Jeremyriad

Camille Rose Garcia’s Down the Rabbit Hole at the Disney Museum

Written on May 15, 2013 by jeremy

This past weekend, Camille Rose Garcia gave an artist talk at San Francisco’s Walt Disney Family Museum. The chat coincided with Down the Rabbit Hole, a new exhibition of over 40 original concept artworks and murals Garcia created for the 2010 HarperCollins edition of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

I’m not typically one to purchase multiple iterations of Disney classics, but Garcia’s Alice marked the 2nd artist edition Alice in Wonderland book I’ve bought this year. (For something different and yet not necessarily dissimilar, take a look at Yayoi Kusama’s delightfully dotty Wonderland here.)

Venturing Down the Rabbit Hole with Camille Rose Garcia at the Disney Museum was a perfect match. A frequent attendee at Disneyland in her youth, Garcia’s work often expresses the polarity between The Happiest Place on Earth (Disneyland) and The Saddest Place on Earth (Everywhere Else). Tere Romo curated the exhibition and also mediated the artist talk. Alas, I have only been to Florida’s Disney World, and not California’s Disneyland. Whereas the former is a popular East Coast family vacation spot, the latter seems akin to a religious experience for my West Coast friends. (If anyone wants to sponsor me on a missionary trip to Disneyland, clickety-click here.)

While Garcia also illustrated an edition of Disney’s Snow White, it’s clear she had a special connection to Alice. During the chat, Garcia talked about how unusual it would have been in the late 1800s to have a character like Alice: a strong female hero-child who also questioned authority. Garcia mentioned being captivated by Lewis Carroll’s dreamlike, surrealist prose that seemed to get at the stranger examples of our reality. Like Carroll’s books, Garcia’s artistic universe is filled with symbolic storytelling and non-linear narratives.

I took some notes during the Q&A, and this was one of my favorites. When asked how she went from being a great artist to a great artist who is also known, Camille Rose Garcia replied: “Ball’s out persistence!” And then: “If I get rejected from anything, I just pretend people are crazy.” Love it!

I love when artists use their canvases to critique and communicate about our world. Garcia talked about the difficulties of reconciling life in a capitalist society with the desire to live sustainably. I even raised my hand to ask a question. (And no, it wasn’t “Why is a raven like a writer’s desk?”) read full article

Posted in 2D Art Shows, Events, Happenings, Signings | Leave a comment

David Fullarton Compounds His Apologies With Humor

Written on May 9, 2013 by jeremy

“I’m sorry I spraypainted a gigantic penis on your garage door, but one day when I’m a famous graffiti artist it will be worth so much money that you will never have to work another day.”

I love it! It’s the narcissist’s perfect apology: Say ‘I’m sorry,’ but quickly re-inflate the ego with some well-placed bravado.

That interplay of apology and justification is at the heart of San Francisco artist David Fullarton‘s Apologies series. I’ve written about Fullarton previously, and I was lucky that he swam across the bridge to Oakland’s own The Compound gallery. His solo show I Can’t Apologize Enough, which opened this past weekend, is made up of more than 35 mixed media apologies, some larger work, a new mural, letterpress editions and an Apologize Here ‘audience participation area.’

One of my favorite things about this work is it’s not “there’s something for everyone” type of art. It’s specific. David Fullarton’s individual Apologies pieces may not strike a chord with most folks, but there’s one person (at least) out there who’ll feel totally validated and extremely understood by each piece. If you’ve ever felt that way about an artwork, you know it’s better than broad strokes. Maybe it describes you or someone you knew. Perhaps it jogs an old memory of this crazy thing that happened that one time. I guess I’ve met many quirky people and I’ve seen some wacky things because I was walking around The Compound laughing knowingly.

David Fullarton

I picked up a piece (scroll down for it), and I’m still laughing. Laughter is A Good Thing, so I chatted up Mr. Fullarton to see if he agreed. Read on for our interview. David Fullarton’s I Can’t Apologize Enough runs through June 9th at The Compound gallery in Oakland. There are more original Apologies by David Fullarton available (and affordable) online here!

JB: What brought you from Scotland to San Francisco in 1995?
DF: My wife brought me. She was born and raised in San Diego, but had moved to London in the late 80s. We met working at the same place in Scotland, and she suffered through three Glasgow winters before demanding that we move somewhere with a more clement climate. The choice was London or San Francisco, which isn’t really a choice as far as I’m concerned. So we moved to SF in 1995.

An exclusive look into David Fullarton's notebooks!

What inspired you to start apologizing through art?
I started working on this series in 2011 because I was kind of in the artistic doldrums, and I wanted something to inspire me and help me focus. read full article

Posted in 2D, Art, Features, Interviews, paintings | Leave a comment

What do Hulk Hogan and Elisabeth Moss Have in Common?

Written on May 8, 2013 by jeremy

Question: What do professional wrestling personality, Hulk Hogan, and Mad Men actress, Elisabeth Moss, have in common?
Answer: The 1991 sci-fi comedy bomb, Suburban Commando!

Clearly someone realized that this exchange between the pre-reality-TV wrestler and the pre-Peggy-Olson actress shouldn’t die on a VHS tape in somebody’s basement. Thus, the Internet gives us these great gifs of a cat in a tree, a little girl flying through the air and Hulk Hogan to the rescue. EPIC!

If these animated gifs aren’t animating in your browser, that’s a damn shame, and I recommend going the extra mile to open them in a new tab or a new browser. Because they are that funny. At least I think they are. And I needed a laugh.

Click through for a bonus animated gif that connects to this story because Elisabeth Moss stars on Mad Men alongside Alison Brie. P.S. If you happen to know why some animated gifs automatically animate (below) vs. others that don’t (above), please leave a comment and explain it to me–it drives me nuts!

read full article

Posted in Pop CULTure | Leave a comment

Hine Mizushima x They Might Be Giants Music Video

Written on May 3, 2013 by jeremy

What a wonderful and whimsical meeting of minds! Artist and animator Hine Mizushima [previously] paired up with They Might Be Giants on a video mashup for TMBG’s new album, Nanobots. Mizushima deftly connects six separate short songs in just under three minutes. Entitled Insect Hospital+, the video features ”Hive Mind,” “Decision Makers,” “Nouns,” “There,” “Insect Hospital” and “Tick.”

Sweet! You know what would supersize this collab? Hine Mizushima x Felt Mistress stitch kitsch bugs x They Might Be Giants x Pete Fowler x Clinic video. Just sayin’.

I don’t have a lot of love for bugs OR hospitals, but make ‘em mini and throw in some letter forms and keyboard keys, and I’m a believer.

They Might Be Giants’ new album Nanobots is available on vinyl, CD or download direct from the band here. read full article

Posted in 3D, Art, Music/Video, sculpture | Comments Off

Philographics Philosophy Design Books Now Available!

Written on May 2, 2013 by jeremy

Hooray! After yesterday’s indulgent post on the complexities of cosmic Barbie, this feels like a nice balance.

I’ve written before (here and here) about Genís Carreras‘ great Philographics project, and third time’s a charm. Through colorful, minimalist graphic design and tight text, Carreras distilled deep philosophies into accessible information. What began as a student project with 24 posters became 95 beautifully illustrated philosophic theories or “isms.” Two years and six months after undertaking the self-imposed assignment, the London-based designer has emerged from his studio with a glorious visual dictionary of philosophy.

Philographics by Genis Carreras

Previously available only as individual posters, Philographics is now being offered as a box of 95 postcards and a hardcover book.

Philographics by Genis Carreras

Philographics: Big Ideas in Simple Shapes is currently at more than double its Kickstarter goal of £15,000, which means the project will be funded! A pledge is now a purchase, so if you fancy the idea of learning about philosophy while looking at lovely design, show your support here. (I just did.) Congrats Genís!

Posted in Design, graphic | Comments Off

Real Life Russian Barbie Doll is Really From Outer Space

Written on May 1, 2013 by jeremy

Real Life Barbie Doll, Valeria Lukyanova

On Monday, we took a look at the “controversial” Mexico Barbie doll and discovered that the media’s response was mostly overblown and somewhat manipulated. Today, we head to the Ukraine to meet Valeria Lukyanova, a “living Barbie doll” who is mostly manipulated and somewhat overblown.

At press time, Lukyanova has 788K Facebook fans who seem to use her timeline to debate whether she is, in fact, “real.” Tabloids tracked the twenty-something’s origins to Tiraspol, Transnistria and put her current whereabouts in Odessa, Ukraine. With that measure of “realness” satisfied, the discussion turns to plastic surgery vs. Photoshop. Lukyanova claims to have gone under the knife just once to have her breasts enlarged. The rest of her physique (as seen above) is the result of fitness, fasting, Photoshop and “prana” (but more on that last one later).

It was during my investigation into Mattel’s best practices regarding Barbie Dolls of the World that I found out about this fascinating addition to my Real Life Toy Collection. Valeria Lukyanova is not alone. There are OTHER Russian women who choose to take on the appearance of Barbie dolls, plus a thriving community of men, women and trolls (known in this crowd as “insekts”) who adore, explore and/or abhor them. Lukyanova says she modeled herself after the perfect plaything that she collected as a child. So with the questions of WHY and PLASTIC OR PHOTOSHOP answered, what’s left to talk about here?

EVERYTHING ACTUALLY!

Why Girls Become Barbie

The more I dug into Lukyanova’s story, the more I realized that the initial inquiry wasn’t all that interesting. Why go to great lengths debating her “realness” when the gold exists in how UNREAL she is? Here’s the Cliff Notes: Valeria Lukyanova is an asexual extreme vegetarian Barbie doll who uses astral projection to improve the world. She also has a master’s degree in architecture.

But it’s really much better in her own words: read full article

Posted in Features, Pop CULTure, Toys | Comments Off

Internet Cries Racism Over Mexico Barbie

Written on April 29, 2013 by jeremy

I love it when classy news sites weigh in on collectible controversies! Recently, there was an uproar over Mattel’s Barbie Dolls of the World collection, specifically Mexico Barbie. Despite being released back in 2012 and dressed for a fabulous fiesta, “America’s world news site” gave the doll their prized Outrage of the Day headline. The crime? Mexico Barbie is ”sold with a pet Chihuahua, a passport and a sticker sheet to record her travels.” ¡Ay, caramba!

But not so fast. Initially, I, too was ready to join the lynch mob and make some fun Photoshopped graphics involving Border Patrol Ken. But then I saw Mattel’s response to a snarky tweet about Mexico Barbie and tacos:

“Mexico Barbie is 1 of 100 Barbie Dolls of the World. Current dolls wear a country-inspired outfit & have a passport & animal.”

And it’s true: the current Barbie Dolls of the World do have animals and passports. Here’s Chinese Barbie with her passport and panda, and there’s Australian (throw a shrimp on the) Barbie with her passport and koala. Stereotypes? Yes. Racism? I don’t think so.

For Mattel, the choice to include Mexico Barbie in this collection was basically a lose-lose proposition. Give the doll a passport, and sit back and wait for the Internet to respond with allegations of racism. Or, deny the doll her papers, thus making her the ONLY doll in the collection without a passport, and sit back and wait for the Internet to respond with allegations of racism.

Mattel chose the first option, and when the rants came in, they were prepared. Here’s their “Rumor Response” statement:

We consulted with the Mexican Embassy on the Dolls of the World Mexico Barbie, especially with respect to the selection of the Chihuahua. Our goal with the Dolls of the World Mexico Barbie, as well as the entire Dolls of the World Collection, is to celebrate cultural differences and tradition, introducing girls to the world through play.

The only thing better than NPR reporting on Mexico Barbie is a member of Mattel Corporation consulting with the Mexican Embassy “with respect to the selection of the Chihuahua.”

Mattel’s “misdoings” in re: Barbie are the legendary stuff of blog fodder. Click through for a few fun ones!

read full article

Posted in action figures, Pop CULTure, Toys | Comments Off

It’s Friday! TV and Movie Dance Posters by Niege Borges

Written on April 26, 2013 by jeremy

It’s Friday! Did you make it? Let’s celebrate with an infectious ditty by the Violent Femmes as performed by anonymous disco dancers in the musical pairing (above) and these minimalist pop culture dance posters by Brazilian graphic designer Niege Borges (below)!

Shake it, Elaine! Niege Borges documented the iconic dance moves of TV and movie characters for a series of illustrations called Dancing Plague of 1518.

Do The Butt! But…it’s not all fun and games. Writes Borges:

In 1518, a bunch of people from a French town called Strasbourg were affected by something called dancing mania. It began with one lady named Frau Troffea dancing in the street and ended up with, more or less, 400 people dancing on for days without rest, resulting in some deaths of heart attack, stroke and exhaustion. This project is, in some sort of way, a memorial for Frau Toffea. From the silliest little dance to the most elaborate dance sequence of the history of cinema, there was a lot of dancing in the last decades (not enough to kill anyone, I hope). Here are some of these dances.

Could Strasbourg have been the first flash mob?

Well, here you have the step-by-step, and if you’re watching the video pairing, you’ve got Gordon Gano imploring you to “Dance MF Dance!” So get to it. Posters are available for purchase here. Click through for a few more of my favorites. Have a great weekend!

read full article

Posted in 2D, Art, illustration, Pop CULTure, prints | Comments Off

Manufactured Images by Denis Dubois

Written on April 25, 2013 by jeremy

"The Young and the Restless" © Denis Dubois

I’m digging these images by French graphiste Denis Dubois. By gently tweaking old-time illustrations, Dubois expresses humor and cynicism for our modern world. The incredibly prolific artist refers to what he does as “manufactured images.”

"Crown" and "Prisoner of Fashion" © Denis Dubois

I love art with commentary, and I love art with wordplay, so Dubois’ collages are win-win with me. As I was scrolling through his blog, I couldn’t help but pair up a few that seemed to generate an additional layer of commentary when placed next to each other.

"Who Am I?" © Denis Dubois

Many of Denis Doubois’ pieces deal with issues of identity and uncertainty amid change and technology. Despite their antiquated look, the concepts are more current than ever. You can order signed and numbered prints in a variety of sizes priced between ~$40 and ~$500 USD directly from the artist by writing to: denis.dubois1 [at] yahoo [dot] france.

"Brainwashing" and "Big Brother" © Denis Dubois

As an appropriate footnote to the above pairing of Dubois’ manufactured images, you can find him on Facebook here.

read full article

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My Knitted Boyfriend by Noortje de Keijzer

Written on April 24, 2013 by jeremy

I’m starting to see a pattern that suggests Dutch designers have great senses of humor. (For instance: Dutch Brains: It’s What’s for Breakfast!, Excuse Me Miss but You Have Some Prosciutto on Your Face and the Incognito Nose Stand.) My Knitted Boyfriend, a project by Utrecht-based designer Noortje de Keijzer, now joins this creative comedic company.

My Knitted Boyfriend is a cushion with a story:

This man is always happy. And he is flexible as well. He will have a mustache if you prefer mustaches. He will wear glasses if you prefer glasses. He likes to sit on your floor, on your couch or at your dinner table. But most of all, he likes to lay down next to you in bed. With your head on his chest and his arms wrapped around you. This way you will never feel alone ever again. With this man you can be sure, he will never leave you.

This is not a sex doll. My Knitted Boyfriend is a loving companion. Think of My Knitted Boyfriend as a distant cousin of Olek’s colorful crocheted people, but dipped in sepia tone. And FYI, love dolls aren’t exclusively for perverts. They appeal to all kinds of people, like this guy, who is really convincing.

My Knitted Boyfriend is not a WASP; he’s an equal opportunity boyfriend and comes in an African colorway, too. Noortje de Keijzer is on Facebook, and the adventures of My Knitted Boyfriend are far from all stitched up. Earlier this year, she posted: