Rashid Johnson and Phantom Limb at the MCA

I finally made it to the MCA so I could take a look at two new exhibits: Rashid Johnson: Message to Our Folks and Phantom Limb: Approaches to Painting Today.

My favorite part of the Rashid Johnson exhibit was his photography.

Rashid Johnson, The New Negro Escapist Social and Athletic Club (Emmett), 2008

Rashid Johnson, Self Portrait as the Professor of Astronomy, Miscegenation and Critical Theory at the New Negro Escapist Social and Athletic Club Center for Graduate Studies, 2008

Rashid Johnson, Self-Portrait with my hair parted like Frederick Douglass, 2003

What exquisite portraits!  The reference to W.E.B. DuBois' concept of double consciousness made them all the more profound.  I also like the way in which the portraits show a variety of African-American men. He wants to tell the world that there is no singular "Black Experience" and I think his work exemplifies that.

There is also a great sculpture of cross hairs, a reference to the logo for NWA that is also symbolic of the urban violence that has taken the lives of so many young Black men. In perhaps one of the best art label captions I've read so far, the text says that it is unclear which side of the cross hairs we are on. I am not sure who wrote that, but they deserve some recognition for making such a direct and unpretentious statement, a rare find on art museum walls these days.

Rashid Johnson, Triple Consciousness, 2009. Black soap, wax, vinyl in album covers, spray enamel, shea butter, plant and brass

I have to admit I'm not really a fan of most video or installation art. Perhaps all the courses I took in cinema studies and interior design have made me expect something different from what is typically shown in art museums.  I was amused, however, at Johnson's use of things like Al Green and Bob James LPs and shea butter in his installations.  The little vignettes he put them in reminded me of the living rooms of older people I've known who haven't made renovations since the 70s, giving their homes the feeling of a time capsule.  He calls his process “hijacking the domestic" and I can definitely see that in his work.  Also, since his work is inspired by hip-hop, including those particular albums makes sense because both Al Green and Bob James have had many of their songs sampled by hip-hop artists.

The Phantom Limb show made me smile because the first piece I saw was by one of my favorite artists, Robert Rauschenberg. 

I also really liked this untitled piece by Richard Jackson. He used the smaller canvases to smear paint on the larger ones, avoiding paint brushes altogether.

Shows like this one help me to keep an open mind about what painting and art really mean, and show me possibilities I may not have considered before.

Message To Our Folks will run until August 5th and Phantom Limb is on display until October 21st.  Admission is free on Tuesdays for Illinois residents, and annual memberships are definitely worth it.

New prices coming in August

I will be raising the prices of my artwork in August.  The prices of my paintings have remained the same since I finished graduate school in 2009.  Three years later, after participating in numerous art shows, the time has come to increase them so that I can sustain my art practice.

If you're a collector, this is great news.  The art you have purchased from me has appreciated in value.  If you've been thinking about buying a painting, you have a few weeks to get one at the current prices.

Please note that the prices for the photos in The Doll Project will not increase, nor will the hourly fee for my interior design services. 


Thanks to everyone who has supported me by purchasing my art.  I really appreciate it!

The colors and textures of NeoCon 2012

With so much to look at, it's easy to experience a sort of sensory overload at a show at the Merchandise Mart, and NeoCon is no exception.  So it's no surprise I almost forgot to write in detail about the colors and textures on display.

Hair on hide leather is going to a new level of interest with laser-cut designs.  This is what the always edgy Edelman Leather is doing:

They've got some competition from Tiger Leather, which is featuring a striking embossed patent leather line:

I had the privilege of attending John Turner's Benjamin Moore 2013 Color Pulse presentation. How fascinating to learn about the origins of the color forecast, as a team of color experts traveled the globe to explore art, fashion, and design shows and report their findings.

 John told us that pastels are going to make a comeback, that accidental color combinations coming from the use of found and recycled materials will become more prevalent, and that black and white will not be a very common color scheme in the coming year or two.

Though for the most part their forecast was in a similar vein, Shaw Contract Group has some interesting predictions of their own.  They took social unrest into account in their predictions.  Did you know the Occupy movement has a color scheme?  Here it is:

When it comes to color trend predictions, I've learned not to always take them literally. I like what I like, as does every individual, regardless of marketing departments pushing this year's "new black" on all of us.  Right now, I'm particularly fond of colors somewhere between magenta and violet.  I'm enraptured by this gorgeous velvet sofa from the Robert Allen booth :




As for textures, the theme appeared to be a study in contrasts, rough/smooth, organic/geometric, glossy/rugged.  These are the sorts of ideas that I will take with me to my studio.











I also realized that some of the products I saw would be great for an installation or sculpture.  Just think of what I could do with these panels:





The space age material at the bottom is a metal foam!

My artistic process is inspired by interior design, and my interior design process is inspired by art.