There are few artists whose work actually makes me swoon. Francis Alÿs is one of them. I like to pretend that each piece was made just for me…like he knows exactly which buttons to press that will make my heart flutter, or better yet, break. Here’s one of my faves:
May 19, 2009
Favorite Artists: Klaus Nomi
In college, one of my professors gave me a Klaus Nomi cd. She thought I had no heart because I didn’t care for Robert Smithson, and that I needed a jump start to having emotions. I still don’t care much about Smithson, but I now love Klaus Nomi. A brilliant example of art meets life (and death…), Klaus Nomi was an amazing performer (I think. I wasn’t there). There’s a documentary if you don’t believe me, and a slew of Youtube videos (see below). It’s just so beautiful and tragic, and strange and amazing all at the same time.
Buy the DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Nomi-Song-Klaus-Odyssey/dp/B00096S43U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1242745093&sr=8-2
Learning to Love You More
Now a closed archive of hundreds of reader submissions, Learning to Love You More was a project by Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher that invited people to submit solutions to a large number of given “assignments”. The following is a collection from “Assignment #55: Photograph a significant outfit.” The solutions all have explanations, ranging from the simple to the tragic…
One that made me cry (the white/black polka dot dress): “This is what I wore when I gave a speech at my brother’s wedding. He got married on my mother’s 54th birthday. She only made it to 52.” -Anna Katrina, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Get your share of laughs and tears: http://www.learningtoloveyoumore.com
Favorite Artists: Juan Muñoz
I first saw Juan Muñoz’ work around the time of his death, give or take a year, and the two are forever intertwined in my memory and emotion banks. Add to the story the fact that at the time, I was drawing and painting people with giant, grotesque smiles, and you’ve got yourself an otherworldly feeling. I love his use of space, how he would hang something in the middle of a giant space with extreme minimalism (ok, a hanged sculpture of a man is not completely minimalist). I’m also a big fan of giant smiles, especially when added to creepy little bronze people with giant balls for bodies.
