Saturday, October 31, 2009
Coming Up
Artist’s talk
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
November 3, 2:30 p.m.
Whitney Family Program Workshop
Whitney Museum of American Art
New York, NY
November 7
Artist’s talk
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, IL
November 12, 6-7 p.m.
Artist’s talk
The Center for Creative Photography
Tucson, AZ
November 17, 5:30 p.m.
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
November 3, 2:30 p.m.
Whitney Family Program Workshop
Whitney Museum of American Art
New York, NY
November 7
Artist’s talk
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, IL
November 12, 6-7 p.m.
Artist’s talk
The Center for Creative Photography
Tucson, AZ
November 17, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Popeye's Contest!
The fabulous Ms. Rondell has alerted the world to a competition that I'll be entering next year... "The annual Popeye's Fight Against Obesity and Heart Disease All-You-Can-Eat Chicken and Dumplings Cook Off."
And it's worth mentioning that Popeye's is referred to as "Poop-eye's" in our house because LB worked with someone at Temple who dumped in her pants at a Popeye's.
And it's worth mentioning that Popeye's is referred to as "Poop-eye's" in our house because LB worked with someone at Temple who dumped in her pants at a Popeye's.
Week of The Perfect Game
I was in Chicago this summer to cook up something for the Art Institute of Chicago and constructed a site-specific installation piece for the photography gallery in the AIC modern wing. In one week I shot a series of photos, edited the photos, printed all the 13x19 inkjet photos that are included in the installation, spec'd the AIC site and created 4 different blueprints for final installations that could shift with budget.
That's right, IN ONE MOTHER FUCKING WEEK, folks. It was kind of nuts, but I'm thrilled with the finished product.
The time constraint was self-imposed. I really wanted to see what the work would be like if it I couldn't edit in my usual endless manner and I wanted to construct something complete from an immediate experience... and I wanted to create something that would fold into my larger body of work, and I also wanted to use the work I made during the week to be exhibited as a complete piece. I've done a few things in the vein of "Week of the Perfect Game" -Pioneer Portrait Studio, a Works in Progress project at Open Satellite and most recently Hola. Como Estas? in Madrid, but Week of the Perfect Game is a little bit different because it's intended as a permanent piece.
Part of the reason that I'm so thrilled with this project is that the time constraint shaped the work in a way that made me think in a different way about the editing and syntax of my photos by working with what was right in front of me, limiting the ability to create work that neatly dovetailed with my expectations. I'm certain I would have produced something different had I given myself even a day more to work on this project. I came to Chicago with an unformed idea about exploring Chicago post Obama election and thought maybe to weave together a series of photos to talk about the inevitable shift that had happened in the city. But I was open to seeing what was going on in Chicago and it led me to something completely different, and somewhat unlike the work I usually make. The finished installation features Lake Michigan, and the order of the photos in the complete installation come at fluidity and isolation, and quietly refer to both limited and limitless opportunities and choices.
So when I got there Kate gave me a tour of the AIC Modern Wing and mentioned that the AIC is actually built on top of Lake Michigan. That night I read that the Art Institute is built on infill, on debris from "the great fire" specifically, and is situated in Lake Michigan proper.
My proposals all had Lake Michigan as the keystone, as the connector for the images that were made that week. The Lake had to be brought into the space in a way that brought the outside in and implied that the building is in/on Lake Michigan.
After 3 days of making work, I felt a kind of disconnect happening in Chicago and Indiana, a disconnect between my expectations of what I thought I'd find as well as a big chasm between different sections of Chicago. The election was over and despite the vestiges of great pride and excitement floating around, of course, there was no definitive change that had happened. There had been a euphoric moment in Chicago, but people were living their lives as they had been before. Due to the vibe I knew I wanted an absence of narrative with the 13"x19" prints, a series of primarily unrelated images that seem somewhat unconnected, although they are much more connected in a literal sense than most of my work, considering that they're closely connected by time and place.
The portraits are all quiet, and they all needed either wall or sky as the background... no implication of place, and either wide-open or completely closed off.
Two photos that I made on the first day were the basis for the order of the other images.
Detail I-95 (If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
It's statement that's both completely true and completely false.
Detail I-95 (Robert)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Robert is the person to help talk about the duality of "if you can dream it, you can do it." His expression is impassive and direct. He's got nothing behind him but sky. There's no reading that kid.
----
The 4 proposals that I cooked up included different configurations of full bleed wall applications of Lake Michigan, with photos hung on top of the Lake images or a screen covering the window with an image of Lake Michigan.
Here's some of the specs...
3 walls full lake image, one west facing out window, the East facing reverse of that wall, 18' long permanent wall, another freestanding 9 ft. wall that faces west.
2 walls east facing wall on 18' long permanent wall and freestanding 9 ft. wall that faces west.
1 wall 9ft west facing wall, with lake image printed on flag or similar material covering window.
Out of these ideas came a variation I hadn't proposed because I thought it would be too much money, but it ended up being the final. THANKS, KATE! I really wanted a transparent lake image to adhere directly to the glass, but because there were a number of mullions I thought it would be a billion dollars. Hello, interior/exterior lake image...
window lake image seen from inside.
window lake image seen from outside.
-----
final order of small prints
-----
Photos in "Week of The Perfect Game"
Detail I-95 (Frank and Bev's Bed)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, In
Detail I-95 (Shorty)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago,IL
Detail I-95 (Week of The Perfect Game)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago, IL
White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle throws perfect game
Detail I-95 (Robert)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Detail I-95 (If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
----
Detail I-95 (Gary Football Field)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
Detail I-95 (lincoln was a good old man white he jump out the window with his dick in his hand mean manner drives taxs kids prematited company game vs problem all that they mistake)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
Detail I-95 (Tiger Lounge)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago, IL
Detail I-95 (Rip Isaiah Zeko)
Isaiah is standing in front of Lake Michigan
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago, IL
Detail I-95 (Beverly's Mother)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
-----
Detail I-95 (Michael Jackson House, Bad Poster)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
Michael Jackson Mourned In Gary, Indiana Hometown
Detail I-95 (Puerto Rican Day East Chicago)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
East Chicago, IN
Detail I-95 (Hemp Lover in Miller Hat)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Whiting, IN
Pierogi Fest
Detail I-95 (McDonald's Window)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago
Detail I-95 (Yes We Did)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago
Detail I-95 (Woman Striker)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago
Congress Hotel Strike
More later on all this.
That's right, IN ONE MOTHER FUCKING WEEK, folks. It was kind of nuts, but I'm thrilled with the finished product.
The time constraint was self-imposed. I really wanted to see what the work would be like if it I couldn't edit in my usual endless manner and I wanted to construct something complete from an immediate experience... and I wanted to create something that would fold into my larger body of work, and I also wanted to use the work I made during the week to be exhibited as a complete piece. I've done a few things in the vein of "Week of the Perfect Game" -Pioneer Portrait Studio, a Works in Progress project at Open Satellite and most recently Hola. Como Estas? in Madrid, but Week of the Perfect Game is a little bit different because it's intended as a permanent piece.
Part of the reason that I'm so thrilled with this project is that the time constraint shaped the work in a way that made me think in a different way about the editing and syntax of my photos by working with what was right in front of me, limiting the ability to create work that neatly dovetailed with my expectations. I'm certain I would have produced something different had I given myself even a day more to work on this project. I came to Chicago with an unformed idea about exploring Chicago post Obama election and thought maybe to weave together a series of photos to talk about the inevitable shift that had happened in the city. But I was open to seeing what was going on in Chicago and it led me to something completely different, and somewhat unlike the work I usually make. The finished installation features Lake Michigan, and the order of the photos in the complete installation come at fluidity and isolation, and quietly refer to both limited and limitless opportunities and choices.
So when I got there Kate gave me a tour of the AIC Modern Wing and mentioned that the AIC is actually built on top of Lake Michigan. That night I read that the Art Institute is built on infill, on debris from "the great fire" specifically, and is situated in Lake Michigan proper.
My proposals all had Lake Michigan as the keystone, as the connector for the images that were made that week. The Lake had to be brought into the space in a way that brought the outside in and implied that the building is in/on Lake Michigan.
After 3 days of making work, I felt a kind of disconnect happening in Chicago and Indiana, a disconnect between my expectations of what I thought I'd find as well as a big chasm between different sections of Chicago. The election was over and despite the vestiges of great pride and excitement floating around, of course, there was no definitive change that had happened. There had been a euphoric moment in Chicago, but people were living their lives as they had been before. Due to the vibe I knew I wanted an absence of narrative with the 13"x19" prints, a series of primarily unrelated images that seem somewhat unconnected, although they are much more connected in a literal sense than most of my work, considering that they're closely connected by time and place.
The portraits are all quiet, and they all needed either wall or sky as the background... no implication of place, and either wide-open or completely closed off.
Two photos that I made on the first day were the basis for the order of the other images.
Detail I-95 (If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
It's statement that's both completely true and completely false.
Detail I-95 (Robert)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Robert is the person to help talk about the duality of "if you can dream it, you can do it." His expression is impassive and direct. He's got nothing behind him but sky. There's no reading that kid.
----
The 4 proposals that I cooked up included different configurations of full bleed wall applications of Lake Michigan, with photos hung on top of the Lake images or a screen covering the window with an image of Lake Michigan.
Here's some of the specs...
3 walls full lake image, one west facing out window, the East facing reverse of that wall, 18' long permanent wall, another freestanding 9 ft. wall that faces west.
2 walls east facing wall on 18' long permanent wall and freestanding 9 ft. wall that faces west.
1 wall 9ft west facing wall, with lake image printed on flag or similar material covering window.
Out of these ideas came a variation I hadn't proposed because I thought it would be too much money, but it ended up being the final. THANKS, KATE! I really wanted a transparent lake image to adhere directly to the glass, but because there were a number of mullions I thought it would be a billion dollars. Hello, interior/exterior lake image...
window lake image seen from inside.
window lake image seen from outside.
-----
final order of small prints
-----
Photos in "Week of The Perfect Game"
Detail I-95 (Frank and Bev's Bed)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, In
Detail I-95 (Shorty)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago,IL
Detail I-95 (Week of The Perfect Game)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago, IL
White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle throws perfect game
Detail I-95 (Robert)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Detail I-95 (If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
----
Detail I-95 (Gary Football Field)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
Detail I-95 (lincoln was a good old man white he jump out the window with his dick in his hand mean manner drives taxs kids prematited company game vs problem all that they mistake)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
Detail I-95 (Tiger Lounge)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago, IL
Detail I-95 (Rip Isaiah Zeko)
Isaiah is standing in front of Lake Michigan
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago, IL
Detail I-95 (Beverly's Mother)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
-----
Detail I-95 (Michael Jackson House, Bad Poster)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Gary, IN
Michael Jackson Mourned In Gary, Indiana Hometown
Detail I-95 (Puerto Rican Day East Chicago)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
East Chicago, IN
Detail I-95 (Hemp Lover in Miller Hat)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Whiting, IN
Pierogi Fest
Detail I-95 (McDonald's Window)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago
Detail I-95 (Yes We Did)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago
Detail I-95 (Woman Striker)
For "Week of the Perfect Game"
Chicago
Congress Hotel Strike
More later on all this.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
I am always plagued with guilt that if I'm doing something other than working, I should be working. It's a cultural sickness and I'm fully stricken by it. But it's true that a lot of the time I should be doing something other than working, I should be paying taxes, and the bills that I just ignore until a cut off threat comes. And I should be organizing and cleaning... I need to be going about 20 hours a day to keep up.
However, I'll be damned if this Phillies window wasn't worth my time.
Can I just mention that the pumpkin carving comes from the photo below of Werth's home run in the NL championship game?
----
Also, I support Philadelphia win or lose. And this window wins regardless of World Series outcome.
However, I'll be damned if this Phillies window wasn't worth my time.
Can I just mention that the pumpkin carving comes from the photo below of Werth's home run in the NL championship game?
----
Also, I support Philadelphia win or lose. And this window wins regardless of World Series outcome.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
McFadden & Whitehead Time
Rest in peace, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead.
-----
Ain't No Stopping Us Now
McFadden & Whitehead
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We're on the move!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We've got the groove!
There's been so many things thats held us down.
But now it looks like things are finally comin' around.
I know we've got, a long long way to go,
and where we'll end up, I don't know.
But we won't let nothin' hold us back,
we're putting our selves together,
we're polishing up our act!
If you felt we've been held down before,
I know you'll refuse to be held down anymore!
Don't you let nothing, nothing,
Stand in your way!
I want ya'll to listen, listen,
to every word I say, every word I say!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We're on the move!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We've got the groove!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We're on the move!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We've got the groove!
I know you know someone that has a negative vow,
and if you're trying to make it they only push you aside.
They really don't have, no where to go.
Ask them where they're going, they don't know.
But we won't let nothin' hold us back,
we're gonna put our selves together,
we're gonna polish up our act!
And if you've ever been held down before,
I know you'll refuse to be held down anymore!
Don't you let nothing, nothing,
Stand in your way!
I want ya'll to listen, listen,
to every word I say, every word I say!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We're on the move!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We've got the groove!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We're on the move!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We've got the groove!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
El Impostor Article about Me Written by the Great Aitor Aguirre
Gracias, Aitor. It's my great pleasure to know you.
Monday, October 26, 2009
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