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September 14, 2009
Tonex on Lexi
This blog is about art, love and the human spirit. One of my very favorite musical artists of any genre is the extremely talented Tonex. In an incredible interview conducted recently Tonex speaks candidly about music and his personal life and comes clean about homosexuality. It is a riveting, powerful and honest conversation. I thought it was something I needed to share for those of you who may be facing similar circumstances. I am very interested in your opinions on the interview and the subject.
Last week I did a post about the great show currently running at P.P.O.W. Gallery called Young Curators, New Ideas II. it was organized by Amani Olu. This weekend I chatted with Amani about the show and his background. Check out our conversation.
While it seems fairly obvious what the concept is behind Young Curators, New Ideas II don’t like to assume. Can you provide some insight into how the show came together and what it’s about?
Why focus on the curatorial process for an exhibit?
The exhibition at P.P.O.W is actually the second installment. I first organized this show last summer at BOND STREET GALLERY; a short lived spaced located in Gowanus where I worked as director and curator. This exhibition was originally about practicality: I needed to produce a summer show and I didn’t have the time curate one, so I invited my curator and artist friends to curate micro exhibitions in the gallery. It worked out nicely and I was able to keep my job, though I had no idea it would only last four months. The second installment is less about job retention and more about curatorial practice, specifically examining the ideas of young curators as opposed to artists.
The exhibition doesn’t directly focus on curatorial process as much as it explores the ideas of curators. I think it’s important to focus on curators, as we tend to help provide context and present work in a way that permits accessibility for both art professionals and the general public.
How has the response to the show been?
Response to the show has been amazing. There was a substantial amount of pre press, there were probably 600 people at the opening and the show has been reviewed by Time Out New York (4 out of 5 stars) and a little bird told me about an upcoming review in Village Voice by the famed Kim Levin. The same bird told me that Barbara London (MoMA) loved the show and called it “Fresh.” Now, we’re just waiting on Roberta Smith.
What has most surprised you about the response to the show?
That people loved the show. Believe it or not, I never considered it, and I think that is partly because I only curated the curators. My neck wasn’t on the line in the same way.
Tell me a bit about your background. Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Philadelphia. I had a good childhood considering I grew up in and around abject poverty in neighborhoods such as Germantown, North and West Philly. I didn’t grow up in museums or art galleries. All I can remember is that I felt different, like I didn’t belong and that I wanted to do something creative.
Do you come from a big family?
I have two sisters and one brother. I’m a middle child.
Was art a big influence in your life during childhood?
Art was not a big influence. My father was a DJ, so I grew up on music. I do remember being a kid and having a huge fascination with the graffiti in the tunnels. I would look out the window to see the new pieces. That was my only relationship to art. And of course there was fashion. I was always interested in wearing nice clothes. As a kid I would beg my mother to buy me things she could not afford. In the hood if you don’t have money, you damn sure better look like it. You pretty much learn that early. I guess I’ve always been interested in aesthetics.
Tell me a little more Amani Olu Projects. You’re a private dealer right?
amani olu projects is the umbrella company for my curatorial, advising and private dealing practice. Under amani olu projects, I have participated in SCOPE New York, SCOPE Basel, curated After Color at Bose Pacia, which ended on August 21 and organized Young Curators, New Ideas II.
How long have you been in business?
Well, that depends on which business we’re talking about. I began publishing an arts and culture magazine (b.informed) in Philly in 2002, but I didn’t really get into the art business until August 2005, when I moved to New York and co-founded Humble Arts Foundation.
What kind of clients do you work with?
I work with the type of clients who have green money or plastic credit cards, preferably those black ones by American Express.
I know you wrote The Collector's Guide to Emerging Art Photography, published by Humble Arts Foundation. Are you particularly passionate about educating and encouraging new collectors as well as educating seasoned collectors about emerging artists?
I didn’t write The Collector’s Guide, I produced it, and it’s a collection of 163 single images from photographers that we think deserve recognition. Alana Celii, Jon Feinstein and Grant Willing curated the book. I had no say in the works that were selected; I was primarily on the business end of that project.
What’s next for you?
Hopefully making some money. Those suits ain’t gonna buy themselves.
Do you currently have a physical space where you meet clients?
I meet with clients at 111 Front Street, Room 204. It’s a gallery owned by my good friend and colleague Kris Graves (Kris Graves Projects). We have a great working relationship and he’s been extremely supportive of my efforts. In fact, he is one of the first people to inspire and influence me.
How can a potential collector start a relationship with you?
They just need to call, email, text, interrupt me at dinner or do whatever the have to do. I don’t care. I’m around. Getting in touch with me is easy, they can start here: www.amaniolu.com
What’s the most important thing you’d say to someone who is considering becoming a collector of photography?
Buy work you love, you have to live with it.
Who are some emerging photographers to watch out for?
Michael Bühler-Rose, Michael Vahrenwald and Ann Woo.
Thanks for having this conversation with me and sharing your insight with my readers.
Check out some more images of the work in the show.
The following conversation is an interview by Dirk Peitz with one of my favorite photographers, Wolfgang Tillmans.
Wolfgang Tillmans is an unapologetically talented visionary and one of my favorite photographers (along with Gordon Parks and William Eggleston).
I discovered Tillman's work long after I had created my own asthetic, but there is a conversation between our work that cannot be denied. I love the intellect of his work which simultaneously finds a way to exist without taking itself too seriously. We are both very focused on the essence of perception and use photographic techniques to explore this fertile area of creation. I, like Wolfgang Tillmans am aware that we are photographing ourselves to death! Between camera phones, consumer cameras and all the "fashion" and "art" photographers in the world it is very difficult to create something unique or special or to assess the "good" from the "bad." This is another reason to focus my interest and the direction of my work on perception itself.
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Check out samples of Wolfgang's work which I have also included here. This interview is from : sightandsound.com please check them out.
2/02/2007
You photograph what you love
Photographer Wolfgang Tillmans talks to Dirk Peitz about the futile search for absolute truth
Recently, it seemed as if Wolfgang Tillmans was steering a wide berth around German museums. It's been more than five years since the Turner Prize winner's last solo exhibition in Germany, at the Hamburg Deichtorhallen. While the New York gallery P.S.1 did a show of his most recent work last year and a collection is currently touring the USA, from Chicago and Los Angeles to Washington, the Kestnergesellschaft in Hanover opened a comprehensive Tillmans show this weekend. "Bali" runs until May 6. In it, the 38 year-old, one of the most significant photographers of his generation, shows for the first time in Germany the table installation of his "Truth Study Centre" as well as more recent works from his "Paper Drop" series. In addition, Walther König has recently published a new Tillmans book: "Manual".
Süddeutsche Zeitung: Mr. Tillmans, are you a photographer who's afraid to take photographs?
Wolfgang Tillmans: Where does that come from?
Because in almost 15 years of creative output, you have constantly come up with new work elements that deviate from graphic photography but remain true to its materiality: Laser prints and blackroom experiments, used photo paper, the photographed photopaper of the "paper drops" series, most recently the table of the "truth study centre," where only the occasional photograph surfaces between the printed works under the glass...
I've been interested in vitrine-like presentation forms for a long time. They were to be seen in my Porticus exhibition in 1995 and my Turner Prize in 2000. The tables of the "truth study centre" became a way to think about perception and truth. I think people who claim absolute truth for themselves are the greatest problem of our time. Nobody wants to admit to not knowing. That applies to the creationists in the USA, to Aids and the policies of the South African government, which denied that HIV caused the Aids virus. The American claim that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, the Holocaust-deniers in the Middle East, the moral equivalence that's increasingly being drawn in Germany between the bombing of Dresden and the Nazi crimes. These are all things that worry me a lot, on which I collect material, often from newspapers.
When did you start collecting such material?
I've been cutting out newspaper articles and photos and pasting them in notebooks since childhood. Later, I started collecting entire newspapers or at least entire pages. I find it hard to throw newspapers away at the end of the day. I suppose I'm a bit of a clutterholic! I'm pleased that for the exhibition in Hanover, in the Kestnergesellschaft, I was able to dig up things from my parents' reserves, going back to 1979. I like ephemera like calendars, election pamphlets, magazines; things that are not considered valuable and are thrown away but that say a lot about their time.
Should this be understood as an extension of photography?
In my daily life, it all belongs together, but one doesn't always recognise that. In "Manual", my artists' book, which has just appeared, I tried to illustrate these daily processes. While working on the book, I was reminded of the year-long continuity of my interests. Old pieces from 1987 are shown, black and white laser copies which connect perfectly with my most recent work, like the large format pictures "Copenhagen" and "Berlin", based on photocopies, which are to be seen in Hanover. It's always about the combination between the objective and abstract representations. Unfortunately, however, when one talks about art, one is constantly being forced to build on opposites – the language demands it. For me, the abstract picture is already objective because it's a concrete object and represents itself: the paper on which the picture is printed is for me an object, there is no separating the picture from that which carries it. That's why I like to show photographs sometimes framed and sometimes not, just taped to the wall.
Is it not that you want to present your pictures unadorned and directly?
No, for me it was maximum purity and this most simple of presentational forms was about directness of content as well as the vibrancy of a complex image on a simple piece of photgraph paper. It's rarely mentioned that these details can represent different even opposite things. But that's largely a semantic problem for me. Language looks for absolute clarity where art is often about graduations.
But the category "Photographer of youth" was less of a linguistic, more of a real problem in your career, not so?
I had no problem with the association with youth and subcultures, because it was in part true. What I didn't like was "fashion photographer." I associate that with commissioned work and a way of working that has nothing to do with my own. I spent two days of my life with Kate Moss. Out of them came five photographs which I still like today. They carry in them a power of recollection which distinguishes them from many of the other pictures that have been taken of Kate Moss in the last 15 years.
Are you surprised that some people understand your exhibiting rumpled, monochromatic photo paper as a form of denial?
I would call it a conscious slowing-down of seeing. Of course, the content of the picture itself is so strong and convincing that very few people are aware of its materiality. The public's reception generally hobbles way behind the self-perception of the artist. It seems to me that changing the course is about as difficult as it is for a huge tanker. My theory: it takes about seven years. I have always been happy to do the opposite of what was being written about me. When most attention was being paid to pictures of thousands of dancing people, I concentrated on the "drapery", pictures of hanging or lying pieces of clothing, or the "Concorde" series, picture groups that contain for me a unity of abstraction and objectivity.
Nonetheless, audiences was shocked when, in roughly 2000, you started producing abstract ink jet motifs that had been created completely without a camera.
That was a shock for some. I didn't really grasp that at the time, only recently have people been saying to me: "When you started getting into those blushes back in 2000, 2001, I was totally confused..." It's important not to forget the charm of play and curiosity. Novelty just for the sake of novelty is the fashion of the season. Art that I like speaks from its time about its time but it also possesses something enduring beyond its novelty.
You create pointless aesthetic events?
That's part of their quality. They don't necessarily have to make a particular statement. But their creation does have a point. I'm exploring the relationship between intention and coincidence while asking the question: what can I accomplish with the most simple means? This simplicity is important, in my paper drop work for example, where two- and three-dimensional objects are created through light and perspective. One senses that these images were not created with a lot of sophistication on the computer. If it had been technically sophisticated, it would have lost the effect. One doesn't want to see how hard it is to create art.
Why do you still work with photographic means?
I notice that my interest peaks with light-sensitive photographic paper, the analogue photo and the photocopy. And precisely in this moment, as our world stands before the final disembodiment of the image: with digital pictures, there are no negatives, no physical traces of the light. That's exciting. But if I were to take up this theme ten years from now, it would have a nostalgic tone.
Should your work not be nostalgic?
Definitely not. I just find that by looking at old things, we can draw conclusions about how we see things today. In the table project in Hanover, there are two election pamphlets from the Greens from the year 1985 in which they protest against the introduction of private television. It's interesting how right they were, which we can appreciate now with "Big Brother" and Rupert Murdoch, and at the same time, how unrealistic this was, because today we are, thanks to the Internet, much better informed than we were twenty years ago.
Are you less interested in the objective picture because digital photography with mobile phones and digicams has lead to an unfathomable multiplication and devaluation of pictures? We're photographing ourselves to death.
That's true but, although painting is very popular today, art is made with the means of the day and so I'm still very interested in the picture created through the lens. Nonetheless I have caught myself getting pretty pessimistic about this horrendous quantity of images. Photography has become a performative act: we photograph to be photographed and to see the other in the act of photographing. I see in that a subconscious gesture of control: I have power over the event, I don't have to get involved in the event itself. Seen positively, people take photographs of many things that they love, as you can see in the Net.
In reality, little happens in life that's worth documenting.
And there's not enough lifetime to look at all that's been photographed. Photography is really amazingly difficult. Because it's so easy as a medium and so democratic, it's hard to tease something special out of it.
So what's the enduring fascination for you?
Perception is a theme in all my work and in people in particular. Last year I was invited to South Africa by an Aids organisation that I support. I got really involved in portraits. The portrait is a constant challenge because what remains at the end is the meeting of two people. If I were to find that boring, then I would know that something was wrong with me. I can work out all other forms of work with myself and the audience but the portrait is always a direct encounter with one other person.
Your style of portraits have a certain visual language of coolness, you have made the unknown and the known even cooler with your pictures. Did the media resonance of your pictures ever bother you?
I ask myself again and again if I can still take pictures of people, why more pictures of people? Their meaning changes over time and also due in part to my own doing. The world doesn't need more of my pictures of people finding their identities in their clothing and environment. In the more recent portraits, I'm looking for facial expressions, little changes in the face and body position, that reflect my sense of this time.
This interview, was conducted by Dirk Peitz, originally appeared in the Süddeutsche Zeitung on February 20, 2007.
Ricky:
Hello Lisa thanks for having this little chat with me. How are you?
Lisa:
I’m great. 2009 has been very busy for me so far and I’m truly grateful, considering the dismal economic climate we’re in. Early in the year I curated the photo portion of Connections for Karen Jenkins-Johnson. It was a unique experience. Once Karan decided on the theme and the title for the show. We presented works related to that theme in both her New York and San Francisco galleries simultaneously! In March I helped organize a version of Sheila Pree Bright’s Young Americans (http://www.sheilapreebright.com) photo exhibition for the west coast. With the assistance of Prof. Bridget R Cooks we mounted the show at the University of California At Irvine. And just last week Double Exposure, the traveling exhibition I co-curated with Dr. Wm. Frank Mitchell, opened in Chicago!
Ricky:
So tell my readers a little about yourself...where are you from?
Lisa:
I’m from New York, “The City”, as my friends used to say in High School. LOL.
I usually describe myself this way: I was forged in New York but I choose to live in LA. I have lived on the west coast, on and off, for over 10yrs now. But I go back and forth so often that I consider both cities home. I’m a bi-coastal kinda gal.
Ricky:
Where did you go to school? What was your major?
Lisa:
I went to college at Brown University in Rhode Island where I majored in American Civilization with a focus on 20th c American Art. Then I decided that I had had enough of the rain and I moved to California. I got my MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies at UCLA.
Ricky:
So have you always been interested in curating? What drew you to curating as opposed to being an artist or gallerist?
Lisa:
Well, for the record: I’m not a failed artist or an aspiring gallery owner. I’ve never been interested in selling, and as much as I love visual art, I would much rather talk with an artist or write about their work than attempt to do what they do.
I have loved museums from the time I was in high school. I still think that The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the coolest places in the world. Period. And when I discovered that caring for the artwork in a museum was an actual JOB and that you could get paid for organizing the exhibitions and rotating what was on the walls, I just decided that was what I wanted to do for a living. I focused my attention on how I could eventually have a job where I could work directly with artists and museums and organize exhibitions.
Ricky:
Actually a huge focus of this blog is to share art with an audience of readers who may not currently be collectors or huge art fans, so please explain briefly the differences between a curator, gallerist and artist.
Lisa:
Curators either work for a specific arts institution or they work independently – A museum curator is responsible for maintaining and caring for that museum’s collection this also includes working on exhibitions for that institution on a regular basis. An independent curator, like myself, works for different museums and galleries organizing a variety of art exhibitions.
A gallerist is someone who owns an art gallery and so they also organize exhibitions but if their gallery is a for-profit or private art business the work that they show is for sale anyone can walk right in and buy what is on display.
And an artist, well, you know that’s often a matter of opinion. I say, if you call yourself an artist, then you are one, but that doesn’t mean I have to like your work. LOL.
But the differences between these three “jobs” can get blurry. Today many artists also curate exhibitions, and some people move between the academic world to the museum world, and vice versa. Some people have even gone from for-profit art endeavors to non-profit ones…. These days there are not as many hard and fast rules for how to operate within the art world. There are brilliant people out there like Deborah Willis who does it all – artist-professor-museum curator, author, and consultant. I suppose the only thing she hasn’t done yet is start her own gallery, but if she ever wanted to it would be amazing!
Ricky:
Let’s talk about Double Exposure. I’ve shared information on the show with my readers, but let’s recap for anyone who may have missed that post…what is Double Exposure and how did the show come about?
Lisa:
Double Exposure was an exhibition that Frank Mitchell and I originally curated in 2006 for The Amistad center for Art & Culture in Hartford, Connecticut (http://amistadartandculture.org/). We wanted to organize an exhibition that would highlight The Amistad’s historical collection of photographs by showing how influential the work of photographic pioneers has been to contemporary photographers. We wanted to bring the past alive and to demonstrate that there has been an important dialog between the past and the present in much of African American photography.
In 2007, the Aetna Foundation (http://www.aetna.com/foundation/) made a generous donation to The Amistad that allowed us to reconstitute and expand Double Exposure and tour the show nationally. Now, we are able to present the show to a much wider audience, and that’s very gratifying!
Ricky:
There’s such a rich history of African-American photography, it must have been tough to select the work for the show. What was that process like?
Lisa:
It was a really hard. The list of talented and influential black photographers is long and the history is very deep! But we made an important decision at the outset. Our intention was not to present an all-inclusive presentation of African American photography, or to give viewers a strictly chronological view of this amazing history. We approached the show thematically – which didn’t necessarily make it easier to choose between artists, but it did alleviate some of the pressure to include EVERYBODY. And because I was working with another curator, the process was very interesting. Frank knows the Amistad’s collection very well and has curated many shows for them while I had been aware of their collection but had never had the opportunity to discover all the gems they have acquired over he years. So Frank brought this tremendous knowledge of the collection and it’s history and I was much more engaged with contemporary photographers who were continually making new photographs, many of whom I felt were still not getting as many opportunities to exhibit as they should.
Ricky:
Who are some of the artists in the show?
Lisa:
It is a multi generational show. There are examples early photographic icons like Augustus Washington and James Van Der Zee, as well as photographers who have had long careers and are extremely well established, and who continue to make photo-based work like Betye Saar, Roy DeCarava, Deborah Willis, Lewis Watts, Carrie Mae Weems and Lorna Simpson. Then we have included a number of emerging photographers, Some of whom are much better known now then they were when we mounted the original show in Connecticut in 2006. Some of the younger artists are Sheila Pree Bright (http://www.sheilapreebright.com), Myra Greene (http://myragreene.com/), Bayte Ross Smith, Stephanie Lindsey, Leslie Hewitt (Hewitt) and Hank Willis Thomas (http://hankwillisthomas.com).
Ricky:
Do you have a particular passion for photography as an art form?
Lisa:
Absolutely. I’m very interested in contemporary art in general but I have been fascinated with photography since I was a kid. I was always looking at the photos in magazines and paying attention to how important pictures were to telling the story whether it was a music magazine, a news magazine or a fashion magazine.
When I was ready for college there really were only a few schools in the country where you could actually study photo history in depth. Unfortunately, Brown was not one of those schools but their program allowed me to be very creative and I always tried to integrate the history of photography into my course work.
Ricky:
Who are some of your personal favorites? Who are some of the emerging photographers you think we should keep our eyes on?
Lisa:
Of course all the younger artists in Double Exposure should be on people’s radar ☺ Gerald Cyrus and Orville Robertson (http://www.newyorkstreetphotography.com/Orville_Robertson_Web_Site/Home.html) are photographers I think more people show be aware of. They have each been shooting for many years – both work in the tradition of street photography. Gerald also does amazing portraits. Both of them have completely “emerged” as artists, but I think they each have wonderful bodies of work that people should be taking note of. … Younger image-makers whose works are really lovely and engaging include Kira Lynn Harris (who works in a lot of different media but she also makes beautiful photographs), Felicia Meggenson and Isabelle Lutterodt. Brenna Youngblood has done some really neat work that combines painting and photography.
Ricky:
How significant is a show like Double Exposure as it relates to carving out a place for the contributions of African-American artists to photography?
Lisa:
All shows that feature good work by photographers of color help to give the public a deeper understanding of the contribution of African Americans to the broader history of art. Blacks have been making compelling photographs since the medium was invented back in the 19th c. There are so many wonderful image-makers out there! With Double Exposure I tried to include a broad range of styles and photographic techniques in order to talk about themes of inspiration and influence that span generations. I hope that this show will help people to make more connections and to see that the history of American Photography includes many, many photographers of color.
Ricky:
The show is currently in Chicago, where is it off to next? How long will it run?
Lisa:
The show will go to The Southeast Museum of Photography and then to The David Driskell Center at the University of Maryland. It will conclude in the spring of 2011.
Ricky:
How has curating this show affected your perspective on curating as a discipline?
Lisa:
Since I was working with another curator, artists living all across the country, and the organizing institution was 3,000 miles away from where I lived - I would say that Double Ex taught me a lot about collaboration! It was a big show to organize in 2006 but it was important that we give the viewing public different points of entry into the show. For example, there are historical works, photographers who were very well known internationally, and we included artists who use family photographs in their work so that, hopefully, no matter how much you did or didn’t know about the history of photography, there would be something in the show that might draw you in. So it was a complicated process. And then when we went back to reorganize it as a traveling exhibition, I definitely learned how to manage my time better and to be flexible.
Being a good curator means being open enough to incorporate new ideas and realizing that some of these ideas will actually make the show stronger. At the same time staying true to your core concept is essential. Working on Double Exposure reinforced my belief that curating exhibitions is about creating a space for dialog as opposed to arranging a series of rooms that read as a monolog, or worse; a lecture!
Ricky:
What has been the most difficult aspect of pulling together a touring show of this scale?
Lisa:
There are a lot of artists in the show and the scale of the work ranges from fragile 19th century daguerreotypes, that can fit in the palm of your hand, to wall sized installations with numerous parts that take hours to hang. So the logistics of packing, shipping and installation continue to be challenging.
Ricky:
The art world isn’t the most integrated field in America, what have some of your challenges been as an African-American woman doing your job? Do you ever sense that being a woman has ever kept you out a position you really wanted to be in?
Lisa:
It’s a difficult field in general for minorities and women but in terms of exhibition work specifically; at times it has been difficult to get opportunities to curate shows that are not simply about race and gender. Also, there are so few full-time jobs at museums and the competition for those positions is just crazy. So many applicants for every job that opens up and these jobs don’t even pay that much. Nobody goes into curating to get rich! So in addition to race and gender there are also issues of class that make working consistently as a curator very challenging – especially in times like these.
Ricky:
I’m always interested in ways that we who love art can share it with a greater audience. Do you feel like the art world does enough to share fine art with “regular folks?” And if not, what do you think are some ways in which the out reach can be made more effective?
Lisa:
Museums, galleries and artists themselves need to be open to new forms of communication and networking to get the info and the images out there.
It’s also important for people who work in the arts to get the message across that ALL creative expression should be shared with everyone… Two years ago I did a project with the Japanese American National Museum (http://www.janm.org/) here in LA to help them work on ways to expand their audience beyond the Asian population here in town. That was really meaningful project and I enjoyed working with them a lot. That museum and the art and culture that they focus on, is for everybody. Anybody can enjoy their exhibitions and public programs and have a great time at JANM. Same is true for any museum. Maybe new media and things like this blog can help get the word out and make people feel more comfortable exploring all different kinds of artists and creative expression that might be available to them in their city and also throughout the world via the internet.
Ricky:
I am constantly encouraging my friends and family to start collecting art. Are you a collector? Can you offer any suggestions on how to start collecting and what a good strategy might be?
Lisa:
Well, ethically speaking I feel that a curator should not be buying art for themselves. Others may feel differently but for me it’s a bit of a conflict of interest. But I too encourage my friends and family to collect art. A good way to start is by going to galleries and seeing different shows in order to figure out what kinds of things you like and what you don’t, and ask questions. People who work at galleries are there to offer information and background on artists and should be able to answer the questions you may have. If they can’t they will tell you where to find more info.
A good way to begin collecting photographs, for example, is to become a member of an organization or a museum that offers a collector print program. This way you are supporting an artist as well as a non-profit organization by buying the prints that they offer for sale every year. En Foco and SF Camerawork have this program and I’m sure that many east coast organizations have similar programs to help get new collectors more involved.
Ricky:
How do you find emerging artists? What are the most important elements in new work or traits in an artist you look for when you are searching for emerging talent?
Lisa:
I try to keep my eyes and ears open. I look at a lot of art publications and there are some great websites that either feature works by a range of different artists or their site/blog will have links to other artists. In addition to your blog I always check Carla Williams’ carlagirl.net. This is an great online resource for finding out about new photographers as well as learning about photographic history. Carla is both an amazing photographer and a scholar. What she has created online has been a constant source of inspiration to me. I also participate in art conferences and reviews. I will be a reviewer for En Foco’s (http://www.enfoco.org/)portfolio review on June 20th.
I am interested in different types of photography and so I can’t say that there is one thing that I always look for. The work has to speak to me. That may sound cliché but it’s true. Regardless of the technique the artist might be using or even the subject matter, some work by emerging artists will seem very compelling to me while with others, I’m just not drawn in.
Ricky:
Do you think all artists should attend art school?
Lisa:
Not necessarily. I’m not against art school but by the same token it’s not for everybody. Having said that, though, the art is in many ways just like any other professional group where getting a degree can offer you access to certain networks and certain opportunities. Also, if you can afford it, art school can be an important experience offering a place to focus, learn your craft, experiment, and get to know established artists (your instructors) and get feedback from your peers. It’s not for everyone and it’s certainly no guarantee that you will be able to make a living solely by selling your art but it is an option that should be considered.
Ricky:
What’s next for you?
Lisa:
I’m working with The MAK For Art and Architecture (http://www.makcenter.org/) Center in LA on a show called How Many Billboards on the Boulevard, which will open next year. Kimberli Meyer, the Director of The MAK, invited three curators and myself to organize this group show. Thee artists we invite will create billboard size art. The works will be displayed on actual billboards throughout Los Angeles! It’s a really exciting project! This will be the first time that I have worked with art that will be out in public space as opposed to inside a museum/gallery. The themes we are looking at include the visual culture that is often associated with LA (Hollywood, movies, consumer culture, etc) and the influence of conceptual and pop art on California artists.
Ricky:
We’re gonna wrap this up, but in parting….just answer these last questions with the first thing that comes to mind…u ready?
Lisa:
Van Der Zee or Gordon Parks?
Both continue to inspire me. Van Der Zee’s images are beautiful and man, what an archive he produced!!! And Parks was a true renaissance man and a gentleman. Meeting him at the opening reception of Saturday Night/Sunday Morning at Leica gallery in 2003 was one of the most memorable events in my young career as a curator.
Ricky:
Chocolate or caramel?
Lisa:
What? Where are you going with this? I tend not to think in binary terms, except maybe when it comes to dessert. If forced to choose I’ll say “Chocolate”, though chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce sounds tasty…
Ricky:
LA or New York?
Lisa:
OK. Clearly we are on different wavelengths, here. I rarely see things as either/or. I try to work and live in ways that keep me open to new possibilities and opportunities while acknowledging the importance of past experiences. I love both cities for different reasons. Binaries only work, I think, when the choice involves chocolate.
Ricky:
Brooklyn or Harlem?
Lisa:
Depends – am I eating, seeing a museum show, meeting friends for coffee, buying shoes?
Ricky:
Figurative or abstract?
Lisa:
Lord have mercy, do you do this with all your interview subjects?
Ricky:
Deborah Willis or Hank Willis Thomas?
Lisa:
Now I know you’re crazy!
Deborah is one of my mentors and Hank is a talented emerging artist. BOTH are my friends and continually offer inspiration. I’m telling you Ricky, this either/or thing is insane. But the interview was a lot of fun.
Thanks for the opportunity!
Ricky:
LOL…I'd never really try to make you choose between those two. They're both incredible talents and really wonderful people. They were among the first people in the art world to make me feel comfortable.
Lisa:
You are right about that. Deborah has done so much in the field and opened it up for people like me to come into the field and believe that I can make a significant contribution, in my own way. And Hank is quite an interesting artist that I am always happy to work with.
Lisa, thank you for your time and have a great day. Make sure you tell all your friends and colleagues to subscribe to the blog. Speaking of which…did you Pop today?
For thos who missed this the other day, check out this interview from rockacandy.com. It's a pretty cool piece and offers some insight into my work and my motivation for this blog. I'm not so big on interviews and such, but it's a necessary evil and Patrick Taliaferro is a very cool dude and made it easy. Hope I didn't sound too darn serious tho.
Yo...check this out. I've done a handful of interviews in the past couple of months and they are starting to surface now. Check out this interview from rockacandy.com. It's a pretty cool piece and offers some insight into my work and my motivation for this blog. I'm not so big on interviews and such, but it's a necessary evil and Patrick Taliaferro is a very cool dude and made it easy. Hope I didn't sound too darn serious tho.
Urban Pop Conversation with Video and Performance artist Kalup Linzy
As you all know I recently returned from a great trip to Miami for Art Basel. In addition to being a lot of fun and an opportunity to see great art it was also an opportunity to interact with some of the world's most talented artists. During the weekend I met an incredibly talented performance and video artist named Kalup Linzy. I am embarrassed to admit that I had seen very little of Kalup works before I set foot in the "30 Americans" show at the Rubell Family Collection. When I wandered into the video gallery I had no idea what to expect. His work is entertaining and HYSTERICAL!
Since Miami I've had the pleasure of speaking with Kalup a few times and recently we had one of my "Urban Pop Conversations." Take a few minutes to read the conversation, check out Kalups bio and a few samples of his work. I'm pretty sure you will find it as entertaining, engaging and thought provoking as I did.
Here it is in it's entirety.
Ricky
Hey Kalup thanks for having this little chat with me.
How are you?
Kalup
I'm good
Ricky
So tell my readers a little about yourself...where are you from?
Kalup
I'm from a small rural community in Florida called Stuckey. I attended college at the University of South Florida where I earned a BA and a MFA in Studio Art.
Ricky
Where in Florida is Stuckey? North of Miami?
Kalup
Yes. Central Florida. It's located between Tampa and Orlando.
Ricky
How large of a city is it?
Kalup
Maybe a mile or two long. Not sure of the width. Less than 500 people. Way less. It's a settlement. Not really a town. Very close-knit.
Ricky
What was it like growing up in a small town? Did you long for the big city or was it a great experience growing up in a small town?
Kalup
We (kids from Stuckey), depended on our imaginations alot. When it was boring, it was boring. But there were times when it was so much fun. And that fun often stemmed from the relationships you had with those around you.
Ricky
So tell my readers a little bit about what you do
Kalup
I am a video and performance artist. Early in my life, I had dreams of being a musician, an actor, filmmaker, and so on. By the time I finished grad school, I had evolved into a video and performance artist.
Ricky
For the layman describe what a performance artist is and what you do
Kalup
In the majority of my video work, I pre-record or overdubbed all the dialogue using my voice, which i then manipulate. I play the lead characters and my friends take on the supporting roles. There are a few videos in which i decided not to do the overdubbed thing because i was unsure of how my work was resonating with people.
Ricky
At what age did you start wanting to be a performer?
Kalup
I was performing since i could remember. 4 or 5. It was always my second nature.
Ricky
That seems to be the case with most performers...when did you decide to pursue fine art performance in lieu of being a pop star or movie actor?
Actually that was an assumption, maybe you haven't made that choice at all...lol
Kalup
I was in Mass Communications in undergrad and it was suggested I go over to the fine arts department. the advisor suggested florida state film school. I stayed there and because things shifted to digital, I have been able to carve out a place for myself. Mainly because of the shift in the art world and the industry. My work has been said to fall somewhere in between. However, my base is the artworld. But I have relationships with people in both the film and music industries.
Ricky
You perform in drag why did you make that particular choice? Waht does it bring to your work?
Kalup
I like to explore ideas surrounding gender roles and identity. I have always been in touch with my feminine and masculine side. In this exploration, things can get a little confusion. But because I use the structures of the soap opera and music videos people stay along for the ride. It is also intended to spark conversations. Especially those that deal with the construction of identity. A conversation that was started by artist before me. My work continues that tradition.
Ricky
How has the south influenced your work?
Kalup
Language and debates around it. Some of my characters speak in a dialect that is specific to my hometown and others speak in what we consider to be standard English. They all have a southern accent, which I haven't been able to shred. Most actors used to be told to get rid of their accents or learn how not to use it when they act, which i totally get. However, I decided to create video and performance work in which i could continue to embrace that part of me.
Ricky
Your bio says you are gay, I assume this is the case…__When did you realize you were different from the other boyz?_
Kalup
I knew I was gay early in childhood, but waited until my late teens to really acknowledge it. If I would have turned out Bi, I probably would have never publicly addressed it.
Ricky
I hear you...are you at peace with your sexuality now or is something that you're working out in your work?
Kalup
I am definitely still working through some stuff. And I often explore those issues through my work. I am more at peace than i was before.
Ricky
Is your family supportive of you and your work?
Kalup
Yes. We don't really get into it too deep. Some YouTube clips they enjoy more than others, but for the most part they haven't seen the pieces in their entirety. And for some, they are not apart of the audience that would appreciate the type of work i do. So it's really all good.
Ricky
Do you include other types of expression in your art practice?
Kalup
Other than video and performance, I create works on paper which include drawings and prints.
Ricky
What are some of your favorite characters you’ve created? Give me the top three and why?
Kalup
That's a difficult one. I would say...
Wow... give me a moment
Ricky
LOL...
I knew it would be hard, but I'm curious
Kalup
Taiwan, because i get to explore my musical side. write songs and perfprm them. Katonya, who I use to create the drawings that sell faster than the videos themselves. And Labisha, because she was one of the first I performed live and she tends to be the most outspoken and can say almost anything. I love all the my characters. Even the one i don't actually portray.
Ricky
You wanna tell us more about the one you don't portray?
Kalup
sure. I love the character Matissa from Play wit de Churen. As well as Grace Jackson from Melody Set Me Free.
Ricky
What did you like most about art school?
Kalup
The freedom, but I still had to learn how to defend my work. I realized how great school was once it was over, but in it, I didn't have the easiest time.
Ricky
Do you think all artists should attend art school?
Kalup
No. It's not necessary for everyone. It really depends on what your needs are at a particular time in your life. For me introduce me to new people to support my career and focus. But it didn't give me my natural talents. Some artists don't practice art once school is over.
Ricky
2 or 3 more questions and we're done man...Who are some of your most important influences?
Kalup
Soap Operas, The Black Male Body by Thelma Golden, John Waters, Black Comedians (In Living Color/Def Comedy Jam), Spike Lee, and soul music from the 60s and 70s.
Ricky
To wrap this up imma do a rapid fire sorta thing...just answer with the first thing that comes to mind…u ready?
Kalup
yes
Ricky
Quick answers Kalup..imma put u on blast if u cheat…LOL
Kalup
okay
Ricky
chocolate or vanilla?
Kalup
chocalate
Ricky
up or down?
Kalup
up
Ricky
top or bottom?
Kalup
tricky.
Ricky
hmmm huh …LOL / video or radio?
lol
u're cheatin Kalup
Kalup
Video…and i'm not cheating...lol
Ricky
top or bottom?
Kalup
i do multiple things on top
Ricky
LOL…imma leave that alone
New York or LA?
Kalup
seriously
New York
Ricky
Hip hop or R&B?
Kalup
R&B
Ricky
Young and The Restless or All MY Children?
Kalup
Young and the Restless
Ricky
favorite ice cream?
Kalup
butter pecan
Ricky
favorite artist?
Kalup
whitney houston
Ricky
and where do you want to see your career five years from now?
Kalup
feature film completed, more museum shows, and tv series
Ricky
Kalup I really appreciate you taking the time to speak with me
Kalup
thanks for inviting me
Ricky
We had a lil convo about my portrait project This is The Life...I wanna get you on record you're gonna pose for it right?
LOL..no pressure
Kalup
yes
Ricky
Well have a great day and make sure you tell all your friends to check out the blog man. As we discussed I think it's up to people like you and me to share fine art with as many people as possible
Urban Pop Conversations - A conversation with Lamar Ariel
In a new feature on the blog called Urban Pop Conversations, now and then I plan to get beneath the surface with artists, designers, icons, writers and even regular folks like you to get a sense of what's PoPping" just below the surface of so-called pop culture. They'll be conversations with people you don't normally hear from or at the very least about things people don't normally speak about. Basically, Urban Pop Life is a celebration of American pop culture, sub-culture and all the spaces in between. Like my art I want to shed light on the soul within while celebrating the beauty we can all see.
Recently I had a little facebook chat with Lamar Ariel author of the soon to be best seller Ready To Male.
Lamar and I talked about his debut novel Ready To Male and a few other subjects as well.
Enjoy.
Lamar Arariel
Ricky
So where are you from?__How long have you been writing?_
Lamar
all my life but for different reasons during those times
over the past few years i became obsessed with letters
or perhaps intrigued is a better word...so they became a vessel for therapy, for reflection and self understding...I'm from Chicago
Ricky
what part of the city?
Lamar
south side
Ricky
I have some family roots there
what streets?
Lamar
an area called west chatham and hyde park for a bit while i was a child
Ricky
So what drives you to write?
Lamar
short answer..life..long answer the inability to process things by just letting them be. I have to write to make sense of things
and to clarify my experiences and thoughts and memories in my head
Ricky
i hear the latter explanation a lot from writers, have you determined what about writing seems to help?
Lamar
writing within itself is an act of organization
you have to figure out which words relay the proper emotions
how long a sentence should be before it runs away from the intended meaning
etc etc
so i believe that writing forces you to organize an experience, especially the retelling or the complication of an experience in a way that you normally just don't do
Ricky
What inspired you to write the Ready to Male?
Lamar
for the most part Ready to Male is a collection of letters that i had previously written and simply decided to curate in a book...I wanted to share some of my experiences and some of my thoughts with others who might have had similar experiences or shared similar response to set of events
Ricky
what has the response been thus far?
Lamar
response has been amazing!
most people find at least 4 or 5 letters that they can relate to
Ricky
that was the case for me man, there were a handful of letters that I had to chuckle bout and recognize myself in them...particularly the ones that relate to the subway and the adjustment one makes to live in the city when moving here from somewhere else
When was your first sexual experience?__Who was it with?_
Lamar
many moons ago, a really cute alien
Ricky
lol
was it in college, high school?
Lamar
the moon was full so probably in the summer
Ricky
What kind of effect do you think that first experience has had on your development as a mature gay man?
you are gay right?
Lamar
the first experience had no effect and yes im gay
Ricky
Writers are not known to be the most humble creatures, do you ever feel like you’re being too much of a smart ass in your writing?
Lamar
in ready to male not at all
there are high brow moments, low brow moments and wonderful thoughts that exist neatly in between, its a very human book
Ricky
You mention porn a lot in the book are you a big porn fan?
Lamar
its not mentioned alot
twice actually
Ricky
Felt like it to me...lol
maybe that's my issue
Lamar
LOL might be your lens
what you pay attention to
LOL
i've definitely seen, paid for, and invested in my fair share
Ricky
So is your best friend the same person it was in college?
Lamar
i actually have five people who make up my best friend as to not burden one poor gay soul with too much
but 1/5 is a guy that i've known since college, yes
Ricky
Do you have any close female friends with who you share your thoughts and fears and solicit for advice?
Lamar
yes, read "dear grace"
Ricky
I did and that's why I asked
Lamar
im joking with you
Ricky
lol...i got the joke
Lamar
lol a few very close, extremely intelligent, beautiful female friends
Ricky
Let's step back
Ricky
are these letters completely auto-biographical?
Lamar
ok...the letters are autobiographical fiction
Ricky
Do you think all gay men should have a close female friend?
Lamar
its important to keep the fiction in the phrase
no, i don't think there are any absolutes in life
but it doesn't hurt to have a friend or two who really loves the person you are sometimes ashamed of
Ricky
How do you feel about the need for female energy in a man’s world? Do you think that it is very important, somewhat important or not important at all and why?
Ricky
You can include your Mother in that answer...lol
Lamar
i have so many strong beautiful women in my life
from my mother, grandmother, and friends
I just avoid absolutes
Ricky
i hear ya
waz da deal with you and absolutes? what did absolute ever do to you?
Lamar
well she did get me drunk once
Ricky
lol
she'll do that
she got me too
now i know better
Lamar
THAT BITCH!
not u too
Ricky
lol...dude you're crazy...are you currently in a relationship?
Lamar
(absolute) that ole hussy
i am
Ricky
lol...yeah she got me
das alright...i taught her a#@ a lesson tho
u seeing anyone?
Lamar
yes
Ricky
well u know the readers wanna know da details...
spill it
who is he? how long u been dating or together
wait...it is a he right?
Lamar
it will all be in the next book
and yes it is a he
I already told you i was gay
keep up
Ricky
ok ok...
just checking
Lamar
lol
Ricky
you know folks like to change up on ya sometimes
Lamar
well baby i got a book out aint much changing without divine intervention at this point
Ricky
seriously tho...i ask because i am curious about the effects of a relationship on your art and career
Lamar
its great to have someone who is supportive of your work and who can be patient with some of the emotional ups and downs that come along the "sharing" of yourself
come along with
Ricky
yes yes, it's a rare but very nice thing to have
or so i hear anyway
...lol
Lamar
one last question and then gotta run mister
and thanks so much for taking the time to do this
it was fun!
Ricky
my pleasure sir
i enjoyed it as well
and it is truly time to go
Lamar
just make sure you spell check
Ricky
here' the last 2 questions
Lamar
cuz i wasnt really paying attention
Ricky
here's the last 2 questions
What are your plans with regards to promoting Ready to Male?__Are you working on a 2nd book yet?_
Lamar
I am, Ready to Male part Deux
Ricky
great...any plans for a book tour to promote ready to male?
Lamar
yes in 2009 i will be in various cities hoping to do a ten city tour which should be solidified by mid december or so
and will also be at various pride events
Ricky
I've got somethin potentially set up for you in Harlem at Hue-Man Bookstore by the way...we'll talk about that privately. Thanks for your time Lamar and have a great day bro.
Lamar
YAY! AWESOME!
THANKS SO MUCH!
Ricky
Your welcome
btw way...
I dunno if you actually read my blog...
but it's called Urban Pop Life
and my last question as usual is...Did you Pop today?
