art as research

This morning I was introduced to Zach Lieberman’s talk from the PSFK 2010 conference. It was inspiring. He is doing so much great work.

[Youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSZb2DafxHs]

One of the big takeaways for me was the idea of art as a form of research. I guess I’ve always kind of thought of it as such, but never phrased that way. But I think he’s right. I also agreed with him when he said that “artists are thinking about a possible future for humanity.” Right on.

This is all very interesting to me because it is why I decided to go to an art school for my graduate degree. There is something unique about the approach an artist takes to solving a problem. Yes, it is usually a right brained, but there is more to it than that. I think it might be more about feeling the need to communicate. And, like in the case of Tempt (from the video), helping others communicate.

My graduate director, Cameron, sold me on the idea of the art of planning. He is right and the program is beginning to take off with inspired thinkers, who, just like Zach Lieberman, want to create interesting solutions to messy problems.

Like he says, “artists________better.”

JR x Exposition Paris 2009

Here’s a beautiful video of JR’s “Women are heroes” exhibit on the Louis Philippe Bridge in France. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the magnitude of this stunt. The money and planning that goes into something like this really quite incredible. It’s too bad the work couldn’t stay up longer. Absolutely stunning.

Bodies in Urban Spaces

Here’s a really cool video. It’s titled “Bodies in urban spaces” with concept and choreography by Willi Dorner. If the people in American Apparel ads wore clothing this could be a nice guerilla opportunity for them. Come to think of it, if this were an ad for American Apparel I probably wouldn’t be sharing it or labeling it as “cool.” Enjoy.

via Wooster Collective

Wooster TV

Sara & Marc Schiller (@SaraSchiller & @MarcDSchiller in digital form) have provided a great deal of inspiration in my life. Since discovering Wooster Collective in 2006, I have become a different person.

I began looking at things differently, asking more questions and demanding more of myself. I felt the need to address the creative void in my life by pushing my comfort zone and following my impulses. As a direct result, and a byproduct of my aimless walks around Manhattan, I too became obsessed with street art.

From posters in midtown to the tags in the lower east side to murals in bushwick, I discovered an artwork that was filled with passion, brimming and crouched ninja-like ready to attack.

It’s beautiful and it’s real and it speaks to me. The dirty sidewalks and abandoned brownstones can (and do) effectively communicate with any culture or ethnicity. It tells a better story too. And the story, no matter what, has my attention. This style of artwork, although powerful in the streets, has become more and more accessible to the masses through social media platforms and file sharing communities like Flickr and YouTube. I mean, how else would I have seen Logan Hicks creating an alley in Taipai or Elbow Toe’s cross country journey. Sharing their stories online helps to connect the dots. You learn more about the artists you admire and see them for the people they are and not just for the amazing work they produce. Insights like these, about passion and dedication, make us all better and more appreciative individuals.

It should come as no surprise that WC is one step ahead. Yesterday, they announced the launch of their new YouTube channel that will curate and archive art videos from around the world. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Meet the Date Farmers

I first heard about the Date Farmers a couple of weeks ago, but they have been putting in some serious work these last few years. Recently, Wooster Collective ran a piece from Current TV documenting their rise from the Date Festival in Indio, California to being discovered at New Image Art in LA, and finally to securing a solo exhibit at the Jonathan LeVine Gallery in NYC. As it turns out, that very week was their “Strange Fruit” opening at Fifty24SF here in San Francisco.

I was lucky enough to attend the opening and take in their work firsthand. There were some very moving pieces, ranging from simple sketches and sculptures to collages with wheat paste illustrations. Check out the video below to watch the set up at New Image in LA. 

Also, Fecal Face has a nice write up from the duos last visit to SF.

Freeze Framers

I worked in midtown Manhattan for three years while jumping agencies (2) and shuffling accounts (4). Advertising is probably the most fun and creative industry that you can work in, but for some reason I felt like it was failing me. As I walked home everyday I felt less and less inspired by my work and more and more inspired by total randomness. I would see something on the street or overhear a conversation and my mind would flood with ideas.

It didn’t take long before I started actively seeking out these inspirational encounters. It felt good and I wanted to document my findings so I could share them with friends and family. I bought my camera in January and immediately hit the streets trying to track down all the things that had previously caught my eye. In doing so, I stumbled upon a ridiculous amount of art in neighborhoods all over Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.

My new passion for photography, coupled with my ongoing interest in street art, has led me to discover some serious camera talent. Over the last year I have come across the work of the following photographers, all of whom I respect and admire immensely:

1. Boogie (attached)
2. Martha Cooper via Ad Hoc’s “Going Postal“
3. Luna Park via Factory Fresh’s “Quality of Life“
4. Jake Dobkin via Factory Fresh’s “Quality of Life”
5. Street Stars via Factory Fresh’s “Quality of Life”
6. Sam Horine via Factory Fresh’s “Quality of Life”
7. Peter Sutherland via Powerhouse’s “Autograf“
8. Jamel Shabazz via Powerhouse’s “Seconds of My Life“
9. Estevan Oriol via Upper Playground
10. Tim Hetherington via today’s Wooster Collective newsletter