Hasta La Ideas

One artist invents one hundred to create a truly unique biennial

After attending a massive biennial, contemporary artist Shea Hembrey found himself dissatisfied with the work presented there. In response he decided to host his own biennial called “Seek.” Originally planning to seek out a selection of artists whose work he agreed with, Hembrey had trouble finding an appropriate amount of accessible artists and decided to create all of the work himself.

Hembry’s biennial is the upshot of his pure genius as an artist. More than a collection of his own works, the show includes 100 fake artists that he conceived, each with their own persona and body of work. This monumental project was first introduced at the TED 2011 conference, where we had the opportunity to learn about Hembry and his project.

A native of rural Hickory Grove, AK, Hembrey worked as a licensed breeder of migratory waterfowl with the U.S. Department of the Interior before getting involved in the art world, which began with nine years of formal art education, including an MFA from Cornell. His study of Maori Art during his time as a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar to New Zealand definitively altered his take on the craft. Heavily conceptual but with an advanced understanding and mastery of varied materials and techniques. The inspirations for his works, such as “Nizdos,” a series of eleven pieces in which the artist duplicates bird nest in various illuminating installations, derive from his strong interest in and involvement with animals, especially birds, as a child. Hembrey notices patterns in nature and mythology, and attempts to imitate those patterns to comment upon the human appropriation of the natural world.

Cool Hunting recently caught up with Hembrey and got the scoop on how all these personas came to life and the challenges of composing such a challenging project.

What made you decide to fabricate a biennial instead of simply curating one?

Making a biennial seemed the easiest option once I developed a detailed vision of the final exhibition that I desired. Once I had that initial, audacious idea of actually creating all the art myself, I couldn’t not take on that challenge.

Have you always made up characters or stories about strangers?

Coming from the rural South, I grew up with a rich storytelling tradition. And, the quirky, colorful characters that I grew up around made me see the world as a place filled with fascinating individuals. Then as an undergraduate, I was also an English major toying with the idea of becoming a novelist. So, yes, I have always been fascinated by narrative and strong individual characters.

Were any of these personas imagined before the idea for the biennial came up?

No, but many of the personas are versions of me—and therefore several projects were based on what I might one day eventually get around to in the studio. So, this biennial allowed me to shop around in my warehouse of potential artistic directions and explore roads never taken.

Where did your inspiration for the different artists originate from? Are they based on people you know in any way?

The various artists came about in a myriad of ways. I didn’t want the artists to be formulaic—so sometimes the art ideas preceded the artists while other times a strong artist character developed and then I determined what they would create. Many details about me and my friends and family eventually did, of course, become part of this project.

How long did the project take to complete?

It was two years in the studio making the pieces—a true biennial of art. Then I spent about five months on artwork documentation, writing, and design of the catalogue.

How has this project helped you grow as a person and an artist?

Perhaps the biggest lessons came from when I’d work as an artist quite different from me. I’d make some plans for a work and then ask, “What is the opposite of what I would choose to do? Now, how can I create that polarity AND make it still be a work that I respect and am enchanted by?” Those quandaries and solutions were unspeakably enlightening.

Does it get confusing being so many different people?

Yes. The sheer number of artists was hard to manage, so I had to focus on just a few people at a time to stay organized and productive. Once I understood an artist and had his or her voice, then they were largely autonomous and then after making their work, I spoke about and thought of them as individuals separate from me.

Do you consider their art personal to you, or are you detached from it?

Since I also played the role of two curators (I made 106 artists and curated 100 into the final biennial), I had to often be detached. But, I believe in all of these artists and in the value in all of their work. I’m certainly personally invested as if they were all close artist friends of mine.

What was the most difficult project to complete?

I can’t pin down any particular project. I love a daunting challenge and I relish a struggle to suss an enigma out, so I guess I really embrace work that many others would not enjoy…the word ‘difficult’ excites me. I adore hard labor, and tedium, and working on questions that do not have a solution. But, I certainly know that the most unpleasant work was painting Jason Birdsong’s snake piece because it was days of my stomach being in a twisting knot because of my fear of snakes…I was so happy to finish that image and then promptly hide it away.

Which is your favorite art work?

I made nearly four hundred artworks for this biennial, and I really cannot even begin to single out favorites because of the diversity of the works. Really, this is just one big, multifaceted singular work of art. So, the catalogue is my favorite work.

Utilitarian backpacks handmade by a Minneapolis-based artist

After working on a “bucolic sheep farm” in rural New Zealand, artist Amber Johnson returned to Minneapolis—where she received a BFA in drawing from the College of Art and Design—and began experimenting with wool in her parents’ basement. Her seemingly innate talent for hand crafting utilitarian bags took shape, and today the young designer peddles wool and leather backpacks online under the moniker Sketchbook.

Primarily working with premium wool when she started out in 2006, Jensen has since expanded the collection to include leather and waterproof waxed canvas styles, increasing the durability while maintaining a classic aesthetic. The Great Outdoors Backpack, for example, reflects the simplicity of early mountaineering bags, but features a new type of waterproof fabric that more closely matches untreated cotton duck.

While the exteriors are adorned with elegantly robust hardware, the interiors are equally beautiful. The gray Track Backpack is particularly stunning, a straightforward bag lined with a tangerine-hued nylon ripstop and accented with handles and straps made from Ralph Lauren remnant leather.

Each bag is prototyped and tested by Jensen before making several others, and every piece is made by hand. The packs can be purchased online from the Etsy Sketchbook shop, with styles typically spanning $150-200.

Journey across the universe in a one-night-only show of whimsical work by an LA-based painter

Working out of her garage on a quiet street in the heart of Silverlake, Los Angeles-based artist Vanessa Prager gleefully creates her curious paintings and ink pen drawings. We caught up with the bubbly creative just a few days before her new solo show at ADBD Gallery, dubbed “Across The Universe.” Like many of her shows, it is a one-night-only affair with a special guest host and immersive installation piece, which Prager says helps create a relaxed atmosphere and draws the viewer into her illusory world.

With her works at the framers, on our visit Prager was busy putting the finishing touches on her installation, which will greet patrons as they enter the gallery space at ADBD and subtly continue throughout. Crafting little flies out of wax-like paper with her mom on a pile of real sod grass on the floor of the garage (which she will use to outline the room at her show), she told us about her more recent interest in painting animals—which is primarily “because they’re awesome!” Typically depicting people in heightened situations, Prager transfers that sense of drama to scenes in nature, where she captures the creepy feeling of encountering a group of large animals like deer or elephants.

The sun streaming in on the corner of the make-shift studio, Prager’s space is filled with warmth and a dizzying array of paints, old frames, tools, craft supplies, music sheets and inspirational works—like a lithograph portrait of her grandfather. You get the sense that there is nothing she won’t attempt to create herself, including the sink in the corner where she tediously cleans her brushes. “I knew I needed a sink out here, so I found an old one at a vintage store, hooked it up to the hose from outside and made it exactly my height.”

While her highly saturated works give way to a false sense of reality, her study of the universe feels accurate. Her portrayal of human behavior scratches at life’s emotional ups and downs, and the contrast between the bursts of color in the foreground and stark backgrounds reflects this natural turmoil.

Catch “Across The Universe” tonight, 2 June 2011, at ADBD in Los Angeles, hosted by Danny Masterson from 7-10pm, and mark your calendar for her solo show at Shepard Fairey’s Subliminal Gallery in April 2012. See more of her studio and works in the gallery below.

Flying liquid paint splashes captured by Japanese photographer Shinichi Maruyama

Splashes of tempura paint come to an arresting standstill in “Gardens,” the latest project by Japanese artist Shinichi Maruyama on exhibition at Manhattan’s Bruce Silverstein Gallery. With high-speed photography and the spontaneous gestures of action painting, Maruyama produces sculptural images at once frozen and fleeting in midair.

“I have tried to represent this feeling I get from Zen gardens in my artwork,” he explains. “It is its own universe, empowering the visitor to resist temptation, eliminate negative thought and sever the continuous stream of inessential information emanating from the outside world.”

Born in Nagano, Japan, Maruyama made a name for himself in advertising with his innovative use of digital photography and the visual properties of water. Taking a contemplative turn, he published two books documenting Tibetan life in 2001. Maruyama relocated to New York two years later and began to explore the artistic possibilities of photographic strobe technology and liquids. In the well-received series “Kusho,” he examined the elusive nature of calligraphy with hurls of sumi ink and water.

“Gardens” runs through 2 April 2011. All images © Shinichi Maruyama, courtesy of Bruce Silverstein Gallery, NY

See how five of our favorite creatives celebrate the sappiest holiday of the year

While some bitterly cast off the romantic holiday as nothing more than an excuse to consume, Valentine’s Day is a great way to remind people how special they are. We tapped some of our favorite creatives to see how they make the holiday unique.

Artist Dodi Wexler has been making and sending valentines since she was 19-years-old, starting with 10 and now crafting more than 200 each year. Wexler explains “I started making the Valentines because I always was so saddened that I never had a secret admirer or anyone amazing asking me to be their valentine on Valentine’s Day. As I made them, I got so wrapped up in the production and sending them to people, that I forgot about being sad. The giving made me really happy, especially because I know how much of a bummer Valentine’s Day can be.”

She also sees the creative merit in her venture, saying “They are a great way to discover new materials and try out new techniques in a doodle without the pressure of a meaningful piece lurking over my shoulder.”

Jesse Levison spends much of her time silkscreen printing cards for Gold Teeth Brooklyn, a line she runs with her friend Emily Joiner. When we asked what she had up her sleeve this holiday, Levison replied with the “damn crafty” gift she received from her boyfriend Alex, a welder at furniture design studio Uhuru. The sculpture consists of a metal box, which houses a fold-up metal heart etched with a personal message.

Capturing the spirit of the holiday in ink, Vanessa Prager eschewed her eerie tendencies in favor of a more romantic theme, one that channels her playful and thoughtful personality. The classic card (the image above right is the inside message) serves as both a personal greeting and a keepsake for years to come.

Graphic designer Matt Van Ekeren teamed up with Italian illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli to create a charming animation for Valentine’s Day. “Let Love Grow” is a simple way to show that special someone you care.

A psychologist and artist “who sometimes suffers insomnia,” Ilana Simons began crafting clay creatures to keep her company at night. For Valentine’s Day she put her late-night hobby to use, filling an empty chocolate box with little characters for her boyfriend to help him with “fighting a chocolate addiction.”