Throwing on the Wheel

I have been taking ceramics classes at Chambers Street, throwing things on the wheel, takes a completely different mindset to work that way instead of handbuilding figurative statues. You have the added dimension of time, as well as space in the construction, then process in glazing. Here is one that just came out of the kiln last week.

Happy New Year!

Here’s to the New Year, I hope the folks down in DC get their act together and let the rich people share the wealth they have accumulated by the grace of the working classes.

Still working on different angles, and with Kuan, these were done just before our trip to Myanmar. Here are pictures that Meg is putting up of our trip, endless stupas and statues of Buddha. Its remarkable how the religious fervor affects the world, in the west, Christianity has endless crucifixions, in India, a galaxy of gods, and in Burma, Buddhas. They share the same evolutionary theme, evolving as politics and dogma change. Italian crucifixions have a beautiful humanity, Spanish ones are extremely physical and painful. In the ‘East’, images tend to have less individual variation, and this has to do I think with the general concepts about ‘Art’. That will be the next post, if I can find the time.

Change of Perspective

Here are a couple of recent drawings of Kuan, drawn looking up with a very strong perspective. Adding the light from below adds an interesting complication, not only a different angle than usual, but having shadows in a different location then normal creates a visual shift in the way your mind has to structure the space and anatomy of a model. I’ve been adding the mirror lately to get a more complex visual space.

Art as a Mental Disorder and Criminal Act

Dear Editor,
The campaign against freedom and common sense has reached new obscene heights with the arrest of Takeshi Miyakawa. He was arrested after installing his artwork in various locations around New York. Even more insulting, the court actually ordered a psychiatric evaluation! Is art is now a criminal offense and a mental disorder? We should not tolerate such blatant abuse of power. It is another step in the destruction of civil society, following the Republican war against women, under the guise of moral rectitude, democracy being sold by the courts to the highest bidders, and the Democratic administration that’s supports indefinite detention without charges This could easily be seen as a conspiracy against the public being waged by money-hungry politicians and the extremely rich. The endless mantra of fear, ”if you see something…” , has produced a truly insulting twist. Just a week ago, records were set in auctions here in New York with Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” was sold for $120 million, Rothko’s “Orange Red Yellow” went for $90 million and the police think it is important to arrest an artist. I can only hope that the NYPD and the Bloomberg administration will come to their senses and apologize. It boggles the mind to think that in New York, art capital of the world such a travesty of justice could be allowed to pass unchallenged.

Kuan Dancing

One of my favorite models Kuan, dancing at my favorite studio, Spring Street Studio, for the 20th anniversary show /party.
Here is the link: Kuan – She Can Be Everything
She based the dance on poses she has done at Spring Studio, I used at least one of the poses in my sculpture on Bond St, which she mentions. Here is the original drawing, and the sculpture before installation. Most of the figures are in groups of three, for ease of installation.

Original drawing

Long-Term Kinetic Sculpture

I was checking my old posts for pictures when I found one from a year ago.. I obviously have a problem finishing things! The pose changes over time and here are some photos of the changes. To the idea of finishing things, I have been thinking about when a drawing is finished. I draw in my studio, using a timer. When the timer goes off, I almost always go to the next pose, even if I am near completion. The complement to this is if I finish the drawing before the time is up,( almost never ) but the terrible decision “am I done?” looms. Should I put down the charcoal, pretend to do the background, or ruin the drawing by working after its done?

Hori Ichiro – Photographer and In-law

We just got back from Japan where the Museum had an exhibition about Hori Ichiro, my great-uncle-in-law. In the early 1900′s he came to New York and opened a portrait studio at 665 5th Avenue. He made portraits of Hideyo Noguchi, a famous bacteriologist who discovered the agent of syphilis as the cause of progressive paralytic disease in 1911. He also was family friends of Isamo Noguchi, the sculptor. He then traveled around the world for several years before returning to Japan and devoting all his time to painting. He had a one man show at Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo in the 1930′s. Most of his work was lost, and just recently the family discovered the work that was in the show. It is possible that my great grandmother knew him, as she was also involved in creative pursuits!

If you have any information regarding him or his work, please contact me, we would love to know more.

Hori Ichiro, my great uncle in-law was a photographer in New York

Hori Ichiro with a portrait of Dr Hideyo Noguchi

Hori Ichiro in Japan, probably 1950's