Just Simple

The SALA festival is happening again during August. SALA week is a great time to gain inspiration, and to see what other designers as well as artist are up to.  There are some great exhibitions on during this time and here is a small list of what caught my eye from the program:

Pros & Cons – The Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) has issued a unique challenge to it’s members, an open brief with no limitations – take a pair of blank Converse® high tops and turn them into a work of art. 30 Professional Graphic Designers 30 Pairs of Converse® 30 Unique creations Far from a straight-laced show, this is an exhibition that explores the very sole of creativity. @ Pipsneak 90 Glen Osmond Road

Adelaide, Athens of the South: I’ll Have It In Polychrome Thanks – Dazzling digitally enhanced colour images of Adelaide’s historic buildings and public art. Colourful, dramatic, different, exciting and enigmatic. ‘Classical’ Adelaide as you’ve never imagined. @ Koppamurra Gallery 32 Unley Rd, Unley, SA, 5061

Monsters – An exhibition of current watercolours @ Mushroom Boutique 2 Elizabeth St Croydon SA 5008

Juxtapose – A fine selection of established artists demonstrating ultimate depth and quality in Nude Photography & Abstract Paintings for a visual experience. @ Juxtapose Studios 6 Cinema Place, Adelaide SA 5000

In Transition – People commute everyday in order to reach their destination. Many mediums are used in their travels. Capturing these means are the basis of this exhibition. @ Wasabi 248 The Parade Norwood 5067

Fantastic Grotesque – Fantastic and imaginary; printmaking and bronzes populated with curious and fantastic creatures, actual and bizarre plant forms, costumed figures, and symbols of chance, death and renewal. @ Adelaide Central Gallery 45 Osmond Terrace, Norwood SA 5067

Next week I will be heading over to Melbourne for a day to see the Tim Burton exhibition. I’ll be sure to post a review as well as photos from my trip.

A link to the SALA website:

http://salafestival.com

I happend to catch this site on the Princss site. Funnily enough I was doing a promotional product for BMW and this site had several, since BMW were their clients. I actually enjoyed this site though I did find it confusing to work with at first. However that’s okay it’s a site that is meant to promote how fun they are. There are little characters to play with throughout their site.

 I love the work they’ve done and they have given me a few ideas for my site (even though it’s almost finished)

I loved playing the flash games. I’ve made a few myself so I think I might be putting them up on my portfolio site later in the year.

Here’s a link to their site:

http://www.volll.com/#section_main

I love made up animals and I love flash. So obvisously I would love this site. I’ve seen some awesome websites come out of japan and this is no exception. It’s fun to play with and if I was doing a promotional product for children it would look something like this.

So check out their site: http://www.ecodazoo.com/

One of my favourite comics of all time is Fables. I don’t only love it for the storyline but also for the fantastic art. So it’s a shame to see the cover artist james jean leaving the project. After issue 81 there will be no more James Jean lovely art works. However that doesn’t mean he will be disappearing off the face of the earth.

I love his works, so much he’s inspired me to take some more course in watercolours and life drawing at the ACSA and WEA. Tafe is over for another year in 10 weeks, luckily for me this is when those short courses start

For anyone wanting to see James Jean’s site the link is here:

http://www.jamesjean.com/

And a link to his blog:

http://www.processrecess.com

Not much of a rap fan but this was pretty good, made me smile anyway. Using typography to explain the song. It goes with well with the clip

Song: Alphabet Aerobics

Band: Blackalicious

I do like Gustav Klimt’s work. I find his work very appealing. I was introduced to his work by a friend and I have been impressed since then. I found this website on him. The website is fantastic and is done in flash.

 http://www.iklimt.com/

Image taken from Cindy Sherman’s personal website
Cindy Sherman.
Cindy Sherman is an American photographer and film maker who is known for her conceptual self portraits.

Her works can rely on shock, surprise but also beauty. Depending on what era her works have focused on.

I find her work in some cases to rely on shock such as her “Untitled film still #255” (shown above). I find the image to be quite shocking. Focusing on mannequins and perhaps a person’s sexuality. The image itself gives an uneasy feeling of some impending disaster.

However I find that not all of Sherman’s work is like this.

Untitled film still #15 Cindy Sherman

In this film still Sherman focuses more on a serene feel. When I viewed this work I felt a more at ease. Like she was waiting for someone and is at ease with the world. This work also reminds of B-grade films like it was from another world.

Bill Henson

Untitled Image #25

Images taken from Rosly Oxley9 Gallery

Untitled Image #38

Images taken from Rosly Oxley9 Gallery

Untitled Image #14

Images taken from Rosly Oxley9 Gallery

Bill Henson is another photographer based in Australia. The images deal with adolescences.

I find some of his images to be quite disturbing such as Untitled image 25. I also feel that they are very dark and Gothic. I felt uncomfortable looking at Henson’s work for the first time. However I find other images such as Untitled image 24 quite lonely. Which can also be associated with negative feelings. I find it quite serene and wonderful at times.

Marcel Duchamp

L.H.O.O.Q taken from Understanding Duchamp

L.H.O.O.Q is a work by Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp was one of the “fathers” of the DADA movement. L.H.O.OQ stands for “she’s hot in the ass”

Although when it first came out the aim was to shock. I find this piece to actually be quite humorous. The title made me laugh as well the the goatee and mustache on the Mona Lisa. The aim during the time it was created was to shock and upset a lot of political figures in the art world. I believe that it did during the time it was made.

Damien Hirst

In his infinite wisdom. Image taken from The Age.

Damien Hirst is an U.K artist. His work usually deals with death, from butterflies to cows.

I found the work above to be uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to see it in real life. It brings a sense of terror to the viewer and reminds me of drwoning. Something I know I wouldn’t enjoy. Death is a very uncomfortable subject for anyone, and this image plus Hirt’s work really does shock me.

Brad Bird

Edna Mode Image taken from Pixar

Brad Bird is an animator and character designer for Pixar animations.

His characters are colourful, unique and look nothing like a “real” human should (ref to “The Incredibles”). I find his characters warm, charming and kind. His characters viscerally to me, are funny looking but I can associate them with real humans. I believe this is what he was trying to achieve.

References:
http://www.pavementmagazine.com/billhenson.html
http://www.cindysherman.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Sherman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp
http://www.understandingduchamp.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Hirst
http://www.whitecube.com/artists/hirst/
http://www.abc.net.au/arts/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Bird