Un projet intéressant de Scott Garner détournant les codes du rapport à une oeuvre d’art dans un musée, et donnant un aspect interactif. En effet, le tableau est en réalité un écran donc les éléments en 3D évoluant en temps réel en fonction de l’orientation de l’écran.
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Le photographe français Fabrice Wittner propose la série “Enlightened Souls”. Autour d’un voyage au Vietnam, ce dernier utilise des pochoirs de lumière, donnant ainsi des visuels très réussis de jour comme de nuit. Plus d’image dans la suite de l’article.
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The acclaimed artist offers us a rare glimpse inside his Brooklyn studio ahead of his upcoming mini retrospective
While we all like to tap into an artist’s brain, find out exactly what goes on in their mind to make them create what they do, sometimes there isn’t really more behind a work of art than simply a vision that a person is unable to explain through words. The different approaches to making art—from pragmatic to utterly emotional—is part of what keeps the field perpetually intriguing.
A reticent painter originally from Côte d’Ivoire, Ouattara Watts recently opened up his studio to Cool Hunting for a preview of the newly formed works comprising his forthcoming exhibition. The large, garage-like space is located in an industrial part of Brooklyn between Williamsburg and Bushwick that’s home to numerous emerging artists. With both the Whitney Museum and Venice biennials on his résumé, the veteran painter may hold more clout than his neighbors, but his artistic spirit seems unaffected by his widespread success.
Organized by Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, Watts’ upcoming NYC exhibition—which Roitfeld says is more like a small retrospective—will feature 18 new paintings alongside a few existing pieces. Watts completed all of these large-scale works in a matter of about six months, explaining that with the way the world is right now, he has a lot to say. At the moment, he is mostly preoccupied by the population of mistreated children in the world, a concern that presumably evolved since the birth of his own child, a life-changing moment for him.
Bursting with color and layered in fabrics and objects picked up from his global travels, Watts’ paintings are still entrenched in his own style of Neo-Expressionism. Cryptic serial numbers abound, alluding to a secret code that only he knows about, but one that could potentially be worked out through clever deciphering or a deep understanding of West African cosmology. The mysticism that prevails reflects a coalescent spirituality, his beliefs not tied to one religion or another, but that together are very much a part of his enduring creative passion.
The mix of media Watts uses is also symbolic of his constant exploration, and the people he encounters along the way. For example, the massive piece, “Vertigo #4” is covered in a denim remnant given to him by the shop owner of a fabric store near his Midtown apartment. Glued to this is an Ikea-like dish cloth embroidered with the initials “JL”—who they belong to Watts claims not to know. These found objects and recycled fabrics likely speak to the movement against using expensive materials, a notion developed in the 1970s by fellow Ivorian painter Mathilde Moraeau which she called Vohou-Vohou. The mix also undoubtedly marks a more natural way for Watts to express himself, free of monetary limitations or a prescribed aesthetic.
Although known in his own right, it’s difficult not to associate Watts with the legendary artist Jean-Michael Basquiat. The two met in Paris while Watts was studying at the renowned L’École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, and while their friendship was short-lived due to Basquiat’s death, Watts considers him almost like a soulmate. Basquiat convinced him to move to NYC, where Watts gave rise to African art with prominent shows at the Gagosian and Vrej Baghoomian galleries.
The exhibition opens 7 February and runs through 19 February 2012 at the cavernous space known simply as 560 Washington Street.
All images by BHP, see more in the slideshow below.
An artist-curated group show redefines contemporary Realism
The first in a series of artist-curated exhibitions at NYC’s Joshua Liner Gallery, “Resolve” gathers together the peers and influencing figures of the highly skilled painter Tony Curanaj. Each of the 25 contemporary artists included in the group show is classically trained and collectively they demonstrate the diversity of Realism.
“Resolve” explores the human experience artists have with a subject, and the truth in their observations. “Great art expresses life,” says Curanaj, who is more interested in works that convey a person’s sensitivities than those that are focused on the medium, or, as he puts it, “art about art.”
Considered experts of their craft, the artists, which include one photographer, two sculptors and 22 painters, have become completely involved in creating work that reflects their distinct technical prowess. Curanaj aims to show the sincerity and beauty of work made by the hand of a skilled artist. “When you’re painting from life, it’s like a high-wire net with nothing underneath you,” he says. “You could fuck it up at any point.”
The show also makes a different argument about the idea of conceptualism, a term Curanaj believes has been misused for years—especially as it relates to Realism versus abstract art. “There’s a misconception that Realism isn’t conceptual,” he says. “I think Realism is of the highest, utmost conceptual ideas because you’re continuously conceptualizing what’s in front of you and putting it down as notes and feelings, trying to depict what is life, what is reality.” He also feels that the more deeply profound an idea, the more specific the depiction should be. The artist should have a very clear solution for the concept in order to fully get the idea across and relate to the viewer.
The show’s title refers to each artist’s unwavering creative direction and continuous refinement of their craft. Each notable in their own right, alongside Curanaj, the group includes Graydon Parrish, Jeremy Mann, Jefferson Hayman, Kim Cogan, Lee Misenheimer, Shawn Barber, Kris Kuksi and Jacob A. Pfeiffer.
On view for just one month, “Resolve” opens at NYC’s Joshua Liner Gallery on 26 January and runs through 25 February 2012.
Sandro Kopp’s Skype sessions reflect the hybrid nature of painting reality from a two-dimensional plane
A series that evolved out of two friends chatting online while on opposite sides of the world, Sandro Kopp‘s Skype paintings are a natural progression for the young portrait artist. As a half Kiwi, half German, Kopp—who currently lives in the Scottish Highlands—is no stranger to the nomadic lifestyle that Skype enables, telling us he regularly uses it keep up with friends and family. One person Kopp frequently speaks to is his pal Waris Ahluwalia, who is the subject of numerous paintings and the catalyst for this tech-inspired concept, which will soon be on view at NYC’s Lehmann Maupin gallery in a week-long solo exhibit called “There You Are.”
With Ahluwalia as his sitter, Kopp began his “experiment” of painting from Skype video sessions. A few days after its completion, he explains, he kept noticing it out of the corner of his eye and started thinking more seriously about the concept. Kopp prefers the emotional connection and fodder for real observation a live model gives over working from a photograph. The personal engagement Skype provides, combined with the screen’s two dimensional plane, is for him a new hybrid format.
The Skype sessions also reflect Kopp’s personal philosophy that art should develop from doing. The industrious artist paints nearly everyday—he told us of one instance in which he did four paintings in one day—and this routine practice allows him to explore new ideas, saying “there a million ways to do a painting.”
The series has evolved since its organically-formed inception, and the forthcoming exhibition will not only include new works, but will also feature video installations that depict various moments during the sitting. Like his self portrait series called “The New Me,” Kopp continues to explore the subject of realism with a sequence of paintings that depict his friend Dave Le Fleming. Each painted on separate occasions, the portraits reflect both his ability as an artist to remain consistent through repetition as well as the inconsistencies in observation on any given day.
Kopp’s cast of models include some of popular culture’s most famous subjects, including Michael Stipe, Tilda Swinton, John C. Reily, Ryan McGinley and more. Those wondering how he finds himself in such good company need to look no further than the artist himself. Beyond the opportunity to sit for the talented painter, they are undoubtedly taken by his incredibly thoughtful, humble and considerate nature. Kopp is very aware of the time they give him, and says his fast-paced style—one where he often completes the small portraits in just a few hours—is both an understanding of the situation and his personal technique. “I would like to slow down in the future though,” he says.
The fourth solo show of his Skype portraits, Kopp’s mind is already wheeling with his approach for the fifth show, which will see the series unfold and progress in another creative direction. “There You Are” opens 25 January and runs through 4 February 2012 at Lehmann Maupin Gallery.
A gallery show explores the reaches of monochromatic art
Rounding up a smattering of 37 artists, a new exhibition at the Jeff Bailey Gallery entitled “Grey Full” takes a close look at art’s most enigmatic color. The show educates viewers on the subtleties of shade and how small variations can communicate the emotional spectrum. A personal theme for artists who grew up on graphite, the show’s artists are all long-term explorers of the color. Desaturated though it may be, we loved the concept from curator Geoffrey Young and came away with a few favorites from the show.
Using a pelt of black sheepskin, Hugh Hayden abandons his architectural roots to shave a portrait of the President of the United States. The relief accomplishes a gradient through the relative length of the hair, with the white skin beneath providing contrast for the jet black coat. What begins as shock and comedy results in a meditation on race and an exploration of African American hair culture.
The masterful graphite work of Will Duty shows incredible manual ability. His drawn gradient background is a fluid contrast to the soft abstract scratches that are overlaid. In his work, one gets a sense of the potential for monochromatic works, and how an absence of color and contrast can add to the gravity of a piece.
Audrey Stone is a master of detail. Her delicately outlined webs are hardly visible from a distance. Getting up close and personal with the work, a network of pathways and geometries emerge. Created with painstakingly set thread, ink and pencil, Stone’s work is full of motion and energy that sneakily alters how we read the flat grid of lines.
Will Yackulic‘s “Grotto” is a complex combination of cold-process dye, india ink and oil paint. The abstract representation has a chemical appearance that’s full of rich texture. Yackulic’s individual look is gained through his employment of multiple mediums, which in the past has varied from gouache to typewriter ribbon.
Another abstract work, “The Cave” by Jered Sprecher, caught our eye for its haunting qualities. Disembodied finger marks and obscure forms stand out on a scene that seems to be melting away. The work reflects Sprecher’s fascination with states of change and deterioration.
The exhibit opens with a reception tonight from 6-8pm and will run through 11 February 2012.
Jeff Bailey Gallery
625 West 27th St
New York, NY 10001
Chilean illustrator combines pop culture, sci-fi and fantasy in a mind-bending amalgamation
The work of Fab Ciraolo makes it immediately clear that the Chilean-born illustrator has a very interesting outlook on this world. His pieces combine re-imagined elements of nostalgic popular culture with fantastical sci-fi standards and beautiful space-like atmospheres. Incorporating classic cartoon characters, fairy tale favorites and edgy popular icons, Ciraolo constructs compelling and enchanting artwork that stirs up whimsical feelings for the past while keeping one foot forward. We recently caught up with Ciraolo and got some insight into his process and where his surreal scenes take root.
I am from Santiago Chile, born here. I think I’ve been illustrating since I can remember. My background was always around paintings, drawings and art exhibitions. I must thank my parents for this, they always encouraged me to keep doing this and showed me that this can be my way of living. The most important advice from them was to always stay true to what I love and to what I need to be happy, other stuff comes free if you are at peace with your talent.
Traditional painting, a lot of drawing, acrylics, color pencils, mostly anything I have near that might work to get a final result that makes me happy. I can remember using coffee in some paintings. Coffee is good to make some cool textures!
These cartoons were always in my mind, when I was little I would draw all of them by hand, I just loved them, so one day it just came to me. Drawing He-Man in a flower suit, I just did it and the result was interesting and fun to me. So I keep digging in all these characters making them more fashionable, always wondering how will they look in cool suits and jackets and tight pants— hipster looks. I wasn’t inventing something out of this world, just giving a little twist to things that were in my mind a long time ago.
I am like a sponge, very visual, I hate reading but love looking. My mind is full of these icons and these images. I love to mix the old with the modern, giving things that already exist a new fresh air, a new vision. I am working in these series, with Frida, Che Guevara and Dalí, it is the result of all these things that are in my mind. How would these great characters look today? This is the main idea of all of these. I mix them with all the images that are inside my head and it is like an explosion of images that I need to get out and put them together in one piece.
I think it’s 50/50. I think this is the perfect mix, sometimes I get tired of doing commissions, but sometimes I love it. I have been lucky to participate in very interesting projects this year, and to always have time to make my personal art as well. You must find a balance between these two things, but always, ALWAYS give time to your own art, this is the best way to grow, to learn, to make mistakes and not be afraid of changes.
It is amazing and has helped me so much. It let me show my art to the entire world and really fast too. I was very afraid at first to show my work, because it was so mine, it was my real thing, what comes out of my head, but people like it and I am so glad. Art should be a popular culture, art is culture, art is expression it is a must! At least for me!
We visit the Las Vegas-based painter’s studio and learn about his upcoming projects and gallery show
Drawing inspiration from guitar riffs and heavy beats, Las Vegas-based painter Tim Bavington translates melodies from ear to eye with his vibrant works. As long time supporters of Bavington, we jumped at the chance to stop by his studio on a recent trip to the city of sin. Here we got some insight into his production process and learned more about an upcoming installation project and his next solo show at Los Angeles’ Mark Moore Gallery.
To draw a parallel between music and his art, Bavington sees his creative process as similar to how a musician transforms sheet music into a performance. “I begin with a score or transcript which, on paper at least, seems to suggest strict instructions but becomes something completely different when interpreted.” He describes the actual painting process as “a more intuitive and improvisational than they may appear.”
To reduce waste and toxicity of overspray, Bavington sticks to working with acrylics, although he has sprayed oils, alkyds and auto paints in the past. Although his application style seems more impulsive, the canvas size and portions are much more calculated, “I typically make studies for a work in up to 24 color ways. Then I choose ones that appeal or interest me, for whatever reason. Canvas size and shape is usually related to the math of the composition.”
While being in the studio was a privilege in itself, the true highlight was learning about his latest up-and-coming sculptural work set to be unveiled mid-March 2012. For this project Bavington will translate the musically inspired energy from his paintings into the third dimension on a significantly larger scale.
This singular transition from canvas to steel will culminate with an 80 foot long, 28 foot high installation to be located in the park adjacent to Las Vegas’ new Smith Center for the Performing Arts—which is set to open doors around the same time as Bavington’s installation will be finished.
At this point the project is still in the development stages, with a significant amount of time spent adapting to the new medium and adjusting designs. Unlike his paintings where Bavington may complete a piece in just a few weeks, the mammoth steel rods require months to be painted and assembled.
Coincidentally Bavington will be back once again at the Mark More Gallery in Los Angelas for his sixth solo show “Heart Above Head.” Opening 16 January 2012, the exhibition will present a recent collection of eight new compositions.
Keep an eye on Tim Bavington’s site in the coming months for updates on his upcoming Los Angeles gallery showing and Las Vegas installation opening.
Après l’excellente vidéo d’une de ses créations au Vietnam, El Mac présente une nouvelle peinture faite dans un bâtiment à Hollywood. Splendide, celle-ci représente le visage de l’avocate Connie Rice fortement impliquée dans la défense des droits civiques. Plus d’images dans la suite.
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