www.artnois.com
Art & Music Magazine
No. 3 October 2012
Artnois Team
Dun Dun Dun!
Magda Becerra Artnois Co-Founder, loves anything creative, manages all artwork, and final editing. magdabee.com magda@artnois.com
A note from the Team
So word around the street is December 21st 2012 is the end of the world huh? Well while this issue primarily focuses on events related to the apocalypse as many like to say, I was mostly inspired to recap a lot of the events that took place this year. As the artists demonstrate through their work, many of us often forget the sad realities of the world. Here in Los Angeles, where we have almost perfect weather everyday, it’s easy to forget and ignore the devastation and hardships that many had to overcome this year. The Maya may have been wrong but it’s obvious our planet is not in good shape.
Jesenia Meraz Artnois Co-Founder, brings music to your ears. Always looking for new music and artists to share with the world. jessy@artnois.com Omar Lazcano Where would we be without him! He is Magda’s right hand man. Loves Illustrator. omar@artnois.com
The intention is not to scare anyone of course, but rather to motivate you to appreciate life and our planet a little more. So whether you’re planning on celebrating your life away or you’re a doomsday prepper nervously prepared for whatever comes your way, there’s no reason you can’t appreciate the artwork and dramatic stories tied to the apocalypse.
Ellen Johnston A cultural nomad with West Coast roots, a Mediterranean soul and a Chilanga heart, thanks to recent stint in the Mexican capital. In this issue: 2012 ambiguoustraveller@gmail.com
Just in case we don’t get the chance to thank you on the 22nd, thanks for showing your support once again!
Jorge Neftali Gonzalez Jorge is a camera man and music lover. Can always count on him to help with the music (unless he is busy shooting a video). jorge@getdowncollective.com
-Magda Becerra
Ashley Pasquan Aka Adam Rabbit is our DIY blogger. She loves to sew and make handmade greatness. apasquan@gmail.com Claudia Flores Claudia is our Instagram and Pinterest fairy. claudia@artnois.com
Art & Music Magazine 2 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
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contents
Issue 3 December/January 2012
06
30
10
Tiny absract series
Homeboy Sandman Irene Diaz
Kim and Richard Bouchard
34
14
Salt Petal
22
Drinkify
Don’t listen to music alone, let Drinkify suggest a drink.
Alex Andreyev
58
42 2012 Article by Ellen Johnston
24
43
Bum Bum Makes You Think
48
Davina Hsu
Simon Prades
26
Xavier Koubi
Jacqueline Jones
“Art for me is ... as essential and natural as breathing”
Beautiful Decay
57
Explore another world
Chicano Batman
Shann Larsson
Esau Rodriguez
40
18
54
Riot on the cover
50
Vlada Shamova
Think about nature now until it is not too late
Danny The G(r)EEK Johnny Kotze Global Warming
60
Paul Sucksmith Urban realities
64
Patrick Hamilton
70
Michael Paul Miller
Post apocalyptic environments
74
Bernard Barut
Contacts: PO BOX 923082 SYLMAR,CA 91342, tel. 818.584.1868, magazine@artnois.com, www.artnois.com About ARTNOIS: ARTNOIS Magazine was started by two young female students, Magda and Jessy. While they both share common interests, Magda has a passion for art and Jessy has a passion for music. Seeing as neither one had the time nor the skills they wished they had to create jaw dropping art or inspiring music, they decided to make a magazine featuring all the great artists who do. Art and music is motivation for both to do something great. They hope this magazine will help do the same for you.
3 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
December 2012
Events in Los Angeles
Sat 12/1
VERY BE CAREFUL @ La Cita 336 S HILL ST 90013 LOS ANGELES, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14770284-very-becareful-at-la-cita BAD BRAINS @ Fonda Theatre 6126 HOLLYWOOD BLVD. 90013 http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14178939-badbrains-at-fonda-theatre LAS CAFETERAS, LA CHAMBA, & BUYEPONGO @ Salon de La Plaza 1866 E 1ST ST 90033 BOYLE HEIGHTS, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14501304-las-cafeteras-at-salon-de-la-plaza NAS @ The Wiltern 3070 WILSHIRE BLVD LA http:// www.songkick.com/ concerts/14448199-nas-atwiltern
Sunday 12/2
BIKER MOVIE NIGHT @ The Satellite 1717 SILVERLAKE BOULEVARD 90026 LOS ANGELES, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/12720568-biker-movie-night-at-satellite
FAR WEST @ The Echo $8: http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14381309-lonelywild-at-echo
12/9
BLUE SCHOLARS @Troubadour 9081 SANTA MONICA BLVD.90069WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA, US HTTP://WWw.songkick.com/ concerts/14024889-blue-scholars-at-troubadour
Wed 12/12/12
ALT-J @ Fonda Theatre, http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14297264-altj-atbottom-of-the-hill BARRINGTON LEVY @Echoplex 1822 Sunset Blvd (Enter on Glendale Blvd. at alley near 1154 Glendale Blvd)90026Los Angeles, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14616239-barringtonlevy-at-echoplex
Sat 12/14
DOWNTOWN LA ARTWALK
See Link for Location
FREE
Tue 12/4
HOW TO DRESS WELL @ Echoplex, $12 http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14135084-how-todress-well-at-echoplex
Thu 12/6
THE LONELY WILD, FREEDOM FRY, THE WILD REEDS, 4 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS Velvet Jones 423 State Street93101Santa Barbara, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14561984-people-under-the-stairs-at-velvet-jones
Sun 12/15 OZOMATLI @Club Nokia
800 West Olympic Blvd Suite A33590015 Los Angeles, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14140334-ozomatliat-club-nokia ANTHONY GREEN @Fonda Theatre 6126 Hollywood Blvd.90028Hollywood, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14307699-anthonygreen-at-fonda-theatre
Mon 12/16
THAT 70’S (SOULMIGUEL ATWOOD-FERGUSON , SEU JORGE, ZAP MAMA, ALICE RUSSELL, SPACEK, COCO O, AND NDUGU CHANCLER, DERF REKLAW, LEON WARE, SEU, ?UESTLOVE) @Mayan Theater 1038 S. Hill St.90015Los Angeles, CA, US http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14693614-that-70ssoul-at-mayan-theater
Dec 12/20
GEORGE WATSKY @ El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA 90036 8:00pm
Sat 12/22
VIERNES 13 @ The M Bar, HTTP://WWW.SONGKICK.COM/ CONCERTS/14766749-VIERNES13-AT-M-BAR
Sat 12/29
ERYKAH BADU @ Club Nokia, http:// www.songkick.com/ concerts/14778489-erykahbadu-at-club-nokia 5515 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, California 90036 Get tickets here: http://www. ticketmaster.com/event/2C00 48C5FFA05B48?artistid=10715 19&majorcatid=10001&minor catid=1
Ongoing
JASPER JOHNS: NUMBERS, 0-9, AND 5 POSTCARDS @ Matthew Marks Gallery : Every Tue., Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat. from November 2 until January 5 Michael Crichton, author of Jurassic Park, also wrote about the artist Jasper Johns. He recalls driving the artist to some destination in New York. Neither knew exactly how to get there. “I’ll know it when I see it,” Johns said, staying calm while Crichton became agitated. They crossed the... http:// www.voiceplaces.com/jasperjohns-numbers-0-9-and5-postcards-los-angeles1908800-e/ HAMMER PROJECTS: SUN YUAN AND PENG YU @ Hammer Museum Every Tue., Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat., Sun. from September 22 until January 6 The first room of artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu’s installation in the Hammer’s plaza-level gallery is dimly lit and mostly empty. But there’s an eye-level, roughly cut hole in the back wall, and if you go up close, you’ll find yourself staring into the pasty eye of someone else. The weekend... http://www. voiceplaces.com/hammerprojects-sun-yuan-and-pengyu-los-angeles-1880150-e/ BEN JONES: THE VIDEO @ Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA at the Pacific Design Center) : Every Tue., Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat., Sun. from November 3 until Fe-
January 2013
bruary 24
Sun 1/1-6
GRAPHIC DESIGN: NOW IN PRODUCTION 10899 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024 $10 Adults $5 Seniors (65+) and UCLA Alumni Association Members with ID. This major international exhibition explores how graphic design has broadened its reach over the past decade. Click here for more info: http://hammer.ucla.edu/ exhibitions/detail/exhibition_ id/218
Tue 1/1-21
DOWNTOWN ON ICE 532 South Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90013 Contact Information: Louise Capone, Senior Recreation Director 213-847-4970 or pershing. square@lacity.org TICKETS AVAILABLE ON SITE $6 per one-hour skate session $2 for skate rental Monday – Thursday: 12:00pm to 10:00pm Friday – Sunday: 10:00am to 10:00pm for more infor go to: http://laparks.org/pershingsquare/
Thu 1/10
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES ART WALK FREE! see link for location: http:// downtownartwalk.org/directions/
Events in Los Angeles
Thu 1/10
AMADEUS LEOPOLD (THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS HAHN-BIN) TILL DAWN SUNDAY @ Royce Hall 8:00 pm 340 Royce Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095 $15 - $35 ($15 UCLA Students) Amadeus Leopold, the artist formerly known as Hahn-Bin is the head-turning violinist who harnesses performance art, technical prowess, powerful emotion and dynamic staging to transport classical music into pop culture. For more info click here: http://cap.ucla.edu/calendar/ event_detail.asp?id=248
Wed 1/16
CALEXICO 8:00pm @ El Rey Theatre 5515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 936-4790 For ticket information click here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/Calexico-tickets/ artist/795538#!
Thu 1/17
THE VENICE ART CRAWL 6:00 pm FREE! The Venice Art Crawl is a free monthly exploration of the Venice Beach area and the world famous Venice artist community See map/website. Venice, CA 90291 http://www.veniceartcrawl. com/
Fri 1/18
IMPROV THEATRE WORKSHOP @ The Groundlings Theater 7:30 pm 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90046 Places at this improv theatre
workshop are limited, so if you’d like to join us: (1) request an invitation (if you have not already received one) (2) validate it as soon as possible in order to secure your place before the workshop fills up. There is always a waiting list, and places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with some priority given to regulars. No acting brilliance or prior experience of improv is required, but you’ll need a fairly good command of English. For further information, please visit: http://www.glocals.com/ groups/geneva-improvgroup.htm
Sat 1/19
KROQ PRESENTS SOCIAL DISTORTION WITH CRUSHED OUT @ House of Blues Los Angeles 8430 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069 (323) 848-5100 Doors: 08:00 PM Show: 09:00 PM Price: $30.00 - Gen Admin/ Stand Only Ages: all
Sat/Sun 19 /20
CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHS LA 2013 BONHAMS 7601 W. Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90046 Admission $5.00 at the door TWENTY-FOUR LEADING GALLERIES & DEALERS OF CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY For more info visit: http:// www.classicphotographsla. com/
Wed 1/23-27
LA ART SHOW 2013 11am-7pm @ LA Convention CEnter/ South hall 1201 South Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90015 (213) 741-1151 For detailed ticket information and to purchase tickets online click here: laartshow2013.eventbrite. com/
Sun 20
BUDOS BAND @Echoplex 1822 Sunset Blvd (Enter on Glendale Blvd. at alley near 1154 Glendale Blvd)90026 http://www.songkick.com/ concerts/14520324-budosband-at-echoplex FLORENCE AT THE DAWN OF THE RENAISSANCE: PAINTING AND ILLUMINATION, 1300-1350 @ The Getty Center : Every Tue., Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat., Sun. from November 13 until February 10 You can look at today’s opening of the “Florence at the Dawn of the Renaissance: Painting and Illumination, 1300–1350” exhibition in a couple of ways. One: Money and creativity somehow got along at one point and the result is the illusion that all art is forever. Another: Beauty... http:// www.voiceplaces.com/ florence-at-the-dawn-of-therenaissance-painting-andillumination-1300-1350-losangeles-1736237-e/ To submit your event to this calendar please contact magazine@artnois.com
5 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Homeboy “...a product of New York City’s cultural melting pot” What’s your full name? Angel Luis Del Villar II Where did you grow up? Queens, New York City. Elmhurst, Queens to be exact. We noticed on a few of your songs that you use some words in Spanish, are you of Latin descent? Yes. My father emigrated from the Dominican Republic and my mother from Puerto Rico. I have some Spanish dancing around my brain and both my parents and much of my family and many of my friends are fluent. My Spanish however is dreadful. I can’t even hold a conversation with my Abuelita Lucy because her English sucks and my Spanish sucks. We speak primarily with hand signals, smiles, and hugs. My nationality is American. I have been 6 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
born and raised here and all I am is a product of New York City’s cultural melting pot. It has a major influence in my music, where you can find Caribbean, African, Indian, European, Asian, and South American ingredients, just to name a few. Everything in the world is in New York City, and I encountered much of it during my early formative years and encounter much of it during my continuing formative years. This is some growing up thinking you’re different from people that are exactly the same as you because your ancestors were getting raped by different Europeans. Some racism/reverse racism, just struggling to define yourself based on who you really are rather than how society labels you. Finding yourself, myself, amidst our programming. Distinctively American.. How long have you been rapping? Since I was a kid. But I wrote my first sober rhyme in December of 2006. I think of that as my first real rhyme.
How did you get into it? My father really fostered my love for music while I was a child (by) blasting music everyday of different genres. I’ve always loved writing and I’ve studied hip hop since I was a kid. When I was away in New Hampshire for high school, Hip Hop become more to me than just music. It became home. How would you describe your music? One of a kind. Who are your mentors? God. My father. My mother. My sister. My girl. My friends. Whom have been your most impactful musical influences? Amazing songwriters. Black Thought. Stevie Wonder. Billy Joel. Ray Charles. Amazing performers. Chaka Khan.
Sandman
7 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
James Brown. I could put all of these people in either category. People that are amazing with rhythm, writing, and performance. What other artists have you collaborated with and how do you go about choosing who to work with? Jonwayne. DJ Spinna. Da Beatminerz. Blu. Oddisee. Sene. Soul Khan. I Am Many. YC the Cynic. 2 Hungry Bros. P.SO the Earthtone King. Large Professor. Steve Arrington. I can go on and on and on. Tanya Morgan. Del the Funky Homosapien. I’ll work with anybody who’s dope.
“ I’m your Homeboy. I friend. You can trus can depend on me.”
How did you come up with your name? I’m your Homeboy. I’m your friend. You can trust me. You can depend on me. The Sandman brings you your dreams. Let’s you escape from the mundane. Paints a picture so vivid you think it’s real. Do you have a favorite song off your new album? Please elaborate with a reason. I always do a terrible job at this question. I love them all. I think they’re all phenomenal. You went on tour with Brother Ali what would you say you gained from that experience? Mad fans and mad wisdom. I picked up on wisdom from building with Ali himself as well as from having so much time on the road to think. Meeting so many new people. So many different people. It made me think a lot about who I am and how I define myself. I gained perspective. Was that your first time touring? No. I toured the country last summer with the Cunninglynguists. I’ve toured Europe and the UK a couple of times already as well.
8 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
What do you enjoy about touring and performing in different cities the most? It’s really the fans I enjoy the most. Who come and welcome me to their town with mad love and energy. This last tour I’d never even been in most of these markets so it was crazy to meet fans that had been following me for years without ever having the chance to see me live. Surely you hear all the time that you’re a funny guy,;how do you think your good humor affects your composition? I think being able to talk about important, serious, sad, or infuriating things while maintaining a sense of humor sometimes makes them easier to digest. Sometimes (it) makes people more com-
I’m your st me. You
fortable hearing ‘em. Putting a humorous spin on something can also help provide some real insight. That’s what made George Carlin so funny while being so prophetic at the same time. (It) definitely plays a role (on) how I’m portrayed too. I mean, how I actually am plays a role in how I’m portrayed. It’s not always exact. But I like people knowing that I can look on the lighter side of things. You have a video with the track “Not Really”, who came up with the concepts for that video? It was the director Matt Pace who came up with the idea for that video. To always have me moving forward but always having my peoples coming with me. And to have a bunch of simple situations not only symbolizing the lyrics but also symbolizing the simple richness of my life. I think it was pretty genius. How did you hook up with Stones Throw Records? Shouts to Jonwayne for putting Peanut Butter Wolf on to my ish. It all started with that. Wolf and I started talking. I started sending him the songs I was working on with rthentic RTNC. He was feeling ‘em. The rest is history. Do you see yourself changing in the future? I change every day. I get better every day. I evolve every day. Everyday I’m capable of doing something musically that I couldn’t do the day before. Do you have any upcoming shows? I’m rocking EOW in NYC on Nov 18th. (@ The Pyramid, on Avenue A, btwn 6th and 7th streets). I’m rocking the Hard Rock Cafe in Philly on January 11th. I’ll be touring Europe in February. More details on that available soon at www.stonesthrow.com/homeboysandman
LISTEN 9 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Irene Diaz 10 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Where are you from? Iʼm from Los Angeles Highland Park area. How did you get into singing?
song in a day or two only because I like to take my time. What do you want your listeners to get out of your music?
I got into singing after hearing Ella Fitzgerald for the first time when I was about 16 years old. I never really considered myself a singer when I first started songwriting. I remember telling myself, “I want a deep woman singing voice” because my voice sounded so soft.
I want my listeners to really feel the music as well as the lyrics. When I write I hope to have the music go along with the lyrics. So I hope they feel the emotions the songs convey.
You have such a powerful voice, it seems like you don’t even have to try. How did this come to be?
My music means love and sanity to me. Love because this is what I mostly write about, and sanity because I canʼt do without it. A few months ago I was really confused about where my music was taking me, because as an independent musician trying to figure out the music business can be pretty overwhelming. So I kind of pulled away from it for a bit, and the time I did I was really a different person. I couldnʼt hold my head up. So just writing, playing and doing something with my music I find peace, even if I donʼt know all the ins and outs of the biz. In the end my love and practice of music keeps me sane.
I think itʼs developed over time on its own with the help of me listening to artists like Ella, Billie Holiday, and Sia. Now these women can sing. So I’ve been developing my singing for the last 10 years or so. Do you compose your own lyrics? I write all my own lyrics, with the exception of one or two songs. Where do you get inspiration when writing a new song? I get inspiration from just playing around on my instrument. Iʼll play and make up words as I go, and eventually I form a song off of the few words Iʼve sung. Sometimes it takes a month to write a song, other times a whole year. I rarely write a
What does your music mean to you?
Who have been your most influential musicians? Influential musicians... Iʼd have to say Ella Fitzgerald and Sia Furler. I listened a lot to Ella in my teens so I think her style has influenced my singing. Sia has such an amazing voice, she was my vocal teacher for a while. Not really, but I--Irene Diaz-practiced trying to reach
her pitches etc. Outside of well known artists I would have to say a good friend of mine named Seung Park. We were employed together and eventually became really good friends. Heʼs a really great percussionist and horn player. Hanging out with him really loosened up my style in playing my instruments. We would regularly hang out with his friends and have really fun jam sessions. The music business is huge in L.A. and there is also plenty of competition. What makes you keep striving for success in this field? The music business is interesting because I feel like Iʼve touched it but havenʼt. There are many great musicians out there striving to be known. As much as I want to be known, I donʼt want to parade around like a monkey, at least I try not to. If something good comes out of me getting myself out there thatʼs great. You (have) just got to put yourself out there and do what you love to do. I feel great when I perform, I get pretty nervous beforehand, but when Iʼm on stage and people are really enjoying the music I feel so free. This is what makes me want to keep doing it. Have you performed in any other major cities besides L.A.? Iʼve performed in Portland, Oregon...it was at an open mic. At the open mic I learned that people donʼt hold back up there. They share their talent no matter what it is. Other than this I hope to
perform in Seattle, WA. I love it up there. I went to school there for 6 months and was sad to leave. What is your biggest fear? My biggest fear is the world ending in December of 2012 and my EP not being able to come out because of it. Besides this I fear, not having fear. The type of fear that excites you before a performance, the type of fear that drives you to finish a song. So I suppose losing excitement for my music. I would never want this to happen. You play the piano very well , how long have you been playing? Iʼve been playing piano since I was seven years old. I started lessons at a young age and stopped taking them at 15. I learned classical music such as Bach, Mozart, etc. I always liked to make up my own stuff rather than practice. Do you have a short term goal, musically? Short term goal is to get my EP out. My long term goal is to make a full length album. Iʼm currently working at Trader Joeʼs, juggling my time between work and music. I started getting serious about this as a career in 2010 and havenʼt looked back. Iʼm currently working on an 5 track EP titled I love You Madly, it will be themed Noir. Iʼm starting a kickstarter Nov. 8th and it will end Dec. 7th to help raise funds for the EP. 11 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
‘My music
means lov and sanit to 12 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
c ve ty o me’
Do you play any other instruments? I play guitar and can make a trumpet sound with my lips. Do you currently have an album out? If so, please share all about it with us. Which of your songs do you relate to the most? The song that will be on my album that I most relate to is Crazy Love. ItĘźs about an unconditional love, and that is what I feel I have been experiencing for the last year. Do you have any upcoming performances? My EP release will be in the beginning of 2013. I will have a performance at Room 5 Lounge in Hollywood, CA on December 12th, 2012
.
LISTEN 13 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Salt Petal ...a kind of California rock with South American roots
What are all your names? Autumn Harrison: Vocals, Accordion Rodrigo Gonzalez: Guitar Hiroo Nakano: Drums Dayna Richards: Trumpet
How did Salt Petal come to be?
14 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
A couple of us had been playing in various projects and trying to write music, but none of us was very happy with the projects. Three of us got together in (a) side project as kind of a break from the other bands and wound up having a lot of fun with it. We had decided to play some South American covers mixed with some songs that kind of sprang up and we stopped by some coffee shops and got really good reception from the songs. We were playing stuff we all liked when we were teens - Rodrigo was pulling out melodies from Argentina, Eduardo was bringing rhythms from Mexico, and Autumn was remembering songs from time she spent living in Brazil. We decided to drop the other projects and make Salt Petal our main band.
Has it always been the same band members? Rodrigo and Autumn are the main songwriters and have worked closely with a network of friends over the years. A few have had to move away or stop playing due to other commitments in their lives but sometimes they’ll come back on stage for a show. Hiroo and Dayna have been with the band for over a year and a half and we’ve recently been working with Peter Orlanski on bass. Where are you all from? Rodrigo is from Buenos Aires, Argentina; Autumn is from San Francisco, CA; Hiroo is from Sapporo, Japan; Dayna is from San Diego, CA, Peter is from Trumbull, Connecticut. Wow, that’s very diverse. Awesome! Does the name Salt Petal have a story behind it? Argentine rocker Fito Paez has a song in which he describes the woman he loves as a “furious salt petal.” We liked the image and the themes of nostalgia and the effects of city life in the song. The idea of where a salt petal would come from was interesting to us too, does it grow on a plant in the desert? Is it floating in the ocean somewhere? It was a combination of different elements that brought a lot of imagery to mind.
How does your Argentinian culture influence your music? There’s a dance feel to some contemporary Argentine music that feels like a bunch (of) friends playing together all day long without a care in the world, but obviously they practice hard to get that sound. We like the feel of that sound - it combines knowledge of a lot of influences with a feeling of inviting your neighbor in to just pick up an instrument and join in. We have incorporated some traditional argentine sounds into newer songs. Chamamé is a style of music from northern Argentina and one of our songs has some tango in it. Many argentines love rock as well and Rodrigo was influenced heavily by the Stones, Creedence and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Cumbia is popular at family parties and a style called cuarteto from western argentina which was popular in clubs for awhile. We have other latin traditions mixed in as well, we love the psychedelia of brazilian tropicalia as
LISTEN
Photo by Chris Molina 15 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
well as traditional brazilian sounds such as samba and forro. We’ve taken cues from cumbia, salsa, and huapango in some songs too. We use styles we’ve loved for years and incorporate them to bring out different emotions in the songs, but always blending in a little bit of 60s and 70s rock.
add a rhythmic section as well as cool melodic sounds. It’s kind of like an organ that you can dance around the stage with, it’s really fun to play. Sometimes instruments are higher quality - older accordions tend to be better made because they don’t have plastic parts inside.
Your instruments are a bit on the vintage side, is that done on purpose?
How would you classify your music?
We like bringing older sounds into our songs, but it can be a range from acoustic instruments to 60s and 70s guitar pedals. We’re always trying sounds and effects out to see what they add to the music. The accordion has a sound that’s common in a lot of contemporary latin american music, but here it still feels old-fashioned, which isn’t necessarily what we’re going after. We’re including it because how versatile it is - it can sound like many different instruments and it can
We say it’s a kind of California rock with South American roots. We’ve been compared to a whole variety of acts such as Blondie, Vampire Weekend, Buddy Holly, Autenticos Decadentes, the Bangles and Fool’s Gold. Some people call us tropical rockers, others latin folk pop...we’re still trying to figure out a name for it. Have you guys traveled anywhere with your music?
Photo by Danay Catalan
This year we realized that over half of our shows were played outside of Los Angeles. We went up north to Santa Cruz and San Francisco, out to Texas for a bunch of unofficial SXSW shows, and we had a spring tour in Europe. We lugged our instruments on trains through France, Spain, and Portugal, which was like boot camp with instruments and train schedules.
Our second album hasn’t been released yet, but we are really attached to it. We play songs from both albums and we’re excited about all of our songs, however the newer ones feel fresher right now. We were able to improve on the ideas we started on the first album.
Out of the two albums you have out which can you relate to the most?
Autumn does, with help from Rodrigo. We exchange ideas back and forth and ask each other for feedback on lyrics and melodies.
16 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Who composes the lyrics for each song?
We’re influenced by so many amazing groups and individuals - the list grows everyday. Most recently we’ve been listening a lot to The Rolling Stones, Os Mutantes, Gal Costa, The Cure, The Beatles, Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot, Autenticos Decadentes, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Dona Ivone Lara, The Strokes, Buena Vista Social Club, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Mercedes Sosa, Al Green, B52’s, Of Montreal, Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, Good Shoes, and The Rakes. When writing a new song or composing the music for each track, is there a specific type of style you try to keep? We try not to repeat ourselves or create the same songs we’ve done before. We like the idea of a simple song, but it always get complicated when we blend the components we like. We start playing instruments while we’re doing other things and a musical idea starts to appear. and think about the emotions of the song and bring out musical ideas and influences that illustrate those emotions. Which is your favorite track out of both albums?
It changes every week, but right now we really like Es Dificil which will come out in January of 2013 with our full album, Sea Monster. What does your music mean to you?
It allows us to communicate in a form that isn’t possible any other way. Playing shows is like letting all our emotions come out, like anger, happiness, stress, we evoke it and transmit it through the speakers. Day to day lives can be very defined work schedules and freeways, without much room to discuss stories, emotions, colors, shapes - things that don’t really fit into paychecks and bills. They’re always present for us we’re always trying to find ways to play music and make art to get ideas out that otherwise can’t be shared. Do you have any upcoming performances?
We do have gigs scheduled in December, but the dates are being finalized as we speak. We have a show in San Luis Obispo on November 30th at the Steynberg Gallery at 9pm, which we’re excited about. Our new full-length will be released in early 2013, date tbd, and we’ll have a few videos to release soon as well.
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Chicano Batm “ I drew a batman from the hood, with high socks, nike cortez, a cape made from a flannel and Mexican/south American roots, batman with ambiguous origins ” What are all your names and what instruments do each of you play? Bardo Martinez-vocals/organ/guitar Eduardo Arenas-bass/guitar/vocals Gabriel Villa- drums/percussion/ vocals Carlos Arevalo-guitar Where are you all from originally? Bardo: Born in Santa Ana. Grew up in La Mirada. Mother is Colombian, father is Mexican. Eduardo: Born in County Hospital Los Angeles, raised in Boyle Heights. 18 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Gabriel: Born and raised in Cali, Colombia. Carlos: Born in Los Angeles, raised in Rialto, CA. Mother is Chicana, father is from El Salvador. When/How did you know you wanted to make music and sing together? Bardo: My dad and my uncles would get together years ago and sing classic ballads and rancheras. That was my families Golden Era, even my Grandma would sing songs in those days. My father always played records and tapes at the house: everything from Jose Alfredo Jimenez to Cindy Lauper,
in essence these musical roots led to my interest in music which developed later in highschool and in college. As far as our band, when I hung out with Gabriel…. his drumming was precise, whether on percussion or on the drum set, and he played samba! I know very few people who can play that rhythm here in LA, and since my interest in Brazilian music was high at the time, Gabriel def made the cut. Once I knew Eduardo was hip to Transa, Caetano Veloso’s “English” album, it was all over! I found my musical partners. I added on Carlos later, knowing him for his amazing guitar playing with Paradiso and Autogolpe,
man both amazing projects. Envisioning other guitar parts for our songs, we got him in 2011. Eduardo: When I was seven years old, kicking it with my uncles who played in a band called El Nuevo Horizonte… we were listening to some Bukis tracks and when my foot aligned to the rhythm of the kick drum I knew it was the beginning of something special. How did you come up with your name? Bardo: I was drawing at a house party with UCLA friends, having a good time, when right after me and my musical partner Brian Diaz jammed a set of tracks. I had a pen and a piece of cardboard,;I drew a batman from the hood, with high socks, nike cortez, a cape made from a flannel and Mexican/south American roots, batman with ambiguous origins, in fact the ethos of what chicano signifies (neither from here or there). The name itself became the alias for myself, my musical penname, and for the music me and Brian were putting together. Since 2006, I would draw this character throughout my notebooks in history, sociology, polysci courses, (etcetera). The day I graduated I wore a shirt with the symbol emboldened on a white tee, it was my symbol of resistance and triumph as I walked up and picked up my diploma in 2007. When we put the band together in late 2008, I pulled out the name to
continue giving significance and power to this powerful symbol! What do you wish to accomplish through your music? Bardo: To represent the underrepresented, ourselves and the people we come from; a generation of music that has touched millions of people, that continues to be heard, but not given the credit it deserves. I’m talking about Latin American soul music: Los Angeles Negros, Los Pasteles Verdes, Los Bukis, Los Pulpos and a countless other bands comprising La Onda Grupera of the 1970s; music the sons and daughters of Latin Americans were made (for); elegant colorful big collared shirts that we grew up seeing on old record covers; music we listened to at house parties while eating birria while slipping on spilt beer. Music is a form of cultural and political representation. For me, it’s about that along with expressing my own creativity. Eduardo:Awaken the senses of the people amidst a cloudy digital world. Gabriel: Fill people’s soul with our rhythms and music. Carlos: Make people feel happy. What motivates you guys to make music?
Bardo: Making musical ideas come alive. Moving people, making connections, seeing opportunities come into fruition. Want to put our music in your movie, hit us up! Eduardo: The movement within the music. The way it moves you emotionally and rhythmically. sometimes you don’t understand what’s happening to you because logically there’s no explanation for the way music makes you feel. You only FEEL it. Gabriel: Music and rhythm itself is the engine that keeps me inspired and going, playing good tunes with great people and friends is a very strong reason to keep it on. Your music definitely sounds distinct and original. How did develop this style? Who were your influences? Bardo: Leo Dan, Los Angeles Negros, Brenton Wood, The Beatles (that was I put on chicanobatman’s first myspace). Gabriel: I listen to all kinds of music but mostly the band, and the guys playing. I feel I’m still learning to approach the music, and I feel I’ve been influenced by bands as Fania All Stars, Queen, Metallica and many others. Carlos: Stevie Wonder, Johnny Ace, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, Johnny Guitar Watson, 19 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Led Zeppelin, Soul music from the 60s and 70s. Does your ascendency play a vital role in your music? Eduardo: always. We were born into some of the music that we interprate under the band Chicano Batman. We have a particular understanding of the music we are playing because some of us been hearing it since we were kids.. but with every musician the musical boundaries get expanded and when that happens the explorations are limitless. Gabriel: Oh yeah, listen to my Hi-hat live that’s Queen right there!, or the Cowbell “salsero style” that’s my tropical side coming out… Where do you find inspiration when creating new music? Bardo: I’m (a) songwriter, and I love to compose music and lyrics; it’s a natural part of my daily life. Sometimes music comes real easy while taking a shower, washing dishes, and brushing my teeth. For example I’ll be singing in the bathroom, and i’ll hear a melody for a bassline or a lead guitar or a chorus line and I’ll repeat it until I get to the computer and record it. When I put myself to the task of composing new music, I walk to the park with guitar and notepad; nature is the ultimate source of inspiration because peace, tranquility, and ones own essence emanates from it. Eduardo: Real life experiences like going to a movie theatre and seeing a mom treating her kids to some popcorn, greeting the workers that haul away refrigerators, stoves and other large 20 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
appliances to sell for scrap metal, spending time with family. When it comes to making music its like making a licuado (shake) and putting in the elements you want to make it taste a certain way. Sometimes you put in an ingredient you thought was funky (like ginger) and you get some pleasant surprises. How do you go about in composing a new track? Bardo: Well, I’ve brought some tracks to the table that are pretty much complete with all the instruments recorded by myself such as La Tigresa and La Samoana for example. Other times, I’ll have lyrics and chords for a song such as Joven Navegante, and Eduardo will come up with a bass line and Gabriel with the drum beats. Itotiani was a collaboration between me and Eduardo, I had brought the lead melodic guitar intro some verses, the doo wop type choruses, and we broke down the bridge chord progression together. In every case, the music we play is worked and re-worked by all of us during rehearsal, everybody focusing and molding musical details. In essence, there are many different techniques and situations that make our music happen. Tell us about the two albums you guys have out. How is each different? Did you use any special elements when composing each one? Bardo: The first album has songs that we have had as sketches for years. We had been together for about six months before we recorded it. The first album is a raw portrayal of us collectively working towards an aesthetic in progress. For me personally,
Soniatl, A Hundred Loving Souls, La Samoana, Lembrancinha were songs that I had put together from 2005-2007, every song having a wealth of significance in my own life .They were also songs that represented what I sought to hear from in what was to become Chicano Batman. Eduardo and Gabriel were instrumental in making these songs sound as I had envisioned them, adding a wealth of musical and technical aspect to them, and ultimately creating our first album.
Gabriel: Both albums were a fun experience to condensate, we all played with sound, space and time. Even if the second album is younger it has some mature elements, and textures. On the first album, “Chicano Batman, there seem to be more singing than on your latest album, “Joven Navegante”. Why is that? Gabriel: “Joven Navegante” is an EP album, short but with 2 clear elements like the Ying and Yang kind of balance you know… Carlos: There was a period of my life where for several years all I listened to was 60’s and 70s Jazz music from composers such as Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Mccoy Tyner, etc. Therefore playing instrumental songs feels natural for me. Instrumental songs such as “Sleepwalking” by Santo and Johnny are just as satisfying for me to listen to as much as a song where Stevie Wonder sings. When we perform instrumentals they feel just as a natural form of musical expression as a song with vocals. For me if a song has a strong melody it’s a good song, its equally enjoyable for me to hear a song where a guitar or saxophone is the lead melodic
instrument as much as hearing a song with vocals. Which is your favorite song and why? Bardo: For me the Ballad of Raymundo Jacquez is my favorite because it represents the best realization of my musical vision. This song was put together from guitar riffs and chords in progress since 2006 to a composition from 2011. It is a musical montage or collage much like the cover of the EP, whose lead guitar melody came to me in a dream…ja (ha)! It wouldn’t of happened without Gabriel’s bolero beat, or without Noah’s jazz bass styles, Carlos guitar precision, or Eduardo’s heavy bass lines and recording/engineering skills! To me, the Ballad sounds like a movie score piece from the early 1970s from no particular place with obscure origins, could be Russian, Chilean, Italian, or Mexican. A friend of ours commented most recently after our show in Austin, that it sounded like “Love Boat en route to Mexico on crack.” Although I don’t condone the usage of crack or its history, the reference is fully understood and appreciated. Gabriel: I love playing all songs, sometimes songs that we don’t even play anymore. I miss them! But I love challenges and explosive aspects too, that’s why I think right now, “Pomegranate Tree”. If you could collaborate with any artists which would it be? Bardo: Arthur Verocai, Todd Simon, Adrian Younge, the musicians at Daptone Records, Santigold, Grizzly Bear, Tame Impala, Syl Johnson, Ministereo Publico, Café Tabuba. All these artists create amazing original music, soulful epic music. All of them are contemporary Artists and it would be an honor to fuse styles, tastes, and energies! Much respect! Gabriel: While I’m (answering) this I’m listening to Shuggie Otis, damn sounds so good!!
and experiences make it difficult for true expression to be elaborated. Sometimes you just do something because it feels right in your heart. Do you think your music will change as time proceeds? Eduardo: It has to. Our rhythmic and melodic perceptions of the world are ever changing with every day that passes us. God forbid we be prisoners of our current set list 30 years from now! Gabriel: Why not? Unless we enclose and limit ourselves to live within a timeframe box. Watching you guys rock out on stage is a delight; your passion is obvious. What is it like on your end as performers? Bardo: The road is drowsy, fatiguing, it’s lack of independence with knees upon knees, it’s bonding, it’s frustrating, it’s hilarious, it’s fighting for whose music is played, and it’s pushing and pulling and ceding. Landing in New Orleans was a relief. (It meant) seven days in one place, a bed, shower, warm humid weather, that was my home. Eduardo: It’s been wild. Meeting different people, exploring different landscapes, breathing different senses.. It’s a beautiful thing to be traveling alone, but to know that we are traveling to present our music is an inspiring thing on its own. We sacrifice a lot for those 45 minutes or hour that we are on stage every night. U have to love doing it because in the conventional and practical world this lifestyle doesn’t make sense. Do you have any upcoming performances? Where? When? Echoplex with Ana Tijoux in mid November.
What genre would you classify your music under? Eduardo: I think NOT answering this question is a more progressive approach as to how we feel about our music. Society’s need to categorize people, music,
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Don’t go through the Apoc suggests... “Dionne Warwick”
1 bottle Buckfast Serve at room temperature.
“blondie”
1 bottle Vodka 1 bottle Sour mix 6 oz. Lemon sour Combine in highball glass and serve. Stir quickly. Garnish with olive.
“Slakah the Beatchild” 6 oz. Hennessy Serve neat. Stir vigorously
“OFWGKTA”
VIA
1 bottle Rum, Fucking Rum 1 bottle Honey 4 oz. Worcestershire sauce Combine in highball glass and serve. Garnish with twist of grapefruit
“Dilated Peoples” 4 oz. Bottled water
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calypse alone, Drinkify 4 oz. Iced tea Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass. Serve. Stir vigorously.
“Nas”
“Fleet Foxes”
1 bottle Red wine Serve at room temperature. Garnish with twist of grapefruit.
“Buffalo Springfield”
1 bottle Organic red wine. Serve at room temperature.
12 oz. Gin 12 oz. Monster Energy Drink 1 bottle Cranberry juice Combine in highball glass and serve. Stir vigorously. Garnish with twist of orange.
“Prince”
“Radiohead”
4 oz. Reb Bull 4 oz. Bitters Combine in shaker and 1 oz. Jack Daniel’s Tenstrain into cocktail glass. nessee Whiskey Serve. Stir quickly. 1 oz. Red Bull Combine in highball glass and serve. Stir vigorously. 10 oz. Woodford Reserve Bourbon 10 oz. Milk 4 oz. Bottled water 12 oz. Maker’s Mark Combine in shaker and Bourbon strain into cocktail glass. Serve neat. Stir vigorServe. Stir vigorously. ously. Garnish with nutmeg
1 Fat Tire Serve cold.
“Chicano Batman”
1 oz. Rum, Fucking Rum 1 oz. Sour mix 6 oz. Grapefruit juice Combine in high glass and serve. Stir slowly. Garnish with fresh berries.
“The internet”
10 oz. Red Bull 12 oz. Vodka 10 oz. Finlandia Vodka Serve neat. Garnish with 12 oz. Lemon juice 1 oz. Cognac cinnamon. Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass. Serve.
“Friends”
“Quadron”
“Budos Band”
“Eddie Cochran”
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Davina Hsu
Bum BUm MAKES YOU THINK
Davina Hsu is a Taiwanese artist in New York City who specializes in portraiture mixed with assemblage design. She has exhibited at Soka Art center in Taiwan and The Red Box in Williamsburg.
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mission that most humans shy away from their whole lives - that mission is to push their limits and their boundaries. Created with a mixture of soft pastel colors and bright backgrounds painted on acrylic, Bum Bum, the central figure in this series of paintings, is the conduit through which I challenge my limits as an artist and a human being. I am experimenting with the practice of simplifying the complexity of human desire through the life of a simple kitten. “ See more of Davina at her site.
“In my new series of artwork I have created, Bum Bum, a precocious kitten wearing a white and hot pink kitty suit, does many things - Bum Bum dances, Bum Bum smokes cigarettes, Bum Bum balances on a balance beam, Bum Bum even boxes. I created Bum Bum as my Batman, she helps me admit and face my fears and emotions. Cats are small and get scared, but they know how to balance...I want to know how to balance. This kitty character is on a
i-m.co/davinahsu/davina 25 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Jacqueline Jones
Girl Cat and Two Heads
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Jacqueline Jones is an artist from Wales. Her work was recently included in projects at both the Tate Modern and Tate Britain. She would describe her work as raw and expressive, some would call it outsider which she regards as a label. Jacqueline Jones’ emotionally charged paintings evoke the spirit of the painterly canvases of the new york artist Jean Basquiat. Basquiat was not only influenced by the street art of New York - (graffiti)as well as the work of Picasso who took inspiration from totemic carvings and shamanistic signs from Africa. Born in Llechryd, west Wales she studied art at Camarthen Art College 1985-87. Jacqueline has lived most of her life in the industrial and post-industrial world of the Rhondda Valleys South Wales. She has exhibited widely at the Whitechapel Gallery in London,and recently Tate Modern and Tate Britain. Jacqueline presented a major solo exhibition at Ffin Y Parc in February 2011. Her work is held in many private collections nationally. She says of her work “Art for me is a process close to the rhythms of life – as essential and natural as breathing”. Review from Welsh Art Website Ffin Y Parc Gallery
Bird in Night City
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Bird on Pavement
See more:
http://gator1040.hostgator. com/~jacqueli/ http://registry.whitecolumns.org/ view_artist.php?artist=11712 http://www.outsiderart.info/jones. htm Street by Night
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Catwomen in Field
Woman in Landscape 29 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
KIM BOUCHARD & RICHARD 30 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
T iny A b s tr act S e r i es What type of work do you do? Right now we are primarily doing abstract paintings, the “Tiny Abstract Series” and our “Stripes Paintings” are our current collections. We have recently begun working on some drawings of tools that are geared toward realism but incorporate many of the stylistic elements of our abstract paintings. Is this series a joint series and what role do each of you play in the creation of the art work? Richard: The “Tiny Abstract Series” is a joint series that we work on together. Usually I start the paintings, however there are times that Kim will start them. I will then begin to develop each of the pieces we are working on with Kim’s input and suggestions. As we get closer to finishing each piece, we will both make decisions regarding the refining of the colors, marks and other elements and try to resolve any differences of opinion we may have about the outcome the painting. Kim: I like to come in after the paintings have
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been started and help focus the direction, feel and meaning of the paintings. How long have you been painting, working together? We have been painting together for about 2 years. How did you two decide to work together as opposed to having your own body of work? . Richard: I always wanted to work jointly with Kim on paintings and drawings but it took me 23 years to finally talk her into painting with me.
like the tool drawings we are When or how do you know starting. when a piece is done or finished? The idea of tiny pieces really is great. Not only is Richard: I am not 100% it more efficient but it is sure of when our paintings unique as you don’t see are finished as we have a many artists who work tendency to change them small. Can’t wait to see even after we both thought your larger paintings. they were done. Which masters of abstract expressionism are you most inspired by and why?
Kim: I am not a trained artist and I did not feel that I had the skills to do the paintings and drawings on my own or together for that matter. It has been an interesting experience and I have learned a lot from working together and have gained confidence in my artistic skills, decisions and choices.
RIchard: Cy Twombly - His sensitive and intimate marks and scribbles seem to me to be an honest self portrait inside each of one his works. Robert Rauschenberg - I really responded to his combine pieces, they are very mysterious to me. Jim Dine - I would not call him an abstract expressionist, but he was very influential on me and I love most everything that he does. His large heart paintings and the figure drawings were my first exposure to him and have had a lasting impact.
Why did you decide to go tiny?
What is the process like in creating a new piece?
Richard: The paintings are the size that they are because of after not painting for 20 years I only had a minimal amount of paint and surfaces to work on as well as only very tiny brushes that were still good enough to use and we were only able to do small paintings with the materials that we had. However as we continued to work on them, we began to be intrigued by the idea of trying to produce at a very small scale, paintings, that have the same mystery and impact of paintings done at a much larger size. After some trial and error the size of 4 inches x 4 inches seemed to be what worked and looked the best.
Richard: We usually work on several pieces at once and we begin to make marks of any kind with paint, graphite etc. just to get a base and get the painting moving. As we begin to develop these pieces, one or two will stand out as having a life of their own and we will begin to focus more on these images. As the painting develops we continue to define the image by adding and removing marks and color until we have something that we like. At this point we usually put the painting away for some time and look at it again later with fresh eyes. We continue this process over and over until we both agree that it is finished.
Kim: Even though I like the small paintings and enjoyed working on them, I would like to move on to larger paintings and something more realistic,
Kim: That pretty much sums up the process. I just want to add that we are very slow workers and these can take a long time to complete.
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keep adding subtracting or changing these colors until we get the right harmony of tones. Also the bright and bold colors are a good contrast to the smudges and marks that could otherwise look dirty. As far as what the colors say about us, I don’t think that I have a good
“
Kim: This is one area where we sometimes disagree. There are many times I feel the painting is finished, but Richard is not 100% sure and will make changes. Likewise, there are times when Richard feels it is finished and I think it needs more work.
You have a beautiful color palette, how do you go about choosing the colors and what do you think boldness of the colors say about you? Richard: The choices of the colors is intuitive and not much planning goes into it. We put down colors we think are right and we will
However as we continued to work on them, we began to be intrigued by the idea of trying to produce at a very small scale, paintings, that have the same mystery and impact of paintings done at a much larger size.
“
answer for that. Kim: I actually like brighter cleaner colors and I am always trying to steer the paintings in that direction color wise. Well somehow, you two create a perfect harmony with the colors you choose. What influences your work? Richard: Usually it is a glimpse of something that sticks in my head or the work of other artists that have an element of mystery in their images. Kim: Animals, but I have no idea on how that reflects in the abstract paintings. How does living in LA affect you artwork? Richard: Very interesting question because I have lived here all of my adult life and artistically I don’t know
director for 12 years. It is our different backgrounds that helps us in the process of creating our paintings. Kim: I like the closeness I feel when we are working on something together and when we finally get a piece that we both really like at its completion. I would agree with Richard that the con for us is our schedules conflict greatly and thus it is hard to find the time for both of us to work on a painting at the same time together. Have you had or do you plan on exhibiting? We have been part of 5 group exhibitions in various locations around Los Angeles and we are always looking for places to show our work. Where can we buy your work? Prints of our work are available at http://RKB-arts.imagekind.com and at www.trilliumgallery.com Originals are available by contacting us through our website.
www.RKB-arts.com anything else, so it is hard for me to say how it affects our paintings. Although if I had to say, it would be reflected in our color choices. Kim: I have lived here my entire life and haven’t been painting for very long so I am not sure how it affects our paintings. It’s refreshing to hear of artist couples working as one. What are the pros & cons of working as a couple? Richard: For me there is only one con and that is finding time to work on a painting at the same time. I like collaborating. I get tired of my own ideas and choices. Working with Kim is more interesting because she likes things that I don’t and visa versa. Our goal is to marry our sometimes differing viewpoints to get a better and unexpected outcome. Also, Kim’s artistic talents are more natural and self taught then mine, I went to art school and worked as an illustrator and art
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Esau Rodriguez
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Vibrancy 35 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
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http://www.facebook.com/EsauRodriguezArt
Instinct
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Alex Andreyev 39 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Previous Page Utopia Top Left Late MIddle Left Gate 1 Bottom Left Supercargo Middle Under Clouds Top Right Dinner MIddle Right It Bottom Right Under the Rain
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alexandreev.com 41 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
2012 by Ellen Johnston
Prices are going up in the Yucatan. Hotels are booked. Pla Full. It’s the biggest boon to Mexican tourism in years, wh the drug war raging on and cartels leaving bodies on the left, right and centre. But what are all the tourists coming December 21st, 2012. The end of the world. Or at least tha they say.
We’ve heard it a thousand times before. The world is ending! Remember the Rapture that was supposed to occur last year? Never happened. Or what about Nostradamus? We’ve been waiting out his prophecies for ages! On December 21st, 2012, the Maya Calendar is officially coming to an end. Or at least this cycle of it. Depending on who you talk to, this means either the beginning of a new cycle, or the end of the world. Unsurprisingly, it’s the latter opinion that has got the most press. While we humans might be the most intelligent species on the planet we are rarely the most rational. We love disasters and apocalypses of every kind, at least in the hypothetical myth-making sense – and this particular opportunity for chaos and mayhem has, for some reason, struck an especially strong chord with humanity. Maybe it’s just the timing, or the fact that these prophecies come from a place a little closer to us than Europe. Or maybe it’s because we simply just don’t know that much about the ancient Maya. In our lack of knowledge there’s more mystery, and as a result, there’s also more to fear. As irrational as these fears might be, they come from a very rational place. The Maya were the only preColumbian civilization to develop writing. They practiced science and astronomy at a very high level, and like their counterparts in ancient Greece and Babylon, they kept a strict calendar. The particular calendar in question, the so-called “Long Count” Calendar, was linear and divided into clear segments of time: twenty days equalled a uinal, eighteen uinals (360 days) equalled a tun, twenty tuns equalled a k’atun, and twenty k’atuns (approximately 394 years) equalled a b’ak’tun. Further, the world of the ancient Maya was divided into ages. They believed that we were living in the fourth age. According to the Maya calendar, the third age ended 13 b’ak’tuns ago. That’s about 5,125 years back in time. And they believed the fourth age would end on the Maya date of 13.0.0.0.0. That’s our December 21st, 2012. And that’s where the hype begins – though not all beginnings necessarily lead to an end…of the world, that is. There’s very little reason to believe that the Maya ever prophesied that the end of their calendar signified the end of us all. That has been the work of New Agers, conspiracy theorists, and those with generally Eurocentric notions of a terminal, rather than cyclical, world. They have imposed these notions upon small amounts of knowledge about the Maya, and are reaping the benefits from it, whether it’s in the form of website hits, selling more tickets to Doomsday events, or simply jacking up the price of hotels rooms. In fact, very little of this “end of the world” hype has come from the modern day Maya or the archaeologists who specialize in their ancient ancestors. According to them, the end of this current Maya Calendar is simply a matter of a turning of a page, as in our own calendar, which ends every December 31st, and then begins anew the next day. And yet, despite this, we live in an age that by the measurements of scientists and political observers could very well be described as apocalyptic. Violence rages in Syria. To anyone living in that country, the end of the world, or at least their world, must seem very near, as ancient cities and monuments are turned to dust and women and children are disposed of without mercy. Conflict also continues in Israel, the epicenter and beating heart of the most powerful, wide-reaching religions on our planet. And even our own back door is being littered with the bodies of young men and innocent tourists caught up in the terrible violence of the narcotrafficking wars of Mexico. And its all the more sickening considering the doomsday prophecies about the end of the Maya Calendar. There’s no need to travel to Tulum or Palenque to see great visions of death and destruction as predicted by the heavens. It’s occurring every day, right here, on the ground.
To make things worse, the polar ice caps are melting and the oceans are rising, as global climate change begins to take its toll upon the earth. A toll which people seem very uninterested in doing anything about, despite the very present ravages upon our own soil, most recently in the form of Hurricane Sandy. The USA remains rife with climate change deniers, and most Western powers, whether they accept the science or not, are unwilling to adjust their own energy policies out of greed and shortsightedness. Climatologists and environmental activists predict widespread famine, destruction and death as a result of an inevitable rise in temperatures over the course of the next few decades. The Coral Reefs are already on the brink of extinction. Humans, they say, aren’t far behind. According to the renowned scientist and activist David Suzuki “we are at an absolutely critica moment in all of human history when what we do or do not do in the next few years will very well determine whether we survive as a species on this plan (source: http://www.journalpremiereedition.com/English/2012-10-26/article-3108190/Critical-changes-needed-now-for-human-survival%3A Suzuki/1) . Now there’s a prophecy for you. Let’s just hope that humanity has the wisdom to listen.
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anes? hat with ground, g for? at’s what
Simon Prades Art by:
al net”
ADavid-
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As in illustrator, Simon Prades is interested in exposing the uncomfortable truths that surround us. He finds inspiration from the real world, nature, architecture and books. Prades likes staying informed on global events through newspapers and internet. His style may be dark and dirty but it is definitely a depiction of what many people around the world have to face. He loves studying old masters like Lucal van Leyden, Albrecht D端rer and Egon Schieles. Prades attributes his interest in human destiny and social awareness to his parents and says that people often react a bit shocked as if he were illustrating nightmares. However, he is simply using imagery seen everyday. It is inspiring to see people, specially artists making a social statement through their work. Not many people realize how much suffering exists in the world and artists such as Prades help bring us back to reality.
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www.simonprades.com 47 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Xavier Koubi
RIOT Apocalypse coming? At the end of 2012, maybe every city will become uncontrollable. This digital painting represents this worst case scenario.
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Knight Of Shadow Back to the past with Knight Of Shadow. Knights and Wizards fascinate every people through the ages. Here is a dark universe, full of terror or full of magic.
www.xavier-k.com/en
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VLADA SHAMOVA
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Although recycling became very popular and cool now, it is not the reason why I am working on this project but rather that I loved nature since I was a child and there is such a bond between recycling, eco and nature. I always felt that it is only when I am near nature that I can be really happy which is why of course I cannot be indifferent to what is going on around me. I try to do something in my everyday life for the cause of recycling. It is not so difficult to sort your rubbish, or not to buy over packaged goods or to clean after picnic .
Such things are normal and obvious in some countries but unfortunately not everywhere. Eco-right behavior is not a common thing in my country - Belarus. People’s attitudes and minds are not ready for such ways and we need more time to realize it and to make it the normal and so I fee that I really want to do something which may be just a little part of puzzle yes, but at least something to help make the situation change. I am doing a lot of eco themed projects for adults and children, for different purposes, using different techniques and styles and If it could have some influence, in anyway, I feel like It has achieved some purpose. 51 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
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“Think about nature” is just one project - a graphical display poster with a mixture of irony and sadness. Certainly something for everyone to think about! I also made the animation for children- “Eco-wonder” which I enjoyed making very much and it felt as a good positive thing if I could offer some wisdom to the children. Now I am working on several ecological projects here in Prague and abroad and I am always open for new opportunities especially in this theme, because it will always touch me. To see more of VLADA’s work visit her portfolio or shoot her an email. vladashamova@gmail.com
www.behance.net/Vlada_Shamova 53 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
SHann Larsson
Beaut iful Decay
Light cannot exist without the dark, just as beauty cannot exist without decay. Modern beauty is an artificial concept. We no longer see nature as special nor do we respect its value. Shann Larson and Danny the G(r)eek intend to portray this idea in a new show which they have named ‘Beautiful Decay’.
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Left Page: Fading Out By Design II 61x76cm acrylic, ink, color pencil, rose on canvas 2012 Bottom: Turned Into A Fly 50x60cm acrylic, ink, color pencil on canvas 2012 Left: Fading Out By Design 61x76cm acrylic, ink, color pencil on canvas 2012 Next Page Left Side: Paint the Roses Dead 50x60cm acrylic, ink, color pencil on canvas 2012 Next Page Right Side: Nest / Fragile Fragments 50x60cm acrylic, ink, color pencil on canvas
Hearts will attack and flowers will whither. Our current world is decaying. Not only is it being destroyed and misused. But the beauty we once found in the organic order of things has now shifted into a lust for creating machines. We see vibrancy in the man-made objects instead of from the earth. We disregard a passion for genuine growth. We are confused and lost in a world wrapped up in an age where we would rather plug something in than plant something. The show is a reflection of tomorrow’s downfall overtaking yesterday’s forest. Shann and Danny aim to gather a collection of work to open your eyes to a new age of a peace between the new and the old. To see beauty not only in the decadence but also in the decay.
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The show is a reflection of tomorrow’s downfall overtaking yesterday’s forest. 2012 In ‘Beautiful Decay’,Shann Larsson focuses on both the natural and the artificial world that are in the process of decay. Shann’s painting style is quite expressive, in both color and technique whereby she attempts to pull the viewer into the pulse of her paintings. Unlike her previous work, Shann has broadened her range in color and enhanced the realism of her subject matter for this show to mimic the little details she finds beautiful in all things lifeless. From the fragility and browning of a withered flower to the flaking roughness of a rusty machine, she finds the little traces of decay creating a sense of nostalgia and structural curiosity, but also understands a new colorful vibrancy and beauty.
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To see more of Larsson’s work please visit her site and show your support on her profile at www.facebook.com/shannlarssonsart
www.shannlarsson.com
forBeaut iful Decay 57 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
dannykostianos.tumblr.com www.facebook.com/dannythegreekart dkostianos@gmail.com
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Johnny Kotze
Global Warming Illustrator. Johnny Kotze Agency. The Motel Email. info@themotel.co.za
www.themotel.co.za
“This is a piece I did in a reminiscent style of the 50’s to depict the effects of global warming. This was created some time before the recent hurricane in the states. It was done after we had a really long and cold winter in South Africa with hail and snow which has never happened before. So I think it is a scenario that is becoming all too real. I like the juxtaposition of the old style of graphics with the modern day subject matter.”
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Paul Sucksmith Paul Sucksmith’s photographic work is engaged in a search for clues in the hidden stories and personal histories found in people and places. Paul’s imagery embraces the realities of urban life, exploring the absurdity, pathos, cruelty, menace and beauty found in the apparent mundanity of the common place. He seeks to use the camera as a tool utilized in the deconstruction of the generic, everyday imagery which surrounds us. With the fusion of abstractionism and documentation which takes place within his work we see an exciting element of chance at play, often hinting at an inherent darkness.
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www.paulsucksmith.com paul@paulsucksmith.com
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Patrick Hamil 64 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
lton 65 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Sands of Sahara
Chichen Itza
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Alaskan Wild
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Algerian Nightscape
Portraits from Afric
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m ca
Moonshine in New York after Hurrican Sandy knocks out electricity.
Pyramid in Egypt shot using Tilt/Shift
patrick1976.tumblr.com 69 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
MIchael Paul Miller
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r I am fascinated by perseverance and find this primordial instinct and necessity of life to be ennobling and suspect, especially when the path is perilous and end is bleak. My work explores the sublimity of existence through a post-apocalyptic environment emblematic of death, disaster, and desolation, without abandoning subtle indications of hope and beauty. This deconstructive setting is a harrowing and plausible circumstance that allows for an open-ended inquiry into the bewildering human condition, and enables the subject matter to address an extensive range of contemporary issues. I take refuge in the power and versatility of oil paint on canvas. I have deep respect and appreciation for its immediacy, history, and its transformative capability to depict the authentic. I use traditional glazing, scumbling, and impasto techniques with a dark and rich color palette to create the subdued tones and distressed atmosphere associated with destruction. In selective areas I apply bright cautionary cadmiums that break through the darkness to present an alarming beauty. The imagery I create and manner in which I work comes from a variety of sources including a grand tradition of studio painters. I feel indebted to the artistic accomplishments of many, though the works of Goya, Turner, GĂŠricault, and Homer often come to mind. As for other sources of creation, I rely upon symbolism, ingenuity, intuition, knowledge, and happenstance. I am intrigued and often mystiďŹ ed by the wonder and awe of personal experience and its relationship to consciousness, delusion, and purpose. I seek out the gray and am delighted when my paintings raise open-ended questions that are subject to different interpretation.
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In which direction does the road lie? We seek answers to the many questions of life and are seldom pacified. An apocalypse is inevitable and when this moment arrives will we finally know. As conscious beings we have emerged from infinite mystery, and into mystery we始ll return. In the end we may find that mystery is all there is. Until then, may these paintings be an enduring reminder.
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mpm@mpmart.net
www.mpmart.net 73 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Bernard Barut
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www.brenar.com 75 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
Art & Music Magazine
by Magda Becerra 76 ARTNOIS No 3, December 2012
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