Art Space Talk: Kathryn Dunlevie

Kathryn Dunlevie is an artist based in Palo Alto, California. She is a two-time recipient of the Arts Council Silicon Valley Fellowship in Photography. Dunlevie's art has been featured in Artweek, A Journal of Art Criticism, San Jose Mercury News, Palo Alto Weekly, ArtLies, ArtShift San Jose, The New York Times-- among other publications.

Dunlevie has exhibited internationally-- her extensive exhibit history includes exhibits at Vertigo Gallery in London, at Studio Thomas Kellner in Germany, and at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artists Gallery.

A graduate of Rice University, Dunlevie also studied film at the University of Paris, photography in Madrid, and painting at California College of Art.



Brian Sherwin: Kathryn, when I view your work theories of science and psychology come to mind. It is as if your images bend time-- they explore our perception of the world around us. One could say that they capture the idea of various dimensions as well as altered states of the mind-- or reflect collective memories stored as information. With that in mind, can you discuss your interest in science, psychology, and philosophy in regards to your art? Are there any specific theories that you adhere to within the context of your art?

Kathryn Dunlevie: About ten years ago the focus of my work began to shift from memory and psychology to a contemplation of the sensory overload being created by new technologies. It seemed to me that we were developing a different type of perception – not a linear catalogue, but an instant synthesis of pertinent images culled automatically from the ever-increasing barrage of data.

Not at First Glance: New London, 1998, mixed media on panel, 45” x 37”. Kathryn Dunlevie

Not at First Glance: London Inside Out, 1999, mixed media on panel, 45” x 60”. Kathryn Dunlevie

In my series Not at First Glance I attempted to offer visual models of this new type of perception. I created composites of disparate photographs which, once combined through collage and painting, formed meaningful compositions. As I used paint to blur the borders between the photographs, I began to notice in some of the works the appearance of peculiar transitions. This development inspired me to create my next series in which I consciously pursued the creation of more of these spatial anomalies.
More Than Meets the Eye: Carcieri del Vaticano, 2006, mixed media on panel, 60” x 47. Kathryn Dunlevie

More Than Meets the Eye: Changing Station, 2004, mixed media on panel, 37” x 60”. Kathryn Dunlevie

In More Than Meets the Eye I employed the photographic deconstructing and reassembling of specific places, and allowed the act of painting to coax the spaces into revealing their hidden layers. The interweaving of different perspectives created twists and ripples not visible in the original scenes. The pictorial worlds of More Than Meets the Eye were no longer merely composites of things seen while moving through space and time, but focused compositions containing glimpses of invisible extra dimensions.
Mirror Unmasked: Illumination, 35" X 54" - 2005 mixed-media on panel. Kathryn Dunlevie

BS: Kathryn, one of your most recent projects is titled Matter Unmasked. These photographic collages involve altered scenes that challenge the viewer’s perception of familiar objects and places. A review by Garland Fielder for ArtLies mentioned your methodical attention to detail. He also noted that you conveyed a painterly sensitivity in this body of work. Can you go into further detail about Matter Unmasked? Give our readers some insight concerning the thoughts behind this specific body of work.

KD: The series Matter Unmasked grew out of the mixed-media works of More Than Meets the Eye. My interest in String Theory and the depiction of unseen dimensions led me to a contemplation of particle physics’ Standard Model and a desire to illustrate the actual but visually imperceptible make-up of all matter. I felt I could best convey the notions of molecular structure and subatomic movement through the hard edges of collage.
Mirror Unmasked: Beyond Manhattan, 50" X 30" - 2008 mixed-media on panel. Kathryn Dunlevie

I put my paints away in favor of cutting and pasting, but soon found that I was essentially “painting” with snippets of photographs. In order to create recognizable scenes as well as a sense of underlying motion and structure, I integrated intact images with mosaic-like passages of small shards of photographs. This often led to a sense of surfaces having been stripped away to reveal a magnified view of what was actually underneath.
Mirror Unmasked: La Visitazione, 45" X 58" - 2008 mixed-media on panel. Kathryn Dunlevie

BS: What about your process in general? Can you describe how you work? For example, do you build the images from intuition, so to speak, or is their a great deal of planning and research beforehand? Tell us about your process.

KD: I’ve amassed a large bank of images primarily from urban areas. I photograph intuitively and extensively, choosing which images to print after I return to the studio. I like to start several pieces at once and move from one to another in order to keep a fresh eye.

The most exciting part of the process occurs in the studio. No matter what I’ve had in mind when selecting particular images to work with, there is always a moment when the piece veers off in a direction I haven’t seen coming. Ultimately each piece develops its own logic. Fortunately, I can now print all but the largest photographs myself. I’m able to work with a greater sense of immediacy and flexibility than ever before.

Double Take: Phane, 8" X 6" - 2003 mixed-media on panel. Kathryn Dunlevie

BS: Can you go into further detail about some of your influences? For example, are you influenced by any specific artists or art movements?

KD: I’ve always loved the way Georges Braque leads the viewer panoramically through a room with seemingly illogical jumps that end up making perfect sense. I also love the untrammeled way Rauschenberg mixed different media and so many aspects contemporary culture. Of course, David Hockney has been a huge inspiration with the way his photographic collages encourage the eye to progress through time as well as space.

Double Take: In Shadow, 20" X 15" - 2002 mixed-media on panel. Kathryn Dunlevie

BS: Speaking of exhibits-- where can your art be viewed at this time? Will you be involved with any upcoming exhibits?

KD: Right now I have work at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artists Gallery in San Francisco, at Belgravia Gallery in London, at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz, and at Hooks-Epstein Galleries in Houston, where I’ll be having a solo show in December.

You can learn more about Kathryn Dunlevie by visiting her website-- www.kathryndunlevie.com. Dunlevie is currently a member of the myartspace.com community-- www.myartspace.com/kathryndunlevie.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
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The Downward Spiral of the Chinese Contemporary Art Market

An untitled painting by Zeng Fanzhi

In recent years the market for Chinese contemporary artists has been hot in the global art market. Many of the top selling Chinese artists were virtually unknown before the Chinese art market boom at high profile auction houses and art fairs. Successful Chinese contemporary artists, such as Zeng Fanzhi, reaped what quick fame and fortune offers to artists who dominate the global art market. Due to global success artists from Shanghai and Beijing have been able to operate large studios in order to create further work. However, success can be fleeting-- these artists are now caught in what has been described as the “downward spiral” of the contemporary Chinese art market.

Galleries and art dealers in Shanghai and Beijing are facing some of the same struggles that galleries in New York City and other hubs of the art world have been challenged by in recent months. At the core of the plight is the ongoing global financial crisis. Art collectors worldwide are not as wealthy as they were just a year ago-- thus, aspects of the art market have been caught in a financial freeze, so to speak. Prices for art have dropped rapidly-- meaning the value for specific artists may be in limbo. In other words, high profile collectors are wary to invest in an uncertain global art market.

Chinese contemporary artists who were steadily patronized over the last few years are now faced with the humble reality that perhaps their art will falter within the global art market. Even the top auction houses, such as Sotheby’s, have been reluctant to spotlight Chinese contemporary art in recent months. This has lead insiders to suggest that the era of high-priced Chinese contemporary art is over. Rumors suggest that the market for Chinese contemporary art may bottom out before the global economy recovers. Thus, the fate of these artists within the global art market is not clear.

The surge in popularity for Chinese contemporary art among wealthy global art collectors-- such as Charles Saatchi-- came without warning. Artprice.com only listed one Chinese artist on their Top 10 best-selling living artists list in 2004. By 2007, 5 of the 10 best-selling living artists at auction were from China according to Artprice.com. The most acclaimed Chinese contemporary artist for that year, Zhang Xiaogang, had total auction sales of over $56 million.

Zhang Xiaogang ranked under Damien Hirst and Gerhard Richter in 2007-- two artists who have long dominated the global art market. The rise of Chinese contemporary art came swift. Unfortunately, the crash of the Chinese contemporary art market in the last year came just as sudden. It begs the question-- will any Chinese contemporary artists remain on the Artprice.com best-selling list of living artists after 2009? Who knows what will happen in this turbulent market.

Some feel that the bust of the Chinese contemporary art market was needed in order to sustain the validity of the market for Chinese contemporary art as a whole. Wealthy art collectors and art dealers, such as Charles Saatchi, had artificially driven up prices by investing heavily in art by Chinese contemporary artists-- according to some insiders. Other high profile art collectors and art dealers followed suit in what I like to call the ‘Keeping up with the Saatchi’s' effect.

A few of these individuals were quick to open galleries in China in order to take advantage of the flow of wealth-- now gallery doors are closing. Needless to say, some individuals feel that the artificial rise of specific artists-- not just Chinese contemporary artists-- within the global art market must come to an end in order for the global art market to have a steady business foundation that places integrity and sustainability above excessive personal gain.

Thus, it is felt that art dealers-- in general-- must take more responsibility within the global art market by helping their represented artists sustain the market for their work in a realistic manner. For example, art collectors/dealers who artificially increase prices may need to be avoided if the global art market is to have a strong foundation. Unfortunately, many artists throughout the world will fall victim due to key art world power players who have already manipulated the market for their own needs. The global art market as we know it will never be the same. Integrity is due.

Link of Interest:

China’s Art Market: Cold or Maybe Hibernating? By David Barboza -- The New York Times
www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/arts/design/11decl.html?_r=1

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
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Art Space Talk: Kate Bauman

Kate Bauman is a contemporary artist and designer in Portland, Maine. Growing up in Wisconsin, she began painstakingly crafting all kinds of projects with her mother and grandmother at a young age. The habit stuck with her. She completed her BFA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2005, with a senior research project focused on enameling.

A year later, she packed up and headed east to the foothills of the Catskill mountains, where she began her graduate studies in metal at SUNY-New Paltz. She graduated in 2008 and this time headed northeast to the coast of Maine. Her work is rooted in contemporary American culture, and pursues subversion in pattern, decoration, and enamel.

Brian Sherwin: Kate, tell us about your academic background. Did you study art formally? What about influential instructors that you have had?

Kate Bauman: Yes, I studied graphic design and metal at the University of Wisconsin -- Madison for my BFA. There, I was greatly influenced by Lisa Gralnick, an excellent metalsmith and challenging instructor. Lisa introduced me to enamel (glass fused to metal), and encouraged me to explore possibilities of this traditional medium with contemporary imagery and ideas.

I recently completed an MFA in Metal at the State University of New York at New Paltz, where I studied with enamellist Jamie Bennett, metalsmith Myra Mimlitsch-Gray, and Sarah Turner. The MFA Metal program at SUNY-New Paltz is extremely rigorous, and I have been fortunate to study with such renowned and influential figures in my field.
BS: Tell us about the thoughts behind your art. Can you give our readers some insight into any specific themes that you explore?

KB: My work is greatly influenced by pattern and ornamentation, both traditional and contemporary. I am intrigued by the psychological effects of pattern in domestic spaces and at play in American culture. Family dynamics, relationships, and heredity are also themes that motivate much of my work, though they may not always be readily apparent.

These influences derive from a time of particular difficulty in my own home life. a time when everything seemed to be falling apart and I found myself disturbed by the audacity of the happy flowers crawling over the walls in my family’s home. I focused on wallpaper patterns as a metaphor for the tendency of families to cover up their realities to put up a front, a veneer, as wallpaper covers cracked walls and pattern camouflages or transforms an object or space. I also began to consider the spaces we live in as witnesses to realities that often go unacknowledged.

While my artistic interests span a variety of media, I am most inclined to use, and muse upon, enamel. Not enamel paint, but vitreous enamel, which is glass fused to metal. It is a process that is no longer widely practiced, but is incredibly appealing for its rich colors, visual depth, traditions, and permanence. Enamel is generally considered simply a decorative medium. I am attracted to the potential of enameling as a primary means of expressing ideas, rather than secondary to the fabrication of a metal form or the crafting of a jewel. I seek to use enamel in a manner that blurs the distinction between art and craft.

In my work, I have explored the visual and psychological effects of applying a series of enameled patterns to a repeated shape (copper guns) in the Silhouette series as a manifestation of something pattern could transform. Or, in the case of the Wallpaper series, something pattern could hide.

In a body of 100 drawings, I investigated the ability of repetition in pattern to hide an image, in this case, again, a gun. The structures of the patterns suggest various other styles, eras, and ideas, but the silhouette of the gun is not often readily recognizable.

Moving away from guns as imagery, I began to consider floral patterns, and the ability of their stylized tendrils to creep into ones subconscious. Natural flora have been an ever-present subject in pattern and decoration, but stylized and controlled in rigid patterns. Growths began to question what could happen if such constraints were lifted.

The series, Decorum: The Devil Is In The Details, arose from an interest in decoration as a projection of identity and an effort to design new pattern motifs reflecting contemporary culture. Patterns from patterns, they are at once visual motifs created from daily human habits, personalized crests, Rorschach inkblots, and pop design. Their familiar imagery and seductive colors betray a conflict of the American consumerist psyche. The vibrant colors and detailed images draw the viewer in and force them to look more closely at portraits that, through glossiness and subtly textured imagery, may also serve as mirrors on their own life.

While my work is sometimes inspired by personal events, it has been important to me not to create work that is personal to the point that it is about me, or my story alone. Instead, I hope to make work that relates universally personal ideas.

BS: Is there a specific message you strive to convey to viewers concerning your art?

KB: I don’t have a single, specific message to convey to the masses. Rather, I am interested in creating a visual experience that will resonate with viewers on various levels. The root of my work is a desire to express aspects of the human experience, and I hope that others will recognize and respond to that.

BS: What can you tell us about your process in general? Give us some insight into how you work? as in turning an idea into reality, so to speak? Can you discuss some of the methods that you utilize?

KB: I suppose my process varies from piece to piece. I usually start by writing down ideas, followed by general sketches. When I get down to the actual creation of a piece, I do lots of specific drawings, trying out shapes and compositions to see what works. I often use my computer to do some of these drawings, creating vector shapes in Illustrator that I can quickly move around, scale, and experiment with. But for all my preparations, I often end up making lots of intuitive decisions in the actual completion of a piece.

I have found, between my experience in graphic design and as a maker, that I really enjoy moving back and forth between using my computer as a creative tool and using my hands. One seems to balance the other out and provide opportunities to inspire and work through ideas in a variety of ways.
BS: What about influences? For example, are you influenced by any specific artists, world events, or art movements?

KB: I am inspired by enamelists Veleta Vancza, Gretchen Goss, and Jamie Bennett, contemporary pattern designers like Timorous Beasties, artists Rudolph Stingel and Peter Garfield, and photographer Sarah Malakoff. More truthfully though, my work is a response to the influence of my life and surroundings.

BS: Where can your art be viewed at this time? Will you be involved with any upcoming exhibits?

KB: I have a few exciting projects and exhibitions coming up in 2009. I have recently been invited to create a site-specific enamel installation for the upcoming American Enamels exhibition at The Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston, opening May 1st. A number of my Silhouettes will also be on display.

I am also working on an interesting and challenging experiment in collective making with a number of my colleagues. We are making 15 pieces between nine jewelers and object makers, a sort of exquisite corpse via mail. The finished pieces will be shown in an exhibition titled Unbalanced Forces: An Exploration Of Collective Making at Bambi Gallery in Philadelphia during the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) conference, also in May.

Finally, two of my enameled portraits from the Decorum: The Devil Is In The Details series have been selected for the Surfacing, the 8th International Juried Student Exhibition, sponsored by the Enamelist Society at The Oakland Art Gallery in Oakland, CA from July through August.
BS: Do you have any concerns about the art world at this time? For example, there has been a lot of debate recently about copyright and the rights of artists. Do you have an opinion on issues such as that?

KB: Sure, I think every artist is concerned about the art world during this particular economic struggle. I think the art world will survive, but will definitely be changed. I think the down-turned economy will shift the faces of the art world, force some galleries out of the game, and allow room for new ones. In the big picture, its natural selection and survival of the fittest, as always. But, I think people will continue to buy art and support the hand-made.

I am, however, particularly concerned about attitudes towards art and creative expression by American culture in general. I think its sad and problematic that many people untrained in the arts feel intimidated by a visit to an art museum or gallery, or feel that they don’t know the proper response to a work of art.

The recent focus on Shepard Fairey and the AP over copyright issues has been very interesting. I think the Internet has inspired a pervasive attitude toward images and words, that things should be shared. It’s become increasingly difficult to control images and words. It seems that anything is fair game for an artist to cull for their work. I think that if an image or idea is transformed by the artist’s vision, it has become a new thing and intellectual property of the artist.
BS: What about the internet in general? One could say that the art world is starting to catch up-- more galleries are turning to the World Wide Web in order to further exposure for their artists. How do you think the internet will impact the art world in say? a decade? Can you see a meshing between the traditional market and alternative (online) markets taking shape?

KB: I think the Internet is already having a huge impact on the art world, and I’ll be interested to see how both evolve over time. The Internet is a great promotional tool for artists. A personal website is a gallery that anyone can view at any time. That changes the whole ball game. There are more opportunities for artists to share their work online, and as we’ve seen through globalization of everything else, we have access to more creative images and ideas than ever before.

Artists can share their work with different social communities, and there are an increasing number of online exhibitions. Although an actual physical and visual experience with an object or painting or photograph will always trump a virtual one, the Internet spreads our awareness of how and where and when we can do so.

The Internet has also opened up opportunities for artists to sell their work themselves, by setting up a shopping cart on their own site or using sites like Etsy or myartspace’s NYAXE. Many artists I know have been upset by some attitudes on sites like Etsy to sell handcrafted products at prices that don’t reflect the time, price of materials, skill, and ideas required to make them. They’re worried that such under-pricing will lead to a public perception that handcrafted objects and artwork are worth less than they should be.

However, I have seen artists selling work for appropriate prices and making sales. I’m not sure that such practices will turn out to have such overreaching effects. Buyers can still spot skill and will value reputation and craftsmanship. It will be interesting to see if and how this affects traditional galleries. I can definitely see a meshing of traditional and online markets, and I think the two can serve different purposes and reach different audiences.
BS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the goals that you have?

KB: I’d just like to thank you for your interest in my work, and for giving me the opportunity to reach a broader audience. Your questions raised some interesting thoughts about my practice and current issues in the art community.

You can learn more about Kate Bauman by visiting her website-- www.kate-bauman.com. Kate Bauman is currently a member of the myartspace.com community. Her work on myartspace can be viewed, HERE

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
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Shepard Fairey decides that Steelerbaby does not need to Obey his legal team

Larkin Werner's 'Obey Steelerbaby' next to a poster by Shepard Fairey.

UPDATE: It appears that Shepard Fairey has dropped his cease-and-desist order against Cafepress and Larkin Werner's Steelerbaby store. My sources tell me it was dropped on March 10th-- days after my post about the issue.

Disobey Shepard Fairey by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog

www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/03/disobey-shepard-fairey.html

There are three rumors floating around as to why Shepard Fairey dropped his cease-and-desist order-- all of which suggest that he did it in order to save face:

1.) Shepard Fairey did not want the negative press going into his case against the Associated Press-- kind of hard to be a champion of "fair use" when you oppose it, true? After all, Fairey sent the cease-and-desist letter a week or so before his last interview on NPR. During that interview he suggested that he is going against the AP in order to secure the rights of all artists who work under "fair use". Perhaps he is finally realizing that part of that involves people being able to parody his widely known posters and trademark? Or maybe he just took a big gun away from the Associated Press countersuit?

2.) Lawrence Lessig, Anthony Falzone, and the Fair Use Project did not want negative press concerning contradictions of "fair use" in regards to their client-- Shepard Fairey. After all, the Fair Use Project supports an extended interpretation of "fair use" in general. It would not look good if their client flip-flops on his opinion of "fair use". Shepard Fairey often appears to have a selective interpretation of "fair use"-- as in it is OK for him to parody-- or comment on visually-- the work of others while at the same time sending legal threats when emerging artists parody his world renowned images. Due to this it has been suggested that Shepard Fairey is only interested in "Fairey use".

3.) Shepard Fairey did not want negative press-- period. It seems the press honeymoon is over. Recently Shepard Fairey has been ripped apart by the press-- a far cry from the constant praise he received for months due to his work for the Obama campaign. Shepard Fairey of all people should understand the double-edged sword of mass media. It can’t be butterflies and awards all the time.

Needless to say, Werner's 'Obey Steelerbaby' items have returned to Cafepress, www.cafepress.com/steelerbaby.

At some point the artist who says "question everything" must answer some difficult questions from fans, critics, and collectors concerning his ethics, the validity of his art, and the contradictions that have shadowed his career-- questions that can't be answered by a resume of good deeds. The sidestepping and using charity as a shield during interviews must stop if he is to be taken serious. To put it bluntly, post after post from SuperTouch and other Fairey friends can't hide the fact that people are demanding answers.

What are your thoughts concerning this situation? Do you think Shepard Fairey honestly supports “fair use”? Or do you feel that he is only interested in --as the Phantom Street Artist calls it-- “Fairey use”? Did the Fair Use Project make a mistake in representing Shepard Fairey? What is your opinion of Shepard Fairey in general? What are your thoughts?

Links of Interest:

Steelerbaby Blues by Chris Young -- Pittsburgh City Paper

www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A59932

Fair Use: Shepard Fairey and Baxter Orr by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog

www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/02/fair-use-shepard-fairey-and-baxter-orr.html

Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Damien Hirst & Shepard Fairey / Cartrain & Baxter Orr by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog

www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/02/birds-of-feather-flock-together-damien.html

Integrity Lost: Lawrence Lessig helps Shepard Fairey by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog

www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/02/integrity-lost-lawrence-lessig-helps.html

The Phantom Street Artist speaks out against Shepard Fairey in Citizen LA by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog

www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/03/phantom-street-artist-speaks-out.html

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
Myartspace.com
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Myartspace Blog on Twitter
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UW-Milwaukee Grad Student feature: Mairin Hartt

This is the second in a series of MFA student features from the graduate program I work in at Peck School of the Arts, the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. These will be cross-posted on implicit art at nathanielstern.com

UW-Milwaukee Grad Student features are licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

After graduating with a BFA 2006, Mairin worked as an Arts Educator at various institutions, including the Evanston Art Center, the Chicago Children’s Museum, and the Marwen Foundation. Her work explores the existence of emergence, entropy, and connection in organic forms and processes. Mairin has studied at Beloit College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and at the Burren College of Art in Ireland. Mairin is currently working toward a Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Art at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. To view images of Mairin’s work or information about upcoming exhibitions and events, please visit her blog, http://www.mairinhartt.blogspot.com, or her website, http://www.mairinhartt.com.

Talk about your current practice. What do you make and why is that important to you?

I combine various media on paper, using mostly automatic drawing methods. In 101 Cellplates, for example, I layered small sheets of rice paper on top one another, working on the utmost layer. Marks from the previous sheets – graphite pencil and ink – would seep through, creating impressions upon the sheets underneath. I interacted with the marks of each layer, simulating sedimentation and other processes of accumulation. I find it interesting how one layer builds upon and affects another, creating a dialogue, and becoming a document of time. You become a witness to that process.

#41, #55, and #61 of 101 Cellplates, Sumi Ink, India Ink, and Graphite on Rice Paper, each 3" x 5", 2008

Drawing, to me, is the most elemental, the most direct act in visual art. It allows for different media to interact and co-exist. When I draw, the exposed paper often reminds me of exposed bone; the textures, raw and fragile, like skin. The residual spaces reveal the process of creation, of the piece itself. There is something about the tactile quality of paper and drawing that is extremely fulfilling. I feel more connected with each piece. I believe that establishing a connection with the image is important to create honest work. Art that is honest – both emotionally and intellectually – affects me the most.

What got you to this point? What were you doing or making before, and how did that lead you to this kind of production?

As a child my two favorite subjects were art and science. Both subjects were about curiosity and discovery, about observing the world around us. I studied natural forms a great deal. I would peel open seedpods in my backyard, sometimes creating drawings of dissected trees and plants. I once made a flipbook of a single flower growing from a seed, blooming, wilting, and then returning to the soil. I considered being a biologist, but I felt art allowed for a deeper exploration and study of all aspects of science as well as other subjects.

Up until college, I painted realistic portraits and landscapes. For me, realism represented a sign of discipline and the technical ability of a professional artist. In 2002 I finished a portrait that was the most successfully realistic painting I had made up to that point. I remember looking at it and feeling, surprisingly, dissatisfied. Realism could only scratch the surface of what I wanted to convey. It was strange. None of my favorite artists were Realists. They were Impressionists and Expressionists, and I asked myself, "Why am I painting this way?"

Afterwards, I began exploring other methods and techniques, moving toward abstraction, eventually utilizing intuitive and automatic drawing exercises akin to the Surrealists and Expressionists to explore the textural and emotional affects of numerous combinations of various mediums. I still use these methods today. I believe that everything is connected in this world. As such, I feel abstraction allows multiple contradictions to co-exist and connect.

Who inspires you that you know personally, as well as historically or in contemporary practice?

As I said previously, my initial inspirations were Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and Expressionists: Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, et cetera. I first saw their work in the flesh at age nine, and was in awe. Monet’s analytical approach, and Van Gogh’s emotional approach, to color revealed to me the emotional effect of color upon the viewer. As I got older I also became interested in the Romantics' use of rich, saturated colors to convey the Sublime.

Contemporary artists I admire would include Vija Celmins. She creates intensely detailed graphite drawings of vast, natural spaces. I appreciate her treatment of the small and the grand on an equal terrain. Her work revealed the potential of gray to me. Ocean Surface Wood Engraving 2000 is a large, gray, woodblock print of the ocean that appears to recede into infinity.

I am also interested in work by Paul Nudd, specifically his drawings and collages. I saw some of his mixed media collages at the Evanston Art Center in 2007. They looked to consist of mucus, pubic hair, and other possible repulsive items on canvas. The materials were not listed, which left you wondering if the materials were actually what you feared. Yet, I could not help but stare. They were oddly alluring.

Tell us about your favorite and least favorite works of art from your entire repertoire - why they deserve those titles and what you learned from them.

My least favorite works would be those lacking imagination or discipline. It is a precarious balance. Part of what I enjoy about reactionary processes is the unexpected, the 'mistakes,' which provide potential for exploration and imagination. What I have discovered is my imagination is more vivid than I could have fathomed. However, work without any structure or focus also loses my interest.
My favorite pieces are ones that are unpredictable, where the image develops and progresses on its own. This is how I became interested in ideas of emergence – specifically how order can come from disorder, and how the universe is in constant flux.

Images from Cellular Repetition/Outdoor Installation, Chalk, 2008

In Cellular Repetition/Outdoor Installation, I wanted to engage with the urban environment directly and, symbolically, re-connect areas within that space to each other. I envisioned these circular marks representing microscopic cells, replicating, spreading, and connecting everything around us. It began as an exercise to continue freeing up my drawing practice, but it grew into a much larger project when I began drawing on my own skin to connect myself with the space.

Image from Cellular Repetition/Body, Ink on Skin, 2008

What are you working on right now, and where do you see your work headed next?

I see my work continuing in this vein - combining various media on paper, creating abstract images. I enjoy the vagueness or unidentifiable aspect of my work. Despite the vagueness, the images often remind me of odd organic creatures and structures. The ambiguity allows the viewer to make their own connection with the work.


untitled 1, Sumi Ink, Watercolor, and Graphite on Paper, 8" X 15", 2008-2009


untitled 2, Sumi Ink, Watercolor, and Graphite on Paper, 8" X 15", 2009


untitled 3, Sumi Ink, Watercolor, and Graphite on Paper, 8" X 15", 2009

Currently I am exploring notions of emergence and connection through microscopic forms and cellular processes, highlighting the connection of the macro and the micro. I am fascinated with the theories of entropy and emergence. Specifically, to the idea that patterns and structures develop and organize from apparent disorder. According to the theory of entropy, organized systems should not exist. It would be more efficient for all of our atoms to float around the universe detached, instead of cooperating as complicated entities. It requires energy to become a planet, star, or living organism. Living is tension, a balance between existence and non-existence. I hope to remind people of how inter-related everything is and to gift a sense of some of the sublimity of existence.

Disobey Shepard Fairey

Larkin Werner's 'Obey Steelerbaby' next to a poster by Shepard Fairey.

Last month Shepard Fairey was interviewed by Terry Gross for NPR. The world renowned artist discussed his pre-emptive lawsuit against the Associated Press due to the media giants copyright infringement allegations concerning his Obama posters-- Fairey had used an AP owned photograph by Mannie Garcia as the base image for his posters. Fairey is represented by Stanford Law School's Fair Use Project (FUP)-- an organization that claims to support an extension of the boundaries of "fair use" in order to “enhance creative freedom“. However, it appears that Shepard Fairey does not agree with FUP 100%-- at least when his work is used by others under "fair use".

Based on Shepard Fairey's recent statements you would think that he would fully support artists using his widely known images under "fair use". After all, in the NPR interview Fairey suggested that his lawsuit against the Associated Press is important because he views it as standing up for the rights of artists who create art that is protected under "fair use". However, Shepard Fairey has a history of threatening artists with legal action when they utilize his famous artwork under "fair use"-- even if the artist did not willfully infringe. The most recent situation involves graphic designer Larkin Werner and his Cafepress store.

Early last month-- before the NPR interview-- Shepard Fairey’s Obey Giant Art Inc. sent www.cafepress.com a cease-and-desist letter concerning a Cafepress store titled Steelerbaby-- Larkin Werner‘s account. Obey Giant Art Inc. took action due to the fact that Werner had been selling a version of his ’Steelerbaby’ doll that involved the word ‘obey’. Shepard Fairey feels that the merchandise involving the word "Obey" is an infringement on his trademark. However, Werner claims that his use of ‘obey’ was not inspired by Shepard Fairey. In fact, Werner has suggested that “Obey Steelerbaby’ is one of several catch phrases spoken by the doll at, www.steelerbaby.com. The obey phrase is popular among fans of Steelerbaby.

Obey Giant Art Inc. took issue with Werner due to the fact that the graphic artist had designed merchandise based on the popularity of Steelerbaby’s "Obey Steelerbaby" catch phrase. The merchandise, which was sold on Cafepress, involved pictures of the Steelerbaby doll standing between the words “Obey” and “Steelerbaby” while others featured the word “Obey” above the doll. According to the Pittsburgh City Paper, Werner-- who is based in Pittsburgh-- had earned around $70 from selling “Obey Steelerbaby” merchandise on Cafepress. That said, Shepard Fairey’s representatives feel that Werner’s “Obey Steelerbaby” merchandise is a direct threat to Shepard Fairey’s trademark and business.

According to the Pittsburgh City Paper, Olivia Perches-- the representative of Shepard Fairey who sent the cease-and-desist letter to Cafepress-- has suggested that Obey Giant Art Inc. owns the use of ‘Obey’ and that artists can’t use the word ‘Obey’ in their artwork or designs. Chris Broders, a business partner involved with Fairey’s Obey clothing line, has suggested that the use of “Obey” becomes an issue when artists or other individuals profit from the “‘Obey’ mark”. He went on to suggest that Fairey’s representatives and business partners will do what they can in order to “protect" their "trademark". Needless to say, Larkin Werner feels that Shepard Fairey is being a hypocrite due to the fact that Fairey has established a career from creating images under "fair use" of copyright and trademark law.
A comparison of a poster by Shepard Fairey (left) next to a poster by Baxter Orr (right). Orr put a SARs protective mask over the famous Obey Giant image and titled it ‘Protect’. Fair Use? You be the judge.

This is not the first time that Shepard Fairey has attacked "fair use". In 2008 there was a story concerning “fair use” and Shepard Fairey in The Austin Chronicle. The situation involved the famous Shepard Fairey and emerging artist Baxter Orr. Orr created a parody of the iconic Obey Giant image-- which he distributed and sold. Orr-- being cynical of Shepard Fairey -- strived to make a visual statement about Fairey’s art and practice in general. One could say that Orr’s appropriation of the Obey Giant image was in itself a statement on Fairey’s practice of appropriating from other artists.

Viewers of the work recognized that Orr had made a visual statement about Shepard Fairey and the Obey Giant image. There was no confusion as to who made what. Thus, it did not take long for Orr’s image to be picked up by art bloggers-- which stirred debate concerning Fairey’s artwork, the copyright infringement allegations that have shadowed Fairey’s career, and Fairey’s own history of appropriation.

Eventually Orr received a cease-and-desist letter from Obey Giant Art Inc. However, Orr continues to sell his parody, now titled ‘Protect Yourself -- Giant’, for $25.00 on his website, www.baxterorr.bigcartel.com. Oddly enough, some artists have started to parody the situation between Baxter Orr and Shepard Fairey:
A parody of the Orr, Fairey, and Associated Press disputes by Dan Nolan.

I find it odd that Shepard Fairey suggested on NPR that he is fighting for the rights of all artists concerning “fair use” when earlier that month he had sent a cease-and-desist letter to Larkin Werner. After all, supporters of Shepard Fairey have suggested that the Associated Press has “bullied” Fairey-- some have went as far as to suggest that the AP has attacked "fair use". You would think these strong supporters of "fair use" would call Shepard Fairey out just as they have called the AP out concerning "fair use". Right?

One must ask-- where was Lawrence Lessig, Anthony Falzone, the Fair Use Project, and other supporters of extreme interpretations of "fair use" when Shepard Fairey 'bullied' Baxter Orr and Larkin Werner concerning issues involving “fair use”? Is Shepard Fairey truly fighting the good fight for “fair use” or is he, as the Phantom Street Artist suggested, fighting for “Fairey use”?

The contradictions involving Shepard Fairey are widespread. Unfortunately, the major media has barely reported on this aspect of Shepard Fairey and "fair use". Instead, most have conveniently championed Fairey as an advocate for “fair use”-- which is obviously false. If anything, Shepard Fairey is a champion for his own work involving "fair use".

In closing, I think Shepard Fairey needs to realize that artists can, and will, use trademark protected images under “trademark fair use” within the context of their own work. I’m not against “fair use”-- though I do think it should be limited. That said, if Shepard Fairey is allowed to extend the boundaries of “fair use” I think he needs to realize that he is opening the doors for his own work to be exploited by legal gray areas. My guess is that artists and other creative individuals will continue to disobey Shepard Fairey's copyright and trademark-- especially if he wins his case against the Associated Press. Be careful which doors you open Mr. Fairey-- they may lead back to you.

UPDATE: It appears that Shepard Fairey has dropped his cease-and-desist against Cafepress and Larkin Werner's Steelerbaby store. My sources tell me it was dropped on March 10th-- just days after this post. There are three rumors floating around as to why the cease-and-desist was dropped:

1.) Shepard Fairey did not want the negative press going into his case against the Associated Press-- kind of hard to be a champion of "fair use" when you oppose it, true?

2.) Lawrence Lessig, Anthony Falzone, and the Fair Use Project did not want negative press concerning contradictions of "fair use" in regards to their client-- Shepard Fairey. After all, the Fair Use Project supports an extended interpretation of "fair use" in general. It would not look good if their client flip-flops on his opinion of "fair use".

3.) Shepard Fairey did not want negative press-- period. It seems the press honeymoon is over. Recently Shepard Fairey has been ripped apart by the press-- a far cry from the constant praise he received for months due to his work for the Obama campaign.

Werner's 'Obey Steelerbaby' items have returned to Cafepress, www.cafepress.com/steelerbaby

Links of Interest:
Steelerbaby Blues by Chris Young -- Pittsburgh City Paper
www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A59932

Fair Use: Shepard Fairey and Baxter Orr by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog
www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/02/fair-use-shepard-fairey-and-baxter-orr.html

Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Damien Hirst & Shepard Fairey / Cartrain & Baxter Orr by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog
www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/02/birds-of-feather-flock-together-damien.html

Artist Cage Match: Fairey vs. Orr by Richard Whittaker -- The Austin Chronicle
www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:625022

Integrity Lost: Lawrence Lessig helps Shepard Fairey by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog
www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/02/integrity-lost-lawrence-lessig-helps.html

The Phantom Street Artist speaks out against Shepard Fairey in Citizen LA by Brian Sherwin -- Myartspace Blog
www.myartspace.com/blog/2009/03/phantom-street-artist-speaks-out.html

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
Myartspace.com
www.myartspace.com
New York Art Exchange
www.nyaxe.com

Laurie Lipton makes waves at Pulse

I’m pleased to announce that Laurie Lipton, a fellow www.myartspace.com member, is currently displaying art with Santa Monica’s Copro Nason Gallery at the Pulse Art Fair in NYC. A piece by Lipton has sold to a museum for $38,000. If you visit the art fairs in New York be sure to check Lipton’s work out at the Pulse Art Fair. You can view Laurie Lipton’s art on myartspace.com, HERE .

I interviewed Laurie Lipton in 2007. The price of her work has drastically increased since that time. Lipton was born in New York. She was the first person to graduate from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pennsylvania with a Fine Arts Degree in Drawing (with honours). She has lived in Holland, Belgium, Germany and France and has made her home in London since 1986.

Inspired by the hyper-realistic paintings of the 15th-Century Flemish masters, Laurie's drawings are known for their intense detail. In a sense, pencils are her paint and paper is her canvas. Her work is smooth and appears to be almost photographic at first glance. However, a closer look reveals the intricate detail of her work. From thousands upon thousands of distinct, precise, cross-hatched pencil-strokes, Laurie builds up rich, monochrome tones. It is rare to find an artist who can draw as she does- I consider her to be a contemporary master.

Links of Interest:
www.laurielipton.com
www.copronason.com

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
Myartspace.com
www.myartspace.com
New York Art Exchange
www.nyaxe.com

Fernando Mastrangelo solo exhibit at KUMUKUMU

Fernando Mastrangelo

I’m pleased to announce that Fernando Mastrangelo, a fellow www.myartspace.com member, is currently involved with a solo exhibit at KUMUKUMU-- a contemporary art gallery in New York. The solo exhibit, titled ‘LoVE is a smoke made with the fume of sighs…’ will be open until March 22nd 2009.

I interviewed Fernando Mastrangelo in 2007 shortly after being introduced to his worke at SCOPE. Since that time Mastrangelo has been exhibited widely in the United States, South America, and Europe. Mastrangelo recently exhibited at Moti Hasson Gallery in New York. His work will be exhibited at Volta this month. If you visit the art fairs in New York be sure to check his work out. You can view Fernando Mastrangelo’s art on myartspace.com, HERE .

Fernando Mastrangelo

From the KUMUKUMU press release:

“KUMUKUMU is proud to present New York artist Fernando Mastrangelo's first solo exhibition, "LoVE is a smoke made with the fume of sighs…" The title comes from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Pursuing his overarching mixed media investigation of society, history, politics, and literature through conceptual precepts, the artist here transforms the gallery into a three-room replica of a sea vessel, including a corroded anchor, a fragment of a battered raft, and a sculpture of the lower half of a woman's severed body, made of cast sugar. The black heart carved into a sugar wall in the gallery's back room shores up the show's lovelorn underpinnings.

Overall, the installation evokes a lost-at-sea, wreckage-of love ethos, simultaneously romantic and dangerous. Positing the three elements of art as death, life, and love, Mastrangelo plays the dual role of the broken-hearted and sensitive lover and the macho, tattoo-sporting seafarer. The show includes a series of love tattoo drawings set in circular frames of cast sugar. Together, they dot the side walls of the gallery like portholes. Here again, the inevitable evaporation of love's sweetness is reiterated.

Conceived of as part of a continuum, "LoVE is a smoke…" draws on past projects in which the artist has used other symbolic materials often dealing with commodity culture. Staples like sugar, rice, coffee, and corn, as well as coal from regions of Kentucky, have been deployed in his work to specifically address energy issues as well as the wider abuses of political power. Through his metaphoric use of material, Mastrangelo is able to evoke myriad universal references as well as the particular relationships of objects and meaning across different strata of place and time.”

Links of Interest:
www.kumukumugallery.com
www.fernandomastrangelo.com

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
Myartspace.com
www.myartspace.com
New York Art Exchange
www.nyaxe.com

Social Art Site Has Offline Presence: myartspace.com opens NYAXE Gallery in Palo Alto, CA

Eighteen members of the www.myartspace.com community were represented digitally during the opening of the NYAXE Gallery. Six were physically represented at the gallery.

The grand opening of the NYAXE Gallery in Palo Alto, CA on February 26th was a great success. The exhibit opened at 6pm and was met with a steady flow of visitors. Art collectors and other attendees observed artwork by 24 members of the myartspace.com community. The exhibit space was filled with good conversation, exquisite music, and powerful works of contemporary art. The event was a meshing between the physical and online art world.

Steve Benjamin entertained NYAXE Gallery visitors.

The represented members were chosen from a selective-- ongoing --competition that allows members of the myartspace.com community to compete for NYAXE Gallery representation.

Six of the gallery representation winners were selected for physical representation at the NYAXE Gallery: Murray Hidary , Jennifer Wasson , Fanne Fernow , Chadney Everett , Nick Weber , and LeRoy Howard . Eighteen winners were selected for digital representation: Stuart McCall , Jesse Benson , Pau Guerrero-Prado , Alex Jarosz , Paul Ruiz , Dirk Franke , Terry Amburgey , Manny Rodriguez , Aldo Bertolini , Andrew Johann Salgado , Thea Pratt , Lorella Paleni , Douglas Newton , Kevin Sharkey , Angel Plata , Michail Parlamas , Jon Barwick , Kirk Lanier .

Visitors enjoy viewing art at the NYAXE Gallery opening.

The NYAXE Gallery, located at 818 Emerson St. in Palo Alto, also featured two guest artists from the myartspace.com community. Lucy May -- the first place winner of the 2008 myartspace.com graduate art scholarship competition, and Sarah Sisun -- first place winner of the 2008 myartspace.com undergraduate art scholarship competition. You can learn more about the 2008 art scholarship winners, which involved $16,000 in cash scholarships, by visiting, www.myartspace.com/scholarships/winners.

The opening exhibit also featured art by the late Lois Foley . Mrs. Foley is the mother of Catherine McCormack-Skiba and has served as a constant source of inspiration for the development of the myartspace community. Catherine McCormack-Skiba, the CEO, founder and Creative Director of myartspace.com, was on hand to meet visitors.

Collectors gathering at the bar…

The opening of the NYAXE Gallery in Palo Alto, CA marks myartspace.com as one of only a few social art sites to have a physical presence in the form of a brick & mortar gallery-- as well as the only online art community to have a physical gallery presence in the heart of Silicon Valley. The NYAXE Gallery places myartspace.com members art within reach of some of the most powerful-- and wealthy-- professionals in the United States.

myartspace.com is the leading online social network for the contemporary art world. Dubbed "the biggest network you never heard of" The Next Web, the site continues to experience dramatic reception by the art community. myartspace was the first site to offer compelling, integrated presentation technology -- the ability to blend images of art, music, video and audio narration all online. The company also distinguishes itself by being a free and open community with unlimited upload of images, videos and music.

Catherine McCormack-Skiba, Founder and CEO of myartspace, notes "It's very exciting to energize the creative spirit in Silicon Valley with world-class contemporary art. The blend of the technology innovation center of the world, and compelling art is very inspiring".

The NYAXE Gallery involves an ongoing competition that allows members of the www.myartspace.com community to submit work for gallery representation consideration. The competition is free for Premium myartspace.com members to enter. For more info visit, www.myartspace.com/nyaxegallery

Catherine McCormack-Skiba, the CEO, founder and Creative Director of myartspace.com, was on hand to meet visitors.

You can learn more about Premium membership on myartspace.com by visiting the following page, www.myartspace.com/premium. You can learn more about the current represented artists by visiting, www.myartspace.com/nyaxegallery/winners

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
Myartspace.com
www.myartspace.com
New York Art Exchange
www.nyaxe.com

Art Space Talk Quotes #4

Here is another group of artist quotes taken from the myartspace.com Art Space Talk series of interviews that I have conducted. This group of quotes deals with the art world-- in general. You can read the Art Space Talk series of interviews by visiting, www.myartspace.com/interviews. Enjoy.

Concerning the art world:

“As I have spent more time in Rhode Island and gotten older, opportunities have come my way less easily. Out of sight, out of mind really applies to the art world. Lots of people whose opinions I value know and respect my work but younger dealers tend to show younger artists only naturally. We are all aware how hard it gets for mid-career artists to be seen – even those doing their best work right now. So for the moment, I’d go along with what artist Nancy Shaver said during her visiting artist lecture at RISD this fall - "Art – like vegetables and politics – should be local and global."" -- Holly Hughes

“I like the art world today. I like Frieze and all that. I can remember when Art in London was shit. Its really exciting BUT I think artists should always aspire to an art that turns things upside down and not just participate. Its more important than ever that Matts Gallery, Peer, The Tates The Whitechapel etc... promote difficult art that is impossible to sell.” -- Bob Smith aka Bob & Roberta Smith / Bob and Roberta Smith (Formerly known as Patrick Brill)

“For the last 50 years or so an artist could hardly paint anything representational with out it being looked down upon by the "Art World". In this past century, art ran a course to an extreme of minimalism and conceptualism and now things seem to be more inclusive." -- Mark Ryden

“The art world is mature and can take care of itself. It definitely doesn't need my policing. All I can concentrate on is doing what's in front of me today.” -- Cleon Peterson

“I'm more focused on my world than the "art world" as some sort of entity. I suppose one thing I am noticing is that a lot of younger artists are scrambling to become famous without even finishing formal art training.” -- Vasily Kafanov

“The gender equality in the art world in short, SUCKS. There are so many galleries that have one or two women out of a roster of twenty artists. No one feels the need to explain or defend this, the arrogance is monumental. I suppose women are left to assume that we are just crappy artists, when in fact a lot of this is driven by the fact that collectors think men’s art appreciates in value at a higher rate. This is all about the MONEY. I didn’t sign up for this as an artist. I’m still kind of stunned by the hedge fund mentality of the art world. Everyone’s waiting for the whole thing to collapse, and collapse it will.” -- Nancy Baker

"I love the art world. Especially when my work seems to be fitting in or at least part of the conversation. I hate the art world. Especially when my work seems not to be fitting in or be part of the conversation." -- Ken Fandell

“Have you ever heard of the saying "one can never be famous enough"? I took that saying to heart many years ago and it freed me up from being caught up in the art world. Being an artist has to be about doing the best work I can because that is all I really have and that’s the big equalizer among all artists. I think artists begin to lose sight of their work when they take themselves too seriously as personalities.” -- Anne Neely

"I decided to take part in the spectacle and entered it at the shallow end." -- Mark McGowan

“I have always had a strong belief in the power of my own work, but have been so disheartened by the art world that I often thought I would quit showing. I knew I could never stop making, however: at those moments, I remembered the Audrey Flack quote: "If the Art World is making you crazy, give up the art world, but don’t give up art."" -- Kate Kretz

Feel free to comment about any of the quotes listed above. Can you relate to their words? Do you take a different position? You can read the myartspace.com Art Space Talk series of interviews by visiting, www.myartspace.com/interviews. Enjoy.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
Myartspace.com
www.myartspace.com
New York Art Exchange
www.nyaxe.com

The Phantom Street Artist speaks out against Shepard Fairey in Citizen LA

The Citizen LA cover is a collaboration between Rick Mendoza and Joey Krebs aka The Phantom Street Artist. www.citizenla.com

As mentioned on the Myartspace Blog the Phantom Street Artist is actively challenging the ‘street cred’ of artist Shepard Fairey. In my article, titled ‘Shepard Fairey Dodges Criticism at ICA: Street Artists and Copyright Advocates Demand Answers‘ , I mentioned that some street artists are furious concerning the commercialization of street art by Shepard Fairey and his business associates. Unfortunately, their voice has not been heard widely-- even on the majority of websites and e-zines dedicated to street art.

For that article I asked Joey Krebs aka Joel Jaramillo, aka Caine 2, aka the LA Street Phantom, aka The Phantom Street Artist about some of the statements Shepard Fairey has made about his work for Pepsi, Saks, and other companies. The Phantom Street Artist told me that he and others close to him feel that Shepard Fairey is “buying status and staking claim in a world that refuses to recognize him.” Krebs then told me, "The media does not represent the voice of the street. It represents the money of those who want to be recognized on the street.". He went on to say that Fairey is, “privileged, self entitled and self consumed.”. Needless to say, The Phantom has been very critical of Shepard Fairey‘s art, practice, and ethics.

For my article The Phantom Street Artist mentioned that he would like to “challenge” Shepard Fairey-- stating, “I want to challenge his point of view, his beliefs and his values in a dual of sorts. I want to challenge him physically, mentally, and perceptually.“ Krebs then told me, “This is the chance for him to win the character approved award by his colleagues-- true street artists. The challenge match is a physical as well as a conceptual performance.”.

I then asked the Phantom Street Artist if he felt that Shepard Fairey would meet his challenge concerning credibility on the streets. The Phantom responded, “There is no risk if you do not risk yourself. This is not a game of perception being managed and defined by publicist and public relations officers. These money fed publicists failed to realize that media is nothing other then the perception of opinion formed in management.”. In a sense, the Phantom Street artists feels that Shepard Fairey, with the help of a media relations machine, has bastardized the street art movement.

The Phantom Street Artist’s “character approved” statement was a jab at the USA Networks “ Character Approved Award ”, an award given by the USA Network to the most “remarkable, imaginative and innovative characters”-- Shepard Fairey won the top slot for the 2009 art category. Needless to say, the Phantom Street Artist does not feel that Shepard Fairey’s art is remarkable, imaginative, or innovative as far as street art is concerned. In fact, he feels that the award given by the USA Network to Shepard Fairey is a prime example of how corporations are claiming street art for profit and marketability with Shepard Fairey serving-- or should I say obeying -- as a corporate spearhead.

The Phantom Street Artist at work.

The words of the Phantom Street Artist have not went unheard. Citizen LA , a monthly arts & lifestyle publication that strives to support and sustain cultural diversity in Los Angeles, has acknowledge the Phantom Street Artist’s criticism of Shepard Fairey and his call for a "cage match" between the two with "street cred" in the balance-- a performance of sorts that would also serve the purpose of raising money for charity. Both artists have experience with fundraising. The Phantom helps to operate Art Saves Lives, www.artsaveslives.net, a non-profit dedicated to helping the homeless through art. Will Shepard Fairey meet the Phantom's challenge?

The Citizen LA article/interview touched on several other issues concerning the Phantom's criticism of Shepard Fairey. Heidi Hutchinson, reporting for Citizen LA, recently conducted an interview with the Phantom Street Artist titled, RAGE AGAINST THE SHEPHERD FAIREY PROPOGANDA MACHINE. In the interview the Phantom Street Artist explains to Hutchinson that Shepard Fairey does not represent the voice of the “populace” and is instead the “voice of the Elitist Media disguised”.

In his interview for Citizen LA the Street Phantom goes on to suggest that Shepard Fairey is nothing other then a “consumer being consumed” by buying media time, buying publicity, and buying legal representation. The Phantom states that Fairey has done this to “justify his infringed violations” in order to “present himself as a legit street artist.” The Phantom went on to say that Shepard Fairey and Obey Giant Art, Inc. are “exploitive media whores jacking references from historic cultures for their own selfish interests.”

According to the Citizen LA interview The Phantom is also critical of the ICA retrospective of Shepard Fairey's career. The Phantom feels that the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston “conjured” a 20 year retrospective with total disregard for Shepard Fairy’s “unapologetic infringed actions”. The Phantom views this as “a sign of the degeneration of our society and culture which is being conformed by mediocrity by the likes of Shephard Fairey and OBEY as well as his publication SWINDLE as the true life metaphor to inveigle beliefs systems and values all in the interest of mammon.”.

The Phantom’s message is clear-- he feels that Shepherd Fairey is no different than the entities he has spoke out against visually. In the Citizen LA interview he describes Shepard Fairey as the “poster boy for Big Brother”-- stating, “The media is run by elitists to manipulate public opinion. They’ve also overtaken the independent media, including Satellite Radio.”.

The Phantom then mentions that the real meaning of Fairey’s art is the power of propaganda as far as branding and commerce is concerned. He explained to Hutchinson, “OBEY has no responsible message other then to brand self promotion in the self interest of commerce.”-- an opinion that is shared by many street artists who are wary that the history of their ’culture’ as well as the power of the messages they leave are threatened by commercialization.

In the Citizen LA interview The Phantom states that Shepard Fairey’s actions is the “epitome of rape,” based on his ravaging of “important historical and revolutionary cultures, ideas, concepts and visions” for profit. According to Citizen LA The Phantom-- born to first generation immigrants from Ecuador-- feels that Shepard Fairey is "demeaning" the integrity of the “referenced” works as well as the voice of disenfranchised cultures from which they emerged by altering images without credit. The Phantom finds it offensive that Fairey has “referenced” works from Latino cultural history for profit-- stating in the Citizen LA interview, “He’s making a novelty out of degrading our historical cultural imagery.”.

Concerning Shepard Fairey’s case against the Associated Press the Phantom stated, “If visual artist or merchandisers like Shepard Fairey can cite “fair use” only in the interest of protecting their corporate interest of profit, we have lost the value of “fair use”. Phantom explained to Citizen LA that people should not sit back while Shepard Fairey exploits “fair use” for profit-- stating, “Fair Use protects language and true social commentary without suffocating independent voices.”. The Phantom went on to suggest that if Shepard Fairey wins his case against the Associated Press it will kick open the door for the exploitation of “fair use” by the rich and powerful.

Needless to say, the Citizen LA interview with the Phantom Street Artist is a must read for anyone who has been following the chaos involving Shepard Fairey. The article gives some great details about the Phantom's upbringing, street roots, and other insightful information about the artist. The Citizen LA website, www.citizenla.com, contains several other stories and interviews of interest. Do check them out.

For those who don’t know, The Phantom Street Artist is a Los Angeles based street artist who is widely known for creating art that was used on the cover of the Rage Against the Machine album titled The Battle of Los Angeles. The Phantom directed two videos for Rage Against the Machine, 'Bulls on Parade', and 'Renegades of Funk,'. Both videos were awarded by MTV. The Rage Against the Machine album and videos feature the Street Phantom’s signature artwork-- a lone silhouette, which the Phantom explains represents the “Public Everyman“.

The Phantom's criticism of Shepard Fairey offers the hope that maybe the voice of the 'everyman' can be powerful enough to go against the grain of media sensationalism and the cult of personality. Personally, I do hope that the Phantom and Shepard Fairey have an 'art bout' for charity. It would be interesting to observe the two match wits and talent for a good cause.

Update: This write-up is a review of the article/interview that the Phantom had sent to me. According to the Phantom, Citizen LA decided to edit most of the content due to "fear of legal retribution". The Phantom suggests that Citizen LA took creative liberties with the presentation as a whole. Perhaps the Fairey Machine runs deeper than first expected-- or maybe there was just a lack of communication between the Phantom and Heidi Hutchinson? As the saying goes, "There are two sides to every story". It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds.

George Stiehl, the publisher of Citizen LA, has contacted me over the issue. He has stated that there was only one version of the piece. Stiehl suggests that the situation may be due to a misunderstanding or lack of communication. He made it clear that Citizen LA does not intentionally misrepresent their interviewed artists-- and that he hopes to solve the issue in an amicable manner.

That said, the version that was published was enough to spur a reaction. According to my sources an outspoken critic of Shepard Fairey was threatened after mentioning the Citizen LA Phantom piece on Facebook-- she has since pulled her criticism from Facebook out of fear of being physically harmed.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
Myartspace.com
www.myartspace.com
New York Art Exchange
www.nyaxe.com