Ronit Bigal’s “Body Scripture II”

 

Read more here.

“Body Scripture II” is Ronit Bigal’s new exhibition featuring from the 27th of may 2010 at the Artists House in Tel Aviv. Photography, Calligraphy and floral ornamentation are the elements comprising this exhibition. Digital photography topped with drawings in black Indian ink produces an effect of bas-relief. Bigal photographs the body completely exposed. The camera explores the body, capturing different parts, discovering a world of hidden landscapes, textures, and unspoken eroticism. For the artist this was a journey of unforeseen surprise. Therefore she wraps parts of her photos with floral ornamentation and others with cited calligraphy taken from Biblical texts. They are almost abstract and enigmatic, arousing the viewer’s curiosity to discover what are the photographed objects, what meanings lies behind the texts; and whether there is a thematic affinity between them or, perhaps are the associations purely aesthetical?

Via Kottke

 

Platypus Paradoxical Paranoia! It’s Persian Propaganda from WWII

You must got to see TYWKIWDBI (World War II propaganda in Persia to explain — what I consider — to be really cool art.

 

Andy Worhol sings the hits

‎”Don’t think about making art. Just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they’re deciding, make even more art.” – Andy Warhol

Since I started trying to make art, images and motion pictures with friends, this quote — whether I was cognizant of it or not — has been floating around my mind.

Too often when collaborating, the “art” is stymied before it begins. Too much thought goes into too much of the process.

I’m not saying do things mindlessly.

But there’s a quality lots of people have to get stuck in particular details. Either it stops them from starting or it stops them from finding a way to share it.

Consider Vivian Maier (1926-2009), the newly discovered Chicago street photographer whose body of work is so massive and impressive, she has documentaries and tons of publicity out about her now.

Maier in one of several self-portraits she took on the streets of Chicago (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Consider Vivian Maier, the newly discovered Chicago street photographer whose body of work is so massive and impressive, she has documentaries and tons of publicity out about her now.

She froze when dealing with people and her art, so all of her photography was “lost” until recently found.

Could she have been wildly successful if she published her work while she lived? Or would she have had the body of work?

I don’t know. But something kept her from expressing her art while she lived. And I don’t think it’s a rare trait. I think she’s an extreme case of creating work, but the idiosyncrasy is not new.

Facebook is a blessing and a curse for visual art.

We recently talked to some other professionals who gave us props for sharing stuff on Facebook without the salesy, buy our shit, please-oh-please verbiage attached to each posting.

Even on this blog, I’ve put out some rancid ideas, some deliberately controversial or ideologically unsound. When you read literature, not everything sits well. We often gravitate toward the ideas that stir repressed memories or secret longings.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Quote seen on Facebook. Thanks, Mark. 

Oh no! God exists! And his name is Diego Fazio.

I bet you thought this was a photo.

That’s pencil, mother humper.

Pencil.

I may go sulk now in my own inadequacy.

Via

 

KUMI YAMASHITA does more with one piece of string than you ever will

Check out these amazing pieces of art by Kumi Yamashita created from a single piece of string.

More here.

You won’t be disappointed.

Via TYWKIWDBI

And you thought the art in your book was cool

And you thought the art in your books was cool. Check out Guy Laramee’s sweet sculptures from books concept. See more here.

They will blow your minds.

Via erdiliels favourites

What do I have to do to make you watch/listen to this?

Holy haunting brilliance of gorgeous love, this is the best song I’ve heard all day.

It’s a damn great video, too.

And if I could force it in front of you and say, “Listen to it and love it too,” I would.

I present it as an offering … should you choose to listen and like it, or hate it, that’s your right as the deity or diva that you are.

The artist is Birdy and the song is called, “Skinny Love,” which I think, but not sure, is a cover.

Oh, and Birdy was born in 1996. That makes her too young to be this great.

Via Clusterflock

Art that inspires me

I saw these images over at TYWKIWDBI. It’s art by Travis Louie.

I thought maybe I could do a series of people with their pets, only their pets are miniature (if necessary) standing on their hat, shoulder, or palm of hand.

Regardless, these pieces are so cool.

More at the artist’s blog.

Artists who dip their toes into new mediums

A close artist friend of mine named Ryan recently took the leap into the world of digital photography. Ryan designed our wedding invites, and we have his art up in our condo.

Here’s some of his art here.

He’s amazing with pen and ink. Often, his focus is letterforms. But he can draw so much more. But illustration is not often very lucrative. It’s difficult, and tricky to price out. Without a good break and especially with this economy, the future of an illustrative artist is dim.

This has deflated Ryan often.

Intermittently over the years, he called me asking for advice on which camera to buy. Between cold feet and other factors, he always decided to postpone his purchase.

About two months ago, he called and said he couldn’t decide on a camera to buy. I told him, “I’ll send you an old camera of mine that I’m not using. I’ll send you nice glass, and you can better decide if it’s something you want to do.”

I’m glad I did.

Ryan already has an amazing artist foundation. He understands scale and proportion. His framing is inspiring and whimsical.

But the even more amazing thing about Ryan was he did lots of press prep work throughout his professional career. His Photoshop background is translating into great post work.

Ryan has been snapping amazing shots (like the one above). Or this one below.

Go check more of his work here.

Be inspired. I know I am.

There’s never been a better time than right now to start your 10,000 hours of self-expansion.

Wherefore art thou, Dale Cooper?

Image via Wikipedia

I’m rewatching the two sessions of Twin Peaks on Netflix streaming, and it is just as good or better than when I left it 15 years ago. The show is horrifying, and razor sharp in its writing.

The show shaped a view of the world that I might not have noticed otherwise. Of course there’s a spirituality to the show that is neither here nor there.

But there’s an element of “real life” to the show. When I’m in public, I get excited when I see the same faces. I even name them or give them nicknames. And when I see them, I excitedly say, “There’s Crack Lady!” And there’s Asian hat guy!

While watching the show, you can’t help but say, “There’s log lady!” or “There’s Curtain Lady!” or “There’s the one-armed man!”

It’s a great show.

Here are a couple quotes that I noticed and wanted to write down for later:

“Harry, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don’t plan it, don’t wait for it, just let it happen. Could be a new shirt at the men’s store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot, black coffee. Like this.”  -Dale Cooper

And this one:

It’s usual in cases of strangulation for the victim to void his bowels.

Let it be written, let it be said, I not only miss Dale Cooper, I miss practically every character on that old show.