Our Little Cowboy, or, the photograph my father revealed to me of the gravestone for the child whom which I’m named after., 2012
3’ x 1.5’ x 10”, medium density fiberboard, hardware, Durham’s putty, acrylic pigment, photograph
This is one of the two sculptures I made during the first week of this summer intensive sculpture course instructed by Chris Mahonski. The work is difficult. I spent two fourteen hour sessions in the studio this week. However, it is an incredibly rewarding medium.
As a way of keeping myself thinking about the role of a photograph, I have been attempting to make pieces that involve photographic prints as well. The two sculptures I’ve made this week were very simple structures either to place a photograph onto, or to conceal them. It has been an interesting experience to spend hours upon hours sawing, sanding, glueing, painting, etc. to make such a simple structure to house a photograph.
Robert Smithson, Non-Site (Pallisades-Edgewater, NJ), 1968
From the collection of the Whitney Museum.
I’ve spent the majority of my Sunday afternoon listening to Robert Johnson’s river delta blues. I am interested in how a respectively small area created such a profoundly unique sound, forever influencing the future of music. The Mississippi River Delta also happens to by myth-ridden, particularly the Faustian myth surrounding Robert Johnson’s young death.
I got to spend yesterday at the home and studio of Alyssa Salomon, my alternative processes professor this past spring. She and her husband, Bil Lupoleti were gracious enough to open their home for some of my fellow students and I for the afternoon. We learned of some great folk tales of the Chickahominy River, where their home resides, such as the one of the Union army setting up camp in the marsh prior to a rain storm, awaking to find themselves on an island, surrounded.
While much of the day was spent admiring their chickens and eating their eggs, a lot of time was spent discussing and trading each other’s photographs from this past semester. Bil also exposed me to his intensive international music collection, where I learned of the music of Seun Kuti, the son of the infamous Fela Kuti.
Needless to say, it was an amazing day. If you haven’t seen Alyssa’s work before, you should check it out. I greatly admire her work, as well as her work-ethic. Her husband Bil hosts a weekly radio show on WRIR called Global A Go-Go on Friday nights which has been a favorite of mine since moving to Richmond.
Another great recommendation from Aaron Canipe.
My end of the semester splurge.
Zwelethu Mthethwa (Aperture, 2010)
“Family” by Chris Verene (Twin Palms, 2010)
It must be flying day because the birds along my block are so loud. This little guy was using my back steps as a boost to get enough lift to make it down the alley. It took a couple tries. (Taken with instagram)
From the BFA Senior Show: “We’re All Gonna Run.” (In order left to right): Lauren Rice (both), Levi Cheff, Kevin Murphy, Sara Tyler, Seychelle Stableford, Kara Groux, Christi Addison,.
All photos by faculty member, Brian Ulrich on twitter.
A long semester’s work is coming to an end. Here is a nice artifact in one of the files I sent to be printed late last night.
Talon, Miami, Oklahoma, From, “Red Soil, Red Skin.”
This is an amazing photograph by my friend Amy June Breesman from her recent trip to Oklahoma. Upon seeing this image I instantly thought of this photograph from Edward Sheriff Curtis. Nearly one hundred years after Curtis created his controversial photographs of the Native Americans, Amy just might have stumbled upon her senior project (I selfishly hope so anyways).
“Bowman”, Edward Sheriff Curtis, 1915 - Library of Congress
