Post #1000

Well what do you know, this is my 1000th post. Happy Valentine's Day. Much love.

Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry TEASER from Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry on Vimeo.

It is several days passed Chinese new year. Decided to reflect back on China. Can an artist change China? Ai Wei Wei is an iconic and internationally-acclaimed artist who only wants what is best for China. Both an activist and an artist, he has fought many battles in creating work and expressing his voice for the greater good. From 2008-2010 Beijing based journalist and filmmaker Alison Klayman gained access and followed the life and activities of the artist first hand. Support Ai Wei Wei and the upcoming film Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry here.

Big Bang Big Boom

BIG BANG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

BLU does it again. Top notch video animation that will blow your mind away.

Artist: BLU

One Summer in Lisbon

What is better than sitting indoors and drinking homemade hot chocolate by the rooftop watching the snow fall down? You got it. Admiring the works of three great street artists, Os Gemeos, Blu and Sam3. These are from summer of 2010 in Lisbon. It is still grandeur nonetheless. Check these out.

By the way, Sam3's Spontaneous I is being sold right now on his website. FYI.

Artists: BLU, Os Gemeos, Sam3 | Source: Urban Art Association

Hope and Glory

What a positive note. Sandy Smith's Untitled (balancing act #2), 2008. Mirror card, super glue, wooden dowel.

Artist: Sandy Smith

Typographic Trees

In 2009, Gordon Young created a series of oak columns, which stretched from floor to ceiling like supporting pillars. These were installed at the Crawley Library designed by architects Penoyre and Prasard. Gordon collaborated with typographers Why Not Associates to design and construct the columns. Each of the 14 designed oak columns touch upon the various subjects from the gothic to the romantic, placed in relevant places within the library premises.

Artist: Gordon Young

Invest in Art

Swiss Beatz speaks about the beauty of investing in art.

Read article on Black Enterprise | Source: Unpolished Art

Heritage Mural Competition: Indonesia

Open Call: Entries For Heritage Mural Competition

January 19th-February 12th, 2011

Technical description of competition:

A. Design format for mural

- original artwork: RGB format, tiff, size 3543 x 5315 pixels (equivalent to 60 x 90cm, 150 pixels/inch), vertical position.

- thumbnail of artwork: RGB format, jpg, size 534 x 800 pixels (equivalent to 9 x 13.5cm, 150 pixels/inch), vertical position.

B. Expectations (Technical)

- Free-form ,original, visual artwork. 100% designed and produced by the artist without using elements that go against the copyright laws (e.g. infringement, copy or imitation of another artists and falsification). If there is such report, artwork will be disqualified and face charges.

- Artwork can be an individual work or a collaborative piece that involves and credits the individuals involved, who will qualify the participant prerequisites and expectations of the competition.

- Artwork can be created using computer graphics or produced and illustrated manually by hand and transferred into a digital format through scanning or photography.

- All artworks submitted to the committee and judges remain to each individual artist. The committee have rights to release and publish the artwork accompanied by credentials and information of the artwork/artist.

C. Submission Guidelines

- 1 CD (compact disc) containing the original artwork and its thumbnail.

- 1 computer print out of the artwork in an A4 sized paper. It could be printed directly or attached (glued) to the paper.

- 1 registration form for the competition (original/printout/photocopy) that is filled out (with proper biography, description of artwork).

- copy of KTP/Student identification. Write "Lomba IGN Mural Nasional Indonesia 2011" (IGN Indonesia National Mural Competition 2011) on the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. Envelope cannot be folded/rolled.

D. Deadline and where to submit work

- Deadline is February 12, 2011 at 5pm wib (not the postmark). Artwork must be submitted to the office by the posted deadline.

- Send directly via mail to PO BOX 1002 SEMARANG or via email to info@muralcompetition.com attaching all required documentation.

JUDGEMENT

All artworks submitted will have equal rights and opportunity to be judged by the committee and juries. Each individual artist will only have one opportunity to be judged and receive one award. The panel of judges consists of individuals from the National Art and Culture Committee.

THEME

Revitalize, Reinvented and Reinforcement (rural economy for the national development)

FACILITATION

1. 27 finalists will be appointed and all transportation and accommodation will be covered.

2. All materials are provided by the committee board.

3. PRIZE: 1st $2,500 (25 juta), 2nd $1,500 (15 juta), and 3rd $1,000 (10 juta).

For details on criteria, pre-requisites, registration, downloading application and for all other information please go to Mural Competition.

You can watch the video of the actual heritage site/mural space here.

Everybody Loves Indonesia

A dear friend of mine and art director, Edgar Andrés Zorilla posted this on my facebook and it gave me the biggest smile. I don't know who the designer is but one thing for sure is that its unbelievable. A splash of lively-colored Barong (King of the Spirits (good spirits) in Balinese mythology) against the pitch black darkness. Nice.

By the way, check out Edgar's work at NextMarvel, NeueTribeCreative, and Behance Network.

Source: Inspiration Tiger

Crossing Lines, Bridging Paths

Crossing Lines from Andrew Telling on Vimeo.

Crossing Lines is a short film that documents the trip of an Irish artist, Conor Harrington to Tel Aviv, Israel and Bethlehem, Palestine in May 2010.

A Telling Production Presents Crossing Lines

Camera, Edit & Score by Andrew Telling

Grade by Chloe Hayward

Audio Mix & Master by Andrew Telling and Dave House

Artist: Conor Harrington | Source: ESP Visuals

Revealing Hidden Realities

*ASHTWO*

Graffiti and street artists build on the community and reflect upon their surroundings. The artists don't recreate a new narrative or scenario, they just position their characters and personality into the scene. They grab you immediately and provide a piece of mind. Seeing art in the street (and not in the artist's studio or fancy galleries) is a breath of fresh air. Their work takes the harshness off the streets and lightens up the mood and spirit of its passerby.

*ASHTWO & THE POPO*

*Bujangan Urban*

*Stereoflow*

*NSANE5*

*THE POPO*

*DARBOTZ*

*KOMA*

In other words, they see the world as their canvas, filling in gaps whenever they see the opportunity to. They embrace beauty within abandoned buildings, curbs & stoops, corner alleys, flaking walls and rusty doors--giving new life to decay. These artists recollect, restore and recreate meaning into neglected sites.

Image source: Kaskus

Self Encouragement

When the time is right, things will fall into place and come together in ways you would have never imagined possible. Patience is a virtue, my dear. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "He who has patience can have what he will."

Image Source: fuckyeahblackandwhitepictures

Thought of the day

I don't remember where I found this, but it sure reminded me of Parsons days.

Little do we know...

Came across Lee Price's artwork. I would not have guessed that these pieces are oil on linen. The artist takes binging, food porn, and voyeurism to the next level. I find the bird's eye view perspective particularly engaging and the composition is exceptional given the narrative that is being conveyed. Yes, I admit the setting of each painting is rather alarming, but nonetheless braise yourselves for a memorable hyper photorealism! Kids, please don't do this at home.

Artist: Lee Price

Uplifting & Inexplicably Beautiful

Petah Coyne creates numerous bewitching masterpieces using mediums such as silk flowers, feathers, wooden cradle, acrylic paint, black spray paint, silk/rayon velvet, formulated wax, metal hardware, pear-headed hat pins, cable nuts, thread, jaw to jaw swivels, quick-link shackles, wire, chicken wire fencing, chandelier, velcro, taxidermy, cable, pigment, felt, wood and plywood. Temporarily housed in MASS MoCa's gallery space, these marvelous Victorian style sculpture/installations bring out a whimsical buoyant feel against the cold and heavy winter. However, as eerie as it later gets, the exhibition surveys inherent tensions between vulnerability and aggression, innocence and seduction, beauty and decadence, as well as life and death.

*Petah Coyne, Untitled #720 (Eguchi's Ghost), 1992/2007*

* Petah Coyne, Untitled #1093 (Buddha Boy), 2001-2003*

* Petah Coyne, Untitled #1240 (Black Cloud), 1990*

*Petah Coyne, Untiled #1180 (Beatrice), 2003-2008*

Petah Coyne: Everything That Rises Must Converge curated by Denise Markonish is considered to be the largest retrospective of the artist's work to date and it will be closing this month, February 2011. To read a Wall Street Journal review on the exhibition, "Elusive yet Expressive" please click here.

Source: Art Tattler | Exhibiting at MASS MoCa

Ones to Watch: VON KOMMANIVANH

Arafat, 2010. Mixed Media on Canvas. 9 ft x 8 ft.

Von Kommanivanh is the next big thing. His work is bold and tasteful. This Chicago-based artist of Cambodian descent creates large mixed-media paintings that reflect upon cultural convulsions of 21st century, anti-corporate and slogans. Influenced by graffiti, Kommanivanh's strong composition combines the aesthetic of both chaos and order. His work is dynamic and witty, addressing political and social realities that linger throughout his personal history. The artist is currently represented by Walsh Gallery in West Loop, Chicago, IL.

Artist: Von Kommanivanh | Represented by Walsh Gallery

Pouring Pixels

Impressive "Pixel Pour" work done on Mercer Street, New York.

Source: Unurth