ARTISTS TALKING

# 10 [4 December 2008]

Out and about. page 1 of  3.
Weather wet.

I had an odd collision, or, in context with this blog report, a happening!
A coach trip with a English-French society shopping trip, where I ducked out on arrival from the shopping part in favor of culture!
'True to Life.' Lawrence  book ( instructions in it on parallel reading program  suggested) on twenty five years of conversation with David

Hockney, despite my spell checker wanting to call him hackney.

Reading this on the coach going there, maybe that did not sit well in my mind with my arrival at cultural centre, come to think of it!
CAPC Musee of  d'art Contemporin de Bordeaux.

Hippies!

An exhibition with no name (or maybe Betrayal) yet a leaflet telling you where it is, and finding (pleasantly) 'The Dinning room,' by Richard Jackson, and hippies, oh, did I mention them already, then think GONG the music band!

Had a handful of leaflets and the major space was so dimly lit I had to duck in and out of well lit spaces to read them, where I came across others doing the same, still confused!

A further  exhibition's were eventually found, 'New forms of collective housing in Europe.' In short, new block development mass housing for people who already have a bank account. Up from bottom layer stuff or nice apartments for under a thousand euroes a meter build price!

Finally the potential development of Bordeaux, another once military metropolis of a lost British colony. New build prices will probably be for under a thousand euroes a meter build price !

Hummmmm, described the exhibition's!
See 2

# 9 [4 December 2008]

2 Cont…
Sounds loads of exhibition eh!

Well the book is a good light read on an artists daily work through of stuff's!

All the exhibition's seemed thin on the ground.

The museum is so big that it is hard to have an exhibition in its large centre space and not have it dwarfed by the size, yet great for big installations.

The museum is supposed to have some permanent collection. I have never found them in seven years to be on display: http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/museums/museum-profile/id/195.html!
http://www.bordeaux.fr/ebx/portals/ebx.portal?_nfp...
I was in Dublin this year and was told its entire PERMANENT modern art collection  which I had trudged up probably the only hill to see was in storage waiting a new gallery. I wanted to argue the meaning of the word permanent,  yet my partner ribbed me with a knowing elbow to move on. Since then I have collected the museums interpretations and it just seems to mean we have them permanently  and…!

So I now call first and ask if the permanent exhibition is on display the day I want to see it. Seems safe!

The hippy show literature made this odd statements which seemed to try an separate hippies into country cultures. French hippies must be an oxymoron I think as I read dum de dum … Projects have considered the issues from the point of view of the Anglo-Saxon context.
IOA henceforth represents the first light ever shed on psychedelics as seen from the French context and its , many  international ramifications.
It goes on to make a case for the French to have missed out cos of suppression's in the media &c. The French still sing this song now by the way, about most things. They kind of generally feel left out or left behind a lot!?
------------
See 3

# 8 [4 December 2008]

3 cont…
It's a couple of days now since going to the gallery show and I can not find out what IOA stands for other than a large amount of things when looked up!

I think it was all set up for music, and just as one does now and then, I had missed the band!

Its an inflated bull frog of a  statement that the French had to catch up, as they all looked like hippies to me. The ramifications were not at all evident or on display, except a  bar, which obviously served (passed tense) drinks, yet could have been an exhibit yet as the space was in low light it was hard to tell!  

I have read through the 9 duplex sheets handed out as I paid my five Euros entrance. All I can say is, if half the content of the hand out had been present it would have been one of the most engaging exhibitions; as it was the band had gone home and the cleaners were expected!

I did see an unexpected photo projection of Jack Kerouacs last possessions, his typewriter and ruck sack, his cooker and what have you. I first saw these in America (made a pilgrimage to them), maybe ten years back, and they were exactly the same, in the same cabinet and the same museum. Did this possible 1969+ photo imply they had not moved for all this time?

----------

The Architectural exhibition was usual. A carefully dissected would have been glossy coffee table book on boards with splurges of facts on other boards or daringly  stuck to a wall. Video repeating of the same and just for measure a large projected digital on a wall cinema, um of the same. They even had the publications chained to a table, which I thought could be suspiciously an overt art object in the care and selection of the chain!

I left as the hordes of school children arrived with noisy teachers in tow in the main space, French teachers speak really loudly and with scary worldly confidence.  I did wonder how the three footer's were going to see into the cabinets taller than they were. And I was quite puzzled how the teachers were first going to explain to them LSD and more interested if they were going to attempt the harder question of IAO!?

Foot to eye to head rating of 3.5 - overall, yet 10 specifically for Richard Jackson for providing the Art along with others in the Betrayal (collection)!

I did find this: http://www.myspace.com/iaofestival. Looks great fun putting this up.

Strange places French Art forums,even after '68 and all that!

Mbro
88®

# 7 [27 November 2008]

Well today, this week, I have felt frustration with progress or lack of with all my universe . 

I am told my registering for a trade mark went through and on towards the two month waiting stage!

I have been back working on my web site. Do not feel up to much Art wise.

I think the general gloom about economics is finally getting to me. 

Bought some shares to see if it made me feel better. Worked for a day!

Doodled today with old early work I often use to learn by in different mediums. Tis simple and quick and I can give them away as I go!

First electronic one. Usually paint them in left over oils or whatever! 

Also am registering a domain name when I am satisfied with it. That has been the weeks problem, procrastination and the fact that winter is in her comfy chair here now and it's cold, yuck! ( although it is wonderfully sunny for four hours in the afternoons!)

In fact I may be on time for my own deadlines by Christmas. Done most all the learning curves this year now. I did make some progress in realising I can print on some very cool materials and maybe get away from canvas, Dufaflex 'glass'(?) looks fun. Anyone worked with this give me a line if you want. I'd like to here how it pans out as a material?!

Anxious I have made no money the last few months. Maybe that is also a part of the whatever crunch!

Mbro88®

# 6 [17 November 2008]

Just popping in!

The blog here is coming over a bit jumpy from topic to topic. Cos I have been living with this for years. Some agendas are very old, some just cropping up and others forming as I go!

I have worked a bit on three or four things this last couple of weeks, while trying to work on at least just two, Ho hum!

Still have not got around to the oils and bees. Did do some more Finnish poem, yet turned mainly into more reading, yet did get some clues as to a set of possible directions after the big painting / print. There is a sculpture in the wings as well I know about. It just came up one day and worked itself out in my head. 

Anyway I got into doing some of another series, well two of. One one about Kidney transplantation, of which I have loads of material I need to get into shape. So I took a stab at it and put it up on the Modern painters site.

Also did similar to the series titled: Process. The process paintings are, among other things, progress through practice in what I am experiencing in the doing and learning of the production of the Art. A kind of diary.

I like to look back and see where that was then, ergo were I was. They are sincerely worked pieces and aim to be a little on the large, anthem like pieces.

I have been reading others blogs here and there is sure a lot of variety. Quite inspiring really to feel loads of folks get up and see!

 I went to England, Kent, for a long weekend and had to sit on my hands as the weather was so wet, we were staying by a river (Medway) which had a flood plain.

It was flooded by the opening of flood gates further up stream. It crated this lake with an autumnal back ground. If I took my camera out I knew I would now be working on the shots I had taken. So I censored myself and resisted!

Mbro88

# 5 [5 November 2008]

 Some background to the Finnish work!

Aino.

Aino  is* a manifestation and a metamorphosis figure in the Finnish singing of the runes.  To me she only manifests in alpha mans mind. She is alpha motivation.

Her representation in the rune songs is a transformation process from her earliest manifestation as Either. I interpret this as the space of nothing and before post loaded science. A simple nothing without layer definitions.

Eithers story is the earliest creation story I have found and its record begins on the planet.

There are stories, like that of Thoth, Hermes, who tell of a farther, a son and the spears (off planet stories), yet it is much later!

In fact in the runes *Aino is never named except by the compiler of the runes to word poems, Lönnrot. Yet she represents Omega woman. 'She' in fact. However, it is not clear to me if Either is a she or just the vassal, and therefore sexless.

The Rendering of Aino as a salmon is one of her final transformations although she does transform thought human history more. 

For me the salmon is the point were she becomes a practical symbol from that of the spoken word, released of the mind-scape.  The salmon represents her in nature. She becomes a polyglot of meanings and as she is handed to us down histories she further transforms herself as is a Woman defined. We are unclear in our own age of her beauty, or less so in my opinion than subsequent representations in antiquity.

Maybe she has been diluted by more modern religious enthusiasm's over the simple wish to relate to nature as mother and less of a desire for us to question our relationship to these notions!

Anyway I have painted and drawn and rendered and computed her as a Beautiful Salmon fish. I am happy to maintain her second manifestation, after Either, when she fuses with the sea(s), as it were, once more.

I am also aware that Lönnrot was of the romantic persuasion and I am sure Joukahainen's daughter was one of the same in the Aino poem he compiled!

The 'in progress' detail here is my final draft into the overall work piece. I still may colour up here scales, not sure. Maybe that will be another version!?. I am reasonably pleased with it on the symbolic level and rendering.  Although it has not been without effort!

Mbro88 

American agent is taking some photoes next year! 

# 4 [4 November 2008]

November crept up invisibly this year.  

Bit spaced out and starring at computer screen. Kind of come to a halt. 

An old friend contacted me who is a photographer and film maker. http://www.aliki.co.uk/  and is going to give me the run down on sizing and printing stuff. 

Everything helps!

I am back working on the Finland poem artwork and painting the bees. Although looking blankly features a lot as well! Ho hum!

Interestingly most everyone tells me what I think I should do myself anyway. Yet I seem to lack the framework just yet to get it into action. Work to exhibition is the basic strategy. Need to find a space, or spaces to exhibit. 

 Mbro88

# 3 [22 October 2008]

GENERAL.

Well it has been a while now since I posted up here.

Have been immersed in waves of learning curves associated with image engineering, putting photo's together and up onto photo web sites. Putting Photos up on Art sites.

Learning the nightmare world of print sizing. Learning that the most modern technology around here (village Centre West of France) is still the photocopier, a step up from the gerstetner. 

So I have had to pour myself over the computer screen with my brain algorithms bottomed out after an hour of yet another site anywhere and everywhere, yet not France. The eye lids get heavy and zzzz appear!

So I suppose I will a) keep looking, b) plan to visit UK. 

I have a lot of retrospective work I would like large format bed scanned. And I have work which is new and needs large print ups, like meters by two kind of thing.

Anyway the months have gone fast!

THOUGHTS.

I have been thinking that I should try and a) work with someone (a fellow artist) around to save those moments i ask a question and I do not reply. b) to exchange knowledge base with!

Also I need to somehow join me to some exhibitors.

OTHER THINGS. 

Registered a trade mark last week at last. Ended up doing a UK/French one. 

I am going to do a community mark yet as the price reduces significantly next year so I can wait for that one!

The community mark takes a great deal of time to sort through the bureaucracy.

Yet will some help from a trade mark friend I managed to get it all done and even finished the graphic mark as well, which I am very pleased with!

I have to settle down a bit now and finish a painting which has hung around for months. Needs Bees painting at actual size!

Get back into the poetry painting / engineering to get it ready to finish by the new year!

Research on getting work out an up!

DOES IT MAKE SENSE.

I have days when I think I am not doing what I am doing, as it were, and some periods I am quite convinced I know, yet I do need to get work out and up in public now. Fed up strategising, need the evidence!

All the best

Mbro

88  

www.photrade.com/Mbro88

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/photographers/?in...

# 2 [27 August 2008]

An agent appears

A set of  coincidence jollied along my way last week and this.

It ended up with agreeing an agent in America take on the selling of projects. 

I labour at the setting the business up. I am used to running in a business company structure, having co- owned two as a Designer and Architect. So it should be no surprise to me that I felt better that this side the project work is taking form.

I know designing on the computer and painting up onto canvases works, yet the better I get at the computer and making images to 'feed' it with, the less I feel like 'getting it out' just to paint over it. Yet 'getting it out' in other printed forms is such an unknown to me. Dilemma!. 

However, the new projects are far more complex and require the duplication of the actual screen image in real time, as well as intervention once it is there!

This is aside from my paintings, which by default get to be physical anyway.

I still need set up one other company for marketing.

The first thing I was told I have to complete (by the agent) is my web site, which right now is languishing on my machine, with various safety copies here and about.

I am still not happy about my approach to the business form, so that needs addressing and it will effect how the site goes out. The nice thing is I know the agent is good with Apple Mac's and will be able to give me feedback. Feedback is what I sort of find myself craving. Not even criticism. Just feedback!

I am nearly through the first phase of the Finnish poem project and I have had to re design borrowed parts so as not to tangle with others copyright. I found American library public domain images and the staff who administer them very helpful.

However, I ended up making my own!

I have a further project in the wings I would like to get done. Its to do with transplanted Kidneys. Which I have. Yet for the moment I will have to priorities and get  some order in efforts!

I think this must be a period thing, as in having a period. The frustration of setting up period?

M

# 1 [17 August 2008]

Well starting the blog is over and I now get 500 words!

I have been working on a series of paintings and now photographic  collage, read computer manipulated images (earlier work is made and in oils mainly as paintings. Few sets still to do yet conceived)!

I now need to consider printing up some of the work (main series, Finnish poem stuff) to a standard for exhibition and I seem to be unable to do this in France using the processes I have seen used in others work.

I was going to print onto canvas and paint over in oil, may still do that, yet I like the notion of a Dibond as well, and not painting yet I am having to fish around the net for information still.

I am aware there is a whole bunch of stuff just waiting to tell me I do not know about it!

My project working method is seeking to produce in the physical and get it into the vertual-ness of the computer, and vice versa, nuttily there is just a blur where the difference once stood!

My long term intention is to paint or make large 'canvases.' I like large and it actually helps with the Art itself to be so!

Kind of corparate-space large!

That's it on the one hand, on the other is the need now for feedback and to see if any external funding may help. Get the whole thing into a deadline and arrange the showing. I think that is easier in the saying than the doing!