Wherever You Go, Go With All Your Heart - Confucius

A huge, giant-sized heart. Created by Zhang Huan,  this 32-foot sculpture of Confucius brings more calm than one might feel when staring at a huge bearded man. Huan situates his creation in a moment of contemplation. Grand in size but the attention to detail brings it down to size. The gaze of Confucius gives delivery to whomever is in its very large presence, but I guess it is important to consider who is doing the looking. 

A Magical World

Last week I stumbled upon the Italian artist Max Papeschi. Specifically his work dealing with some extreme social commentaries. Minnie and Mickey juxtaposed against a backdrop of war and destruction, the Atomic Bomb. But don't worry, the magical cartoon characters are still smiling. 


In an interview with Papeschi he says this is nothing against America, per say, it's not too far off from what is going on in our country. If you can't relate it to how the majority of our population is acting in relation to the economy (turning a blind eye), how about the fact that Minnie and Mickey look like they are about to get hitched? Is it commenting on the way we look and deal with marriage or any kind of union?


It would be interesting to hear what art students might think of this image. 

Out With the Old in with the Rules

The most recent installment (at least at my house) of New York magazine published a how-to on making it in the art world. A set of 19 quirky yet probably true rules on how to stay afloat in today's art culture. 


A few of my favorite. 


Rule 2. Stay on trend. Isn't this a cultural norm, to go with the flow of what is hot and trendy? For instance. Things that glow neon. 

Glenn Ligon, Untitled (America).

Rule 5. Survive. Stay afloat if it's worth it to you to succeed. 


Rule 14. Be Ruthless. Do whatever you need to do, and make some money while your doing it. 


Kind of alarming when skimming through the magazine, but shows a strong stance on where art is at in our culture. And what it really means to be an artist today. 

Untitled.

With so much coming in between interpersonal relationships, whose to say the old ways still work? How do you go about introducing yourself to someone? Are you texting them or talking face to face? Did you meet them at a coffee shop or online? Do you call each other or email? Is that person getting to know YOU or the virtual version of you?

Pin Me

It has become an obsession. I check it almost as much as I check Facebook (not something I am proud of).  This website called Pinterest. A site filled to the brim with millions of beautiful images, categorized in to wonderful compartments. At my fingertips I have all the options, do I need a recipe? What about things to do with kids on a rainy day? Or even, how to lose those last 5 pounds? Everything is here, if you join and create a profile.


 The easiest way is for one of your friends who is already on Pinterest to invite you, or you can go straight to the source and request an invitation (which takes a few days). It's a community of members that appreciates beautiful things and I mean beautiful in the most liberal and all-inclusive way. Pinterest members can share pictures and comment on their own and each others visual collages. People categorize their pinboards in to themes of pictures; "Places I'd Like to Go" (travel pictures), "Make Me Laugh" (humorous pictures), "Wish List" (material objects one dotes over). The options are pretty limitless. 


I created a Pin board, in which I can go on to other boards to re-Pin, Like, and Comment on pictures that I    think are special and worthy of Pinning. I can also follow Pinners that Pin pictures that interest me frequently and hope that they will follow me in return. It's another visual platform that has stormed the Internet. 

A yummy dip

Lighting for a special night 

Beware of Artists

"Beware of artists. They mix with all classes of society and are therefore most dangerous." - Queen Victoria

It can be said that Queen Victoria understood that in all the languages it is spoken, "art through freedom of expression has power."

Bearing in mind the innumerable marketing and advertising visuals and media overload we receive on a daily basis, the creative art of crafting discourse can have a bigger influence than some may appreciate. Therefore, beware of artists and creative folk alike, we have a lot to say. 

You Must Be Kidding

Summer is almost here and (almost) every girl is thinking about their bikini body. So here is the answer girls (see below). 

This totally delusional picture has been enhanced with these easy go-to steps to getting this hot models body. Twenty to thirty minutes a day will get YOU to look like THIS. Right... 

If I were Alessandra and I saw this, I would say "you must be kidding me!" This is her life. I am sure genes play a nice role but her job is to look this good and I am sure it takes more than 30 minutes of cardio and lunges to get her body looking like this. If it doesn't, God bless her. 

But what is this showing women? This is unattainable in some ways. Yes, if you did this every day for months as well as diet and adding in a few more hours of exercise (a day) this may be a reachable goal. But in most cases, not. I still might try though!