Culture

Here are three things I would share. . .

+++ First, a 20 minute short on Wynwood, a district in Miami, FL which in the last ten years has become a trendy spot after real estate investors brought graffiti artists and muralists to hit up their buildings.  The doc is a nice specific look at gentrification, instead of an abstract argument.  You can feel however you want, there is a complicated relationship between art, money, beauty, society, but as an artist and when offered projects to "clean up", or "beautify" the city they often have effects deeper than the artist's immediate realization.  This also came back to my mind after the recent flagpole article about a local artist making streetlights look nice with mosaics in downtown Athens. http://flagpole.com/arts-culture/art-notes/2018/03/28/krysia-ara-s-project-ginkgo-beautifies-downtown

Right to Wynwood

Right to Wynwood from Right to Wynwood on Vimeo.



+++ Second, a short video piece by "Hennessy Youngman", a character portrayed by Jayson Musson.  Jayson is an interesting person and used to perform with hip-hop group Plastic Little who are the source of the line in that "Harlem Shake" thing that went viral.  Hennessy is a satirical art critic and when Musson started these videos it was an innovative merger of "internet culture" and the fine arts world.  A connection that has only deepened with memes and social media's growing influence.




+++ Third, an interview/conversation between two former professors I worked with in undergrad.  Robert Rivers was very influential on my aesthetic and approach to art-making.  It is interesting hearing people discuss their work, but it is also quite nice to hear an artist talk to another artist instead of a journalist or critic or historian.  There is a deeper understanding between the two.  It is also nice to hear them discuss art outside of art, or, life and personal interests emergence in one's artistic practice- for example when they discuss the parallel of running and art-making.  Style isn't just what you draw, it is how you draw.  Too many people trying to find their voice think only in terms of discovering the correct "subject matter"- do i paint flowers? make prints of cars?  They miss the deeper themes of what drives their identity and will overlap with their artistic practice.
Rivers- In Conversation





A Few More things if you've got the time. . .

+ The Devil and Daniel Johnston, one of the better documentaries about a musician/visual artist.  Lots of people like to pretend they are a "crazy" artist, but staying sane and finding a healthy work ethic is important.  We watched Marwencol in class which is a great exploration of someone who is struggling with the world around them and finding a sense of peace in their art.  I could also suggest the documentary "Beautiful Losers" which follows multiple artists finding success in the early 2000s.

+Learn Cee lo with Wu Tang Clan's U-God.  I showed this in class briefly. . .