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Jayrah and I dropped off the finished framed piece at the donation party Saturday night. Ended up same basic dimensions as the Robert Johnson piece (image 20″ x 20″ framed 24″ x 36″). I think I might start offering matting and framing with my portrait services, perhaps with ford inspired slogan, “any color mat you want as long as it is white.” Anyway, there was tons of wonderful art at the party; hopefully not so much as to prevent a few people taking notice of the piece. Gorjus’s embellishment was well executed, and despite my initial worries, I think the cartoon at the bottom really helped the piece.
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I am worried about the symbolism that people read into the piece, I intended for people to see a struggle for strength in numbers and unity in the face of a fading and deteriorating establishment, not some post 9/11 patriotism/rally around the flag symbolism. Anyway . . .
This looks great! Good work, gang.
I was looking at the image in a tea shop and the owner walked by and immediately recognized the symbolism that you intended, if that helps your worries any.
Really?? Thank God. And, what the hell are you doing in a tea shop? Are you in London?
What can I say, a tea shop opened up near my apartment. They have wireless internet, a mellow atmosphere, and they remember everyone who comes through the shop. Plus, they are really nice.
The owner (co-owner really) loved the piece.
I’m pretty allergic to images with the flag in them. I can only read Nationalism, despite the true intent. It’s my own problem, not a problem of your work. [I'm even allergic to the famous Jasper Johns flags]
However, I’m sure that togetherness in the face of adversity can be expressed in an absense of the flag, especially since aids is a global problem affecting people of many races and nationalities . . .
Hud, that tea shop we saw on Miracle Mile is already closed. I didn’t even have a chance to try it out.
In response to your logical and reasonable criticism; no matter how you see the flag, you should not think that either its nationalism or deteriorating symbol of an establishment only reflects/effects one race. I contemplated adding some vagueness to the color of the hands but it seemed too contrived. In reagrds to the nationality, you are right. In my defense, Gorjus and I discussed attaching some legal commentary about Lawerence vs. Texas, but since we didn’t I guess I’d have to agree. All that being said, I’m not sure it is a piece that I want to rework at this point.
Yeah. This thing was tough. I agree with you, though, Kathleen–there’s such a danger of invoking all the absolute crap that goes along with jingoism (as opposed to patriotism). See also: Me reluctant to say Merry Christmas, because I didn’t want to send out some code that I was a fundamentalist or something.
I still firmly believe in “E Pluribus Unum,” though, and maybe that’s what this ended up being to me–a medidation on how AIDS affects all of us, equally, despite our origins.
Please de-emphasize the “criticism”, logical or otherwise–I was just thinking in print . . .
I’ve been thinking about your collaborations in general. Gorjus, are you working directly on the photos? Wah, are they printed on photo-paper, or watercolor paper? G., do you know how to do xerox transfers? I have more questions, but I’ll save them for later . . .
Gorjus is working dirrectly on the photos, in a couple of spots he has scratched up the image and then inked over it or stamped over it. So far the collabs have been giclee printed on somerset velvet(roll paper for giclee), which I think is a lot like reeves bfk in terms of tooth. So, the answer is sorta watercolor . . . Gorjus will have to answer the xerox transfers question.
epson’s description:
http://www.epson.com/cmc_upload/0/000/019/086/Somerset%20Velvet%20for%20Epson.pdf
two negative points, one the paper is coated for use with inkjet inks, two the place I print them coats it with UV inhibitor. Both these (I believe) reduces the paper’s ablitliy to take additional media.
So, if you are printing them digitally, couldn’t G. do a little more pre-print manipulation?
What if you printed a photo on a transparency, and then let G. work on the transparency, then scan and print?
Also, if the Somerset Velvet is like BFK, then it’s a pretty poor wet-media surface (for hand work–it’s great for any printing, obviously). Yeah, I’ve had poor luck reworking coated papers . . .
gorjus could work on the digital version, if he so desired. He has always been around for final color and level adjustments before the file is saved . . . so the oportunity is there, I’m not sure if he is interested in working that way.
What would be the purpose of the transparency step? the addition of scratches?
never had a problem with bfk; but I haven’t used it for a watercolor either.
I was thinking that with a transparency, you could move the ink around with some water or solvent, as well as add materials–it could have a soft quality, and it would avoid photoshop.
I also realized that I’m thinking of transparencies because I have photo-litho in the back of my mind . . . .