Saturday, September 26, 2009

My Life So Far - Elements




















These are the elements of my recent conceptual piece. The poster is printed on acid free semi-gloss epson photo paper with archival inks and the painting is acrylic on canvas. The dimensions are listed below. I am planning on doing an edition of prints including a copy of the poster, as well as a photograph of both the painting and the installation view. All three will be signed and numbered and of an as yet undetermined limited edition. More details are pending and will be posted soon.

Poster Dimensions:
h: 25 x w: 20 in
Painting Dimensions:
h: 24 x w: 60 in

a Few of My Favourite Things

Self-Portrait / Cutting by Catherine Opie

This is one of the more famous photographs by the contemporary photographer Catherine Opie. As the title suggests it is one of her many self-portraits, which often serve dual purposes for her work as both creative as well as personal signposts along the road as if she were sending up flairs for us to find her. Ms. Opie became famous in the mid-90s for her beautiful, classically influenced pictures of Gay, Lesbian and Transgender peoples. Although clearly influenced by Robert Mapplethorpe her work often differed from his in it's tone. Where Mapplethorpe's work could be cold and detached in it's aggressiveness, Ms. Opie's work has a certain wounded tenderness to it. However, her work shared a certain of it's time elements in it's ability to capture a generation coming of age. Ms. Opie was a product of the generation that both came of age during AIDS and also during a time of unprecedented acceptance the GLBT community. Where as Mapplethorpe's work has an aggressive and declarative tone that is much the product of his time, Ms. Opie's work asks the perennial 90s question, "Now What?" GLBT peoples were gaining increasing acceptance within the larger tapestry of American culture but with that acceptance there came a sort of white washing. Will & Grace ruled the airways but what of the fringes of the GLBT community that were not so easily packaged for the masses. Ms. Opie was herself a member of this fringe and many of her self-portraits asks the question, "What about me?" The photograph shown was taken by Ms Opie right around the time that she, and in a broader sense her community, was beginning to struggle with the definition of Family. This photograph pre-dates the eventual battles over Gay marriage, civil unions and the rights of Gays and Lesbians to adopt children. The cutting is of course a kind of archetypal children's drawing of ones family, like a child would draw in pre-school. The photo it self works on many levels. For one, by denying us her face she makes the picture universal in it's implications. She also hides her sexuality from us by removing all of the typical signifiers present in her work. Those in the know will understand that the act of cutting itself is a signifier but it is broad enough that it could take on many interpretations. Her choice of composition and setting are also relevant, she borrows the lessons learned by everyone from Picasso to Warhol of classical framing of the subject and her use of textile draping borrows from Holbien and other old masters. She uses the tools to say directly; "I Matter, but what does that mean for me?" Much like Picasso addresses duality by paying respect to while simultaneously kissing off the past, Ms Opie demands our attention while simultaneously manifesting self-doubt; which in a way makes her one of the most contemporary of artists, because what defines our era more than a mix of Narcissism and Self-Loathing that is almost Bi-polar in it's intensity and voracity.

Friday, September 25, 2009

My Life So Far - Installation View

Mixed Media
Installation
$1500.00 + Shipping
Contact Me to Buy

This is a conceptual piece
wherein I have charted my stress level over the course of my 30 years of life. Each year is assigned a colour corresponding to it's average relative stress level. I have used the department of homeland security terror threat level colour system as the basis for the colours.



Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Tegretol (Carbamazepine)

Oil Stick On Paper
h: 9 x w: 12 in
$300.00 + Shipping
Contact Me To Buy

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the Soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of a phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning. These are the side effects of that peculiar drug called power.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Rainbow-Flavoured Clusterfuck

Oil Stick On Paper
h: 11 x w: 14 in
$125.00 + Shipping

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

Candycoloured Sado-Masochists

Oil Stick On Paper
h: 11 x w: 14 in
$125.00 + Shipping

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

New Sensations

Acrylic On Paper
h: 30 x w: 22 in
$275.00 + Shipping

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

The Blue Angel

Acrylic On Canvas
h: 36 x w: 54 in
$600.00 + Shipping

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

No Rhyme Nor Reason

Acrylic On Paper
h: 22 x w: 30 in
$250.00 + Shipping

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Picture

Acrylic On Canvas
h: 68 x w: 54 in
$999.00 + Shipping

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

a Few of My Favourite Things

Pablo Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Lauded as one of the most Modern works of art ever created, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon; or in english, The Whores of Avignon; painted by Picasso, the most modern of painters at his creative peak just on the edge of his Rose period only a short time prior to his popularization of Cubism; is in fact one of Picasso's most classical of works. While the focus is usually placed on the Horrorshow / Fragmented portrayal of the women; I think the real wonder is in it's classicism. Picasso pillages everyone from Holbien to Da Vinci to Rembrandt with this piece and gives all of them the kiss off while he simultaneously praises his influences and kick starts the 20th century at the exact same time. Ever since this painting everyone from Warhol to Mapplethorpe to Catherine Opie have studied how Picasso referenced the classics while at the same time taking the piss out of the establishment. Look at the composition, Haptic framing, direct eye contact with the viewer, the use of light to erase depth as opposed to create it. With the first two he creates an homage to everything that came before him and with last he abandons that with which he is so enamored. This painting is a master class in how to be the greatest painter of your particular era being taught by one of the greatest of any era.

Real Horrorshow

Acrylic On Paper
h: 30 x w: 22 in
$400.00 + Shipping

I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

Friday, September 4, 2009

That Old Ultraviolence


Acrylic On Paper
h: 30 x w: 22 in
$300.00


I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bacchinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Que, Est Tu Mon Jean Paul Belmondo?


Acrylic On Paper
h: 30 x w: 22 in
$350.00


I was raised on Reagan and Bush. Raised to believe the soviets would destroy us. The end of the world was on the other end of phone call placed on a red phone. So what do you do when that didn't happen. When the Iron Curtain fell America became drunk on decadence. We were the only global superpower left and we were in the middle of the biggest economic boom since levitt town. We became arrogant and lazy. For 8 years the world hinged on a blue dress with a stain of uncertain origin. The first decade of the twenty first century is America's hangover. We have bathed in saturday nights bachinal, repented at sunday mornings altar and now we find ourselves hungover on monday mourning.