Vote w/yer pocket book

March 12th, 2010 by robert


Yeasayer: O.N.E.


Estate – In The Red from Estate on Vimeo.


Au: Ida Walked Away


Xiu Xiu: Gray Death


Four Tet: Angel Echoes (live)


Woods: Rain On

Ray Johnson Opening at BMCM

February 22nd, 2010 by brandi

If you’re able to visit the Black Mountain College Museum sometime before June 12th, DO IT.  Seeing Ray Johnson’s work in person is a rare privilege!  See this post for all the details.  The opening was perfect and I took lots of pictures:

Ray Johnson at BMCM

February 12th, 2010 by brandi

Black Mountain College Museum (in nearby Asheville, NC) is hosting a show of Ray Johnson’s work.  Not only will we have a chance to view the show, but it’s legit–we’re going to the opening!!!  He’s my favorite artist.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Details:
From BMC to NYC: The Tutelary Years of Ray Johnson (1943-1967)
February 19 – June 12, 2010
Opening reception: Friday, February 19, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
56 Broadway, Asheville, NC 28801

More about the show, quoted from the BMCM Site:

Through a carefully selected group of paintings, collages and early correspondence, From BMC to NYC: The Tutelary Years of Ray Johnson will explore the early transitions in Johnson’s career—in particular his graduation from high school in Detroit to his three years of serious study at Black Mountain College to his immersion in the Manhattan art scene of the 1950s and 1960s. From BMC to NYC, curated by writer and collage artist Sebastian Matthews, will trace a circle around roughly two decades of Johnson’s early art, creating a spotlight on his explosion from talented painter and master collagist to, by the 1960s, Grand Dean of Dada & Postal Art. The exhibition will provide an interactive, playful presentation of Johnson’s “tutelary” work, highlighting the people and places that influenced Johnson’s creations in order to give the viewer a roadmap of Johnson’s creative process.

Ray Ray Ray Johnson

me with Ray's work @ the MOMA, 2008. i almost died of excitement.

For more on Ray visit his estate, read this interview, or watch his the movie How to Draw A Bunny.

from Ray's "Footings" series

Calm Center

Obsessed

February 4th, 2010 by brandi

I found blingee and might quit making collages and switch animated gifs.  I could (did) make these all day long.

Brion Gysin was my first try.  A little feeble, but we’re just getting started.  I was thinking about maybe what he saw in his dreammachine.

This is the Egyptian Sky Goddess Nut, with Anubis (the jackal god) PLUS sphinx kitties and crystal balls.  Getting warmer.


Pyramids, yes.

The last one for today, probably my favorite.  Egyptian Sky, Earth, and Air deities.

Inspiration in Motion

February 4th, 2010 by robert

Solar rework from flight404 on Vimeo.


The Origin of Mass from Aleksandar Rodic on Vimeo.


Mechanical Figures 00_IDEAS from Helena Bulaja on Vimeo.


Dwell presents | The Bathroom Reinvented: Universal Design in Public Bathrooms | Part 1 | by Gary Nadeau from gary nadeau on Vimeo.


SHIVRATRI SADHUS from warmeye on Vimeo.


Rapid Eye Movement from POWSKII on Vimeo.

Hollis Brown Thornton, VHS

July 28th, 2009 by brandi

Hollis Brown Thornton is one of my top favorite artists, period.   I am excited–so so excited–to tell you that I have my very own HBT original transfer, and a signed print!  They’re both from the ongoing VHS series.   Look see…

2009-7-24 017

original transfer top, and print below

2009-7-24 006

VHS print available for $30 at his shop

2009-7-24 007

VHS print, detail

2009-7-24 014

This is the original transfer, read up on his mastery of the technique here

Ridiculous!   Thanks universe, thanks HBT :)

Eli Stonberg Interview

July 7th, 2009 by brandi

Eli Stonberg first caught our eye with his intensely colorful video for Daedelus’ La Nocturne.  His new video for Dublab really shows his diversity as a filmmaker.  It features beautiful imagery of astral projection set to music by Dan Deacon.

Created as an introduction for “Dublab’s Labrat Matinee VI: Selections from an Astral Projectionist”, this intriguing short makes me wish I’d been there for what must have been a very fun day at the theatre.  In Eli’s own words:  “The video includes several references to astral projection including a hat tip to Walt Disney’s 1936 Mickey Mouse cartoon Thru The Mirror.”

dublab Labrat Matinee VI intro titles by Eli Stonberg

We were interested in how he approached his work, and he was cool enough to answer a few questions.  It’s our first interview ever—hope you enjoy it.  Let us know what you think.

PW: When did you begin working with video, how’d it all start?
ES: I made videos as a kid.  I would dress up as a ninja and lip sync to Sublime songs with my friend Mac.  But I certainly didn’t know from age 10 that I wanted to make music videos.  I think it started in the beginning of high school when all of my friends were skateboarders.  I was a pretty lousy skater, but a big part of skateboard culture is watching skate videos.  So I spent a bunch of time watching skate vid’s which are essentially big music videos.  While my friends where mostly interested in which skater ollied the tallest stair set, did the most technical grind, etc.   I was more into which skater had the best song soundtracking their part.  For instance, one of my favorites is this one video called Chomp On This. It features all of these guys who usually film the pro skaters, so they are considerably worse than what you are used to seeing…  But I love that video because its soundtrack includes Gang Starr, the Knight Rider theme, Ja Rule, Daft Punk, etc.  Something about fun music and exciting visuals really does it for me.  So this interest in skate videos translated into wanting to actually make videos.

PW: Skate videos, perfect!  So did you seek formal training in video, or are you self taught?
ES: Both.  I did a few years of A/V class in high school and then went to film school at Boston University.  During that time I interned for music video production companies Ghost Robot and The Directors Bureau.  But as with anything, I learned the most from doing. I decided that instead of spending tons of money on a thesis film, I would make two low budget music videos.

clouds2

behind the scenes! photos by Samara Vise

PW: Low budget…I think working that way creates serious creativity.  Agreed?  On the flipside, do you have a big budget dream project?
ES: It both creates and stifles creativity.  I wouldn’t know what it’s like to make a big budget piece because all of mine have been under 2k.  So everything has been on a low low low budget.  But the thing is that nobody will judge your work based on what it cost to make.  So you need to figure out how to make something great with no money.  It’s almost more about being crafty than creative.  One way I have done that is to make videos exist within “the black void”.  The thinking there is… if you take out the background, you save a bunch on art department and set dressing.  For this cloud video we were able to do everything with a greenscreen, a miniature cloud model, and some amazing After Effects work by Peter Sauvey.  So there are certainly ways around spending money… But yes… it really limits how big you can make things look if you have no budget.  I have lots of big budget dreams…. how about this one… an underwater epic with lots of coral reef puppets and an animatronic vampire squid.

PW: Squid!  Yes I love it.  Ok.  So who are your favorite artists in your field?  Do you have a top 5 favorite music videos?
ES: To list my favorite video directors I’ll stick to some dudes still making music videos (most of the greats have moved on to commercials/features).   Andy Bruntel, Encyclopedia Pictura, Kris Moyes, Megaforce and Jesse Ewles.  My top five favorite videos ever would be pretty tough… so let’s pick some good ones from the above mentioned geniuses.

Bodies of Water – “Under the Pines” dir. Andy Bruntel
Zion I – “So Tall” dir. Encyclopedia Pictura
Softlightes – “Heart Made Of Sound” dir. Kris Moyes
Metronomy – “A Thing For Me” dir. Megaforce
Moros Eros – “On My Side” dir. Jesse Ewles

clouds1

behind the scenes! photos by Samara Vise

PW: I can’t wait to dive into your recommendations.  I read that you just joined The Masses and that you’re doing some innovative work for a new Au Revoir Simone video.  Tell me a little bit more about what you’re doing right now.
ES: I’m in post on a video for their track “Knight of Wands”.   The title refers to the tarot card and the video carries that theme.  It will be an interactive experience for each unique viewer.  In the end of the video you will be rewarded with something that you personally created while playing.  That’s really all I can say about it now.  It’s been amazing working with those girls, they are the sweetest.

PW: What artist would you most like to work with next?
ES: Animal Collective.

Thanks Eli!   For more visit:
www.elistonberg.com
www.wearethemasses.com

Erin Hanson – Recovering Lazyholic

June 29th, 2009 by brandi

I love the reminders series.  In fact, all of Erin Hanson’s stuff is great.

a_feelmusic

a_getup

a_gooutside

a_read

a_watchstep

Video Killed the Internet Star

May 4th, 2009 by robert

Interesting video art…

reconnaissance : processing from Tina Frank on Vimeo.

aus from Tina Frank on Vimeo.

I just don’t know what to say about this…

Tales of the Unexpected from More Soon on Vimeo.

Husmann Tschaeni

May 2nd, 2009 by robert

Amazing work by Husmann Tschaeni

im_wunschwald

treebats

morgen_vor_den_libellen

in_der_welle

in_der_tannenspitze

room