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EXCLUSIVE: Arturo Mallmann’s painting technique

This is a rare treat for all of us... Arturo Mallmann has cracked the door to his studio and given us a glimpse at his mystical painting technique.

Migration has been proud to represent Arturo and his work on the east coast for over three years. His paintings stop people in their tracks and cause them to spend unaccounted for time just staring into their depth. Indeed, they convey his personal beliefs about light and darkness and their part in any journey and the human condition. Meditative, to say the least.

Regardless of what the paintings "say" to the viewer, I can't think of another artist's work we show that gets the question "how does he do that?" more often. Although much attention is on the perfection of his epoxy resin glazing, it's the creation of the actual image that is most fascinating. And, simply saying he builds up the image through layers of paint just doesn't cut it. This video should fill in some of the blanks. (By the way: I can't think of too many artists who have the guts to shoot their paintings with water from a garden hose. Can you?).

Before you ask: Yes, many artists tend to be protective of their technique secrets. Arturo, however knows that his style and technique may be copied, but the results will never be duplicated. And, he tells me, what is on the video is only one of his little "secrets."

Without mixing words, Arturo’s paintings are the most sought after artwork we represent at Migration. Luckily for us, he is a prolific painter. If, after these last few years, you have finally decided to pull the trigger and buy one his pieces, please contact me. I’ll help set you up with a piece perfect for you and your needs.

[Image: Running Against The Wind]

Wordless Wednesday

 

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Damien Hirst rolls in Paris

In a beautiful marketing scheme to promote the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s recent art bikes exhibition called STAGES (hosted by Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris), Lance Armstrong pedaled a Damien Hirst decorated bike (one of the exhibit's entries) down the Champs Elysees during the final stage of this year's Tour de France. Pretty cool.

 

But wouldn't it have been even cooler if Lance rode the entry by Dzine – a low rider bike inspired by 1970's Mexican-American vernacular art (pictured below left)? Or maybe Tom Sach's Tequilla Bike (pictured below right)? Maybe in 2010.

 

The expressive power of the arts

artPark is devoted to the exploration of the visual arts. It's what I know and am qualified to talk about. There are times, however, when I dip my toe into the various other forms of artistic expression. Indulge me as I do a bit of that now.

It's no secret that I do my fair share of watching television. And recently, I confessed to my enjoyment of certain reality shows. The ones I tend to follow are those that I learn a little something from. For a number of years, I have followed Fox's So You Think You Can Dance for that very reason. I enjoy it because I have learned so much about the art of dance in its many forms. Another reason I watch the show is that during each season there is at least one special dance that is either off-the-charts beautiful, creative, or emotionally moving. Last night, we got this season’s signature dance.

Below is the clip from the show. Contestants Melissa and Ade dance a routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio (music: "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell). It's a powerful routine that depicts the struggles of a woman (and her husband/partner) facing breast cancer. I was touched the moment the lights went up and the music started. I think you’ll see that the judges and the audience were moved as well.

I share it with you as an example of the power and importance of the arts as an expressive force in our lives.

Wordless Wednesday

  

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Confession time

Not that Catholic kind.  Just a little truth telling:

 

Please don't think less of me… but I confess… I enjoy some reality tv.  Not the crappy ones like Survivor, The Bachelorette, Real Housewives, Big Brother, Real World, and Wipeout (although, in small doses, it's hilarious).  I enjoy the artsie fartsie ones like So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol, Project Runway, and IronChef.

 

Bravo has recently announced the latest submission to the reality genre:  Untitled Art Project (tentatively titled) - a competion among aspiring visual artists.  The show will be produced by Sex in the City star Sarah Jessica Parker. 

 

I'm of two minds on this one.  Although there isn't much info about the show, this could really be a disaster and ultimately give the visual arts a black eye.  Or it could give some super exposure to the creative process visual artists go through.  No more "my kid could do that" after seeing just how much work goes into creating a purely expressionist painting.  Here's the the show's press promo:

 

Magical Elves (the firm responsible for Peabody Award-winning Project Runway and Emmy Award-winning Top Chef) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-winner) and her production company, Pretty Matches, are teaming up for an hour-long creative competition series among aspiring contemporary artists who will create and compete to conquer the art world!

 

Casting calls have been made in various cities.  Should be an interesting show.  I'll tune in.  My guess is that some individual egos will cause this to more like Wipeout than American Idol.

Brit Artists Stage National Art Hate Week

Despite being utterly idiotic, I thought this impotent idea deserves a little mention (mostly for a good end of the week laugh).

ArtInfo and London’s Guardian report on Brit artist Billy Childish’s launch of "Art Hate Week" in London. Here is the short report:

LONDON—This past Monday saw the launch of National Art Hate Week in England, the brainchild of painter Billy Childish and two collaborators. The idea, he says, is to give the U.K.'s art institutions "a necessary kicking" by calling for the public to stage a silent revolt and visit a local gallery, take a closer, more honest look at what’s being shown, and then actively hate it.

Childish, the self-proclaimed hero of the British art resistance movement, is joined in his campaign by Steve Lowe, "chief engineer" of the L-13 Light Industrial Workshop gallery, and Jimmy Cauty, former half of art agitators the KLF. They believe the idea of a week of sustained loathing for gallery exhibits will liberate the public and shatter the common consensus on such major-name figures as Andy Warhol, Peter Doig, and Pablo Picasso. Participants are encouraged to be honest about work they find boring and hateful, especially if curators consider it stimulating and interesting. On Wednesday the trio staged a silent protest on the steps of London's Tate Modern, handing out posters to passersby. The campaign considers the Tate as well as the National Gallery "vacuous factories of business and bureaucracy," according to the Guardian.

Read more at the Guardian.

Some might say this is actually a daily occurrence here in the US. Isn’t the general public expressing their hate of art by never stepping foot in an art gallery?

Wordless Wednesday

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NY Artist Dash Snow dead from drug overdose

Albeit sad news, thanks goes to Jill Weiskopf (Communications Coordinator for New York magazine), for getting this news out quickly:

Today, hard-living, police-dodging artist, photographer, and graffiti writer Dash Snow has passed away at 27.

In 2007, New York contributing editor Ariel Levy wrote a feature on the downtown legend and the myth around him…

"I guess I get obsessed with people, and I really became fascinated by Dash," says [photographer] McGinley, who shares a Chinatown loft a few blocks away from Snow’s apartment with Dan Colen, whom McGinley has known since they were teenage skateboarders in New Jersey. The apartment used to be a brothel; for a long time, Chinese men would come to the door and be disappointed when McGinley or Colen answered it. McGinley shows me his photos of Snow over the years, dozens and dozens of them. Snow with cornrows, with a shaved head, with a black eye. There is one photo called Dash Bombing [pictured below] that was in the Whitney show: a shadowy shot of Snow out on a ledge, tagging a building in the night sky, Manhattan spread out below him. It’s an image of anarchic freedom, one that seems anachronistic and almost magical in this city of hermetically sealed glass-cocoon condo towers. It’s as if Snow were an animal—prevalent in the seventies, now thought to be extinct—that was spotted high over the city.

Read more about Snow and his short but extraordinary career here.

Art Bikes for the Lance Armstrong Foundation

During these long, hot July nights with slim pickings on tv, I’ve been tuned into the Tour de France. Thanks goodness I like to cycle and have a general appreciation for what these guys are going through. Not to mention the sheer beauty of both the landscape and the peloton. Gorgeous. Plus, the drama of the competition is hard to match. Better than watching crappy sit-com reruns and mindless reality shows.

In that spirit, I am excited to share this collaboration between art and cycling:

Lance Armstrong and Nike® have united to launch the STAGES Project, a global art exhibition to raise funds and awareness for the fight against cancer.

Over twenty renowned artists have donated their time and creativity to express the LIVESTRONG message and raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which is committed to inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer.

The exhibition opens at the Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris on July 17 before traveling to the US this fall (I believe it will go to Miami). All work is available for purchase with proceeds directly benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Pictured below is a preview of what Damien Hirst has compiled for STAGES. The U.K. artist has contributed work that features butterflies on the frame and wheels making for a really interesting addition to what is in store.

   

Also contributing to the project are famed artists (and artPark favs) Yoshimoto Nara, Marc Newson, Andreas Gursky and Aaron Young. Without even seeing it, I know I will covet the Yoshimoto Nara bike. I can only imagine what the reactions would be if I rolled up to the start of my next triathlon on that one.

Wordless Wednesday

 

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The Garage

In this time of downsizing, becoming small is hip. But what does it mean when you are already working with something tiny? Are you uber-cool? That's the feeling I've been getting about Kate Daughdrill and Sam Bush who created, curate and maintain The Garage - the tiniest exhibition space I have ever seen.

The Garage (literally a stand alone one car garage) quietly opened about a year ago – at a time when other art spaces were thinking of closing or changing course. In a short time, this microscopic space has hosted a huge number of successful events and put itself solidly on the map as one of Charlottesville, Virginia's premier exhibition and entertainment spaces. It is also becoming one of the best commercial spaces for emerging artists who are lucky enough to exhibit there. So, keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming events and put The Garage on your must see calendar.

Recently, Kate was asked a series of questions about The Garage for an article in Proximity Magazine (in Chicago). Kate originally posted this Q&A in an art blog, The Art Klatch, but has been kind enough to allow me to reprint it. Here is what The Garage is all about... in Kate's own words:

1. Does the space have a particular feeling, philosophy, or attitude? What kinds of things happen there?

The Garage is an art space/concert venue/amateur film theater/impromptu studio/potluck dining hall that opens up to a public park in downtown Charlottesville. We host monthly art exhibitions by emerging artists, weekly concerts by local and regional bands, occasional film screenings, local potlucks, sing-a-longs, dance parties, artist talks, drawing nights, etc. Creative activities occur alongside the exhibitions, allowing people to connect, make, and question together after the initial presentation of the work. The Garage's strange publicness makes the tiny space wildly accessible and yet incredibly intimate.

2. What factors lead to choosing the physical space? How was it designed?

It actually feels like the space chose us. I just walked past it one day and realized it was an art space. It belongs to the church where some of us go, so we asked the pastor if we could use it; he gave the music minister who was parking there her two-weeks notice that day.

The physical format of the Garage is perfect for presenting artwork in a "public yet private" context. After chiseling up most of the tar from the black cement floor, we installed a new laminate wood floor, which allows us to appropriate a bit of the visual language of a traditional gallery. The square opening of the Garage serves as our "frame" while the amphitheatre-like seating on the hill across the street provides a "viewing platform" for shows, performances, and creative activities.

3. What sorts of projects are in store for the space?

Along with our ongoing exhibitions and concerts, we’re also looking forward to our upcoming ambient-music-and-pancakes sleepover, our first really free market, and an exciting, relational project by Grand Rapids-based artist Adam Wolpa. We try not to plan too far in advance since we constantly have community members coming to us with ideas for shows and projects. We hope to be an organic, relational space that says "yes" as much as possible.

4. What role does the space play in the community?

We provide an intimate setting for engagement with art (and each other) in the public realm. Since it's a fairly small town, most of our regulars are neighbors who walk or ride their bikes to the space. However, each time the Garage's door is open, a baffling number of people passing by stop to ask questions about the space or exhibition and then end up hanging around, experiencing the artwork, and getting to know us. Our shows and activities often feel like mini-block parties that create a temporary site for community, collaboration, and conversation.

5. With unlimited resources, what would you do with the space? What kind of infrastructural support would you want?

Although we like our industrial, clamp-on lights, we would purchase some type of track lighting to simply the installation and gallery sitting processes. We would also buy a few space heaters to keep the space cozy in the colder months and plant a garden in the little backyard behind the Garage. And of course, it would be nice to pay the artists and bands for their time and to have salaries so that facilitating the Garage could be our full time jobs!

6. What are other spaces or places that you like?

The Garage loves the Suburban, InCUBATE Chicago, the Nest of G-RAD.ORG, the Bridge, the Project Lodge, the Experimental Station, and the DAAC.

July Artist of the Month - RUSSELL U. RICHARDS

Okay, okay.  We've got it.  Times are tough.  We've all been suffering through this recession one way or another.  But as bad as you've got it, imagine being an artist.  Now imagine being an artist and suddenly losing the use of both your hands.  Yikes!  That's exactly what has happened to Charlottesville artist Russell U. Richards.

Not long after coming out of a long term illness that literally laid him up for months; back in March, Russell made a hugely successful return to creating and exhibiting some very strong work.  Read my review here.  Unfortunately, while enjoying his new found good health and energy, Russell - an experienced mountain biker - recently went for a trail ride.  This is where we all cringe… Yup, you guessed it: Russell took an awkward spill and freakishly broke both his arms.  He is now stuck in casts for a good number of weeks.  Could it be any worse?

 

Instead of lockering himself at home and simply riding out this bad time, Russell is making lemonade out of his crappy situation.  Throughout the summer, while he is stuck in his two casts and unable to create new work, Russell is focusing his energies on selling the inventory of his current artwork.  And to make it all particularly sweet, Russell is selling his lemonade… er… artwork at a discount!

 

    

 

This is an incredible opportunity for art buyers and collectors.  Russell has turned his misfortune into a gain for us, and I strongly recommend everyone take advantage of it.  Make it a gain for Russell too.

For those of you new to his work… Russell's quirky and electrifying art is uncompromising.  He draws in a frenetic style and captures fantastical worlds from the past and the future.  These worlds, born in Russell's head, are often brutal and sometimes erotic (or both!).  His work is the complete package: imagination, story telling, beautifully crafted, and, of course, unique and creative.

If you are new to Russell Richard's work (or even if you are a long time fan), do yourself a favor…  Take a look at his website.  Visit his studio.  Contact him.  Buy his work.  This is one of those special win/win situations.

 

Images include:

Top:  4th of July - oil and ink on paper, 21"x15".

Middle left:  Perilous Existence - four color etching (edition of 10), 6.25"x5.25".

Middle right:  Dinosaur Swamp - four color etching (edition of 10), 5.5"x4".

Bottom:  Robots (evolution) - four color etching (edition of 10), 4.5"x4.5".

Wordless Wednesday

 

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