Is Being An Artist For You?

"I don't feel like talking to you right now, I'm an artist."
Thanks Richard!!!

**** (Jungle Law)

The title above is my favorite Love and Rockets song- in which the singer ranks on a music critic. In the art movement I'm a part of, there are lots of art writers but a big lack of critics covering it. This has been good in some ways because I think in a way it has allowed the scene to incubate pretty safely and allowed for the imagination to roam free without too much fear of getting critically hammered. (I should add in the early days any good Lowbrow artist worth his salt could care less about what an art critic thought). On the other hand, and I've said this before, a lot of garbage gets through that gets labeled as "Pop Surrealism" when it isn't, or is just a poor derivative of it. This means critics who deign to cast a glance at it can get sloppy and just think this whole scene is about "bloodied little girls and headless teddy bears"*, ignoring the (and forgive me for using this word) important artists who are making some pretty spectacular work. It's lazy and annoying, but at the same time I also see why that belief has come about. I have to say...as someone who's been watching this scene from earlier than most, it's amazing what it's become, and it's been interesting to watch new people come on the scene who have helped changed the definition of what this "movement" is. Frankly...I do feel a sense of unease amongst many of the artists identified with this genre- and a rumbling that indicates some would rather splinter off (because of the "lumping" aspect). Part of this is because there are no outside voices to put a label on what is or isn't a component on what this scene is about. Any art blog or magazine that caters to this scene gives equal coverage to Pop Surrealism as well as Street Art (and frankly that kinda baffles me). But it's how this scene is morphing, regardless. I'm not really sure what I feel about it. I try to look at it from multiple ways. For the gallery- I stick to what I love and feel passionate about, which is technically well executed, imaginative figurative work. As someone who looks at this scene in with a historian's eye...I know change is inevitable and I can't wait to see what happens next as this scene unravels and reweaves itself.

* I actually did hear this from someone once.

Look Smart

If you are an artist or gallerist (or want to be one) this is a great article about the art world. Probably one of the best I've read. It's more about the art world than art making, which I usually have filed away in two separate categories in my own mind. It really addresses the reality as well as the illusion of what the art world is like. I know people definitely have some wrong perceptions about what MY life is like- and I'm just there on the fringe. It truly seems to be one of the more bizarre things you can do for a living.

Hi Fructose Vol 11

The new Hi Fructose is out next month and features an article about Mark Ryden that yours truly here wrote. I have to say it was one of the hardest things I've ever written, and I talk a lot about the symbolism in his work. Reading other articles about Mark I noticed no one really talks in depth about his use of imagery other than what it is (bunnies, bees, ya da da) so I wanted to talk a bit about the potential deeper meanings. Probably one reason no one does is that Mark himself is reticent to let on what he is using each image for. (I talk about why he's like this as well.) I'm totally fascinated by what I think is going on in Mark's work, and when I gave a lecture about the symbolism in his work at the "Wondertoonel" exhibit at the Frye Museum several years back he said I was fairly on it, so I have some confidence I'm on the right track. At any rate I hope it ads a new dimension to looking at and talking about Mark's work (not that he needs any help from me) and I hope everyone enjoys reading it.

More Creepy Paintings

I've been meaning to post more scary paintings after my last Creepy Peepers post, here are just a few I thought of...as I said in the other post, it's hard to paint creepy without also being inadvertently hilarious. I think these pass the test...these are all creepy because they have a dark, supernatural element.


You thought waking up to find a spider on you was bad. In this painting "The Night" by Ferdinand Hodler, a man wakes up to find an apparition or something worse squatting on him. For some reason this is not sexy but completely scary. Anyone whose woken up at night in a pitch black room and seen "shapes" knows what I mean. The hunched over pose of the apparition adds to the "wrongness" of what is happening and adds a spectral, demonic seeming element.


Speaking of wrong, check out this Jesus. Painted by an anonymous Flemish painter in the 1500's, this is one of those paintings that really fascinate me, on one hand I hate it and on the other I love it. Meant to depict the Trinity, something that should be sublime and holy, the two eyes that almost look normal combined with the three lower faces is somewhat upsetting, off putting, and uncomfortable. But mesmerizing.


"Toutes Les Lumieres" by Paul Delvaux. Delvaux always kind of creeps me out- but this one in particular. Though it actually is somewhat peaceful and has a touch of the Procession about it, the lighting makes it very hallucinogetic. The characters seem to be moving very stiffly and adds to the unnatural, ghostly quality. This reminds me of dreams where it's very weird and beautiful and you are trying to convince yourself it's good, but then something awful comes creeping into the picture to your sheer horror. Um, or maybe that's just me.


This one should be sort of funny since at first glance it's some kind of pterasaur/nazgul steed making off with a ladies glove in impish glee. However, the story changes when coupled with the title of the painting "The Abduction" (alternately known as "The Rape" and "The End of the Dream")
which is part of a series of etchings called "The Glove" by our pal Max Klinger, and the anguished hands bursting through the glass window in a vain effort to catch the ghastly manifestation. Something about those hands makes this etching not funny, but very disturbing.

"Fata Morgana" Group Show

Madeline Von Foerster "Alchemical Wedding"

Pam Grossman of Phantasmaphile fame is curating a show called "Fata Morgana" and features some of today's leading female "Fantasist" painters. The show is at Dabora Gallery and opens March 14th!

When the creative impulse gets perverted

This happens. Oh Cindy, you poor long suffering poodle...

Ryan Heshka

My pal Ryan Heshka is giving up the goods this month at Harold Golen Gallery. I love Ryan's inventive mix of imagery from sci fi's "golden age" and his juicy color palette. He'll be showing at the Roq this fall with a bunch of larger works. Can't wait!

Camille Rose Garcia

Camille has some beautiful new paintings at the Scope art fair at Jonathan Levine's booth. I love her recent peacock color palette.

Mia Arujo

Mia is another young artist who sort of popped out of nowhere when a pretty distinctive style. Her work is very fairytale oriented and features a central figure with the rest of the narrative swirling around. I find I seem to be drawn to really darkly decadent, opulent work lately, and that will culminated with a show I am curating in May called "Lush Life" in which I get to indulge my passion for the Pop Surrealists working in this vein. In fact, this aspect is what drew me to Pop Surrealism/Lowbrow in the first place...I'm happy many artists are still working like this when the trend is for street art which I'm not really interested in for Roq la Rue.

Brian Viveros

Brian is an artist I've had my eye on for a long time. He has been working in the scene for a long time. His work is very punk and features bad ass dames causing mischief, but just recently his work has jumped up a notch technically. I think it is beyond gorgeous. I am heartbroken I could not get the painting above.

Painter Jean Pierre Roy has a new painting that he is exhibiting at SCOPE in NY next week- breathtaking!

Neo Rauch

When I interviewed Marion Peck a while ago she had mentioned being influenced by a German painter named Neo Rauch. I sort of took note, had a vague idea of his work, and basically forgot about it. Today I was at the Frye Art Museum and picked up a catalog of his work. I have to say it doesn't hit me personally in the gut like other work does, but it's clearly "important" and intriguing.

Rachell Sumpter

As Ive said before I'm obnoxiously jaded and it not that often that I see new work that really gets me excited. Today I saw a post about Rachell Sumpter's new show at Richard Heller Gallery and I have that wonderful giddy feeling that seeing amazing new art causes. It must be a chemical thing. Anyway, the work is mysterious, mystical, and gorgeous. Check it out!

CL Martin

I can't really find yoo much info on this artist on their Deviantart page- but they have some very nice drawings and I like this life sized sculpture entitled "Broken Girl"...which I assume is a tribute of sorts to doomed Warhol muse Edie Sedgewick.

Danielle Dax

Badass.

I was looking through old goth stuff on YouTube today and was reminded of the beautiful and awesome Danielle Dax. Part gothy/part wave-y, Danielle stood out for her remarkable musicianship and her flair for the dramatic. Sometimes she looked as bizarre as Nina Hagen but had a softer voice and a more grounded presence. Unfortunately she was one of those really talented people who just never quite got the success and accolades she was due. I think she is an interior designer now.

Natalia Fabia

It took me awhile to warm up to Natalia Fabia's painting- but this one is divine. I can't wait to see the rest of the work from her upcoming show at Corey Helford Gallery.

Grammy Art Show

When I first heard about the "World On Fire" art show featuring pop surrealist artists painting grammy nominees I was kinda "meh" about it. But you can see some of the work online and a few pieces are pretty cool- these are my favorites, Madonna by Lori Earley and Nas by Henry Lewis.

Winter

Our friend Frank is over in Montana making some horse saddles...he sent over a few pics of the ranch he is on and I thought they were too beautiful not to share.

Croched Coral Reef

Wow- I find this to be completely amazing and wonderful...a croched coral reef! Curated by Margaret and Christine Wertheim, the show is currently at Track 16 gallery in LA. I'm really bummed I can't see this in person. Wouldn't it be great to have a room in your house that looked like this?
Press release here, amazing images here.

Spotted first on Daily Du Jour, from whom I also shamelessly yoinked the image from.

It reminds me a bit of the work of Mandy Greer- whom I wrote about in the current issue of Hi Fructose. Mandy also works with flora and fauna imagery- but her work is less "environmental" and more about evoking a poetic examination of life with archetypal and fairytale imagery.



from her installation "Dare Alla Luce"

adorable franken-owl sentry sitting on a crystal star from "Dare Alla Luce"


Mandy also does amazing costume work...this is a banana slug queen.

Yakity Yak, Ryden's Back

"Heaven"

Here are a few images from Mark Ryden's upcoming Tokyo show entitled "The Snow Yak Show". Obviously Ryden is working with a new pale color palette and imagery that started off with the "Yoshi" painting Ryden exhibited in 2007. The images below are most likely the smaller simpler paintings...I saw a picture of a larger, more complex image but can't find it online. Kenny and I are heading out there to see it in person- I'll be sure to post about it!


"Fur Girl"


"Snow Yak"

Below are images of a painting Ryden exhibited at the Art Basel fair- but I think it's part of this exhibition.





images yoinked from Arrested Motion blog.

Pretty, pretty pictures

When I was young I drew all the time. I drew at school, and then I came home and drew in the evenings. The thing I liked to draw best were women. I drew women and goddesses from the greek myths I read, then I drew superhero women like Wonder Woman and Catwoman, then I drew women like the ones I saw in magazines. Sometimes I thought I should draw guys just so I could learn to do it well, but I'd get bored. Partly it was a way of self expression, and I would draw the kind of women I wanted to be, but also for some reason it's just a delight to draw the feminine form. I was just thinking about this the other day and it inspired me to post some images of women throughout history that I have found particularly interesting.


Francesco Melzi "Flora"
I mainly am enchanted by the whimsical joy on her face...


Cosme Tura "Spring"
Love the regal composition and the folds of her dress are amazing. I like that she is sitting "like a man" rather than in a daintier pose.


John August Dominique Ingres "The Countess of Haussonville"
The blue satin and the red ribbon look lovely with her sassy but friendly countenance.


Charles-August Mengin "Sappho"
The goth in me digs this...


Jonathan Viner "A Pale Girl in a Pale Camo"
I adore this painting. I love her awkward pose and the bruise on her leg.


Lori Earley "Drained"
My favorite Earley painting by far. I think it's the lighting...


Audrey Kawasaki "Blue Girls"
or anything by Kawasaki. It's like an eyeball massage to look at the art nouveau linework and delicate precise shading against the wood grain...

The economy versus art

Arrested Motion blog has a post about how the economic downturn is affecting art galleries. There have been many closures and it sounds like some galleries lost their shirt at Art Basel. In my own little section of the art world- I think this is a good thing. NOT because I want galleries to close (although I will readily admit I'm sick of hearing about a new Pop Surrealism/Street Art gallery opening every other freaking week)...but rather anyone familiar with this scene knows that the huge explosion of popularity and interest in this scene has lead to a lot of derivative crap being exhibited. I think the outcome of wallets tightening means collectors are going to be a lot more picky about what they buy, meaning artists are going to really have to step up their game or get left behind. I think and hope this is a great impetus for artists and I'm really hoping we start seeing the same stellar quality works amongst the younger artists, that the top tier artists in this "movement" have been creating for some time. I also think there is going to be a big schism, with many of the greater artists leaving behind the gallery rotation everyone seems to do, and settling in with just a few good galleries, Pop Surrealism focused or not. This means the galleries will also have to really step it up (me included). This will be great for everyone and most especially the legacy Pop Surrealism leaves behind.

My favorite Christmas song

I dont really go in big time for Christmas- but I like some of the little family traditions my family observed anyway. One of them was listening to Missa Luba- a mass sung in a traditional Congolese style. Here is a particularly lovely version of "Kyrie". The outpouring of joy in the beautiful voices in this song sounds like a waterfall. It always makes me feel happy.

Kristine Moran

I just discovered Kristine Moran's sensually messy paintings that combine a tension-inducing hyper-speed blur effect and the most delectably vibrant color palette I've seen in a long time.

From her site:
"Kristine Moran draws on the immediate world around her as inspiration for the chaotic beauty of her car crash paintings. "It's something I feel living in the city," she says from her Toronto studio, "how hectic it is, the sensory overload." She also lifts ideas from action and sci-fi movies. - The Fifth Element is a favourite - from Japanese anime, videogame Websites and from the most reliable source for anyone on the lookout for disaster, the daily news.

"I'm attracted to the choreographed violence in the media and to the intense colour, surround sound and fast-moving images of action movies. It becomes pure aesthetics and it takes away any emotional connection we might have to the actual tragedy. That melodramatic action is what I am trying to portray in my paintings."

Laurie Hogin

Because I have been too busy I totally flaked on posting Laurie Hogin's new show at Littlejohn Gallery in New York, where she has several large scale, allegorical and decadently psychedelic wildlife tableaus. I love it. That's really all I have to say about it. The combinations of color, form, and tension is to die for.

Daniel Martin Diaz

I really like Daniel Martin Diaz's work, which is redolent of Mexican folk art and heavy on the catholic references, with the splash of gothic morbidity and the teeniest pinch of a punkish irreverence. He has a show up at Billy Shire which I think is one of his best.

Dutch Treats

Femke Hiemstra
"Marie Antoinette"
hand embellished giclee (white gold leaf border), edition of 100

Ok- that was bad. But my life right now is the upcoming Chris Berens show, and getting ready to release a brand spanking new Femke Hiemstra print- and both artists are from Amsterdam. There must be something awesome in the water over there that makes such excellent artists.
Anyway- here are some sneak peeks!


Chris Berens
"Darkest Hour Before Dawn"


Chris Berens
" The Gift"


Chris Berens
" Half Way There"