Hans Poppe

Amoi Magazine

2012-01-16T14:15:00.002-05:00

Check out the latest Winter edition of Amoi Magazine... I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to design a handful of layouts for them. If you're not familiar with the magazine, It's definitely worth your while to pick up a copy and get yourself acquainted!

Amoi magazine is Canada's largest and only magazine that focuses on diversity and caters to the rich cultures and demographics of Canada. Amoi's brand showcases innovation and success in Canada's diverse population through the lenses of business, health, education, the arts and entertainment.

(Photography: Ishmil Waterman)

Erik Flowchild's The Chixtape II

2012-01-04T14:12:00.003-05:00

I just recently finished working on the album cover for Erik Flowchild's latest project — The Chixtape II. Point of interest, (and maybe it should go without saying)... But everything about this artwork is custom. All worked out one piece at a time, from the grid to every single triangle and colour in the broken heart. The idea is an evolution, and abstraction of Erik Flowchild's rubik's cube logo tied in with the mood and message of the new album.

You can download the album for free here. More on Flowchild here... www.iamerikflowchild.com // @erikflowchild

Kanye West

2011-11-24T17:56:00.002-05:00

Kanye West

2-Colour Linocut

Edition of 30

9" x 12"

$75

This particular series speaks to the modern day apostles of popular culture. These figures have become the new leaders of the masses. There are more people following, quoting and studying these icons than they do any religious figures.

True Grit: Can Perseverance be Taught?

2011-11-03T10:36:00.001-04:00

Found this video to be inspirational and a good reminder that sometimes all you need to succeed is "True Grit". Stick to your guns and keep at it no matter what the obstacles.

Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Angela studies non-IQ competencies that predict success both academically and professionally. Her research populations have included West Point cadets, National Spelling Bee finalists, novice teachers, salespeople, and students.

About TEDx, x=independently organize event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading.

Mindful Slogging

2011-10-24T15:25:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine just sent me this article... Thought it inspiring and necessary to be reminded sometimes that the notion of waiting on your "Muse" to inspire your next piece of artwork is not always realistic. Being an artist more often than not is usually a lonely and labour intensive road. A path that is filled with your version of demons, insecurities and distractions. How you master all that while continuously producing work is what differentiates professionalism from hobby.

Article is via the Toronto Public Library's resident writer David Young.

--
The American portrait painter Chuck Close famously, and accurately, pronounced: ‘Inspiration is for amateurs’. What does this mean, exactly?

It means that a serious practitioner of any creative art– be it painting, writing, dance or chain saw sculpture – must be prepared to sail the dark ocean alone, most days without any flashes of inspiration to light the way. Most of the time there will be nothing to guide or empower your journey except your dogged determination to keep at it, no matter what. It’s an acquired taste, this mindful slogging into the unknown which is at the core of all artistic practice. Recognizing and honouring the ancient lineage of your determination can be a source of considerable joy and energy.

The determination to shape something useful and beautiful from the products of the mind is as old as the first campfire where skilled hands fashioned Mastodon ivory into an amulet designed to keep the sun in the sky. “I am making something larger than myself. It is ancient work.” Carry this simple thought in your pocket like a pebble from the river and you will have all the inspiration you need to keep the dragons of anxiety and doubt at bay. Every day try to make something beautiful and useful. A single sentence will do. The determination to create something against all odds is in and of itself a form of inspiration.

You don’t need to know where you’re going to keep going. Tame the dragons with your determination. Inspire yourself with your own hard work in the face of doubt and difficulty. When inspiration finally does arrive, unannounced and unbidden, you will be prepared (thanks to your mindful slogging) to receive the flash of deep insight with a strong, clear mind and put it to good use.

David Young

Kadir Nelson

2011-10-21T12:27:00.002-04:00

Change Has Come: Kadir Nelson by turnhere

Kadir Nelson is an award-winning American artist whose works have been exhibited in major national and international publications, institutions, art galleries, and museums. Nelson earned a Bachelor’s degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York and has since created paintings for a host of distinguished clients including Sports Illustrated, The Coca-Cola Company, The United States Postal Service, Major League Baseball, and Dreamworks SKG where he worked as a visual development artist creating concept artwork for feature films, “Amistad”, and “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”. Many of Nelson’s paintings are in the collections of notable institutions and public collections, including the U.S. House of Representatives and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as well as in the private collections of actors, professional athletes, and musicians. Nelson has also gained acclaim for the artwork he has contributed to several NYT Best-selling picture books including his authorial debut, “WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball”, winner of the Coretta Scott King and Robert F. Sibert Awards, and was published by Disney/Hyperion in the spring of 2008. Currently, Nelson’s cover artwork is featured on the album“MICHAEL”, by the late pop singer icon Michael Jackson, Jackson’s first posthumous album release. Nelson’s upcoming literary effort, “HEART AND SOUL: The Story of America and African-Americans,” will be published by HarperCollins in the fall of 2011.

Just a thought

2011-10-18T14:11:00.000-04:00

Fascinating! Definitely worth the listen. I love that someone has articulated everything I have ever questioned about our way of life. ie. Capitalism's success is dependent on a steady population growth and consumption of resources, natural or otherwise, including animals. Should that slow down or fail... Well... You know. And in a world where we have just about populated every corner of the world and keep spreading and consuming, is it any wonder that the earth and the global economy have started to show clear signs of strain. Just a thought.

BBC's The Romantics

2011-10-18T10:25:00.001-04:00

Considering all the revolutions and occupations of major cities that are taking place just about all around the world... These 3 films couldn't have been brought to my attention at a better time. ie. The first film (Liberty), looks at one the greatest sociopolitical upheavals in the history of our civilization — The French Revolution — and, eventually, the American Revolution.

BBC: Liberty

The 18th century was a time of opulence and privilege for some. Europe was dominated by the twin authority of the Church and King - but beneath the surface, new forces were gathering to challenge their absolute rule.

The French philosopher, Denis Diderot insisted that men must reason for themselves. His friend, Jean-Jacques Rousseau claimed civilization had corrupted mankind - to free themselves, men must listen to their emotions.

Rousseau's writings gave birth to a hope for a new world of liberty, equality and fraternity. These ideas would fuel the greatest social upheaval in history - the French Revolution.

In Britain, these 'Romantic' ideals would burst into the public arena in art and poetry. William Blake's engravings and poetry were howls of revolutionary anger: Blake made the liberation of the human spirit his life's work.

William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote one of the most powerful revolutionary works of the time; Lyrical Ballads. This volume of poetry was considered so dangerous that even as they composed, Wordsworth and Coleridge were being followed by government spies.

This was the greatest period of sustained creativity in English literature - at a time of revolutionary change in which poets had the power to remake the world in their own image.

BBC: Eternity

After the revolutions of the late 18th century, people had to define who they were without regard to the sanctions of religion or the Church.

The Romantics would delve into the uncharted depths of the unconscious to find the keys to their identity: they would emerge with new ways of thinking and of leading their lives.

John Keats would forge poetry of genius from a life of tragedy. His work is a unique statement of human fragility. Keats died from tuberculosis, the archetype of the artist as bohemian outsider.

Lord Byron's personal life and political ideals became the subject of scandal in his own lifetime: his self-mythologizing swagger and satirical genius ensured his place in history. Lord Byron created the figure of the self-legislating individual - a man arrogant enough to live by his own rules.

Shelley was an atheist and an exponent of free love - a man consumed by the search for experience and understanding. The search ended on 8th July 1822, when Shelley drowned off the coast of Italy. His body was cremated, but the heart emerged from the flames - a symbol of religious power for an age without

BBC: Nature

Nature examines how The Industrial Revolution tried to subvert and dominate nature on the path to profit, and how Romantic artists attempted to counter this tension by recasting nature in a context of relevance, approachability and understanding.

The Industrial Revolution sought to dominate Nature as a means to create profit. Romantic artists would seek to replace this relationship of domination with one of reverence and understanding.

The poet John Clare sought freedom in exploring the countryside around him. But the lands he loved were increasingly seen as units of production. When such lands were officially enclosed by Act of Parliament in 1809, the freedom to roam the countryside was curtailed.

This shift in attitudes drove John Clare insane. It drove William Blake to write works of protest, such as the raging, tempestuous 'Jerusalem'.

Both William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge sought to understand man's true relation to nature by returning to the source - by observing and writing about the innocence of children. Others sought to reconnect themselves to Nature more directly - such as William Wordsworth, who wrote of his travels to the Alps, the Lake District and the Wye Valley.

The ideas of the child, nature and scientific progress would collide in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. This book is a Romantic manifesto - a warning that nature is not to be trifled with, that children are sacred, and science can corrupt our world. It is also a work of prophecy, still relevant in the 21st century.

Shepard Fairey on Heroes

2011-10-13T10:43:00.000-04:00

I've had this conversation a few times with different people... I've always believed that there is something more visceral about music and what it offers than visual arts. The experience/feeling you get when your favourite band or artist is up on stage controlling the moment is bar none. Not always though, there are some works of art that have rocked me to my core. Made me change career paths just to be a part of something larger than life. Something larger than me, much more personal, less vain and frivolous. And interestingly enough, it's usually the pieces that I've released my soul into that people tend to respond to the most. Sometimes they don't even know why they gravitate towards it, but the depth of emotion is clear on their faces. It's that moment that makes the pursuit of visual philosophy worth everything.

Here's a great essay by Shepard Fairey (Obey) that speaks on this topic at a greater length. Found his take on this topic interesting and relatable.

Heroes

No matter how much I love art, or try to convince myself of its relevance in society, the fact remains that music is a lot cooler and way more able to reach the bourgeois (and not so) and rock the boulevard. When I am asked about my biggest influences, my interrogator is often surprised to hear “The Sex Pistols”, “Black Flag”, “Public Enemy”, generally expecting me to list off visual artists. I guess I feel like the power of something comes from the feelings it conjures emotinally first and intellectually second. I’ve never been to an an art show and felt like the art had a hold over every person in the room, much less looked over my shoulder to see 50,000 lighters held up in a show of solidarity for Ozzy’s cause. Have you ever seen someone come out of an an art show pouring with sweat, a glazed look in their eyes, throwing their fist in the air like they just had a religious experience? Art shows don’t seem to elicit that level of enthusiasm. Actually, at a lot of art shows, people are more worried about checking out the crowd than checking out the art. I can’t really blame them when the art itself is less engaging than the written description on the wall next to it …I’m yawning just thinking about it.

The truth is, I always fell asleep during art history lectures in college, but I’ve never fallen asleep at a single concert. Am I the exception? I don’t think so. Art is just outgunned in the battle for the senses. Music has the ability to stimulate on so many levels and I’m not just talking about live music. Music provides a cultural eco-system in and of itself. There’s the actual music, the lyrics with their content and politics, the style and personalities of the bandmembers and the politics implicit in their lifestyles, and lastly, their art, album packaging and graphics. I’ve had some very moving encounters with art, especially on the street, but nothing can compare with the first time I heard the boots marching and first chord of the Sex Pistol’s “Holidays in the Sun”, or the air raid sirens leading into “too black, too strong” on the intro to Public Enemy’s “It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back”. Those songs made my arm hairs stand up. Some music has affected me so powerfully that the mere sight of the album packaging induced a Pavlovian response (scientific analogy makes it sound less pathetic) of air guitar or drums!

I mean, come on, who hasn’t secretly but whole-heartedly identified with Beavis and Butthead imitating Sabbath’s “Iron Man”? Bob Ross can only dream of as many people watching his painting show as watch “Beavis and Butthead” or now more likely “The Osbournes”. Let’s face it, music is a huge influence on popular culture and even Andy Warhol, the most successful of “Pop Artists”, is less widely known than musical acts comparably much lower on the totem pole. Warhol can actually be credited with exploiting the potential to connect with a broader audience through Pop. His collaboration with the Velvet Underground led to the iconic banana album cover. That graphic would be just another part of the Warhol “let’s make a mundane object into high art” schtick (not that that’s a bad thing) if it weren’t associated with such an influential and enduring band.

The marriage of great art, great music, and great ideas is an incredibly powerful one. Hell, even two of those elements converging harmoniously yields something whose whole is more than the sum of its parts. I used Public Enemy to illustrate this spread because they are one of the rare acts, along with people like The Clash and The Sex Pistols, who brilliantly crafted every aspect of what they were doing and maximized the results. Great name, great beats, great rhymes, provocative politics, powerful graphics and presentation (can’t front on the S1W’s) and a defiant attitude that scared “The Man” made Public Enemy a force to be reckoned with. They probably raised more issues in the three years after their debut than the worlds visual artists will during their lifetimes. For a visual artist such as myself, this harsh reality provides the challenge to make my art as much of an engaging, stimulating, provocative, visceral experience as possible. To quote Chuck D, “I want to reach the bourgeois and rock the boulevard”. I don’t want people to only experience my art in the safe, tame confines of the gallery, which is why I put my art up illegally in the streets. I’m a populist and I look at it this way: I may not play an instrument, but I’m gonna rock it hard as nails anyway.

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

2011-10-12T16:05:00.000-04:00

Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs (/ˈdʒɒbz/; February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American inventor and entrepreneur. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Jobs was co-founder and previously served as chief executive of Pixar Animation Studios; he became a member of the board of directors of the Walt Disney Company in 2006, following the acquisition of Pixar by Disney.

In the late 1970s, Jobs — along with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Mike Markkula and others — designed, developed, and marketed one of the first commercially successful lines of personal computers, the Apple II series. In the early 1980s, Jobs was among the first to see the commercial potential of Xerox PARC's mouse-driven graphical user interface, which led to the creation of the Apple Lisa and, one year later, the Macintosh. After losing a power struggle with the board of directors in 1985, Jobs left Apple and founded NeXT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher-education and business markets.

In 1986, he acquired the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd, which was spun off as Pixar Animation Studios.[7] He was credited in Toy Story (1995) as an executive producer. He remained CEO and majority shareholder at 50.1 percent until its acquisition by The Walt Disney Company in 2006,[8] making Jobs Disney's largest individual shareholder at seven percent and a member of Disney's Board of Directors.[9][10] Apple's 1996 buyout of NeXT brought Jobs back to the company he co-founded, and he served as its interim CEO from 1997, then becoming permanent CEO from 2000 onwards, spearheading the advent of the iPod, iPhone and iPad.[11]. Jobs' long battle with cancer since 2004 made headlines and raised concerns of his health. He resigned as CEO in August 2011, while on his third medical leave. Jobs was elected chairman of Apple's board of directors and held that title until his death. He was widely described as a visionary, pioneer and genius — perhaps one of the foremost — in the field of business, innovation, and product design, and a man who had profoundly changed the face of the modern world, revolutionized at least six different industries, and who was an "exemplar for all chief executives".

On October 5, 2011, Jobs died at his home in Palo Alto, California, age 56. A copy of his death certificate, which was made public on Monday, October 10, indicated he died about 3 p.m. on October 5 and listed respiratory arrest as the immediate cause of death, with "metastatic pancreas neuroendocrine tumor" as the underlying cause. His occupation was listed as "entrepreneur" in the "high tech" business.[12]

1880 - Jeff Staple

2011-10-11T09:58:00.002-04:00

Some inspiring work from some really inspiring people. Get familiar via... Eighteen Eighty on Staple.

Artist For Autism Spectrum Disorder - Art Fall

2011-09-28T19:29:00.000-04:00

I'll be participating in another group show this weekend! This one is again in collaboration with Artists For Autism Spectrum Disorder... And as always, they are putting the Fun in fundraising, art, music, dance and live interactive mural painting! Admission is free, but donations for Giant Steps Toronto are accepted. Come out and celebrate Nuit Blanche, Art and Fall! Hope to see you there!

Artists for ASD:

Bill Braun

David Contin

Hans Poppe

KJ Moore

Julia Chabad

Julie B

Lisa Ng

Marta Brestovansky

Max db

Mike Brown

Thelia Sanders Shelton

October 1 and 2, 2011

12-5 pm

127 Rumsey Rd.

Toronto, ON

416.696.1033

195mainstreet@bell.net

WALMER CONVENIENCE - FIRE SALE!

2011-09-19T23:34:00.001-04:00

I'll be participating in an art show in collaboration with some amazing Toronto artists this Saturday Sept. 24th at The Port Gallery (1179 Dundas St. W.).

Exhibiting Artists:

HANS POPPE

BOBBY LAWN

JIMMY CHIALE

DION FITZGERALD

SABRINA CUZZOCREA

GOOFFEE

MAX LE DARON

PLAN B

THE DIRTY FRENCHMAN

CATALOG

EASY ST.

Jay Z

2011-08-08T16:29:00.002-04:00

Spray Paint, Oil on Woodpanel
12" x 12"
2011
For purchase info contact me at hanspoppe@gmail.com

AWOL Gallery's Foot by Foot Art Exhibition Opening Night

2011-08-08T16:23:00.001-04:00

Amazing turn out, a ton of art, great vibe, AWOL Gallery's 9th Annual Foot by Foot Art Exhibition was a lot of fun! The show is at TWIST Gallery for a few more weeks... Definitely worth the while to go check it out.

AWOL GALLERY'S 9TH ANNUAL SQUARE FOOT SHOW!

2011-08-02T12:45:00.000-04:00

I'll be participating in AWOL GALLERY'S 9TH ANNUAL SQUARE FOOT SHOW! I'll be there Saturday, August 6th... Drop by, say hi, check out the show. New art work!

Often imitated but never duplicated! The 2011 Square Foot Show at AWOL Gallery is once again set to become Toronto's premier summer show! With hundreds of artists and over a thousand works of art, AWOL Gallery promises a dynamic visual art experience. Be the first to see the show at the Gala reception or stand in line (that's right, this is one of only a few shows which creates a line up on opening night) and experience the artists' reception, which attracted over 1000 people at last year's event. The shows appeal is in the collective creative energy of having hundreds of local, national, and international artists in all media showcasing their work in a central location. Gallery Hours: Wed. - Sat. 12-7pm & Sun. 12-5pm.

NEW offsite venue TWIST Gallery, 1100 Queen St. West
(Queen & Dovercourt)

Exhibition dates: Saturday August 6th - 21st, 2010

Press/Collectors Preview Gala: Friday, August 5th, 7pm
(Tickets are $20.00 and proceeds from ticket sales will go to local charities. Tickets available online)

Artist/Public Reception: Saturday, August 6th, 7pm
(free admission)

Press/Media Contact: Pamela Rosales

'Da Kink In My Hair Art Exhibition

2011-07-19T23:51:00.002-04:00

I'm excited to be participating in the first ever Da Kink In My Hair Art Exhibition! An extension of the revolutionary play Da Kink in My Hair by Trey Anthony.

Opening Night Show and Gala: Saturday, August 13th
Enwave Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto
Doors Open 6:30pm
Show Starts 7pm
Reception After The Show
Da Kink Art Show Upper Level
Music Provided by DJ Lissa Monet

This multi-dimensional, off-stage production features works from a wide range of artists that have come together to produce a powerful collaboration of stories. Exploring through a variety or art mediums, each piece is to delve into the survivals, the evolutions, the souls, the depths, the inspirations, the love, the struggles, and the triumphs of a black woman.

Participating Artists:

Adrian Hayles
Alexis Finch
Ato Seitu
Che Kothari
Cheryl Rock
Georgia Fullerton
Hans Poppe
Janet Manning
Jordan Clarke
Mark "Kurupt" Stoddart
Melissa Doldron
Sarah Golish
Sharon Norwood
Shirley Mpagi
Sonia Farquharson
Suritah Teresa Wignall
Teryl Brouillette
Wayne Carnergie
Quentin Vercetty

DAFUNKY SITUATION: CONTROL THE MOMENT

2011-06-28T19:20:00.001-04:00

WWW.DFSMUSIC.COM

Dusty Dust, Kimo C and Mike S are putting a new spin on the term DJ as they’re far from what you’re used to. With their latest release, Control the Moment, Dafunky Situation proves they’re still changing the game. “We’re in Control of every aspect of our performance. We’re doing things on the fly, whether it’s the variation you hear within a song, clearing room for live vocals, or performing a live remix in the middle of a breakdown; it’s all us.” says Kimo C.

They describe themselves as an electronic band, but mix everything from house to hip hop, breaks, funk, electro and progressive to produce an innovative new style, you never would’ve thought possible. In a nutshell, Dafunky Situation performs music with a live MC, taking various parts of different songs, coupled with live elements to put their own spin on the Electronic music experience. Don’t become too attached to original songs. Attending one
of their shows, often leads to a new appreciation of the music, as chances are, that version has been tweaked or re-edited by the group, so it’s always an experience to watch them perform live!

It all started in 1999 when Michael Schembri “Mike S” and Miguel Culajay “Kimo C” launched an Internet radio show on woofer.com. Internet radio was fairly new at the time and the radio station had closed after a year of operation.

In February of 2009, Akai Professional announced they would be releasing a controller for music software developer Ableton called the Akai APC40. While awaiting its release, Dafunky Situation created a theory based around the APC40 on how they could make Controllerism work within a live performance. The group prepared their new setup and also started remixing and re-editing music in anticipation of the upcoming release date. When the controller was finally released in May, their method on how to use the APC40 worked and quickly became their new weapon of choice and the foundation from where their funky sound resonates. “Preparing a template of effects and channel strips, along with creating the rules or language to communicate while performing, was probably our biggest success as it took the most time. It’s truly what sets our show apart from others when we play.” comments Mike S.

In September 2009, the duo was joined by Dustin Shanks “Dusty Dust”. “I was living in Australia at the time and came across the music that Mike and Miguel were posting online. We grew up together and hung out in similar venues, so a lot of our influences were similar and everyone involved had an idea or expectation of what we could do together.” After a few studio sessions it was evident that Dusty Dust was the missing piece of the puzzle; becoming a permanent fixture and the Front Man of Dafunky Situation in October of 2009. DJ P-Plus of CFXJ-FM Flow 93.5 FM in Toronto got wind of the group’s talents through videos on Youtube. After contacting the group he had them perform at the Stylus DJ Awards Annual VIP “Mix and Mingle” BBQ event in August 2010 for nominees and industry critics. With the who’s who of Canadian music in attendance, Dafunky Situation nailed their performance garnering them much respect, which was the catalyst for the momentum of the group today.

Download the album for free!

The 5th Element at the Toronto Fringe Festival

2011-06-03T12:01:00.004-04:00

Photography: www.marypics.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!

Catalyst is re-mounting "The 5th Element" for Toronto Fringe Festival!!! For those that missed it last year, here's your chance to be part of the Catalyst experience. For those that saw it already, the show has been revamped to give you an even bigger and better production!

Toronto's freshest mix of urban, classical, and cultural dance bring you on an insatiable journey across the Elements of Life.

"Through the rumblings of the earth, to the emotional depths of the rain, to the burning heat of the fire, to the flying freedom of the air…"

DISCOVER YOUR ELEMENT.

Show Details:
Bathurst Street Theatre
736 Bathurst Street

Wednesday, July 6, 2011 - 10:30pm - 11:30pm
Saturday, July 9, 2011 - 11:00pm - Sunday, July 10, 2011 - 12:00am
Monday, July 11, 2011 - 4:45pm - 5:45pm
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 - 9:15pm - 10:15pm
Thursday, July 14, 2011 - 1:45pm - 2:45pm
Friday, July 15, 2011 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Saturday, July 16, 2011 - 7:30pm - 8:30pm

TICKETS GO ON SALE JUNE 13, 2011!

For tickets, call 416-966-1062
www.fringetoronto.com

For more info, email info@catalystthecompany.com
www.catalystthecompany.com

The 5th Element
http://vimeo.com/11828654
http://vimeo.com/14567408

Nas & Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - Land Of Promise

2011-06-01T21:11:00.000-04:00

Fear of Failure

2011-05-31T12:51:00.000-04:00

Milton Glaser – on the fear of failure. from Berghs' Exhibition '11 on Vimeo.

http://berghs.exhibition11.se

Paulo Coelho – on the fear of failure. from Berghs' Exhibition '11 on Vimeo.

http://berghs.exhibition11.se

Manny Pacquiao

2011-05-05T15:39:00.000-04:00

Linocut on Japanese Paper
Edition of a 100
9" x 12"
$100

Manny Pacquiao (Work In Progress)

2011-05-05T15:22:00.005-04:00

As some of you may already know... The energy, aesthetic and technique of my art are an exploration of “urban legends”. I have always been fascinated by the concept of mass consumption of iconic figures and their stories of trials and tribulation, particularly of the popular culture. That being said, I have been watching Manny Pacquiao's legend grow with ever more fascination. He truly is an anomaly of a human being. His life's story is the definition of rags to riches. From hustling in the streets to being coined as "number one" pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, while actively pursuing politicks. But more than anything, I think the most beautiful thing about this particular Filipino legend has been watching the human element... His fans. A sense of patriotism, pride, honour and faith have been growing synonymously with his following.

I think this is the first time I have included some work in progress pictures of the 3-layer linocut limited edition. Although I referenced Pacquiao's warrior stance, every detail of this limited edition portrait has been completed by hand. From the initial illustration, to the carving, to sizing of the japanese paper, to the printing. It took a little over 70 hours to complete the whole process (if not more). In an era of quick and sometimes cheap reproductions... Every single edition in this series may appear similar, but they are all as one-of-a-kind as they get.

Here's some quick stats/facts on Pacquiao via Wikipedia.

Manny Pacquiao, is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is an eight-division world champion, the first boxer in history to win ten world titles, the first to win in eight weight divisions, and the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000's by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). He is also a three-time The Ring and BWAA"Fighter of the Year", winning the award in 2006, 2008, and 2009.

Currently, Pacquiao is the WBC Super Welterweight World Champion and WBO Welterweight World Champion (Super Champion). He is also currently rated as the "number one" pound-for-pound best boxer in the world by most sporting news and boxing websites, including The Ring, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, Yahoo! Sports, Sporting Life and About.com.

Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has participated in acting, music recording, and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani. He is the only active boxer to become a congressman in the Philippines.

Here's a quick cockfighting reference for the rooster/wings in the portrait.

A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters (cocks), held in a ring called a cockpit. The combatants, aptly referred to as gamecocks, are specially bred birds, conditioned for increased stamina and strength. Cocks possess congenital aggression toward all males of the same species. They are conditioned, much like professional athletes prior to events or shows. Wagers are often made on the outcome of the match. While not all fights are to the death, the cocks may endure significant physical trauma. In many other areas around the world, cockfighting is still practiced as a mainstream event; in some countries it is government controlled.

Artists For Autism Spectrum Disorder Fundraiser (Follow Up)

2011-05-02T23:17:00.001-04:00

www.flyingmuseumband.com

www.facebook.com/jumple // www.myspace.com/jumplemusic

Great night. Great show. Amazing people. Tons of fun!

Walm-Art Exhibition

2011-04-26T11:43:00.000-04:00

In collaboration with some of Toronto's local talent... I'll be exhibiting some new work on Friday May 6th, at The Port Gallery (1179 Dundas St. W.)

Exhibiting Artists:

HANS POPPE

YOKE

MEDIAH

BOBBY LAWN

And of course music provided by:

WALMER CONVENIENCE

(Dancehall, Rap, Bass, Moombro Tunes, Drumstep, Dance)

CLICK ATTENDING ON THE FACEBOOK INVITE HERE!

Artist For Autism Spectrum Disorder

2011-04-18T16:23:00.003-04:00

I'll be participating in an upcoming group art exhibition at the Gladstone Hotel as a fundraiser for Giant Steps Toronto on Saturday, April 30th. Giant Steps is a school and therapy centre that enables children with Autism Spectrum Disorder through academics, therapies, and integration. This one's a win win situation in more ways than one. I'll be exhibiting some limited edition linocuts... Which means affordable artwork and 50% of the sale goes to a great cause! On top of that... live entertainment all night. A one night only event so please save the date.

Saturday, April 30th
7pm - 1am
Gladstone Hotel, Ballroom
1214 Queen St. W., Toronto
$20 at the door or in advance

Participating Artists:
Angela Chandler
Bill Kreznarich
David Contin
Farhad Nargol-O'Neill
Fraser Shein
Hans Poppe
James Paul Cameron
Jenny Hsieh
Joy Pekar
Julia Chabad
Julie B.
Laura Kendall
Lennon Friedman
Lisa Ng
Lisa Particelli
Matthew Brown
Mike Brown
Peter Mah
Rosario Olivera
Sebastian Barkley
s-kat
Thelia Shelton
The Spooky Astronauts Drawing Club

Join a group of artists and musicians for a night dedicated to awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder as they transform the Gladstone's Historic Ballroom into a gallery and set the stage for musical performances by:

Participating Bands:

gNat

Big City Nights Band
Flying Museum Band
and
Jumple

Proceeds and a portion of all sales will be donated to Giant Steps Toronto. Funds raised through Artists for ASD will be used to deliver Giant Steps' hands-on therapy programs to children with ASD. Tickets $20: Available in advance here artistsforasd.eventbrite.com or at the doors.

TSA's Spring Launch Exhibition (Follow Up)

2011-04-18T10:52:00.000-04:00

As usual, great reception at the Toronto School of Art's Spring Launch Exhibition. It was fun meeting and greeting everyone. I'm always humbled by the personal feedback.

Toronto School of Art's Spring Launch

2011-04-14T11:29:00.001-04:00

It's about that time of the year again... The end of the school year, and for some... Graduation! Although, I'm not in the latter category, I definitely feel like it! In any case, I'll be exhibiting one of my painting's and definitely joining in the celebration with a glass of vino... or two. It's been another really fruitful and inspirational year for me at the Toronto School of Art. Although, I've attended the program as a diploma student, I have tried to make sure that the curriculum was custom to my specific thirst for artistic knowledge. Some classes barely left a mark (so to speak), while others made me feel like I grew a pair of wings! That being said, I'll probably be taking some time off school and dig a little deeper in the medium's that make me feel like I'm levitating every time I work with them.

Hope to see some of you tonight!

A Fundraising Event for The Toronto School of Art
Thursday April 14, 2011
Graduation: 6 to 7 pm
Party: 7 to 11 pm

Open House continues: Friday April 15 and Saturday April 16 from 12 to 5 pm.

Silent Auction of art related items.

Items include...
- A portrait drawing class by a TSA instructor held at your home for yourself and 4 friends.

- A one-on-one consultation with an art dealer.
- A personalized tour of the AGO by a professional artist.
- Personal tutorials of various digital art software programs.
- Work by professional artists who teach at TSA.
- ...and much more!

What's on the Agenda for the evening of Thursday, April 14?

A graduation ceremony launching the art careers of the next generation of artists - The Class of 2011
A silent auction of unique experiences and art related items by the Toronto School of Art faculty to raise funds for the school.

Students work on display and for sale
A Bazaar with unique items
Live music, hors d’oeuvres (Green Zebra Kitchen & Le Petit Gourmet), drinks... and much much more!
Sale of TSA students art-work and a bazaar of unique craft items all to
benefit the school.

Live music, Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar. Open House, Graduation and Party. Spring Launch will comprise an evening celebrating it all! Come and join us!

The Graduation (6 - 7 pm) will be followed by a Party and Open House 7 to 11 pm.

The Open House will continue Thursday to Saturday noon to 5 pm.

Toronto School of Art410 Adelaide Street West, Third Floor
Toronto, ON M5V 1S8
p. 416-504-7910
f. 416-504-8171
w. www.tsa-art.ca
e. info@tsa-art.ca

Andrew Hem

2011-03-29T11:50:00.000-04:00

Every now and then I stumble upon an artist's work that makes my heart skip a beat. Artwork that I can relate to instantly and not necessarily know, nor care why I love it. In this case... I was introduced to Andrew Hem via Show and Tell Gallery's up coming show. Definitely looking forward to this show!

Andrew Hem // Building From The Ground Up
April 1st - May 1st, 2011
Artist Reception: April 1st, 7-11pm

1161 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON.,

info@showandtellgallery.com
www.showandtellgallery.com

647.347.3316

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Andrew Hem's introspective, otherworldly paintings explore realities one step away from our everyday waking life. What if our thoughts flickered across the surface of our skin like ephemeral silent movies? What if spirits walked among us, trying to find their path? What if there were no racism, and even the most outlandish people were accepted? What if the children of Andrew's native land had been allowed to live in peace and thrive?

Born during his parents' flight from Cambodia in the wake of the Khmer Rouge genocide, Andrew grew up poised in the balance between two cultures — the gentle animistic society of his Khmer ancestors, and the dynamic urban arts of the tough Los Angeles neighborhood where his family eventually came to rest. Fascinated by graffiti at an early age, he honed his skills with graphics and composition on the walls of the city before following a passion for figure drawing to a degree in illustration from Art Center College of Design. Working in gouache, oil and acrylic, he weaves atmospheric, richly textured narratives in a vivid palette of twilight blues enlivened by swaths of deep red and splashes of golden light. His haunting impressions of culture and landscape evoke the life of the spirit through the visionary manifestation of memories and dreams.

- Amanda Erlanson

Zane Turner

2011-03-07T15:54:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend I got the chance to exhibit one of my paintings in The Artist Project on behalf of Toronto School of Art. It was a great opportunity to meet and greet some fantastic personalities! As usual, the talent pool was phenomenal... I'll be posting the ones that stood out for me. Zane Turner's larger than life, hyper realistic wax portraits had the most visceral affect on me, I literally could not stop thinking about his work.

www.zaneturner.com

Born in 1982, Toronto, Canada, Lives and works in Quebec. Cultural background is Jamaican and Canadian.

The face is the fundamental canvas for communicating expression; sometimes it needs a little paint to be objectively bold. Native tribes believed painting the face was a medium for awakening ones personal power to amplify their inner spirit. It was a ritual, an element of valour in the celebration of life. The act is ancient but this idea of puissance in a facial paint job is the primal concept in this body of wax portraits. These images exist in the context of the modern portrait. Derived from a cultural melting pot of symbolic colours, for example, red is associated with sexuality and fire, orange - joy and sunshine, purple - luxury and ambition, green - fertility and healing et cetera. Our culture determines its references for the meanings of colours and we use them accordingly to our advantage. In each portrait, the face painting is perfunctory in its application, yet relevant for taking on the contemporary jamboree of the everyday quest- to find out who we are in life. These works drip with modern rhetoric; they are the tribal masks of todays fashionable fellow. The expressions are entertaining and the realism uncanny, they serve their purpose its difficult to ignore. But thats not the main vehicle for discourse. At the soul of these portraits shouts an empirical motivation to augment our appearance and express our selves with passion.

Since 2006, Zane holds a bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University he studied under Montreal artists Susan G. Scott and Marion Wagschal. In his fourth year he received an honorable mention in the Kingson Prize for Contemporary Canadian Portraiture for his hyper- realistic painting "Mark Ainslie". Zane and is now working primarily with encaustic wax creating hyper-realistic portraits. In May 2007 Zane garnered representation with Espace B51 Art Contemporain under the direction of Brian Brisson. Currently, represented under the established Galerie Le Royer in Montreal. Zane continues to work with portraiture as well as branch off into a new series of representational faades called Rusty Boat Side. Since 2008 Zane lives and works in Mont-St-Hilaire, Quebec.

Exhibiting at The Artist Project March 3 - 6, 2011

2011-03-01T01:29:00.004-05:00

I will be participating with Toronto School of Art in the upcoming, much anticipated The Artist Project this weekend. If you are going (a great way to spend an afternoon), come by say hi. If you were not familiar with this event... you can't lose... "The Artist Project will showcase original art from over 200 carefully juried contemporary artists". I'll be at the TSA Booth for a couple of hours on Saturday. Exhibition dates are from Thursday March 3, to Sunday March 6, 2011 at the Queen Elizabeth Building, Exhibition Place. Feel free to follow any updates via twitter @hanspoppe.

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MEET AND BUY FROM OVER 200 OF
THE BEST CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS.

From March 3-6th, The Artist Project will showcase original art from over 200 carefully juried contemporary artists. First time buyers and seasoned collectors will find this four-day art fair a rare opportunity to meet, learn and purchase directly from independent artists. Discover all mediums, including installations and video art. Experience special features, art chats & docent led tours.

DATES, TIMES & LOCATION
Thursday March 3 to Sunday March 6

Thursday 7 - 10pm (Opening Night Preview Party, 19+ event)
Friday 12 - 9pm, Saturday 11am - 9pm
& Sunday 11am - 6pm

QUEEN ELIZABETH BUILDING,
EXHIBITION PLACE
180 Princes' Boulevard, Toronto, ON

ADMISSION
Adults: $12 / $10 Online
Seniors/Students: $8
Opening Night Tickets: $25 / $23 Online

TO BUY TICKETS, CLICK HERE

Alexis Peskine

2011-02-15T18:00:00.003-05:00

Every now and then I'll go to Chapters grab a cup of coffee, a stack of my favourite magazines and spend a few hours just reading and absorbing. Last week a came across an article on Alexis Peskine of France... There was something about his work and philosophy that I gravitated towards. So naturally, I started doing some more digging...

Via egodesign.ca

Twenty things you should know about Alexis Peskine...

Zanoah Bia, August 30, 2010

EgoDesign: Who are you? How would you describe yourself?

Alexis Peskine: I am an artist an observer a thinker an eternal learner a sensitive soul a traveler a music lover. I try to understand people and situations and I am hungry for culture.

E.D.: Tell us more about your works?

A.P.: I like to include popular icons and pervert them. My reasoning behind the inclusion of elements that people are familiar with is to establish a connection between the work and the viewer. My work has a graphic quality mixed with fine art sensibility. I like the graphic appeal because of its boldness and its ability to grab most people’s attention. I feel that if the images I make can retain someone’s eye, then half of the purpose of my work is already fullfiled. That’s why in my work, technique and craft are important. They can alone retain the eye if they are impressive. I use all kind of materials from nails to soap, but my signature works are my Nail Pieces. I use photoshop to translate an image (that I generally stage and shoot) into halftone pattern dots and then I recreate this image painting it on wood and using nails with different size of heads to replace the dots.

E.D.: Is there a philosophy behind your work?

A.P.: Making refined popular work. Bridging the popular and the elitist. I make extremely simple graphic images with extremely complicated and elaborated techniques and process to talk about topics such as identity with a drop of cynicism.

E.D.: What do you consider your influences, what inspires you?

A.P.: Well there are 2 kinds of influences: Things that influence my work aesthetically, and things that influence my work conceptually. Conceptually I find topics anywhere from the news, to books, to advertising to societal things I observe. I‘m a news rat and I watch France 24 a lot I also read articles on the net, and I love documentaries. Since my work deals with identity I also observe human behaviour whenever I travel. As far as aesthetic influences, it’s not necessarily just fine art. Anything from art toys to music videos to magazines, to fashion photography and advertising, to films. I used to work in my aunt Marianne Rachline’s small industrial design firm (Crayures) and she developed my taste for graphic design. I love bold clean things. I have to say I’m a big fan of pop art in general. I love Takashi Murakami, Warhol, Chuck Close, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Ron Mueck, César, Jean Dubuffet, Eugène Delacroix, Jean Paul Goode, David La Chapelle, Michel Gondry, Hype Williams, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Chéri Samba, Matt Groening, Masami Kurumada (Saint Seiya), my friend Jordan Eagles and Hank Willis Thomas, Titus Kaphar, Ellen Galagher, Jota Castro, Satch Hoyt, my brother Anthony Peskine, Tedra Wilson, I also like craft and I admire the work of my New York mentor Eric Chapeau who works in piano and antique conservation. My work is a mix between graphic design, and meticulous ancient craft. I have an appreciation for classical things and when I am in Paris I spend a lot of time in the Louvre to observe and borrow strong aspects of a variety of ancient master works like the composition of Byzantine paintings, the drapery, movement and gesture of classical Greek and Italian sculpture, the pattern, the technique, the conceptual and textural of African art from Egypt to Benin.

E.D.: How would you explain Art? And how can you explain yours?

A.P.: Art=observation+thought converted into expression. My art is visual philosophy basically. To me making art is talking with images and signs.

E.D.: Your favourite materials in art and why?

A.P.: Takashi Murakami’s “Tan Tan Bo Puking a.k.a Gero Tan” and “The Raft of Medusa” from Eugène Delacroix for the awesome way with which they depict drama, human complexity, urgency and chaos. I also like the way they hurtfulness into something aesthetically beautiful. In those works you can see beauty through suffering. This ability to translate struggle into art and beauty is a major trait in Black art as well. It is found in Black music from Samba, to Jazz and Hip Hop.

E.D.: What represent for you Jean-Michel Basquiat?

A.P.: Fast lane, youthfulness, politics of the people, intellectual refinement meets the screaming chaos of the streets, the link between the streets and the established, chaos, the de-chichi-ization of the art world, the true first young rock star artist.

E.D.: And the international art market, what do you feel it is?

A.P.: It’s weird. It’s a big elephant. A big capricious rich eccentric bi-polar elephant with a short attention spend. And it has the power to validate the value of an artist’s work…

E.D.: Which artist, architect, designer do you admire most?

A.P.: Takashi Murakami in art, David Adjayé in architecture, as far as design I like a lot of design from many different designers from Starck to Le Corbusier.

E.D.; What are currently your favourite brands or objects, and why?

A.P.: “Sponge House” by 5.5 designers for Scotch Brite (I dreamed of this for it’s functionality and appeal), The Astro Boy Toy (Takara 2003)(So Pure and poetic with the opening heart and other gadgets) The “Tape Dispenser” by j-me (I’m a sucker for when someone actually physically “make” a corny joke), the project building stool by Sentou ,I also gotta give it to the Ipod and the Iphone. Oh Yeah I love googlestreet view.

E.D.: Which city resembles you the most and why?

A.P.: I’m mixed. I’m the son of Paris, New York and Salvador, Bahia. Paris is where I was born and raised so it moulded me. At the same time it is cosmopolitan and quite multi-cultural. It is urban and socially diverse. It takes its time to enjoy and soak in things and doesn’t like to be contradicted. It is cynical, and complex, it doubts and loves itself and it has yet to be satisfied. New York is also multi-cultural; it has a constant thirst for new things and the hip. It forever seeks for amusement and never settles down. Salvador is has an old soul and is a big kid at the same time, it loves to party to laugh to eat to make love, it doesn’t think about tomorrow, it is very expressive and melancholic.

E.D.; Your dream project?

A.P.: Something that would connect and a lot of people, and connect a lot of people to me.

E.D.: What is your favourite example of the use of sustainable materials in art?

A.P.: I like lacquer because when you look at pianos for instance they stay in pretty good shape. But if you want to look at seriously strong and sustainable material of course you have bronze, or better yet gold or diamond. It doesn’t really get better than diamond.

E.D.: What art project would you never create and why?

A.P.: Something that would compromise my integrity and my morals.

E.D.: What your favourite items (in art, photography, design, architecture)?

A.P.: In art, the lacquer gun, in photo, the high quality digital camera along with the strobes (because you can do anything with those), in design, the exacto knife, tape and photoshop, in architecture ceramic tiles.

E.D.: What you hope your current work will bring to people, to humanity?

A.P.: Reflection, evaluation of what we can improve around us and abroad.

E.D.: What invention would best improve your life?

A.P.: A nail gun that would enable you to nail in a variety of nails at whatever depth you decide.

E.D.: Can you describe an evolution in your work from your first projects to the present day?

A.P.: Definitely technique wise. I use more sustainable materials. I replaced latex paint by lacquer and sign paint; I oil and gold leaf my nails to prevent them from rusting. I use lighter and tenderer wood. I always had the will to make my works clean opaque and graphic and it has been a journey to find the right longest lasting materials and products to realize the images I have in my mind. Concept wise, I try to be more universal and I try to be thought provoking rather than provocative or insulting.

E.D.: What couldn’t you live without?

A.P.: My brain.

E.D.; Finally, which 21th-century architects/designers/artists would you invite to a dream dinner?

A.P.: Stevie Wonder, Jay Z, Takashi Murakami, David Adjayé, Jeff Koons, Michel Gondry, Kara Walker, Damien Hirst, Dave Chapelle, Ellen Gallagher, David LaChapelle, my brothers Anthony Peskine and Gystère, Tedra Wilson, Hank Willis Thomas, Jordan Eagles, Mickalene Thomas and of course a couple of other interesting friends.

Bio_Express

Alexis Aliocha Peskine was born in Paris, France, on September 29, 1979. He is a 2004 Fulbright Scholar who holds a B.F.A. from Howard University an M.A. and M.F.A. from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Peskine’s use of graphic and commercial images in fine art is informed by his early start in graphic design. At age 15, he was the youngest student to enter the Apprentice Center of Formation for the Graphic Art in Paris; he subsequently worked for Crayures as an industrial designer for clients such as Roland Garros, Malterre and Fly. He also served a stint as Creative Director for Burrell Communications in Chicago. Peskine bridges the gap between graphic design and fine art by using the same design aesthetic to appeal to the masses, as his work often touches on the ideology of consumerism and mass consumption. As a junior at Howard University in 2002, Peskine was the first winner of the Verizon HBCU Student Art Competition; the following year, he won second place in the same competition. His work has attracted the attention of Chrissie Iles of the Whitney Museum and Yukie Kamaya of the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. Burrell Communications’ Chairman Emeritus Tom Burrell and musicians Donald Byrd, Talib Kweli and Common all own Peskine’s work. Drawing inspiration from his paternal grandfather who survived a German concentration camp, to his maternal grandfather who lived in the favelas of Salvador, Bahia, to the loving marriage of his own Franco-Russian father and Afro-Brazilian mother, Peskine challenges his audience with provocative, cynical and sometimes earnest takes on serious subjects. Much of his work also celebrates family, friends and the beauty and humor of solitary inanimate objects.

Via the New York Times

Whose Liberté, Égalité and Fraternité? Colors of France Today
By Martha Schwendener
Published: July 13, 2007

When violence broke out in Paris in fall 2005, it seemed in some ways like a reprise of events in this country: Watts, say, or Detroit. It also recalled the student and worker strikes of May 1968 in Paris, an endless source of fascination for contemporary artists.
Enlarge This Image

“The French Evolution (Mariam’)” by Alexis Peskine

But France’s problems today are different from America’s, or from French or American turmoil in the 1960s. One of the strengths of “The French Evolution: Race, Politics & the 2005 Riots,” an exhibition of multimedia images by Alexis Peskine at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, is that the artist is a highly informed guide through the thickets of the conflict.

His own position is complicated. He was born in Paris in 1979 to an Afro-Brazilian mother and a French-Russian father who is the son of a Holocaust survivor; his background differs from most denizens of the Parisian banlieues, or suburbs, largely populated by poor people of color. His father is an architect, and Mr. Peskine has spent a good deal of time in the United States. At 17 he attended a Nike basketball camp, then earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from Howard University and a master’s at the Maryland Institute College of Art. In 2004 he was a Fulbright scholar.

Along with his French-American education and experience, his training as a graphic designer is immediately obvious. The glass door to the gallery is decorated with the icons used to designate men’s and women’s restrooms and with France’s motto, “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.” Just inside is another door made of wood with broken windows that says “Hors Service” (or “Out of Service”). The doors simultaneously evoke Jim Crow-era segregation in the United States and suggest that France is unable to offer liberty, equality and fraternity to all of its citizens, especially those whose parents or grandparents immigrated from former French colonies.

The slick, flat-colored painting “Tintin and Your Kids” explores the early Nazi sympathies of Hergé, the Belgian creator of the comic character Tintin, as well as the racist tinge of his children’s book “Tintin in the Congo.” (A copy on view here, showing Tintin cavorting with Africans who bear a striking resemblance to the monkeys in the story, could be an illustration for the recent protests in Britain that led Borders stores there to move the book out of the children’s section.) Mr. Peskine depicts the fair-haired Tintin as a skinhead with a swastika armband, and a tiny Congolese flag can be spotted on a pile of tires, a reference to the history of the rubber trade.

Another graphically inspired painting, “La France ‘Des’ Français,” deploys two bits of pop iconography widely recognizable in France: the racist caricature of a Senegalese soldier on the label of the Banania chocolate drink and Astérix the Gaul, a comic-book character who looks, in Mr. Peskine’s rendition, more than a bit like Yosemite Sam. Here the Banania character is a masked insurgent wielding a Molotov cocktail; Astérix is dressed as a policeman. The title of the work tweaks a right-wing French political slogan, “La France aux Français” (France for the French), into the more inclusive “France of the French.”

Next is “The French Evolution (Mariam’),” a portrait in profile of a young Senegalese model wearing the red Phrygian cap, an ancient symbol of liberty. The title is a play on Marianne, the official symbol of the French republic depicted in Delacroix’s 1830 “Liberty Leading the People,” and Mariama, a popular Senegalese name.

Mr. Peskine’s graphic sensibility is also at the fore in a sculpture in which five oversize bars of pale blue soap displayed on a white-tiled pedestal are marked with the words “Sale Noir” (“Dirty Black”), “Sale Blanc” (“Dirty White”), “Sale Arabe” (“Dirty Arab”), “Sale Jaune” (“Dirty Asian”) and “Sale Juif” (“Dirty Jew”). A series of photographs includes “Word?,” in which rap lyrics are written in white across a young man’s face, and a pair that employ watermelon and bananas to explore racial stereotypes.

Despite the French subjects and titles, Mr. Peskine’s work is heavy on American ideas. He cites Jean- Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Ellen Gallagher and Kerry James Marshall as influences, and you also detect the graphic sensibility of Kara Walker and the appropriationist techniques of Fred Wilson, who has explored pop-culture depictions of African-Americans by displaying racist collectibles. Betye Saar did something similar with “The Liberation of Aunt Jemima,” a mixed-media assemblage from 1972. Mr. Peskine’s work also recalls that of David Hammons and Adrian Piper, who have used a variety of means to draw attention to racist stereotypes.

The mash-up of French and American culture is evident in a music video in which Mr. Peskine raps in English about the travails of his friends. Titled “Ripa” (slang for Paris), the video touches on the indignities experienced by young people in the banlieues, like the routine identification checks that some suspect set off the riots in the fall of 2005. (The uprisings began after two teenagers in the suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois were electrocuted when they hid from the police in an electrical substation.)

Context is provided by a DVD prepared for the exhibition that includes riot scenes from French and American television newscasts and discussions of the violence, immigration policy and labor laws. One young man reminds viewers that France is a country that takes protest very seriously as part of the legacy of 1789.

An interview with the French rap group La Rumeur resonates particularly with Mr. Peskine’s work. One member describes France’s social and political situation as a kind of apartheid in which all judgments hinge on social origin and race. Hearing American rap, like NWA and Run-DMC, he says, “was earth- shattering for us.”

“For the first time people who looked like us, speaking freely,” he continues. “It was like being branded with a hot iron. We still haven’t gotten over it.”

Mr. Peskine’s work, uneven at times, is not as searing as a hot iron. But it is ambitious and reflective, and succeeds in illustrating how racism, immigration and the fallout from colonialism and slavery are not any one nation’s problem. In France’s difficulties, we feel echoes of our own.

Check out his website www.alexispeskine.com

Brand RMX

2011-02-07T11:19:00.001-05:00

Thibaut de Longeville is a french/senegalese filmmaker, art director and youth culture consultant (Nike, MTV, Jordan Brand, EA Sports, EMI Music, Universal Music, Warner Bros.).

His critically-acclaimed first documentary “Just For Kicks” (2005) is a vivid and entertaining foray into “sneaker culture” and the influence of Hip-Hop culture on the corporate game.

In addition to his print design creative direction and his documentary work, Thibaut de Longeville has directed a number of commercials and short films for Nike, Orange and the Jordan-brand sponsored international streetball tournament Quai 54.

"Good to Great" gives us a glimpse into Jeff Staple's foundations and work ethic from his early design career at Rawkus Records in the mid 90's to his becoming one of the most influential people in street culture today.

In addition to being the founder and the Creative Director of Staple Design (Reed Space, Nike, LVMH, Levi's, Sony, Kia Soul) since 1997, Jeff Staple is also the owner of the Reed Space shops which can be found in New York and Tokyo.

In this conversation, Staple manages to inspire through his wisdom and attention to detail while not coming off as being preachy.

It's all about the small details!

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I thought these were a great source of inspiration, easily relatable for anyone who's passion lies in design and the arts.

Video's by R+I Creative

In Honour of Bob Marley's Birthday

2011-02-06T11:35:00.000-05:00

Bob Marley
Spray Paint, Wax, Oil on Board
27" x 33"

Ron English

2011-01-31T11:38:00.001-05:00

One of the most prolific and recognizable artists alive today, Ron English has bombed the global landscape with unforgettable images, on the street, in museums, in movies, books and television. English coined the term POPaganda to describe his signature mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, from superhero mythology to totems of art history, populated with his vast and constantly growing arsenal of original characters, including MC Supersized, the obese fast-food mascot featured in the hit movie “Supersize Me,” and Abraham Obama, the fusion of America’s 16th and 44th Presidents, an image widely discussed in the media as directly impacting the 2008 election. Other characters carousing through English’s art, in paintings, billboards, and sculpture include three-eyed rabbits, udderly delicious cowgirls and grinning skulls, blending stunning visuals with the bitingly humorous undertones of America’s Premier Pop Iconoclast.

Ron English (born 1959) is an American contemporary artist who explores popular brand imagery and advertising. His signature style employs a mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, including comic superhero mythology and totems of art history, to create a visual language of evolution. He is also widely considered a seminal figure in the advancement of street art away from traditional wild-style lettering and into clever statement and masterful trompe l’oeil based art. He has created illegal murals and billboards that blend stunning visuals with biting political, consumerist and surrealist statements, hijacking public space worldwide for the sake of art since the 1980s.

Glen E. Friedman

2011-01-25T10:36:00.000-05:00

Glen E. Friedman, considered one of the most important photographers of his generation, became well known for working with such rebellious artists as Fugazi, Black Flag, Ice-T, Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, Misfits, Bad Brains, Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C, KRS-1, and Public Enemy, as well as old school skateboarders like: Tony Alva, Jay Adams, Alan "Ollie" Gelfand, Duane Peters, and Stacy Peralta, among others. Many of his photographs are recognized as the subjects' definitive portraits. His graphic documents of the movement reveal the science of defiance upon which all are based. Friedman's photos reflect the spirit of progression and angst that defined an era. Not only was he in the right places at an extraordinary number of appropriate times, Friedman has helped define the moment and movements he was caught up in. His process was much more incendiary than it was documentary. According to Henry Rollins "The bottom line is that he was there at the beginning of so much cool stuff in so many different areas it's not funny."

Mankind Grooming Studio for Men

2011-01-24T12:41:00.000-05:00

If you happen to have had the privilege to be surrounded by genuinely good friends, you have probably been around them long enough to see them through it all. Over the last decade or so I've seen Jason go through his fair share of trials and tribulation; So to see him finally and successfully open Mankind Grooming for Men along side his business partner Noel... Brings me nothing but joy! It's definitely worth your while to check it out, there's nothing to compare it to in Toronto!

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Introducing, Mankind Grooming Studio for men. A unique one stop grooming destination targeted to men. We are dedicated entirely to detailing the masculine image from head-to-toe. An urban salon and spa concept offering modern haircuts, straight razor shaves, skin care and body treatments and massage therapy all designed to relax, refresh and renew.

www.mankindgrooming.com
facebook // twitter

477 Richmond Street West Suite 103
Mon-Wed: 10am-7pm,
Thurs-Fri: 10am-8pm,
Sat: 9am-7pm,
Sun: closed

for more information or to book an appointment, please call:
416-551-1113

Peter Harris Exhibition at the Mira Godard Gallery

2011-01-17T11:38:00.005-05:00

King St. Taxi // 2010
32 1/8" x 48"
Oil on canvas

Birmingham St., // 2010
24" x 60"
Oil on canvas

I have been watching Peter hard at work here at the Water Tower Studio's since the beginning of fall in preparation for his latest exhibition at the Mira Godard Gallery. I have to admit, from what I've seen so far... I'm excited and looking forward to seeing all the paintings together. It never ceases to amaze me how he captures the atmosphere of our local Toronto urban landscape. Simply incredible!

Peter Harris will be exhibiting his latest body of work at the Mira Godard Gallery, Toronto, ON. from January 29 to February 19. Opening reception, Saturday, January 29th, from 2 to 5 pm.

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Empty parking lots, highways and gas stations are all worthy subjects in my eyes as I continue to study the modern North American landscape. My curiosity about the landscape that surrounds me in my day to day life evolved from a time when I was painting more nature-based landscapes. I found myself wanting to paint something more personal and less idealized than the romanticized view of Canada as nature preserve - rugged and untouched. Instead, I felt the need to create art from the places that I visited on a daily basis, to try and discover the beauty in the most mundane urban developments and to coax interesting paintings from these banal subjects. It was no longer about searching out a beautiful subject to make a beautiful painting; it became about the ability of light to transform a scene and create a painting that would get people thinking anew about their surroundings.

-Peter Harris

Previous related post on Peter Harris.

Ernie Paniccioli AUX TV Interview

2011-01-03T20:04:00.005-05:00

Ernie Paniccioli says to me...

"What's that song again... I ain't no joke? You know... Eric B. & Rakim..."

Me: "Yah... I'm familiar."

Ernie: "You painted that?"

Me: "Yeap."

Ernie: "Man... You ain't no joke!"

Easily a highlight moment of 2010 for me! T'was a good year. A friend of mine just sent me this video from www.aux.tv... I thought it was absolutely appropriate as a first post of the year. Looking forward to 2011!

Previous posts.
Manifesto Festival: Made You Look Art Exhibition
Manifesto's Made You Look Art Exhibition 2010 Opening Night
Manifesto's Made You Look Exhibition Closing Night, Nuit Blanche!

Gregory Isaacs Tribute Concert

2010-12-30T01:35:00.002-05:00

I was lucky enough to be at the Gregory Isaacs Tribute concert in Kingston, JA. Unfortunately the video's don't really do it justice... Hopefully the music/vibe translates. Greogory Isaacs' reggae music is legendary, if you are not familiar, it is definitely worth your while.

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Reggae Legend Gregory Isaacs Dead at 59

By Daniel Kreps

Isaacs, one of reggae's most enduring and prolific crooners, passes away after year-long battle with lung cancer

Gregory Isaacs — one of the most popular and versatile reggae singers of the late-Seventies, and the smooth-voiced dancehall crooner behind the genre's landmark 1982 LP Night Nurse — passed away this morning at his London home following a year-long battle with lung cancer, the BBC reports. Isaacs was 59. "Gregory was well loved by everyone, his fans and his family, and he worked really hard to make sure he delivered the music they loved and enjoyed," Isaacs' wife Linda said. "He will be greatly missed by his family and friends."

Over the course of his prolific career — in which he release an estimated 500 albums within Jamaica, the UK and the U.S. — Isaacs collaborated with reggae, dub and dancehall icons like Lee "Scratch" Perry, King Tubby, Sugar Minott, Freddie McGregor, Dennis Brown and Errol Holt. After spending the Seventies building a reputation as both a top-notch roots reggae singer and a soulful "lovers rock"-style crooner, Isaacs recorded his masterpiece Night Nurse at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studios in 1982, the year after Marley's death.

Isaacs was poised to become a worldwide star when Night Nurse climbed to Number 32 on the British charts, but instead found himself sentenced to six months in a Jamaican prison on illegal firearm charges. (Isaacs' police record is almost as prolific as his discography, with over 50 reported arrests in his lifetime.) Dubbed the "Cool Ruler" by fans, Isaacs wrestled with drug addiction throughout his career, eventually losing his teeth and jeopardizing his legendary voice from persistent drug use, but he continued to make music, releasing his final album, Brand New Me, in 2008.

Don Reon

2010-12-22T02:46:00.004-05:00

This time last year I was asked to collaborate on a project launch... Don Reon. It took a second, but, alas... They have finally launched their site and online store! Always amazing to watch someone's dream materialize through hard work. Check them out donreon.com, @DonReon, show some support facebook. Keep an eye out for the up and coming... another collaboration in progress!

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Don Reon

Back in 2010, amidst the social unrest and uncertainity of his own future, began a secret project of ideas and broken dreams.

A promise was made to himself and the neglected savoir-faire of the urbanwear industry that things must change, and thus Don Reon was born.

Formulating without a formula Don Reon create original head-turning, head-scratching t-shirts, jumpers and hoods, designed to shock, question, judge and inspire, all in equal measure.

All garments are screen printed on succulently soft American Apparel for a luxurious and stylish cut to suit the most discernible of clothing fans.

Previous post on Don Reon

Cristhian Ramirez

2010-12-22T01:32:00.001-05:00

I just watched this video via 1LOVET.O. on Cristhian Ramirez... a very relatable story! A great piece of inspiration for anyone chasing that illusive something.

(Video by Brian Woon-a-Tai for CreAction Media with help from Ildi Xhaholli.)

Children of the Sun

2010-12-01T23:18:00.000-05:00

Children of the Sun
Wood Dye on Woodpanel
12" x 12"

This set is a continuation of the "Halo Series".

Toronto School of Art Winter Open House 2010

2010-12-01T22:43:00.000-05:00

I will also be participating in Toronto School of Art's Winter Open House. I'm excited about this one... new work of course... but a whole new direction!

Opening Reception: Thursday, December 16 | 7-11 pm
Come and join in our opening festivities including a night of karaoke, and find unique gift items at the Winter Solstice Bazaar.

Project: Art's 12" x 12" December Group Art Exhibition

2010-12-01T22:15:00.003-05:00

I will be participating in Project: Art's 12" x 12" December Group Art Exhibition... new work!

PROJECT: ART would like to invite you to our 12" x 12" DECEMBER ART EXHIBITION.

This exhibition will be a wonderful event where over 50 artists will showcase four 12" x 12" paintings each. The paintings vary from realistic, impressionistic to abstract. Truly, it will be an inspiring display of creativity.

Opening reception: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9TH, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

The exhibition will run from Saturday, December 4th to Sunday, December 19th.

Therefore, we welcome you to come and join us in our, end of the 2010 Year, celebration of the arts!

Celia Neubauer

2010-11-24T18:48:00.001-05:00

I've been taking classes with Celia Neubauer since September... Abstract Painting and Painting. Despite all the ups and downs that I go through trying to balance my own work with class work, I gotta admit, there's more to gain than not. She's been a great source of inspiration.

Austere grandeur, stark elegance:
The Landscape Paintings of Celia Neubauer

By Donald Brackett

Art history doesn’t really repeat itself. It doesn’t have to. Talented artists are constantly adding to it anew, with ever fresh takes on ancient pictorial interests.

There might be thousands of subjects and motifs in the history of painting, however there are only four themes, with every single venture into a subject matter’s territory being recognizably within these four timeless overarching themes. Those persistent themes are: self, society, nature and spirituality, more or less in that order.

Landscape painting naturally enough falls into the third category, though at its best, this format can reveal an abundance about both the artist and the times in which they live. In the case of Neubauer, that time is the postmodern present, and her gifted painting practice reveals just how proficiently abstraction can merge with representation in a liberated and uniquely new visual language.

It is not only acceptable but essential, in order to fully appreciate their austere grandeur and stark elegance, to properly align her works within the mutual realm explored to great effect by both European and Oriental painters.

Perhaps because she took her advanced studies at the Slade School in England, she shares a remarkable affinity with great space-imaginers such as Constable and Turner, but even a deeper link to the early and radical experiments of the mysterious Alexander Cozens, active in Britain in the 1760’s.

Looking east, to witness a waterfall woodcut by the great Hokusai from circa 1820, or a hanging scroll byWang Meng from circa 1320, is to almost emotionally inhale the sudden realization that all artists share a continual link that dramatically supersedes space and time. All greatly talented artists, that is.

Though the theme of nature has been explored through the language of landscape in both the classical eastern and western traditions for millennia, it is in a captivating image such as Neubauer’s “Tou 5”where they finally shake hands and agree to cooperate very creatively and extremely effectively. The word means “to go through” and indeed, the open space depicted with an apparently oriental flair is all about solitary passage, reflection, contemplation and a fertile intersection between the real and the abstract.

Several evocative building blocks begin to appear in the corners and edges of the canvas in a manner suggestive of the ongoing encroachment of humanity in its domination of nature, yet still the basic balance and transparent harmony of the scene is undeterred.

Two other ancient and revered Eastern notions about space depiction also help explain why and how we can travel across a terrain that actually isn’t there: that of “shou”, as in emerging from an unseen foundation, and “lou”, as in the quality of leaking or dripping.

In her landscape visions, Neubauer has achieved something far deeper than the mere imitation of nature, and has managed to reveal a tenuous and vulnerable series of meditations on mind and matter. Form and content are utterly resolved in these landscapes, as is the predominantly western notion of art as both image and idea. They are poised and perfect, but also restless and wild. “Into the Blue” and“Progress?” are excellent examples of this pictorial paradox. Their gentle push and pull brings us to a state of visual and mental tranquility, a harmony almost as rare in the west as it is common in the east.

An image such as “Bridge” for instance, offers us the most literal and compelling evidence for a merger between both the east/west and realism/abstraction trains of thought. The geometric blocks, which at first appeared as an invasion of untutored shapes, now reveal themselves to be a positive, constructive and harmonizing element which resolves the space.

This painting, from the aptly named Fusion series, thus contains both a literal bridge between two mountain ranges, and a metaphorical bridge between two distinct cultures and two different ways of seeing reality. It’s all relative.

A painting such as “Interior”, also from the Fusion series, is a good indication of how difficult this task is, yet also how rewarding when handled so skillfully. These recent and current works, so refreshingly retinal and tactile in our overwhelmingly electronic world, are powerful physical dialogues between diverse styles and sensibilities: they each converse with the long history of painting itself, as well as with each other, in a quiet yet self-assured voice.

Throughout her consistently evolving career, she has learned to both listen to and to speak what Vincent Van Gogh so astutely called the language of nature. Listen to her graceful translations of that language with your heart, while absorbing it through your eyes.

Donald Brackett
Art Critic/Curator

Kanye West - Runaway

2010-11-14T16:39:00.003-05:00

I've been asked a couple of times if I've seen Kanye's new work. It took a second, but after watching it... "visceral" comes to mind. What a talent! Here's Russell Simmons' open letter to Kanye West.

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Dear Kanye,

I have early recollections of Damon Dash calling me and forcing me to put you on Def Poetry Jam. I knew your record, “Through The Wire,” but I didn’t know much more. When you took the stage on Def Poetry Jam that night, and spit those genuine, heartfelt words, I witnessed your specialness that Damon had emphatically told me about.

From that moment on, you became a poet who has inspired the poets. I have proudly watched your career since then, and in case someone has missed the obvious, you are making a historical impact on music. Your life storytook a tough turn with the passing of your mother. Although we grieved with you, we never really knew how much pain you were in. We witnessed your moment at the MTV Music Awards and many of us dismissed it as, “oh that is just Kanye being Kanye.” The hard part of all of this, is that we have all had moments in our lives that have been challenging, painful and hard to overcome, however most of us just hide our emotions and never deal with that inner-struggle that we face on a daily basis. As an artist, Kanye, you have always looked inside for your inspiration…always exuding emotions that are in us, but that we never expose. That is what artistry is about…to look inside for what is unique. With your journey towards a higher level of consciousness, a journey that we all are on, you have shown through your art a commitment to greatness.

The thirty minute film you most recently made was beyond brilliant. Brilliance is not a word that can even begin to describe your ability to paint vibrant, vivacious, colorful yet muted paintings of poetry, music, costume, art, design and most important, passion. The passion you put into your new album is why I stayed up all those nights in the early 80’s trying to get DJs and radio stations to play our records. I knew this day would come. Actually, maybe I didn’t know, but I really, really hoped it would. I didn’t work this hard when I was your age to watch the culture go the wrong way. And you, my friend, just took us to another level. I am simply in awe.

With this power, as you know, comes great responsibility. I am saying nothing you haven’t heard before. When you spoke about President Bush during the Katrina telethon, it was not the particulars of your words that mattered, it was the essence of a feeling of the insensitivity towards our communities that many of us have felt for far too long. It was the image of the President, our President, the President of the United States Of America, peering out the window of an airplane, as the people on the ground were drowning, that hurt us the most. For centuries, our people have relentlessly tread water as hard as they could to stay afloat, and here we were, literally drowning, and it felt like the President was insensitive. There is no need to apologize, Kanye. You spoke from your heart and that is all we will ever ask from you. Don’t be afraid of the press, as your art is your blueprint, thanks to Jay-Z, your big brother, we will always carry our destiny in our own hands. You are are an artist whose art is masterful. You are a servant to this world who no matter how hard it gets, keeps on giving. Giving gifts that inspire us, challenge us and motivate us to be better family and friends.

Keep on, Kanye. Keep on. We love you. We cherish you. And we will always have your back.

Robert Bailey

2010-11-11T16:46:00.002-05:00

In honour of Remembrance Day, here's some work by Robert Bailey who specializes in war scenes from World War Two. Robert was recently commissioned by George Lucas to paint battle scenes from his legendary Star Wars Trilogy.

Jacqueline Treloar

2010-11-06T13:14:00.000-04:00

I take an art history class with Jacqueline... if it wasn't for her passion, I'd have a difficult time with the subject. I suppose the class being in the morning on a Monday doesn't help either. Anyway, thankfully she encourages mixed media techniques and application in your choice of subject matter and approach. Naturally, that's my favourite half of the class... Check the next post for some of the artwork studies inspired by her class... thus far.

Jacqueline Treloar is an artist and educator.

She is a graduate of the Central School of Art and Design in London, England from where she received a Leverhulme Traveling Scholarship to further her studies. Treloar moved to Northern Italy in 1969 where she worked for twelve years running a textile design studio. Since coming to Toronto in 1984 her work has been presented in exhibitions at the Ontario Crafts Council, the John B. Aird Gallery, the Homer Watson Gallery, the Museum for Textiles, the Art Gallery of Mississauga and The Library and Gallery in Cambridge among other institutions.

She has been the recipient of national and international grants and awards including the Ontario Premier's Award of Excellence and has been the subject of articles in periodicals journals and books in Canada and the United States such as Fibre Arts, Surfacing, Ontario Craft, Azure, and Toronto Life. She is currently also an instructor at the Toronto School of Art and a member of the Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts.

Catalyst "The Rain"

2010-10-28T16:49:00.000-04:00

To the emotional depths of the water, Catalyst performs a soulful, emotional piece to "The Rain" by K-OS.

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I previously published a related post Catalyst - The 5th Element, this video is the follow up. Wish I was there!

DUBELYOO THE ART BISHOP

2010-10-20T14:55:00.002-04:00

Dubelyoo is another artist that I've been watching for a number of years now. His work has always been a great source of inspiration for me. I guess it was how easily I can relate to his subject matter. Being in the same group show (Manifesto's Made You Look) with him was a little extraordinary for me.

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Dubelyoo

World-renowned mixed media artist Dubelyoo (pronounced W) has been on a mission to enlighten the masses via a broad range of outlets, from producing the largest touring urban art show in the U.S. to collaborating with corporate giants such as Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Heineken. Although he is based in Atlanta, Ga., Dubelyoo is a revered globetrotter who has mastered the ability to bridge the gap between urban and pop culture through his visual exploration of a wide range of topics from celebrity portraits to controversial social commentary.

After earning a BFA degree from East Carolina University, Georgia’s capital would soon serve as the launch pad for Dubelyoo’s ideology: “Artistic freedom through artistic independence.” Proudly crediting his fondness for hip-hop, Dubelyoo’s global eminence stems from his brilliant method of creating an artistic paradox of “exaggerated exactness” to birth mind-blowing renderings of rap icons including Jay-Z, the Notorious B.I.G., Slick Rick and others. His surreal interpretations of music legends, celebrities, politicians and even comic book heroes have garnered contracts with both urban and world-leading companies.

Dubelyoo, who is popularly labeled “The Art Bishop” in various social arenas, is also a highly successful art curator; his first show sold out the High, the biggest museum in the Southeast, in two hours. To add, besides being endorsed by one of the nation’s leading art supply stores, libation giant Jack Daniels continues to be the chief sponsor for Dubelyoo’s co-production of America’s largest traveling urban art exhibition titled “Art, Beats + Lyrics.” Closing out 2009, he was featured in the highly acclaimed "Imaginary Friend" show during Art Basel 2009 hosted in Miami, Fl.

By producing art exhibitions and providing his creative genius to music videos, feature films, publications and Web sites, Dubelyoo continues to prove that “underground” art can elevate to infinite heights during 2010 and beyond.

Banksy

2010-10-14T19:39:00.000-04:00

Banksy

Julian Schnabel: Art and Film at the Art Gallery of Ontario

2010-10-09T12:29:00.000-04:00

An artistic image is one that ensures its own development, its historical viability. An image is a grain, a self-evolving retroactive organism. It is a symbol of actual life, as opposed to life itself. Life contains death. An image of life, by contrast, excludes it, or else sees in it a unique potential for the affirmation of life. Whatever it expresses — even destruction or ruin. The artistic image is by definition embodiment of hope, it is inspired by faith. Artistic creation is by definition a denial of death. Therefore it is optimistic, even if in an ultimate sense the artist is tragic. And so there can never be optimistic artists and pessimistic artists. There can only be talent and mediocrity.

-Andrei Tarkovsky

A friend of mine offered me a ticket to go see Julian Schnabel speak about his latest exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario a few weeks ago. I gotta admit, I was vaguely familiar with his work before this exhibition. The only one I can reference right off top was his first movie Basquiat. Which had a tremendous influence in my perception of what art can be. I might even go as far as saying that it influenced my life. So once again, (after seeing his exhibition and hearing him speak about his work) Julian Schnabel has done it again. A monumental retrospective of his paintings, sculptures and photographs, opened September 1, closing January 2, 2011 at the Art Gallery of Ontario. It’s Schnabel’s first exhibition at the AGO, organized by the Toronto gallery’s curator of modern and contemporary art, David Moos.

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American art superstar Julian Schnabel has spent his life pushing the limits of painting and crossing artistic boundaries as an award-winning filmmaker. Now, for the first time, a major retrospective examines the connections between painting and film in Schnabel’s work, tracing how his paintings exist in dialogue with the cinema and revealing the rich interplay between the two media. Julian Schnabel: Art and Film surveys Schnabel’s work as a painter from the mid-1970s to the present and features more than 25 key works. The exhibition will occupy the entire fifth floor of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Vivian and David Campbell Centre for Contemporary Art.
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Manifesto's Made You Look Exhibition Closing Night at 99 Sudbury

2010-10-02T13:12:00.001-04:00

Big night tonight! Manifesto's Made You Look Exhibition Closing Night at 99 Sudbury and it happens to be the biggest night for contemporary art in Toronto... Scotiabank Nuit Blanche! Over a million people expected to be walking the streets of Toronto experiencing, participating and enjoying anything art till the break of dawn. Naturally, there is no way you can see everything that will be exhibiting tonight, but I've found an article that breaks down a top 10 list of the best potential exhibitions to watch out for. Speaking of which, if you have not had a chance to see some of my paintings in person, here's a great last chance opportunity. Can't wait, definitely looking forward to tonight!

Nuit Blanche, narrowed down

Murray WhyteVISUAL ARTS CRITIC
Here’s the thing about Scotiabank Nuit Blanche: You can’t do it all. Truth be told, you can’t really even do a tiny portion of it, unless you’ve mastered the ability to teleport and freeze time and space. This means you’ll have to pick and choose from more than 100 commissioned works and independent projects, spread across three downtown zones for Saturday’s fifth annual sunset-to-sunrise art festival. I’ve already picked the works I’m most excited about, so here’s a much-too-small handful, organized zone by zone.
(Downtown North, roughly west of Yonge, north of College, and south of St. Clair)

Iskootao, Kent Monkman: Monkman, a Toronto artist with a growing international reputation for his provocatively hilarious, thoroughly contemporary retake on the aboriginal culture myth, performs in Yorkville Park as Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, a campy cross-dressing Indian chief who aims to deepen our understanding of glam; a few dozen feet away from the city’s glossiest fashion retail — Gucci, Prada, you name it — Miss Chief conjures the beating heart of Mother Earth herself.

Monument to Smile, Agnes Winter: Twee, cutesy family fun, Winter’s installation features 250 cheery portraits of Torontonians, taken by OCAD students, projected as an oft-changing grid on the façade of Holt Renfrew on Bloor St. W.

One at a Time, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery at the University of Toronto: The Museum of Modern Art in New York made headlines this year when it positioned two young, naked sentries at the entrance to its retrospective of performance artist Marina Abramovich. It wasn’t just for show — it was one of the artist’s works, which is reprised here at U of T’s Hart House. Called Imponderabilia, it’s one of a handful of works at the gallery, but the overall title is apt: the naked pair stand uncomfortably close for you to squeeze by, which, of course, is the point.
East and West of Yonge, approximately south of College, north of Queen, east to the Distillery and west to Spadina Ave.

Zone B West centres on a sprawling music, video projection and performance installation in Nathan Phillips Square conceived by Hamilton’s one-and-only Grammy Award-winning producer of Bob Dylan, U2, Neil Young and a bunch of other very important superstars: Daniel Lanois. Called Later That Night at the Drive In, it hinges on Lanois’ personal endurance; in the centre of it all, Lanois, in a Day-glo orange suit, will remix and modify sound and film loops for the full 12 hours, culminating in the debut of four songs from Neil Young’s forthcoming Lanois-produced album, Le Noise.

Not to be outdone in the endurance department, Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo and partner Leah Singer commit to the 12-hour performance of their piece, sight unseen, a film projection and sound project they non-committally describe as an “exploration of image and sound celebrating the hidden, the lost, the invisible,” at Old City Hall. Like a lot of Nuit Blanche, guess you have to be there.

Elsewhere, Dave Dyment, a former Nuit Blanche curator, pulls a Douglas Gordon — he of 24-Hour Psycho — and slows the Beatles’ classic rock movie Hard Day’s Night to three frames per second, drawing it out to an inexorable 12 hours at the Church of the Holy Trinity. And a sure crowd-pleaser should be Mark Laliberte’s False Kraftwerk, in which four performers engage the stilted proto-electronica of the iconic German band.
And over on the east side of Zone B. . .

Just because you can feel it, doesn’t mean it’s there, Ryan Gander: Yonge-Dundas Square has, in the past five years, become the locus of all things Nuit Blanche, if there is such a thing, and this year it’s given over to Brit (and Turner Prize finalist) Ryan Gander for an all-night bonfire of undetermined purpose and origin, they say; that’s a bit of a stretch, given the mass contrivance of the event itself, but the open defiance of the civic code offers at least a whiff of anarchy — not to mention a chance to warm chilly fingers.

Nuit Market Starring the Toronto Weston Flea Market, Mammalian Diving Reflex: Really just what it says, the installation of a branch outlet of the enduring bargain venue a stone’s throw from the Eaton Centre offers a quirky counterpoint to the squeaky-clean anonymity of mass consumerism, addressing notions of socio-economic strata, class and the inherent cosmopolitanism of ad hoc markets the world over. Not surprisingly, it’s the brainchild of the folks at Mammalian Diving Reflex, whose efforts to erode both art and social boundaries have become a minor legend. Also with an all-night shwarma stand, I hear, making it both poignant and purely practical. In an alleyway off Dundas St. E. near Victoria St., one block from Yonge-Dundas Square.

The River Peace: The Distillery District will be a particularly active hub this year, with none so imposing as this all-night audience-participatory sound/light/video performance/installation/sculpture. Huh? Put it this way: All night, the artists — among them former Nuit Blanche curator Thom Sokoloski — will lead a procession of peace-minded types in a mass meditation, all the while carrying a 2,000-foot sculpture illuminated by their cell phones. The entire thing will be videoed and projected on a huge wall — of which the Distillery has plenty.
Downtown South, mostly south of or on Queen Street, west of Victoria Street, and west to Roncesvalles Avenue

The Task, Chris Shepherd: In a performance appropriate for the overall theme of Nuit Blanche, this year or any other — endurance — Shepherd will move 15 tons of cinder blocks from one point to another and back again. By daybreak, it will seem as though nothing happened at all; if only the rest of the city, surely awash in garbage among other things, could say the same.

Endgame (Coulrophobia), Max Streicher: Part of Nuit Blanche is simple spectacle, and Streicher achieves this by wedging two enormous, inflatable clown heads between two historic buildings on Yonge St. Is it art? No idea. But it’ll be weird.

Erik Satie’s Vexations, Martin Arnold and Micah Lexier: For generations of music nerds, Satie’s hauntingy minimal compositions have been compelling fuel for the imagination, but none more so than the Vexations, 39 beats of music to be played 840 times without stopping. A good guess is that it would take a solid 24 hours to achieve this, so for Nuit Blanche, they’re doubling up with two pianos playing it simultaneously to make the 12-hour limit. As they do so, the sheet music for each pass — 840, that is — will be folded into paper sculpture, giving form to the ephemeral. Heady, true, but stop in for a listen: It’s mesmerizing.

Manifesto's Made You Look Exhibition Closing Night, Nuit Blanche!

2010-09-30T18:51:00.000-04:00

For those of you that want to see the work again, or missed the opening, or have not seen the work in person, yet... last chance. 99 Subdbury will be hosting Manifesto's Made You Look's exhibition open from 7pm to 5am, Nuit Blanche night! The opening was a much needed gulp of fresh authenticity in the arts. The closing...

Manifesto's Made You Look Art Exhibition 2010 Opening Night

2010-09-24T19:45:00.000-04:00

www.themanifesto.ca

VENUE CHANGE: 99 Sudbury to Host Manifesto's Exhibition

2010-09-22T18:29:00.009-04:00

Just received this via facebook. Apparently there's a venue change(?)...

Subject: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: VENUE CHANGE: 99 SUDBURY TO HOST MANIFESTO’S “MADE YOU LOOK” ART EXHIBI

Please see the message below.

Manifesto apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

1love.
The Manifesto.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

VENUE CHANGE: 99 SUDBURY TO HOST MANIFESTO'S
“MADE YOU LOOK” ART EXHIBITION

Originally scheduled to take place at Airship 37, 99 Sudbury will now host the Manifesto “Made You Look” Art Exhibition.

TORONTO, ON, September 22, 2010 – Manifesto Community Projects announces it has changed the venue for its Manifesto Festival Art Exhibition, Made You Look, to 99 Sudbury (located at 99 Sudbury St). The exhibition launch date and time (Thursday, September 23rd at 8PM-2AM) will remain the same.

The venue change is as a result of unforeseen complications with the original site, but we are happy to announce that the new home for our art exhibition is at a more central location and will provide a much-improved environment for us to celebrate and showcase the talent of our participating artists.

Always a festival favourite, Made You Look brings together incredible Toronto, Canadian and international talent in painting, illustration, design, photography, mixed media and more. This year’s show features work by special guest Dubleyoo (ATL), with special installations by Cubeworks, and RT!. The full artist line-up can be found at http://www.facebook.com/l/dcf22irQCtdHHDcP8e2mm4B7YlQ;themanifesto.ca/festival/day4/.

Manifesto is extremely grateful for the generosity 99 Sudbury has shown in hosting our art exhibition on such short notice, and saving what is a very important and exciting event for Toronto's arts community.

We encourage fans to follow us on http://www.facebook.com/l/dcf22oTaCXLkKSk7ulwDrPHSdDQ;twitter.com/manifesto_fest, join our Manifesto Facebook Group, and visit http://www.facebook.com/l/dcf228oYfUZqodvK6SDGq0hC_nw;themanifesto.ca for regular updates on all festival news.

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Sentences on Conceptual Art

2010-09-22T17:12:00.003-04:00

A few months back our instructor projects (on the wall) a "case study piece of art". A plain, sewn, black piece of rectangular tarpaulin. Hanging about ten feet from the floor. She asks... "So what do you think?" I believe it was after a heated debate in class on whether or not we thought concept art, was considered... art! And after reading Sol Lewitt's "Sentences on Conceptual Art", did I finally realize that maybe there's more to art, than just beautiful images. What an interesting way to see life!

Sol Lewitt

1. Conceptual artists are mystics rather than rationalists. They leap to conclusions that logic cannot reach.

2. Rational judgements repeat rational judgements.

3. Irrational judgements lead to new experience.

4. Formal art is essentially rational.

5. Irrational thoughts should be followed absolutely and logically.

6. If the artist changes his mind midway through the execution of the piece he compromises the result and repeats past results.

7. The artist's will is secondary to the process he initiates from idea to completion. His wilfulness may only be ego.

8. When words such as painting and sculpture are used, they connote a whole tradition and imply a consequent acceptance of this tradition, thus placing limitations on the artist who would be reluctant to make art that goes beyond the limitations.

9. The concept and idea are different. The former implies a general direction while the latter is the component. Ideas implement the concept.

10. Ideas can be works of art; they are in a chain of development that may eventually find some form. All ideas need not be made physical.

11. Ideas do not necessarily proceed in logical order. They may set one off in unexpected directions, but an idea must necessarily be completed in the mind before the next one is formed.

12. For each work of art that becomes physical there are many variations that do not.

13. A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's mind to the viewer's. But it may never reach the viewer, or it may never leave the artist's mind.

14. The words of one artist to another may induce an idea chain, if they share the same concept.

Since no form is intrinsically superior to another, the artist may use any form, from an expression of words (written or spoken) to physical reality, equally.

15. If words are used, and they proceed from ideas about art, then they are art and not literature; numbers are not mathematics.

16. All ideas are art if they are concerned with art and fall within the conventions of art.

One usually understands the art of the past by applying the convention of the present, thus misunderstanding the art of the past.

17. The conventions of art are altered by works of art.

18. Successful art changes our understanding of the conventions by altering our perceptions.

19. Perception of ideas leads to new ideas.

20. The artist cannot imagine his art, and cannot perceive it until it is complete.

21. The artist may misperceive (understand it differently from the artist) a work of art but still be set off in his own chain of thought by that misconstrual.

22. Perception is subjective.

23. The artist may not necessarily understand his own art. His perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.

24. An artist may perceive the art of others better than his own.

25. The concept of a work of art may involve the matter of the piece or the process in which it is made.

26. Once the idea of the piece is established in the artist's mind and the final form is decided, the process is carried out blindly. There are many side effects that the artist cannot imagine. These may be used as ideas for new works.

27. The process is mechanical and should not be tampered with. It should run its course.

28. There are many elements involved in a work of art. The most important are the most obvious.

29. If an artist uses the same form in a group of works, and changes the material, one would assume the artist's concept involved the material.

30. Banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.

31. It is difficult to bungle a good idea.

32. When an artist learns his craft too well he makes slick art.

33. These sentences comment on art, but are not art.

Jean-Michel Basquiat

2010-09-20T19:00:00.005-04:00

An old-skool friend of mine hands me a blank, white, (burned) DVD. Asks... "ever heard of Jean-Michel Basquiat"? I reply with a blank stare. With a smirk on his face, he calmly says... "you should watch that".

This was a handful of years back. Basquiat's movie... (a Julian Schnabel painting/direction)... is about the legendary "struggle", "rise and fall", and eventual... "rise to glory" of an "extraordinary talent". Which by the way, always makes for a great story. (At least for me). But I think it was the idea that no matter what we do, we all... at one time or another, feel the disconnect from the rest. (For whatever reason). But, the root of our confidence feeds from how we choose to perceive our lives, and not how we are expected... to exist.

Basquiat's real human struggle, on a personal level or otherwise, remains as potent today, as that moment right after the credits started to role. If your not familiar... might be worth your while to check 'em out!

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Jean-Michel Basquiat (December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist and the first artist of African descent to become an international art star. His career in art began as a graffiti artist in New York City, and in the 1980s produced Neo-expressionist painting. Basquiat died due to a heroin overdose on August 12, 1988, at the age of 27. -Wikipedia

Queen West Art Crawl

2010-09-15T12:59:00.000-04:00

Looking forward to this one!

The Queen West Art Crawl began as a one-day event in 2003. Since then it has blossomed into a weekend-long festival of creativity and community. Our goal is to celebrate and cultivate the unique character, diversity and ethos of Queen West - a natural habitat for individual artists, arts organizations, artist run centres and businesses that promote art and culture.

2010 marks the 8th annual presentation of QWAC. Our theme for this year - Intersections - has generated an exciting series of art mash-ups, collisions and collaborations along Queen Street West from Bathurst to Roncesvalles.

Christopher Pratt Exhibition at Mira Godard Gallery

2010-09-13T23:58:00.001-04:00

Some look to athletes, some to actors, some to musicians... Me. Good Ol' legendary painters! Christopher Pratt will be exhibiting his latest work at Mira Godard Gallery on Sept. 18 - Oct. 16, 2010. If you want to see fine art at it's finest... I think its safe to say that this opportunity is something like history in the making.

--
Christopher Pratt was born in 1935 in St. John's, Newfoundland. He has exhibited in galleries across Canada and abroad including Marlborough Gallery, New York; Palazzo Grassi, Venice, Italy; and the Canadian Cultural Centre in London, England. His work is included in numerous private, corporate and museum collections throughout North America and Europe.

Pratt was the subject of a major touring retrospective organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1985, a touring print retrospective and catalogue raisonné, The Prints of Christopher Pratt: 1958 - 1991 in 1992, and a major traveling exhibition organized by the National Gallery of Canada in 2005.

Christopher Pratt lives and works in St. Mary's Bay, Newfoundland.

Mira Godard Gallery

Dave Kinsey: New Works

2010-09-10T15:33:00.004-04:00

I have been following Dave Kinsey's work since graduating college almost a decade ago. I easily consider him one of my top 5 favourite artists. He has been a tremendous inspiration to my work. Anyway, for those of you who are near New York, this is his first solo exhibition in nearly two years.

--
New Works
September 9 to October 9, 2010

Joshua Liner Gallery is pleased to present Dave Kinsey: New Works, an exhibition of mixed-media paintings by the Los Angeles-based artist. This full-gallery show marks Kinsey’s debut solo exhibition at Joshua Liner and his first solo in nearly two years.

Working in acrylic, spray paint, paper, wood, and ink on canvas, Dave Kinsey’s works of raw emotion draw their energy, style, and often substance from abstract expressionism mixed with urban hieroglyphics. His dynamic figures are situated within multi-layered, multi-textured atmospheres of pure abstraction. These beings displaying a mixture of defiance, triumph, and tragedy—transmit their forceful spirit through Kinsey’s range of mediums, signature style, and a high-contrast color palette.

Among this suite of medium- to large-sized paintings, the Continuum series (I, II & III) makes a powerful impact with its repeated skull and flower imagery. Viewers peer through a transparent layer of ghostlike skulls (human, animal) to a second layer of delicately rendered flowers (roses, peonies) then even deeper to an explosive, silhouetted background of chaos that hints of classic graffiti tags. Serving as contemporary vanitas, these layers of wildly contrasting content and graphic styles resolve into complex, feeling-toned compositions.

Kinsey’s portrait paintings, like King of Pop, Radio in a Box, Black Rain, and Man from Topanga, enlist these gripping contrasts in color, mark-making, and layering into finely tuned portrayals of emotional extremes. Where figures’ physical features are shut down or lack obvious expression, color and abstract forms serve to reveal and cathect underlying psychological states.

The artist suggests an even deeper resonance in his depiction of extreme contrasts, writing, “In this new body of work I explore emotional and environmental boundaries as I perceive them, in the context of the growing discord between humanity and nature. In the cyclical reality of our physical existence, beauty and death are ultimately dancing partners.”

Born in 1971 in Pittsburgh, Dave Kinsey studied at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and Art Institute of Atlanta; he currently lives and works in Los Angeles and Three Rivers, CA. Solo exhibitions of his work include : •You Are Here, ALICE Gallery, Brussels (2008); Holy Sh*t, Lazarides Gallery, UK (2008); New Works, The Public Trust, Dallas (2006); Sure, Why Not, Kinsey/DesForges Gallery, Los Angeles (2003) among others. Selected group exhibitions include: Whammy!, VASF Gallery, San Francisco (2009); Postcards From the Edge, Metro Pictures, New York (2008); Beautiful Losers, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco (2004), Ill Communication, Urbis Museum, Manchester, England, and Dave Kinsey and Shepard Fairey, La Panaderia Gallery, Mexico City (1999). He founded BLK/MRKT Gallery (now Kinsey/DesForges) in Los Angeles in 2001.

Artist

Dave Kinsey