Sassoferrato : The Virgin in Prayer

The Virgin in Prayer, 1640-50

Sassoferrato (Giovanni Battista Salvi) (1609 – 1685)

Oil on canvas, 73 x 58 cm.

Head at the National Gallery, London.  Bequeathed by Richard Simmons, 1846.

Max Gimblett – Person of Zen2, 2008

Max Gimlett (1935 – ), NZ

Person of Zen 2, 2008

gesso, acrylic and vinyl polymers iridescent silver fine, epoxy, palladium leaf, canvas, 15 inch quatrefoil

Exhibited at the Gow Lansford Gallery May 2009

Function:  The use of the quatrefoil has references to both Eastern and Western religions.  The materials he uses also have religious associations with precious metal references.  He combines gold, silver, copper, bronze, epoxy, resin, plaster, paint and pigments.

I’ve included this work because Gimblett references religion, spirituality and psychology.  He studied psychology after becoming an accomplished painter and you can see its influence in his mindful, beautiful paintings.  You can feel the focus and calm in his use of colour and flow of lines.  I think he creates stunning works that show faith visually in a non denominational way.

Mapplethorpe: Lisa Lyon, 1981

Robert Mapplethorpe ( 1946 -1989)

Lisa Lyon, 1981

Black and white, gelatin print. 450 x 453

Photograph from the Collection of Lisa Lyons at New York auction October 16, 2008.

Private Collection.

Mapplethorpe produced a series of black and white portraits of female bodybuilder Lisa Lyons between 1980-82.  Taken on a large format press camera.  I think the function on the work was to show the bodies beautiful form and strength, the naturalness of the body.  His work also questions the gender roles and female stereotypes of the 1980s.  This work is displayed in the publication of the book, Lady: Lisa Lyon (1983).

I chose Mapplethorpe because of his raw portrayal of nature and humans within the medium of black and white photography.  This relates to my theme of faith as many people carry strong faith in their bodies and nature, its ability to heal, birth, shape, move, change.  Mapplethorpes photography has a raw vision of that pure nature.  Also black and white imagery can also be a metaphor for individuals black and white points of view regarding faith.  Mapplethorpe often chose subjects to challenge our beliefs, our black and white views of what is feminine and masculine.  He photographed nudes with religious and mythological symbols and in the early 70s photographed the underground S&M community as well as famous artists portrayed in raw ways.

self portrait

Lights on, 2009

Lights on, 2009

Audiovisual installation, Ars Electronica Muesum, Linz, Austria.

(You will need to go to this website link to view the visual as its not available in another format)

Artists:  Zachary Lieberman, Joel Gethin Lewis and Damian Steward. (Visuals)

Music by Daito Manabe, with support from Taeji Sawai and Kyoko Koyama.

Performance is approximately 10 minutes long.  Made in 3 days (hacking), 2009.

Audio Visual performance created for the Ars Electronica Meseum, Linz, Austria.  1085 LED controlled windows, changed in realtime with music thats broadcasted on speakers surrounding the building.

I chose this work because I love collaborative projects that bring people together to create.  The collective vision and faith required in the project to focus and work together to create something .. beautiful, stunning, unusual.  I particularly love it if its not financially or commercially motivated, just driven by the drive to create something new and original.

The third reason I chose this is because it encorporates so many elements of things i love and that give meaning to me, that I have faith in…  Music, Light, installation art, the way audiovisuals communicate to us in a beautiful manmade way, that is made in a very synthetic manner but conveys a hamonious beauty.   I love that this group of people came together and in a renegade way, hacked, composed, installed something that made other people stop and wonder, to take a moment out of their lives and minds to look at something new..   It appeals to me because I like the childlike wonder of the world when we get out of our routines and see life/projects/art/creations that inspires us and give us faith in others.

Faith in… Michel Gondry Music Videos

Director: Michel Gondry

Musician:  Bjork, Human Behaviour, 1993

This is the first of many collaborations between Michel Gondry and Bjork.  Its a beautiful song with her haunting voice and childlike acting, the video is wierdly interesting. (of course its Michel Gondry).  I guess you can say I chose this piece for my exhibition because I have faith in Michel Gondry!  A tenuous reference, but you can have faith that this guy is always going to produce original, brilliant, artistic, often strange, storytelling music videos.

Also, although this video isnt about faith in a religious or spiritual context, it references nature, humans and our strange behaviours.. which are driven by our beliefs, our faith, what shapes our minds  .. what make us to do the things we do.  This song and video tell a story about the strange twists of human behaviour.

Michel Gondry Music Videos

Director:  Michel Gondry

Musicians:  The White Stripes.  The Hardest Button to Button, 2003

I dont particularly like the White Stripes but this music video has always stood out for me.  I love Michel Gondrys work, who doesnt!  This is the third music video he’s directed for the White Stripes.   Music and music videos relate to my theme as music gives faith universally to such a variety of people.  You don’t need to share the same beliefs, faith or taste, to have different music or its visuals appeal to you.

I like the concept here, the way the visuals multiply with the sound.  Its like the sound grows visually in front of you.  It creates a sense of visual order within the beat,  almost mathematical, geometrical.  This occurs both in the natural world and within music and it’s cool to see it portrayed visually.

I’m also interested in the production behind music videos and this would have been a really interesting shoot and edit.  Gondry’s producer had to purchase 32 identical Ludwig drum kits and rent 32 amplifiers and 16 mic stands for the shoot.  Everything was erected off-camera and lugged onto the set once a take – sometimes less than one beat – was complete.  It must have been labourious, as the shoot required three 16-hour days to complete, all in the daylight.  They had to take a New York path subway platform and train out of commission for a day for the shoot.

Usugrow – Winged Twgy

Artist: Usugrow
Title; Winged Twgy, 2009
Ink on paper. 8×12 inch. Custom Framed
FIFTY24SF Gallery
Available for sale via FIFTY24 gallery.

I’ve included this artwork in my exhibition as it illustrates life and death in such a stunningly beautiful way.  Life and death obviously without question is something we can all share faith in.  Its reality, its guarenteed.   I love the simplicity of this work and its beauty combined with something that could be perceived as being morbid (the skull imagery). My theme is faith and what people believe in, be it religion, science, whatever holds strong for us personally. This piece is unique it the way is shows death and life together and what lies beneath the skin.

Stefan Sagmeister: Interactive exhibition

Designers: Stefan Sagmeister & Ralph Ammer

Title: ‘Being not truthful works against me’

Interactive exhibition: Digitally woven text into projected spiderweb.

Media: Off the shelf computer, camera, projector. The camera tracks the viewer and custom software made by Ralph Ammer, 2006

As the viewer passes the web, the web sees the viewer, resulting in the viewer ripping the web wherever his or her reflection touches it. The web reconstructs itself time and again, in the way a spider would reconstruct it.  This idea replicates the way nature will seek balance, destruction and repair.  It is something we can have faith in, natures order.

This work also relates to my theme, faith.. As for me personally, truth, speaking the truth, following my truth is a major way in which I live my life.  So the message  ‘Being not truthful works against me’  and the interactive way it is  communicated, appealed to me.

Part of the book and project series ‘Things I have Learned in My Life so Far’

Things I have learned so far by Stefan Sagmeister

We had seminars today. I researched this very cool and interesting man, Stefan Sagmeister. He’s extremely successful graphic designer.. edgy, kinda punk in his asthetics and generally brilliant. He’s done so many funny, experimental design projects, definately up my alley and very inspiring.

‘Things I have learned so far’
Stefan Sagmeister

helping other people helps me
having guts always works out for me
thinking life will be better in the future is stupid. i have to live now
starting a charity is surprisingly easy
being not truthful works against me
everything i do always comes back to me
assuming is stifling
drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on
over time i get used to everything and start taking for granted
money does not make me happy
travelling alone is helpful for a new perspective on life
keeping a diary supports personal development
trying to look good limits my life
material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses
worrying solves nothing
complaining is silly. either act or forget
actually doing the things I set out to do increases my overall level of satisfaction
everybody thinks they are right
low expectations are a good strategy
whatever I want to explore professionally, its best to try it out for myself first
everybody who is honest is interesting

harts & bones: digital drawing animation

A pretty rudimentary first try at sketch up and after effects.
I like to be talented at things pretty much straight away, so I was bummed that the 17yr olds were kicking my arse like i was some old grandma confused with the vcr!
oh well.. baby steps on the software side of things