Thursday, October 30, 2008

two layers


...when you see something through something else. It's like double exposure.

The last photo suddenly reminded me of a friend - Miska Knapek. He is a wonderful person and artist who now finally seems to start getting the acknowledgment he so much deserves; Galleri Lavignes-Bastille Paris arranged by NEW Magazine.

Miska makes (to simplify it) Time Sliced Images - Visualising time and space. You can see his work either as photos or as animations. This is really interesting work - but you need to take your time to be able to really appreciate it.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

shiny hair

"stop sitting with your knees crossed" she laughs " it tightens the base of the spine and makes the shoulders tense, which reduces circulation to the scalp and affects the hair"

unidentified flying object

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

moo cards


The other day I got my new business cards from moo. I was actually really happy with the quality.

Something funny: Some week ago I got a mail asking me to promote a product on my blog. In return I could chose a free product from the company - or get cash. But that was not moo - it was reading glasses. (what does that say about my blog?) Anyhow - I just promote myself!

Monday, October 27, 2008

seeing faces

LänkToday I visited two exhibits about portraiture in one way or the other: Annie Leibovitz at National Portrait Gallery and Dryden Goodwin at the Photographer's Gallery.

Annie Leibovitz is a good photographer and I had been looking forward to seeing the exhibit. But I must say I do not really see her as an artist - her photography is never about representation or being experimental. I was surprised to see that her photos from her private life were so much like everyone else's photos. Nothing extra there. She made herself, in some way, a comparison between herself and Richard Avedon - he was working with commissioned photography and still being respected as an artist. But Annie Leibovitz is never on the border to cruel or critical in her photography. Neither do I see poetry. I miss that extra layering.

Some years ago, in Paris, I saw an exhibit of Lartigue's work - I was really touched by it and his photos. I can close my eyes and I see them again. That's a photographer!

Dryden Goodwin's exhibit (both photos) was on the other hand all about representation, about depicting faces in photo and drawing. His faces were not portraiture of special or famous people, but of humans. Even before reading on his website about Giacometti's influence, I could see it. Several people were there drawing faces, like the girl sitting on the floor. I also felt the urge to draw, to create. Interesting.

Friday, October 24, 2008

let there be kitsch


If you can not fight it - embrace it
- and make it yours.

have a nice Friday and a wonderful weekend!

alphabet

Thursday, October 23, 2008

:D

Today everything worked much better. Though I liked the way the painting looked with the dirty paper over its mouth on the photo yesterday (I'll explore that road later). Sometimes you need to reach the bottom to know which way is UP.

For you with iPods and and iPhones - now you can get tiny red's illustrations as wallpaper

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

trying hard


Painting was to be the reward today. But it just doesn't work.

stay in shape


"Never overfill your handbag, especially if it's expensive. You will destroy its shape" she advices

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

wild beasts

Another of my interpretations for the scavenger project: no 6. wild beasts.

...so what about the job interview?
It was my first real job interview in six years: so I babbled. I think I made quite a whimsical impression. Anyhow - I am still pleased with the art activities I designed and I know I would do an outstanding job if they hire me. (nothing wrong with the self-confidence)

Or maybe there is an even better job out there waiting for me - and this was my opportunity to learn by my mistakes?

Thank you all for crossing your fingers for me!

Monday, October 20, 2008

shadows of the past


Tomorrow I have a job interview. For the interview I got the task to design two Art Activities for children (age 5-11) - one using history and one the environment. The cut out is for the Art Activity Shadows of the Past. The other activity - using the environment - I call You be the Superhero - You save the World and it is a bit more contemporary in several aspects.

Cross your fingers for me!

Beatrice Allemagna is such a wonderful illustrator (found trough smosch). Konstepidemin in Gothenburg has started a blog (I suspect Bibi is involved)

Sunday, October 19, 2008

why we do what we do



" I guess that's the difference between the literary world, and the world of art - most writers don't turn to writing because they want to become fabulously rich. They do what they do because they enjoy doing it - it just happens to be how they make their living as well"
Hanif Kureshi, award-winning writer, in an interview in [For Display Purposes]

Conor Harrington

Friday, October 17, 2008

childhood memories



Yesterday my funny eye had a post about how you can challenge yourself. You can challenge yourself to really see, to notice things - or to work in a more creative way with materials and ideas. I signed up for the Scavenger Project because I thought it was a fun idea - and then I realized I would have very little time to work on the list (surprise?). So I gave myself some limitations to challenge myself and solve the time-issue. My contributions should be:
  • idea- based
  • using simple "childish" materials or in art-context unusual materials
  • be fast to create when the idea was once there
  • not take time from my other work (ideas should be worked on when playing with my son, running or cooking etc)
  • be childish (preferably not cynic)
The photos above show how I interpret "childhood memories". Only one of the photos should be used - which one do you prefer?

(by the way: the cats from the other day were also part of this project)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Frieze Art Fair

A long day at Frieze Art Fair is over.
Most people wore black clothes.
The amount of Galleries and different artists was tiring.
Or rather - I am surprised that they can not solve it in a better way.
To make it easier and funnier to see. I mean - can't they show some creativity there? (of course I am aware it's a fair - not a biennial. But anyway?)

I saw a lot that didn't impress me (I'm a hard one to impress). But some good stuff also. Or OK.

Jeremy Dickinson is quite fun
jon pylypchuk made me smile
galleryske had a great art piece by Sudarshan Shetty
Frances Stark

... unfortunately I do not find any websites for many other artists I thought worth mentioning.

lots of cats


this is what I do with left over papers.
Cats

the year in pictures
Silvia B

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

dilemma


"Can you combine a busy urban life with a 12-day green-juice and goji-berry detox? she asks herself

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

dots


Monday, October 13, 2008

what I WANT


... is to continue on this painting.

What I DO is to fill Application forms where they ask for Your FULL employment history (paid and voluntary) since ever (+ duty description) also accounting for time not employed (if longer than 2 weeks).
And addresses - and salaries.
When that is done: "Explain how you meet the requirements and person specifications. You must address ALL the items on the list." (the list is 2-3 pages) And the forms are locked and with different tables - so even if you can reuse some information ... you will have to cut and glue 4 words at a time. I have 15 jobs to list + description of my four years as a self-employed artist (more than 20 clients). Hahaha!

Does anyone enjoy doing these kind of things?
I need the perspective from yesterday.

Studio Violet has opened a shop - if anyone missed it!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

different angles


same same but different
Change the angle and it doesn't seem the same,
but it is.
Perspective.