Mind, Body, Casa

I had an early Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday by being a part of the launch of "Mind Body Casa", a concept and creation of the lovely Tanika Ray.  Invited as the guest artist, I found myself surrounded by the supreme brilliance and queen, Jody Watley, amazeballs actress, Tangie Ambrose, Heaven HI and hallelujah singer/songwriter Niki Leonti, ethereal beauty, Andrea Bendewald, delectable and delightful celebrity chef Ameera, magic hands and masseuse to the stars Greg Lewis, and my drop dead hotness musician with astrological infusion, Randall Swindell.  We dined, danced, sang, teared up and bonded in a way that the universe could only set in motion. A pilot, and collaborative unity that warms, guides, educates, and entertains left me tranquil, and ecstatic!! Hand in hand with producer, P. Frank Williams and so many other amazing individuals, I can't wait to share what was captured, and continues to grow well after the cameras turned off.  This is everything that is FABULICIOUS!!!!

 

Facebook: The Game of Life

My brain tends to move very quickly... and I tend to not explain totally where I am coming from on purpose. I think that takes the fun and potential new ideas generated in others minds if I spell out EXACTLY where I am coming from, not to mention, a series will be created in my mind, and take on more and more meaning throughout time, with new elements that come out that weren't there originally. This happened ALOT in my Facebook/ Religion series.. which needs to and will grow as Social Media earthly existence. I know there are some countries that are quite poor.. and do not have cell towers, and computers as readily available.. but would we all know those places exist if we didn't exists off of ours?? So my idea is Facebook: The game of life. Now.. once I paint this.. remember, someone may look at it.. chuckle and move on, but think about it.. does anyone play board games anymore? People play a lot of games on Facebook, and other games, maybe not be on Facebook, but your scores, and plays etc may be posted on Facebook. So with all of this swirling in brilliant colors, and witty sarcasm I thought.. that is just brilliant! As I am on a mac I thought.. the wheel of death would make an awesome spinner. You could have spots including and not limited to, "unresponsive page, go back 4 spaces", "someone Liked your status jump ahead 2 spaces", "someone commented on your status, move ahead 4", " OF 597 of your friends only 8 people are attending your event go back 2", "Computer froze, go to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200 (as your credit is maxed out, and you have to file chapter 7)." I think it would be awful fun.. yet.. no one would ever buy Facebook the board game... and people certainly wouldn't get together to play it... yet if I were to paint it.. a few people may like the pic on Instagram, or Facebook.. but with all that being said.. at that point.. should I even bother to paint it? Does anyone go to SEE art anymore, I think mostly people only go out to be seen, and have their picture taken to post to show just how much fun they are having.. or other various reasons. Wouldn't it be actually more beneficial to blog about it.. give it to the kids and see what they may or may not make of it? The concept could infiltrate many more mediums if you just put it out there, and isn't that the point? Isn't that one of the main reasons an artist an artist paints or makes anything? But then again.. there I go, dare I say, everything has already been done,(so says the author of the Wall street Journal article) and as an artist, I can't go beat a dead horse.. and what does that even mean anyway.. why would you beat anything..? People can't even be bothered to exercise.. so eventually, I don't think beating will be the same as it used to be. I suppose artists paint and create things to express their feelings and emotions, but are people losing their ability to be empathetic? Do people really help others or reach out selflessly, or is there always some sort of self-motivated advantage for the individual? If indeed the majority of patrons who go and see art, buy art, is merely to be seen and a scheduled social gathering, isn't it time then, to create new avenues to address the need? Update art and how we show it to include the lifestyle of the majority of emerging youth. Lifestyle for the 19 year old, vastly different from what it was like for the 45 year old. With that thought in mind, the artist today has to also adapt it's craft. Photographs that were once "airbrushed", would be unusable. Any artist knows that if you want to manipulate a photo, you would never get out an air compressor, you would get out Photoshop, or software of the like. Art I think, is to express an idea, to encourage thought, to share........isn't that what Facebook is? Why bother painting and making a mess, spending $ on supplies, and working??? Or does creating it, hanging it in a gallery or museum, really allow for an experience that can't be had online. Seeing my own work hung, and going to such marvelous places such as the Louvre, MOMA, or even art on the streets OR do we have to settle for it being viewed, liked or shared on Facebook is the height of the accomplishment. The outreach is that much more than an actual museums... WILL SOCAIL MEDIA REPLACE MUSEUMS?

No Art on Wall Street

An article featured on October 5th 2012 in the Wall Street Journal, "How Can Capitalism Save Art?" talked about a major decline in the visual arts, and suggests that artists have lost touch with their general audience. The author suggests that it's high time that contemporary artists should admit that the avant garde is dead. He says that artists win attention by imitating once shocking images, such as "Piss Christ", by Andres Serrano.

I DO NOT AGREE AT ALL WITH THIS!! And, I further challenge...Does everyone think that avant garde by definition is to offend others? I thought avant garde meant; innovation of new applications, techniques and concepts? So my understanding is that no artists are being innovative in their concepts, techniques, and applications? I am not sure if I am going to write to this author, I doubt it, but I do disagree with the article. I would like to know what is a new idea? Who is it that judges? I think that there is a more relevant issue at hand and that is reception. This author possibly has never seen my work, and many other artists. We live in a new era, and you cannot judge what you did not see, or did not find. My work has not yet hung at the MET or MOMA, so the thoughts and ideas behind my simple images.. yes SIMPLE images, are I think, complex and challenging, relevant, and dare I say... NEW? How does one see them though, or find them? You have to capture people’s attention in an audience that tunes into "Jersey Shore, Octomom, Football, and the 2012 Presidential Election". People have to go to museums and galleries, but why would they? Can't you just see everything on Facebook? I think so far from what I have experienced and can somewhat relate to this article is what is missing not only in visual art, as well as society, is a bridge on the digestion of technology and its effect on society and everyday life. As a result, a disconnect in not only the way we perceive things but also the way we judge and conduct and condition our families and relationships.

The idea and understanding of the article reminded me of my bubble gum covered crucifix, and acrylic on canvas painting I did with an F resembling the infamous Facebook logo with religious symbols, and opened for exhibit on "Good Friday" this past Easter. There are some perhaps that viewed my work, and thought, sacrilege. A close friend asked me to remove one of my works of art, claiming that it was beyond insulting and disrespectful to their faith. Yet, they were only associating with their particular faith in the series, and missing maybe the whole point of the collection. I equate this with seeing a post on Facebook and reacting as if it solely is an attack on them only and their person. Once hearing me out, my friend respected my choice to keep my exhibit as is. Sometimes it takes a little more than we expected to shine light on something. We can't always just plug it in, and have the exposure we want. Time, tact, education, understanding, patience, and knowledge has to be involved.

With all of that swirling around in my brain, I found my fluorescent fixtures, and now have ordered 22, T-12, 40 watt, 48 inch black-lit fluorescent tubes, and now have to go to home depot to buy wood and wires to construct one of the many instruments that I need to create one of a kind works of art that I can share. All that happens before I even open the paint. Maybe we are accustomed to instant application, instant judgment, and have lost the ability to understand. Whatever the case may be, I sure hope UPS doesn't take too long, because it sure will be a relief once I can flip the switch on this saga, and let it shine.

Enjoy the big of it all....
MW