JOHN CHAMBERLAIN'S HEAVY METAL

By DANIEL KUNITZ for The NY Sun February 21, 2008

The five large pieces in his new show at PaceWildenstein Gallery suggest that the sculptor John Chamberlain (b. 1927) of Shelter Island, now in his 81st year, has lost none of the playfulness and verve that have long characterized his efforts. And yet his methods continue to change. Best-known for polychrome sculptures constructed from crushed automobile parts, he has, in fact, worked in many media, from steel pipes to foam, foil, paper bags, and Plexiglas. The stainless steel from which the five new pieces have been made marks a relatively new material direction. For Complete go to the NY Sun Link in the ART CRITIC section in the right column and click on "Daniel Kunitz". Click to see Mark Borghi Fine Art inventory: John Chamberlain at MBFA

I don't know if this farm fact from Japan is art or not but I'm classifying it as such so here is is in my blog. Farmers in the southern Japanese town of Zentsuji are growing a space saving square watermelons. While the fruit is growing on the vine, these ingenious growers are inserting the melons into square, tempered glass cases which force the fruit into the unatural square shape.

A normal watermelon takes up alot of space in the refrigerator as well as in shipping. The size and shape have been calculated to fit perfectly into the Japanese refrigerator. This altered fruit costs about 10,000 yen (about $82) which is nearly four times the cost of a conventional watermelon.