Damien Hirst Talks About "A Thousand Years"

Nancy Grossman

* I was recently reminded of an artist who gained notoriety in the 1960s and 1970s: Nancy Grossman. While she has worked in sculpture and mixed media, it is her drawings that intrigue me, particularly her "Gunhead" images. Even though her work was created 30+ years ago, these drawings are relevant to the present day. These drawings make us confront the violence endemic to ourselves as individuals and as a society and how intimate we are with weapons and the destruction mindset. In our highly technological age we are so intimate with these weapons, we are practically conjoined to or hybridized with these weapons--at the same time our awareness to their effects is distanced and blinded. As we invent more destructive and complex weapons, we move further out from intimacy with the victims. A soldier can bomb a village or town from hundreds of miles away and never see a drop of blood. More than any other situation, war exhibits man's inhumanity to man. In light of current events, Grossman's drawings become more and more poignant.

Gunhead, lithography crayon on coated paper, 1975


Liliaceae, lithography crayon, graphite, wash and paper collage on paper, 1973


Hitman, lithography crayon, graphite, wash and paper collage on paper, 1973

Nancy Grossman's biography at the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery in New York

Nancy Grossman on ArtNet

* Photo is by Richard Avedon. Nancy Grossman is on the right pictured with fellow artist Anita Siegel.

Ned Kahn -- A Force of Nature

From Ned Kahn's Artist's Statement:

"The confluence of science and art has fascinated me throughout my career. For the last fifteen years, I have developed a body of work inspired by atmospheric physics, geology, astronomy and fluid motion. I strive to create artworks that enable viewers to observe and interact with natural processes. I am less interested in creating an alternative reality than I am in capturing, through my art, the mysteriousness of the world around us.

My artworks frequently incorporate flowing water, fog, sand and light to create complex and continually changing systems. Many of these works can be seen as "observatories" in that they frame and enhance our perception of natural phenomena. I am intrigued with the way patterns can emerge when things flow. These patterns are not static objects, they are patterns of behavior - recurring themes in nature." (1)

His website: nedkahn.com

Fragmented Sea
Mesa Art Center,
Mesa, AZ 2005

You can also view videos of his art in action on his website.

Nigerian Artist -- El Anatsui

Many Came Back, by El Anatsui, aluminum bottle caps
and copper wire, 84" x 109", 2005

El Anatsui is an interesting contemporary artist. There is an article about him in the May 2006 Art in America. He makes "tapestries" out of cast-off materials and native African wood. The pieces made from liquor bottle caps have an African sensibility about pattern and abstraction, but they also seem to dazzle like a Klimt.

Me and You and Everyone We Know

A few weeks ago, I watched this provocative and poetic little film about the quirkiness of human behavior, love, and growing up. Of course, that summary is inadequate. Here is a link to the film's website. The film is probably not for all as it involves some controversial subject matter, but a good film nonetheless.

The filmmaker, Miranda July, is a visual artist in her own right. On her site, mirandajuly.com, you can find interactive activities. One of the more interesting and fun pages is the "Learning to Love You More" page that provides the websurfer with "assignments" to complete and turn in which are then shared with the rest of the audience. These "assignments" have limitations and criteria. Some examples of "assignments" are as follows:

#50 Take a flash photo under your bed. Here is Rebecca Croft's photo:


#53 Give advice to yourself in the past. Here is Julia Henderson's response:

"Advice to Julia K.Henderson at age 10.
1. Math will never be your strong point. Ms.Bell knows you are smart, but stop worrying about what she thinks!
2. Concentrate on your art, it s beautiful.
3. Love the fact that you are a choir geek ! You love to sing and it s wonderful.
4. You have beautiful hair and flawless skin, stop worrying about being chubby. The cushioning will redistribute and be wonderful assets soon.
5. Relax a little. The world is not going to fall apart if you stop telling it what to do. Promise."

There are 51 more of these "assignments" and the results are fun to look at if you decide not to participate. Some are even potentially therapeutic if you do decide to participate.


© Stephanie Lewis, 2005