I saw Tim Roda lecture at USF on Thursday. It was an EXCELLENT presentation, one of the best I have seen here yet. I haven't enjoyed one this much since I saw Nina Katchadourian here last fall. Roda's work is made by assembling sometimes elaborate sets using household items and basic supplies, such as clay and lumber. The models are almost always himself and his family. He has worked from any number of states and countries, delving through his work into his own past (growing up in a self-sufficient house with his family) and his heritage (his family emigrated to the US from Italy). He talked about group shows and the ups and downs in his life, and how his art reflects and sometimes features those events. Each of these images, while easily standing on it's own with a distinct (if unknown) narrative, is in itself is a story that Roda is telling the viewer, something that means something to him, and even if that meaning is lost the weight of it remains.
Oh goodness Eric Yahnker, why did it take me two years to find your art? I sat down and went through all of these works just yesterday with my man, and discussed the merits of his art and particular brand of humor. And laughed. A lot.
While discussing my current project, featuring my darling Effigy of Agony, dark surrealism, and metal printing, Wendy Babcox reminded me of the work of Joel-Peter Witkin, which I am also sure was in no small part part of the inspiration for Nine Inch Nail's video for Closer (you can watch the video here).
Of late I have also been greatly inspired by late street photographer Garry Winogrand, especially for the photographs I have been taking concerning tourism in my local community.
Roberto Ferri is one of my paramour's favorite artists. Dark and surreal and done in the baroque style, the paintings are indeed exquisite.
Simen Johan's photographs are so masterful as to seem unreal. But then, that's sort of the point. While giving no hint as to their fabrication, they are actually digital compositions from hundreds of negatives that the artist takes in zoos and on location, as well as using a variety of sculptural techniques. There is, at it's heart, a dialogue about the strange relationship of the real and imagined worlds.
Norway-based self-taught artist Henrik Aarrestad Uldalen creates haunting images of people, of bodies falling, floating, dreaming, and almost to the point of photo-realism.
Did you know there was a mix of the colors yellow and blue that wasn't green? I wonder if this has something to do with why we end up with color-blind individuals...
Paul Brunelle also creates astoundingly realistic works, but this time in the field of sculpture, delicately rending birds down to the tiniest feathery detail.
Nor is he the only one. Grainger McKoy creates meticulously crafted works featuring birds mid-flight, seemingly hanging in thin air. He details some of his process here.
Recently much of my work has dealt with memory, something that painter Colin Chillag also apparently holds dear to his heart. His works reflect this idea, with some parts rendered to completion while others fade away into the very constructs of his art making.
The Pothole Gardener is a blog about a guerrilla gardener/artist who uses flowers and miniatures to create art pieces throughout the streets of London.
Another fantastic miniature street artist is Isaac Cordall, who creates tiny scenes using cement figures and props.
Carrie M. Becker also uses miniatures, but in a very different way, to create her fantastic "Barbie Dream House" - as if Barbie, what with her shopaholic habits, had become a dreadful hoarder.
From a CalArts Exhibition on Women and Feminism. Work by Nate Page.
Steven Spazuk has made quite a stir online recently. He created pieces of art using the flame of a candle to leave soot on heavy paper. Colossal art blog has a create write up on it.
The worlds largest camera is in the process of being built. The aim of the project is to document and create awareness for the world's vanishing cultures, creating massive negatives rich with layers of detail impossible to achieve with any other medium.
I have been aware, and fond of, Charlie White's work for many years now but for some reason never featured him here. Well, better late than never. He rose to fame largely for his series "Understanding Joshua," of which the above is from.
Looking at Zoe William's fantastic and fantastical work makes me really tempted to learn needlefelting.
Scott Campbell is a tatooist and artist who creates a variety of different art pieces, including sculptural works carved into stacks of dollar bills. The piece above, perhaps his largest work, is composed of $11,000 worth of them.
I love a good double exposure, and Matt Wisniewski makes excellent work of them, as well as a number of other techniques. I really love these pieces.
Joel Sartore has been working hard on his Biodiversity Project, trying to capture a wide spectrum of animal life as best he can in an effort to raise awareness in conservation efforts and endangered wildlife. National Geographic has some stunning images of his efforts, and NPR did an amazing write up on it.
A pedal-powered Porsche.
"One Day on Earth" is the project of Kyle Ruddick, featuring a compilation of film shot all over the globe on a single day: October 10, 2010.
David Lyle is a fairly new artist, and I find his black and white paintings charming and witty.
Source unknown. I pretty much hate sports, but love this picture.
Zadok Ben-David, of Yemen, is responsible for the wondrous "Blackfield", a field of cut metal flowers, on one side black, the other in brilliant color.
A record player that plays slices of tree trunks.
Flemish sculpture Berlinde de Bruyckere creates some simply stunning pieces. A great article about it here.
"Photographer Hal" does some great photos, including a series of people, mostly couples, sealed in thick plastic, vacuum sealed. His site is a bit of a monstrosity at the moment, however.
Another Asian photographer, Mariko Sakagichi, takes pictures of herself in a traditional bath put in bizarre and sometimes awkward settings.
While this is one of your more effective blog posts (I'm not to fond of your Op edish stuff to be honest) I'd prefer to hear about your own work in some capacity.
ReplyDeleteThat said bravo on the interesting collection of links.
Do you know any of these fellows to be New York residents? you'd be surprised to see how down to earth famous artists can be.
Op edish?
DeleteI wouldn't know. Most artists have info on their sites, so you can check the ones you like I suppose.