Fear of an Orange Planet

2012-02-12T13:15:00.001-08:00

Making me miss North America.

Move back to Canada?

and random French Bulldog and Cypress Hill

Gray Grey Gris

2012-02-02T04:03:00.000-08:00

René Daniëls

2012-01-10T03:14:00.000-08:00

René Daniëls at The Velázquez Palace, Madrid

2012-01-05T03:26:00.000-08:00

Wow. High School all over again.

Chick is funny. Mainly because she speaks the TRUTH.

Check Franchesca's blog

Me Love You Long Time.

2012-01-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

Please Choose the Option that is Most Relevent to You.

2012-01-01T12:12:00.001-08:00

MR. MUSEUMS

2011-12-31T02:55:00.000-08:00

OMG I AM OBSESSED.

Hennessy Youngman aka Mr. Museums, aka THE TRUTH!

CLINK THE FLICK TO GET THE KNOWLEDGE!

The Artist

2011-12-29T03:42:00.000-08:00

Run and See this Film.

Bugle Boy Jeans

2011-12-06T14:01:00.001-08:00

Living away from home I don't get the chance to rummage through old photos and reminisce, so getting these photos sent to me by my cousin put a huge smile on my face. Eleven years old and STUNTIN'. Sadie Cha be Zadie Zleopatxa from day one. Mondetta holla back...

The Hideousness of the Art World

2011-12-06T04:25:00.001-08:00

It's often come up in conversation or loudly mulled about in my thoughts: The gigantic differences between business deals and the artist studiously working away in her studio, making objects, researching concepts and once in a while churning out a wonderful idea, no matter how grandiose, quiet or small.

Today's contemporary art galaxy and its preposterous superficiality replete with shady characters leering around every corner, is something that as of late has really been eating away at my insides. When did it become about rubbing shoulders with "X" billionaire and "X" millionaire's daughter/son/niece, etc curator or other fill in the blank art power position, who might help you with your career, validating it somehow through their buying power. I mean I suppose it's always been there but it seems more glaring than ever.

Earlier this year I went to the opening of the Venice Biennial and while it was overwhelming and of course spectacular, in every sense of the word, it was more the ostentatiousness and decadence of the persons there that I caught my most attention, rather than the work on display.

I walked past the yacht pictured below and remarked to my friend how bizarre it seemed and I realized at that point how out of place I ultimately felt. Browsing through the interweb also brings about feelings of uneasiness. On style.com one can regularly view art parties with the entire stylish "in crowd" hanging about with art stars and other art types. While I was in Venice my friends and I went to a few parties and all I could think about was how flakey all the people there seemed to be. Were these people actually interested in art, art?

It seemed so simple when I was a kid, all I wanted to do was work with my hands, creating shapes, applying colour and producing pictures.

With all that being said I was pleasantly surprised to find rich boy Charlie vouching for the same feelings held by many artists and art lovers. The caption says it all. Speak on it Charles.

(Click the flick)

FYI update: Check this article written for nymag.com by Jerry Saltz:"The Prince of the One Percent Would Like You to Know That Buying Art Is Less Fun These Days"More than one Ritchie Rich is getting annoyed...

Vaudeville Villian

2011-12-05T17:23:00.001-08:00

Boricua, Morena, Boricua, Morena

2011-11-26T06:46:00.001-08:00

PUTA AMA

2011-11-20T07:57:00.001-08:00

Degas Sketchbook

Dancers in CDG

Above and Below : Abramovic

Japanese Text: Boss Bitch

Doctors Say I´m the Illest Cause I´, Suffering from Realness

2011-11-19T09:50:00.001-08:00

Throughout my undergrad, I fought and struggled against most of my professors. I was never the superstar student and I was never teacher´s favorite. During studio critiques I often felt confined within institutional rules and the expectations of my professors. I did however learn the jargon, skills and critical eye expected of contemporary artists. After earning my BFA I imagined like most of my peers that I would eventually do my masters.

After living for a few years abroad in Europe, I began to realize that I didn´t want nor feel the need to take a masters. The main reason being fi$cal and the second being that I had decided on my own, what I was interested in and what I wanted to do, any ideas that needed to be investigated and further develop could be sought out by myself. Thus I began to wonder, did I want to deal with 2 more years of institutional berating, "try this, loosen up, you should be more like this, the brushstrokes blah blah, conceptually yaddah yaddah, do it like we say you should....".

On one hand doing a masters for the right reasons seems completely logical and the obvious thing to do. It legitimizes one (on paper) as a fully rounded "artist" and provides opportunities for us artists to pursue teaching jobs as a side hustle to our art practice. It also opens doors to a network of "art people" to help launch one's career, ex: access to gallery communities, heads at museums and other "important" folk who might one day be on a grant/prize giving jury.

It all seems peachy on the surface but one has to consider, why so many bureaucratic hoops? Why is getting to the stage of professional artist so weird? So rigid? So fucking institutional? I would never consider myself an artist working on the fringe of the art world but lately I have been re considering what it means to be a contemporary artist.

Gotta do the right kind of art, gotta have the right gallery, gotta have the right art education. Gotta Got 2 Got to Have.

So many rules and regulations...is this not exactly what was once called the art academy, the academics, the Paris Salon, the institution. You know, the same group of official ART persons who were baffled by Cezanne and said Manet was a shit artist.

I understand there are a lot of really bad artists and a somewhat effective filtering method is the placing of these guidelines, but I can't help also feeling that there is an authoritative standard and control which creates a somewhat homogeneous type of artist and art.

Basically I want to get into to grad school in the hopes it will boost my chances of becoming a successful-unoriginal-like everyone else, artist. Allowing me to also escape my retail side hustle in exchange for a uni studio professor position. Paving the way to bitter artist-dom but at least not working in the field of slinging clothes.

2011-11-15T15:55:00.001-08:00

I leave you with you with a link (click the flick) to the most beautiful video I have ever seen. Thanks JJ

2011-11-13T15:53:00.001-08:00

$$$

Ivory

2011-11-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

Like all teenage girls I was into witchcraft, Ouija boards and seances. I did two love spells with my best friend at the time, and we both got our beloved boyfriends! But both ended very poorly...teaching me that hexing is bad times.The next series of work will reflect this.

Hallo-Hell-NO!

2011-10-31T05:02:00.000-07:00

So many kinds of NO.

28

2011-10-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

What. What.

2011-10-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be great if all creative types didn't have to work a Nine 2 Five, then we could all dress like this, all day errr'day. Till then..good night, as I have to work 11-9 tomorrow, whomp whomp whooomp. :(

Nature and Economical Stability vs. Museums and Culture

2011-10-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

YSL retrospective here in Madrid.
I complain a lot about missing Canada but then I remember how fortunate I am to be living in a city where amazing exhibitions run year round and some of them (like this one) are free. FREE! (next week Delecroix)

I was pleased with the exhibition however I have to say that a fashion retrospective incites within me feelings lukewarm in comparison to that of a visual art show. Snark snark, I know I know. I feel wretched saying so, and I am not sure it's just but it's how I feel. The theatricality was wonderful and the clothes were impeccable. However the everything was displayed in chronological order and seemed very typical fashion designer retrospective fashion (sorry ^_^). The show lacked concept, which I guess can't really be surprising, but the show would have been more thought provocative had the pieces been arranged in a manner which spoke to the "political" or "economical" or "something" situation in France or the UK or North America (Eurocentric much? Yes but it's fashion). Man I am annoying!!!!! I know I know, just enjoy the pretty clothes.

I did however love the mini documentaries that played throughout the exhibitions. The myth and magic of Yves Saint Laurent the man and designer attracted and interested me the most and seeing his Mondrian dress and Van Gogh jackets did really take my breath away.

Photos were prohibited in the museum so I robbed these 4 images of the show and great YouTube vid from bcncoolhunter

Yay we don't exist!

2011-10-10T03:25:00.000-07:00

An old advertisement for The Jaenecke Printing Ink Co. Interesting how amongst the mythical and imaginary fairy/elfin-like creatures (not to mention a relative of the Jolly Green Giant ) stand a "Chinaman", an Indian([?] the turban, I suppose is the giveaway) and a Native American (who apparently has the exact same colour skin as his clothing, shoes and feather head adornment).

You know cause equating the purple teletubie king with the Jolly Green Giant's nephew an Asian boy and a red half goat half elfin child is absolutely conceivable.

"Reel Injun"

2011-09-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

Harmony Korine PROENZA SCHOULER SS 2012 collabo.
"SNOWBALLS"
Twin girls wearing Native American headresses and "tribal" Proenza Schouler, complete with bows and arrows...the white trash tipi made of rags is also a nice touch...
I like the video and I am also a fan of Korine´s films, I just don´t really get the point (besides the obvious promoting PS RTW Fall 11 collection) of using two "Native American" figures in the mini movie. I am trying to see the ironic or subersive point but it doesn´t reveal itself easily. In the end the twins read as mythical beings who exist in some kind of fictional dream world dreamt up by the obese white protagonist. In the begining of the film, soft singing can be heard as the two girls come strolling towards the viewer, "They tried to kill us/ before but it didn´t work/ we are from the broken nation/battered and bruised but still tearing up shit......" A revindication of Native Peoples??? Are these twins avenegers of oppressed, previously colonized persons?.....I know, I know, majorly giving this the benefit of the doubt, mainly because in the past I have been called out for being way too extreme and radical in my fight against racism and racial stereotyping..so my initial, double index finger wag was the right one, right?

Proenza Schuloer's Ready to Wear Fall 2011 collection "inspired by a road trip they took to Santa Fe, where they were hipped to the beauty of Native American blankets".

FURTHERMORE...The appropriation of traditional clothing into the fashion industry usually incites feelings of distrust and suspicion. Is it exploitation of culture? Fetishism? Myth making or genuine admiration, and is it possible for admiration to be transfered into a marketable object created for the sole purpose of commerce? I should mention that I am a huge Proenza Schuloer fan and I am madly in LOVE with their RTW Fall 2011 collection. I guess it´s one of the reasons why I have been thinking so much about this. I am generally an admirer of anything be it an image or object that has its concept based in an appropriated source.. I basically love a revamp or recontextualization within any form of object making. My question has more to do with how can one utilize or be inspired by other cultures without exploiting or romanticizing them, especially in fashion. The mere fact that the fashion industry uses blanket terms like "ethnic", "exotic" and "tribal" to describe prints and accessories that lean in the direction of non-occidental is a frank reflection of its eurocentirc gaze. I suppose what I am really trying to get at is, how can creative types appropriate and demonstrate admiration for other cultural traditions without regressing back into stereotyped narratives? How can fashion houses create garments, inspired by traditional dress without transforming them into fanciful costumes.

Check out this great blog post by Jesse Wente regarding Native American/First Nations representations in Hollywood and be sure to watch the amazing documentary "Reel Injun: On the Trail of the Hollywood Indian" directed by Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond.

Boss Lady.

2011-08-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

Yayoi Kusama.

Letter to Kusama from Georgia O'Keeffe

...Amazing.

The Fix

2011-07-08T00:58:00.000-07:00

It´s been a long four months of not producing a single piece of work. In March I was living and working away from Madrid and I was therefore away from my studio. Other monotonous everyday person things like moving studios, moving apartments, etc also interfered with my art making, however today I can finally and happiliy say that I have finished cleaning and unpacking my new house and I will at last have time to get down to doing my shit. And yet even though I haven't produced any new physical work, don't get it twisted cause I am always plottin' out new ideas and projects, Z got two on the go right now. It's now just a matter of execution. So be ready cause this bitch is bout to drop bombs.

I had at times been fairly resentful of not being able to work like I normally do, however I these four months off given me time me to think, process new ideas and develop a competitive drive even more ambitious than before.

Beyoncé recently took a year off before releasing her new album "4"(which is currently killing it on the charts), so Imma think like my girl Bey and take that lucky number 4 (months offs) as a positive ,cause now ya gurl is feeling ready to get her grind on.

Orlan Takes Public Transit.

2011-06-17T03:21:00.000-07:00

Here is Bemaior's paparazzi shot of Orlan who was just behind Jeremy and I. Orlan is a lady of the people! She was waiting in line for the vaporetto like the rest of us common folk!

That girl sitting beside Orlan is not me, but I like to think she is.

My glasses sit lopsided/crooked in every photo. So I guess my ears are not leveled.

Window Cat.

Then we went to a palace party.....Which was really surreal for us and I imagine even more so for Jeremy, Angela and I. Being from Canada where buildings that are 80 years+ are considered relics, guarded and slapped with a Heritage home plaque. It was like partying in a museum, but this time guests were invited to leave their beverages on marble tables (without a coaster! :)), sit on fancy plush chairs and generally lounge about without being scolded by a museum guard. I was extra nerdy and took a bunch of really tourist-like photos.

And to round off my lovely Venician getaway I finished up as any classy woman would; a double cheeseburger and coke from McDonalds.

Check the teapot, he is drinking his own liquids!

La Biennale de Venezia, titulo en español para variar. Parte CUATRO.

2011-06-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

above photo from Phaidon

Maurizio Cattelan, The Others (2011), two thousand stuffed pigeons, perched in and around the Italian Pavilion.

This sculpture installation was really cool. Reminds me of a lot of other sculptures I've seen in the past but done way better. Zing* to those that that comment was directed to.

Incredible. Tension at it's best.

Sigmar Polke. Basically BossHog. I loved these paintings.

From what I could tell it looked like a base print or painting, layered with corrugated plastic, which is then covered in gesso(?), scraped off, let to dry and then a final imaged is drawn on. Really cool way to create an image.

I liked very much that someone had the balls or artistic hedonism to place a piece of chewing gum on top of this name tag/sign.

I absolutely loved these video paintings. I think they were old oil paintings of Venice with video projected directly on top. The result? Seduction. Scroll down to check the vid.

The Antechamber.

Haroon Mirz's Sick.

Nathaniel Mellors, Hippy Dialectics (Ourhouse)

Switzerland Pavilion aka Crack Fox Den

2011-06-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

Thomas Hirschhorn´s Crystal of Resistance....aka The Mighty Boosh´s "Crack Fox" den...aka awesome.

One thing that struck me was the juxtaposition of feeling "icky" or dirty within the installation. Take these cotton swab sculptures, normally associated with cleanliness. The Q-tip, an object used to keep our ears or eyes clean, a hygiene tool let´s say. Here we see it converted into a bacteria spore like pandemic. The entire show used materials which were new, everything was clean. The plastic chairs, packing tape, cotton swabs, electronics, glass, magazines, etc..everything brand new and yet everything exuded a kind of dank filth. Aka the "Crack Fox" den feel.

This was my favorite part of the installation.

The entire installation, similar to Boltanski´s forced specators to walk singlefile throughout the pavilion. They herded us in like cattle adding to the heat, claustrophobia and a kind of organized calm chaos within the installation. At this point of the"tour" I was really itching to get the fuck out, because of the aforementioned atmosphere of the show, but of course, Hirschhorn included a wall lined with broken crystal bottles, forcing the crowds to walk with caution and a kind of fear, as to not catch upon the glass and tear one´s flesh. I was actually kind of paranoid that I would cut myself as some people who were most likely also feeling the effects of heat and stress, were being very pushy and a few times I felt myself being bumped almost against some shards of glass.

visit Crystal of Resistance for more info.

Venice Biennale Pt.THREE

2011-06-14T02:35:00.000-07:00

Swedish Pavilion

Outside the Danish Pavilion

Venezuelan Pavilion: Yoshi's "Spaces"

A view of the biennale in the Giardini

Belgian Pavilion (aka "omg Luc Tuymans!") Represented by Angel Vergara currated by Luc Tuymans.
Luc Tuymans once came to my university to give critiques for a few of us lucky students and also gave a very commanding talk at the Vancouver Art Gallery. I have had a big school girl crush on him ever since and was hoping to catch a glimpse of him at the Biennale. Of couse when actually faced with the possibility I chickened out, but luckily Jeremy is tall enough and was able to take a photo of Tuymans who was perched in front of a large admiring crowd.

Venice 2011 Pt.TWO

2011-06-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

Christian Boltanski for France

I really liked this installation, the noise of the film as it weaved through the metal structure was jarring. Spectators had to walk single file while maneuvering throughout the piece. It gave me a sense of imprisonment and claustrophobia. Big fan of Boltanski from art school days.

Korean Pavilion

Artist Lee Yongbaek

I was really excited to be at the Korean Pavilion especially having just visited the Canadian one. I was feeling pretty proud at this particular moment.

Really really excited to have my photo taken with my brothers.

This painting was really beautiful. I liked how it looked photorealistic from a far yet up close it pleased the eye with revealing the brushstrokes and paint.

Here is a better look at the photo "Angel Soldier"

These mirror projections were cool even if they were pretty "effecty". This particular one flashed in a fast forward motion different religious icon heads.

It was hard to catch the different images with my camera...so we get JC 2 times.

This was another room of mirror projections, this time with sound. Everything appears at first to be calm and then we are struck with a very loud noise and then the shattering sound of glass, all whilst the mirrors project (or rather have projected on them) a moving image of glass breaking.

Again pretty "effecty" but entertaining enough.

One of the things which struck me about the Korean pavilion was that as well as selling the catalog, it is also available online for free! Go Korea!!

Check out Design Boom for a more comprehensive overview on the Korean Pavilion including videos and a more detailed review .

More photos to come!

Venice 2011 Pt.ONE

2011-06-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

My good friend and artist Jeremy Hof invited Bemaior and I to join him and artist Angela Teng to the Venice Biennale. Jeremy was in Venice because he assisted in the construction of the Canadian Pavilion facade (poem) and because he is Steven's assistant.

Never having been to Venice and being presented the opportunity to spend time with my one of my closet friends while at the 2011 Biennale?! How could I refuse. Not to mention that Steven Shearer is representing Canada this year, adding a bit of rock and roll and making it extra cool to be Canadian.

Myself and Angela Teng outside of the Canadian pavillion.

Whaaaat? And it's a painting and drawing show? Umm YesPlease!

Loving the bronze nails!

Bemaior with a brand new Shearer tote. Thanks for the hook up Jer!!

This painting was stupid amazing. I could not stop staring at it. It emitted a similar sensation I get when looking at old masters's works and I know that's no light comparison but I also never bullshit.

I have seen and admired this drawing many times viewing it as a jpeg on the internet, so when I was confronted with it I was more that elated.

After we went to the Canadian Art Magazine launch which was just behind the Canadian Pavilion, embedded within a trees and a beautiful view of the sea. For the first time in about 3 years I was surrounded by Canadians and realized then how nice/polite we really are.

ACID RAIN

2011-05-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

-Bemaior "Acid" 2011-

4 hour video that presents a full day in this particular world. Complete with sun rise and sunset, allowing for different views depending what time one enters the gallery space. (I will be posting a sped up/compressed version soon).

Screen caps of video seen on the left.


This painting was inspired by Anamorphosis, in particular Holbein's 1533 "The Ambassadors".

In order to properly view this piece, the viewer must stand in front of the white frame and capture the intended perspective

as such....

Inside.....

Amazing right?

The painting changes colour...check the video..

When I left thee I turned my face to the East and journeyed. Six days I journeyed, and on the morning of the seventh day I came to the foot of Mount Tyrisdon. As I passed over the mountains, grey threads of smoke rose up out of them, its odour as it burned was as the odour of the pink almond in spring. I knew that the Purple Sponges of Tyre and the Blue Hangings from Sidon were near. I saw the Gryphons guarding their gold on the white rocks, and the scaled Dragons sleeping in their caves. As I passed through the valley the crows shrieked and cawed their hymns of caution as they leered wearily from the hollow of their trees. At nighttime I heard wild beasts howling against the wind.

At daybreak I woke to encounter a relentless sun whose rays beated and pounded unforgivingly upon my delicate skin. I sought shade under the shelter of a Tamarisk tree and felt the earth beneath me dry and burnt up with the heat. A cloud of red dust rose up from the flat rim of the land and the oil of red roses and myrth and little nail shaped cloves filled my senses as I steadily forged on.

At twilight I tasted that the air was sultry, for the Moon was traveling in Scorpion. I took the ripe pomegranates from the trees, broke them and drank their sweet juices. Then I lay down on the dirt and waited for the dawn.

-Sita Aewajacas-

The Fisherman’s Soul Relived and Retold Though Sita Aewajacas

"Acid" runs through till June 10th at La Fresh Gallery, Madrid Spain.

www.bemaior.com for more information.

"O-LAN" as Luise Rainer as Jade Fox as Suzie in the role of Onicki, playing "Lotus the 'Sing Song Girl'"

2011-05-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

The Heroic Saga Of A Great Woman Whose Life Tells The Story Of A Nation

2011-04-24T17:29:00.001-07:00

Sita Aewajacas

2011-04-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

New "Sita Aewajacas" gel pen drawings...

Sprang and Sprung

2011-04-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

If you grew up in Canada, you'll remember these classic "Heritage Moments" commercials. I love historical re-enactments in museum, theatrical and cinematic form. I firmly believe that my fascination with history and the theatrics came from watching these commercials when I was a child. I should also mention that films like "Alex Haley's 'Roots'", "Ben Hur" and the CBC's period films/tv series (Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea) also had an enormous impact on the shaping of my views as an adult.

PS: I MISS YOU CANADA, maybe you should think of opening up your view/entry points for young artists, so we don't all have to move to Europe.

One of my favorite episodes here. I couldn't find it on YouTube so if you're interested check it. Agnes Macphail not having any of it!

Check out more classic Canadian Heritage moments here

ET

2011-04-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Just so I don't forget.

Bizzy But Back

2011-04-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

I've been rather busy these past few months, worked outside of Madrid, teaching Spanish children arts and crafts along with English. It was a great experience not only because of the children, but it gave me time away from the studio and a chance to "live" outside my regular day to day self absorbed artist bubble. And now I've come away from this little break ready to work harder than ever. I'm working on a really exciting new project/narrative and I will be posting bits and pieces of it as it progresses week by week.

Beber y Leer: NAUFUS

2011-04-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

Recently my friend Naufus Ramirez-Figueroa came to Madrid to present his solo exhibition at Casa America, Beber y Leer El Arco Iris (Drink and Read the Rainbow).

Naufus and I went to undergrad school together in Vancouver Canada and I have always been a big fan of his work. So needless to say when he told me he was coming to Madrid and having a show, I was pretty excited. Along with six interactive sculptures representing different Hispano-American writers and excerpts of their writing/poetry and coloured refreshments, the lucky viewers who were in attendance at the opening were privy to an amazing and very beautiful performance.

(Naufus...Killing it!)

Behind the scenes:

(Bemaior helping out behind the scenes)

Naufus Ramirez-Figueroa (Guatemala City, 1978) is an interdisciplinary artist, working in video, installation, and performance. His work and research delves into folkloricism, sexuality, magical practices, the welfare of children in war, the experiences of refugees, and poetry. He obtained a BFA from Emily Carr Institute in 2006 and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008. He has had various solo exhibitions, including La Reina Ha Muerto, el Alce la Mato (Proyectos Ultra Violeta, 2010), Para Ti El Banano Madura Al Peso De Tu Dulce Amor (Des Pacio, 2008), and Children’s Tears Laid Out To Dry (grunt gallery, 2007). His work has also been included in a number of group exhibitions, including Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, Yucatan and Elsewhere (CCE, Guatemala 2010 -curated by Pablo Leon de la Barra), Home Works IV (Masrah Al Madina, Lebanon 2008 -curated by Akram Zaatari), Sex Work: The Museum as Brothel, Art House as Porn House(Internationale Kurzfilmtage, Oberhausen 2007 -curated by AA Bronson), andVideo Centro-Americano (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana 2005 -curated by Ernesto Calvo). He has performed at FADO Centre for Performance Art (Toronto), South Side Community Art Center (Chicago), Tribe Arts (Saskatoon), The Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver), and the Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporaneo (San Jose, Costa Rica), among other places. He is a recipient of various awards including the 2007 Franklin Furnace Performance Art Fund, and is a 2011 fellow at Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany.

Currently he lives between Mexico City and Vancouver, Canada.

www.naufus.com

I get Money

2011-03-04T07:54:00.000-08:00

More artfair flicks, this time from the "little brother" or parallel to Arco art fair, Just Madrid. Just Madrid (or JustMad..err no comment) is a space for emerging or younger galleries to have a little face time in the world of CONVENTION CENTER$$$, which is actually a nice gesture cause the little guys gotta eat too and from what I heard, "it was a commercial success", so congratulations.

Unlike Arco, Just Madrid was not held in the typical trade show center but rather in an abandoned(?)/empty palace in/near the city center. It had a cool kinda of rustic, scruffy, non polished/slick feel to it. A little garage sale like in some of the booths, but it did appear a little challenging to divide space properly. I didn't feel the need to take photos of the more shabby looking spaces because quite frankly the work in those spaces did not interest me. Having said that some of the nooks and crannies had a special feel to them and of those I did take some snaps.

Oh Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiii Canada!

Galerie Zink (Berlin)

all paintings by Rosilene Luduvico

Crystal Contemporary Art (Stockholm)

Ditte Ejlerskov

Lina Bjerneld

Galeria ARTEKO (San Sebastian)

Edu Hurtado

La Fresh Gallery (Madrid)

Oh Hey Hector!

Hector Orruño

Hector is a friend of mine and I wanted to post more photos of his painting installation. He had a really cool sculpture which you can see beside him in the above photo. However the light reacted strangely with my camera and most of the photos I took turned out really blue. To check out more of Hector's work visit La Fresh Gallery or just google him.

Berlin Art Projects (Berlin)

Ulrich Riedel

Yasam Sasmazer

Gallery???

Paco Pomet

Just Madrid was host to some design galleries as well. I usually hate designers and their beautifully well made, profitable objects. This hatred is due mainly out of jealously. They're basically artists who regularly get paid and often dress better. Neverless, I did fall in love with this glass vessel, home of plants, created by Carissa Santoso.

PRESH!

And this flashlight chandelier thing also caught my eye...

Heineken was the big sponsor for both art fairs, it had a huge space at Arco and also a cute little installation/somewhat period piece setup at Just Madrid....

Like I said, the fair was held inside an old palace hence the kitchen...

The opening night was courted by free bottle of Heineken beer given out by attractive young ladies, I did want to take photos of said ladies, but I thought it would be creepy so I resisted.

As you can probably tell, I took very few photos, mainly because I was a bit overwhelmed by the many people and free flowing booze. I even spilled a bit of beer near some sculpture...I felt like such an asshole and was made to feel even worse by the reprimanding hipster bitch art fair employee who seemed pissed off because I did not come equipped with a mop to clean up my little disaster. I should mention that the liquid spilled on my behalf was of a very little consequence, but nonetheless, the organizers of the event should have known better than handing out endless amounts of gin champagne and beer to poor artists could ensue in drunken disaster.

My overall verdict; good vibe, less pretentiousness than Arco, minus hipster bitch staff member, cool location but overall mediocre to very very bad art. Yes I said it and I don't care for those who oppose it. A lot of the work looked really garage sale-like and I would have to say that some of the corners that a few of the galleries got shoved into didn't help the outcome of said work (I saw one poor gallery in the old sauna or bathhouse and to add insult to injury the light was really dark and dank). Of course not all the spaces looked horrible. Some lucky galleries got wonderful spaces and some had some really interesting pieces. But let's get real here, it's an art fair, not a museum, $ell $ell $ell, remember?

So I don't listen to the suits behind the desk no more/You ni**az wear suits 'cause you can't dress no more: Part I

2011-02-27T17:45:00.000-08:00

Okay so here are some photos I took at ARCO, one of the two Madrid art fairs I went to. Just want to preface the post by stating that I took photos on a fairly random tangent, basically what is shown does not reflect the pieces I related to or enjoyed the most. Also I was not at all keeping track of artists names and galleries, so my apologies in advance if some are not listed. Keep in mind what I wrote in my last post, art fairs are pretty much the worst places to enjoy art, so my mind and eye were not at their critical best. It's basically how I feel at art openings..I mean really who goes to check out art? We go to people watch and fashion police (and don't "humph" me, YOU do it too).

ARCO 2011

Nogueras Blanchard Gallery (Barcelona)

Michael Lin (Left)

Ignacio Uriarte (Right)

Fran Meana (my favorite artist shown at the stand)

This piece was so beautiful

Wilfriedo Prieto "Smart gum"

Juan Lopez

Galeria Fucares (Madrid)

Miki Leal

Simeon Saiz Ruiz

(I hated this piece btw, George Seurat 2011 need not....)

Miki Leal ( I love Miki!!!!)

Todd Arsenault

I can't believe the gallery or whoever spelled dude's name wrong! How you gonna do that to a dude! Nobody can rock the name Tood! Damn dawg, proof reading never hurt anybody...

??Gallery??

Nicholas Woods

Galeria Juana de Aizpuru (Madrid)

???

Sandra Gamara (I love Sandra!!!!)

one of my favorite pieces at Arco.

Mike Kelly (I really love Mike!!!)

Galeria Soledad Lorenzo (Madrid)

Victoria Civera

Galeria Casado Santapau (Madrid)

Alexandre Arrechea (is amazing)

???

I have no idea who the artist is and what gallery it was with. Sowwiez.

Galerie Michael Janssen (Berlin)

Monique van Genderen

(this installation of paintings looked so beautiful in life, the art dealer was a very scary/angry and expensive looking man)

Luis Adelantado (Valencia/Mexico DF)

Morten Slettemeås

I was looking forward to seeing some of Morten Slettemeås's work in life because I love the imagery he uses. I was unfortunatley let down when I saw this painting up close. I guess I expected the work to be more thick and juicy, not so thin and flat. Still a beautiful image though.

Galerie Zink (Berlin)

Rosilene Luduvico (loved these little jems)

Yoshitomo Nara (one of my idols)

??Gallery??

I don't know what gallery this was, something snobby NYC...All I could focus on was how hilariously terrifying this Julian Schnabel was. It was fucking huge. If I hadn't recently heard the CBC Q interview with Julian and Jian, this painting would have made me hate Julian even more than I thought I had. I mean look at that fucking frame, it's so ostentatious in a really bad bad maybe good way(?)

I just really couldn't look at this painting without laughing so I had to leave the stand as the gallery attendees did not seem to think 27 year old ladies should be giggling near their merchandise.

Galerie Eigen + Art (Leipzig/Berlin)

Neo Rauch. My first time with Mr. Rauch, will never forget it. WoW is all I can say. Dude can paint.

This piece was huge.

David Schnell and myself. This was a weird meeting because I had never seen a David Schnell like this before, but the explosive energetic mark making seems character of his other work too.

????Gallery???

But really who cares when the focus is on her...The real superstar...

Jessica 'The Queen' Stockholder

Girlfriend don't need no intro. LOVE HER.

???Gallery Artists???

I feel really bad for getting lazy at this point at the fair because I really love these cut out photos. I am the worst event "document-er", I actually hate taking these types of photos and was feeling like a mega touristy nerd (which is another reason I never come home with cool memorabilia photos from vacations, because apparently I am too cool for school to take photos....)

BIRDS!

Miki Leal

(Have no idea what gallery and really who cares, let's try and focus on the artists for once!)

There was lots more I didn't see or bother to photograph, I didn't get around to exploring the entire fair. Like I said, I find these types of events mentally and spiritually draining, which is trés triste to think about considering all the art hanging around these places.

Okay Part II Just Madrid coming next.

Five Star Dishes, Different Exotic Fishes

2011-02-22T11:36:00.001-08:00

Last week I went to Arco and JustMadrid (two art fairs here in Madrid) and while I guess it's always an experience to check out art fairs, I for one pretty much despise them. The sole purpose of these conventions is to sell sell sell and it's a part of the art world and part of being an artist I accept this without annoyance or grief. But like all businesses, when money mixes with creativity it just becomes putrid.

It's so bizarre to be in a huge pavilion filled with art and feel no creative surge or artistic energy. Even good art looks like shit in these venues. I should mention that I am complaining almost completely about Arco, which is a hugeish type fair held in Madrid every year. I do think fairs are fine, fine for rich European men, pretentious gallery goers, orange European women, gallerists, etc, but if you are a person of substance and critical thinking, you might just want to leave backing slowly (or quickly) out towards the door.

I don't want to come off as only critical, like I said I do understand the purpose behind art fairs (sell sell sell) and it is cool that the general public are invited to check it out, after paying the 30 euro or whatever the fee is and people are free to take photographs, which is nice. However I always end up feeling like a part of my soul has lifted up out of my body when I leave these places. Anyways I did take some pictures of both fairs which I will be posting shortly. I should mention that JustMadrid was a nice little change of pace and style in comparison to the big showy Arco.

And to end my whiny rant on vacuous unimportant art world issues, here is the first creative Rap video I have seen in a while that actually seems derivative from a place of originality. Gotta keep these batteries charged, hustle mang'

Ps I copped this vid from The Lost and Found, peep good muuuusiiiiiik.

2011-02-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

GUCCI!

I recently finished this painting, which has been kind of an experiment for me. I usually work under a somewhat rigid set of guidelines, but with this painting I just wanted to layer, add colour and not think too much. I also changed the face in the center to something more cartoonish as well as making the size of the head larger. I think the second face anchors the painting much better, the former seemed to force the eye to float around and the image did not seem to have a firm setting. I like both, but I am pleased with the end result and feel that the latter is something that I can live with. I tend to over work paintings so I am sure many people would argue that the first attempt was much better.

Before and After "Chain Heavy" 2011 73cm X 60cm_oil on canvas

I also finished this painting tonight, just added some highlights, thicker paint in some areas and the bird was placed in the other day too. I was really bored with this image so I tried to appease that boredom with some added humor, which I had to point out to my partner Be, sooo I am assuming my "wit" will go on undetected, too subtle and almost non existent.

"Lemonade" 2011

60cm X 73cm_oil on canvas

www.zadiexa.com

Totally Random, But Needing to Be Brought to Light.

2011-02-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

You're racist dose for the evening......

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...........................(WTF?!)HERE TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE
PS: "A LITTLE GENTLE XENOPHOBIA" !!!!! THIS BITCH BE TRIPPIN.

No One Man Should Have All That Power

2011-02-06T22:43:00.000-08:00

As most of my good friends know, I am a HUGE YEEZY FAN (hence the CAPS) and I am also an admirer of George Condo. So back when it was discovered that Condo did the cover work (5 different ones at that) for Kanye's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" I was elated. First of all Yeezy mos definitely gets contemporary art cred for even knowing George Condo's work. I know he got Murakami to do the artwork for "Graduation" but an artist like Murakami would seem like an obvious choice, for a pop rap star like the Kanyes and Pharrells of the mainstream, making this move towards an artist like George Condo seem even more pleasantly surprising. Anywayzzz, Condo recently celebrated the opening of his retrospective at the New Museum, with the likes of Marc Jacobs and the Louis Vuitton Don himself in attendance.

Being a huge of fan of both I love seeing photos of them mean muggin together and even embracing(!). Very titilating (in a non sexual way, if that is possible) for me.

Check the some photos ~~I robbed from elsewhere on the net~~ of Condo's "Mental States" at the New Museum in NYC. And visit You Heard That New to see the other candids of Kanye and Condo partying it up! Sidebar: Kanye also performed at George Condo's daughter's bat mitzvah.

Check out The New Museum's website for more info and beautiful Condo images.

ps: Isn't this Condo just sosososossoso delish?

setting the stage

2011-02-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

This is another painting I am working on, I didn't do much on it tonight, just added some shadows. It's going to have figures, but I like the emptiness of the space and wanted to share this "before" image.

Most of my painted evening was spent on the sphinx painting I posted in a previous entry. I added a bird, and coloured in more flowers, added contrast to the sky and rocks. I like looking at my work together and so I'll be excited to see all these new pieces hung together.

5am and it's not yet bedtime.

2011-02-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

And no, it's not cause I've been out hittin the town. Tonight was spent working on this painting again, while watching "8 Out of 10 Cats" and thinking about the future. I can't figure out if this painting is finished or not, I have a tendency to over work paintings to death and usually don't know when to stop. I've also reached the point where creating a picture and simply illustrating it is not doing anything for me. I suppose it could be said that I have become quite bored with my paintings. Fear not friends (I know there are at least 2 of you reading this) I have recourses and I am just ruminating over the possibilities to incorporate these new ideas.

Things To Come

2011-02-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

I am currently in a transitional period in my life and currently looking hopeful that these transitions will be positive and worthwhile. Fingers crossed.

This is a detail of a new painting I am working on. Should she have a face? I kinda like the featureless and somewhat boneless face.

new work

2011-01-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

It's not quite finished but it's close enough. This is one of four new paintings I am currently working on. I'll post the other ones as soon as they are more developed.

Untitled 2011
63 X 70cm
oil on canvas

Ai Weiwei

2011-01-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

I went to London a few months back and was fortunate enough to see Ai Weiwei's "Sunflower Seeds" at the Tate Modern.

Sunflower Seeds is monumental, intimate, thought provoking and sentimental. We were lucky enough to have been "given" two seeds from the security. I think the guard's intention was to provide us with a closer look. This resulted with me feverishly and nervously pocketing the small porcelain seeds into my purse. Feeling like quite the rebel, I later realized another guard behind us saw me stuffing the seeds away triumphantly and did not care. So I guess it wasn't really stealing.

This exhibition made me feel kind of like an ass for using painting as my medium. I love painting and I don't apologize for doing it but sometimes a piece like this comes along and pushes one into feeling fairly impotent as a painter.

Because Sadie Cha is my Hypeman

2011-01-04T17:29:00.000-08:00

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Your favorite Scorpio/Korean/ Canadian visual artist has herself a new, nouveau, nuevo, nuovo, neu website...

I am still working out a few things and haven't added my most recent work (yet), but it's up and ready to be viewed.

we all go back to our colonizers.

2011-01-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

......happy to see an old friend. Sad to see her where she was.

Chain Heavy

2010-12-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

my chain heavy yeah yeah my chain heavy, my chain heavy, my chain too heavy...shit son! Look who got more mail!!!!

Chicho delivering the goods

As I mentioned in my previous post my girl Shiloh and I agreed to a trade, in return for one of my dreamcatchers, I would receive one of her beautiful glass necklaces. And today it arrived! With other goodies I might add...

A handmade triangle card, sticker from her cool daughter Uma and a surprise drawing from her partner and my good friend, Vancouver artist Roland Eickmeier.

I am absolutely in love with this necklace, I love it's shape, color (my favorite!) and length. Shiloh had mentioned that she made this one a bit different, inverting the triangle, resulting into this black beauty.

Needless to say I am elated and touched. I have the coolest friends ever, neither time nor distance hinders our relationships. Real Recognize Real, Alwayzzzzz!

Thank you so much Shiloh, Roland and Uma!

Please visit Shiloh's fashion blog CHINA

I Love My Bitch(ez), I Love You Baby.

2010-12-22T11:46:00.000-08:00

Nothing like opening your mailbox in search of bills and flyers for cheap delivery whennnnn.....You get hit with an amazing handmade Holiday Card! Especially when it's made by one of your closest lady friends who also happens to be an amazing artist. Thank You Jessica Jang!

And when you think things couldn't possibly get better, you see this on your girl's blog...

I. LOVE. IT. Thank you so much Shiloh!

I remember a few years back Shiloh made a large geometic stain glass text piece which was installed in the window sill of the Charles H. Scott Gallery in Vancouver. The piece was beautiful and left everyone in awe, needless to say I am thrilled to be recieving such a cool accesory and when I wear it I will imagine it to be a small fragment Shiloh's previous larger stain glass piece.

Check out Shiloh's fashion blog...CHINA

It Takes A Muscle To Fall In Love

2010-12-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

New still life I am working on, let's see if I can finish it by this Fri. Hold me to that.

"I hate when I’m on a flight and I wake up with a water bottle next to me like oh great now I gotta be responsible for this water bottle"

2010-12-09T12:19:00.000-08:00

Looky looky what I just found. An old ugly (I already said it was ugly...)painting from 2008 which might have the potential to be dope.

Lemonade

2010-12-07T11:51:00.000-08:00