MIRTH BLOG

Nativity, Ding! Dong!

2011-12-24T00:00:00.002-05:00

[ Wreck Beach Nativity/Peace Bird Hands, 2011 ]

Joyeux Noël...

Year-End Review / iPhone Scrapbook

2011-12-23T03:27:00.027-05:00

{ Edited with: Camera+ }

Halifax & Blackrock Beach [post: 3/3]

2011-08-27T23:34:00.004-04:00

Halifax & Blackrock Beach [post: 2/3]

2011-08-24T12:21:00.004-04:00

Halifax & Blackrock Beach [post: 1/3]

2011-08-23T22:22:00.005-04:00

Project 13 / "Cut the Cord"

2011-07-14T11:08:00.004-04:00

{ "Cut the Cord" [25x22": graphite, ink, watercolours, acrylic]

T-Radya / Eternal Flame

2011-07-13T15:09:00.021-04:00

Russian street artist T-Radya is capturing international attention with his recent installation of Russian World War II soldiers.

The artwork process began with an outline recreation of a soldier's face (inspired by historical images) made out of bandages, and fixed onto large wooden boards. The bandages were then sprayed with methane and set on fire outdoors... and awaited the rain. The burns created a visually stunning portrait effect that resembles weathered black spray painted street art.

Have a look at T-Radya's website with additional info/photos of this remarkable project, HERE.

The portraits, a set dubbed Eternal Flame, are on display along a wall of an abandoned hospital (images below) that housed injured soldiers of the Soviet Army during 1941-1945 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Ablaze'ing...

(images: T-Radya)

Wearing Duchamp's Urinal as a Dress?

2011-07-08T12:14:00.005-04:00

{from Juxtapoz.com on-line} -- "Maybe it is hard to convince someone to wear a urinal as a dress, but if you tell them it is a Duchamp, then you may be okay. The Rodnik Band is a fashion line that created this series, Venus in Sequins, featuring wearable Duchamp, Van Gogh, and Warhol paintings and pieces of art. Each dress is limited to 5 pieces.

By far, the Duchamp dress would be the most talked-about, but the Warhol one has some timeless quality to it as well."

Prêt-à-porter...

Vancouver Riot: Embrace Whodunit *

2011-06-17T08:58:00.022-04:00

CBC.ca online is on the hunt for a couple who were photographed kissing romantically among Wednesday night's disgraceful riot that followed the hockey game in downtown Vancouver.

The photo (as seen below), gives the impression of being art students who saw opportunity among the chaotic backdrop.

{from CBC.ca} -- "Amid the shocking images that emerged from Vancouver on Wednesday night – cars engulfed in flames, masked looters, bloody fists and broken storefronts – one image in particular stood out showing none of those things.

At first the sense was the photo was actually staged, or even art. Or was it an homage to 'The Kiss,' an art show staged at New York's Guggenheim Museum in 2010?"

Whodunit?

(photo: Rich Lam/Getty Images)

On another note... Mirth's hat goes off to those who volunteered to help clean up the city as a community, the morning after. Read more, HERE.

*Update/edit:
The "riot kissers" have been identified. Read all about it, HERE, and HERE. Mirth was hoping the story behind the photo would have been artistically aroused (meaning: an art fling by local students, rather than what-looks-like a staged act by social opportunists), ah well...

Either way, the photo is well-timed and well-shot. It is still artistic, and he is still kissing her.

Self-Portraits: Albrecht Dürer

2011-06-15T10:08:00.003-04:00

Learn more about German painter & printmaker Albrecht Durer, HERE.

Durer passed away in April 1528.

Redegewandt...

Artisticles Throwback

2011-06-02T09:36:00.006-04:00

Mirth is sappy with this "ex post facto" of creative juices that still inspire us in the studio. Here is a retrospective of past music, comics, art supplies, muse(s), toys, and books – if it comforted Mirth as a kid in the 80's/early 90's, find them listed below. Google'em and try some on...

Touch Me, album by Samantha Fox;
Specially Priced Maxi-Singles (7"/12" vinyl);
Sam the Record Man;
ElfQuest comicbooks;
Silkscreen/fabric paints;
Synthesizers;
You Can Dance, remix album by Madonna;
"Play-pause-record", cassette recorders;
Les Schtroumpfs by Peyo;
Sexual Personae, by Camille Paglia;
Colouring books;
Cracker Jack; and –
the Sears catalogue.

Bonus: Anne Rice novels, Pet Shop Boys, and BMX'ing.

Smurfy...

NASA art remembers 50 years of space exploration...

2011-05-27T09:07:00.004-04:00

{from NewScientist.com} -- "NASA's art collection holds 50 years worth of works by renowned artists. Opening this Saturday, an exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC - features more than 70 of the agency's best pieces..."

(Above image: "Skylab" watercolour painting by artist Peter Hurd, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum)

Time capsule...

OCAD University, New Visual Identity

2011-05-11T12:43:00.003-04:00

Read all about it:

{from OCAD.ca} -- "(Toronto — May 6, 2011) At last night’s opening celebration of OCAD University’s 96th Annual Graduate Exhibition, the university unveiled its new visual identity to students, faculty, staff and guests. The university’s new logo was developed in collaboration with the internationally respected firm Bruce Mau Design (BMD).

“This dynamic new identity asserts OCAD U’s catalytic role within the creative sectors, the research community and industry,” said Dr. Sara Diamond, OCAD University President.

Inspired by OCAD U’s iconic and transformational Alsop-designed Sharp Centre for Design, BMD created a base of black and white pixel 'windows' — modular frames to hold actual student art and design work. Through these 'windows' the core of OCAD U is presented — conceptually strong, relevant, diverse, and compelling. “As we push the boundaries of art and design practice, education and research, so too does our new identity, giving the world a window into what we do here,” said Dr. Diamond..."

{from Fastcodesign.com} -- "...the new logo is a triumvirate of Mondrian-esque frames, with “OCAD” in one frame and “U” in another. The third, largest frame, is left open for whatever the university wants to throw inside. It could, for instance say “OCAD University.” It could also say “Imagination Is Everything,” the school’s battle cry. But its primary purpose is to show off students’ creative toils. Each year, graduating student medal winners will be invited to mine their portfolios and contribute a piece to the logo, whether a sculpture, a graphic work or a painting, providing a set of logos for the following year."

Have a peek at Bruce Mau Design (BMD), HERE.

Imagination Is Everything...

Harper government, enemy of the arts?

2011-04-27T08:14:00.000-04:00

Article from Canada.com posted yesterday: "OTTAWA — Liberal, NDP and Green Party representatives were there. Even Communist and Marijuana candidates made it to Ottawa's Cube Gallery last week for an all-party debate on arts policy. But there was no Conservative representation — and should we be surprised?

A couple of nights later, the Canadian Conference of The Arts, the country's leading cultural service organization, organized another such gathering in the national capital — and again, the Tories did not attend.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, more than 70 arts organizations from across the country unveiled a major election manifesto calling for a renewed commitment by all political stripes to support the arts. Arts leaders also requested meetings with party representatives to discuss the document. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff was quick to oblige, as were NDP and Bloc Quebecois candidates. Again, there was no response from the Conservatives.

There's a pattern here, and it runs across the country. The federal Tories burned themselves badly during the 2008 campaign, thanks to Stephen Harper's ill-judged observation that "ordinary people" don't care about arts funding, and his innuendo about rich artists who attended galas to whine about their grants. Arts policy is normally not even a tiny blip on the radar of an election campaign, but this time, the prime minister's remark triggered widespread resentment. Powerful Tories who serve on boards of directors for cultural groups across the country were aghast. And Quebecers, goaded on by the Bloc Quebecois, were furious at this perceived insult to their province's cultural integrity.

Thanks to his comments, Harper lost votes in Quebec — and, possibly, seats there, as well. So the preferred damage-control strategy in this campaign is to try to pretend that the potentially volatile and dangerous cultural sector doesn't exist. Translated, this means: If you want to stay out of trouble, don't discuss the arts...". Con't reading, HERE.

Arts the vote, May 2nd!

(Image: 2009 Art installation on Rideau Street, Ottawa)

Rêverie { photo-set }

2011-04-20T10:31:00.004-04:00

Model: Lee

The Show Off: OCADu 96th Annual Grad Exhibition

2011-04-11T13:46:00.005-04:00

This year, the Ontario College of Art & Design University grad show is on from 6:30pm, Thursday May 5, 2011 to 6:00pm, Sunday May 8, 2011 at the Main Campus.

Event details, HERE.

Mirth attended last year's expo with great enthusiasm. You can view a "best in show" post, HERE.

See you there...

War on Graffiti

2011-04-10T22:29:00.006-04:00

Instead of crying war on graffiti, maybe Toronto's new Mayor, Rob Ford, needs to consider this example by the city of Gatineau, QC. In Old Hull, they allow people to express themselves creatively along designated areas of pedestrian/bike paths, under street overpasses, and certain city walls (iPhone pixs above). All marked with city signage as 'authorized graffiti spaces' (pix below).

It might not be outstanding street art like seen in some of Toronto's alleyways - nonetheless, the initiative is great for the community. It is accepted as a cultural phenomenon. The same idea can apply to skateboard/bike parks.

In this latest article from the Globe And Mail: "Some people got a good laugh from the sight of Rob Ford blasting a graffiti-covered wall with a pressure washer this week. Sporting an old sweater and fishing boots, obviously relishing his work, he asked observing reporters to imagine the wall as a map of the city. “We’re going to go from one end to the other and we’re going to clean it up.” But wasn’t graffiti an art form, someone asked? “That’s not art,” snorted the mayor. “That’s graffiti. That’s nonsense.”

You could almost hear the snickering from sophisticated downtown folk. Oh, what a bumpkin! Doesn’t the mayor know that some graffiti is indeed considered high art? Hasn’t he ever heard of Banksy? One urban blogger came right out and called the mayor a Philistine...". Con't reading, HERE.

Designated graffiti zones might not appeal to all artists using the medium to make a statement. However, Mirth does not believe that street artists are the ones who go around randomly 'tagging' or spray-painting building facades and walls. There is a difference between 'street art' and vandalism... and not all graffiti is vandalism. Most street artists spray with green-friendly products that wear off overtime or use wheat paste, the same way those who post advertising bills or posters. Should those who posted Ford's campaign posters around Toronto get a bylaw ticket too?

Ford's crusade could be more effective if he would acknowledge street art, and make vandalism his focal point.

In the end, with the wrong approach vandalism will never cease.

Arts the Vote!

2011-04-04T16:12:00.005-04:00

Why should Canadians care about culture this election?

The Canadian Arts Coalition has assembled some facts, HERE.

Also, monitor the Federal Election from an Arts perspective, HERE, on behalf of the Canadian Conference of the Arts.

Please vote... Monday, May 2, 2011.

Confessions of an Art Model

2011-03-28T13:04:00.017-04:00

Meet Daniel Thompson...
in this feature from the Ottawa Citizen by Sonia Mendes:

"Art takes on a whole new perspective when you become its central subject. Daniel Thompson would know; he's been working as an "undraped" - or nude - model for art classes for the past 12 years.

While it certainly raises a few eyebrows during cocktail party chit-chat, especially in conservative-minded Ottawa, make no mistake - Thompson doesn't take his work lightly.

"I approach modelling in the same way that I used to approach competitive rowing," says Thompson, 32. "I take it very seriously and I bring a lot of discipline to it."

It may seem counterintuitive, but Thompson says that he first started posing for art classes as part of a self-inflicted campaign to overcome his extreme shyness...". Con't reading Confessions of an 'undraped' art model, HERE.

Mirth would like to take this opportunity to highlight a new label to the blog engaging, from time-to-time, Life Models. As an artist, great inspiration comes from working with outstanding art models like Daniel Thompson. The posts filed under the tag will feature on-line visual resources, human anatomy, and models.

As mentioned in the article:
For info on the Ottawa School of Art, click HERE.
For info on Figureworks, click HERE.

(photos: Chris Mikula)

The Last of Hollywood's Golden Age

2011-03-23T22:15:00.000-04:00

Famous silkscreen "Silver Liz", 1963 by artist Andy Warhol.

Camille Paglia features Taylor in her latest article from Salon.com: "Paglia on Taylor: "A luscious, opulent, ripe fruit!".

Rest In Peace, Elizabeth Taylor.

Graffiti in the ancient world...

2011-03-22T20:06:00.001-04:00

From the Boston Globe Online: "Titas Wuz Here".

(Image: Martin Gee)

Milky Way: concept

2011-03-18T14:00:00.006-04:00

{ G:host [21x36": graphite, silver acrylic, black spray, charcoal]

{ Time Machine [21x36": graphite, silver acrylic, black spray, pastels]

{ UFO Sighting [21x36": graphite, silver ink, black spray, acrylics]

Ceramics by Derek Weisberg

2011-03-15T10:34:00.001-04:00

Extraordinary works by artist Derek Weisberg. Click HERE, to visit his website, read artist statement, and view more portfolios.

Enlivening...

Love•A•Lot

2011-02-14T11:49:00.003-05:00

Check out these creations at Moist Productions by artist Jason Freeny. His on-line folios include digital, graphite and sculpted works.

Mirth loves these two pieces: Vintage 1982 Care Bear with sculpted inner anatomy (above), and Puzzle Cube embedded inside brain sculpt (image below) that resembles the infamous 80's Rubik's Cube. Trying to match those folds could make your head hurt.

Happy V-Day!

Is that really... Graffiti?

2011-02-10T09:03:00.003-05:00

Paint on buildings and structures seems to be on the hot topics list of Toronto's new Mayor Rob Ford.

Mirth does think most people would be mortified to see Ford's face all over city walls (like at left), even if graffitied or part of a promotional campaign poster.

Graffiti will always exist within the urban setting, no matter what the outcome. Ford's people need to learn what is a part of urban culture, be considerate to historical ads, and define actual vandalism before he sends his patrollers on a bylaw ticket frenzy.

Another factor to acknowledge is what people expect in the suburbs can vary to what those who choose to live in the heart of the city prefer. A walk along Queen Street West or in the Kensington Market area without seeing any street art would not be the same experience.

Canadian Rick Mercer is quoted in a Globe and Mail article (Yes-but-is-it-Graffiti, Feb 2011) that the mayor's efforts are misdirected: "I can assure you that there are artists who paint in the alley where I do my rant who will be remembered long after Rob Ford is gone...".

(Thanks to Eric Parker for the image via blogTO.)

Resolutions

2011-01-01T13:03:00.005-05:00

On this first day of the New Year, any resolutions? Cheers...

Above painting, After the Battle 1942, by Soviet Russian artist A.A. Deineka.

More on Deineka, HERE.

Deineka passed away in June 1969.

Tidings & Mistletoe

2010-12-25T08:42:00.003-05:00

Igloo painting by artist Rachell Sumpter.

Pa rum pum pum pum...

Joyeux Noël!

Xmas List Artisticles

2010-12-22T12:23:00.008-05:00

It's that Time to wrap up Mirth's creative juices of the season. In your stocking might be special recipes, art supplies, music mixes, a muse, tacky decorations, or a fun read – if it's warming Mirth in the studio, find them listed below. Google'em and try some on...

Friends & family;
Sufjan Stevens' Songs for Christmas recordings;
Newfoundland Screech Rum & eggnog;
Frisson l'écureuil par Mélanie Watt;
Journal secret du Petit Poucet par Lechermeier & Dautremer;
Mom's fruitcake with mint tea;
Yummy 3" Donut Mini-Plush blind boxes by Kidrobot;
The Universe of Keith Haring docu-film;
Papier-mâché recipes;
Robyn's Body Talk collection;
Homemade tourtières; and –
Antique Christmas trees.

Season's Greetings!

Deck The Alleys

2010-12-08T21:52:00.001-05:00

OCADu Screen Printing

2010-11-10T12:02:00.006-05:00

Special thanks to instructor Nicholas Shick and OCADu crew for putting on this all-day Portfolio Clinic workshop.

Check it out...
Boon!

Star Wars Art: Visions

2010-11-04T09:15:00.005-04:00

More Star Wars merchandise? This one is worth it! Check out this rad promo, HERE, on the newly released coffeetable book titled Star Wars Art: Visions. (via Tor.com)

What a great homage to Star Wars-inspired artists.

(Above: Princess Leia by Daniel E. Greene)

(Thanks to Lee Hamilton Blog for the heads-up)

Banksy stencil-art Hallowe'en costume...

2010-11-04T06:37:00.000-04:00

Best costume ever! Check out this guy's artistic transformation into Banksy's iconic "Flower Thrower" graffiti stencil, HERE. (via Boing Boing)

(Image: George Schnakenberg)

Self-Portraits: Andy Warhol

2010-10-31T06:18:00.001-04:00

Um, yes... Pop Art leader Andy Warhol, more HERE.

Mirth's fav Warhol insight/quote: "My instinct about painting says, 'if you don't think about it, it's right.' As soon as you have to decide and choose, it's wrong. And the more you decide about, the more wrong it gets..."

Warhol passed away on February 22, 1987.

Happy Halloween...

Haunted Hill [Bonus Set: Ghost Post]

2010-10-30T07:13:00.001-04:00

Haunted Hill [Set 3/3]

2010-10-29T09:20:00.011-04:00

Stay tuned for a bonus ghost post...

Haunted Hill [Set 2/3]

2010-10-28T06:01:00.001-04:00

Haunted Hill [Set 1/3]

2010-10-27T13:16:00.005-04:00

Above, is the first of three sets of photos taken over the past few weeks while hiking around the National Capital of Canada.

The main objective was to experiment with the various settings of the camera (Canon Digital Rebel XTi), practice with night shots, notice natural colours, discuss composition, and to work with or without a tripod.

The intent was to capture the haunting chill of Ottawa during this time of year and showcase touristic attractions in a different light. The sets feature Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court of Canada, Beechwood Cemetery, Strathcona Park, and other sites around the downtown.

The exercise was a shared collaboration between Mirth Blog & Lee Hamilton Blog, and all the photos were taken by both of us.

Countdown to Halloween...

Patrick + Avive + Bjorn

2010-10-23T15:54:00.005-04:00

More info on the artist, HERE.

M'adore...

Self-Portraits: Chuck Close

2010-10-19T11:24:00.012-04:00

Painter and photographer Chuck Close is best known for his large scale contemporary portraits painted in thousands of tiny airbrush details, thumbprints, and multicolour brushstrokes. Close was originally associated with a style of painting called Photorealism.

In this early 1970's style, artists created a link between representational art making and photography. Photorealists use a grid technique to enlarge an image by transforming each square into formal elements of design. Each grid, like a puzzle piece, is its own little work of art.

The above painting (acrylic on canvas) titled "Big Self-Portrait 1968" measures 107 1/2 x 83 1/2 inches unframed.

Since the early 2000's, the style is often referred to as Hyperrealism. Similar to digital imaging and pixels – Photorealism has taken the evolution of computerized software and digital equipment into new artistic directions.

Close is another artist that could have been included in the exhibit "Pop Life: Art in a Material World".

Close resides in Bridgehampton, New York.

Mirth snapped this street art representation of Close (photos below) a few years back, in an alleyway of Vancouver's Gastown.

Icon...

History of the Colour Wheel

2010-10-18T14:41:00.004-04:00

"The first colour wheel has been attributed to Sir Isaac Newton, who in 1706 arranged red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet into a natural progression on a rotating disk. As the disk spins, the colours blur together so rapidly that the human eye sees white. From there the organization of colour has taken many forms, from tables and charts, to triangles and and wheels the history..." Read more, HERE.

Also, colour wheel basic theory, HERE.

Hat tip to blog The Presurfer for directing us to the great colourlovers.com site.

UFO Sighting

2010-10-15T17:38:00.005-04:00

Old Hull Graffiti [post 3/3]

2010-10-14T07:43:00.006-04:00

Old Hull Graffiti [post 2/3]

2010-10-13T08:35:00.009-04:00

Old Hull Graffiti [post 1/3]

2010-10-12T21:07:00.006-04:00

Printopolis: International Symposium on Printmaking

2010-10-07T09:02:00.009-04:00

Open Studio presents Printopolis: "Printopolis is a 4-day symposium with an international focus on contemporary printmaking being presented by Open Studio and held in Toronto, Canada, October 21 - 24, 2010. Printopolis will feature issue-based panel discussions and/or presentations, artist talks, and printmaking demonstrations. This citywide event will feature exhibitions highlighting contemporary print media works on display throughout Toronto..."

Starting Thursday, October 21st to Sunday, October 24th.

More info and registration, HERE.

OCADu faculty, alumni, students, and mentors will also be printing in the streets in conjunction with Printopolis... Additional info, HERE.

Impress...

Montréal Sex & Arteries

2010-10-06T13:07:00.005-04:00

Time Waits For No Man

2010-10-04T10:05:00.009-04:00

Artist Brian Morris (self-portrait above) is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Visit his website, HERE, for info and to view more artworks.

Bona-fide...

NSCAD University

2010-09-30T11:27:00.011-04:00

The Government of Nova Scotia issued a new report on September 17th about post-secondary education in that province. Nova Scotia has eleven universities, in addition to the community college system.

The Nova Scotia College of Art & Design (NSCAD) officially obtained university status last year – along with the Ontario College of Art & Design, and Emily Carr in British Columbia.

The report highlights that a modest and strategic reorganization within the province's university system is recommended. In concern to NSCAD, the report suggests that the school should explore a merger and internal restructuring options. More specifically at pp. 168-169:

"Nova Scotia College of Art & Design (NSCAD) currently faces a significant cash flow problem in which there is no resolution short of a government intervention. However, even without its current deficit and debt problems, NSCAD has significant constraints on its capacity to expand its offerings or even to continue to offer the full range of current courses and programs. A significant portion of its existing space is not adequate for many of its programs, and it will ultimately require new infrastructure and new premises. Therefore, it makes sense to consider integrating NSCAD with an existing institution in the Halifax area as one way to circumscribe the infrastructure constraint. The arguments that have been made against the prospect of a merger with another university include the following: (a) the reputation of NSCAD is significantly stronger as an independent entity; (b) the perceived value of a merger would be less obvious in the absence of the current fiscal challenge, albeit the space constraint problem will persist even if the financial issue is resolved; and (c) ongoing operating and capital costs (beyond any short-term transition costs) would increase for a merged institution due to the high unit costs of many of NSCAD's programs and to the need to expand the specialized physical space required for those programs.

The most obvious merger partner would be Dalhousie University, as NSCAD already has some affiliation with the university and there is potential complementarity between the design programs at NSCAD and the architecture programs at Dalhousie, as well as between the broader fine arts programs at the two institutions. On the other hand, MSVU and Saint Mary's University (SMU) have the physical space for a NSCAD expansion, although the latter is more limited than the former in that regard. However, it is likely that any prospective partner would demand significant government support to overcome any significant cost consequences. A completely different option to consider is that NSCAD remains an independent institution but shrinks the range of programs it is currently offering. This is the internal restructuring option discussed below. If the most significant structural problem NSCAD is facing is adequacy of space to mount its full range of programs, it could reduce the scope of programs and courses offered to fit the infrastructure now available.

Recommendation 5(d): Explore both merger and internal restructuring options to address future financial challenges at the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design."

Download and read the full report, HERE.

NSCAD was founded in 1887.

Matthew Green: Carvery

2010-09-29T09:36:00.004-04:00

In the September issue of Juxtapoz, author Adam Creagan (Thrasher Magazine) is quoted: "The millions of cameras used every day that capture the same visible-light spectrum our eyes perceive have never produced compelling evidence of ghosts. Neither have the instruments that detect infrared to ultraviolet light, radiation, audio, motion - you name it. According to ghost mythology itself, these spirits shouldn't be hard to pinpoint since they don't wander around the countryside, but haunt specific locales. And, although ghosts are supposedly able to interact with the material world, their focus on manipulating cabinets doors and light switches instead of engaging in dialogue from the afterlife - by way of pencil - just makes the whole thing unconvincing. Nevertheless, whereas the art of someone like MARS-1 gives the impression of him having visited other planets for inspiration, it sometimes appears as if Matthew Green himself communes with ghosts."

Visit Matthew Green's website, HERE.

Also, visit MARS-1's website, HERE.

Supernatural...

Vancouver Equinox

2010-09-24T08:54:00.007-04:00

Mirth friend Giovanni Smaldino snapped the above harvest moon in Vancouver last night (over the old Expo 86 grounds). The photo was taken with his iPhone camera. Very artistic Gio!

Aaawwwooooo!

See previous gifts-posts-contributions from Gio:
112 W Hastings
Hymn to the North

Autumnal Artisticles

2010-09-23T08:22:00.006-04:00

Time to package Mirth's creative juices of the new equinox. May it be music, food snacks, art supplies, gadgets, a muse, garments, or a good read – if it's heartening Mirth in the studio, find them listed below. Google'em and try some on...

Sufjan Stevens' new promo-single I Walked;
Apica Note Books, made in Japan;
Pumpkin Ale by Great Lakes Brewery;
Marshall Berman's book All That Is Solid Melts Into Air;
Science Explorers' 3D Human Skull & Brain by Wild Republic;
Studio Gouache by Pébéo;
Whatcha Mean, What's A Zine? by Todd & Watson;
CBC Radio;
Milk n' cookies; and –
Halloween decorations.

Howling...

Self-Portraits: Egon Schiele

2010-09-22T10:01:00.005-04:00

Egon Schiele was a major Austrian figurative artist of the early 20th century. During that time he sketched and painted several self-portraits, including nudes.

Schiele was a protégé of Gustav Klimt.

Schiele passed on Halloween in 1918.

Déshabilleur...

Free All-Night Contemporary Art Event

2010-09-21T09:44:00.007-04:00

This year, Toronto's Nuit Blanche all-nighter is Saturday, October 2nd.

Starts at 6:57pm and goes until the break of dawn...

"Toronto's annual sunset to sunrise celebration of contemporary art returns to mark a five-year milestone.

Discover art in galleries, museums and unexpected places.

From building façades and city parks to alleyways and heritage buildings, choose from more than 130 destinations and chart your own path."

More info on the official website, HERE.

The site also has a special "My Night Itinerary Builder" feature to help plan and map your route ahead so you don't miss anything.

Sleepless...

The Meat Dress

2010-09-13T09:19:00.014-04:00

To give credit where it's due – the meat dress chef-d'oeuvre that Lady GaGa wore during last night's MTV Video Music Awards is taken from Canadian artist Jana Sterbak's 1987 art installation, Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic (images below). Hopefully, GaGa will mention that in upcoming interviews.

GaGa was quoted saying of the dress: "...it has many interpretations. For me this evening, if we don’t stand up for what we believe in and fight for our rights pretty soon, we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones. And, I am not a piece of meat."

GaGa can also be seen wearing meat garments on the latest cover of the September edition of Vogue Hommes Japan.
During the awards ceremony GaGa announced that her latest musical project would be titled: Born This Way. Interesting concept, even if it sounds like another frolic in exploiting gay culture. Don't get Mirth wrong, the lady is musically inclined and gives great theatrics – but GaGa's attempt does make prior performance artists seem more authentic.

Camille Paglia wrote a new essay for the Sunday Times Magazine that sums up the latest GaGa craze, read HERE.

Meaty...

Pop Life in the Capital

2010-09-10T22:09:00.011-04:00

The exhibition Pop Life: Art in a Material World is in it's final days at the National Gallery of Canada (on loan by London's Tate Modern). Mirth wanted to do a post on the attraction sooner – however, the angle never felt right.

Mirth visited the installation a few times and has mixed reviews about the collection. Those who visited the gallery with the hopes of seeing exceptional pieces by the featured artists left the gallery disappointed.

The show is about the artists' extravagant lifestyles and personal celebrity aspirations, and less about the art itself. Some pieces looked very cheap and out of context in person. Exceptions to this are Takashi Murakami's "Lonesome Cowboy (photo below)" and Jeff Koons' silver "Rabbit". Those pieces are pure eye candy. Nevertheless, Mirth mainly regards Koons' art as irrelevant in general.

The selected artists adhered to Andy Warhol's marketing strategy that "good business is the best art". There might be more to that adage than meets the eye. Artists need to be particularly savvy in business or marketing if they want to go beyond the middleman's lair, like Keith Haring achieved with his infamous Pop Shop. That could also be the main message of Andrea Fraser's work – that artists need to whore their art themselves in order for them to pocket what it's really worth. A pretty poignant message, though the exhibition lacked substance or visual consistency.

Mirth's biggest disappointment was the gallery's use of space and layout, especially with regard to some of the most prominent artwork. For example, Murakami's sculptures were displayed in a tiny separate room, and it was impossible to walk around them.

The exhibit had lots of Warhol, but did not include his greatest pieces. Although, it was nice to see some of the Jean-Michel Basquiat collaborations with Warhol. The expo barely had any Haring originals (aside from samples of past merchandise) and that made Mirth feel sad, especially considering that the earthquake that shook central Canada on June 23rd took place just as Mirth was first entering the rad replica of Haring's Pop Shop. Mirth stood in the threshold entrance with a security guard while the building shook. Was Haring trying to say something from beyond? Were the Muses expressing their chagrin? Work by other featured artists in the exhibit that I haven't already mentioned was simply blah (including Damien Hirst), although reading their bios and artist manifestos was an intriguing exercise.

Mirth is not doubting the merit of the art presented nor questioning the artists featured. It might have been different if the concept of "pop art" would have taken the forefront rather than the deeper "pop life". Artists like Touko Laaksonen, Peter Blake, Herb Ritts, and Steven Klein could have easily found their place on the floor.

Apparently, this is the exhibition's only North American stop (one wonders why conservative Ottawa over Montreal or Toronto?). Mirth might see the show again before it moves on, as all those personalities do have their place in art's recent history.

The show ends September 19th.

Road Trippin'

2010-08-31T20:45:00.000-04:00

Winnie Truong: Hirsutus

2010-08-12T09:56:00.006-04:00

Winnie Truong is the main attraction in a new exhibition dubbed "Hirsutus" opening today at 1082 Queen Street West in Toronto, ON.

The installation will be on display until September 5th.

The show features Truong's large-scale portraits done by pencil crayon and chalk pastel on paper. Her drawings elicit the drawn line to manipulate hair, flesh and blemish.

For more info, click HERE.

Truong is a recent graduate of OCADu.

View some of Truong's art from a previous post, HERE.

Bewhiskered...

Ottawa School of Art

2010-08-02T21:42:00.003-04:00

Self-Portraits: Franciszek Żmurko

2010-07-20T11:03:00.005-04:00

Self-portrait of Polish painter, Franciszek Żmurko – read more, HERE.

Żmurko passed away in 1910.

Exit Through The Gift Shop, A Banksy Film

2010-07-17T00:30:00.047-04:00

The anonymous street artist Banksy has been able to keep his true identity from the public ever since his work first began surfacing in the mid-nineties. Since then, many unsuccessful attempts to unmask Banksy have been made, with the hope of gaining more insight into the ideas that motivate his work.

With the recent release of the Bansky produced docu-film Exit Through The Gift Shop, Mirth was looking forward to glimpsing the inspiration behind the man behind the name. But the film takes the audience in a totally different direction, delving instead into the life of Thierry Guetta, a French amateur filmmaker whose friendship with artist Shepard Fairey led to his introduction to Bansky. It is through Guetta's eyes that the narrative unfolds, and the audience soon realizes that the real story is to be found between the lines.

Guetta is larger than life in his own way, and turns out to be the central focus of this Banksy film installment. The reveal of Mr. Brainwash (also known as MBW) in the second half of the film may be a surprise to some fans of MBW's relatively new body of work. MBW's pieces are heavily influenced by Andy Warhol, as well as Banksy. For example, MBW designed the cover art for Madonna's latest greatest hits album (Celebration, pictured at right). The big reveal, however, is merely one coat of paint on the larger picture.

Like Banksy's street art, his film is preoccupied with mass propaganda and the commercialization of art. Hence, the name of the film evokes the highly commercialized "product placement" people encounter following every tour of a museum, gallery or theme park as they exit via the gift shop. So the title itself is an implicit critique of what the art world has become.

Mirth questions if this is a trickle-down effect of Warhol, who took the business of art to a new level. Or of Jeff Koons, who features himself at the center of his work. Like Mr. Brainwash, Koons is surrounded by a corp of talented workers who produce pieces on demand. One is left to wonder how relevant the art becomes when it is manufactured in this way or, conversely, if this is just a new spin on an old game. After all, traditional artists have always produced commissioned pieces for the highest bidder.

Banksy's message is simple – people should let the art speak for itself, and not be influenced by its interpretation by the mainstream or by the criticism of high society. But the audience is left to make their own judgments. In one scene, Guetta interviews a heavily botoxed art curator showing her street art collection. She points out a Keith Haring original and glibly proclaims her disfavour for the artist, apparently oblivious to Haring's founding role in the street art movement. This made Mirth and most of the audience laugh out loud.

Why is it that curators and galleries derive more profit from artists' work than the artists themselves? Maybe that is why Banksy does not want to reveal himself, and why he is expanding his creative message into new media. Maybe that is why Haring cut out the middlemen and opened his Pop Shop – to avoid becoming a courtier of the curators. One has to admire Bansky for putting the obvious in everyone's faces with this film. Any artists can take their work directly to the people. Banksy is protesting the gilded caged. It is a new form of revolt against the curator who, like the elephant in the room, has become the irrelevant one.

The art consumer does not escape unscathed. This film pokes fun at those who would pay outrageous sums for art that was originally free. It is no longer street art when it is sold in a gallery.

Street art has a short life once it is pasted or painted on the streets. And some people consider it vandalism, not art. With this film, Banksy is expanding the lifespan of his ideas and taking his medium to a new wall – the movie screen.

Who is Banksy? In the film, he appears hooded, his features obscured and his voice altered... But one wonders if he revealed his true self in the film? People say the film is an art prank and that certainly fits the Banksy modus operandi. Mirth thinks the film is a piece of art that points out what is wrong with the current art world. Most left the theater clapping their hands. Some left still questioning, who is Banksy or what is Mr. Brainwash all about?

Maybe Madonna knows!

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

2010-07-09T21:26:00.006-04:00

The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (TOAE) is this weekend at the Nathan Phillips Square, for details click HERE.

Admission is: free.

Read more from blogTO, HERE.

Rain or shine...

See you there!(Image above of last year's TOAE, from blogTO)

Kingston, ON

2010-07-08T12:26:00.006-04:00

Self-Portraits: Keith Haring

2010-07-07T20:27:00.010-04:00

Mirth would like to introduce the first in what will be a series of artists' self-portraits.

Posted in the lead, is none other than the radiant Keith Haring...

Mirth is currently reading Keith Haring's Journals.

Who's next?

Sudbury Update

2010-07-04T23:39:00.009-04:00

Une fin, un début, un milieu – great news:

"Brazilian mining giant Vale has reached a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers to end an Ontario strike that has lasted nearly a year." Read: Vale settles with Sudbury miners, from CBC News, HERE.

"Year-long strike by former Inco workers has cost $4-million a week in lost payroll and raised questions about foreign ownership of Canadian resources..." Read: Vale reaches tentative deal with Sudbury miners to end historic strike, from the Globe and Mail, HERE.

Read more updates from the Sudbury Star, HERE.

View Mirth's original Sudbury Rocks post, HERE.

The glasses they will tinkle...

Harper's Army, G8/G20 Graffiti in Toronto

2010-06-30T11:48:00.007-04:00

This street art by Posterchild captured Mirth's sentiments vis-à-vis the G8/G20 meetings in Toronto, ON.

Hat tip to blogTO for posting these photos by Martinho (click name, for a portfolio dubbed Fort G20 Toronto in retrospect).

The graffiti was found at Dundas and Dupont.

Happy Canada Day... guess there won't be many fireworks this year.

Keith Haring, Art Hero

2010-06-24T19:28:00.000-04:00

Keith Haring, Still The Icon...

2010-06-19T16:55:00.060-04:00

Mirth is a big fan of New York art hero Keith Haring... a pioneer of the street art movement. Not only was Haring an extraordinary artist, he was a social activist who really did fight the powers that be.

The June issue of Juxtapoz features a special cover and article in memoriam of the 20th anniversary of Haring's passing.

The mag decided to commemorate his life and career with an interview with gallery owner and friend, Tony Shafrazi. He was the first to curate some of Haring's most important artworks.

"Being highly animated, he was a remarkable dancer and mover, very athletic. That is how he was able to draw so fluidly and interpret the whole motion."

The article recollects Haring's artistic lifework, street culture, personality and special friendships with Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf, Andy Warhol, and Madonna.

"He, Jean-Michel, Kenny and Madonna started a club together. She and Keith were best of friends because he generated that energy and Madonna then was really mostly a dancer. It was a remarkable art club they created, with performances Saturday mornings, science fiction movies, and one-day art shows. The Paradise Garage was where Madonna had her first performance. When she did 'Like A Virgin' they created a pink satin bed, tilted forward towards Diana Ross, who was watching maybe 2-feet away."

Click HERE, to view a special post with images of art pieces he and Warhol collaborated on together (above), as wedding gifts to Madonna & Sean Penn. Madonna & Penn divorced in 1989.

The subscriber-exclusive issue features polaroids of Haring on the cover (above). The polaroids are a selection of self-portraits from the Keith Haring Foundation archives.

At right, is the newsstand cover with a print of his famous figures, available now.

Madonna often remembers Haring in her projects – most recently, in a backdrop video for the 'Into The Groove' segment (watch, HERE) of the Sticky & Sweet tour.

Her performance of 'Like A Virgin' from the Blond Ambition tour was very reminiscent of Shafrazi's description of the art performance from the Paradise Garage days.

She also wrote the song 'In This Life' from Erotica in his memory.

Keith Haring passed away in February 1990.
You can visit the Keith Haring Foundation, HERE, to learn more about the artist and efforts to support AIDS-related charities.

Mirth will prepare a special post on some of his iconic characters, graffiti and artworks.

Heartening...

Sudbury Rocks {bonus post}

2010-06-17T21:32:00.006-04:00

Sudbury Rocks {post 2/2}

2010-06-13T20:28:00.003-04:00

Art School Confidential

2010-06-06T13:33:00.004-04:00

Hat tip to Torontonian, Russ Martin, for blogging his poetic take of the recent grad exhibit at OCADu: "It’s been brilliant and inspired, clichéd and tossed together."...

"It’s into those unknown waters now we’ll have to go. With all and art over, we’ll soon slip signed and stamped papers under our arms and rush out into the world."

Read Art School Confidential, HERE.

Idyllic...

(Above photograph by Russ Martin)

Sudbury Rocks {post 1/2}

2010-06-04T09:55:00.017-04:00

CBC Radio featured this podcast report (linked below) last November, in regards to the continuing plight between Steelworkers, Miners, and the community – versus the relatively new owners of Inco in Sudubry, Ontario.

Sudbury, now known as Greater Sudbury has been a mining town since the early days of the First World War. In fact, Sudbury was once known as the Nickel Capital of the World.

In 2006, the federal government allowed a Brazilian company, Vale, to purchase Inco mine and manage its natural resources. In the process, Vale has decided to alter worker contracts and go after employee pension securities. Listen to the link below for more details entitled,
A Mining Town (Nov 16/09):

"Steelworkers at the Inco mine in Sudbury have been on strike since July 2009. The city has seen strikes before but this time the community support for the workers is showing how divided the community is about the role its past will play in its future."

Listen to the podcast here:

(Right-click here to download the mp3)

Mirth is dismayed about these on-going issues in Sudbury. When will the government intervene? Why is a foreign company allowed to administer some of our country's own natural resources? This is impacting all the laid-off workers along with their families, and is slowly destroying the entire community.

Now is the time for Canadians to take a stand and show support to our fellow Sudburians...

Life After Death

2010-05-29T09:24:00.004-04:00

Artist Daphne Todd has been shortlisted as a nominee of the BP Portrait Award for her painting titled Last Portrait of Mother. The fascinating portrait depicts her 100-year-old mother shortly after death. Read article from the Guardian, HERE.

"Daphne Todd did not cry while she painted her dead mother. For three long days she gazed objectively at the lifeless form of 100-year-old Annie Mary Todd and painted exactly what she saw — yellow skin as thin as paper, sunken chest, hollow eye sockets, toothless mouth." Another article from the Evening Standard, HERE.

Daphne Todd was a teacher to one of Mirth's art instructors, Pamela Cockroft-Lasserre, during her studies at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, University of the Arts (Byam Shaw School of Drawing & Painting) in London, UK.

Read more about the BP Portrait Award (and its clash with protest group Art Not Oil), HERE.

Renaissance...

Winnie Truong

2010-05-20T20:50:00.001-04:00

Dynamic artist Winnie Truong is a recent graduate of OCADu. For more info and to view additional portfolios, click HERE for her website.

Walloping...

Enter OCAD >> Best in Show

2010-05-13T18:48:00.007-04:00

Mirth had an amiable stay in Toronto, last weekend at OCAD's 95th Annual Grad Show. All six floors at the 100 McCaul Street campus were converted into an interactive expo and was open to the public.

Mirth was fascinated to observe the interaction of the students with visitors, and to spend time on campus. There was lots to see, and some installations were exemplary.

Mirth was particularly interested in the illustration, drawing & painting, printmaking, and graphic design exhibitions.

Each year, OCAD awards medals to students in recognition of outstanding work. It was apparent why those selected were true winners - nonetheless, the medalists were not necessarily Mirth's favourites.

Read OCAD's press release on the 2010 medal winners, HERE.

Below, are some of the works that enticed Mirth... (Click name to open artist website and view additional portfolios, statement, blog, etc.).

Aaron Li-Hill >>

Evin Collis >>

Adrian Forrow (Medal Winner, Illustration) >>

Winnie Truong (Mirth's overall favourite) >>

Frank Frazetta, R.I.P.

2010-05-10T21:41:00.000-04:00

NY Times Arts section reports: "Frank Frazetta, an illustrator of comic books, movie posters and paperback book covers whose visions of musclebound men fighting with swords and axes to defend scantily dressed women helped define fantasy heroes like Conan, Tarzan and John Carter of Mars, died on Monday in Fort Myers, Fla. He was 82."

View more of Frank Frazetta's work from an unofficial fansite, HERE.

R.I.P.

Enter OCAD

2010-05-02T21:43:00.005-04:00

The thesis students at OCAD have been very busy transforming the university campus into an interactive gallery. The school's 95th Annual Grad Show dubbed Enter OCAD begins this Thursday at 6:30 pm.

Click HERE for opening night details and exhibition hours.

OCAD is located at 100 McCaul Street in downtown Toronto.

Mirth has plans to attend.

Tidings to follow...

Furthermore, NSCAD and Emily Carr University are also hosting annual graduation events this week.

Artful...

Red Letter Day

2010-04-09T23:18:00.011-04:00

There comes a time when one has to balls up and bite the apple... bag and baggage. Bloody, but unbowed.

No more pie in the sky – unless it's apple pie, made for a starving artist.

(Above, are photos of the boy from The Secret Bench of Knowledge by Artist Lea Vivot. The full sculpture is located on the front terrace of the National Library & Archives on Wellington Street in Ottawa, ON)

Early Springtime Artisticles

2010-04-01T19:29:00.008-04:00

Time to bare Mirth's creative juices of the spring. May it be music, food, art supplies, gadgets, a muse, garments, software, or a good read – if it's inspiring Mirth in the studio, find them listed below. No April Fool's here. Google'em and try some on...

Life Models;
Daler-Rowney inks;
Deluxe album Elements of Freedom by Alicia Keys;
Graphic Design: A Concise History by Richard Hollis;
Starmania soundtracks;
Dark chocolate covered coffee beans;
Visual Guides: The Human Body software (works with iPod);
Robyn's new promo-single Dancing On My Own;
Human Anatomy book {from the Renaissance to the Digital Age} by Rifkin, Ackerman, and Folkenberg;
Smirnoff blueberry vodka;
Montana Gold spray paints;
Sign Language books; and –
Tulips, one of Mirth's favourite springtime flower.

Otto Dix

2010-03-18T18:30:00.006-04:00

Otto Dix (self-portrait, above) is a German artist who was deeply conflicted by the realities of the First and Second World Wars.

During his life, he employed art (painting and printmaking) as a healing progression to depict imageries of his recurring nightmares and post-war suffering. He is considered one of the most influential artists of the New Objectivity art movement.

Otto Dix passed away in 1969.

Mirth is greatly inspired by the panache and expression of Otto Dix. He has documented momentous times through art.

Inspirierend...

Viking: The Long Cold Fire

2010-03-14T19:03:00.011-04:00

Mirth's latest craze is the illustriously inky comicbook series Viking – scripted by Ivan Brandon & illustrated by Nic Klein.

Mirth is amorous about Nic Klein, his ingenious art-style, and use of colour.

Visit Nic Klein's blog, HERE.

Art of the Dark Ages...

Vancouver in Watercolours

2010-03-07T17:02:00.007-05:00

These West Cost-themed watercolours (above) are the artworks of Vancouver-based artist Hilary Morris. Visit her website Beaver Pond, to view her portfolios – or visit the Hilary Morris Studios on Granville Island in Vancouver, BC.

Colourful...

It's the sound of my shoes!

2010-03-05T07:32:00.008-05:00

Governor-General Michaëlle Jean displayed her support for the arts by wearing shoes by Canadian shoe designer Johnny Fluevog to deliver the throne speech.
"Michaëlle Jean shares Madonna's taste in shoes" via The Globe and Mail, HERE.

HERE you can see her "try them on for size", during her sojourn at the Vancouver Winter Games.

The G-G is not the only one on Parliament Hill who has a zeal for fabulous shoes. HERE is Montreal Liberal MP Justin Trudeau (below) in a pair of Fluevogs via Macleans.ca.

I love that sound...

Governor-General values Arts & Culture

2010-03-01T21:26:00.008-05:00

Last week in Montreal, Governor-General Michaëlle Jean gave this statement: "Culture must be able to express itself everywhere and always, and be accessible to as many people as possible, for it bears within it our choices, our hopes, our memory and our imagination."

Read a great summary, HERE via View on Canadian Art (VoCA).

Also, read this blog post: New G-G for Canada? via Platonic Shift.

(Image: canadianart.ca)

Vancouver {Post 3/3} Gold

2010-02-28T11:44:00.006-05:00

The Red Mittens

2010-02-28T08:10:00.002-05:00

Hat tip to the Canadian Design Resource for posting the promo-posters for the Red Mittens initiative, HERE.

These mittens literally kept hands across Canada warm in support of our Canadian athletes during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. The design of the mitten is simple-yet-practical with a white maple leaf sown on the palm of the mitten, ready to be waved in the air. It makes for a stunning visual effect.

Wear your heart on your hands tonight!