I hate to blog

Freerange 2011 at Thruman Brewery

2011-06-12T10:52:00.000+01:00

Here are the final installations with my cast prints and a panel presenting the graphic novel 'Replica'. The Calavera 1,2,3,4' have two versions...one with ink on and the other as a plain relief. Each stone is for sale for £150 and the whole series of 4 is ready for you to take for £500. I've been surprised by the reception they're getting from the buyers and I'm really happy these very personal works are understood and appreciated. I hope they will be a pieces people will exhibit proudly.
As for the 'Replica' my piece of living room works so well people don't realise they can pick up the book and flick through it. I might print the illustration in a big scale and sell them.

Calaveras continuum...

2011-04-26T19:01:00.000+01:00

Here are etchings I made for casting...the process is on. Busy busy busy....

Replica. PS painting

2011-04-25T12:49:00.000+01:00

Just composing the illustrations for the graphic novel Replica. Enjoying the PS painting which allows me to follow my own expressive style of drawing. Nonetheless still it's time consuming. It all starts to take shape. Their need the final retouches but today should be a good long working day. Huraaaa!

Calavera Cast aka Tomb Stone

2011-04-14T16:12:00.000+01:00

There it is....my fun times with the mock up cast...Images show various applications of materials...ink, gouache, watercolour, graphite, various gold decorative paints plus some carving, scratching and general mish-mash...now it is more clear to me what effect the mediums will bring, what not to do....and the excitement is growing coz all in all...it will look Great!Now...off to producing more....

‘How to build your own superfiction?’ by Dr Peter Hill. A talk by Artquest on the 12th of April 2011

2011-04-13T15:13:00.012+01:00

Going to Peter Hill talk from Artquest I didn’t know what to expect. I recently joined the website which provides artists and crafts people with resource, knowledge and all possible info within the art industry. I was send the invite and thought I’ll see what the fuss is about. No regrets. Dr Hill is a Scottish born citizen of Australia and a successful lecturer. He came out with an idea of superfiction in 1989 and has been promoting it ever since. The basic principle of the initiative is the creation of fictional situations in international contemporary art practice. It builds on the fact of multidisciplinary approach to today’s practices, exploring the gaps between them and filling them up with made up stories/facts. It plays with an idea of Situationist International and Guy Debord’s ‘Society of Spectacle’, Karl Popper’s idea of falsification, Paul Feyerabend’s anarchistic view of science and Thomas Kuhn’s paradigm shift. The projects are full of fun and irony using pastiche as a medium to recycle mainstream artefacts, mass media and pop culture. Dr Hill presented a slide show of his fellow artisans who dwell on the idea of superfiction like Seymour Likely, Servaas, Cindy Sherman or PigVision to name a few. As Peter Hill says it is a very human to ‘progress through failure’ and I have to admit it was a truly inspirational proposal to rediscover myself as an artist in a realm of pure fantasy and imagination. Humankind biggest gift – Creation!

Here is one of my favourite polish artist working with the idea of superfictions Zbigniew Libera and some of his famous productions with the Lego set that stirred the art scene around the world in 1996.

Ken's Aunt, 1994
24 dolls in cardboard boxes, [24x] 32 x 8 x 5 cm

Lego. Concentration Camp, 1996, brick set

You can shave the baby, 1995, 10 dolls in cardboard boxes [10x] 55,9 x 20,3 x 25,4

Delivery Bed. Play Kit for Girls, 1996

Body Master, 1994-1997
two devices, size 115 x 46 x 71 cm each, two advertising posters

Dr Peter Hill in the Artist Room of Conway Hall, London

..Dear Reader something has been really opportunistic in today's blogging toolbox and all the links to this post started to live their own life...therefore they came in various colours. I'm sincerely apologising on their behalf. Hope this won't stop you from reading....Thank you)

Nancy Spero at the Serpentine Gallery 2nd of April 2011

2011-04-13T13:19:00.000+01:00

The Serpentine Gallery provides free talks on Saturday’s afternoons about their current artists on display, their work and legacy. On the 2^nd of April Tamara Garb professor, curator and writer hosted a talk about themes connected to Nancy Spero art work. In over an hour she led the audience around the rooms filled with aggressive, explosive and deeply feminine pieces. After a short introduction to Spero’s life and practice she focused on her anti-Vietnam series. Here are the first examples of Spero’s recycled mythologies, symbolic figures and her unique raw, highly expressive but blunt language she will develop throughout her life. The next expansion in the artist life came through focus on language. Treated as a masculine she again recycled the means of it in her lino prints using alphabet, word and text as decorative elements and a substance of her work. The communicative side of language was eradicated from her art as was oil painting for its association with patriarchal world. Tamara Garb made it clear in her passionate presentation that Spero’s bold stand-up made a voice of female energy long forgotten and neglected to be a part of culture dialogue like never before.

Unfortunately the talk took place inside the gallery rooms therefore the documenting photography was forbidden. Here are just a few examples of Nancy Spero's work on the display.

Nancy Spero
Maypole Take No Prisoners II, 2008
Installation view, Serpentine Gallery, London
(3 March – 2 May 2011)
© 2011 Jerry Hardman-Jones

Nancy Spero
Female Bomb 1966
Gouache and ink on paper
86.4 x 68.6 cm
Collection of Barbara Lee, Cambridge, MA, USA

Nancy Spero
La Folie II, detail 2002
Ink, handprinting and collage on paper
184.2 x 47 cm
Courtesy of Estate of Nancy Spero and Galerie Lelong

Calaveras Update..

2011-04-11T23:31:00.000+01:00

Here is the first mock up cast...the trained eye can see the principle mistake of a rookie...however that's what the mock up are for. Someone suggested today this looks like a tomb stone and I think I like it. An idea of how to display them starts to blossom too. I think this is really taking the shape I wanted and now I just need to make a series of about 6 different casts and I'll be home. Meanwhile I'll be experimenting with this first cast to see if it can get any better...

Fashion Calaveras II

2011-04-06T01:17:00.001+01:00

After a short brake from my 'Death' theme I'm presenting some recent designs. These went quite of a way from being very messy thanks to monoprinting through being cleaned out by photoshop and marvellous masking liquid and arrived at the mixture of both monoprint and flexible methods of cleaning the image. I decided to remove any additional type too leaving just a 'Vogue' header. The plan for these is deep photoetching (probably on zinc) to be cast printed.

Cyanotype

Replica. Graphic Novel

2011-04-02T23:37:00.001+01:00

Here are the first storyboards for Replica. The first ones I've ever made so they might be a bit sketchy. I enjoy the process and expect to get better by the number.

HALF- Helmets Abolition Liberation Front

2011-04-01T00:28:00.001+01:00

Something done very quickly for the need of intellectual dispute. My very unhealthy and unsafe attitude. Anyone cares to join?

Appropration. 'Where Are All The Real Man Gone?'.

2011-03-29T19:12:00.003+01:00

One of projects I'm working on from printmaking. It was supposed to be a triptyc with a title 'Where Are All The Real Man Gone?' I had it in my mind for ages and now came the opportunity to take it out on paper. The inspiration came from personal experience and film industry of 50s - 70s Hollywood, the classic archetypes of what male and female were back in the day. Photos of Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart acted as my image sources to create the designs and final prints.
The series divide threefold. First is a sunset, second - full moon night and third a sunrise ( the last one still in production).

Here are some experimental images plus the first print.

'Where are all the real man gone? Sunset' Monoprint, Copy transfer, Mix-Media

'Where are all the real man gone? Night' Monoprint, copy transfer, mix media

Deadlines.

2011-03-29T16:56:00.000+01:00

I found today these two maps I made year 2 for a 'Map a Week' project. Every week last year we were asked to produce a little booklet recording our creative journeys...physical or mental....these two must have come from my stressful moments dealing with not only Uni but personal pressures....as always with irony. Enjoy...
...ah..they come with my stream of consciousness...


'I was suppose to get creative or creative-wise with all that studying. I was suppose to schedule myself to achieve. I was suppose to organise my life to success....................* (continue with 'suppose to' of your choice). The 'Map a Week' becomes my personal therapy journal for artistic incompetence or impotence (*circle preferable). Every following week I see myself less and less capable at all. The 'Dark Corner' has arrived, Ladies and Gantelmen run for your lifes...! Out of this whole misery I've produced myself a horrific migraine- very earthy problem. If anyone would be kind enough to shoot me I'd be endlessly grateful for the act of compassion. Thank you.

'Imaginary scenario: I walk down the Oxford Street from Totthenham Road Station towards Bond Street....takes 10 minutes in my fast pace....Never going to happen....In this realm it takes 30 minutes minimum, depending on the hour of the day. Lunch time? Forget about it. Sometimes I believe that at around 12-1pm everyone goeas to Oxford St just to annoy everyone else....so I walk down the street and around Oxford Circus all of the sudden I see a machine gun...in my hands I hold Kalashnicov( or something like that)....30 seconds later Everyone is gone and I'm breathing heavyly.....I'm lost. I go back home exhusted, switch my mobile off....waiting for the next day.'

Personal Project. Replica

2011-03-25T00:27:00.002Z

So it came to be I'm at the end of my wonderful journey with UEL. As I graduating student I have to develop a personal project. I’d like to create a Graphic Novel which will take on problems of being burned out, life crisis. The script is written by a film director Martyn Holemes student of MA Creative Writing course. Since childhood I loved comic books and on the first year of my study I have made my first graphic novel. It was a challenge which has awaken a real passion for creative storytelling and it has been influencing my University experience ever since.

The story Martyn has been developing for this project fits closely with my own interest of spirituality, life choices and their consequences, and rediscovering oneself. The visual inspiration is deeply submerged in works of Amano and Shaun Tan, illustrators I admire for their unique and surreal style delivered to the highest standard. For the images inspiration I want to explore the National Gallery and its vast collection of symbolic and archetypal painting from various centuries. I also want to extract certain qualities from Gauguin, Klimt and ukiyo-e printmaker Utamaro masterpieces.

Here you can have a first glimpse of my mood boards and some character development. I won't share the story just yet....and let you, my Dear Reader to imagine, think, guess and get curious.

Hmmm...after this you probablt think...it might be anything, right? Lets see if this helps....

Cycling for London

2011-03-23T00:03:00.000Z

Some initial ideas for a poster competition project sponsored by London Transport Museum and Transport for London..I'll add some more in the next few days. Promise.

'..We are the birds of fire..'

2011-03-15T22:12:00.000Z

...After some time, after a long struggle I deliver the final seconds of the Altered Book Project. Photo documentation to follow.

Watercolour. Tate britain

2011-03-15T20:02:00.000Z

I woke up yesterday to a beautiful sun and decided I won't spend another day glued into my desk working on 100th version of my project. No, I need to smell the Spring (well the London version at least). With a rough idea of a few exhibitions in town I've decided the Watercolour at Tate Britain will be nice and useful in context of my final uni project - Graphic Novel.

It's an extensive presentation, telling the story of watercolour throughout the ages. When did it start, how it developed, what are the basic materials and tools, and what is the modern take on it? The little booklet which comes with the ticket have a useful glossary where you can encrypt the watercolour medium yourself.
I always liked using this medium but after this show I've got better recognition that I do need a course which would let me take the whole advantage of it. Such a workshops are provided by Chelsea College of Art during summer period, but it comes with a cost around £400/4days.

Watercolour is simple to apply if you need fast colouring, shadow or 3D effect. It's easy to handle even ifyou haven't done it before.
Here are some of the artworks on the display in Tate:

John Frederic Lewis ' Hhareem Life, Constantinople 1857'


Anish Kapoor 'Untitled 1990'

Plus some of mine own watercolours.

Animal theme

2011-03-15T14:34:00.000Z

Freedom is an award for the eternal vigilance.

2011-03-11T23:44:00.002Z

'I was looking for the bigger noise to deafen myself, my fear and anxieties. At some point two of me started to yell over each other'

Dinner for champions

2011-03-09T23:04:00.000Z

Hm...not sure this one fits into my comic making scheme but this is still my quick comment for the day I lived through...so...it is what it is anyway.

The future is bright....

2011-03-07T21:56:00.000Z

Brighton Zinefest 2011.... Fresh Oyster 6 for £5 (plus complimentary seaview).

2011-03-04T00:18:00.004Z

Few weeks ago on the 19th of February I went to adventurous Brighton for yet another fruitful visit. This time with a free comics making workshop .This was another brilliant excuse for what followed was a night of many creative bacchanalia glasses(thanks to Ocean and Pearl). The seminar was taking place in a small community/cafe space with the classic Brighton crowd of hippie, art students, kids and bizarre folk. Very underground, very self-initiated, very independent- yes I felt like a fish in the water. These I my roots baby! After 10 min wait for projector we could start off with some intro by Joe Deice, a comic enthusiast, who's clean watercolour style made me come to the workshop in the first place.He done a fantastic job inviting everyone to draw a quick diary comics and absolutely convinced me to the value of everyday drawn comments.I struggled to do it before, seeing it as a fairly daunting task. To come up with something clever and simple while translating my everyday experience into a comic used to wipe out my mind clear at once. However now the weeks are passing and I start to enjoy my emotional doodle practice. Being a commited (19 years? hm...maybe slightly addicted) diary writer I welcome this with curiosity and enthusiasm. Why write 4 pages if you can make one sketch with a whole emotional spectrum you went through during your day...
Comics ARE FUN!

Inevitable....again.

2011-02-27T14:18:00.002Z

....I am speechless. I've watched an incredibly sad,an extra-sad film. And it is not even about the touching scenes. It is not about the tragedy or melodramatic ending. ' Never let me go' by Mark Romanek (better known for his documentaries) was based on the novel with the same title by English-Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro. The book falls into the specific s-f genre that hard core fans (count me in) of s-f would make a surprised faces at. Just because there is a futuristic idea in the story doesn't make it s-f.well at least in my opinion. However the book was largely acclaimed by various critics, institutions, magazines etc. I would name it a very Murakami style of s-f.
Anyway. The film tells a story of three friends who met as children in a boarding school which is a cover for a different sort of health resort - 'organ breeding' one. These children grow up as a bio-technological answer to 'immortality' or at least a prolonged version of life. Equipped in a limited self-care they live at the margins of society with a label of medical use-by-date, with a restricted life span, seen by people as forms with no feelings, soul or emotions.
Nevertheless, our organ donors know the fragile and short quality of life it will not prevail them from making grave mistakes. Like all of us they also fall because of fear and egoism. It is them too who loose something most precious - time. We all are afraid of death ;most of time we don't even want to think about it;we feel awkward if someone dies not knowing how to behave, what to say etc. We know it is the only certainty in our life, but we're ready to run away from love, change, challenges so that we don't have to face our flaws.
The simplicity of life the main characters lead creates a perfect background to the obscured relationships between them. It seems like they are shaded from the noise of civilization and nearly looks like the story is not happening at all; like someone have drawn in these lonely, delicate people into the background they do not fit into or rather the background in which they fill in black gaps from otherwise dead people.The contempt in all the faces surrounding 'donors' is rooted in the obvious guilt and degradation of humanity.
The near absence of music and the colourless monotone voice of narrative becomes a neutral report of facts. Here is the whole power of the story. It states raw facts that carry an ability to destroy fortresses of our delusions.
Strong film.

I made a small piece of video on the subject matter on the 2nd year while making a project based on the interview with a funeral director. The outcome was an urn with ashes of presented chair. The chair was a vary old Victorian artefact which might have something like over 100 years, but as Heraclitus said Ta Panta Rhei- Everything flaws.

Dune - Phoenix continuum

2010-12-16T02:28:00.001Z

Just a few quick snaps of the last night production... I'm getting inspired now...the smell of Dune burnning makes me want to go on a space journey...but were is the nearest highliner? hm..must be the Spice Guild plotting behind my back again. You never should trust those dependant on Melange...

...You can still read the words....this is why I wanted to preserve the original pages...so it is all about the Dune. The Phoenix tells its story....

Fashion Calaveras

2010-12-08T18:42:00.001Z

This is my first monoprint attempt and I'm pleased with the effect, because while I use ready-images the thechnique is not trying to copy it but adds to the pastish effect.

This is just a negative I made coz I could....

And another one. I'll try to make this design again as I'm not fully satisfied with the writing.

The last one is just an experiment with a background and more fashion photo design, so it may not have as clear message as previous ones.

Legends and Myths Project

2010-12-05T17:01:00.000Z

I have chosen 'Death' as my theme. My initial inspiration came from Carlos Castaneda books. I was reading them intensily in college era and even started to practice tensegrity myself. It was very unusual, magical and cool thing to do. What I liked about the idea of 'death' in Castaneda's stories was that it was making me familiar with this subject in a deep, profound and calm way. It was like domesticating me to the inevitable fate. The ancient Mexicans belived the death is their lifelong companion who seats on their left shoulder throughout their existance on earth. It is like the best advisor one could have in any difficult time of decision. It is bringing significance to every minute of once life. It shows the importance of human life and all our deeds. 'Death' here isn't something one should fear or run away from into ignorance and impermanent obssesions as many people do these days. The looks, youth and prettyness fixations are fulled by mass media, finding a fertile ground of our vanity. And the cold fact catches us soon or later. People who have lived through death of their close ones gain a powerful insight into sens of life. In a way they appreciate life for there is death. I belive that our Western culture would gain tremendous power if it would recognise its mortality.
The visual inspiration came from Jose Posada. He was a Mexican printmaker/illustrator and in the mexican spirit was a creator of Calaveras.

The representation of people as a 'walking sceletons' was the most natural thing for Mexicans and it still is. In the spirit of medival 'Danse Macabre' the extremely emaciated visitor to kings, peasants and bishops was a reminder of transience.

My idea is to create contemporary fashion Calaveras. I want to use the irony and satire of Posada illustrations to promote impermanance of fashion trends, beauty and showiness or so I belive.

These are my skull sketches.

Now let us see if I'll succed. I wanted first to use monoprint or/and colography but now I'm inclined to photoetching or screenprint. Any suggestions?

50+5

2010-12-05T16:55:00.001Z

The inspiration for these paper bags came from toys I found in V&A Childhood Museum.

Word and Music project

2010-12-05T16:09:00.000Z

This is my first banner for Korn's 'Wake up'

..and some close ups

The word was 'Devil'...and I used referencies from some polish sayings, as well as english;plus some general depictions of what is ment by devilish, evil etc.

The devil isn't as bad as its being painted/ Nie taki diabel straszny jak go maluja

When a man is in a hurry the devil laughs/Gdy sie czlowiek spieszy to sie diabel cieszy

Between the devil and a deep blue sea

A few examples of: The devil seats in the details.

Drawing from observation

2010-12-05T15:24:00.000Z

Sketches for 1000drawings project from locations like V&A and NHM

Altred Book Project

2010-12-05T14:53:00.001Z

Always wanted to do this. I'm a fanatic book reader. Since I learnt to read I haven't had a time in my life without being in a biginning, middle or at the end of a book. I even went to fast reading classes to help me read more in less time. I love everything that book is and with disregard look at the new technologies taking over with the trendy swoop. For me however the iPad or Kindle a-like device will never replace the wholesome experience of a book. Its pages, its smell its block form. Whoever's seen the 1966 film Farenhite 451 knows what I'm talking about. Here's my favorite part.
It shows people who learnt their favorite book word by word thus became
them - book people. I was always dreaming if I ever would become a book it would be DUNE by Frank Herbert. This was the first one of the world's famous s-f saga. Artur C. Clarke compared it to Lord of the Ring. And as much as I love the latter I'm s-f lover and I have to re-read the Dune at least once a year. There were few attempts to create a film but I have to say they all failed. If you want to know why you'll have to get into the Herbert's Universe.

So it is no surprise i chose Dune to alter. As it is all about transformations; personal as much as cultural and ecological I decided to focus on the mythological story of the Phoenix to whom there's a reference in the story. For me books work as a virtual creators of alternative realities I wanted this to literary come out of the book, so I'm doing a sculpture of a Pheonix that comes out from the pages. The bird will be made of the Dune paper and will be connected with it by an idea of a nest. At the moment I have to work on the visual side of it. Here are few images of the initial concept with some mock-up birdy.

The Book

Some initial sketches.....when the idea was a bit different....

The Birds

The mock up

Now, hopefuly I can produce my idea neatly for your visual pleasure:o)

Defacing Money Project

2010-12-05T12:52:00.000Z

This is my Money Temple

1000;10000;100000;0000...00000

2010-10-05T18:25:00.000+01:00

Lost the count...the first project of the 3rd year illustration scares the hell out of me. How possibly should I complite 1000 drawings in 5 weeks. I'd have to do 28.571428 drawing/day. Well....it must be do-able if it was given. Now, looking at the masters did you know Vincent Van Gogh in his dramatic 10 years complited more then 2.000 and pretty much all that survived are amazing, Picasso- around 17.000. All the great art people produce,produce and produce. Diamond won't shine until you polish it.So I'm on the quest. Here you can have a look and comment or suggest your tips on how I could improve. My first museum was Horniman's....and it was quite difficult to draw there as the galleries are very dark,but its a nice versetail collection and anyone can find something for themself. The next attempt was Museum of Childhood. The nice part is that is close to where I live and they have carpets..The kids around do not bother me as they can become a good motivators of your art. The last place was V&A. Oh...how I love this place. It's fairly empty in comparison to any other tourist distenation in London and like Horniman has a colection that consist of everything. I have choosen the sculpture gallery as I find it challenging to draw humans. Now. It looks like I've enjoyed this the most and now have a task to play around my sketchbook to create more filled composition of its white pages. So what I did first was to look at some sketchbooks like one of my favorite street art guy's Blu. Even his drawings are animated. Simple clear lines create a whole narratives out of the white nothingness. Another one with a bit different character is Sam Vanallemeersch's sketchbook available on Flicker. He fill's out every and any free space of the page makeing you wonder what happens beyond the edge. However the uncoloured spaces of his illustrations give a sense of freedon and suprise. Almost like cartoonist he comments and tells the stories of his observations.
So. Am I able to develop my style like these two? You bet I will try! My very own sketchbook full of convincing pages which you can't stop flicking until you see the end...nice))

Aaaa...and something what my illustrator friend tiped me about: drawing tutorials on-line. Some of you may find it useful. I do.

A bit of national 'prywata'

2010-02-21T14:34:00.000Z

'Prywata' - 'Jobbery'. English version does not give away that strong emotional nearly rude feel to the notion. Today it's 2859th day since I first came to London. Very often submarged in british culture I forget how beautiful and powerful my national is but even more so how many unique and sagnificant contemporary visual artists come from my Land.

Wilhelm Sasnal is definately one of those. What strucks me from the start are his print-a-like painting style and the subject metter. His 'print' painting has this modern simplicity of light-shadow game we find in Street Art stencils, the 'pop' colour scheme, comercial object representations and photography transmutations. Exploration of history( in this case Poland during comunism and transformation period) and changes in society make his ideas very close to my heart. I admire artists that are personal but yet objective observers of their enviroment.
If You want to read a bit more about Sasnal here is a link to on-line RASTER gallery where he is a resident artist:
http://www.raster.art.pl/gallery/artists/sasnal/sasnal.htm

Some Sasnal works:

Wilhelm Sasnal Man at the Control Panel 2000 Oil on Canvas 180 x 160cm

Wilhelm Sasnal Factory 2000 Oil on Canvas 101 x 101cm

Saatchi Gallery has a bit more.

Apologies;plus a taste of Universe

2010-02-21T13:50:00.000Z

My Dear Readers,

Months of silence deserve an explanation but maybe not necessary coz all of us get in to the mood of solitude and deny any contact with modern technologies from time to time. But don't think I've stopped observing,exploring and interact with universe...oh no no..just had the virtual constipation.
The last few months were brimming from experiencies some good some fantastic and some really bad. However that's life and I love it and don't mind my karma. It was me who made at the end.

From recent adventures I've visited Greenwich Planetarium for the second time. Absolutly love the place. The first time I went there in order to research Universe visuals for my graphic novel The City and The Stars based on Arthur C. Clarke novel. The show lasts 30 min but its a real journey into the stars. The viewer is being introduced to fantastic world of astrophisics through beautiful and information-packed films. A great addition is your fanatic operator recruited from a crowd of knowledgable and fascinating universe explorers. This time I had a pleasure to listen to a gentelman who is an illustrator of Astronomy Now. The film was narrated by Doctor Who actor David Tennant. Here's just a preview:

WAA Trailer 2 - Fulldome from NSC Creative on Vimeo.

Absolutl necessity for anyone to visit and experience a bit of Universe coz this is what you can see, explore and understand(click onthe imige to enlarge and see it all):

Smoke or not to smoke?

2009-08-16T15:18:00.000+01:00

NHS Smoking Helpline, NLP ,laser acupuncture are just some techniques you can choose to help you go smokefree. 9 million Britons feel the hardship of nicotine addiction in the new healthy society. The perception of smoking had changed drastically. From being advertised by the biggest 30s -40s Hollywood stars (like Clark Gable or John Wayne) in multimillion dollar deals to a growing legislation against anti-social smoking spreading around the world.

From the semiotics perspective it is a significant shift. The cigarette itself did not change much but what it signifies turned 180 degrees. Roland Barthes - a well known semiotician - suggested that this process undergoes various manipulations, in this case a desire to sell the product against the new scientific facts.

These days instead of the iconic faces, the society is being fed with cancer-eaten bodies of the social campaigns. A shocking imagery is changing the perception of a smoker who is pushed to the streets in the 21st century's 'pavement-smoking' culture.

Walk in my mind - Hayward Gallery

2009-08-16T13:44:00.000+01:00

It won't be an exaggeration to say Walk in my mind is an exceptionally good exhibition. 10 Artists were asked to share they anticipation of creativity and its process. This is a very intimate and personal journey. From the list of well known names I picked up my favourites, though it wasn't an easy choice.

The first impressiv outlook is Keith Tyson's Wall Drawings - art journal. Turner Prize winner has a skilful way of mixing various media to give away his line of thinking. Some of his paintings have the 'pre-raphaelite' quality others recall the news paper layout with a sculpture that translates 2D posters to a 3D reality. Who haven't seen the Thinker(After Rodin) will get the chance to relate to the epic and complex system of Tyson's motivations. Every experience is interconnected, the information travels beyond the speed of light and the whole universe appears instantly. Those are the objectives the Geneva's CERN collider share with Tyson and it seems they get on pretty well.

Supercollider Keith Tyson

My second choice is Bo Christian Larsson. The exhibition was my first meeting with this Swedish artist. In his work the process of drawing is the initial step Larsson takes to create a misterious and arcane world of beauty. Bo Christian Larsson

"I believe that strong feelings as a result of aesthetic experience form a very important part of my creative process. The accent on feelings like fear and anxiety – these are feelings you can experience when being confronted with the direct meaning of my work."

Bo Christian Larsson

This is exactly an experience I had when I was exploring his dark but somehow familiar representations on the wall, hanging on the staircase, creeping behind your back or expanding over 2 floors. Simply Fantastic!

The Hayward Gallery:
http://www.haywardgallery.org.uk/

Keith Tyson's website:
http://www.keithtyson.com/

Larsson's website:
http://www.bochristianlarsson.com/

Fiszoteka- Tworzywo Sztuczne

2009-08-14T16:18:00.000+01:00

Bartek Arobal

Fisz and EMADE it's not your average hip-hop band. Brothers had been influenced by their father Wojciech Waglewski music and his entourage. Their music escapes modern classifications and can only accumulate descriptive tags. Their last album Heavi Metal is raw, live and realized with a usual experimental bent by record producer Emade. It mixes the synthetic sound of the 80s hip-hop records with already classic sample productions known from the earlier records.

The lyrics offer a journey to a period of political and social transformation of RP (Poland that is). It was then the brothers were the young and fanatical fans of heavy metal. With an ironic language they distance themselves from a personal perspective and report the stories they heard from various sources.

photo Robert Jaworski

Bartek Arobal

The visual side of the project is exceptionally good in my opinion, though all the past records have good quality visuals. This time the musicians invited Bartek Arobal to illustrate their production. The young artist actually comes from my city (!!!!!)-Szczecin and executed the record beautifluly. His drawing give away the playfulness and irony of the production and the paper cover convince me always.

So, Dear Reader pop in to their myspace and enjoy the broken style of the hip-hop poetry:

http://www.myspace.com/fisztworzywo

Bartek Arobal Blog:

http://www.blebazgroly.blog.pl/

Ghosts or those who return-Henrik Ibsen in Arcola Theatre

2009-08-14T14:28:00.000+01:00

It maybe hard to belive for today's liberated public that Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen had been one of many forbeeden plays at the end of the 19th century. The refreshed by Rebecca Lenkiewicz text presented in Arcola Theatre have still the power to ask moral questions however not by a shocking indecency which was the reason to ban it in the past. Incest, veneral disease and eithanasia had been forbidden topics and by making it public Ibsen done 'dirty deed in public' as one of English commentators said at the time. For the Victorian times duty and idealism were the pilars of the society even when they needed a sacriface, Ibsen however was unmasking the hypocricy and pretence, violence and manipulation behind it. Thanks to works like 'Doll's house' the social revolution took place and today's public can enjoy the freedom of expression.

The issues Ibsen exposed over 100 years ago return in their modern versions. The crises of family values, overindulgance in a holow entertainment, euthanasia, ASBO, CCTV...are the present and burning questions.We have our freedom but how well we use is a totally diffrent problem.

One&Other-What we care about?

2009-08-14T12:07:00.000+01:00

Antony Gormley on the Fourth Plinth from One & Other on Vimeo.

The meaning of Antony Gormley's installation cannot be overrated. He managed to pull the essence of Enviroment Art out and he placed it in the most visible, accessible and contemporary space: Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth and Website (http://twitter.com/PlinthWatch).

The idea behind it is great as Great Britain itself. The author generated a project where the public is an essential component for its success. Then he gave his live-sculpture an elevated spot for a democratic view. This contemporary Speaker's Corner found recognition around the world with 2.9milion visits to the on-line streaming.

http://www.oneandother.co.uk/

The origines of the art that engages with its viewer and is site-specific is to be found in earlier surrealists and dadaists artwork;and was developed in 50s by pop-art. The sculptures have stemmed into enviroment within various realities.

F.T. Marinetti in the Futurist Manifesto (1909) put it like this:

'Musseums: cemeteries! ... Identical, surely in the sinister promiscuity of so many bodies unknown to one another. Museums: absurd abattoirs of painters and sculptors ferociously slaughtering each other...(cemeteries of empty exertion. Calvaries of crucified dreams, registries of aborted beginnings!). ...Smash them...pitilessly'.

Joseph Beuys added in 1973:

'Civilizatiojn is an art work and everybody is an artist'.

I could not agree more))

Joseph Beuys most famous work to be found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8lUC2Pjtoc

RIP Robert Rauschenberg

2009-08-13T22:07:00.000+01:00

I had a dream... I was surrounded by vivid colourful lights. They seemed to be alive and liquid. As I approached them I have noticed there are some shapes under their translucent hues. Like faces from a news-paper my family was looking towards me; not seeing me but pointing out to my laptop and a cot. Though the objects were two-dimensional and seemed not to have any inter-connection the colour play made them important and somehow personal...I've turned around and I was seating at my desk admiring paintings by Robert Rauschenberg.

But my affair with his ideas started earlier... 14 years ago I was seating at the music class and could not comprehend what is so significant about John Cage's 4’33” (1952) – a piece where musicians perform 4.33 minutes of silence.

The whole 'erasing' started when Rauschenberg (ex-U.S.Marines) purchased a drawing by a friend Willem de Koonig (abstract expressionist) for a bottle of whisky and rubbed it all out. The “Erased De Kooning” was a symbolic manifest against seriousness of Abstract Expressionism and sparked a wave of debates that are difficult to erase.

Erased de Kooning Drawing, Robert Rauschenberg

He was redefining art and opening it for the future. Another example is when he was invited to participate in an exhibition at the Galerie Iris Clert in 1961, where artists where to create portraits of the owner Iris Clert. Rauschenberg’s contribution was a telegram sent to the gallery, reading “This is a portrait of Iris Clert if I say so”.

This is a portrait of Iris Clert if I say so, Robert Rauschenberg

Artist Biography can be found:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/robert-rauschenberg/introduction/49/

Rauschenberg speaking about "Erased De Kooning":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpCWh3IFtDQ

Dear Mr Krampet....-Adam Elliot

2009-08-13T18:00:00.000+01:00

From a long list of acclaimed animators I have chosen Australian Adam Elliot to introduce to the Noble Reader. I have no idea how well he is known in UK but me-myself -and-I would not know about his persona if not again the historic choice to come to London 8 years ago. It was one of my flat mates at the time that screaned (without too much introduction) Harvey Krampet in a our dark living room for the first time. I was laughing my head off when I heard familiar 'kurwa' at the very beginning of the animation that tells a story about a very particuliar character that was born in Poland..

The animation itself had rather childish feel to it as it was a clay based creation that evokes works by Nick Park (Wallace&Gromit).Elliot's works have that simplicity that give clear background for his twisted main actors and their stories. Later I found out that Harvey won an Academy Award in 2003. Wow! that is something! Moreover my Dear Reader, his animation participated in 500 film festivals and won 100 awards. Wow! what a guy)) But let us imagine childhood with a father who's job was a circus clown-this might have influanced Elliot's characters whom possess the possitive attitude despite somethimes major misfortunes. The often used irony does not have a hue of cynizm but is deeply epicurean; offering to a viewer an optimistic and practical value of life.

Adam Elliot is the Man!

Harvey Krumpet 2003

The latest animation by Adam Elliot Mary&Max:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgRjB8PEDkM

Fantastyka Naukowa-Metal Hurlant-Metal Hammer

2009-08-13T14:57:00.000+01:00

One of my first novels I read with a passionate pleasure was 'Dzienniki gwiazdowe' by Stanislaw Lem. The adventures of Ijon Tichy grabed my heart so deaply I became a s-f fanatic acordingly to the family traditions. In 70s my dad would colect boxes of Fantasyka magazine(which as I am aware my mum burnt when the occasion had occured[SIC!] the polish version of famous Metal Hurlant. The nobel reader must be aware that beyond the Iron Curtain the publications reality was extremely reduced. Not until few years ago I found few issues of Metal Hammer crammed next to the toilet seat at one of my co-rented places in London. I recognised the significance of my discovery immediately. 'A-ha' I've thought 'the s-f brotherhood is here'. One has to be a complete ignorant not to appretiate and admire the whole scene of the fantastic creationists. The magazine itself was founded in France 1974 by Humanoids(leter United Humanoids- publishing house) who were: Jean Giraud, Philippe Druillet, Jean-Pierre Dionnet and Bernard Farkas. until 1987 the magazine was a speace for discoveries of a new and young creators.

Arzach

The latter novels like Fragile,Lone Sloane, Exterminator 17 or Arzach had its beginnings in the magazine. Todays game and action film industries wouldn't exist if the Metal Hammer (U.S version) didn't enlarge the market for it in 70s-80s by the professional approach to the adult comic book making. the complex graphics, cinematic imagery and surreal storylines are still the fundations for a successful fantasy and s-f illustrations (John Howe - responsible for Lord of the Ring, Chris Moore,Tomasz Baginski).

Chris Moore

Some essential links:

If you don't have a clue who the mighty Stasiu Lem is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislaw_Lem

Oscar nominated Animation by Tomasz Baginski

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8GyHvBogrI

'as a designer is up to us to create our own work and not wait for someone to ask for it'

2009-08-12T16:09:00.000+01:00

Chris Rubinio is an individualistic artist/designer whose work has been exhibited in Europe, Japan, and Hong Kong and around the U.S. He has created commercial artwork for such clients as The New York Times, Guinness, Miramax, Banana Republic & the NY Public Theatre. He also runs a Brooklyn-based silk-screen studio named Studio18Hundred that makes limited edition posters for rock bands including The Rapture, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Vetiver.

When he moved to New York right after graduating his portfolio was full of paintings and clips of bad abstract animation. He made a bunch of bad record covers and discovered typography. Over the next few years he was given great opportunities with a couple higher-end design firms until he was ready to be on his own.

'From the beginning I've always tried to work on my own work, as well as on client-based projects. These have often overlapped, resulting in something that I've personally been happy with. In my experience, clients never show up asking me to work for them because of the corporate work I've done, but rather the self-initiated projects I've produced'.

The best example is his project for Banana Republic – a Christmas wrapping paper. He used the same animal motif in his studio18hundred posters and then was asked by Urban Outfitters to design porcelain plate set especially for vegetarians with a use of the same animal ornament.

Rubinio's portfolio at the Art Department NY:

http://www.art-dept.com/illustration/rubino/index.html

Artis's website:

http://www.chrisrubino.com/

Video recording for ADC Young Guns Live: The Backstory "DIY" (Chris is this handsome bearded bloke) where Rubinio (with James Victore) confesed his way of work for a benefit of us all young and unexperienced:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ig0xsY9XO4

Aneta Grzeszykowska

2009-08-12T15:49:00.000+01:00

Aneta had caught my attention few years ago when I was looking for contemporary polish photographers. I was asking myself what the photography is about today...does it tell the truth or is it another medium for expressiveness of the artist's free spirit. At the beginning of the invention photographs were to capture and document the reality... since then the world had gone a long way. Aneta’s key medium is photography used instrumentally as a tool for realisation of advanced artistic - ontological exercises. Grzeszykowska is fascinated in a role photography plays in documentation and creation of a person identity. One of her main subjects is her own identity, which she plays with on a various levels.

In 2006 she created ‘Album’. The work contains approx. 200 photos from a privet family archive. From each one of them , using Photoshop, Grzeszykowska erased herself creating specific photo autobiography-from birth up to present day-deprived of a main character.
‘Album’ was presented on 4.Beinnale in Berlin 2006 where privet flat at Auguststrasse became a gallery showroom for this unusual exhibit.

Other works:
http://www.raster.art.pl/galeria/artysci/grzeszykowska/prace.htm

Marta Pieczonko

2009-08-12T13:45:00.000+01:00

Marta Pieczonko, "cybersex" 2008, 26 x 40

Marta Pieczonko, "from hell to heaven" 2007, 51 x 66

I can’t stop admire illustrations by Marta Pieczonko. The mix of emotions, pop culture and mythology is translated into cut-out collages that appear on various domestic objects like cloths, aprons and rags. They are bloody sometimes, always witty and metaphoric. The felt applications won the heart of the polish magazine’s editors and for many years now the readers feast their eyes on Marta’s talent.

It is fairly difficult to find any extensive info about the illustrator but it is known she was born in Warsaw in 1980 and graduated from Warsaw ASP gaining the MA in lithography. She lives and creates in Cologne/Germany.

Further art work can be found

zwierciadlo.pl

wysokieobcasy.pl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3cs0coz1CM