Chichicastenago Surprise

Sept 9, 2009
Johnson, Vermont

As some of you know, the market at Chichicastenago in Guatemala was slightly underwhelming for me. Yet sometimes the places that you didn't think much of can surprise you with an amazing shot that make the early morning worth while and rewrite your impression of that day, that market, that moment forever. This is part of the magic of photography. This is part of the wonder of film.

One of my favorite thing about shooting film is that you don't get to see it right away. You have wait. By the time you get your proof sheets back, its been days and days and days since you shot that roll, since you been to that place. It is familiar to look at each shot as you remember most of them and also a surprise too cause there are ones that are long forgotten.

I would say that I had the best market experience in Central America at San Juan Chamula. But I am not sure that I have a GREAT shot from that day. Chichicastenago might have been slightly disappointing as far as the market was concerned, but look what I brought home with me, look at this moment that I caught on film.

Logic vs Gut Instinct in hand to hand combat in an all White Room

Aug 31, 209
Johnson, Vermont
Elevation 157m

I am sitting in my all white studio space with a window looking out into the parking lot with a perfect view of the construction workers using the porter potty. I know that photography is on the low end of the totem pole in the art world, but did that need to be made so obvious with a view of the shit house? (I am certain that my studio assignment does not reflect anything other than what is practical and convenient).

I am editing through 63 rolls of film from Mexico and Central America. I shot markets in 13 different cities and 4 countries. I can usually look at the proof sheet and tell you which town that market is as no two markets are a like. I am looking at 3 proof sheets of meat isles and meat stalls and I cannot tell you which country it was in, much less what town. I remember being at that particular market, I remember shooting the images, I remember each of the isles, but I cannot remember anything else. By the process of elimination, logic tells me that this mystery market is not in El Salvador or Nicaragua, but my gut instinct tells me that I shot these images late in the trip which means that it is El Salvador or Nicaragua. OMG! I feel like I am going crazy. My gut is certain, but logic dictates otherwise.

Maybe its not good for me to be in an all white room. Maybe I should staples some pads to the walls....

Art Fairs a Plenty

March 8, 2009
New York City

Between Thursday and Friday, I have attended The Armory Show, Volta, The Bridge Art Fair and Scope. I have in addition went to 7 gallery openings and saw the current exhibit at the Guggenheim for free via the pay what you wish program every Friday night. In short, I have seen more art than I can tell you about.

The best art fair out of the 4 that I attended was Volta. The Armory Show comes a close second, but with over 200 exhibitors, the sheer amount of art to digest is overwhelming and after a certain point, I am not sure what I am looking at any more and if I cared still. Volta is a much smaller fair and I really like the fact that each gallery only exhibits one artists and the booth feels more like a show than a collection of art the dealers are hoping to sale.

This year, I actually saw a piece that I like so much that I would purchase if I could afford it. It is a painting by Drago Persic shown by the engholm engelhorn galerie.


The work beheld me and I had an emotional experience with it as I stood in front of it. Although its a painting in the style of photo-realism (which I am not always a fan of), I immediate knew that it was a painting in front of me (which is by no means a criticism of the artists technique) and I loved it! I didn't want to walk away from it and after a while I went back for a second look.

I have always understood that selling art needs to be an emotional pitch. If the collector is not buying as an investment or buying to add a certain name to their collection, but to really make a purchase for the art itself, then they need to really really love the work. Not only did I love this painting, I could see myself living with it.

I was not surprised to see that there were very little "straight" photographs in any of the fairs. The most you will see are vintage prints by the likes of Diane Arbus, Robert Frank and etc. All the contemporary photographs that I liked or understood all have been manipulated so that:
a) the actual print is altered so that its not just a straight photograph



b) something that occurs within the image itself is tweaked so that its not just a photograph


and as I type this, I begin to wonder if the contemporary art market has something against photography? The photographic work that I did see that has not been altered are usually images of cityscape (none of them which I cared for) or images of empty spaces (which I am not sure why that is a consistent theme and why are we are we so concerned with it?).



But all of this observation really reinforces what Jim McHugh had told me about that I am selling to the wrong side of street and that if I could somehow just take my current work to the next level, then....we be playing a different game.

All in all, I got a lot of great ideas and inspirations for how to take everything up to the next height and now I just have to spent sometime in the experimentation of that.

End note: I finally understood that I often like art that makes me laugh, even if its just a little, as I left the Armory Show, I saw this in the subwaywhich I must admit, are as brilliant as many of works of art that I have seen these past few days.

PS. My apologies for not providing names and galleries for all the images and examples of artists shown here in this blog. There was really just way too much content and art for me to have cataloged it all properly. Please do not offence to my lack of organization.

Selling to the Wrong Side of the Street

Nov 1, 2008
Los Angeles, Ca

I had asked for a consult with a photographer friend of mine, Jim McHugh. He is an amazing photographer and a kind of a mentor. I wanted to see what his opinion is of "What is next?!"

You may ask, why is Jim McHugh qualify to give such opinion? He has years of experience in the commercial world, has done very well in these last few years when he decided to venture into the art world, not to mention the experience and wisdom that comes with time and age. He was an advocate of my work early on and saw their potential before anyone else did.

Jim's opinion is that I am selling to the wrong side of the street. If I could transform my work somehow so that it is no longer just photography - it being the bastard child of the art world - and sell myself as a fine artist - then it would really be something!

It all makes perfect sense. In a way, I knew this already. I think that is why we talked about the scratch and sniff idea and to incorporate interactive and multi-media elements to the work and presentation.

Its interesting to look at the art market and see the fuss over "new media" and understand how there is this nearly arbitrary line drawn. Shepard Fairy for instance and the popularity of street art. It can be just as easily replicated as photography, after all, its a stencil, but the medium is relatively new and because of its influence in popular culture and its social-political guerilla-ness, he can command 5 figures for his art. Bravo! I applaud him for how far he has come. I simply find the irony in the art world's acceptance and preference of one medium over another "interesting."

You know how you are often asked to describe your art and what it is about, or the style of it? I am fully aware of the nuances of my work, yet I don't want to describe it to others. I want them to see it themselves. Jim described my work exactly as I hoped for it be described. Its not documentary or reportage, cause its not in their faces. Its not of crying children and dying men. Its studied, it takes a step back, it has a narrative and you want to be involved in it. You want to know more. Its quiet in a way and its a little melancholy. It felt so good to have someone describe your work the way you think it should. Not only do they "get it" - fully appreciate why you think its good or special - but they have the language to say such.

So, need to create new work, need to start re-inventing as an "artist", more grants and more gallery show. That is what is next!