alt. country THE GIVE-IT-AWAY MAN Collaboration

My good friend Alan Rifkin is on the cover of District weekly mag for his recent effort to share his novel -Alt. Country- with the world. Its about a country rocker and his fringed musical fame and  the intricacies of his everyday relationships. With a number of rejection letters from publishers saying they just "cant sell love stories to men" he decided to publish his novel online for free. Along the way he also includes musical soundtracks by group We Five and cover art by me. I wanted to share this with all of you because I think the collaboration that grew out of the rejection from mainstream outlets makes failure seem more fun.

Heres the link to the District article

http://thedistrictweekly.com/2009/print/features/the-give-it-away-man/

and summers comming so... read his novel or download some tunes

http://www.alanrifkin.com/

xtina

Newer than New and Forever Young in New York

Left: Natasha Bowdoin, Patience is Red (2008)

The New Museum in Manhattan is currently showcasing its “Generational”, an exhibit of 25 artists, all under the age of 30 or 33, from 25 different countries (the full title of the exhibition is “The Generational: Younger Than Jesus”).

Some people have taken the New Museum to task. Go to http://www.artsjournal.com/artopia/2009/04/older_than_god.html, to read John Perreault’s (a fellow art blogger) somewhat scathing condemnation of the exhibition.

I have just finished an essay that is an optimistic reflection on some recent museum practices in the United States. For example, both the Hammer, in Los Angeles, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, support emerging artists. The Hammer routinely exhibits emerging artist, while MFAH runs Core, a paid residency for emerging artists (Iva Gueorguieva’s friend, Trenton Doyle Hancock, attended this residency).

In light of the commendable programs offered through museums like the Hammer and MFAH, I find that my feathers remain somewhat unruffled upon learning about the New Museum’s somewhat sensational approach to running a fine arts institution. All is not lost, as John Perrault may be suggesting.

What do you think? Are museums and larger fine arts institutions running out of ways to implement enriching artistic programs? What do you think about the New Museum? I have heard a lot of “trash talk” about this particular institution. People are more willing to refer to the New Museum as a type of hipster ballroom as opposed to a fine arts museum.

In the mean time, check out Core at MFHA: http://www.core.mfah.org/home.asp. The above image is a piece by one of the current residents at Core.

Thank you all for the wonderful presentation last night. As me and Justin went back to the studio last night, he commented that it must have been nice for me to ride the group’s coat tails. It was. However, this blog is just beginning and no one here cares who’s older than Jesus.

Mr. O

Proposition for the Future of Art Transport

Today the wandering studio originators are presenting some of our findings to Linda Days 597 graduate seminar at CSULb. In taking our practice outside of the studio we have been coming up with new and creative venues for our creative practice. 

One particular brainstorm which has recently worked as a springboard as collaborative thinking is the

 Proposition for the Future of Art Transport

We are investigating multiple solutions to our transportation problem; moving our large works up and down the enormous hill; between our critique rooms and our studio space.

 The image included here Horse Drawn Art CArt is one possible solutions we came up with. We would use the Rancho Los Alamitos and its close by barn facilities to house the horse(s) and carriage when not in use. When not being used by the grad students to move works of Art we could run a student run carriage ride service for vacationers and folks who want to relax for a $10. (plus tip) ride. The carriage ride would begin outside our studios in the courtyard which could be a makeshift day paddock for the horse. The carriage riders could also option to purchase artworks by us. This would be a great opportunity to advertise for rancho Los Alamitos and California's rich history on our diverse campus at California State University Long Beach. 

Other options we have invented are include utilizing electromagnetics... wind resistance... and gravitational launches. Voting will occur tonight and the winner will be presented with a budget and plan to F. King Alexander President of CSULB. Of course.. we will present our future findings to you on wandering studio.

"...For [the collector] not only books but also copies of books have their fates. And in this sense, the most important fate of a copy is its encounter with him, with his own collection. I am not exaggerating when I say that to a true collector the acquisition of an old book is its rebirth. This is the childlike element which in a collector mingles with the element of old age. For children can accomplish the renewal of existence in a hundred unfailing ways. Among children, collecting is only one process of renewal; other processes are the painting of objects, the cutting out of figures, the application of decals - the whole range of childlike modes of acquistion, from touching things to giving them names. To renew the old world - that is the collector's deepest desire when he is driven to acquire new things, and that is why a collector of older books is closer to the wellsprings of collecting than the acquirer of luxury editions. How do books cross the thresh-hold of a collection and become the property of a collector? The history of their acquisition is the subject of the following remarks.;

...If my experience may serve as evidence, a man is more likely to return a borrowed book upon occasion than to read it. And the non-reading of books, you will object, should be characteristic of collectors? This is news to me, you many say. It is not news at all. Experts will bear me out when I say that it is the oldest thing in the world. Suffice it to quote the answer which Anatole France gave to a philistine who admired his library and then finished with the standard question, 'And you have read all these books, Monsieur France?' "Not one-tenth of them .I don't suppose you use your Sevres china every day?'"

From Unpacking My Library by Walter Benjamin

the circus is in town

yes..... the circus is in town. I always imagined that either one day someone would approach me to be a spy or to run away with the circus. This has not happened yet but going to the circus reminded me of this and other daydreams I used to have.

It was the first circus for my daughter Grace and CIRCUS VARGAS put on a more than amazing show.... better than I ever remembered so hopefully she will have those daydreams too.



www.circusvargas.org
So go see it!
xtina

books are weighty

I feel a certain sense of impending doom in attempting to complete our project in one week. First off, because a project about books contains so much information. Also perhaps because of the fact that the books that I brought in to contribute to the collaborative bookcase I have never actually read. I'm reconfiguring things based on a thought process of juxtaposing imagined information that they contain.

I have no idea what would happen if the characters of Dostoyevsky and Toni Morrison comingle in the same book... I recall a friend of mine changing her religion based on The Fountainhead, and I keep picturing my sister describing Middlemarch as a combination between Gone with the Wind and Jane Austin.

Here's a photo of the books and their implied ball and chain weight.

Surprising how much the 2-D photo eliminates my anxiety by keeping me from actually opening or engaging with these books.
NH

photo of photo of bookcase

this is one of my favorite photos and it just so happens to be of my bookcase as it was at 3650 1st ave, #210 in san diego.

bookcase passageway video clip- young frankenstein

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reNBDSoVXgE

this is a sort of long video, the bookcase part starts from about 3:37

Free Art

These are the postcards that came in the mail today. Little gifts. I love the enthusiasm that I feel when i go to my mailbox and find
these handmade cards. Something very cool about receiving art in the mail. Why is so hard to do this? I haven't even made mine yet. I tell everyone that their postcards do not have to be precious, yet when it comes to mine I am so critical about what I will put out there. Today I will let go and just make an abundance of cards, as I realize it is not necessarily that it needs to be beautiful, it is the simple act of taking the time to make it and gift it... this is the beauty of it all.

For Nathan

Art by Douglas Schneider

Nathan, i thought of your imagery when I saw these paintings on the dolby chadwick gallery page. Maybe they will be inspiring to you too-c

more today

sorry for the type-o's below

also i wanted to post an image i've been playing with lately--it's a photo of a painting i made from a photo. and then i photoshop-ed it up. what do you think?

any thoughts on Hebdige's talk today?

postcards

Thank you to Claudia for posting a lot lately! I know I've been quiet on here for a while. I made some drawing lately, some of which as postcard size and could be sent to the Colorado group. I'm trying to think of a question or challenge to put on the back of them...any thoughts?

knit suit

Thought I would share my friend Carrie's project at CSUF. I am most intrigued with her process here. -c

Hey, I got a package from the colorado group. Here is a peak at the postcards they sent. Do you have postcards too?

Rebel in the studio

I cant seem to wander from the studio without having to clean or do laundry. Until I come up with a way to contemplate it more clearly... this constant chore.. I am sharing a photo of Grace in my studio.
Xtina

hiraki sawa

Here's a link to a brilliant artist I've been enjoying.

http://www.jamescohan.com/artists/hiraki-sawa/video/

What I've been admiring in his work is the complete dedication to an idea and formal properties that best embody that. There is no hesitancy with the medium or concept.

The world's smallest post.

Jordan has me thinking about "outside sources": TV (the golden moving image)

Nathan has me thinking about spaces: desks, shelves, tables after dinner... What do call the space between "the things" (What do you call "the things" on a fork...prongs? tongs? spokes? spears?) on a fork? The most interesting configurations of food settle there. Good thing we don't judge intelligence based on the food we leave behind.

I recorded a small video today. I was Mr. Jagger for 2 minutes and 12 seconds.

More to come soon...you are all brillant. Shine on it is Friday.

Submit one piece by next Tuesday

Hey all, I hope you are all enjoying your break.  I got this e-mail from a friend of mine who is an editor for this journal...a little late but worth a try.    What do you all think if we all at least submit one piece?  It is very easy and the publication is pretty nice.  If you are interested, you should do it right away as the deadline is 1 week. E-mail is below: 

The Orange Coast Review is looking for fine art in various media for publication in early April.   The Orange Coast Review is a perfect bound literary journal of 160 pages, containing short stories, poetry, and artwork by local artists.  Contributors receive two copies of the journal.  Submissions can be sent via jpegs to the following address:  ocreview@cox.net.  Include full name, address, phone number, email, and if possible a short biographical statement.

We are open to painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and other media.

http://www.orangecoastreview.com/

Post what you submit so that we can see.-claudia