SPEAKING OF WHICH .. going up the mountain, and coming back down.
unknown seasons and . . wrathful deities !!
this week’s WALL STREET JOURNAL includes a small, but super interesting article on the resurgence of ‘graphic novels’, essentially better produced, or extended format .. comic books, i.e. books which depend on their illustrations, with a minimum of words or dialog – to get the story going.
according to the WSJ article, “Classic Westerns and ‘creation’ stories”, “stories that deal in old tales, stories that adapt and embellish older source material, from Eastern creation myths to fairy tales. . are the latest source for graphic novels.”
note . . as opposed to a recent publication history of pumping up. . sci fi or traditional comic book superhero themes.
and apparently some very well produced, large-format books are in the pipeline.
one of the books highlighted in the article, is ‘Law of the Desert Born’, illustrated by THOMAS YEATES with . . a “plot based on a 1946 short story by Western writer LOUIS L’AMOUR, who published close to 90 novels before his death at 80 in 1988.” The book was spearheaded by the author’s son BEAU L’AMOUR, 52..
“To research the visuals for the graphic adaption, the writer’s son, BEAU L’AMOUR, .. visited the areas where much of the story takes place, including Puerto De Luna, New Mexico ..”
the book’s credits: Adapter CHARLES SANTINO, co-writers BEAU L’AMOUR and KATHERINE NOLAN, illustrator: THOMAS YEATES.
PAGE FROM: ‘LAW OF THE DESERT BORN’, illustration by THOMAS YEATES, image via OLD MYTHS GET GRAPHIC/WALL STREET JOURNAL
another book they discuss, to appear on store shelves this upcoming DEC, is: ‘THE ENCYCLOPEDIA of EARLY EARTH’ by the 25-year old London-based author/illustrator . . ISABEL GREENBERG.
“She borrowed elements from the Old Testament, folk and fairy tales, and Greek mythology for her fiction world “early earth’ in which raven gods toy with the inhabitants below.”
“The whole book is really about storytelling and how there are certain stories that move you”, says Ms. Greenberg, 25, adding . . “I like how very similar stories in cultures come back.”
PAGE FROM ‘THE ENCYCLOPEDIA of EARLY EARTH’ by writer/illustraator ISABEL GREENBERG. IMAGE via OLD MYTHS GET GRAPHIC/WALL STREET JOURNAL
READ THE ARTICLE: OLD MYTHS GET GRAPHIC – BY ANNA RUSSELL, WALL STREET JOURNAL. OCT 3, 2013
note: if this link doesn’t get you in, just re-goggle the article by it’s title.
the WSJ is making a squirrely attempt to boost subscriptions / get their content – paid for.
but also: DIG THAT REFERENCE TO RAVENS !!! or what !!!
so, ARE RAVENS and CROWS, CAW CAW . . RELATED ?
YES !! both are members of the CORVUS family of birds.
BUT . . BIG DIFFERENCE.
ONE, the RAVEN IS EVIL, whereas the other, the CROW IS SMART.
both were important to early men, farmers etc for their . . advance warnings.
RAVENS are big players in fairy tales and myths. including recent epic movies.
CROWS are big players in farm mythology and actually in .. JAPAN, where crow imagery dominates – from day one, time immemorial. and, also in the contemporary arts. (just google it. Japan/crow imagery)
CROWS also played a big part in American folk art, also from day one, i.e. early native peoples tales .. on thru . . the characterization of black ‘folks’ as crows – in popular American culture, before we got politically correct-ed . .
RAVENS IN PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA. source: WIKIPEDIA
RAVENS are larger and associated with mythic evil and death . . due to their habit for eating only CARRION, i.e. dead animal meat.
where you see ravens, you find . . the dead body.
their scary caw caw caw – makes for great sound bites.
the Raven, with it’s large body of ravishing black plumage, a ‘croaking’ call, and a diet of CARRION .. “has long been considered a bird of ill omen .. of interest to creators of myths and legends. French anthropologist CLAUDE LEVI-STRAUSS proposed ‘ravens obtained mythic status because it was a mediator animal between life and death.’ As a carrion bird, ravens became associated with the dead and lost souls.”
“In Sweden they are known as ghosts of murdered people”.
source: WIKIPEDIA
CROW. source: WIKIPEDIA
whereas, CROWS are known for . . their INTELLIGENCE.
found in cities and farms, urban and rural areas alike . . they are frontline SURVIVORS.
they seem to eat anything, including consumer produce !! google: Japan/annoying crows !!
they are said to have an omnivorus diet, but apparently that includes carrion when called for . .
the collective name for a group of crows is a flock or a ‘murder’ . . I think that’s because they gang up .. on their prey or feeding target. or alert farmers to ‘murder’ in the crops.
CROWS are capable of tool use, tool construction and even “meta-tool” use, which is advanced tool-on-tool use. CROWS are considered to be among the most INTELLIGENT animals that inhabit our bio-sphere.
in other words . . CROWS are REALLY SMART.
and they COMMUNICATE … with humans.
see: META-TOOL USE & ANALOGICAL REASONING IN CROWS
if you’ve ever had the opportunity to trip lightly . . in an empty corn field, then you know what I’m atalkin’ about. first one and then two, and then whole gang .. will come hang out.
make your acquaintance.
CROWS play a big part in American folklore, past.
see: THE CROWS ARE IN THE CORN – WAKE UP !!
including the First Peoples – i.e native Americans, aka Indians.
see: SIOUX CROW FOLKTALE
and American folklore . . PRESENT.
Writers, bloggers, twetters .. with frontier ‘radar’ .. are CROWS.
example: CAW CAW . . CARLO McCORMICK !!
so too, therefore . . by extension: are – cutting edge artists.
THOUGH, of course in the grand ole USA, we also have the specialized term: JIM CROW.
image: FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
image: FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
the name for the former practice of SEGREGATING black folks in the USA. criminal laws enacted and pursued from 1876 to 1965. so much for Lincoln and the Civil war, which abolished slavery . . in name.
among the laws: sexual interactions between black men and white women .. were illegal. but the other way, around was ok.
see: WHAT WAS JIM CROW – FERRIS UNIVERSITY.
there was of course another more gentle tradition of whites referring to black folks as crows, esp the menfolks.
DISNEY CROW – IMAGE: CROWS In DISNEY ANIMATION
which comes down to us, culturally most famously: via WALT DISNEY !!
and most famously of all . . in the widely beloved 1941 animation: ‘DUMBO’.
where a line of high steppin’ smart lookin’ crows did an animated prance & uttered the famous chorus: “what’s de matter wid his ears.”
not for naught .. we have the expression: to crow.
CAW CAW !!
GOT, CROW ?
~OLD MYTHS . . GET GRAPHIC / CROWS vs RAVENS, DUMBO ? |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 8th, 2013, 7:26am
HASH HALPER PRESENTS TRISTAN REGINATO, ‘AN UNKNOWN SEASON’ – PART II
PELL ST – CHINATOWN
THE DESCENT
HASH HALPER descending the TRISTAN REGINATO marbled paper staircase, for almost the last time.
seems, sadly, the space was just a . . summer fling.
but, HASH is moving on. he has teamed up with AMY LI in her new 166 MOTT – ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE.
so look for more . . shows, on the down low.
amazing, what beautiful light .. can filter through a narrow doorway – in dense late afternoon .. Chinatown.
and find it’s way to play among .. the swirly, hand-marbled paper sheets.
amazing the .. contrast between the new art, and the old .. scene playing out on the street.
HASH liked to point out how the old lettering on the door now reads: ART, LIES INC instead of the former: ART SUPPLIES.
back out on the street, the real world closes in, and life resumes.
and such is the transitory way . . of the world.
you go up the mountain, and then . . you come down.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~HASH HALPER . . PELL ST PART II |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 7th, 2013, 9:19am
AN UNKNOWN SEASON . . .
PART I – THE ASCENT.
while I was over at 166 MOTT meeting AMY LI, HASH HALPER dropped by and invited me over to see his ‘summer palace’ . . . YEAR of 2013.
a very strange, but sweet spot – a little further on, deep into Chinatown – on historic Pell St.
Chinatown, as in: downtown. New York City.
don’t know how an inner city photo shot, came out like that .. but sure looks like Hash is walking in the Himalayas, or what.
just strolling in a small village – with Chinese storefront banners all a flutter.
a mountain/skyscraper horizon – hulking in the distance, against an endless cloudy blue sky.
must be the ancestor ‘gods’ of Chinatown . . taking over. for sure.
I just press the shutter button. I never calculate the view.
that’s why, or when .. . photography crosses over into art – but, like they say: another story, for another time. who am I.
I just write the story.
I just follow the . . the breadcrumbs.
it was among one of the strangest places I had ever been to – and that’s saying a lot. at first glance: it was a just a narrow gated doorway . . on a bustling Chinatown street.
but beyond that anonymous street level door, was a steep narrow staircase .. literally plastered in hand-marbled paper designs. Hash led the way.
the phrase: a ‘marbled’ staircase – did come to mind.
TRISTAN REGINATO & HASH HALPER.
the intense 24-7 marbling had been done by TRISTAN REGINATO, a young artist on the NYC cutting edge . . who just happened to materialize out of nowhere . . he’s on the left, in the cap.
I guess it was he, who Hash been dialing up – from his phone.
they are both wearing one-of-a-kind t-shirts . . of Tristan’s design & making.
TRISTAN REGINATO, handmade marbling. and I do mean 24-7. and I do mean . . intense.
at the top of the marbled and mysterious ‘stairway to heaven’, or at the very least . . an upward ‘tunnel of hand wrought creativity’ . . HASH had transformed what had probably been a small illegal apartment . . into an exhibition space.
even after the ‘swirly’ stairway set-up . . it was still striking . . to find oneself confronted by a larger-than-life, metal-forged human skeleton. a ‘head-less’ skeleton at that.
with his displaced head, alluding to medieval European armor, at his feet.
taking visual clues from the helmet-like head, the stand-alone figure . . spoke ‘knightly’, a noble ‘gnarly’ old skeleton . . who looked as if he had seen many a harsh century go by.
kind of like in ‘Raiders of the Ark’ – the one with the ghostly mean eternal knights . . who guard the holy grail.
TRISTAN REGINATO, and his, yes !! – headless skeleton.
a curious metal ‘has-been’ creature, with his head loped off at the neck, at the spine. a violently red, candle in it’s place. it had obviously been lit too. so, that was spooky, and ritualistic .. and metaphors, abounded.
poetic. mysterious. unknowing, unknown . . .
so many fleeting questions .. arise from the twisted, beaten . . heated, and then frozen metal.
Tristan’s metaphysical meandering .. seemed poised between the European stride of the skeleton, and his head, to a world view . . that seemed to point back – to the orient.
the strange placement of a very eastern arts inspired candelabra,resting on the floor, just behind the splayed feet. and also dripping with previously lit, candle wax.
so, is there a link between the cutting edge and the past ? is there an ancient dialog that remains, ghostly hovering – informing all ages.
if yes, it’s called the creative unconscious.
and the yearning for answers amidst death, immortality, and decay. though in a sense the metal frame had escaped decay – but then, where was the flesh ? is there life without flesh.
without history.
without .. ancestors.
we’ve had metal wrought ‘beings’ . . incised and formed with symbols from day one of our discovery of the ‘metal arts’ . . from complex ‘mini’ scaled mass cosmos Hindu creations .. to giant inticate many-armed Tibetan gods, buddhas . . who materialize to the call of ancient chants, or just the tinkle of a temple bell . .
there’s a lot of knowledge we forgot, and a lot . . we never knew.
I think we basically just get by on . . like 5% – of what’s really out there.
is this skeleton saying: . . we better power up soon, expand our belief system ?
the piece raised many questions, there was no clear narrative, but for the ones the viewer himself, projected onto it’s strong, but eroded metal figure, and the red flower-like candle trail . . at it’s feet.
a small piece of fabric fluttered in the window . . like a Tibetan prayer flag.
‘AN UNKNOWN SEASON’ it said.
the summer had been ‘an unknown season’ to me, too. I had been lost in ‘unknowing’ the future, unknowing my life – but I had made it to the last day of Hash and Tristan’s show.
so, yeah . . I’ll take that as a sign, a validation of . . going forward.
continues . . . or rather: TO BE CONTINUED.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~HASH HALPER . . PELL ST / TRISTAN REGINATO |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 6th, 2013, 10:23am
‘WITHOUT CONSENT’
166 MOTT ST – ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE
SEPT 28 – OCT 17, 2013
166 MOTT ST – CHINATOWN, LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
the debut group show – curated by AMY LI
with: BRIAN ERMANSKI, PIERRO CAMPIONE, ALFREDO MARTINEZ, IARA CELESTE DIAZ, MIDORI OKUYAMA, JOSE De OLIO and EMIL MEMON.
approaching the new space was FUN – situated as it was, right where Chinatown and Little Italy butt heads – it was a colorful, and authentic journey.
I adored that Amy Li, had left the space so real. what she had done was to carve an really nice, solid .. exhibition space out of the front of a button & metal fastenings shop . . .
the ancestors were keeping watch.
in fact Amy’s dad owns the store and he popped in and out .. he seemed a very nice man.
son/daughter working relationships with their dads (and moms/Kate !!) are a trending situation.
just look at the huge, biggest blockbuster that just burst onto the movie scene, the critically acclaimed: ‘GRAVITY’ !! . . the latest film from ALFONSO CUARON, now 51 – the Mexican director who gave us, some say the best in the series, ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’, and before that, ‘Y Tu Mama Tambien’ . . and his screenwriter son, JONAS, 30.
independent curator AMY LI – who just opened an art space at 166 Mott St – right in the hard-core fringe of New York City’s Chinatown.
born and bred in the same area, Amy graduated from Hunter College, and just recently completed a a one year Graduate Program at Savannah College of Art & Design in Arts Administration, getting her M.A. degree this past August 2013. so she wasn’t into wasting any time, and she got her space up and running within a month. that’s the way to go.
Alfredo’s work was no longer there, it was a CASH & CARRY type thing.
which is pretty common with new spaces. the cutting edge is fast & fluid !!
you gotta make the opening, and then you ought to go back at least once. see what else popped up . . in this case it’s:
from left . . DAVID PERRY, and . . a bright red ‘Gilligan’ by JOSH HARRIS.
if I had the dough, I’d be buying that Gilligan, and walking off with it under my arm, too.
NOAH BECKER, ‘Kofi’, oil on paper, 11 x 14 in.
($1,000.)
JOSE De OLIO, 2 pieces from ‘ABYSSAL WATER’ (set of 3). acrylic on canvas. 16 x 32 in.
($100 ea.)
BRIAN ERMANSKI, ‘Abel Ferrara’, acrylic on canvas. 30 x 40 in.
($1,500)
BRIAN ERMANSKI, ‘I Gave her a Pearl Necklace’, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 35 in.
($1,000)
IARA CELESTE DIAZ, ‘Sophia, West of Eden’, oil on canvas, 42 x 53 in.
(please inquire about price.)
detail, IARA CELESTE DIAZ, ‘Sophia, West of Eden’.
‘Who the Fuck is brian Ermanski?
6 color, 6 black & white, acrylic on canvas, 14 x 11 in.
($100 ea.)
while I was there, RACHEL ABBIE KAY .. a fashion blogger and arts/culture fan .. dropped by.
talking about . . kids and their parents.
the ‘Abbie’ in her middle name stands for the famous street politico, yippie ABBIE HOFFMAN – who is her godfather !! her dad is ARON KAY the famous .. pieman.
he’s the one who threw the pies !!
OMG – check out his website !!
see: ARON KAY – THOUGHTS OF A MAD YIPPIE PIEMAN.
ps: now, go back – and check out the ‘flower’ on Rachel’s dress – compared to the ‘floral’ design on her dad’s website !!
haha – the new ‘wave’ – in a nutshell.
dads and daughters, or what !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~AMY LI . . MOTT ST |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 5th, 2013, 8:51am
FOLLOW THE BREADCRUMBS – PART IV
so, seems like while I was enjoying the good life up at the RUSSIAN TEA ROOM, HESH was pickin’ up the slack . . downtown !!
now . . I know how Walter Robinson felt when I arrived on his doorstep.
all I can say is, watch out Hesh, keep it humble man . . or you too, could be fired for . . “being too successful” – famous last words of Walter Robinson, of the now defunct artnet, and many another doomed New Yorker who tried to get in the way of the inevitable.
HESH, now going by his given name, HASH .. which is actually pronounced “Hesh” ..
HASH HALPER, besides running his own HH Productions .. is writing for FRANK151 – a new wave I guess, online cultural journal, which includes sports on the menu, and aspires to global domination.
what I like best . . about Hash’s first serious foray into the media world, is how he introduces himself, and his agenda: “Stay chillin’ and check out the adventures of myself, Hash Halper in the NYC artworld.”
I think that really hits the nail, on the colloquial head – in terms of how the internet has changed art ‘criticism’. the internet has had as profound an influence on art reporting, as the big bang – when photography first emerged, and artwork could be duplicated / rendered visually. yet even when color photography become widely & commercially feasible via mass publications, such magazines and newspapers, art reviewers still stuck to the centuries old format of verbally describing the work, instead of really getting down to .. assessing and interpreting it, in a word, basically . . ‘breaking it down’.
in the age of social media, the emphasis has changed again. I realized early on as I forged through the scene I loved – that even though I might not be able to buy what I was seeing, nor was I ever given a chance by the entrenched powers to be .. to express an opinion about what I was seeing .. I could at least take PHOTOS ..
to prove I had been there, and to build up my own little archive of eye witness accounts following the ‘bread crumbs’ through – as they say: history in the making.
now of course it’s all about everyone posting . . their own trailways. and like Hash says, you can’t be everywhere at once, esp in NYC, and so chill and let his fingers do the walkin. people find their own specialty niche. for Hash it’s the downtown scene, the denizens that come out at night, as much as the artwork.
Hash’s big thing . . is moving through the scene, and working the crowd, so he’s smart enough to make sure he gets a photographer to tag along – photos are key.
so, all that said, figures:
this shot of the crew at the debut opening of downtown’s newest, and apparently savviest pop-up / alternative gallery space, 166 MOTT – was the most recent feature – under Hash’s byline on FRANK151, and the photos are by . . WC BEVAN.
PHOTO via: FRANK151
from the left, back row: artists: BRIAN ERMANSKI, ALFREDO MARTINEZ & EMIL MEMON.
center: independent curator/gallerist AMY LI, artists: LARA CELESTE DIAZ, and PIERRO CAMPIONE.
front: JOSE De OLIO.
the show was tiled. ‘WITHOUT CONSENT’, and took place at independent curator AMY LI’s new space: 166 MOTT – AN ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE. the show opened last Thurs Sept 26, 2013 and runs thru OCT 17, 2013.
Amy says the gallery is open 7 days a week, from 11am – 7pm.
see: 166 MOTT ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE / fb
you can see: more of Hash Halper and WC Bevan’s coverage on FRANK151, here.
though I can add some commentary to this opening night photo, by WC BEAVAN, that Hash includes.
that’s ALFREDO MARTINEZ with “the PLUMBER” !! aka JOHN EBERENZ, on the right.
I believe the dude, on the left is John’s bro – but I forget his name, if I ever knew it.
John Eberenz is a real plumber, based in Brooklyn, Gowanus to be exact – who Alfredo teamed up with in the last decade of the 1990s – to help him build the large, life-size futuristic robo-fighters, he was exhibiting at places like P.S.1. they were very creative and very impressive, assembled mostly from ‘found’ metal and plastic parts.
the most famous stand-alone figure the team put together was probably, ‘Pig Man’ . . which was exhibited at a little summer 2001 show called: ‘QUIET, GUNS & QUILTS’ / JOSH HARRIS, ALFREDO MARTINEZ & JOHN EBERENZ, NANCY SMITH. DANIEL SILVERSTEIN Gallery, now defunct, in Chelsea.
and, no . . it’s NOT A CATTELAN, the girl is for real.
installation shot: ALFREDO MARTINEZ & JOHN EBERENZ, ‘Pig Man’, summer 2001.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
HASH HALPER at the KARA WALKER, ‘Fall Frum Grace, Miss Pipi’s Blue Tale’ opening. Lehmann Maupin, Lower East Side, April 21, 2011.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
actually one of Hesh’s, oops .. Hash’s big claims to fame is a small indie film loosely inspired by his life, esp his earliest survival tactics . . and then takes off, all on its own. it was called ‘HESHER’.
funny thing about that film.
one: it was GREAT !! as wild and real as they come. too bad it didn’t get to circulate as widely, as it should have, hey . . not our fault the world is mostly: dumbed-down.
two: the mostly unknown actor who played Hesh/Hash, to perfection !! was JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT, who shot to fame as ROBIN in the last ‘BATMAN’ and, who is now photographed regularly on the red carpet – with A-LIST stars, such as the likes of SCARLETT JOHANSSON.
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT as HESHER, roughly inspired by the true life character . . we know and love: HESH / HASH HALPER.
ps: apparently he’s mellowed out a little bit with age !!
or better put, what the suburbs won’t do – the art world sure will.
pss: yeah, the gorgeous and super talented NATALIE PORTMAN makes an appearance in the film, and was involved in the production.
watch: ‘HESHER’ – the official movie trailer / YouTube
you can follow HASH HALPER on . . HH Productions New York / fb .. “always open” !!
~HESH/HASH . . FRANK |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 4th, 2013, 7:30am
FOLLOW THE BREADCRUMBS – PART III
so, apparently CARLO McCORMICK brought an adventurous, and way sharp Italian collector of ‘street’ art (?) well, bleeding edge art is more like it – in this case . . to the opening of the small gallery, last Thursday – where Alfredo was showing his work.
and yep, this guy was smart. he bought all three Alfredo pieces .. for $1,250 each.
snapped them up, right then and there.
heard the afterparty dinner – was on Alfredo !!
that’s how I knew – it was TRUE.
never underestimate Alfredo, but esp .. for turning up in the newest street-level hotspot, esp if there is a pretty Asian girl at the helm .. and we hear this one . . is “no dummy”, either.
and. neither is Alfredo, bye the way.
our newest downtown ‘it’ gallerist is AMY LI – who just opened an exhibition space in a button shop at 166 MOTT ST in Chinatown, between Grand and Broome. it’s called . . 166 MOTT ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE, and it’s got a very lively facebook . . page
in fact, I’m going to visit her tomorrow, Fri – so I’ll fill you in – first hand !!
the first show at 166 MOTT, ‘WITHOUT CONSENT’ was curated by AMY LI, herself . . and features works by:
BRIAN ERMANSKI, PIERRO CAMPIONE, EMIL MEMON, ALFREDO MARTINEZ, IARA CELESTE DIAZ, MIDORI OKUYAMA, and JOSE De OLIO.
the show opened last Thurs Sept 26, 2013 and runs thru OCT 17, 2013 – so, yeah !!
you can still catch a ‘moment’ in art history – while it is truly nascent, and straight up from the street.
this photo is from the opening. it is posted on the gallery’s facebook page.
I’m a little reluctant to post it – as I don’t know all the people in the photo, and I don’t know who to give the photographer’s credit to ?
and that’s the curse of facebook, but jeez: another topic for another time.
but since I’m on the trail, and I’m gonna follow the bread crumbs right to the very last drop . . and find out !!
I’ll let you in on the trail, as it reveals itself.
and, HAHA, SURPRISE !! . . or, rather NOT !!
the trail leads right to . . who else ?
HESH !! aka HASH HALPER . . !!
downtown’s underground mover and groover, supremo.
Red Rover, red rover, let HASH, come over !!
so, since I’m bound to find out, just for starters:
from the left that’s BRIAN ERMANSKI, in his trademark attire, otherwise he’s looking a lot like Hesh bye the way. to the right, ALFREDO MARTINEZ beside him .. and that’s AMY LI, the show’s curator and the new ‘it’ gallerist . . in front of ALFREDO.
ALFREDO MARTINEZ, ‘RED & BLUE’ GUN.
it looks to be hand painted (?) as well as informed by that trusty standby: SHARPIE !! it also looks to be large, although no dimensions are given – you can tell that, in part by the many different pieces of paper that form the background.
yep the piece is on hand made paper, an Alfredo Martinez trademark. Alfredo quite often, laboriously puts together, glues together himself the paper he draws on – a trick he learned in prison. that was the only way he could get paper big enough, and key: durable enough – for him to draw on. it’s very papier mache strong.
also: it makes sure you know you have the real deal, and not a ‘fake’ Alfredo . . ha. takes one to know one – and let’s . . just leave it at that.
and also, Alfredo just really gets into . . the hand building process.
DIY gunmaker likes DIY paper. duh.
Alfredo should open an Etsy shop !! just jokin . . seriously, guys !!
makin’ the paper, it kinda slows him down .. from the multiple schemes and ambitions that flicker in constant play in his brain.
and, well as a hobbist pastime . . sure beats makin’ fakes.
and in another way . . you know: art is a multi-layered thing.
it’s also an homage to early American piecework quiltmaking. if you follow the breadcrumbs, back in time, the trail leads straight to an assistant he once had – who helped put together some of his earliest shows.
up from the street – that for sure.
and needing lots . . of cheap – and BIG, durable drawing surfaces.
Quiet, Guns and Quilts. some things just .. STICK.
Josh, Alfredo, Nancy.
ALL IMAGES via 166 MOTT ALTERNATIVE ART SPACE FACEBOOK
~ALFREDO & CARLO . . & AMY / CHINATOWN |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 3rd, 2013, 6:08am
FOLLOW THE BREADCRUMBS .. PART II
ok, here’s a little hint. a little art birdie went for the bread crumbs I was tossing, and told me …
CAW CAW CAW, CAR-LO !!
TO BE CONTINUED > > > > > NIGHT FALLS, and hard.
but – oh boy. just when you thought .. this town was getting sleepy …
my crew, my guys .. sweep in like a ‘school’, a flock of .. crows !!
correction: a murder, a ‘murder’ of crows. and the chorus is:
CAW CAW CAW. CAR-LO.
ok. ok.
art critic CARLO McCORMICK !!
at the JOE BRADLEY, GBE ‘LOTUS BEATERS’ OPENING. MAY 16, 2013.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
~ALFREDO & CARLO . . CAW CAW |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 1st, 2013, 8:56pm
FILE UNDER: FOLLOW THE BREADCRUMBS, PART I
ok. so, here’s how we r-e-a-l-l-y roll in NYC !!
JOSH writes from LAS VEGAS, that Alfredo is in some small show, above a button shop .. in Chinatown and . . he has sold out !!
he has SOLD 3 PIECES opening night. Nancy says no way.
and I have a bridge to sell you !!
haha .. Nancy is wrong !!
nothin’ better than being wrong about something .. like that !! or what ?!!
TO BE CONTINUED > > >
plus, no disrespect .. just love this ‘duo’ photo – posting above the preceding Alan & Michael Fleming shot.
the good, the bad and the more BAD !!
NEW YORK CITY .. is what I’m talkin about !!
hey, if the great MAURIZIO CATTELAN can take a prank, I mis-labelled a fellow artist’s piece as his !! and that wasn’t as off the wall as you may think .. it was a cute chick getting undressed.
than so can you !!
though don’t get me wrong, the big sale is NOT a prank.
yep I tracked it down ..
follow the bread crumbs 101.
FOLLOW THE BREAD CRUMBS PART II – POSTS TOMORROW.
JOSH HARRIS and ALFREDO MARTINEZ .. less than 24 hours after Alfredo’s escape from secret detention in China. JEFF GOMPERTZ STUDIO, WILIAMSBURG. BROOKLYN. NYC. AUG 15, 2010
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
damn. DAN ASHER apoppin’ big $$, and now – ALFREDO. boy is my ship coming in, or what !!
~ALFREDO & JOSH . . NYC |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 1st, 2013, 8:41pm
LOCAL FAVES, BROOKLYN-BASED .. ALAN & MICHAEL FLEMING will have work in:
‘IMPERFECT SYMMETRY: A COMPENDIUM’
curated by SARA BLACK & KARSTEN LUND
OPENING THURS OCT 3, 2013 / 5-8PM .. with a performance by ESCAPE GROUP.
the show runs OCT 3 – NOV 7, 2013
A + D GALLERY, Columbia College, Chicago, Il.
“THIRTEEN individual artists and collaborators explore manifestations of ‘imperfect symmetry’ – a phenomenom emerging at the hazy border of 2 familiar concepts: symmetry and asymmetry. Through photographs, videos, sculptures, sound works, and performances, these artists offer varied interpretations of this odd but evocative notion, potentially full of metaphorical or interpersonal meaning.”
a Program of Performances .. will take place on FRI OCT 25, 2013 / starting at 8PM
DEFIBRILLATOR PERFORMANCE ART GALLERY – 1136 N. MILWAUKEE AVE, Chicago.
more info: A + D GALLERY, Chicago
p.s. ALAN & MICHAEL FLEMING have a newly re-vamped website . . check it out !!
see: ALAN and MICHAEL FLEMING
ALAN and MICHAEL FLEMING, ‘INVERTED’. image via: Alan and Michael Fleming
~ALAN & MICHAEL FLEMING . . CHICAGO |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | October 1st, 2013, 9:10am
CHOLOS: HISPANIC MALE that typically dresses in chinos (khaki pants) wifebeater sleeveless teeshirt or a flannel shirt with only the top button, buttoned – a hairnet (key) or a bandana around the forehead … CHOLOS often have black ink tattoos, commonly involving Catholic imagery, or calligraphy messages, or family names.
CHOLOS often drive LOWRIDERS.
source: URBAN DICTIONARY
in a word: MEXICAN GANGSTA STYLE.
while I was cruising that ANIMAL review on the 2013 NEW YORK ART BOOK FAIR, I stumbled across a fun post that BUCKY TURCO put up, way back in MAY 2011.
titled: ‘COLORING BOOK for ASPIRING CHOLOS’ .. it brings to the table a high quality coloring book, on the legendary lowriders of America – titled, what else: ‘LOWRIDER COLORING BOOK’ by OSCAR NILSSON, published by DOKUMENT PRESS out of STOCKHOLM !!
where else !!
BUCKY WROTE: “Swedish illustrator OSCAR NILSSON is so fond of lowrider culture that he created a coloring book in homage … BIG BODY CADDYS, CHEVY IMPALAS, BUICK RIVIERAS, and other classics are all represented in the 64 page soft cover book.”
see: COLORING BOOK for ASPIRING CHOLOS – BUCKY TURCO, ANIMAL
see: LOWRIDER COLORING BOOK – DOKUMENT PRESS
see: LOWRIDER COLORING BOOK reviewed in AUTOWEEK – DEC 12, 2012
“… the book is much heavier than you’d expect .. with a glossy perfect-bound cover and 32 different lowriders on thick hi-quality paper.”
OSCAR NILSSON, LOWRIDER COLORING BOOK – image via ANIMAL
OSCAR NILSSON, CADIILLAC ‘BIG BODY’ FLEETWOOD 1996, LOWRIDER COLORING BOOK – image via ANIMAL
OSCAR NILSSON, CHEVROLET IMPALA SPORT COUPE 1964, LOWRIDER COLORING BOOK – image via ANIMAL
~ART for ASPIRING CHOLOS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | September 30th, 2013, 9:00am
