John Baldessari Lives Here

I have threatened to find John Baldessari's house for a couple years and I can cross that off the Artist Stalking list as of last week. Above is the video still from A Brief History of John Baldessari and below is his house. The foliage has grown considerably between the two.

Of all the artist's houses I have seen, this one is my favorite (read: I am most envious of this location and design = this is something to strive for one day).

There were two visits to this Venice Beach complex because I neglected to bring the big camera the first time. This blown out photograph features the front door open (!) and evidence of someone moving around in the house (!!).

The second day, the sun was in a better position (damn this winter light) and the front door was closed.

On both days, this truck was parked out front complete with a map of the US tossed in back. That small detail was a highlight since one of my favorite artworks of his is California Map Project.

Also, see that bush on the far right of the house in the photograph below?

A piece of Camden's Rock was tossed there.

Next up... Ed Ruscha.

"More Than You Wanted to Know About John Baldessari: Volume 1 and 2"

Interview here. Books available here.

Belated NYC Post (quickest trip yet)

Winter Break ends so early this year that I have been inundated with syllabi, handouts, committee work and powerpoints since the day after Christmas. Wishing I could write more about this post but before it gets lost in the wayside, here are some images.

Mike Kelley's retrospective at PS 1 was first and foremost on the list. Another post is in the works featuring a handful of his drawing but this cartoon like signature was a favorite.

Mike Kelley at PS 1

Mike Kelley, Deodorized Central Mass with Satellites (and detail of hanging tails), 1991/1999

Most chaotic / crazy / can't imagine being a museum guard working this room all day / didn't get enough of installation: Day is Done.

 

Entry installation and video to Day is Done.

  

In light of a recent visit to Kelley's Mobile Homestead in Detroit, photographing this model of all the artist's schools he attended (and family home) was essential.

Another must-see was Scott Reeder's People Call Me Scott at Lisa Cooley Gallery (installation view). Who doesn't like witty text paintings and spray-painted pasta?

 Scott Reeder, Alternate Titles... (spent the rest of the day thinking of additions).

Some Chelsea gallery highlights:

Tony Feher at Sikkema Jenkins Co., Untitled, 2013 (glass bottles with water, food dye and aluminum caps)

Tony Feher encore, Parlor Trix, 2013 (loved the suspension of glass work)

Richard Serra at Gagosian Gallery

Most sought after and appreciated souvenir: any brochure from David Zwirner Gallery especially if it features an exhibition like Ad Reinhardt's "black" paintings and comics.

Julie Cockburn's hand embroidered found photographs at Yossi Milo.

Finally, a visit to MoMA during a snow storm. I had the great fortune of seeing the last two versions of New Photography and was particularly interested in this year's because of the dominant use of analog processes. It did not disappoint.

Anna Ostoya used all the overlooked corners at heights far greater than centered at 60".

Brendan Fowler's "crash pieces" combined multiple picture frames.

Mariah Robertson's 11 from the XL: 19 New Acquisitions in Photography exhibition (using all 100' of a roll of photo paper)

Reflection in a detail of John Baldessari's Throwing Four Balls in the Air to Get a Square with gallery lights interfering with the shape in Ileana Sonnabend: Ambassador for the New.

Jeff Koons, Pink Panther in the Sonnabend exhibition

Five New (to me) Earthworks & Part II to an Old Favorite

From Ends of the Earth: Art of the Land to 1974 (in conjunction with the traveling exhibition at MOCA and Haus der Kunst, Munich 2012-2013)

Robert Kinmont, 8 Natural Handstands, 1969/2009

Each handstand is a sculptural act emulating an upside-down view of Atlas holding up the world. See the rest here.

Avital Geva, Covering of Sidewalks and Roads with Silage, 1971

Milenko Natanovic (Oho Group), Wheat and Rope, 1969

Richard Long, A Line the Same Length as a Straight Walk from the Bottom to the Top of Silbury Hill, 1970/2012

Here is an excellent link showing it's recreation last year.

Cildo Meireles, Physical Art Cords / 30 KM Extended Line, 1969 (image via)

John Baldessari, California Map Project Part II: State Capital, 1969

Baldessari inserted a red star indicating "capital" on a map in front of the physical capitol building in Sacramento.

Artist Stalking Again

I may or may not have learned where this house is located above. Another reason to visit Venice Beach in the not so distant future.

Also, my essay, Stalking Artists: In Pursuit of Home, will be published in an upcoming issue of Art Review. I am very happy to add another authored publication to the website, resumé, and life long goal of becoming a writer.

Winter 2013 Postcard Collective Submission

Ordering paper is on this hour's agenda. 8.5" x 11" prints coming soon.

Emoji Art History: The Not So Serious Side Project (Part 1)

It began during finals week at the end of last semester while lying in bed unable to sleep. Deliriously I began recreating works of art with the Emoji app on my iPhone and posted 18 of the results on Instagram. I stopped for a month but kept thinking of new ones. Five weeks later with the new Postcard Collective Winter submission deadline looming, I revisited it. I settled on a form, deciding that I would simulate texting the artist at the top and include only the title of the artwork below. There are many limitations of Emoji - unfortunately there are not enough icons to create some of my favorite artworks (I am still wishing I could do more with Duchamp). Here are 28 in no particular order with a list of 15 others to attempt (coming soon).

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: David Hockney

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Walter De Maria

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Yves Klein (with a little help from a friend)

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Wayne Thiebaud

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Vincent van Gogh

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Sol LeWitt

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Sherrie Levine

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Roy Lichtenstein

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Robert Smithson

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Maurizio Cattelan

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Mark Di Suvero

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Marcel Duchamp

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: John Baldessari

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Jeff Koons

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Janine Antoni

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Henri Rousseau

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Grant Wood

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Georgia O'Keeffe

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Frida Kahlo

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Felix Gonzalez-Torres

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Eleanor Antin

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Ed Ruscha

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Damien Hirst

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Christian Marclay (made while staring at Marclay during an artists' conversation at the Wexner Art Center last night)

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Andy Warhol

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Edvard Munch

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Maya Lin

Jacinda Russell, Emoji Art History: Tom Friedman

One of my favorite parts was pretending for a few brief minutes that I did indeed have all these artists as contacts in my phone.