Week 4: Entry 3: KAWS

Brian Donnelly also known as KAWS is a New York based artist that designs sculptures, toys, and clothing. He initiated his career as a graffiti artist in New Jersey then later moved to New York in 1990. While in New York he began to subvert images on billboards, bus shelters, and phone booth advertisements, abnormally the street art became very popular.

In the 90s he designed and produced limited edition vinyl toys and it became very successful, as the success grew the branch also grew and then clothing became the next addition. KAWS’s mind went into sculptures and painting and the images became universal.

Just yesterday KAWS showcased his first solo museum exhibition in Connecticut at the Aldrich Museum. It included his recent paintings, sculptures, and drawings as well as his iconic street art, clothing and graphic designs. KAWS is the only artist in my eyes that can do no wrong. His pieces bring character and humor and its always refreshing to view the progression of people you idolize.

KAWS @ The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum 6/27/10 Ridgefield, CT from OsirisOrion on Vimeo.

Week 4: Entry 2: Nick Knight

Nick Knight is a well known photographer in the fashion industry. His visions in art are beyond the cliché photographs in the fashion world. He has shot for clients such as Mercedes-Benz, Swarovski, Audi, Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior and many more.

In 1982 Knight published his first book of photographs called “Skinheads.” He was 24 years old at the time and was a photography student at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design. His book then gained recognition from Terry Jones, the editor of i-D magazine. He was given a task to create a series of 100 portraits for the magazines fifth anniversary issue. The portraits were recognized by art director Marc Ascoli, which began his fashion photography career.

I really don’t enjoy fashion photography but Nick Knight has a very unique way of capturing a moment and also creating elaborate pieces. I sense a certain type of emotion in all his photos and every photo is very distinctive. By analyzing his photographs I always visualize a story. He is one of the most creative UK photographers I have reviewed.

Week 4: Entry 1: Chuck Close

Chuck Close is an American painter from Monroe, Washington. He started taking art lessons as a teen at the age of 14, at the time he was inspired by Jackson Pollock’s abstract paintings and would attempt to mimic the artist. Close later studied at the University of Washington School of Arts and also at Yale University School of Art and Architecture.

At the beginning of his career he painted large black and white portraits but what made them stand out were the detailing in all his pieces. Close made an effort to precisely insert all the flaws of a human face such as wrinkles, bloodshot eyes, and enlarged pores. He later began working with colors and painting portraits of the elite in the art industry. He developed a very unique technique for his “Fingerprint Series,” which involved him using his fingerprints to create an image. From afar the image is extremely clear but once you travel closer it’s just a cluster of finger prints.

In 1988, moments after delivering a speech at an art ceremony, he was rushed to hospital after he was experiencing severe chest pains. Moments later he suffered seizures which left him paralyzed from the neck down. They soon realized a blood clot in his spinal cord was the cause of his suffering. Months later after intense rehab treatments he regained slight movements in his arms and his legs. The moment he calls “the event” has not hindered his creative ability. He now has a new perspective in his artwork and it’s always amazing to see what he creates next.

Week 3: Entry 3: Kiki Smith

Kiki Smith was born in Nuremberg, Germany in 1954. She is the daughter of the American sculptor Tony Smith, so she has been introduced to art since she was born. As a young girl she helped her father make cardboard models for his geometric sculptures. This eventually began her career as an artist.

Smith is well known for her erratic artwork. She began sculpting and painter in the 70s but many are more familiar with her sculptures. By the 80s her work was displayed in museums especially the Museum of Modern Art, as of now they have collected more than fifth of her projects.

Smiths work is not my favorite to look at but her confidence is what I admire. Her pieces are so strange and out of the ordinary but once they are described than its easier to comprehend. As of sculptures she is wonderful but as a painter I’m still on the fence with that one. Overall she is a very interesting artist.

Week 3: Entry 2: Megan Fox

Megan Fox is an actress and model from Oak Ridge, Tennessee. During her childhood, she began modeling after winning several awards at the 1999 American Modeling and Talent Convention but in result she was bullied by her peers. Then at the age of 17, she made a decision to test out of school and depart to Los Angeles and begin a career as an actress.

Fox has been featured in many films and sitcoms and many may recognize her as “Mikaela Banes” from Transformers but the majority of her audience are not informed of her previous work. For example Fox can be spotted as an extra in Bad Boys II and she was also given a role in a small lived sitcom “Hope and Faith.” But the automatic appearance response would be Transformers. Fox’s recent movie “Jonah Hex” debut in the top 10 and has been doing moderately well since its release.

But honestly we all purchase movie tickets to gaze at the beautiful woman she is. She was voted “The Sexiest Woman Alive” by FHM magazine and has been compared to Hollywood beauties such as Angelina Jolie and Marilyn Monroe. Fox is not just any typical beauty, she is also all brains. Her smart remarks and aggressive demeanor has gotten her far in life and it’s always great to see her succeed. By the outcome of her recent movie success, it is safe to say she will be around for quite a while.

Week 3: Entry 1: Art of Drumming

The beat of a drum, in my perspective, is so creative. It’s a mixture of rhythm, strength, and emotion. The intensity that drummers put in their music is very inspirational and as a drummer I enjoy drumming to just about anything. The capability to display my emotions through beats is somewhat therapeutic. As a Child, I really didn’t appreciate the art of drumming but after years of learning music I began to mimic two specific drummers, Travis Barker and ?uestlove. They exhibit such confidence and it’s noticeable in very song they perform.

?uestlove, Born Ahmir Khalib Thompson, is an American drummer, DJ, journalist, and producer. He is widely known for his role in the band “The Roots,” and also their contributions as the in-house band for the “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” show. During his 18 years in the music industry he has worked with the best of the best such as, Madonna, Jay-Z, Fiona Apple, N.E.R.D. and much more. His skills have contributed such soul to every record he is a part of and he continues to amaze his audience every time he performs.

Travis Barker is the drummer for the band “Blink 182,” he is known for his versatility as a musician. He has dabbled in many genres of music such as hip hop, pop, country, and rock. Also he has collaborated with the greats of our generation for example Eminem, Rihanna, Jay-Z and many more but he never conforms to a specific type of genre. He brings the edge to every song he appears on and they are all hits. Barker exemplifies the true meaning of a rockstar but without the ego. His abilities on the drums are endless and its always amusing to watch him perform.

Week 2: Entry 2: Tron Legacy

On December 15 Tron: Legacy will be released in theatres and by the looks of the trailer it's going to be impressive. The movie is directed by Joseph Konsinski, an American director best known for his use of computer graphics. Tron: Legacy will become his featured film directorial debut mainly because he directs television commercials.

This film will be the sequel to the 1982 film Tron. It is basically about Sam Flynn searching for his father after his mysterious disappearance and then finding himself stuck in the cyber world. He then locates his father and they both go on an adventurous but dangerous journey to escape. But with this installment the film will be in 3D and from the looks of the trailer the visuals will be incredibly realistic. Plus the sounds of the film will be graced by Daft Punk.

Week 2: Entry 1: Rihanna

The Barbados Native has attracted our attention for many years but after numerous hit songs and her striking appeal she has now made her way to being an international sensation. The R&B singer known as Rihanna has achieved six number one singles on the hot 100 chart and 14 top ten singles in the US, all in four albums, making it the most for a female artist since the start of the 2000s decade. She has also endured downfalls. A year ago she was involved in a domestic dispute with her then boyfriend Chris brown, which incited coverage on her personal life. But it has been shown that all pain has been forgotten and she has now continued on with her music.

Aside from her music she has to be one of the most stunning women of all time. Her exotic appeal has driven men crazy and I can proudly say that I am one of them. She has graced many magazine covers with her seductive looks and attracted many viewers to rapidly become fans. On May 10^ths issue of People magazine they named her one of “The World’s Most Beautiful People” and it’s no surprise.

Rihanna has now become a household name and her success gradually grows. There is no stopping our fascination with her. She’s a talented and inspiring woman and hopefully one day, despite the amount of success she has earned, I will have a chance with her (Hey, a man can dream).

Week 1:Entry 3: George Condo

Years ago before I was really interested in outlandish art, I came upon a portrait of the Queen with a carrot projected threw her head and a natural reaction is to think that the piece was very odd. So I began to research the piece and it was ironically called “Portrait of a Queen.” While researching I came upon many other extreme pieces and finally discovered the creator of them all. It was an artist by the name of George Condo.

George Condo was born in Concord, New Hampshire but currently resides in New York. He is known for his bizarre twist on portraits because they always consist of wild caricatures. “His subjects are classically posed, dramatically lit, and surrounded by conflated fragments from the history of painting.” His pieces are very eye opening because the objects in his paintings originate from his imagination. They usually consist of “glass bottles, draper… and vague empty settings to better project the subject of the picture.”

Condo has been displaying his artwork for many years and each year it year it becomes more striking. It’s always a pleasure to view art that doesn’t conform to the typical clean cut genre of portraits. The bizarre pieces he delivers are images in his own world and by painting them he gives his audience a view of what his world consist of. They may not always be comprehensive but they will always attract your attention.

Week 1: Entry 2: Glow in the Dark Book

KANYE WEST "Glow in the Dark" book promo from Gus&Clara on Vimeo.

Last year when I was informed that Kanye West was going on tour I was pretty excited because I’m a big fan of his work especially his last LP “808s and Heartbreak.” But once I realized the concept of the “Glow in the Dark Tour” I was overwhelmed. Months before the concert began the concept of the tour was exposed to the media and it was phenomenal: the special effects, the stage models, and the visuals, the whole concert was to be epic. It was reported that Mr. West himself drew the set designs and the sketches, which show how remarkable he is as an artist.

As many know, Kanye West is one to not disappoint and the concert was a big success. It broke many barriers and set a standard for what a live performance should entail. Billboard states “Kanye West comes in third, having pulled in $30.8 million from 49 concerts that attracted 507,853 fans.”

In October 2009, West released the tour book of the concert. The book of 288 pages contains photos of the groundbreaking concert including unreleased and unseen photos, architectural photos and is accompanied by an art video and a CD of live music. The photos were shot by photographer Nabil Elderkin. Elderkin’s photos always capture the essence of a specific scenario and he was the right photographer to capture the groundbreaking tour. The book is phenomenal and I recently purchased it myself. It just shows how inspiration and hard work can create such extraordinary work (Buy Book).

Week 1: Entry 1: Tyler Shields

While searching for photos and videos I came upon a California based photographer named Tyler Shields. I recently heard his name on the news after a controversial photo shoot with celebrity Lindsay Lohan surfaced. The photos showcased his mentality as a photographer and as a viewer it’s always refreshing to witness something out of the ordinary. Shields photos can’t be pinpointed to one category, they all are so unique and meaningful.

I chose to display three photos that I was very intrigued by, my favorite has to be the “Toxic-Waste” photo. This photo is humorous considering the fact that the toxic waste is being taken from McDonalds. The second photo is the "Collision" picture, which is very distinctive, the image is very creative and collides beautifully. The last photo is the “Lindsay Lohan” photo, considering her reputation in the media, it makes the picture so much more interesting. Shields as a photographer is remarkable and the images he projects never get dull. There are hours of photos and videos on his site and you can view them by clicking here.