Art MoCo: March 2008 Archives

"Decampment"
Posted by sabine7

Photography | Mar 31, 2008

Megan Baker has been taking photographs since she took hold of the Polaroid at age four. In addition to concert photography, Baker’s photo focus is on abandoned houses and small towns that have suffered economic distress. Decampment is an incredible series that takes us inside and out along this journey. The light, the colours, the mood – these photos linger. And we almost hate to bring this up, but Megan Baker happens to be sixteen-years-old.

Artist: Megan Baker
+ mbakerphotography.com

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Squiggles
Posted by sabine7

Books | Mar 30, 2008

Squiggles is the latest giant colouring book by Taro Gomi, BUT, this is no ordinarily colouring book on flimsy newsprint. This thick book of about-to-happen art has lovely pages that will take just about any medium. The simplicity of the pictures cries out for embellishment, so the book turns into an art journal of sorts, and it includes instructions and suggestions for drawings as well. Squiggles is the type of book that is perfect for a meditative project or an activity where the adult and child sit side by side, each with his or her own book, engrossed in creativity for hours. It also makes a terrific interactive coffee table book if you leave out a box of markers, pencils and crayons beside it.

Paperback, 204 pages. Chronicle, 2007. $13.59 at Amazon.

+Squiggles at Amazon

Art MoCo Meta
Posted by sabine7

Meta | Mar 29, 2008

Felted teddy bear skulls and fetuses – who knew? Stephanie Metz does a bang up job of making the ubiquitous stuffed animal more lifelike. And there are more creatures back where these came from … Via NOTCOT.

Portuguese photographer Edgar Martins is featured at Cool Hunting, where we were introduced to his first book. Martins aims his lens at barren landscape and brings out the beauty inherent in their isolation.

"The Greatest Show on Earth"
Posted by sabine7

Painting | Mar 28, 2008

Born fifth in a family of nine children in New York, Tim Weldon later relocated to New Mexico, but it was only when he left that it grew on him, leaving him with a palette of colours he uses in his vivid paintings. His work begins as a word that spawns an image that then takes on colours and a beat and a life of its own. Weldon allows his inner child to guide his brush and the results cover a world that sprinkles childhood with maturity.

Artist: Tim Weldon
+ bergelli.com

"Jean-Michel Basquiat"
Posted by sabine7

Photography | Mar 27, 2008

Vintage Portraits from the 1980s by Jeannette Montgomery Barron are the topic of an exhibition that opens today at ClampArt in New York. Barron captures some of the most significant artists of the time in moments of great calm that exude an intimacy, made even softer by the use of natural light. These are black and white photographs that the viewer wants to step into, into a place where there may be a chance to see the artist a little less cloaked.

Artist: Jeannette Montgomery Barron
+ clampart.com

"Circa (6)"
Posted by sabine7

Sculpture | Mar 26, 2008

We featured Mariana Monteagudo’s work a little while ago, but the artist has recently completed a new production of sculptures that is absolutely incredible. These dollies have faces that are so expressive that even the ones who show a sort of passivity are expressing personality. Monteagudo has also managed to capture so well the spirit of her sculptures in the photos that we think the sculpture-related photography is just as covetable as the three dimensional work. Kudos to Monteagudo.

Artist: Mariana Monteagudo
+ marianamonteagudo.com

"Historic Milan"
Posted by sabine7

Sculpture | Mar 25, 2008

Matthew Picton creates delicate sculptures depicting maps of various cities. Picton’s historical maps are layers of changes to cities like Milan, Baghdad, Berlin and Paris, where different colours help to differentiate the years. Carefully cut out of Dura-Lar plastic and held in place by pins, these maps are fascinating because they are three-dimensional representations of where we live, and who we are. Picton’s work is bound to appeal to travellers and map lovers and anyone obsessed with detail.

Artist: Matthew Picton
+ matthewpicton.com

"Division Chief"
Posted by sabine7

Photography | Mar 24, 2008

Jason Falchook’s photography allows us to share in the landscape of the commuter who goes from one destination to another, visually linking everything in between. So leaves blend into light standards; sky into rooftops then sunny facades, shady foundations, dirty snow into one big puddle and then the reflection of it all; walls into fences into sparse grass, punctuated by a bench. Where is the viewer in relation to these contemporary landscapes? Does the viewer become the commuter? Does the commuter become the landscape?

Artist: Jason Falchook
+ jasonfalchook.com

Face Food
Posted by sabine7

Books | Mar 23, 2008

Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes by Christopher D. Salyers is a tidy little book that presents a very tidy hobby: the preparation of intricate bento boxes for children’s lunches. The author interviews a variety of Japanese mothers and fathers who have to factor in a couple of extra hours to the morning schedule in order to design and prepare beautiful lunches for their children. They start to do it to get the children to eat well, then both sides get hooked. A good-looking bento box that makes use of pop culture symbols as well as manga and anime references will also up the child’s popularity. The book is a fascinating look at a hobby that combines nutrition and craft and shows how love turns food into art.

Hardcover, 80 pages. Mark Batty, 2008. $10.36 at Amazon.

+ Face Food at Amazon

Art MoCo Meta
Posted by sabine7

Meta | Mar 22, 2008

Carl Warner’s photo series of landscapes crafted out of food, and nothing but food, is a must see. From cabbage to cold cuts, asparagus to pumpernickel, the scenes are set. Via Play Me Design.

We discovered the work of German illustrator Lisa Hartung at Taxi this week, a mix of drawings and collage with great details.

"Halo"
Posted by sabine7

Painting | Mar 21, 2008

Xero is a Melbourne-based painter whose new series, Flight Zero, is a collection of airline safety paintings in a pop style that mimics the laminated in-flight safety cards found in the pocket of the seat ahead. Xero reminds us of the changing status of airline travel, which has gone from “glamour” to “get there”. Now the focus is on safety and the sad hope of doing it as simply, and sanely, as possible. (Halo or crown of thorns?)

Artist: Xero
+ offthekerb.com.au