AMERICAN because of the US and the bunch of stars used? Us as in the top of the diptich and the two feelings between two people. i see the top as the explanation or the introduction to what is about the be said.
in the middle one the tiger is being send away by the boy but when he turns around he will be sent back and the top two resemble eachother much more because of the darnkess of the grass. intentional? as if they are floating in outerspace or something.
yeah, the first seems a set up for the two following it. Without the first, I'd get an entirely different idea about the bottom two, unrelated to america or americana.
I think it's a real shame our initial read is U.S. as in American. I look at it now and think of US as in YOU and ME and EVERYONE else. Clearly it has some suggestion American iconography but truthfully its indirect. The longer i stay with that image ther more i get the sense of it implying something interesting than a review of the Stars and Stripes, particulary because there are no stripes! This is more a testimony to the grip the flag and those letters have on us. We don't live in the US we live in the U.S.A. In politics and geography specificity matters a great deal.
...like constellations that surround that supernova. Post-blackhole, reality old times. I feel those stars are bigger than flags and symbols and U*S becomes a character from a distance. Connect the dots and white lite forms. I like the challenge of avoiding a seemingly obvious read and work a little to get more meaning out of it. Sure, the United States if you want it, but this imagery leads to so much more, quite possibly a sacred geometric belief that our loyalty to these symbols and forms exists because it is within us and we are within it. It of course parrallels patriotism as an american but makes a wider correlation to how sacred our molecular structure can be, whether macro or micro. The powers of 10- I missed the blackhole.
Look up that jungle book...
What up with the wise one, ivory elephant. I see worshipped culture and what I grew up on.
I read the geometry of the first as vaguely religious as well, and the iconic status given the dumbo or jack in the box or whatever. I definitely don't think these pieces are about america, per se. However, they certainly use that familiar iconography as a portal to other ideas. The jungle one is the only that somehow says something xenophobic to me, which points to a particular American sensibility. Pop culture as religion or vice versa.
xenophobic? in what way? I see no fear here nor do I see an unfamiliar sensibility. Even to those outside of american pop culture, the imagery presented here is a pure love affair. I think how these images are rendered are actually quite inviting to even the most unaware being. Place a child in the arms of these images and they'll sleep like a rock, beyond themselves. These images prove strong and ride waves hard, visible from shore for sure. But I definitely appreciate the suspension of a sacred culture that's rooted in television, animated films from the 40s and 60s and childhood imaginations. Seeing that thing in the sky that I can't see. Theories and Daydreams.
I dunno, just something gives me that impression. The crudeness of the drawing, I guess. Where you see it as comforting I don't. It could just be that I'm kind of unfamiliar with the source material. Without prior knowledge of where the imagery is being appropriated from, I think the work can easily be interpreted in several not necessarily positive ways.
These are paintings. I don't believe it's even possible to reference painting with the term crude.
Every thing everywhere can interpreted in several not necessarily positive ways. That doesn't make these particularly grim.
The American read can easily be avoided. Seriously, come on, look at that image, it has at least a dozen suggestions for an entirely different read. My thoughts were exactly with Kevin on it.
free energy for all, at the completion of the translation of the sun into a web woven wildly around our world, our union with electrical life can only symbolize our connection to God
3. Learn to Read, Dumbo learns to read by examining the stars in the galaxy
" ELEPHANTS
The main characteristics of the elephant are his strength and steadfastness. There for it become a symbol of physical and mental strength, as well as responsibility and earthiness.
In Indian mythology we hear about the flying elephants and Airavata, the white elephant who become the vehicle of Indra and appeared from the churning of the milky ocean. Therefore white elephants are considered very special and with the power to produce rain. They are identified as rain-bearing clouds, which will explain the belief in the flying elephants. In Indian society elephants were considered to bring good luck and prosperity. They were owned by the kings and used in wars.
In buddhism the elephant is a symbol of mental strenght. At the beginning of one's practice the uncontrolled mind is symbolised by a gray elephant who can run wild any moment and destroy everything on his way. After practising dharma and taming one's mind, the mind which is now brought under control is symbolised by a white elephant strong and powerful, who can be directed wherever one wishes and destroy all the obstacles on his way.
Buddha Shakyamuni was born as elephant in some of his previous incarnations. Also in his last incarnation as Siddharth Gautama he songs: descended from the Tushita pure land and entered his mother's womb in the form of a white elephant.
In buddhist iconography we find the elephant-faced deity Gangpati or Ganesh as an emanation of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Also in another aspect, representing the worldly aspect of the same evergy he is trampled upon by same other deities such as Mahakala, Vajra Bhairava and others.
In the mandala offering ritual one offers to the Buddha the Precious Elephant, with the strength of one thousand elephants and who can circumdbulate the whole universe three times in one day. Also the elephant tusks are one of the Seven Royal Emblems.
The elephant is the vehicle of the Tathagata Aksobhya and the deity Balabadra. The elephant also appears as a guardian of the temples and of Buddha himself. "
Opinions are just that, opinions. My critical read of something can be entirely different from yours. That's the great thing about art, it welcomes audience interpretation.
chris mcgraw get at me man--- mikl.smth@gmail really dig bro. i have nothing intellegent to say
-- totally focused and unfocused the whole mess planted neatly and imediatley in the back of my neck - it's funny to have time with an artist to see them bubble up here and there over years and still see this real direct constant. making more and less sense-
That first piece feels makes me feel a certain brand of american...as do they all, really.
ReplyDeleteAMERICAN because of the US and the bunch of stars used?
ReplyDeleteUs as in the top of the diptich and the two feelings between two people. i see the top as the explanation or the introduction to what is about the be said.
in the middle one the tiger is being send away by the boy but when he turns around he will be sent back and the top two resemble eachother much more because of the darnkess of the grass. intentional?
as if they are floating in outerspace or something.
yeah, the first seems a set up for the two following it. Without the first, I'd get an entirely different idea about the bottom two, unrelated to america or americana.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a real shame our initial read is U.S. as in American. I look at it now and think of US as in YOU and ME and EVERYONE else. Clearly it has some suggestion American iconography but truthfully its indirect. The longer i stay with that image ther more i get the sense of it implying something interesting than a review of the Stars and Stripes, particulary because there are no stripes! This is more a testimony to the grip the flag and those letters have on us. We don't live in the US we live in the U.S.A. In politics and geography specificity matters a great deal.
ReplyDeleteI think it's pretty loaded imagery, and the United States implications are totally unavoidable.
ReplyDelete...like constellations that surround that supernova. Post-blackhole, reality old times. I feel those stars are bigger than flags and symbols and U*S becomes a character from a distance. Connect the dots and white lite forms. I like the challenge of avoiding a seemingly obvious read and work a little to get more meaning out of it. Sure, the United States if you want it, but this imagery leads to so much more, quite possibly a sacred geometric belief that our loyalty to these symbols and forms exists because it is within us and we are within it. It of course parrallels patriotism as an american but makes a wider correlation to how sacred our molecular structure can be, whether macro or micro. The powers of 10- I missed the blackhole.
ReplyDeleteLook up that jungle book...
What up with the wise one, ivory elephant. I see worshipped culture and what I grew up on.
-kbeas
I read the geometry of the first as vaguely religious as well, and the iconic status given the dumbo or jack in the box or whatever. I definitely don't think these pieces are about america, per se. However, they certainly use that familiar iconography as a portal to other ideas. The jungle one is the only that somehow says something xenophobic to me, which points to a particular American sensibility. Pop culture as religion or vice versa.
ReplyDeletexenophobic? in what way? I see no fear here nor do I see an unfamiliar sensibility. Even to those outside of american pop culture, the imagery presented here is a pure love affair. I think how these images are rendered are actually quite inviting to even the most unaware being. Place a child in the arms of these images and they'll sleep like a rock, beyond themselves. These images prove strong and ride waves hard, visible from shore for sure. But I definitely appreciate the suspension of a sacred culture that's rooted in television, animated films from the 40s and 60s and childhood imaginations. Seeing that thing in the sky that I can't see. Theories and Daydreams.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, just something gives me that impression. The crudeness of the drawing, I guess. Where you see it as comforting I don't. It could just be that I'm kind of unfamiliar with the source material. Without prior knowledge of where the imagery is being appropriated from, I think the work can easily be interpreted in several not necessarily positive ways.
ReplyDeleteThese are paintings. I don't believe it's even possible to reference painting with the term crude.
ReplyDeleteEvery thing everywhere can interpreted in several not necessarily positive ways. That doesn't make these particularly grim.
The American read can easily be avoided. Seriously, come on, look at that image, it has at least a dozen suggestions for an entirely different read. My thoughts were exactly with Kevin on it.
Thanks for the interest in these paintings.
ReplyDelete1. United States- 2009, 10' x 10', spray paint, acrylic and latex on canvas
2. Jungle boy- 2009, 14' x 11', spray paint, acrylic and latex on canvas
3. Learn to Read- 2009, 8' x 3', pray paint, acrylic and latex on canvas
1. United States,
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/images/symbols/crescent-200.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/symbols.htm&usg=__EgKwv4SZU6fl2d89PDuR8YBrgHQ=&h=200&w=200&sz=3&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=Oj4WrNb4LHfXHM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dislamic%2Bsymbols%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
2. Jungle Boy-
Conversion of natural energy into a laser beam of communication for communicating back with nature.
volume of a sphere- 4/3 x (3.14)(radius of the sphere cubed)
http://physweb.bgu.ac.il/GROUPS/AP/AP/sun.gif
volume of a cylinder- 3.14 x (radius of circle face squared)(height)
http://www.norcalblogs.com/bumpkins/OutdoorExtensionCord.jpg
free energy for all, at the completion of the translation of the sun into a web woven wildly around our world, our union with electrical life can only symbolize our connection to God
3. Learn to Read, Dumbo learns to read by examining the stars in the galaxy
" ELEPHANTS
The main characteristics of the elephant are his strength and steadfastness. There for it become a symbol of physical and mental strength, as well as responsibility and earthiness.
In Indian mythology we hear about the flying elephants and Airavata, the white elephant who become the vehicle of Indra and appeared from the churning of the milky ocean. Therefore white elephants are considered very special and with the power to produce rain. They are identified as rain-bearing clouds, which will explain the belief in the flying elephants. In Indian society elephants were considered to bring good luck and prosperity. They were owned by the kings and used in wars.
In buddhism the elephant is a symbol of mental strenght. At the beginning of one's practice the uncontrolled mind is symbolised by a gray elephant who can run wild any moment and destroy everything on his way. After practising dharma and taming one's mind, the mind which is now brought under control is symbolised by a white elephant strong and powerful, who can be directed wherever one wishes and destroy all the obstacles on his way.
Buddha Shakyamuni was born as elephant in some of his previous incarnations. Also in his last incarnation as Siddharth Gautama he songs: descended from the Tushita pure land and entered his mother's womb in the form of a white elephant.
In buddhist iconography we find the elephant-faced deity Gangpati or Ganesh as an emanation of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Also in another aspect, representing the worldly aspect of the same evergy he is trampled upon by same other deities such as Mahakala, Vajra Bhairava and others.
In the mandala offering ritual one offers to the Buddha the Precious Elephant, with the strength of one thousand elephants and who can circumdbulate the whole universe three times in one day. Also the elephant tusks are one of the Seven Royal Emblems.
The elephant is the vehicle of the Tathagata Aksobhya and the deity Balabadra. The elephant also appears as a guardian of the temples and of Buddha himself. "
Opinions are just that, opinions. My critical read of something can be entirely different from yours. That's the great thing about art, it welcomes audience interpretation.
ReplyDelete...and I didn't mean anything negative with the crude comment...just in opposition to a painting that is, let's say, slick.
ReplyDeletechris mcgraw get at me man---
ReplyDeletemikl.smth@gmail
really dig bro.
i have nothing intellegent to say
-- totally focused and unfocused
the whole mess planted neatly and imediatley in the back of my neck - it's funny to have time with an artist to see them bubble up here and there over years and still see this real direct constant. making more and less sense-
I think the first is really very good, its a throwback to 1980's NYC glorious juicy painting.
ReplyDeleteIts like Julian Schnabel...if Julian Schnabel was a good painter.