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In digesting what went wrong during my recent trip to SAM, I thought back to a Ted Talks I watched few months ago- It's about the future of art. Link below: https://youtu.be/8DLNFDQt8Pc When did art become a social media experience? When did we stop enjoying standing in front of a piece of art IN SOLITUDE to enjoy the feeling that it gave us without "sharing"? I really don't know what that answer is, however it's sad. It's like people want an experience, just to say they did that. I just wanted to take it in for what it is, to think about the work, the craft and the emotions it evokes. The Kumama exhibit was pre loaded for the viewer not to enjoy. The wait lines, coupled with the minimal time in the rooms due to the actual size of them and the crowds making it impossible to just take it in and enjoy. You better take a photo so you can remember it later. I talked to a few people who expressed the same disappointment- we all were expecting to walk into large rooms, perhaps sit/lay down and let your mind go blank, like viewing the night sky. Instead it turned into an Instagram fest! Was this a marketing ploy from the artist? Truthfully, Ian and I had a better experience touring the rest of SAM, we took our time to read about the work, we stood in front of the Pollock and examined the globs of paint and the craftsmanship of the Egyptian amulet details. We didn't feel the need to bust out our phones camera. Perhaps I've turned anti social, I don't really do Facebook, Tweet or Instagram. I have my website with my art and thoughts, if people want to check out my corner of the universe. I'm not "linked" to anything so you have a conscious choice if you wanna drink my vodka laced Kool-Aid.. If you enjoy the website you'll come back, if not- you don't. I despise Facebook for the simple fact it pushes others agenda onto you- Yet, a fantastic marketing set up! I intentionally do not accept comments on my blog page because I don't what to be influenced positively or negatively by others. If you were to ask me what the future of art is..... I'd say, an artist that creativity comes up with a completely interactive absurd concept/attraction that can be a social media buzz worthy. (Free advertising) Have some kind of personal dialog about it; however farm it out for other artists to make. Then, like Kumama and her pumpkins, sell small portions of your installation for inflated prices. Didn't we learn anything from the movie "Exit through the Gift Shop?"  This morning my son and I decided to hit the the Yayai Kumama exhibit at SAM. As excepted, it was packed and almost sold out with all the hype about her work from the New York art scene. I even thought it'd be good! (Sorry to anyone who read a few blog posts back and went to it.) Total Rubbish! A friend from Chicago had pegged it perfectly when he said- "you're going to an expensive carnival funhouse of mirrors." A scam... The 12' X 12' rooms consisted of fully mirrored sized dressing rooms... Inside was lit objects that reflected in the mirrors. Ummm.... that was it.. and we waited in lines for 20 minutes for each room, to spend 20 seconds in them. (Two people at a time) The photos below make it look super cool- don't be fooled! A room filled with polka dot objects and another with lit glass pumpkins. The glass pumpkins reminded me of A Seattle Glass Blowers Seconds Sale- remixed in a mirrored closet. (We all know about the rarity of glass pumpkins in this area 😉) Pilchuck/Schack take note- a new revenue source! One of the last rooms we were handed stickers to make an "interactive sticker room" - save your money and go to the gum wall! (@ pike place market) You have no rules with the gum wall, no chaperones telling what to do; and it's a little more edgy & dirty cause you don't wanna touch it; except to hang your mark of saliva filled gum, maybe take a pic, and get the fuck away from it. In conclusion: Save your money, for about $100 you can mirror your closest/bathroom and hang LED lighting from the local craft store. Then invite your friends to come hang in your high brow art infinity closet. Don't forget the mirrored disco ball! Many surrealist that came from the nonsensical Dada art movement tried to explore their minds in different states of unconscious and alternate realities; be it childhood memories, dreams or in a hypnotic trance while creating.. Which frankly made for some kick ass fantastically weird art... The magic of creating for myself is defined, by having your mind open to every aspect you are feeling at that very moment. Letting your unconsciousness being the fluidity of the process- every artist I believe knows what I'm talking about- it's "the zone". Creation... It's powerful sensation when happening; and has been an alluring mystery to many neurologists. Below are two of my favorite works by Max Ernest- a "grow house" of concepts in visual arts and poetry. His work later influenced the abstract expressionism movement. (Rothko, Pollock) Footnote* Ernest was married to Dorothea Tanning, her painting I've kept on my "random interesting things page" I love the image of her walking bravely bare chested through the doors of perception with a kelp skirt. (Of course theres more reasons why I love that particular painting... However, will not divulge!) Rene Magritte, a surrealist painter explored the psychological aspects of images. He was known for his "treachery of images" and the more famous painting "Son of Man" The "Treachery of Images" consisted of objects that were not real, because they were merely a painting of the image of an object. It's about perception, including "Son of Man".- Magritte purposely hid the face, knowing the viewer would be more interested. It's in our DNA to prefer ambiguity rather than the obvious, since reveling our preconditioned perceptions of reality gives unexpected results.  Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see." - Rene Magritte
and for just today... let the sun be hidden by the moon for your enjoyment! 😊 He spoke the truth filtering out nonsense into few words... And for my female peeps, since I have the video of girls to entertain men... I invented a new product for Sephora. It's called- "the Polyamorous Man Sampler Pack". Yes ladies, this pack of 5 men has a variety colors to choose from- "nudes" to "glittered gents" And of course.... I've made them disposable because we don't want boredom and commitment. Who needs last seasons guy when there's a fresh one in the pack? Why yes... I'm jaded; you give men your heart, they don't want it- a allegorical slap in the face- and they adore you! (Non violence) What gives? Below is my invention- plus bonus footage of a glittered gent that I wish I could borrow his pantsuit and fashion sense!  Today I was asked how the piece I was working on turned out. With slight hesitation I texted back... "The piece has a little crack in it... It cracked in the finishing process, I'm very disappointed ... it's not something I'm going to send off to be sold...... However I am finishing it!" At that moment, I realized, as upset I was about the crack... I didn't want to disregard the process just because the piece didn't turn out how I desired it to be. Things are never perfect in life or what you expect or envisioned them to be; why should the making of art be any different? My solution- find acceptance, and appreciate the piece for what it is and how much time I have devoted to it... Then... Apply a generous amount of gold enamel to cover up the crack! No one will know what is under the gold enamel except you- and there is beauty in that, you are the only one that has that intimate knowledge of that piece. I wanted to capture the alluring qualities of how light interacts with glass. The glass shards remind me of quartz crystals and the fantastic surprise cracking open a geode.  To all whom speak their minds; even against the odds.... To the free thinkers who won't be silenced, putting their thoughts into the world, and to the people who are not afraid to dream. This is for you. Love ya all! I ventured to the Seattle Art Fair this weekend. After meeting a partner in crime for coffee, we journeyed into the labyrinth of contemporary art. A world of men wearing ascots with shorts, plentiful wine and an electricity of weirdness in the air. Rows upon rows of international and local galleries. Einar and Jamex de la Torre glass work was exhibited (I enjoyed their new direction), as well as Joan Miro and Damien Hirst's work. (Seen it, not my gig) My favorites pieces consisted of repurposed items that the artists so cleverly integrated into their work, some of the 3D sculptural pieces I enjoyed as well. I'm seeing a trend in stainless steel, for a sculptural medium as well as casting in resin. (Resin casting is something I've wanted to do for a while) A lot of deconstruction in 2D work... Cut up paintings reworked, to make a linear visual image. Also digital images of looped videos. Pictured is a one of favorite works, I should have got the artists name but was so focused on the work, and not getting in others way, I didn't. My curiosity came more from the materials used, and if I was drawn to it. A thank you to Aron, for not bringing out the duct tape and allowing me to ramble my endless fractured art thoughts in the excitement of viewing some amazing work! I can assure you Kurt & the gang didn't read the whole Divine comedy.. (yet every asshole bought the tee shirt) It was just a facade we all wanted at that time- as poets, artist and dreamers... Just because Dante visited hell, it doesn't mean we must reside there. The Divine Comedy isn't what it's portrayed.... Sure it's a map to hell, but also to heaven- let's not forget the ending! Don't check out before you see the end! So I thought glass wasn't in my vocabulary, I had pushed it out of my head which was really difficult given my passion for it. However the stars aligned and pointed me onto the path of a piece that I never finished... I've been toying with a form that I cast, just never finished it because I couldn't figure out how to give it a punch of interest. You know, that fireworks factor.. The ingredients for my cocktail of madness: Pilchuck's auction extension + love for glass + a passing upon Rodin's Gate + walking into Dante's Inferno - one muse + my son being gone + a garnish of Goya's black paintings = The piece I'm about to embark on... Pure ecstasy if it turns out, hell being the process of inspiration.. The egg form is my ode to modern sculptural art, yet whats being created on inside the egg is what I'm looking forward to! My friends and I always question if it's "good art" or not.... Perhaps cruel, however I judge by if its aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and/or if there was a thought process behind the piece.... Is there an unspoken dialogue? Some of my favorite works are in which I am fooled by my initial thoughts.... Some comes from studying the artist, others it's just taking the time to absorb the piece and viewing it from a different perspective- be it up close, far away or at a different angle. I wish I could give you good examples of pieces that I was blown away by having a different perspective- in consolation I'll show you works that could be a surprise to the viewer. On that note the seattle art museum SAM has an amazing artist that you might enjoy... Yayoi Kusama- and her Infinitely mirrors... (it's like walking in another dimension) a play on light and space..... |
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