Video: Epicly Later’d – “Ed Templeton Part 1”

Vice’s Epicly Later’d has been one of my favorite series from ever growing multimedia company and the latest episode is an inside look at skate (and art) royalty Ed Templeton. In this first part Ed speaks on his life growing up in Huntington Beach and the beginnings of his skateboarding career, specifically key influences and the people and places that left a strong impression.  We also get some guest appearances from the likes of Jason Dill, Dave Carnie, and Justin Regan among others and some rad 80’s and 90’s video footage of people who went on to be massive in the sport. 

Nitchow's Real Life Instagram

While I don't really have a problem with Instagram, it’s a useful tool after all, it does upset me to see so many images on the web receiving accolades after they essentialy have been hammered to death by filters. Brazillian street artist Bruno Riberio, aka Nitchows, might be feeling the same way, or perhaps it’s a comment on  how we have all started to concern ourselves with capturing moments through the lens instead of experiencing them. Whatever the case the artist has been cleverly interacting with the urban environment, not unlike the FTW crew, to make these killer works...

Go Buy These: Henry Leutwyler Ballet Skateboards

“In ballet and skateboarding, fearlessness rules. No half-measures or marking the trick. Just passion, grit and blood.”

Photographer Henry Leutwyler released two fantastic limited edition skate decks featuring some of his trademark ballet photography. The two images are quite powerful when displayed side-by-side and beg to be hung as art. Purchase them while you can HERE.

Happy Friday!: Rat Tail

Photo: Andrew Jeffrey Wright

Rattail (haircut)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"A rattail is a hair style that is characterized by a long "tail"-like element of hair growing downward from the back of the head. The rattail usually curls naturally; however, it can be braided, treated as a dread, permed, straightened, or curled with an iron. In some instances, an individual might choose to grow several tails as opposed to a single very long tail.

The rattail saw a brief period of mainstream popularity during the 1980s and has rapidly fallen out of vogue.However, it has recently seen renewed popularity."

Video - "Blowjob" by Tadao Cern

A couple months ago Lithuanian photograph Tadas Černiauskas, who goes by Tadao Cern, put together a photoshoot with a simple idea. Model + air hose on full blast = Art. What he came up with is a really interesting project entitled "Blowjob" consisting of a video and a series of portraits he is showcasing. It is a simple idea that is hard to look away from.

“I wanted to do something very fun for myself and the visitors, just laugh and have a good time. I was surprised that there were so many laid-back people who were not afraid to look funny! Spacious studio was bursting at the seams and everyone was crying with laughter, laughing at themselves and at each other."

To see more of the portraits, go to his website.

 

Happy Friday!

I'm Rick James Bitch!

Shepard Fairey & Glen E. Friedman MCA Tribute (Los Angeles)

Images via the artist

It’s been just under a month since the passing of legendary artist/musician Adam Yauch (MCA) of the Beastie Boys and the tributes have been popping up around the world. Recently Shepard Fairey put up several tribute pieces around the Los Angeles area that utilize iconic counterculture photographer Glen E. Friedman’s shot of the band with the words “Posse In Effect, R.I.P. MCA 1964-2012.” 

Video: Gregory Crewdson – “Brief Encounters” Preview

American photgrapher Gregory Crwedson is easily one of my all time favorite photographers. Known primarily for his elaborately staged scenes of American homes and neighborhoods, his photography often has a X-Files like feeling to it.

In the making for ten plus years now, Brief Encounters, a documentary by Ben Shapiro, captures the master at work building sets, scouting locations and shooting his subjects in their disturbing imperfect worlds. The film further reveals the life-story behind the work.

“Through frank reflections on his life and career, including the formative influences of his psychologist father and his childhood fascination with the work of Diane Arbus. Childhood fears and ideals, adult anxieties and desires, the influences of pop-culture all combine to form who we are, and for Crewdson, motivate his work.”

The film begins screening in March at SXSW before inevitably hitting other theaters across America, more info HERE.

Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters Trailer from Benjamin Shapiro on Vimeo.

Video: The Boombox Project

I wish I could say that growing up in the 80's boomboxes were all the rage in my hood' but I wasn't that cool nor was my neighborhood and my closest interaction to one was playing with a sweet Transformer named Soundwave.  Upon seeing one first hand I understood peoples obsession with them.  Most were not really that great as far as sound quality goes but they just looked cool. Photographer and boombox collector, Lyle Owerko, created a set of portraits entitled The Boombox Project which showcase 42 different rustic looking "ghetto blasters"..  

These portraits were shown at a gallery show at the Clic Gallery in NYC and released in a book entitled The Boombox Project which features the portraits as well as a number of stylized old school shots of boomboxes in their natural environment. Be sure to check out the portraits on Owerko's website.


film by Paul Stone

NPR interviewed Owerko for a piece on the history of boomboxes you can check out below....

Video: ArtInfo Interview — Marilyn Minter

Artinfo talks to American artist and NY resident Marilyn Minter about her latest exhibition at Salon 94. In the video themes, process, and the ideal viewer response are discussed amongst other things. I actually didn’t realize how many layers Marilyn’s work is often composed of, referencing one piece at 80 plus to create the final photo exhibited.

Video: Estevan Oriol featured on Last Call with Carson Daly

Urban archivist Estevan Oriol and his father Eriberto were featured on Last Call With Carson Daly in this Spotlight. I didn’t realize that Estevan’s father also is a photographer, but it turns out they make a dynamic father and son combo.  Watch the feature below which focuses on the themes of the father and son’s work, how they differ, the influence of LA and their shooting styles.

James Mollison Photography - "The Disciples"

James Mollison - Iron maiden: Datch Forum, Milan, 3rd December 2006

Between 2005 and 2007 Kenyan born artist James Mollison photographed fans outside of different concerts in an attempt to capture how people emulate their idols, the results were pretty fantastic both individually and comparatively from artist to artist, genre to genre...

Check out the complete collection in his book available here and some selections below..

The Casualties : The Winter Gardens, Blackpool, UK, 10th August 2007

50 Cent: The O2 Arena, London, 10th November 2007

Madonna: The Forum, Los Angeles, 21st May 2006

Oasis: Manchester Stadium, Manchester, UK, 3rd July 2005

Rod Stewart: MEN Arena, Manchester, UK, 4th July 2005

Mc Fly: Kings Dock, Liverpool, UK, 9th July 2005

Follow Up: Judge Squashes Photographer Janine Gordon's "Wasteful" Copyright Suit Against Ryan McGinley

photo by s.butterfly

You may recall back in July we reported that photographer/rapper  Janine (Jah Jah) Gordon had filed a lawsuit against fellow photographer and contemporary art star Ryan McGinley alleging that the artist stole her visual style and subject matter — infringements that Janine felt deserved monetary recompense to the tune of $30,000 per "copied" artwork targeting at least 150 of McGinley’s works.  Well we have an update for you, Southern District Court judge Richard Sullivan has thrown out the case adding a dismissive court statement, the judge concluded that "the dictates of good eyes and common sense lead inexorably to the conclusion that there is no substantial similarity between Plaintiff's works and the allegedly infringing compositions of McGinley." Judge Sullivan clearly branded Gordon's claims as overblown: "Such a conception of copyright law has no basis in statute, case law, or common sense," he writes. "One might have hoped that [plaintiff's] attorneys, presumably familiar with the basic tenets of copyright and intellectual property law, would have recognized the futility of this action before embarking on a long, costly, and ultimately wasteful course of litigation in a court of law."  

Video: JR “Inside Out” Episode 1

Following an announcement back in March, French street artist and TED winner JR continues the development of his “Inside Out” project. With thousands of people having already participated, JR hopes to make “Inside Out” the world’s largest participatory art project. Offered below is the first episode documenting the process of “Inside Out.” As well as their mission statement  for the  those who are unfamiliar with it.

INSIDE OUT is a large-scale participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work. Everyone is challenged to use black and white photographic portraits to discover, reveal and share the untold stories and images of people around the world. These digitally uploaded images will be made into posters and sent back to the project’s co-creators for them to exhibit in their own communities. People can participate as an individual or in a group; posters can be placed anywhere, from a solitary image in an office window to a wall of portraits on an abandoned building or a full stadium. These exhibitions will be documented, archived and viewable virtually.

Ryan McGinley sued by fellow Photographer Janine "Jah Jah" Gordon

 Photographer/rapper  Janine (Jah Jah) Gordon has filed a lawsuit against fellow photographer and contemporary art star Ryan McGinley alleging that the artist stole her visual style and subject matter — infringements that Janine feels deserve monetary recompense to the tune of $30,000 per "copied" artwork, writes Artnet's Rachel Corbett. The question as always is can any artist really copyright subject matter?

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Ryan McGinley and Levi's, targets 150 of McGinley's works, ranging from commercial shots for the jeans company and other companies to earlier pieces by the artist.

From Gordon's point of view, she sees McGinley taking subject matter and aesthetic strategy from her in the form of poses, compositions, and photography processes, what do you all think?

Happy Friday!

Photo: Marcianoscrew 

I thought this only happened in Barry Mcgee installations!

James Reynolds - "Last Suppers"

"Last Suppers" is a series of photographs by artist James Reynolds documenting former Death Row prisoners' requests for their last meal before execution , check out the series below...

Last Suppers - make slideshow