Calcutta (Kolkata) in the summer (2008).
Monday, February 28, 2011
Classmates and friends part 2
Caitlin Robinson- working with digital images, the internet as a backdrop to image-making and image-sharing. In intermediate digital photography she is currently working on creating physical "pixels" out of white-painted little blocks of wood. She said she is planning to paint them in pantone colors and lay them out, and invite people to edit the photograph, i.e. play with the blocks. A brilliant translation of the digital to the tangible, I think. Her thesis work is dealing with google searches, and the translation of those into images that convey the same concept.
Laura Fisher- haunting black and white images, a sensitivity for expression and an undercurrent of melancholy. I don't know if I really have the words to express what her work is all about. It's focused and intense and just a little bit sad, just like Laura herself.(Her thesis work is here.)
Martin Rossman- strong architectural photography, in film and in digital, in color and in black and white. Marty's work is about place and community, and the presence of people even when there isn't a figure in sight. Some of his work reads almost as film stills, others more as chronicles of the passing of time. His large-scale photo "mosaics" (I hesitate to use that word because they more like puzzles than anything else) especially speak to the broken-down places he photographs. (His flickr stream is here.)
Today I focused mainly on photographers. I'll come back and do a third round with comic artists, sculptors and painters.
Laura Fisher- haunting black and white images, a sensitivity for expression and an undercurrent of melancholy. I don't know if I really have the words to express what her work is all about. It's focused and intense and just a little bit sad, just like Laura herself.(Her thesis work is here.)
Martin Rossman- strong architectural photography, in film and in digital, in color and in black and white. Marty's work is about place and community, and the presence of people even when there isn't a figure in sight. Some of his work reads almost as film stills, others more as chronicles of the passing of time. His large-scale photo "mosaics" (I hesitate to use that word because they more like puzzles than anything else) especially speak to the broken-down places he photographs. (His flickr stream is here.)
Today I focused mainly on photographers. I'll come back and do a third round with comic artists, sculptors and painters.
Local Gallery part 2
Prairie Gallery
I have mentioned Prarie before. I intern there. It might be unfair of me to review the show there now. But the premise of it is both heartwarming and visually intriguing, so--why not?
The show up currently is House, New Work by Tony Becker. Tony Becker worked with organizations around Cincinnati to create almost 500 origami houses which hang in two spherical formations in the gallery. Each house is unique, created by a different person from these charity organizations: children, adults, people who have artistic inclinations, people who do not. Drawn/ collaged/ printed on all these houses are different peoples' ideas of what a house, a home, is.
Some are heartwarming or charming, especially some by the younger children who just went all-out with every single color in the box. Some are a little more ambiguous, some that look like black-and-white photographs that have been printed and folded into houses. Along with the houses, each participant produced a piece of creative writing to go with his or her piece. People from all walks of life have different conceptions of what makes a house a home.
The fact that the houses hang in spheres, one large, one slightly smaller, speaks to the universality of the conception of "house," of "home." Even if those words mean different things to different people, there are some things we can all agree upon. Additionally, the way the houses are presented allow the viewer to a) get close and b) examine all sides of the houses.
More images can be found here.
The show is open until April 9, I highly suggest that if you're in Northside and you're just strolling around, come up the stairs by Take the Cake Bakery and check this show out. You're a part of this community, too.
I have mentioned Prarie before. I intern there. It might be unfair of me to review the show there now. But the premise of it is both heartwarming and visually intriguing, so--why not?
The show up currently is House, New Work by Tony Becker. Tony Becker worked with organizations around Cincinnati to create almost 500 origami houses which hang in two spherical formations in the gallery. Each house is unique, created by a different person from these charity organizations: children, adults, people who have artistic inclinations, people who do not. Drawn/ collaged/ printed on all these houses are different peoples' ideas of what a house, a home, is.
Some are heartwarming or charming, especially some by the younger children who just went all-out with every single color in the box. Some are a little more ambiguous, some that look like black-and-white photographs that have been printed and folded into houses. Along with the houses, each participant produced a piece of creative writing to go with his or her piece. People from all walks of life have different conceptions of what makes a house a home.
The fact that the houses hang in spheres, one large, one slightly smaller, speaks to the universality of the conception of "house," of "home." Even if those words mean different things to different people, there are some things we can all agree upon. Additionally, the way the houses are presented allow the viewer to a) get close and b) examine all sides of the houses.
More images can be found here.
The show is open until April 9, I highly suggest that if you're in Northside and you're just strolling around, come up the stairs by Take the Cake Bakery and check this show out. You're a part of this community, too.
Local Gallery
CS13
Contemporary Space 13 (CS13) is a local gallery in Over the Rhine run and financed by artists, for artists. Their focus on local artists is a huge plus, so helpful for students and recent grads who might need exposure but don't feel ready for bigger, "shinier" galleries. On their website (their myspace page) they state,
The space looks open and versatile, and were I ever to get a body of work together (or be part of a group show) I would definitely show there. They do not only host art shows, but also local bands, solo artists, even drag shows, and it definitely gives them a presence in the community that way.
Definitely check them out, they both embrace and transcend the label "local gallery."
Contemporary Space 13 (CS13) is a local gallery in Over the Rhine run and financed by artists, for artists. Their focus on local artists is a huge plus, so helpful for students and recent grads who might need exposure but don't feel ready for bigger, "shinier" galleries. On their website (their myspace page) they state,
CS13 is a modest effort to initiate and facilitate a broad creative dialogue, to encourage positive lifestyles, and to forge an engaged community. To this end, CS13 creates publications and offers a space for the arts to interact by hosting poetry readings, art/visual culture shows, lectures, workshops, book discussions, concerts, theater and dance events. All are welcome to contribute.They also keep a facebook page, which has photos up of their recent shows/ performances. Click here for that.
The space looks open and versatile, and were I ever to get a body of work together (or be part of a group show) I would definitely show there. They do not only host art shows, but also local bands, solo artists, even drag shows, and it definitely gives them a presence in the community that way.
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| Their latest show, "The Today Show." |
Definitely check them out, they both embrace and transcend the label "local gallery."
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Creative Influences: Sweden
These are authors/ illustrators that I grew up reading. I do not necessarily emulate any of their styles, at least not consciously, but they still have a creative influence over me and my work, I think.
First up: Tove Jansson, Finnish writer and illustrator, creator of the Mumin series. She wrote novels as well as shorter works, and illustrated everything herself. The books look like children's books, but like Dr. Seuss' books (perhaps even more, in her case), the themes addressed are definitely those of adult life. Her style is unique, but tinged with a characteristically Scandinavian melancholy. When a TV series was born of the books, Japanese animators worked to stay true to Tove Jansson's style.
The character Tooticki (in the striped shirt and green cap) is based on Tove Jansson's life partner, graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä. The series is also available in English (and many other languages besides--it was originally in Finnish, but I grew up with the Swedish version).
Second on the board: Pettson by Sven Nordqvist. Also a series of children's books, written and illustrated by the author. Most of the books are whimsical, little stories of Swedish farm life haunted by a sort of magic realism, sort of like Gabriel Garcia Marquez' books. Pettson is a bachelor living on a farm with his cat Findus and several chickens. His neighbors think he's a little mad, but he simply has his own way of doing things.
The illustrations, in ink and watercolor, are lavish and always filled with silly details--little creatures inhabiting drawers and holes in the walls, the cows in the paintings on the walls moving about from page to page, etc.
The text reads, "Bamse, the world's strongest bear."
An original cover by Rune Andreasson.
I'll post scans of some of my own old comics (the oldest I have is 1992) in another post.
Included in this list is Pingu, thought technically it is not Swedish/ Scandinavian at all. It is a Swiss claymation TV series with no real dialogue. I'm including it in this list mostly because we watched it on the Swedish television at home (the VCR was a different region than the one used for our Disney VHS', and so warranted a separate TV).
I still make those noises sometimes. Only my sister really knows what I'm talking about when I do.
Next time I'll name some more recent influences like Lemony Snicket and the few manga I actually still read.
First up: Tove Jansson, Finnish writer and illustrator, creator of the Mumin series. She wrote novels as well as shorter works, and illustrated everything herself. The books look like children's books, but like Dr. Seuss' books (perhaps even more, in her case), the themes addressed are definitely those of adult life. Her style is unique, but tinged with a characteristically Scandinavian melancholy. When a TV series was born of the books, Japanese animators worked to stay true to Tove Jansson's style.
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| Mumin has recently become more popular in America. |
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| Mumin, the main character. |
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| The Groke (or Mårran as she's called in Swedish) is my favorite character. |
The character Tooticki (in the striped shirt and green cap) is based on Tove Jansson's life partner, graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä. The series is also available in English (and many other languages besides--it was originally in Finnish, but I grew up with the Swedish version).
Second on the board: Pettson by Sven Nordqvist. Also a series of children's books, written and illustrated by the author. Most of the books are whimsical, little stories of Swedish farm life haunted by a sort of magic realism, sort of like Gabriel Garcia Marquez' books. Pettson is a bachelor living on a farm with his cat Findus and several chickens. His neighbors think he's a little mad, but he simply has his own way of doing things.
The illustrations, in ink and watercolor, are lavish and always filled with silly details--little creatures inhabiting drawers and holes in the walls, the cows in the paintings on the walls moving about from page to page, etc.
This page is in German, but clearly Nordqvist's style.
Third is Bamse, by Rune Andreasson. This is actually a children's comic that is still running today. It started in the 1960s but became its own comic book in the 1970s. It was also a TV series for a while, I watched it occasionally.
The text reads, "Bamse, the world's strongest bear."
An original cover by Rune Andreasson.
I'll post scans of some of my own old comics (the oldest I have is 1992) in another post.
Included in this list is Pingu, thought technically it is not Swedish/ Scandinavian at all. It is a Swiss claymation TV series with no real dialogue. I'm including it in this list mostly because we watched it on the Swedish television at home (the VCR was a different region than the one used for our Disney VHS', and so warranted a separate TV).
I still make those noises sometimes. Only my sister really knows what I'm talking about when I do.
Next time I'll name some more recent influences like Lemony Snicket and the few manga I actually still read.
Friday, February 25, 2011
An excellent comic-to-movie adaptation
I mentioned Ghost World by Daniel Clowes in an earlier post, and then found out that in 2001 they had made a movie out of it. The movie is a little along the lines of Napoleon Dynamite, in some respects, but with more dialogue and a grittier, more melancholy undertone.
That trailer is horrible, actually, it makes it seem like a cute quirky family movie, which it definitely is not. But it gives you the characters and the actors. The shirtless guy with the nunchucks is really excellent, that character's name is Doug and he is more or less my hero now. He's like a hipster, except he's not being ironic. He's the real deal. So awesome.
Then there's Steve Buscemi as Seymour. His performance as the eccentric collector is layered and saturated with a sort of resigned melancholy, very poignant, but still grimly humorous.
Thora Birch looks uncannily like her character Enid, and her straight-faced derision of everything is extremely believable.
Scarlett Johansson also looks scarily like Becky. She too manages the disaffected sort of apathy of a recently-graduated teen quite believably.
The movie deviates in plot from the comic book a good deal, but it is still within the realm of Ghost World in that it could have been written that way by Daniel Clowes. Since the director also did the documentary Crumb, about the underground comic icon Robert Crumb, it seems only fitting that in the credits are several thanks to Crumb and his wife Aline, as well as a credit to his daughter Sophie for the drawings in Enid's notebook. Clowes himself created a scrapbook for an imaginary fast-food joint known as Cook's Chicken within the movie.
As far as comics-to-movie adaptations, I am going to rank this as one of the best. The Dark Knight was good, too, and the aesthetics of Frank Miller's Sin City and 300 were both true to the artist's style. But as far as real human connection and an exploration of adolescence, Ghost World transcends them all. Anybody who enjoys underground/ independent comics or just the work of Daniel Clowes would probably enjoy this movie.
That trailer is horrible, actually, it makes it seem like a cute quirky family movie, which it definitely is not. But it gives you the characters and the actors. The shirtless guy with the nunchucks is really excellent, that character's name is Doug and he is more or less my hero now. He's like a hipster, except he's not being ironic. He's the real deal. So awesome.
Then there's Steve Buscemi as Seymour. His performance as the eccentric collector is layered and saturated with a sort of resigned melancholy, very poignant, but still grimly humorous.
Thora Birch looks uncannily like her character Enid, and her straight-faced derision of everything is extremely believable.
Scarlett Johansson also looks scarily like Becky. She too manages the disaffected sort of apathy of a recently-graduated teen quite believably.
The movie deviates in plot from the comic book a good deal, but it is still within the realm of Ghost World in that it could have been written that way by Daniel Clowes. Since the director also did the documentary Crumb, about the underground comic icon Robert Crumb, it seems only fitting that in the credits are several thanks to Crumb and his wife Aline, as well as a credit to his daughter Sophie for the drawings in Enid's notebook. Clowes himself created a scrapbook for an imaginary fast-food joint known as Cook's Chicken within the movie.
As far as comics-to-movie adaptations, I am going to rank this as one of the best. The Dark Knight was good, too, and the aesthetics of Frank Miller's Sin City and 300 were both true to the artist's style. But as far as real human connection and an exploration of adolescence, Ghost World transcends them all. Anybody who enjoys underground/ independent comics or just the work of Daniel Clowes would probably enjoy this movie.
More old(ish) work
These are from 4x5 b/w photography last quarter with Jordan Tate. The series dealt with fandom and the use of cosplay as an identity--I was inspired by Elena Dorfman's work and her series Fandomania. I started with the Rocky Horror Picture Show but then expanded the concept to include anime and scifi/ fantasy fandoms. After taking pictures of people who cosplayed or identified themselves as part of a fandom, I printed the black and white images and sewed their "costumes" back on them. I ended up displaying only the back of the images to further emphasize both the use of a cosplay character as a surrogate identity, and to suggest the "behind-the-scenes" quality of home-made costumes.
See how many fandoms you recognize in the images below. Some are part of the same fandom.
See how many fandoms you recognize in the images below. Some are part of the same fandom.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Photo of the Day
The last space shuttle launch was today. I watched it on a live stream and took screencaps in lieu of not actually being in Florida. A sad thing, but necessary, I think--the shuttles are old and definitely need to be retired. The sadder thing is the lack of a new program to replace them. I realize that America just does not have the money right now... but is paying millions to the Russians to launch our astronauts into space that much better? Aren't those millions that we could be putting into a research program for new and improved shuttle designs?
I'm not an engineer or scientist. Sometimes I regret not having taken physics in high school. But I still dream of space. Anyone who has read as much Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Orson Scott Card, Douglas Adams, Madeleine L'Engle, and Cory Doctorow as I have knows what I'm talking about.
I didn't want to be an astronaut when I was little. I do now. And I most probably won't be.
(The link takes you to a free download of Cory Doctorow's Makers, which has nothing to do with space, really, but is definitely a good read for anyone interested in technology, the future, and making things awesome.)
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EDIT: This was the last launch of the space shuttle DISCOVERY. I believe Endeavor and Atlantis are scheduled for one more each in late spring early summer. NASA's website has all the information, look at Future Missions at the bottom of the page.
FIELD TRIP
Today I went with part of my practicum class to the Weston Art Gallery. Dennis Harrington spoke to us about the gallery world and the procedures the gallery goes through to book shows and decide on artists. It's a long process, with a small staff, in a large, challenging space, so one can really appreciate that running a gallery is a good deal of work.
The work hanging there now is diverse. There is a large, whimsical/ ethereal site-specific installation involving drawings, sculpture and video by Elissa Morley called Vision: Things That Fly. There are large dystopian oil and watercolor paintings by Todd Reynolds in a series called Utopia. Diana Duncan Holmes has a body of abstract photographic work up called Movement, Chance, Light. All three are fascinating, all three deal with totally different subjects, concepts and media. If you are in downtown Cincinnati and have a moment, go check out the Weston. It's next door to the Aronoff, just pop in after Fiddler on the Roof.
The work hanging there now is diverse. There is a large, whimsical/ ethereal site-specific installation involving drawings, sculpture and video by Elissa Morley called Vision: Things That Fly. There are large dystopian oil and watercolor paintings by Todd Reynolds in a series called Utopia. Diana Duncan Holmes has a body of abstract photographic work up called Movement, Chance, Light. All three are fascinating, all three deal with totally different subjects, concepts and media. If you are in downtown Cincinnati and have a moment, go check out the Weston. It's next door to the Aronoff, just pop in after Fiddler on the Roof.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Photo of the Day
Our pet rat, Shadow. He gets to run loose in the house when we're home, and he comes and sticks his nose up your pants leg when he wants to get picked up. He eats veggies and grains, including rice.
More new work
Here are some pieces. I just applied to The Cheaper Show in Vancouver with the first three.
Click on anything to make it bigger--these are photographs, I hope to get some better-quality scans at some point in the future.
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| Pencil and watercolor on Bristol vellum. |
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| Not technically totally finished but the application called for work examples, so I just sent it anyway. Ballpoint on Bristol. |
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| Charcoal. |
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| Micron pen on Bristol. |
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| Ballpoint on Bristol. |
Click on anything to make it bigger--these are photographs, I hope to get some better-quality scans at some point in the future.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Internship
I intern at Prairie Gallery under David Rosenthal, former photography professor at DAAP. The position is unpaid, but I get college credit.
This quarter I am helping out with a class he is teaching on fashion photography. We work with models and stylists, on location, with professional equipment. The clothes are presented by The Brush Factory.
Today we had our first on-location shoot in an abandoned can factory in Northside, and I took some shots of the students in action. It was cold, but it went well.
I was the practice model for last week's class (so everyone could practice lighting techniques) and one of the students, Sharon, was nice enough to print out one of the photos she took of me.
Even though I'm technically in fine arts, I've always had this thing for fashion photography. Especially David Lachapelle. So this class is a learning opportunity for me as well, even though I'm mostly there to help with setup and technical difficulties and such.
This quarter I am helping out with a class he is teaching on fashion photography. We work with models and stylists, on location, with professional equipment. The clothes are presented by The Brush Factory.
Today we had our first on-location shoot in an abandoned can factory in Northside, and I took some shots of the students in action. It was cold, but it went well.
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| Model Nicole with the grey card. |
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| Lights with umbrellas. |
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| Model Kendall under a yellow gel light. |
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| There were puddles of water everywhere. |
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| Rosie from The Brush Factory in the cold. |
I was the practice model for last week's class (so everyone could practice lighting techniques) and one of the students, Sharon, was nice enough to print out one of the photos she took of me.
Even though I'm technically in fine arts, I've always had this thing for fashion photography. Especially David Lachapelle. So this class is a learning opportunity for me as well, even though I'm mostly there to help with setup and technical difficulties and such.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Other blogs I follow
WhiteWhine- hilarity and a little guilt.
thisisn'thappiness- art design photography and disappointment. Sometimes NSFW.
If We Don't, Remember Me- gifs. Excellent excellent gifs. NSFW.
threeframes- more gifs. NSFW.
dearblankpleaseblank- letters with terribly valid questions.
a hint- fashion photography and film stills. NSFW.
Pizza Island- a studio of four lady comic artists.
Unhappy Hipsters- architecture and (hilarious) snark.
There are scores more but those are some I follow regularly. I have a completely different set linked to Google Reader (which is a wonderful tool for keeping up with several blogs and media outlets at the same time, by the way, if you have a gmail it takes only a minute to set it up and then you can just keep adding subscriptions as you find new blogs). I'll share those later, they are more specifically art/ photography/ architecture blogs. The ones listed here are just ones I enjoy.
thisisn'thappiness- art design photography and disappointment. Sometimes NSFW.
If We Don't, Remember Me- gifs. Excellent excellent gifs. NSFW.
threeframes- more gifs. NSFW.
dearblankpleaseblank- letters with terribly valid questions.
a hint- fashion photography and film stills. NSFW.
Pizza Island- a studio of four lady comic artists.
Unhappy Hipsters- architecture and (hilarious) snark.
There are scores more but those are some I follow regularly. I have a completely different set linked to Google Reader (which is a wonderful tool for keeping up with several blogs and media outlets at the same time, by the way, if you have a gmail it takes only a minute to set it up and then you can just keep adding subscriptions as you find new blogs). I'll share those later, they are more specifically art/ photography/ architecture blogs. The ones listed here are just ones I enjoy.
Things I will be doing soon
(Hopefully) going to the Armory Show March 3-6. New York City, NY. (School of Art.)
Going to SPACE March 19th and 20th. Columbus, OH. (Carol Tyler's comics class.)
Going to SPE March 10-13. Atlanta, GA. (Jordan Tate's photography class.)
Then March 30th I turn 21. By then we're already into spring quarter.
March is a busy month.
Going to SPACE March 19th and 20th. Columbus, OH. (Carol Tyler's comics class.)
Going to SPE March 10-13. Atlanta, GA. (Jordan Tate's photography class.)
Then March 30th I turn 21. By then we're already into spring quarter.
March is a busy month.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Classmates and friends
Here are some people I go to school with (or rather, their blogs/ online portfolios/ etc):
Laura Fisher- photography.
Alex Hananel- comics and illustration (she hasn't updated here for a while but it is still a good collection of her work/ sketches/ doodles).
Chris Thompson- photography/ internet art.
Mauri Moskowitz- a little bit of everything, it seems.
Sheida Soleimani- photography.
Brent Lashley(often in collaboration with Rodniey Gustke and others)- video art/ painting.
Obviously I go to school with scores more people, all of whom are very talented in one way or another, but those are the ones I have websites/ blogs bookmarked for.
Here is the class blog for my intermediate digital photography class, upon which layer tennis matches and interesting articles are posted, among other things.
Laura Fisher- photography.
Alex Hananel- comics and illustration (she hasn't updated here for a while but it is still a good collection of her work/ sketches/ doodles).
Chris Thompson- photography/ internet art.
Mauri Moskowitz- a little bit of everything, it seems.
Sheida Soleimani- photography.
Brent Lashley(often in collaboration with Rodniey Gustke and others)- video art/ painting.
Obviously I go to school with scores more people, all of whom are very talented in one way or another, but those are the ones I have websites/ blogs bookmarked for.
Here is the class blog for my intermediate digital photography class, upon which layer tennis matches and interesting articles are posted, among other things.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Vloggers and Vlogging
For my photography class with Jordan Tate, I'm looking at popular (or not-so-popular) YouTube vloggers and distilling film stills from their posts. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite vloggers.
WheezyWaiter was my first "real" introduction to video blogging. I had actually started watching a series called Alex reads Twilight before that, which features Alex Day reading chapters of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight and giving his impressions (generally not favorable--I will write more about what I think about Twilight later). But I didn't really start actively following a vlogger until I discovered WheezyWaiter. From there I went on to watch Alex Day's other videos, and through his work with Worldvision, I discovered Frezned and Nanalew, as well as Alex's roomate Charlieissocoollike.
What I enjoy about these guys is that they're all from different countries, different continents, even, but they can collaborate on projects like Worldvision and Project for Awesome. Not to mention the healthy doses of humor they inject into their videos. Please note that the link to Project for Awesome only takes you to one of the many videos included in this YouTube-wide collaborations, so go check out more of them if you're interested in the project.
I realize that this post is already rife with things to click on, so while my subscription list is much, much longer than just the five mentioned here, I think I'll post again later with some of the newer people I've found on YouTube, and give whomever is reading this a chance to check out those five before I go throwing more in your direction.
But before I go, have something excellent:
WheezyWaiter was my first "real" introduction to video blogging. I had actually started watching a series called Alex reads Twilight before that, which features Alex Day reading chapters of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight and giving his impressions (generally not favorable--I will write more about what I think about Twilight later). But I didn't really start actively following a vlogger until I discovered WheezyWaiter. From there I went on to watch Alex Day's other videos, and through his work with Worldvision, I discovered Frezned and Nanalew, as well as Alex's roomate Charlieissocoollike.
What I enjoy about these guys is that they're all from different countries, different continents, even, but they can collaborate on projects like Worldvision and Project for Awesome. Not to mention the healthy doses of humor they inject into their videos. Please note that the link to Project for Awesome only takes you to one of the many videos included in this YouTube-wide collaborations, so go check out more of them if you're interested in the project.
I realize that this post is already rife with things to click on, so while my subscription list is much, much longer than just the five mentioned here, I think I'll post again later with some of the newer people I've found on YouTube, and give whomever is reading this a chance to check out those five before I go throwing more in your direction.
But before I go, have something excellent:
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Working in my studio
Got to sit in on the graduate lunch with Curtis Mann today. I almost didn't go, I'm a little intimidated by the grad students... but I did, and I had the chocolate-est cookie I have ever eaten, and I got to listen to Curtis Mann talk about galleries, and networking, and writing artists' statements (or having other people write them for you). It was not quite what I expected--I guess I thought graduate students would ask more about theory, and the meaning of things. More debate and philosophy. But learning about the practical things is really good too. Curtis is very approachable and talkative, so asking anything always guarantees a good answer, even if it's not quite what you asked. Again, it was a privilege to have him come talk with us.
The work in the video above is for my advanced drawing class with Ryan Mulligan. This work focuses on self-portraiture through digital media, and the icons/ symbols that denote the digital world (i.e. the scroll bar, tabs, the photoshop toolbox, etc). The cardboard piece is definitely a work still in progress, I haven't worked this large in a long while.
The music is Love Lost by The Temper Trap, they have an excellent music video for that song that I found here. Booooooom is an excellent website for discovering new artists (visual and musical), click around and see what you find.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Meeting people, talking about things
Curtis Mann was kind enough to come talk at DAAP today and we had the privilege to talk with him briefly after the lecture about his work and his process. It was great to hear him articulate what his work was about and also be honest about uncertainties regarding which way the work is going. He also spoke at length about his process and his uncertainties about that. I will be going to the grad lunch tomorrow where he will be talking to the graduate students so hopefully I'll be able to update a bit more on specific thoughts and impressions then. But for now, some examples of his work. (Also here is his tumblr.)
He uses bleach on found photos (generally from flickr or c-prints bought on ebay), and lately has started to make large grids like the top image.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
What to put on bread
that is not peanut butter or margarine.
Leftover pasta sauce and pickled herring in creme fraiche. (Not together, though, the pickled herring doesn't go well with tomatoes.)
Leftover pasta sauce and pickled herring in creme fraiche. (Not together, though, the pickled herring doesn't go well with tomatoes.)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Photo of the Day
What I do on the weekends:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, presented by The Denton Affair. This is Ron Ervin playing the Criminologist.
(I am a part of the cast, I play Brad. I'll put up a picture of him later.)
(I am a part of the cast, I play Brad. I'll put up a picture of him later.)
Currently Reading
Lifting belly is so strong.
That is what I say.
I say it to please me.
Please yourself with thunder.
Lifting Belly by Gertrude Stein.
Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night
Until the stars are all alight.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien.
--Var är mjölet nånstans? Har du ätit upp mjölet, Findus? ropade han från skafferiet.
--Jag har minsann aldrig ätit upp nåt mjöl, sa Findus förnarmat.
--Då har jag väl gjort det själv då, muttrade gubben och kliade sig fundersamt på näsan.
Pannkakstårtan, a Pettson book by Sven Nordqvist.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Research
At Langsam they have a considerable graphic novel collection (at least, considering that I didn't expect there to be one at all), so I went ahead and took some out.
Click on any image to make it bigger!
Here they are all stacked on my desk. From top to bottom: Contract with God by Will Eisner; One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry; Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes; Ghost World by Daniel Clowes; Mira Caligraphiae Monumenta; Palookaville by Seth; A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi;
American Splendor by Harvey Pekar (and others); It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken by Seth; Dogs and Water by Anders Nilsen; Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry; Wilson by Daniel Clowes; George Sprott by Seth.
A Contract with God by Will Eisner. A fantastic study of place and people, by one of the undisputed masters (and some say the father) of graphic novels.
He does his drawings entirely with a Sable brush, which explains why they're so lush.
Lynda Barry's One Hundred Demons. She does her work on legal pads, with collage and other media thrown in. Autobiographical and hilarious.
I wish I could see the originals--they'd be so textured and human.
Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes. Told from different perspectives, thoughtful and thoughtless depending on who's talking.
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes. Possibly my favorite of all the books I borrowed. A coming-of-age story set in the 90s. Reading this is sort of like watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia--the people in it are so horrible you feel pretty good about yourself after.
Of course on a second read you realize they're just young and stupid, like we all were/ are.
Mira Calligrahpiae Monumenta. Actually a book about and of a set of illuminated books from the late 1500s. The script and the illustrations were done by two separate men. They're both just fantastic.
Some of the pages have this trompe l'oeil going on that's really quite clever.
The translucent quality of the vellum must have made it quite amazing in person, especially back then.
Palookaville by Seth. This particular volume has both the comics and some explanations of his process, which I always find interesting.
A Drifting Life by Yoshiro Tatsumi. Have not actually read this yet, but definitely looks promising.
American Splendor by Harvey Pekar. Different artists worked on this comic so Harvey always looks different. This one is by Kevin Brown.
Harvey Pekar by Greg Budgett and Gary Dumm.
Harvey Pekar by Gerry Shamray
It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken by Seth. The main character reminds me of myself.
Dogs & Water by Anders Nilsen. A weird one, kind of sad. The illustrations are sparse and there are no borders, which reflects the sort of nonlinear timeline and the lack of significant plot.
Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry. This one I didn't like as much, mostly because it was sad with very little humor. The art is nice, but I kept getting distracted by the glossy paper. Maybe that's just a me thing.
Wilson by Daniel Clowes. Again, funny in that It's Always Sunny sort of way. Changes in drawing style add to the tone.
Quimby the Mouse by F.C. Ware. Disjointed, sometimes tragic, sometimes sad, sometimes senseless.
George Sprott by Seth. Very Canadian, funny and thoughtful. Not as broody as It's a Good Life.
Skim by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki. This wasn't in the pile but I felt I should include it because I recently discovered it and it is one of my favorite graphic novels ever. It's also a coming-of-age story set in the 90s, but more thoughtful than Ghost World by Daniel Clowes.
Covers. The asterisks indicate my top five favorites.
This was a giant monster of a post, I'll do something of an equal nature on my photographic work later.
Click on any image to make it bigger!
American Splendor by Harvey Pekar (and others); It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken by Seth; Dogs and Water by Anders Nilsen; Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry; Wilson by Daniel Clowes; George Sprott by Seth.
He does his drawings entirely with a Sable brush, which explains why they're so lush.
I wish I could see the originals--they'd be so textured and human.
Of course on a second read you realize they're just young and stupid, like we all were/ are.
This was a giant monster of a post, I'll do something of an equal nature on my photographic work later.
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