Following his participation in a group show at New York’s Clocktower space, Franco has set up a solo exhibition at Berlin’s Peres Projects gallery. Explains owner Javier Peres: “An actor-artist like James is better received in Europe than in the U.S. He does other projects that people in the U.S. think are ‘out there,’ but in Europe avant-garde films are more mainstream.†While we’re talking Franco, here’s the man’s reasoning behind taking the Oscars-hosting gig: “When we finally met and discussed it in person, all my representatives were saying, ‘No! Of course not!’ So that always sparks something in me. So I said, ‘Yes, of course!’ Because that reaction that they have is based on conventional wisdom of what makes a good career. And that can be boring — really boring.†[ArtInfo via Measure/L Magazine]