Tales Of Mere Existence: "A Typical Conversation With My Mom" by Levni Yilmaz

It was just funny! You should watch it!
I guess this can be a typical conversation...

Antoinette Fleur in Shangai

THE ART REFERENCE had already two posts about the Frech artist Antoinette-Fleur (link) and her incredible work. It is worth checking her newly video "in Shangai" video!!

Stranger Than Fiction: The Fantastic Worlds of Marcel Dzama by The Huffington Post

Marcel Dzama is the most renowned draftsman of his generation. But that distinction is not enough: he also makes sculptures and dioramas, directs music videos and short films. Behind Every Curtain, his current show at David Zwirner, features his longest work yet, A Game of Chess, a 14-minute film involving ballet, chess, and a sniper. It's typical Dzama: mysterious, seductive, punctuated with violence and the occasional girl in knee socks. A founder of the Winnipeg collective, The Royal Art Lodge, and a designer of dynamic artist's books, Dzama possesses an indispensable inventiveness, at once fascinating and virtuosic.


Check The Huffington Post's interview with him:

There's a lot of ballet in the film. Where did you come up with the idea of using dance?

I first worked with dance during a music video for The Department of Eagles video. No One Does It Like You. Working with the dancers was so refreshing. It was also a way of showing off costumes because you don't need much of a story. I'd also seen Oskar Schlemmer's Triadic Ballet, which was a huge influence on this entire show.

What appealed to you about that work?
The costumes worked with the movement of the dancers, and that was what I wanted to do. The costumes, at the beginning of this, were supposed to limit the movements of the ballet dancers to what the chessboard pieces were originally supposed to do, I was going to make it so the costume would be so the knight dancer could only dance in an 'L' shaped pattern, and the bishop diagonally. In the end that all changed, more for the dancer's sake than anything.

Your drawings express so much movement, even though the line is so clean, they're incredibly expressive. Recently, the drawings have kind of begun to be like a climactic ending of a giant dance, like a grandiose Busby Berkeley scene. Duchamp was a great chess player, I haven't asked you the significance of chess. Do you like to play chess? Do you enjoy the possibilities?
I'm not a strong player, but I enjoy it. My attention span was so short that I wanted to move at a slower pace. It was something that I went back to, because I used to play as a kid. A friend of mine in Guadalajara was a chess champion in California when he was thirteen, so he was re-teaching me.

Chess engages a certain part of your mind, because there are so many possibilities, as opposed to something that's very culturally specific, like a crossword puzzle.
Yeah because you can go in other directions. It's interesting to see Duchamp's patterns, he's actually an aggressive chess player.

You've had a very private drawing practice for a long time, filmmaking is very different--do you like that collaborative process?

Yes, very much. I like switching it up. At some point if I'm just drawing all the time it becomes mundane, and then I'll work on some project like the film, and then when I go back to drawing it feels exciting again. It has an instant gratification compared to making a large film. But then the film itself has new challenges, and working with other people--the newness of it--makes it exciting.

When you're drawing you have total control of your universe, and here you've got an idea that you thought was clever and then somebody says it can't happen.
That happens a lot, especially budget-wise, it eliminates a lot of things.

Have you done animation?
I've done a few animations, like flipbook animation, and then I also did quite a few drawings that someone else filled in, they move the animation on a computer. That was really interesting to see. Other than that, I don't know if I'd want to do it, the flipbook was so exhausting, and the end result wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped.

Do you think your films are going to get longer and longer?
I was thinking about making a longer piece, maybe more of a plot and a story, instead of the more dyslexic direction in this film.

Sometimes artists say the viewer is thinking too hard and reading into the work too much. But in your case symbols have quite specific meaning.

That's right. For this show, most things relate to the chess game, and a rebellion, a rising up taking over whatever power was in place. There are two warring factors, and at the end none of them exist anymore, and the main character that was kidnapped is freed and she's the only survivor.

Looking at older work of yours, there's often a reaction against an unnamed power, or a masked figure. There's a conflict in a lot of your work.
There's an anti-authority thing going on, I'm not really sure what it is.

I was interested, because in an interview you talked about different faces asking the same question. You can look at different sets of characters in your work, but there's still a friction between something that's innocent and something that isn't.
In some of the drawings, some of the characters represent a fascist or repressive regime and others represent an underground movement. I don't know why they come in to play, sometimes I'll just start drawing and they develop as they go along. After I do enough of them I feel like there is a theme, and I'll play around with that, but I also leave enough clues unanswered so the viewer can add their own take to what's going on.

When you go back to the studio, do you just start and see what happens? Or do you usually have a very specific idea and say, ok, I'm in my nurse phase? How do you realize you've got your next theme?

I don't know, with this show I was starting to draw more modern, almost industrial looking shapes, almost like a mechanical play on a figure. But it would also interact with more figurative characters.

I read that you said you started drawing as therapy. Can you talk about how your drawing practices changed over the years, or if it's always just like keeping a diary, something you can always come back to?
When I was young, it was more like a sketchbook, it was very loose, but more about creating characters. At that age it was highly influenced by comic books--I'd make my own little comics, but also sketches of friends and it was really loose. I was also a songwriter, so I put lyrics in there.

And now as you're more in control, how have things changed?
In some ways it hasn't changed that much, because I still keep that style of sketchbook, but less time is spent on it, and the regular drawings have taken over. That was my schooling, learning how to draw, what was interesting to me, and keeping a recording of it.

You mentioned songwriting, and you've worked with Department of Eagles, what role does music play for you now?
Every now and then I like to take a break from the visual arts, and play a few songs on guitar. I don't play them for anyone. But when I was younger that was very interesting for me, because it was the very early nineties, the whole punk scene was coming up again in Canada, so that felt very interesting to just pick up an instrument and play it.

And as far as collaborating in general, that seems like something you're disposed to, since the days of Royal Art Lodge.
Yeah, I used to play music with all of them, we all had rotating bands and we all played in each others' bands.

And a certain way of making work with other people.

I still get together with friends, and we'll collaborate on drawings together. I'm going to do a show in Stockholm with Jockum Nordström, we're going to collaborate on drawings together.

He's great. How do you respond to an artist like Jockum--do you see things and try to figure out how he did it?
I'm always interested in seeing how other artists work. I want to know what their working patterns are, I even like to know if they listen to music when they draw, or what time of day they draw, even materials they use, what they research, if they use photographs.

In your case, how closely are you dealing with source material, and how much are you working just from your own invention?
There was one photograph that I found of a Palestinian woman who hijacked some PanAm airplane in the seventies, I based an entire character on her in the film. I was flipping through this little book that had one image of her sitting on the side of a bed, with the gun, and she looked so lonely, but also interesting. The setup was a photo op, I don't know what it was from. I look at old mechanical magazines to see how certain objects were put together and built. And then of course you kind of add your own little touch, oh I'll add an arm here.

You've been in Mexico recently--do you travel a lot?
I've been to Mexico a lot. The last two shows at Zwirner, I spent a large portion of the time in Guadalajara, working with this friend of mine who has a ceramics foundry, Jose Noe Suro. He lets me have control of part of the factory. Having that freedom lets me make some large scale works, in my own studio, I usually work far smaller.

And do you like working away from New York, or do you prefer to be in the city?

For drawing, I like to be in New York in my home, but when it comes to working on larger projects, especially there, everything is possible. He has so many connections, you come up with an idea, and he'll say, yes, I know someone who bends tin, and can weld it together, you say oh, ok, that's great!

People like that are terrific--the person who you say something you know is silly and they can make it happen.
Right, in this film, I was talking about this idea of a chess game, very loosely, and three days later, he said, I have the Guadalajara ballet department ready for you.

When people recognize your interests, and associate you with a sensibility, do you react against that?
I guess if I see things written too often, in a review, I do rebel against that. But that helps you notice things you might not notice, and you think I should move on to something else. It's also friends who tell you that you should draw more bears, or something.

Right, and then sometimes a character goes away.
I killed off a lot of characters in the last show I had here. I decided I'd had enough of those guys. A couple of them have reappeared, but not very often.

Antoinette-Fleur's Video

Today, I received an e-mail from Antoinette-Fleur, a French drawer, thanking me for posting about her art work a while ago. (You can check the post at this LINK). Antoinette is a wonderful drawer who focus her pieces in portraits and fashion figures.

In her e-mail, Antoinette-Fleur provided us an "art reference": an animation video showing her drawings. Please, check below:




I am also adding here another video I found in Youtube about her work:


Votre Portrait by Antoinette-Fleur


Thank you, Antoinette, for inspiring us with your inspirations.
We love your work. Please, keep the good job!
We will always be a fan!

Bonne journée à toi aussi, Antoinette-Fleur!


Artists' website: http://antoinettefleur.fr/

Hugh McLeod's cartoon

Creative Mess - Hugh MC Leod

Creativity starts off messy. Youthful creativity is very messy.

Often starting off randomly, and then as one thinks, and works, its form takes shape.

Over time, when one works their creative muscle over and over, creativity gets easier and less messy, more precise.

That is the challenge of being a creative professional. Exercising your creative muscle sufficiently so that your ability to create is not so random, or messy.

That goes for visual artists, writers, marketers, managers.

Focus, intent, exercise, repetition.


* This was written by Hugh MC Leod - a great cartoonist.

Jon Burgerman – Master Doodler explains why you don’t need lots of cash or fancy resources to be successful.

Do you tell yourself that there’s no way you can succeed without a wadge of cash, all the best equipment and a bunch of top business people in tow? Well Jon Burgerman is an internationally successful illustrator and he’s here to tell you that you don’t need any of that stuff in order to be successful.

Read on to discover how Jon’s succeeding in a competitive industry from Subvert Magazine.

Jon has exhibited in galleries around the world including; Japan, Hamburg, Beijing, Barcelona and Singapore. He’s published two books “Hello Duudle” and “Pens are My Friends”. Plus his illustrations have been featured in Clutter Magazine, Computer Arts and “Vinyl Will Kill”. He’s designed a range of Ripcurl clothing, a series of soya surfboards, and top fashion house Miss Sixty commissioned him to doodle all over the walls of their swanky Hotel in Italy, not bad for someone who claims “I’m the King of Wing-ing it”

“Your body, whilst hurting and hating you for making it sweat also releases tiny pellets of golden happiness”

Hiya Jon I’m always reading on Twitter about you jetting around the world doing exhibitions and live drawing events, leading such a busy lifestyle, where do you find the energy, is exercise part of your routine?

I’m pretty unfit but I do manage to get to the gym a couple of times a week if I’m not traveling. Exercise is good for the brain as much as it is for the body. Also if you work a lot on your own (say in a room on your own) you can get depressed quite easily so exercise, going out and sweating, doing something completely different is healthy for you and can keep you happy. Your body, whilst hurting and hating you for making it sweat also releases tiny pellets of golden happiness orbs into your soda-blood-stream (this is a scientific fact).

You mentioned working on your own, tell me about your process for coming up with new work can you be creative on demand?

I used to be able to but things are slowing down a little these days. Sometimes I need to have a break from work, go away and do something else for a while. It’s never good to force it if inspiration isn’t forthcoming. Just relax, try not to stress and come back to it after eating some salad.

Talking about stress, a lot of people get frustrated with the lack of resources or other obstacles they have to overcome have you experienced any particular barriers?

I had all the normal deficiencies but kept working anyway. For about three years I sat on a crappy wooden chair in my tiny bedroom, using my pillow from my bed as a cushion, working on an old PC with a dial up internet connection shared between three people.

I had no cash or fancy resources. You don’t need it (to do the kind of things I do). Just work hard! Enjoy working hard! Don’t get drunk every night, don’t complain, eat vegetables, enjoy! Work! Enjoy! Draw! Sleep! Listen! Read! Work!

Did you take to this career path naturally, did you have confidence in yourself that you could really do it from the start?


It’s all I ever wanted to do and all I knew I could ever do so whilst the path has had its ups and downs it’s all been pretty OK – but then I don’t really know any other way. But nothing good is ever really easy, it has been hard work but worth it of course.

You’re absolutely right it does take a lot of effort, did you ever write a plan of what you wanted to achieve?

I’m a terrible planner, even if I make them I seldom stick to them. I’ve never made a business plan or anything like that. I’m the King of Wing-ing it, I make it up as I go along, change my mind a million times and then get distracted and forget all about what I’m meant to be doing.

Were you encouraged to pursue life as an artist by those around you or was there any opposition?


A bit of both, most people have been very encouraging and a few art tutors along the way were disparaging but I think you have to expect that. If you can’t stand up to criticism and argue your case at that level you’re probably going to crumble when confronted with any real criticism you may face outside of an educational institution.

Did you have any particular people who helped mentor or guide you when you started out?

Not really but lots of professionals I emailed did kindly email back offering bits of advice here and there. You pick up advice where you can and treat all your early jobs as learning experiences – always ask plenty of questions.

That’s great advice, too many people are scared to ask questions and it’s an important part of learning. You mention emailing some professionals for help, can you tell me who has been particularly helpful to you?

The Association of Illustrators are really helpful. I wish I’d invited other artists out to lunch to quiz them about their practices but I wasn’t clever enough to think of that at the time. I did kind of work in a vacuum for a while.

What things do you find challenging or scary about being an artist?


I’m afraid of everything – what if it’s crap and people hate it? What if I hate it? Exhibitions are probably the scariest things, which is why I like doing them the most.

That’s great, so you’re saying – face the challenges head on. Tell me more about your thoughts on fear, does it help or hinder you?

As it’s all in the mind you can choose to let it limit you or force you to push on and conquer it. If you want an excuse you can happily find one in almost everything.

How often do you find yourself failing at something or abandoning a piece of work?

I fail at lots of things, you should of seen the porridge I made last weekend. Failure isn’t to be feared. Everything is just practice for the next time you’ll attempt it.

Apart from good culinary skills, what does it take to be a successful in this industry?

You need to be ready to learn, be nice to people, work hard, be reliable, have ideas, be clean and tidy and have some common sense. Someone told me to always offer a little more than is required. Be enthusiastic too, no-one like a sullen sad-sack mopping about the place. Offer to help with things and to make tea every so often.

Is life in the public eye what you thought it would be when you set out?

I’m hardly in the public eye – I draw for a living, it’s not like you get to sleep with supermodels and drink Champagne from glass slippers, I’m not Gary Baseman you know! It’s strange if someone recognizes me at an exhibition or something but that’s quite rare and I often run away before I can get embarrassed (or indeed embarrass myself).

We’ll have to ask Gary about those supermodels, but until you reach that point :) what would you say are the biggest benefits of this type of life?

No boss to answer to, you’re in control of what you do and when you do it, and it’s fun!

Interview by Angel Greenham


Links

www.jonburgerman.com
ww.facebook.com/jonburgermangroup

Carioca Streets Walls - The Walls of Rio

Check out the Brazilain Graffiti Artists in Ipanema beach - Rio de Janeiro

Weekend Walk by the beach + Drawinings.....

Street Walls in Ipanema beach...

Rio girl!

My Nankin Drawing

This is an old drawing of mine. I made it when I was 14 years old. This is my High School called Nossa Senhora do Carmo. I spent two days inside the square's church with my easel in order to do it. Professor Adi helped me back then. 

Lovely and calm days when kids would throw their friends inside the square fountain or throw dozens of eggs and flour on their friends for their b-day. Lovely custom!

Unrealized Potential by Hugh McLeod

As per the one cartoonist I like a lot: "This cartoon is a bit of a self-portrait of myself, just after leaving college. Young, kinda goofy, full of dreams and unarticulated ideas.

But it was that dissatisfaction with "unrealized potential" that kept me going. Even back then I knew, potential isn't enough. It never is."

Inspire Me Dammit

Here again I post about Hugh's cartoon. I love his work. Check out today's drawing.

And here is what he has to say about it:

Some might say that i'm in the inspiration business. I draw, I write, but in order to do that, I need to find inspiration.

Having worked in many industries over the years, I find the least inspiring people are in businesses that are insular and run by cliques. Everybody thinks, says and does the same things. The UK wine trade is like this, for example.

One reason why I love tech is that folks in this business thrive on creation, reinvention, and an innate curiosity about the world around them- they live in a world where there are no boundaries.

Like I've said to a bunch of non-tech clients: Run your business as if it was a tech start up. Yes, especially if you are in an old fashioned business. You'll be inspired every day.

Drawing of the day!

Drawing of the day
is a personal sketch that I do at work to make it a good day!

Stephen Wiltshire

I first knew Stephen at the age of 13 by a documentary about his work and life. I was so impressed that I have been following his career since then.

Stephen Wiltshire is an artist who draws and paints detailed cityscapes. He has a particular talent for drawing lifelike, accurate representations of cities, sometimes after having only observed them briefly. He was awarded an MBE for services to the art world in 2006. He studied Fine Art at City & Guilds Art College. His work is popular all over the world, and is held in a number of important collections.

Stephen was born in London to West Indian parents on 24th April, 1974. As a child he was mute, and did not relate to other human beings. Aged three, he was diagnosed as autistic. He had no language and lived entirely in his own world. At the age of five, at Queensmill School in London, teachers noticed that he was only interested in drawing. And that´s when its began...

In 1987, the BBC QED programme, 'The Foolish Wise Ones', featured Stephen's astounding talent. Great doc!

The incredible thing is that Stephen looks, memorizes and then draws it by entirely memory. He memorized Madrid´s panoramic view during a 30 minute helicopter flight through the city and during three days he drew this detailed drawing below. Check out the details this guy can hold in his mind!

Life is so hard the way it is. Imagine life and art with extra obstacles. It can be challenging, but also an opportunity for innovation and for exceeding ones personal talent.

I just love people that have the heart and generosity to cross the boundaries and make a meaning by touching people.

Check out Stephen´s site!

Kevin Phillips

My name is Kevin Phillips, I'm currently 18 years old planning on going to college for an art degree. All my life I knew I was pretty good at art, took art classes all through school etc. But it wasn't till the summer before my senior year I actually wanted to do art for a living. I never really learned any art techniques or rules in any of those classes, so I'm self taught for all of my graphite pieces. When it comes to painting, I owe a big thanks to my senior year art teacher Mrs. McDougal. I do not consider myself a specific kind of artist, considering I've worked with metal sculpture, graphite drawings in realism to abstract, and painting that ranges from realism to abstract. I consider myself to be pretty well rounded in all areas of art, at least for my age and where I'm currently at.

A few artists that I look up to are Erik Johnson and Ryan Shultz, both were on the show "work of art" and are very talented. Tim Gagnon and Lawrence Yang, are two that I model my work after a bunch. And last but not least Banksy, Banksy is probably the most known of the 5 because of the way he keeps in secret and the meaning behind his works.

This is a portrait that I did of my friend Caylee, I think what helps this drawing strong is the contrast in lighting, and her good looks help as well.

In all of my portraits, I attempt to set a mood, or feeling. In this one you look up at the girl (Hail) as she looks up and away giving a lift me up feeling somewhat.




This piece was inspired by an artist I look up to a bunch because of his style, He mixes a Asian influence with a American style in a way I really like. Lawrence Yang is a very well known artist and I have plenty of pieces in the style of Lawrence.

"Inside a collapsing sun" In my opinion this is one of my most successful abstract pieces, I used a few techniques from Lawrence Yang, but really put my own flair into it by using 4 different canvases to make one piece that flows from canvas to canvas.

Tim Gagnon is another artist I look up to. He has a very modern approach of painting and I really wanted to do a piece like his, but in my own style.

My self portrait was done in order to show the contours of my face and to show my youth to be combined with a later piece that makes me look older.

To be combined with the previous picture into one piece, this future self portrait was meant to hopefully show the difference of what I look like adding around, 50-60 years to my age. This was one of my more challenging pieces because it's not the easiest thing to look into the future at yourself.


To see more of my work you can to go either of the facebook pages here and here, I hope you enjoy my artwork, and hope you follow me to see my progression through the future.


* This post was written by the Guest Columnist Kevin Phillips