Tuesday, August 26, 2008

being in the world

the life during wartime project terminates in the show in January 2009. I am currently gessoing glossy newsprint pages from conde nast magazines. i want the piece to incorporate the reality of the materials used. I don't want the images and the situation of gessoed pages lost in makeng a "picture".

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Damian Loeb

http://www.damianloeb.com/links/
Damian used to hang out at Biblio's when I was slinging coffee back in 1997. He would sit in a corner with his boombox and play these Seventie's mixes. We started chatting and he eventually invited me and my then girlfriend, Skowmon Hastanan, to his illegal studio on Bway near the Clocktower. I had no idea who he "really" was or would be. He worked as a studio asst to Alexis Rockman, and I kinda held myself above him because I "knew" Alexis, as a RISD alum.
Damian's studio and his approach to painting was deliberate, disciplined and meticulous. All qualities I lacked and still lack. He was into this relatively new show called the Simpson's and we all watched an episode.
I remember Damian saying "One day I will show with Mary Boone Gallery"..I chuckled to myself a little..you know.."You go boy."

Long story short, while I was deludeing myself on Landmark opiates, Damian was rigorous and had a vision. Since then I have bounced from unemployment, and serial meanial jobs and he has lived the optimum painter's life. I am still not sure that I have learned my lesson. Still not sure...« Back Next »




From left: Moby and friend; Damian Loeb, Iman and David Bowie; Plum Sykes; Mary Boone.
Damian Loeb Art Opening
NEW YORK April 10, 2001 ­ Film, fashion and music luminaries mingled with art-world insiders and the society set at the opening of celebrated contemporary artist Damian Loeb's Public Domain show at the Mary Boone Gallery. Loeb has a real talent for manipulating fact and fiction to create glossy, often cinematic paintings that attract collectors-and the glitterati-like bees to honey. The president of New Line Cinema, Michael Lynne (who collects Loeb's work), chatted with designer Nicole Miller, while across the room Iman and David Bowie hung out with Loeb and girlfriend Plum Sykes. Although this exhibition, in the artist's words, "is about how movies are better than life," life seemed very good indeed as fashion writer Marina Rust, club owner Amy Sacco, electronica musician Moby, socialite Jamee Gregory and hotelier (and sometime Vogue model) Vikram Chatwal mingled alongside the paintings.

Public Domain is on view at the Mary Boone Gallery, 541 W. 24th St., New York City, through May 5th.

By Laird Borrelli


Iman glows at the Mary Boone Gallery - Plum Sykes cozies up to boyfriend Damian Loeb



Damian Loeb takes a private moment - Ron Warren, director of the Mary Boone Gallery (Chelsea) in a vintage Valentino tie



Alick Crossley (center), with Alexandra Hamilton (left) and Adam Stennett - Brit It Girl Bay Garnett (center)



ocialite Jamee Gregory wears Celine - Phillip Hunt, who is making a documentary on Damian Loeb



Writer Mia Harlock opted for a sheer vintage look - Sally Singer, Vogue's fashion news/features director & her son



Society photographer Patrick McMullan - Hotelier Vikram Chatwal
Photos by Sebastian Sergeant

frederic remington

downloaded some of his images. working them into the project. the themes of manifest destiny and the annihilation of the (savage) other ..also downloaded images from classic western tv shows and movies. "classic western"...digitally remastered..dvd...

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Life During Wartime Project

did some sketches last nite. will post later. basically taking iconic images from hollywood- of western characters. the idealization of the american self and the narrative of western expansion. have to make it look good. thinking about what's possible and what's at stake. Facebook is kind of leveling off. I am at about 140 people. many of whom are powerful art world culture types... and I exist in obscurity in LIC. the show in LIC will obviously not make me overnite but it promises to be a strong leadoff for a big 2009

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Life During Wartime - Exteriorization

I am going to submit a proposal to a small gallery in LIC for a show 01/05/2009. Right now I am thinking of something related to the war but not obvious. More like the soul of america writ large. the guiding myths of american state violence.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Friday, August 8, 2008

last few days

came back from DC wed. Went to gym. went to gathering of the tribes. watched ghost world. worked in studio

Thursday, August 7, 2008

the rant and purge series..race, sex and money

Race- My visit to DC..
visited my mom in Reston Va. Went to DC to look at changes since I been gone. Downtown DC to Columbia Hts are all going thru "gentrification"..I call it "white progess" while the negro masses look on in various moods or bewilderment, awe and resentment. The simple truth is that the European is oriented to a progressive unfoldment in terms of technology and development and the african is not. The is a broad brush statement but it has an essentialist common sense application. As Americans we tend to avoid stereotypes or generalisations which might sell short individual choice and achievement but in our PC hysteria we sacrifice innocent and actionable observation.

Paris for President

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die