Art Inflation!

I have never encountered this kind of art before – I would say I was blown away by it but it would be a really bad pun (ok that’s never stopped me before..).  We’ve all seen balloon art at fairs and as part of children’s entertainment, but this inflatable art is just a little bit different.  For a start, the artist Joshua Allen Harris is using garbage bags and tape to make these inflatable statues.  Now I don’t know if these garbage bags are new bags or used bags – but the effect is mesmerizing and provides a great deal of entertainment whilst making people smile.  The animals have life breathed into them, courtesy of subway exhaust air!  My favorite is the Loch Ness monster – which I thought was really comical!  What do you think of them?  A good idea? a bad idea? – which do you like?

Video by  NewYorkMagazine Thanks!

PS.  THE  VAN GOGH POETRY CHALLENGE IS STILL GOING STRONG!  TO SEE THE POEMS AND TO PERHAPS ENTER YOUR OWN PLEASE CLICK VINCENT!

Poetry Challenge: Vincent could have told you

 

Just Click the Van Gogh image to take you to the video

Everyone has heard ‘Starry Starry Night‘ By Don Mclean,  the beautiful song about Vincent Van Gogh.  There is a line in it which says:_

But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you…….

(here’s the song I mean – also called ‘Vincent’)

The challenge is to watch the very short video that features all Van Gogh’s self-portrait and imagine what the artist might be trying to convey through these portraits – in other words if he could speak – what do you think he would he want to say to us?  Alternatively you could just write a poem about Van Gogh the man or his work.  The poem can be as profound as you want, or as daft as you like:)  it can be long, short or even a haiku. Put it on your site and link to mine and  I’ll make a page putting all the poems dedicated to this on my blog with a link to yours.   (You can copy and paste the image if you want).  The title of the poem is ‘Vincent could have told you’ That’s the challenge!  Are you up for it?

Please post your poems either under comments – or if you prefer sent me an email and I’ll put them on.

Here’s the first of the poems!  this one is by Kserverny aka Artswebshow.  please check out his blog it’s fantastic!

.

Oh why did the ladies never love me.

.

As i sit here in my velvet chair.

Chains of smoke swirl around me.

My dinner left lingering by the door.

Painting for the purpose of inner peace.

My thoughts, they say.

Oh why did the ladies never love me?

Life looks back in fall.

.

Relying for my income on dear little brother.

Oh the shame, it makes me insane.

I burn and cut for you people.

Yet none will look my way.

Stewing in my little bed.

Oh why did the ladies never love me?

Life looks back in fall.

.

The tormented candle flickers softly now.

Obsessive working grips me tight.

No interest gained off local peers.

I fear my end is in sight.

I softly said.

Oh why did the ladies never love me?

Life looks down in winter.

.

People tread upon the floor.

Above the sunflowers fill them with awe.

Such a valuable epiphany,

Of a time travelled long before.

The painting remains silent.

Ladies flock around him.

Standing proudly on the wall.

 

POEM NO: 2 is by bended spoon who has a very upbeat and positive website – guaranteed to raise a smile (this is the second time he’s made my day!  Please check him out:)

ugh

Van Gogh

are you aware

what you have put me through?

well, echostains

invited me to a poetry challenge

though i am not a poet.

but for the fun of it

here it is.

i see that you are obsessed

with your myriad faces.

don’t tell me you’re not

why paint a lot?

kidding aside,

i admire you man

we both lack self-confidence

but still we want to give happiness.

so i guess what you are trying to say

in your self-portraits is,

‘no sense in taking thy own life

for thy own life has sense’.

Poem No:3 is by Linda Kruschke who has a lovely homely and welcoming blog!  please check it out:)

Vincent Could Have Told You

Faces change
My face changes
With the seasons
With my mood
I paint a changing me

But I remain
Beneath the face
What I call God
That which is love
It does not change

Poem No:4 is by Debbie Feller whose blog has ‘simple poems  and simple faith’ please check it out!

I paint from the mirror
turning away to hide
my bad side
the eyes remain
unchanged.

Poem No:5 is by opoetoo who has a great blog full of poetry and musings – please give it a visit and you won’t be disappointed!

Ground /between stones

I feel the world turn

In your face

Of  clay on canvas

…………………………Rotating

………Pushing

up through the hard ground

Corn for crows to pluck and pillage

……………………… Corn enough

to feed the wonder of this planet

 

Poem No: 6 is by Adam Dustus who is a novelist, poet and graphic artist.  He has a very well established blog and there’s lots to interest poets, writers and artists alike!  Well worth a visit!

Light stricken, anxious eyes
Painting beautiful expressions sublime
Puddling tears that Starry Night
Too late, my work now recognized

Could not foresee what happened to me
Now millions on sales tags
Downloads to computer screens
Broadcasts of honors in stellar HD
Even documentaries all about me
Scandals, art thieves,
Dedicated museum wings
Sunflower posters
Mass produced grief… 

 

Yet curation now kind
Since I razed my prime
They think priceless being
A tortured mind

Only my faces and work survive
Absinthesizing swirls refined
Depression claimed another life
Still art without end
Beyond my time

 

Poem No: 7  is from Steve whose blog ‘Heednotsteve’  has a bit about everything (but mostly fiction and poetry).  its a good one so please give it a visit!

I know you

or at least
I know
your face

pale forehead
and faint brow,
high cheeks

your somber face

the contours
and creases
of it

backwards to me, convenient

set mouth
and the eyes,
I know the eyes

unflinching – I’ve never seen them closed

I know
your face

your sad
serious
face

hopeful and doubtful

as if
I might tell you
something

about you

as if you might
by patient
scrutiny

know me

PoemNo:8 is by Fireblossom.  Her blog Shay’s word garden is full of original poetry.  Check it out!

Vince, hi.

Um…

What? Oh, I’m fine. You’re sweet to ask.

So…

What up?

“Dawg”. Ha ha.

Are you, like, still doing drawings and stuff?

Yeah? You’re pretty good. Seriously, dude.

You should, like, maybe take a class or something.

Have you ever signed up for an art class? No?

I think the community college offers them.

I took, I don’t know, some computer thing there once…it was okay, I guess.

I met Rick there.

Yeah, Rick, this guy I’m seeing, or like, we’re hanging out and that.

Look, Vince, I need to tell you,

You’re a nice guy and all. Some girl is out there for you.

No kidding, a lot of girls really like beards. For real!

My friend, she’s totally all about dudes who look like these mountain men or something.

Hey, I didn’t mean…

It looks good. No lie.

But, Vince,

I’m not really into art or that, and Rick, he’s kind of into the whole surfer, keg party thing.

Well, what I mean is,

Um…

Here’s your ear.

I wrapped it in, I don’t know, this napkin from Chicken Shack.

I didn’t, like, use it at all, it’s clean.

Maybe they can re-attach it?

But dude, seriously,

Don’t, like, send me the other one or anything, you know?

It’s gross, I have to be honest with you.

Really thoughtful,

But,

Gross. As hell.

What were you thinking?

Oh, c’mon,

Don’t go all crumpled looking,

My dog does that and I can’t deal.

He’s at my mom’s now…

Well, I know, like you care, right? I just ramble, whatever.

Sorry.

So, check out those art classes.

Maybe you could even sell one of your paintings?

Use the money to buy a new jacket or something.

Good luck, Vince.

I gotta run, Rick hates it if I keep him waiting.

Peace, out.

And no more ears!

Later, dude!

(walk

walk

walk

keys

car door slamming

engine starting

lipstick adjustment in rearview mirror)

*sigh*

What a fucking nut case!

Poem No: 9 is our first Haiku and its contributed by the wonderful Eva from the equally wonderfully artistic and poetical blog  47whitebuffalo. There’s lots of goodies there – please call in:)

eyes catching light play

all ways fleeting here to there

oranges splashing blues

‘Night’ by Eleanor Farjeon

Eleanor Farjeon (1881 – 1965) was a British poetess, author, playwright who liked to make history interesting for children.  She is mostly known for her hymn ‘Morning has Broken (1931) which was written to the tune of an old Gaelic refrain.  I read some of her writings when I was a child (The Little Bookroom) and among her poems, this one has always haunted me.  What I like about this particular poem is that she seems to really understand the childs fears about night-time and the wild imaginings and terrors that can occur: the odd shapes of bedroom furniture that are transformed into all kinds of terrifying beings! (maybe it’s just me? :0).  She then couples the restlessness (which is when the child really starts imagining) with the soothing comforting queen in the blue velvet gown (compare this with the torn worn hood of the thieving gypsy).

Night

Night can be a gypsy
In a torn worn hood,
And a rough gruff voice,
And a dark stark mood,
And holes in her hovel in a dank rank wood.
Lest she steal me away
To the wastes of the sky
I’ll hide from the gypsy
When the wind rides high.

Night can be a queen
In a blue velvet gown,
With a pearl on her brow
And diamonds in her crown,
And a silky silver train lined with swan-white
down.

To sing and to play
In the courts of the sky
Til bow to the queen
When the moon rides high.

Video by poetryanimations Thanks! and there is an  interesting article about this author just under the video by Jim Clark that is well worth reading!

Just Click the Van Gogh image to take you to the video

Whilst we’re on the subject of poetry, opoetoo has just made a comment about my post  which shows some Van Gogh images morphing into each other.……………………………………..this gave me an idea for a challenge!  Are you up for it?  Write a poem about what you think Van Gogh might be saying through the painting, or what message you think he is trying to convey. Put it on your site and link to mine and  I’ll make a page putting all the poems dedicated to this on my blog with a link to yours.  Make as profound or just plain daft as you like!!

What next? Cake Britain?

Futureheads 'The Chaos' lyrics vs Miss Cakehead (chocolate cookies)

A new exhibition called ‘Art you can eat – Cake Britain’  in the Future Gallery, 5 Great Newport street London  WC2 gallery will run from 27th August 2010 until 29th.  All the work is made from sugar and flour, cake and other sweet things and made by the UK’s creative bakers.  The work will be devoured by the public and the proceeds shall be donated to charity.   Tate and Lyle Sugars are the sponsors.  Here’s a very early echostains blog post featuring some of my miniature efforts and a sugarcraft exhibition

'Cloud Cuckoo wedding cake' Stuart Semple vs Paul Baker

I’ve always been an admirer of cake art – its amazing what you can make from sugar. I’ve made decorative dough art in the past and even miniature food from fimo clay, but I can’t ever remember decorating a cake.  this is probably down to me not being very good with cakes (they always come out soggy or sink in the middle).  I’m much better with pastry though – must have cool hands:)

Art you can eat – Cake Britain images from here and here: read about the Madartist teaparty who contributed here

Related Articles

• Eat your art out: The art world has developed a taste for food (independent.co.uk)

Electric Figures in the Landscape

Angel of the North

 

I do like seeing figures in the landscape – these monuments. When Antony Gormley built his Angel of the North there was outcry at first.  But that statue has become part of the landscape and is a welcoming sight to travellers.  The material the artist used has aged and giving the statue  a lovely patina. But what about the millions of pylons which there are no outcry about – though they are in every green space?

transforming the pylons

Electricity pylons are everywhere - standing in our landscape, we don’t even notice them half the time.  They are not aesthetically pleasing to the eye – but we tolerate them or just pretend that they’re not there.  Architects Choi+Shine who are based in Massachuset have invented these figurative pylons whose gestures will correspond with the environment.  For example, a figure on a hill shall be made ‘climbing’ the hill etc.

I love the idea of these figures becoming part of the environment and was quite excited about the idea – until I came to the end of the article.  It has been decided by Landsnet  (the company who own the pylons) to NOT to go ahead with the project after all.  What a shame!  Who else would have liked to see these figures?

 Oh well, we will just have to keep pretending the pylons aren’t there….

Read the story with more images here

Angel of the North image from Here

Art I LOVE -Egon Schiele

Seated woman with bent knee

Austrian expressionist artist Egon Schiele b.1890 Tuln Austria was the first artist I researched when I was at University.  Doing lots of Life drawing and looking round to see which sort of art influenced me his work soon caught my eye.  Like many art students I bought the series of Taschen art books that were and still are  available.  I still have these books, they are excellent resources – and I have nearly all of them!  The books are so informative, the illustrations so clear and colourful, and very reasonably priced.

The Scornful Woman

I have meant to write about this artist for quite a while.  One of his paintings, stolen by the Nazis and in the centre of a 12 year dispute was reported in this article today.  It makes interesting reading.

As a child Schiele was not academically inclined but his uncle, who became his guardian recognised his talent for art and sent him to the Vienna Academy of Fine arts when he was 16.  He became a good friend of Gustave Klimt whose work influenced and inspired him.  Schiele explored sexuality through the human form, using expressionistic body shapes in twisting and contorted positions.

standing male nude with red loincloth

When Shciele moved to Neulengbach he was arrested and jailed briefly for seducing an underage girl.  The artist seems to have courted controversy throughout his life style through his art his lifestyle and his choice of young models.  He did serve in World War 1 and was well respected as an artist, though he never saw any fighting.  He continued his career after the war and exhibited  50 works for the 49th Secession exhibition in Vienna 1917.  He died of the Spanish epidemic in 1918, he was only 28 years old.  I often wonder what sort of art he would have produced if he had lived longer.  He was a prolific worker and has left us a legacy of his fine work.

All images from the Egon Shiele excellent website  Here

Mini biography of this artist here

A Living Likeness

 

acrylic on a flesh canvas

A long time ago I came across camouflage artist  Emma Hack whose work I found innovative and impressive (see my post ‘Discovered and Recovered).  Another post featured camouflage artist Lui Bolin.  This artist played with the idea of invisibility to make political statements  here .   Alexa Meade is different type of artist though – one whose art that I have yet to come across.  She likes to paint  people to look like paintings -  the results, I think are pretty impressive! 

a brush with time

Sometimes the ‘painting’ will sit in front of a painting.  It’s hard to see where the person starts and the painting ends.  The model becomes a living trompe l’oeil (realistic imagery to create an optic illusion).

The work is multi layered, a mixture of painting, video performance and installation and the results spectacular.  I especially like the ones in the gallery setting.  The model is given a new ‘skin’ to wear which she or he  can inhabit for a few hours – here today and gone tomorrow. This plays with our sense of permanence and impermanence and also, I suppose it leads us to question our own mortality and our place on life’s canvas – when we are ourselves the canvas on which life is written on. 

 There are a lot of questions to be asked and addressed - which I think makes for very interesting art which is both visually stunning and mentally challenging.

There’s a lot more of these ‘paintings’  each one more astounding than the other from Alexa Meade’s website here and also from here .   Final image from here