Scope Miami 2010

A bit late on getting the word out here but never the less I have a couple pieces at Scope Miami with Galeria Contrast as my escort. If your in the neighborhood make sure you stop by...

We Know What You're Thinking @ SODA Istanbul

A new solo show in Istanbul at the gallery Soda which inaugurates on the 23rd of November (Kasim) and runs til the 8th of January (Ocak).

Dirty Bunny gettin' down in Istanbul...

Somewhere over who's Rainbow?

 Somewhere over who's Rainbow?, MDF, Flock Steel, 2010

Things might not be as they seem... Further investigation using the iconic AK-47. The title makes reference to the song "Somewhere over the Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz where Dorothy sweetly sings about some dreamy non-existent Utopia. Truly a classic of Hollywood creating contemporary mythology. The Rainbow, a symbol of good, the calm after the storm and any other number of similes and metaphors in literature, music and art in this particular case serves as a warning for the wary to have a good second look before venturing forward.

 Somewhere over who's Rainbow?, MDF, Flock Steel, 2010 (detail)

 Somewhere over who's Rainbow?, MDF, Flock Steel, 2010 (detail)

{Libro} at Mad is Mad in Madrid

A new collective show that I will be involved in in Madrid that required the artist to involve books in their work in some way shape or form. The show will be in celebration of the 5 year anniversary of the Gallery Mad is Mad and is curated by Roberto Vidal y Luján Marcos. The book as a vehicle for artists is a rich field and personally I'm a huge fan of Brian Dettmer who I had the pleasure of meeting recently here in Barcelona.

Con esta exposición, que celebra el 5º Aniversario de la Galería Mad is Mad, se invita a 27 artistas cuyo trabajo ha sido expuesto en ella, a que exploren las posibilidades del libro como medio artístico. Utilizan en ella un vehículo tradicional de textos literarios o teóricos como base de una experimentación plástica, con el propósito de explorar las fronteras tanto físicas como conceptuales de libro.
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El artista es en este caso pintor, dibujante, escritor, tipógrafo, encuadernador, editor, programador, etc. Concibe y es autor de sus propios libros. Profundizar en la idea de libro de artista como nexo integrador de todas las artes, ya sea como soporte o como base conceptual, es uno de los retos que se les plantea.
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*Las llaves { }
Como signo doble (de apertura y cierre), suelen encerrar un texto. Por otra parte, cada uno de ellos se puede usar de forma aislada para introducir varias opciones, clasificaciones, desarrollos de lo expresado anteriormente, etc.
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Comisariada por nambernain: Roberto Vidal y Luján Marcos
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Inauguración: 30 de Septiembre 2010, a las 20:00 horas.
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{libro}
Del 30 de septiembre al 23 de octubre
Galería Mad is Mad
Pelayo, 48
28004 Madrid

Illustration*Play 2 —An Expedition to the Extraordinary

A fantatsic new book from the people at Victionary arrived in the mail the other day that highlights a great variety of creative stuff from a really diverse group. Exciting and rewarding to be included. official blurb and list of the artists included below

 Illustration • Play 2

—An Expedition to the Extraordinary

Edited by Victionary

What does it take to produce photorealistic qualities with a bunch of crayon sticks? What can you do with the unwanted doors or the .22 caliber rifle gift from your dad if you don’t like hunting? Well, have fun with them!

The process of making is an expedition to possibilities. It is an unprecedented excursion beyond set values and limitations, a sweet-and-sour journey that requires great patience, innovation and invincibility to forge ahead. With an interview section graced by the artists’ handwritings, doodles and distinctive characters, Illustration•Play 2, the second volume of our best-selling illustration series, Illustration•Play, is a body of sweat and surprises yielded from the most ordinary things you could find in life. From flat drawings and collage, to papercuttings, crafts, sculptures, bas-reliefs and installations, get prepared to experience the course of discovery and a different perspective of seeing through the extraordinary handworks made by the very playful hands of 24 makers from around the world! Don't sleep, wake up! You might be the next to stun the world!

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CONTRIBUTORS:

Alli Coate

Ana Serrano

Ana Venura

Anastassia Elias aka Chadou Yama

Christian Faur

Dan-ah Kim

Emma van Leest

Frank Plant

Gregory Euclide

Guerra de la Paz

Jeff Nishinaka

Jennifer Khoshbin

Kenichi Yokono

Mayuko Fujino

Meredith Dittmar

Michael Velliquette

Nina Braun

Roman Klonek

Ron van der Ende

Sarah Trahan

Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene

Studio Evelin Kasikov

Walton Creel

Yulia Brodskaya

New Show at Galeria Contrast

 

Sept. 9 was the opening of my new show in Galeria Contrast, Consell de Cent 281. Titled "How does your Garden Grow?"  the show will be up until the 16th of October, hope everyone has a chance to go by and see the new work. Here you have a couple examples of the space with the work in it. The photos are by Margaret Stepien who is a wonderful photographer and friend.

Dirty Bunny

 

Dirty Bunny

Unleash your inner dirty bunny....

A bit of exposure in the Phillipines

Recently in the Inaugural edition of Mango Magazine (the same publishers of the magazine

How Does Your Garden Grow??? New Exposition 9th of September

The 9th of September through the 16th of October I will be having a solo show at Galeria Contrast, 281 Consell de Cent, Barcelona. Anyone and everyone who is in the area is obliged to come and look at some art, enjoy the end of the summer and lift a glass.

Things That Cross(&*^%$!!!) Your Mind...

A new series of 15 small statues that I'm currently working on for the Gallery Mad is Mad in Madrid. They follow the other series that I did last year except that the signage is a bit more provocative and complex. They serve as my bully pulpit and release valve/sketchbook for ideas and thoughts. Cross playing with the saying "cross your mind" as well as making you or becoming cross, as in angry. A few are highlighted below...

"If the church really had their shit together...", mixed media, 63.5cm x 24cm x 8.5cm

"I had a dream last Night", Mixed Media, 67 x 27 x 12cm, 2010


"Poke your eyes out for conservative Values...", Mixed Media, 60 x 25 x 8.5cm, 2010



"Telefuckyou", Mixed Media, 57.5 x 28 x 8.5cm, 2010


"Say no to old Stone Buildings...", Mixed Media, 59.5 x 24 x 8.5cm, 2010

"I went to the bank and all I got was this Lousy Broken dream...", Mixed Media, 70 x 25 x 16cm, 2010

"You Wonka", Mixed Media, 60.5 x 23.5 x 8.5cm, 2010

"You do that Voodoo...", Mixed Media, 71 x 29 x 18cm, 2010

"Vote This Guy", Mixed Media, 66 x 24 x 8.5cm, 2010

Paisanna

Photo Margaret Stepien

The Forest for the Trees

Small studies of people which I have covered in Flock to give the impression that we are all in some way untended gardens. Non-rolling stones...

My Furry Caterpillar (Oh Deere...)

As is usual this idea has been bouncing around in my head for at least a couple years. Most likely from when after 7 years of threatening the city of Barcelona finally decided to begin the project of rearranging my neighborhood. Since I arrived in Barcelona in 1999 I've been living in the shadow of the wrecking ball but somehow have managed to remain in this small corner of the city unscathed. Then in 2006 things started to move, at least that's when the photo below is dated from which was the view from my front window (I have a workspace that I am extremely fortunate to have so the idea of having to leave it struck terror into the deep recesses of my being). Regardless I had an opportunity to reflect on some heavy equipment for some time. It's impressive to see it up close tearing down walls etc. and reminded me of the fascination I had with these machines as a child. What crossed my mind at that point though was the shift in my understanding of said machines from that of a child's understanding which is one of fascination, creation and possibility as well as responsibility, to that of an adult which recognizes them (at least in an urban environment) as the harbingers of change for better or worse. To be honest I still view cranes, front end loaders, bulldozers etc... with a certain amount of awe for the simple fact that they really are miracles of engineering.
The view from my front window the 11th of August 2006

On the other hand in the urban environment they are also the agents of metamorphosis, representatives of decisions that are normally made in other places by people who aren't directly affected by those decisions. Barcelona has undergone unprecedented growth in the construction sector over the last twenty years, to the point that "rabid" might be an appropriate term to describe the nature of what has been going on. With the bursting of the real estate bubble this is no longer the case. Within the metropolitan habitat obviously a certain amount of change is constant and required for a variety of reasons. It's not the idea to go too deeply into the economics and the moral repercussions of the construction boom, although it is fascinating and worthy for reflection, for the simple fact that my knowledge of it is superficial not being an economist. Needless to say there is constant change and constant shifting which has a profound impact on the individual and sometimes the collective as well. I don't say this as a positive or negative judgment just a simple fact.


I chose to work with a front end loader (Caterpillar 950-H) for a number of reasons, but primarily because it is menacing, the architecture/design of it is all strength, aggression and masculinity. Especially the teeth on the front of the shovel and the treads on the tires. In movement it is full of a sort of awkward muscular grace (yes I know, oxymoron). I chose the surface texture for the obvious visual irony that it proposes which fuses the idealism that I had as a child and the realities exposed to me as an adult in relation to construction and the machinery used to achieve it. And hence the title which reflects on the often life changing displacements of land, architecture, families and people that these machines are fundamental in creating. For better or worse...

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, Steel, Flock, Sponge, cheap plastic flowers, 180cm x 120cm, 2010

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (Detail), Steel, Flock, Sponge, cheap plastic flowers, 180cm x 120cm, 2010

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (Detail), Steel, Flock, Sponge, cheap plastic flowers, 180cm x 120cm, 2010

Scope NYC Art Fair March 3-7 2010

To all my friends and peoples in NYC here's a chance to see a couple of my pieces in person on your side of the Atlantic. Galeria Contrast who I work with here in Barcelona will be presenting at Scope's New York edition this year so drag yourselves up to midtown, seems it's around Lincoln Center and have a look.

Green Meanies

The horizon is green....

Sunday in the Park, Steel, Flock, 162.5cm x 113cm, 2009 
Photo Margaret Stepien

Inspired by a brief but thoroughly enjoyable and unexpectedly warm February morning in El Parque del Buen Retiro in Madrid. It is truly a wonderful park and provided me with the opportunity to continue to investigate the use of flock in my work.

Detail

Something new I have in development which is a continued investigation of last year's "Something for Everyone" ....

This shot is right after I put a base coat on the piece. Ultimately everything will be covered in flock. I used Montana colors Pistachio green, Avocado green and Lutecia green, graciously provided by my neighbor, artist Aleix Gordo Hostau. The next steps will involve the application of the flock in a similar fashion that you might find on a model train set.