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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Lady Saga!!




getting signed copies of Brian Einersen's "Lady Saga" mini- comic zine for the shop after meeting him at the Cynthia Packard Gallery in Provincetown

Previously sold at Marc Jacobs stores, Perez Hilton called the comic "a must have!"


Check out his blog here

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Thanks to Closing Party guests! Don't miss Aaron Alves at next week's AHA! night

If you're bummed because you missed our free LIVE music event (because you were at home on Sunday playing video games, acting self important or whatever it is people do around here..) Come see new music by AARON ALVES after our August AHA! night.

We were also so floored by our musician guest Keith Borges that we asked him to come in early and play during the Aha! Opening (at least by 7pm)

We'll be showcasing new work by Ann Guiliani during this months AHA! She received an MFA in Printmaking & Visual Design at UMD after studying with Marc St. Pierre & Kurt Wisneski

check out her website here (featuring monotypes and her incredible large scale palm drawings)

Monday, August 1, 2011

Closing Reception Highlights from July 31st!

We all had a great time to the sweet tunes of the Bad Spellers and Keith Borges! Yummy treats and good vibes!

Here are some highlights from the show:



^Merch collected from the Bad Spellers!^




Video Reel:










Thanks to all who turned out! See you again soon for more great events! Stay tuned...


OKO on Facebook: OKO Arts!


Friday, July 22, 2011

Panhandler's Handbook

just sold a copy of The Panhandler's Handbook first published in 1977, one left! Appropriate sell in this economy (especially in this city)


Here's a blurb on the book: Omar Rockford, founder of Omar’s School for Beggars, teaches out-of-work men and women how to creatively panhandle for a living. Successful, high-income begging on the streets requires imaginative deception. Omar demonstrates hundreds of foolproof methods in this handbook. You’ve got to have a glib tongue, a sense of urgency and a believable story – also proper dress and courtesy are a must. The first few weeks can be rough, since one isn’t easily adjusted to the embarrassment of being turned down. It takes about a month to become a real pro and practice does make perfect. With this practical guide, you’ll never need to work a real job again.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Internet Love, Pink-Foam-Fun-Shapes and a 6lb. Beard.


Join OKO Arts on Sunday July 31st for an Art and Music Party! (facial-hair optional)

"Paintings and Constructions" closes to the sweet sounds of the Bad Spellers 
and Keith Borges (from 12lb. Beard)!



The Bad Spellers are an indie-pop band from Tokyo, Japan/Brattleboro, Vermont (USA) consisting of Tony (guitar, vocals) and Yasuko (keyboards, vocals, toys, other random instruments).

Outdoor performance from a small space:









Keith Borges -half of 12lb. Beard, guitarist extraordinaire, and facial-hair enthusiast! Let's hope his [EP] is finished for this show. Man, I gotta have one! Visit 12lb. Beard for a taste!  



4-7pm Free!

Does anyone have some dancin' shoes I can borrow? sheesh!


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Do the Right Thing (1989) - Official Trailer

every time it feels like the hottest day of the year in this city and everyones walking around in mad 90s shorts can't help but think of this movie

Our last flier by Tim Graham!

Beautiful Struggle - Talib Kweli

Nelson Mandela Day


Oops! Yesterday was Nelson Mandela day, but that's okay. We just wanted to let you (or anyone interested) know that we have a copy of Mandela's "Speeches 1990" reprinted from the Militant, an international socialist newsweekly that was produced in New York City.

To get a little personal here, because we all like that kind of thing (well maybe not according to "Social networking 101" but hey whatever) << not that facebook is a multibillion dollar site built off invading peoples privacy (don't quote us on that though, we didn't see the movie)#antifacebookPROREALITYpropoganda; I'd like to share a little something with you from an essay written by my personal mentor, Daisaku Ikeda.

As a prominent Buddhist philosopher, peacebuilder, educator, author and poet, Ikeda tirelessly meets with world leaders and prominent figures all over the world in an effort to build peaceful bonds and promote human values (that's right, he goes out into the world and does real things, it's incredible!) And I found this meeting between him and Nelson Mandela significant, especially since it was the year this book of speeches was published! We took the liberty of italicizing where we felt it was necessary. Happy Nelson Mandela day. Let's all step it up a little to intensify the struggle, whatever it may be.. #gettinrealcornyNREAL

"When President Mandela and I first met in 1990, I suggested organizing a series of programs to inform the Japanese public about the realities of apartheid and to promote education in South Africa. President Mandela accepted my proposals with genuine joy. His secretary, Ismail Meer, said that this offer of cultural exchange was a welcome recognition of Africans as human beings. This is what had been denied them in South Africa, where they were simply classified as "black."

The tendency to label people is not unique to South Africa. Prejudiced attitudes are at the root of human rights abuses everywhere. By lumping people into categories, we stop recognizing them as individuals, as our fellow human beings; we are no longer able to put ourselves in their shoes. They are there in front of us, but we do not see them.

An unwillingness to recognize the humanity of the people of Africa is literally inscribed on the map of modern Africa; its arbitrary, divisive borders decided by colonial powers. Africa is not a "Dark Continent." The darkness was brought from without. Nor is Africa a poor continent. It was made poor by rapacious exploitation.

During the Cold War, Africa became a stage for the proxy wars of the Eastern and Western blocs, and the weapons brokers of major powers grew rich as a result. And what did the rest of the world have to say to the African people who had endured so much? They called Africa a "failure." What indescribable arrogance!

"The struggle is my life." True to this conviction, in 1962 Mandela transformed even the courtroom in which he was being tried into a battleground of courageously articulated ideals and eloquent appeals for justice. Standing before the judge, he demanded that the right to vote be extended to all South Africans. He declared, "I consider myself neither legally nor morally bound to obey laws made by a parliament in which I have no representation."

From within his prison cell, Mandela continued to inspire the people of South Africa. Although he was unable to communicate with them, his very existence was a source of hope."


More on Mandela's fighting spirit:

The "dangerous criminal" who had been imprisoned for 27 years for high treason had emerged from that prison to become president of his country. Justice, which had been locked away for so many decades, had finally begun to reign again in South Africa.

As Mandela has commented, "South Africa's prisons were intended to cripple us so that we should never again have the strength and courage to pursue our ideals."

The prisoners were awakened before dawn to start a long day of forced labor. For 13 years Mandela was led in chains to a limestone quarry and forced to extract lime from the hard cliffs beneath a burning sun.

Even under these hellish conditions, Mandela managed to study and encouraged the other prisoners to share their knowledge with each other and to debate their ideas. Lectures were arranged in secrecy and the prison came to be known as "Mandela University." Mandela never relented in his efforts to change mistaken views and create allies among those around him. Eventually, his indomitable spirit gained the respect of even the prison guards.

http://www.daisakuikeda.org/sub/resources/works/essays/global-citizens/nelson-mandela.html

Monday, July 11, 2011

AHA! Night Events at OKO Arts July 14th!



Presenting OKO Kids Fair! July 14th!

Embracing this month's kids theme, Oko is having a celebratory Kids Fair from 5-7:30 pm.

Open all day. Kids Events.

Face Painting, Fortune Telling, Pirates & prizes.






Also check out this month's showing of paintings and constructions by Massachusetts-based artist Phillip J. Mellen, alongside photographs by Hilary Burkitt., 'til 9pm.





 monologue construction with purple and yellow 
by Phillip j. Mellen




Adults Love Face-paint too, right?


Friday, July 8, 2011

Destroy the Image!! Today's Art Lesson.



"...you're the best, around, nothing's ever gonna keep you down..."



Wednesday, June 29, 2011

BLOGS ARE REALLY HIP..

Oko Arts is jumping on the BlogWagon (could be a new multimilliondollrrr site ©HBurkitt) because blogs are really hip... right? We hope so. Because, well, if we're running it, it will be. As we set up our blog don't forget to look to our facebook page for more info, updates, upcoming events and all that good stuff. Like us, Follow us, Love us (if you can't do that through the internet, sure you'll find some creepy alternative) but feel free to stalk us, we're into that- or even better, come see us in the flesh!

Open this weekend, and after that we'll be "renovating" adding shelving, more art supplies, books, cool stuff whatever. And setting up for our new show July 14th.

Friday 11-7 Saturday 11-4

http://www.facebook.com/okoarts

Visit OKO during Greater New Bedford Summerfest!



THIS JUST IN: Folk Music is Back!



the shop will be open Saturday July 2nd, during Summerfest, from 11am-4pm.  It should be an awesome time downtown!  See you then...





.yum.