Courtesy of Kris Chau

All I really want is boys … and this print.

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— James Cameron apparently loves his water. Learn more from Irreference about this 2010 Academy Award nominee and apparent aquaphile — who probably watches that Showgirls pool scene ad nauseam when he’s between wives.

— Urban Outfitters gives a shout-out to local designer Kris Chau, whose whimsical designs of lovely ladies (pictured) are now on display at Topstitch. Titled “Puppy Face,” you know this exhibit has got to be good … unless you’re a cat person.

— The artblog sheds some dim, soft and sexy light on the erotic side of Philly’s art scene. Christopher Davison draws nudes frolicking in the forest, while Gabriel Martinex takes photos of men’s feet at the moment of orgasm — and that’s just the tip … of the iceberg.

— Print Liberation interviews Philly photographer Catherine Maloney. And while I’d never heard of her before, after reading and seeing her written/doodle answers to the site’s questions, I like her just about as much as she likes space. Her photos are pretty swell, too.

— In honor of the Winter Olympics, the geeks over at Franklin Institute are hosting the “2010 Brain Olympics.� Uwishunu reports that visitors can play a giant game of Operation, compete in something called “Big Brain Academy,� and learn about the Rubik’s cube. There’s no mention of gold medals — but you can get the autograph of former Olympic figure skaters Tiffany Scott and Philip Dulebohn. (Not gonna lie, Tonya Harding would be more fun.)

http://www.uwishunu.com/2010/02/friday-celebrate-the-2010-brain-olympics-the-franklin-institute/

Courtesy of PW Style

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— In case you were thinking that Philly may be heading in the moral direction of Salt Lake City (hahahaha, right), naughty signs have begun popping up on the streets. Philebrity got wind of one that will give AA a run for its cookies and juice.

— Every well-stocked bar needs its own jigger. Philly Design has found true proof that it is hip to be square with their profile on local designer Josh Owen’s cubic marvel — containing six of the most commonly desired drink measurements.

— As you’ve surely heard from us and everyone else, Philagrafika 2010 officially opened its doors this weekend. The art from this international printmaking festival serves to not simply please the eye. Just check out these newlyweds.

— If this recession has got you hiding your cash under your mattress, try using that copy of Going Rogue instead. PW Style gave it a shot, and with Heather Rivers’ 80 (wayward) steps, you can too.

— Green Philly profiles Arcadia, the city’s one-stop-shop for all things enviro. Sure, it;s not new, but this Northern Liberties boutique offers clothing for men, women, and babies, as well as home décor and even an in-house eco-travel agent — which is worth remebering regardless. With all that stuff in one place, it makes it easier to defend the wasteless trend.

Courtesy of Scoutie Girl

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— Scoutie Girl has found some cards for those who stare Valentine’s Day in the face and say, “I’d rather have a treatable venereal disease than celebrate you!� The message on these handcrafted beauts is relatively on the same lines … perhaps not as visceral.

— Ralph, Shimitten Kitten’s “Sexiest Dude Alive� and owner of Awesome Dudes Printing, is coincidently having kitty issues of his own. His beloved pet, Shreddy Kreuger, can’t pass some crystals (which I’m assuming are equivalent to kidney stones). To help raise money for Shreddy’s woes, Ralph has made a limited-edition T-shirt. Helping out a cat and Philly’s Sexist Dude? It’s Aunt Mertle’s dream come true.

— Girls Can Tell gave a little shout-out to another wonderful blog, Daily Drop Cap. Each day artist Jessica Hische uploads a drop cap that you are free to use under the Creative Commons license. By the end of her side project, she’ll have gone through the alphabet 12 times. That means you’ll have plenty of options for your Tumblr.

— Spiral Q is hosting the fifth annual Q Love Fest on Sat., Feb. 13. As Culture Mob reports, the event will honor local heroes like Neighborhood Bike Works and Act Up Philly. It’s so close to V-Day … supporting those who support the community is an excellent way to spread some love. Plus, there’ll be puppets!

— Phawker bears some pretty, pretty, pretty bad news: Live Nation and Ticketmaster merge to create one giant, fugly company.

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— Local engineering grad student Jeff calculates for Shmitten Kitten that out of the entire city of Philadelphia — all 1,448,394 people — there are only 10 possible ladies that meet his girlfriend criteria (single, college-educated, female). Hopefully this will make you feel better if you’re single come V-Day because, well, the odds are not in your favor to begin with – and it’s nothing personal.

— Philly’s Chief Cultural Officer Gary Steur comments on an article from Next American City about sustainable and locally grown culture (vis-à-vis food). He says there are positives to Philly-grown and -contained arts movements (like Philly Fringe), but also points out the benefits of being a mecca for global art. Can’t help but read this post and be glad that Philly has this guy in our corner. Smart and an art lover? Sign me up.

— Add zombies to the list of suddenly sexy monsters. Geekadelphia, the Philly Zombie Crawl and the Troc team up to give the un-dead some more due with a screening of Zombieland on Mon., Feb. 8. You might want to take the afternoon off to get ready — revelers are encouraged to ghoul-up.

— The Philly Roller Girls 2010 season is about ready to roll. On Sat., Feb. 6, you can catch the Broad Street Butchers vs. the DC All-Stars as well as the Philthy Britches vs. the Heavy Metal Hookers.

— Phrequency reports that filmmaker Joe Stakun, director of I Love My Bicycle: The Story of FBM (featured in this past summer’s Bike Film Festival), will be donating the profit of every copy of his film sold on his Web site site this week to the Haitian relief efforts. Not only can you help the countless numbers of people affected by this tragedy, you also get a rad DVD. Talk about win-win.

Olivia Locher

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— PA native Olivia Locher is setting fire to Urban Outfitters bras in the name of art, and the brand couldn’t be happier. Check out her Web site for other photos (one of which is pictured) that seem too beautiful to be taken by a 19-year-old.

— I usually bypass Philly forum Philadelphia Speaks, but this week something caught my eye: a thread devoted entirely to the now prego-newscaster Monica Malpass. Who knew that the 48-year-old, soon-to-be-mother-of-two could capture the community’s attention? From the paternity of her twins to concerns about her age, people just really care about lil’ Miss Malpass. That, and the first post has a picture of puppies!

— Trying to get organized in the New Year and bypass a future where you’re a star on Hoarders? Handmade in PA sheds some light on local company MIO, which creates functional items that are sustainable and attention-grabbing, like the Nomad system, which offers a way to divide spaces with lightweight and brightly colored cardboard. It’s cooler than you think.

— Steve Ward, local matchmaker and host of the VH1 guilty pleasure Tough Love, offers catered dating advice for Philly evenings in Philadelphia Style. Choices include: the “Cultured Date,� “The See-and-Be-Seen Date� and the “Low-Key Date.� A lot of the info natives probably already know, but Ward also offers tips like where to sit at Izumi for the “best seat in the house.�

— Home of the Mütter Museum and now host of the second run of “Body Worlds,” Philly has its finger on all things medical. Morbid Anatomy reports that Mütter and the Pennsylvania Hospital Surgical Theatre will be hosting the upcoming Medical Film Symposium. The event includes screenings like the “Medical Film Cabinet of Curiosities” and a “Difficult Subjects” section. The deadline to register is this Fri., Jan. 15. Don’t miss your chance to get your physician fix.

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— After a brief hiatus due to a detour to Jimmy Fallon House Band Land, The Roots are once again hosting the pre-Grammy Jam Session. PW’s Make Major Moves is reporting that this sixth annual concert collaboration will take place in L.A., but Philly artists can still make some noise by designing the event’s logo. Due Jan. 7 — so get crackin’.

— Philebrity gives props to the 76ers for trying to woo back Philadelphia — first the return of Iverson and now apparently a performance by Matisyahu as part of the Sixers’ “Jewish Heritage Nightâ€� on Jan. 13. But instead of questioning the basketball franchise’s motives, I’m curious about Matisyahu’s. Basketball. WHERE IS YOUR CAREER?

— Every January gym memberships increase, until willpower quickly decreases. Green Philly Blog suggests going green instead of going to the gym in 2010. Make this happen with suggestions like how to have a “sustainable wedding� and “cheer the eco-friendly Eagles to the playoffs� (in case you needed to justify the inanity of the sport to a doubting significant other).

— To get you past It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s hibernation and the wake of seemingly endless reruns, check out the Paddy’s Pub, and also this totally rad fansite. It’s almost like you’re stalking Mac, Dee and Frank through the links on their Facebook — you know, cause that’s normal.

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— Craigslist can get a little creepy, but Shmitten Kitten has found three gents who are looking to make more out of Philadelphia’s Missed  Connections with the new(ish) site, Whirt Whirl. SK dives into the minds of these serendipity seekers and learns that, according to them, the most romantic place in Philly is the “upstairs bathroom at the Khyber.�

— Since The Curator is rather nubile (yes, as in young and sexy), it seems phony to jump on the “year-in-review� bandwagon … so we’ll just let FunnelPages do the dirty work. Highlights include the snarky Artblahg, the strange YouTube art that led Ryan Trecartin to win the Wolgin Prize (see above), and D.I.Y.’s comeuppance (see City Paper’s Holiday Guide if you’re in doubt).

— The kiddies often get jipped when it comes to ringing in the new year, but have no fear, the questionably named Please Touch Museum is hosting not one, but two, midday countdowns. Uwishunu says festivities will include a mini-Mummers parade and live music. This event is also perfect for those who tend to fall asleep on the couch at 9 on New Year’s.

— Artblog has a helpful reminder for those looking to make it big in the New Year: Apply to the Philadelphia Public Art program for 2010. With the chance for your work to be seen by the whole city, you don’t have much to lose — ’cept your anonymity.

Room Mp3

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— Listen, I loved Lou Bega. “Mambo No. 5″ was my jam back in the day, but not everyone shares my enthusiasm. Phrequency announced that the 11th annual “Lou Bega Award,” given to the artist with the most horrible pop song of the year, has been granted to its very first white boy, Asher Roth, for his awful bro jam “I Love College.â€�

— If you’re stuck for holiday gift ideas, give local screen printing company Print Liberation a go with its last-minute T-shirts, including a tribute to Frosty and a “Screw the Holidays I’m Broke� tee for the Scrooge or economic realist in your life.

— Mac and Dee (real-life couple from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, in case your world is deprived of such wonders as Danny DeVito in “skinny jeans�) are realizing their booze-fueled dreams in Philly. In true local-does-good fashion, the duo have purchased and intend to renovate the building that was once Anthony’s Tavern. The rumor Phoodie’s spreading is that the place will be re-opening as “Mac’s.� Whodathunkit.

— Geekadelphia is riding the wave of 8-bit enthusiasm like there are no sharks in the water, with a new link to “video game minimalism.” The artist behind the site Infinite Continues blows up Mario’s mustache and Pikachu’s red rosy cheeks, showing how “key shapes from well-loved characters are instantly recognizable even when reduced to these simple forms.â€� Gank for a geek-worthy laptop background.

BBC

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— On Fri., Dec. 11 in London, sculptor Mark Coreth debuted his life-size ice sculpture of a polar bear. It’s not meant to simply be, um, totally badass, though. BBC reports that it will melt until only a bronze skeleton remains, sending a message about global warming and how melting ice caps impact polar bears.

— The Philadelphia Art Hotel announced last week that it’s now accepting applications for its two- to six-week residencies between April and October, which include free vacancy in possibly the most adorable townhouse in Kensington. Bright yellow-framed windows? It’s like you’re beaming sunshine into Kenzo’s very soul, PAH.

— Each weekday, we enjoy Phillyist’s Photoist (I think I have a lisp after typing that) — reader-submitted photographs that capture everything from our strangest mascot to our c0cksure cops. The blog reports that it’ll be holding the Phillyist Framed 2010 exhibit, which is still accepting submissions through Dec. 30, at Studio 34 beginning Jan. 29.

— Urban Outfitters posts a DIY vid about how to spruce up your holiday lights. They also post one about how to be the most fun guy ever.

— And though we hate to add to the deluge of Tiger Woods stories, and this absolutely does not count as art news, did the Daily News seriously just say this: “Just in time for the holiday season, Tiger Woods’ mistress Jamie Jungers has a new job. It’s a very easy career move these days from ho to ho ho ho.” NO NO NO.

Courtesy of two.one.five.

The cutest dude in all of Philly? You decide!

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— Philly’s Chief Cultural Officer Gary Steuer keeps an Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy blog. Recently he detailed last Friday’s talk by NPR’s Susan Stamberg at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on “why museums matter.� With a man like this in the art scene’s political pocket, no wonder Philly continues to be on the creative up-and-up.

— Speaking of the importance of museums, Culture Mob reports that instead of putting up a Christmas tree, the PMA will host an exhibit by Cai Guo-Qiang. Titled “Fallen Blossoms,� the opening on Fri., Dec. 11 will consist of a gunpowder explosion that looks like a blossoming flower when detonated. While it may cause unsuspecting locals to drop to the ground, the intent is instead to “symbolize the beauty and energy within the iconic building of the museum being offered as a gift to the city.� Happy Holidays!

— Delve deeper into Philly men’s fashion, as Rakia Reynolds of gophila.com (by way of McJawn) tours stores like Ubiq and Made to Order. The vid also serves as a great springboard for gift ideas for the hip men in your life.

—  Used Wigs, Philly’s workday distraction, offers holiday shopping tips for this yuletide season. One of the best ideas may be: “Gift receipts show a lack of confidence in your purchases. Do not give them out.� Be bold, my gift-giving friend. Be bold.

— With all of the holiday lights and sidewalk Santas, it’s obvious that it’s that time of year again … time to vote for the sexiest dudes in Philly, that is! Shmitten Kitten has narrowed down the choices to five nominees, including two.one.five founder Tayyib Smith (pictured) and drummer Chris Ward from Pattern is Movement. From beards to brawn, there’s something for every man-loving taste — so vote now!