreads are put together at random leaving each zine unique. Printed on graph paper, this 44 page zine is 7 dollars. Be quick, there are only 10 of these!

Rocket To Nowhere

2011-11-12T14:11:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who came out lastnight! Below are some images from the work in our space and in the adjacent space. Thanks to the artists, Jeff Hale, Lila Jarzombek, and Keith Allyn Spencer. If you are interested in any of the work, please get in touch at amigospublishing@gmail.com. The work will be up through November. Stay tuned for more Rocket to Nowhere events this month.

Really nice silkscreens by Lila Jarzombek!

One of Keith Allyn Spencer's paintings. These are hiding in all kinds of cool spots throughout the shop and in the adjacent gallery, keep your eyes peeled.

Rocket to Nowhere Opening this Friday!

2011-11-10T21:13:00.000-05:00

Please join us this Friday 11.11.11 from 6-9PM for the opening of Rocket to Nowhere, artworks by Lila Jarzombek, Jeff Hale and Keith Allyn Spencer. For the duration of November, this installation will occupy the Amigos space as well as a pop-up gallery adjacent to the shop. There will be refreshments sponsored by Narragansett Beer, music and other surprises. We hope to see you there! And stay tuned for more Rocket to Nowhere events this month!

Post Teenage Wasteland 2nd Edition Now Available!

2011-11-05T17:44:00.001-04:00

We are pleased to announce that the second edition of Post Teenage Wasteland by Vinny Martin is now available in our online shop. The zine offers intimate portraits of the artists' friends experiencing life after high school. This edition is 32 black + white and color xerox pages with a c-print inset on the cover. The publication of this edition marks an end to this body of work by the artist. You can pick up a copy in store or view it in our online shop here.

Featured Item: Bidoun #25, Summer 2011

2011-11-04T11:00:00.002-04:00

The latest issue of Bidoun is a response to this year's Egyptian revolution. Bidoun editors travelled to Cairo for the months of April and May to understand and document what happened during the revolt and what was happening in the aftermath. This beautifully designed issue contains more than 50 interviews in Arabic and English, dream recollections, selected tweets, improbable headlines and much more. "The result is a composite portrait, at once disjointed and revealing, partial but not trivial."
Check out more at bidoun.org.

HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEN

2011-10-29T13:56:00.000-04:00

The "2nd Most Popular" holiday, AKA Queen Halloween is fast approaching. Time to scavenge enough sugary candies on the cold streets for an entire year, which you will inevitably eat all of by the "1st Most Popular" holiday, AKA Chrizzmiss. Whatever, your identity is concealed anyway and you can think of it as "preparing for winter."

Too busy to construct your costume in time for the 31st? An angel must be looking out for you because in the shop right now is the new zine "Disguises" with 10 inky mask drawings you can pull out and wear (eye holes pre-cut out) by Kaleb Durocher and Michelle Chrzanowski. Each cover is unique, painted on with white finger paint.

$5.00 plus shipping!

GET SPOOKD

Featured Item: Deadbeat Daughters

2011-10-24T20:00:00.000-04:00

Blessed are the wretched, we'll do it our way. Deadbeat Daughters by Hannah Abelow and Daniella Ben-Bassat is fun all the way through. It starts with a really rad orange and black screen printed cover on newsprint and from there delves into assembled words, photos, drawings, and an Internet presence with more photography to boot! For Deadbeat Daughters everywhere.

P.S. This is the last week to catch the Deadbeat Daughters video and prints at our group show in the AS220 Project Space!

New Totes from Muffy Brandt!

2011-10-22T22:12:00.001-04:00

Muffy Brandt recently brought by some rad new black tote bags. The bags are a heavyweight material with ink that shines like an oil puddle, as seen in the detail below. Stop by and check them out; we've also restocked Muffy's psychedelic T-shirts, now in larger sizes!

Post Teenage Wasteland Re-Release Party this Friday!

2011-10-18T22:33:00.000-04:00

Please join us this Friday 10/21/11 from 6-9PM for the re-release of our first publication, Post Teenage Wasteland by Vinny Martin. The second edition of Post Teenage Wasteland offers new photographs and marks an end to this body of work. In addition, there will be an installation on display by Vinny and ~~refreshments~~ Rolling Rocks. We hope to see you there!

Featured Item: Bookmarking Da Spirit Through Dial-Up: Coming of Age in America (Online)

2011-10-15T12:56:00.000-04:00

Bookmarking Da Spirit Through Dial-Up: Coming of Age in America (Online) put together by Monica Yi collects a number of nostalgic short stories recalling experiences like getting the household "wired" and gossiping on AOL after school. The words are broken up with full page collages of early computer effects and drawings done in Paint. Going through it is a total time warp. It gave me the warm-fuzzies thinking of my own first time inventing usernames and hanging out in chat rooms when I was 12 with friends and complete strangers. I was riding this new wild horse called The Internet with no map, and I remember having to ask what exactly "LOL" stood for from a teenaged Canadian boy on a Sailor Moon forum 10 years ago. Monica's zine brings it all full circle.

N3V3R F0RG3T

Saturday!

2011-10-12T16:40:00.000-04:00

891 North Main St. Providence, RI.

AMIGOS @ AS220 Through October

2011-10-05T09:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the AS220 Project Space on Sunday. If you missed the opening, you'll be happy to know that the show will be up throughout October. The gallery is located at 93 Mathewson St. in Providence and the hours are Wed-Fri: 1pm-6pm, Sat: Noon-4pm & by appointment.
There are works and zines by:

Kaleb Durocher
Michelle Chrzanowski
Kerry Cardoza
Daniella Ben-Bassat
Hannah Abelow
Nick Ferreira
Kenyon Q. Smith
Abby Grenon
Mike Hayhurst
Monica Yi
Muffy Brandt
Death Panel
Prashant Gopal
Cara Burgess
and many more!

Amigos & Friends at the AS220 Project Space

2011-09-24T14:57:00.001-04:00

We are excited to announce that we have curated a group show and collaborative zine exhibit in the AS220 Reading Room, located in their Project Space at 93 Mathewson St. Based on one of our main interests as Amigos, we asked a handful of our artist friends to participate in Amigos & Friends. These artists in turn asked a friend to also exhibit in the show, either on collaborative or separate work. In addition to these pieces, all artists were encouraged to submit printed matter which will be on view alongside a selection of Amigos zines (and zines by other amigos), to highlight the atmosphere of AS220's Reading Room. The opening reception of Amigos & Friends will be held on Sunday October 2nd from 4-7PM. The exhibition will then be on display through the month of October.

58 cents Project by David Horvitz

2011-09-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Brooklyn-based artist David Horvitz has a new participatory project that also serves the practical function of reducing his student debt. The project, hosted here, is the artists' attempt "to use the internet to get 100,000 people to mail the Sallie Mae corporation a check for 58 cents." Horvitz's loans from Sallie Mae, which financed his MFA at Bard College are currently at approximately $58000. Horvitz hopes to use this community action to pay down his debt and also to flood the mailbox of Sallie Mae. The artist is attempting to track all the participants on Twitter @fiftyeightcents. You can learn the specific details on how to get involved on his site here. Best of all, the site encourages anyone who has debt and likes this idea to use it for themselves.

Featured Item: Ad Hoc Project

2011-09-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Ad Hoc Project by Rafaela Drazic, focuses on the topic of censorship in the arts. The book deals specifically with two projects. The first is a controversial photo show of street graffiti that was cancelled at the City of Museum of Split in Croatia (and subsequently shown in an alternative space). The second is the Secret Exhibitions project, where artists facing censorship were asked to participate in a "secret" exhibition: namely, the artists were to fax in their work at a specific time to an apartment that would be showing the work. The ad hoc nature of the project, "will the artists and designers invited to participation reply to it at all (considering they all had to send their works at the same time, although many of them live in different time zones), will the fax machine borrowed for the occasion function properly, will there be enough paper, will international calls be established without problems..." helped to set up an atmosphere where censorship could be considered from a variety of perspectives. The book, published in English and Croatian, offers text on the subjects as well as black and white reproductions of much of the work.

Saturday 9/17/11! Holeshot Issue 9 Release!

2011-09-14T08:43:00.000-04:00

New Zines from Hamburger Eyes!

2011-09-10T15:36:00.001-04:00

We just got these rad new zines in from our pals over at Hamburger Eyes: Earthlings by Uri Korn, Lindzine, 847, Do You Have Your Radio Off? by Bill Daniel and Slag Hag by John Oliver Hodges. Stop by the shop to check them out or purchase them via the link below. We are partial to Lindzine, a zine devoted to LiLo. Alternating between glamorous magazine photos and trashy snapshots, the images in Lindzine show the actress from her innocent Mean Girls days to hanging out in a bikini with her ankle monitor on. A must-have for anyone who loves to hate celebutantes.

Tonight at Winton Bell Gallerrry

2011-09-09T08:23:00.000-04:00

2011-09-08T16:50:00.002-04:00

Amigos will be closed Fridays through September. We will still be open Saturdays 12-7 and Sunday 12-4 and by appointment. We apologize for any inconvenience. Hope you're enjoying your rainy daze!

Mostly True, Party Cove, & Closed for Labor Day

2011-09-03T13:11:00.002-04:00

We are psyched to have a couple copies of Bill Daniel's awesome hobo graffiti book, Mostly True. Mostly True is filled with tons of great content about one of America's most intriguing forms of communication. This one comes in at 144 pages and is well worth your 8 bucks.

Mostly True
by Bill Daniels
144 pages, perfect bound, 6"x9"

Just in time for the ultimate party weekend, Labor Day, we got a restock on Andrew Burton's Party Cove mix CD series. Andrew also cooked up a brand new volume for your listening pleasure and so you can dance until the world ends. 1 DOLLA!

Speaking of Labor Day, we will be closed Sunday September 4th to get some relaxation. Stop by today for all of your end of summer reading/listening/fun needs!

Have a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Restock on Daniella Ben-Bassat T-shirts!

2011-08-28T16:33:00.000-04:00

Daniella Ben-Bassat just dropped by a restock of her popular US Weekly and Kim Kardashian t-shirts! Both styles are available in S, M or L. Please note that all shirts are hand-screened and one of a kind, and may contain small imperfections. Drop by the store and pick one up or order below!

Closed Sunday 8/28/11, Tropical Storm Edition

2011-08-28T09:57:00.000-04:00

We will be closed today due to the weather. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please feel free to call 401-439-9532 or shoot us an email at amigospublishing@gmail.com if you need to get in touch. Stay safe!

US Weekly Available Online!

2011-08-26T09:28:00.000-04:00

Daniella Ben-Bassat's US Weekly is now available in the web shop or by the paypal button below! Plenty of time left for summer tabloid reading!

60 pages, black and white, 8.5"x11"
$15

August Installation by Daniella Ben-Bassat

2011-08-24T16:09:00.000-04:00

Our current installation by Providence-based artist Daniella Ben-Bassat will be up through September. For more info or if you are interested in purchasing work, please contact us at amigospublishing@gmail.com.

Thanks for last night

2011-08-20T15:59:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out last night to our event! Photos of Daniella Ben-Bassat's installation and new zine, US Weekly, will be up soon!

Zine Release and Installation Opening By Daniella Ben-Bassat this Friday!

2011-08-18T16:24:00.000-04:00

Please join us Friday August 19th, from 6-9PM, for the opening reception of our August installation by Daniella Ben-Bassat. To coincide with the opening, Daniella will be releasing her new zine, US Weekly, a completely hand-drawn replica of America's favorite tabloid magazine. As always, this event is free and all are welcome!

Seeking a few good interns

2011-08-16T18:28:00.001-04:00

We are seeking a fall intern to work in the shop and assist with daily operations. Potential duties to include:

-updating blog and other social networking sites
-assisting with events
-administrative tasks and general store up-keep

The right candidate will have great customer service skills, be motivated and have a real interest in independent publishing, zines and book arts. An art background is recommended but not necessary. Candidate should be available approximately 10 hours a week. We ask for a full semester's commitment. Please send a resume, 2 references and an email explaining your interest to amigospublishing AT gmail. We are happy to work with school requirements for course credit; we are unable to offer financial compensation.

Zine Swap at Foo Fest!

2011-08-11T12:02:00.000-04:00

Amigos will be tabling at AS220's Foo Fest this Saturday August 13th (from the start til 5:30PM.) We will be hosting a zine swap and offering free DIY Gocco prints by artist Derek Aylward. If you have never used a Gocco before, you are in for a treat! We will also be selling some choice items from the shop: Mothers News shirts, totes by Muffy Brandt, new zines from Elk + more. See you there!

Amigos at Foo Fest!

2011-08-06T13:21:00.000-04:00

Saturday, August 13th Amigos will be setting up shop at AS220's annual arts & music event, Foo Fest. In addition to having select items from the shop for sale, we will be organizing an on-going zine swap and offering free Gocco prints that one can make themselves by Boston based artist Derek Aylward! These prints will only be available during the event and we will be keeping track of the edition size.

Amigos will be in attendance from 1-5:30 but Foo Fest lasts all day from 1PM-1AM. For more information and the musical line-up please visit the Foo Fest site here. And don't forget to bring zines to trade at the zine swap!!

Please note: the shop will not be open Saturday August 13th because we will be at Foo Fest!

Kenyon Q. Smith

2011-08-03T13:01:00.000-04:00

Our bud from down south, Kenyon Q. Smith, has a beautiful and subtle charcoal drawing hanging in the shop right now. He also just redid his website and is blogging over at The Phcy. Kenyon will have new work in our October group show at AS220's Reading Room but until then come by and check out his work hanging above our reading area.

Oh, and we almost forgot! His work was featured in our group-show style zine, Amigos Publishing & Friends Vol. 1 which you can buy here.

Abby Grenon, Photographs

2011-07-29T14:51:00.001-04:00

Our good friend Abby made some very nice 4x6 prints for her installation last month. Pick one of the framed, archival prints up below for just $15 plus $4.95 shipping! P.S. When ordering please indicate which one you would like!

$15 each

New Items in from Microcosm Publishing!

2011-07-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

We just got a bunch of titles in from Microcosm Publishing, including three volumes of Dwelling Portably. Compiled by Bert and Holly Davis, Dwelling Portably offers practical how-to advice on living off the grid. These books are highly recommended - we've been reading and rereading the 1980-89 collection for years!

We now are also carrying the now-classic comic zine Henry and Glenn Forever. A hilarious and terrifying take on the potential relationship trials and tribulations between two of punks toughest dudes.

Headmaster #2 Now Available!

2011-07-24T20:18:00.000-04:00

Headmaster, based out of Providence, is an assignment-based queer print publication. Issue #2 was just released and it is now available for purchase here or in the shop! We still have some copies of their inaugural issue as well.

392 & Ritus

2011-07-23T12:48:00.000-04:00

Dylan Goettlich's two new zines/projects are now available online. 392 is a 32 page, black & white art and literary journal featuring work by:

Adrian Dexter

Antonia Kuo

Ben Hunsdorfer

Cody Defranco

Daniel Jensen

Dylan Goettlich

Esther White

Izaak Schlossman

Joe Ruppert

Sean Duram

Ted Powers

Tony Pasquarosa

Antonia Kuo

Cody Defranco

392 #2

RITUS follows a narrative of carefully crafted poems, photographs, and illustrations. 28 pages. Black & White.

RITUS
$3

New Book by Ryan Walker

2011-07-17T13:48:00.002-04:00

To coincide with his opening lastnight, Ryan Walker produced a limited run of a beautfiul artists' book. It's very engaging and feels as though you are opening a gift. Bright and hopeful, this book compliments Walker's in-store installation quite nicely. The installation will be on view throughout July and the artists' book can be purchased for $6 below.

Ryan Walker Opening Tonite!!

2011-07-16T14:01:00.000-04:00

Hey don't forget the opening for our new installation by Maine-based artist Ryan Walker is happening tonite from 6-9!! Are you gonna be there are the love-in/opening?! We hope so! You can expect drinks, tunes, and a new artist book by Walker, made specially for tonite.

Kewl Events this week!!

2011-07-14T14:46:00.000-04:00

Tonight is Kid's Night in New Bedford for their monthly AHA event. Our pals over at Oko Arts will be featuring zines by Amigos artist/nephew Malcolm X. Monteiro!! Oko will then have an opening of local artist Phillip Mellen. Aha night goes from 5PM into the night....More info here.

On Friday night, Girls Rock! RI will hold its' second annual showcase of awesome grrrl rockers at 6PM at the Hope Artiste Village. More info here. And don't forget our awesome opening of new work by Ryan Walker, 6-9 at the shop on Saturday night!

Party Saturday Night

2011-07-12T11:50:00.000-04:00

Opening reception for Ryan Walker's in-store installation. Everyone's invited and the event is free of course. Come hang!

Crafts by Rachel Fae Coleman

2011-07-09T20:58:00.000-04:00

We still have a bunch of crafty items in stock by Providence-based artist Rachel Fae Coleman. In addition to the above scarves and bag, we have an eyeglass case, a secret pouch and a self-published artist book, Stream of Thought. Come check out these gorgeous handmade crafts!

New Work by Ryan Walker

2011-07-07T21:20:00.000-04:00

July 2011's in store installation is by Maine artist, Ryan Walker. The work will be on view throughout July and we will be having an opening reception Saturday, July 16th from 6-9PM. To coincide with the opening, Walker will be producing a limited edition artists' book. We hope to see you there!

Amigos Dj Nite at the Salon Tonite!

2011-07-06T10:05:00.000-04:00

Amigos is DJing tonite at the Salon! We'll be playing party favorites from 10 - 1. Come listen to some awesome jams, play ping pong and enjoy the AC!

lookin for america

2011-07-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

MONO.KULTUR #27 Ryan McGinley: Daydreaming

2011-07-01T09:39:00.003-04:00

The newest installment of MONO.KULTUR takes the shape of an extensive interview with the artist as well as nicely printed reproductions that span McGinley's career- from the streets of the Lower East Side to Anywhere, America. This is 44 pages and printed for your viewing pleasure in full color.

TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK

Also, we will be CLOSED Sunday, July 3rd! We'll be open today, Friday July 1st and Saturday July 2nd 12-7!

Dylan Goettlich Zine Release Party this Thursday!

2011-06-27T21:40:00.000-04:00

This Thursday 6/30 Dylan Goettlich will be celebrating the release of two new zines in the shop: 392 and Ritus! There will be tunes by Daniella Ben-Bassat and refreshments. This is also your last chance to see our June installation by Abby Grenon. This free event goes from 7-9PM and everyone is welcome! Tell your friends!

The Kingsboro Press 7

2011-06-26T14:05:00.003-04:00

Issue #7 of the renowned Kingsboro Press showed up at the shop earlier this week. This issue is 160 pages of nice black and white offset pages packed with great content. Features include a photographic portfolio by Gus Van Sant (2 awesome photos of Crispin Glover!), a reprint of Distort #26's chaotic interview with former Adolescent Rikk Agnew, paintings and interview with Joe Bradley, a great article by Ethan Swan, an awesome collection of ads beautifully reproduced from America's underbelly by Will Boone, and much much more! This one will keep you busy for awhile.

The Puffers Fest!

2011-06-22T14:08:00.002-04:00

Facebook Event Page here. Tumblr here. Amigos backpack pop-up shop will be in attendance Sunday afternoon.

New Shirts & Totes by Muffy Brandt

2011-06-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

Muffy Brandt stopped by the other day to drop off some awesome hand dyed and hand printed geometric tees. She also brought by some double sided tote bags. Choose your own mood!

Kerry's (One half of Amigos) new issue of her zine, Girl Talk is now available as well. This issue features a lengthy Grass Widow interview complimented by some great writings and art revolving around the "Creation Myth" theme. There's a bunch of new stuff on the way. We'll keep you posted!

New Photographs by Abby Grenon

2011-06-15T12:42:00.001-04:00

On view through June, Amigos will be showing new photographs by Abby Grenon. These 4x6 photos are available for purchase and as they are sold they will be taken off the wall, leaving the empty space for you to fill in the blanks.

Abby Grenon is from New Bedford, MA and lives in Los Angeles, CA. You can follow her blog, Small Victories, here and preview her Amigos zine, Prospects below.

Abby Grenon Prospects
Amigos 003
28 pages, full color, stapled
$8.00

CameraClub of New York Zine & Self-Published Photobook Fair

2011-06-06T15:37:00.000-04:00

From the Camera Club of New York:

CCNY presents the Second Annual Zine and Self-Published Photo Book Fair on July 16-17th at CCNY.The zine and self-published photo book is a contemporary approach to photography in its published form, celebrating the book as well as offering artists a vehicle to spread their art and ideas.The public will be invited to come, browse, purchase and meet the people involved with the burgeoning zine and self-published art world.

There is a call for entry with all of the specifics available on CCNY's site here!

Today @3PM Death Panel Press Reading

2011-06-05T12:52:00.000-04:00

Death Panel Press will be reading today at the shop! Starts at 3, BYOB and tell your friends.

Oko Arts Grand Opening!

2011-06-04T12:38:00.000-04:00

Oko Arts, a new gallery/shop, is having their Grand Opening today from 4-9:30PM! The shop, located at 528 Pleasant St in downtown New Bedford, will sell vintage clothing, artwork, zines, books + more. Tonight there will be artwork on display by local artists Hilary Burkitt, Vinny Martin, Andy Anello and Nick and I will have work in the show also! Be sure to stop by and check out the new space!

Zine Reading this Sunday!

2011-06-02T08:41:00.000-04:00

We are hosting a little impromptu zine reading this Sunday afternoon at the shop! Featuring Jarrod Shanahan of Deathpanel zine, Jess Teffer and a special guest or two, this event is not to be missed! We'll have some light refreshments and new zines for sale. Starts around 3PM, see you then!

cool stuff in providence tonite

2011-05-28T12:51:00.000-04:00

AS220 is hosting "Put This in Your Gun," a touring reading series featuring the playwright Michelle Embree and fiction writer Tennessee Jones. There will also be readings by Jacob from Mothers News fame and Richard Bump, creator of Fanorama. This goes down from 6 - 7:30 and should be sweet!

RK Projects is having a closing ceremony for their Chloe Wessner/Mengli Qi show at 186 Carpenter St. The event runs from 6 - 9 and they're having tapas! You can view the FB invite here.
.

Lucky Dragons "Shape Tape"

2011-05-27T06:17:00.001-04:00

We've been listening to this cassette by Los Angeles based Lucky Dragons pretty consistently lately. It could have been the relaxing rainy days we just got over but we're pretty sure it's just really awesome. Put out by Teenage Teardrops, this one is sure to help you keep it mellow for at least 90 minutes. Available online and in store.

$7

SOLD OUT!

AHTCAST

2011-05-25T10:31:00.000-04:00

Phillip Mellen runs a podcast based blog, Ahtcast. Mellen interviews artists from all over but there is a heavy New England vibe running through it. It's great to hear working artists discuss their own work and the trials and tribulations that aren't often talked about. This morning I listened to New Bedford, MA based artist Brooke Mullins-Doherty's interview.

Cory Arcangel: Pro Tools

2011-05-23T09:30:00.000-04:00

This Thursday at the Whitney Museum, Cory Arcangel: Pro Tools opens, and will be up through 9/11. A selection of new work, ranging from Photoshop paintings like the one shown above to a room full of bowling video games dating from the '70's to the present day, this is sure to be a great show.

Currently Listening to/Looking at:

2011-05-22T13:41:00.001-04:00

Elk #11. Each page corresponds to a track on the included CD-R by George Draguns. Very nice and intriguing. Perfect for a grey day like today! Available in-store and online.

$10

Get it Together #2

2011-05-21T10:05:00.001-04:00

We are now carrying Get it Together #2 by Brooklyn-based artist Lauren Denitzio. The zine was recently made during an Artist-in-Residency at AS220, and focuses on motivational phrases and mantras. This issue is based on self-employed friends living in Providence and their continued motivation to remain independent. It's beautifully made, come check it out or purchase it via paypal below!

Tonight in NY!

2011-05-20T12:25:00.000-04:00

Amigos pal, Mat Petronelli is jamming tonight with the Apehangers and others. Apocalypse FTW.

Rain Daze

2011-05-18T11:05:00.000-04:00

Here's to hoping Providence gets some sunshine so we can stop listening to this^ and start listening to this:

Girl Talk Zine #12 Release Party!

2011-05-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Be sure to mark our next event on your calendar! On Friday June 10th, from 6-9 (get it?), we'll be hosting a rad release party for Girl Talk zine #12, the origin stori/creation myth issue! We'll also be unveiling our new in-store installation of photographs by local hero Abby Grenon, which will be available for purchase right off the wall! As if that weren't enough, we'll also have drinks by Cafe Intelligentsia and a special musical guest. NOT to be missed.

Subscribe to Mothers News!

2011-05-15T13:19:00.000-04:00

Looking for something to do with that 20$ in your wallet?! Subscribe now to the next year of Mothers News! Get all the benefits of reading Mothers New without having to leave yr house. Click here or here to subscribe and feel good knowing you're supporting a kewl independent publication. Yes! And look for our ad in the June issue, there may or may not be a coupon involved.

'Sup Magazine 23

2011-05-14T09:29:00.000-04:00

We just got a few copies of 'Sup Magazine in the shop. 168 pages of great photos, awesome layout, and interesting interviews with some of the best in contemporary music today. Issue 23 includes a great article on Occult Rock, some rad photos of Chicago's DJ nate, and interviews with Night Slugs, Azari & III, Kisses, Blondes and tons more!

Derek Aylward & Andrew Burton @ Dedham Open Studios 5/14/11

2011-05-12T07:00:00.003-04:00

Amigos friends, Derek Aylward and Andrew Burton will be showing new work at The Centre Deli during Dedham Massachusetts Open Studios this Sunday May 14th from 11AM-4PM. Check out the Dedham Open Studios Site for more info and also be sure to peep Derek's work, as well as Andrew's blog!

2True 2morrow Night in LA

2011-05-11T10:20:00.000-04:00

Chloe Wessner/Mengli Qi Show at RK Projects

2011-05-08T12:46:00.001-04:00

Be sure to check out R.K. Projects new show by Providence-based artists Chloe Wessner and Mengli Qi, up now through May 28th. The exhibition, curated by Craig Smith Dermody, is on display at 186 Carpenter Street. Click here for more info and some q&a with one of the artists!

New In The Shop

2011-05-06T12:54:00.002-04:00

We now carry Headmaster, The Providence "assignment-based queer print publication". Full bleed and perfect bound, Headmaster appeals to a "to a discerning audience of man-lovers." This mag looks awesome.

We also have some new music items. Novus 2, who played at the shop on Easter Sunday dropped off some sweet, super limited, handmade 45s! Also, Sloppy Sam gave me some The ---ones 7inches complete with a digital download.

And one of my favorite recent arrivals are these cassettes from Minneapolis based duo, Sad Ghems. Each cassette has a handmade cover and they are totally awesome.

New stuff is always showing up, come drop by and see what's cooking now that the weather has finally started to break!

Moms

2011-05-01T15:46:00.000-04:00

Next Sunday is Mother's Day! If you're out of ideas, maybe we can help. We have two t-shirts that may up your mom's alley. First is the Providence-based, free newspaper Mothers News's iconic, "Every Mother is a Working Mother" tee.

And secondly, we have an homage to What About Bob? with the Don't Hassle Me. I'm Local tee. Great for the approaching summer!

Incase t-shirts aren't your mom's thing, we have a whole bunch of other things that may be more fitting. Maybe this cool newsprint poster by David Horvitz could hang in your mom's office to remind her to take it easy!

We'll be open all day Friday and Saturday from 12-7 for all your Mother's Day needs. If that doesn't work for you, just give us a ring at 401 439 9532 or shoot us an email at amigospublishing@gmail.com and we could set-up an appointment. And don't forget you can always have anything shipped. Just call or email for help!

last week's party

2011-04-29T13:03:00.000-04:00

NOVUS 2 on Sunday!

And party pics from Point Break! Thanks for coming out.

David Benjamin Sherry @ Ooga Booga

2011-04-27T22:54:00.000-04:00

Head to Ooga Booga, tomorrow April 28th at 6 PM, for a book signing of It's Time by David Benjamin Sherry. There's an afterparty right across the way at Grand Star (2true) with special guest hosts Wendy Yao, Aaron Bondaroff and David Benjamin Sherry! More info here.

free show this afternoon! novus 2 + more

2011-04-24T12:34:00.002-04:00

Don't forget we're having a FREE show this afternoon featuring Providence surf rockers Novus 2 along with Panda Teeth, Sad Ghems and Birthdays. Show starts around 4, come early and enjoy the nice weather on the water!

The Fifty Year Storm is Now Available!

2011-04-23T12:55:00.001-04:00

We're excited to present our newest zine, The Fifty Year Storm by Ian Stillman, a record of the artists' six month stay in Australia. The Fifty Year Storm is 24 color and black and white pages and each copy comes with a Gocco print, as pictured below.

You can pick up a copy in store, or via the link below. The zine will be available in our online store shortly.

And don't forget we're hosting an awesome show tomorrow afternoon, featuring Sad Ghems, Birthdays, Panda Teeth and local heroes Novus 2. Show starts around 4, bring Easter candy. FREE!

big decisions

2011-04-21T09:51:00.000-04:00

Don't miss this rad opening tonite at 1 Sims Ave, featuring the work of Amigos' pal Neal Walsh, along with some other talented folks as seen on the above flier. The festivities start at 7PM; you can view more info here.

Zine Release/Point Break/4:20 Party 2nite

2011-04-20T10:22:00.000-04:00

Happy 4/20! Don't forget we're releasing this awesome zine tonite at the shop:

The Fifty Year Storm by Ian Stillman, which comes with a one-of-a-kind Gocco surfer print, is sure to enthrall you with its' hilarious portrayal of the land down under. As if that weren't enough, we're also showing Kathryn Bigelow's epic surfer movie, Point Break. BYOB and beach vibes! Tonite at 7-ish!

sunny sunday

2011-04-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

awesome new bags

2011-04-16T17:42:00.000-04:00

Just printed up a couple hundred new Amigos shopping bags! Thanks to Lis for letting us borrow her rad Gocco machine to print them. Stop by and buy something so you can take one home for your very own.