More reflections on joy from the Finding Joy hotline.

As part of their final project, Finding Joy, Finishing School interviewed members of the MOCA staff about what brings them joy. Listen in as they discuss bike rides at night, Obama’s victory, farmer’s markets, food, the internet, books, motorcycles, sock puppets, and more.

We will be posting other sets of recordings throughout the next few weeks. Enjoy!

-Zach

Pictures from Finishing School’s Finding Joy. Thursday December 4 at MOCA Grand Avenue. Photos by Patrick Miller.

So, Finding Joy was a success. Special thanks to Finishing School for conceiving the concept and their endless hours of labor. Of course, thanks to everyone who came out, and everyone at MOCA who worked to make this complicated project a reality.

Moreover, I’m sad to say that Finishing School’s residency is over. More on that later, but for now, let’s just say they really delivered.

Further documentation forthcoming…

-Zach

Okay. Well, last night Finishing School and some MOCA staff helped organize the materials that participants will use to build foxhole radios at Thursday night’s Finding Joy. Amongst other things, this process involved cutting magnetic copper wire (#22 AWG, for those who know these things) for hours.  Fun photos abound.

With that said (and documented) we at MOCA and in Finishing School have all put some serious brow work into this, so we hope you will come out to MOCA Grand Ave at 7pm to build a radio and listen in onsome words about joy generated by the MOCA community.

Oh, and if you still want to add your thoughts to the Finding Joy AM wave stream, you can call and record at 213/455-2926 through 11:59pm tonight.

-Zach

Intrigued by the military term “finding joy” (referring to the successful establishment of radio contact on the battlefield), Finishing School leads a workshop in which participants build small DIY radios that will be used to detect prerecorded transmissions located throughout the museum. To generate audio content prior to the event, Finishing School will interview members of the MOCA community about what brings them joy.

The public is also welcome to share their thoughts by phone; to participate, please call the Finding Joy Hotline at 213/455-2926 and follow the instructions.

Photos by Patrick Miller

More at MOCA’s Flickr stream.

Thank You Luis!

http://www.luismuna.com/

Midnight Ridazz were on the scene at last week’s Little Pharma Drug Run. Click here to watch a costume making video by Edward Alvarez and here for reactions on the Ridazz web forum.

photos by Danielle Roman

Big thanks to everyone who came out to dress-up and ride at last night’s Little Pharma Drug Run!

Stay tuned for more coverage from this mind-altering event.

THURSDAY, NOV 6, 7–10pm
MOCA Grand Avenue
Sculpture Plaza

SCHEDULE UPDATE:
7pm Meet at MOCA for costume-making and screening of Big Bucks, Big Pharma: Marketing Disease & Pushing Drugs

8:30pm Ride leaves from MOCA (route TBA at event)

10pm Reception at Fringe Exhibitions (504 Chung King Court, Chinatown)

Starting at MOCA, participants will first meet for a costume-making workshop and other activities. Dressed as their favorite pharmaceuticals, they will then embark on a group tour of the late-night drugstores of downtown Los Angeles. The event will culminate at Fringe Exhibitions in Chinatown, which will be hosting an incarnation of Finishing School’s Little Pharma, an interdisciplinary project investigating alternative medicines and lifestyles as viable antidotes to some of the drug industry’s pathologies. Little Pharma is on view at Fringe Exhibitions from October 11 through November 8.

Finishing School and MOCA will not be providing bicycles, so please bring your own.

DISCLAIMER

For those of you who will be participating in the bicycle ride, we are providing you with a disclaimer. The disclaimer pertains to the actions of participants on the rides, and also addresses the responsibilities of both the event organizers and you, the participant. In order to ensure that you are aware of your responsibilities, we ask that you review and cooperate with the following conditions:

Please provide your own bicycle that is in good working condition and not known to have any mechanical problems that might cause harm to either you or to others.

Please do not litter, ever, but specifically while participating in this event.

Please abide by the rules of the road. Remember, while you are riding, you are considered traffic and will be treated as such.

Organizers, proponents, and participants of MOCA and Finishing School claim no responsibility for the actions of individuals participating in this event, nor of individuals on foot or in motorized vehicles. Participants are responsible for their own safety and behavior in relation to other participants, drivers of vehicles, third parties, and the law. MOCA and Finishing School do not condone violence, vandalism, wanton disregard for public safety, disruption of public transit or emergency vehicles, or any violations of state or local laws. MOCA and Finishing School claim no responsibility for the safety of bicyclists.

Download the Little Pharma Drug Run flyer. Share and enjoy!

MOCA staffers’ bikes lined up in the loading dock, in preparation for tonight’s Little Pharma Drug Run.

Dooring is when the driver or passenger of a car opens a car door into or in front of a cyclist. Cyclists can be seriously injured or killed, either by slamming into the door, by being thrown into passing traffic, or when they must swerve suddenly into passing traffic to avoid the door. Most commonly, this occurs when the driver of a car that is parallel parked suddenly opens a door, but can also occur when passengers in cars stopped in traffic open doors.  via Anti-Dooring also check Street Smarts.

Please bring drug-themed music….