artograma's best of 2014

TheNew

GeNeraTioNof arT

ARTISTSTO WATCHPressa Hall aggy sioud ariel Basso Peter Passuntino

THEBESTOF2014

InspIred Is to be In-spIrIt

Ariel Basso

a riel Basso is a contemporary Cuban-American

artist. He was born and raised in Miami, Florida, where he built a profession as a working artist prior his move to New York. His career has evolved around private commissions and participation in events that support his community and beliefs. Basso’s paintings have raised thousands of dollars for the Eating Alliance Disorder, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League and the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Since moving to New York City in 2008, he has focused on researching and organizing his new series. Based on his interest in cosmology and immersing himself in the spiritual practice of relating with unknown

space—“the in-betweens of life”–Basso developed this body of work, defined as “a space of information,” which some people may call inspiration.

“…but where is that inspiration coming from? Inspiration means IN-SPIRIT and that spirit, that particle, is actually a vast field of infinite knowledge.”

In his latest work, “Cygnus,” (next page), Basso pictures the swan-like constellation in our Milky Way, which was used by the ancients to communicate with the divine. Combining diverse elements of ancient practices and beliefs with his creative originality, this new series explores the profound wisdom and teachings of the ancients and their powerful, ever-present existence.

“I believe that after they’ve transcended, the energy of an ancient–for example, Einstein or William Blake or whomever–still lives in this atmosphere… and the more I paint it is always a reminder that this energy never leaves, it’s vibrating, full of information. That’s why I paint what I paint.”

Standing before a Basso, one is immediately immersed in the close detail he so carefully applies to create a vibrating illusion–an impression of the painting coming to life. The artist works with vibrant colors and bold lines, which, he claims, is in relation to the child-like experience that is within all of us.

“The vibrancy of the colors is my reminder to remain in this child-

Posted by GiGi CamPos 01/25/2013

like state, not childish but child-like; to be able to see the world through eyes of endless possibilities and retain a vivid imagination.“

INTERvIEW WITH ARIEL BASSo We sat down with the artist for a brief Q&A:

AoA: There are not many artists out there who work with such a powerful subject matter. Tell us what inspires you?

AB: It’s simple. I’m inspired by the opportunities which allow me to continue discovering the endless possibilities of being a human, living as an artist and existing as a spirit. I’m inspired by the energy to create!

AoA: How do you define art?AB: It’s our first given language; it’s the universal language.

AoA: When did you start creating?AB: Before I could even

label it as “art.”

AoA: What is your favorite color?AB: Gray.

AoA: What is your least favorite color?AB: Gray. AoA: What does being an artist bring to your life?AB: Connection to the source…and exercising my first amendment right (laughs).

AoA: Is there something you hope your artwork brings to the audience?AB: I hope the viewer is able to understand that simplicity has the ability to say a lot more than complexity. To me, complexity, whether in art or in writing, has the potential of taking us too far into seeking the right answer versus being in the present moment and in peace. Being able to allow the visual experience to flow through us without any analytic attempts to resolve or understand the subject.

AoA: What is the hardest part in this profession?AB: Working the 9am-

5pm.

AoA: What would it take to consider yourself successful in your career?AB: Not working the 9-5 (laughs)…but also I’m not sure I would define it as success, but rather as improvement.

For more information on the artist please visit his website:www.arielbasso.com

or contact us at: [email protected]

Headsculpture

Aggy Sioud


S culpture [found her] in undergraduate school, although

she later continued to earn her Master’s Degree in landscape architecture. In her work, Poland native, Agy Sioud, integrates her love for the natural with her skills in sculpting to create series of indigenous heads. Giant, human heads. Sioud’s work explores the contrasting cultural differences of African tribes and those of the modern world.

She’s drawn to the face “because it says the most about a person”, and her favorite thing is getting her subjects all dressed up and bejeweled. “The devil lies is in the details” she says.

What is it about heads that attracted you?

I was one of those kids that just stares at you and observes everything you do. The face expresses the most about a person, and one thing I love about New York is riding the subway. There is such diversity of culture and upbringings, so sometimes for just one

stop I get a million ideas from looking into people’s eyes and what they’re wearing. Sometimes I can even tell what kind of music they’re listening too. The face is very expressive and it represents the real us. We can wear many different masks, and I enjoy digging into my characters’ masks.

What inspired your interest in indigenous cultures?

I love people from Himba. Happy, colorful, and very peaceful people, who know nothing else except for the way they are. They have nothing to question because they continue to remain uninfluenced by fashion magazines and technology trends. They make their own jewelry, clothes, tools and equipment and I just love the idea that this kind of purity still exists.

How important is the facial expression to your work?

It’s very, very important! The position of the head, hair, and jewelry; I take all of that into consideration, and I love

dressing them up.

Do you make sketches or research before you begin a piece?

No. I usually start with an idea, but the whole process is very organic. Zola, for example (image left), started off as a ballerina, but through the process, she changed cultures and personalities about twelve times. After I got her nose, eyes, and mouth, I said to myself – ‘okay, she knows something, and she’s going somewhere.’

In other cases when I have a commission, I usually work off a picture and I study every little detail that I’m presented with. Sometimes I feel like an FBI agent (laughs), but the customer usually appreciates that.

How is it different to work for yourself versus producing work for a client?

Commissions are challenging, and that’s why I do them. It’s a challenge to meet the client’s expectations and deliver exactly what they want you to. And

when I work, I don’t go come from the place in school where they teach us: “this is where the eyes have to go”. I do everything from intuition.

When I work for myself, on the other hand, everything is a mystery. Sometimes it might be a long time before the piece is developed, but I enjoy the freedom of that, and this is the time for me to have fun.

What’s the most challenging part about working in three-dimensional art?

Three-dimensional art gives you the opportunity to be inside the canvas, behind the canvas, three-quarters of the canvas… you have control from everywhere. For me, it’s a joy to have my hands all over it and having the ability to feel every inch of the piece.

I especially like to sink my fingers through the wet clay in the beginning. visually-impaired people are completely dependent on their hands, and I see it as a gift that we are able to do that. To me, sculpture is the

most organic form of expressing my art.

Have you experimented with various materials?

Yes, all the time! Last year, I was commissioned to make a piece in chalk, and that was the most challenging and interesting one so far. I had to create three identical duplicates of carved-out pieces of chalk. I had to go very slow and work smoothly because chalk chips very easy. one wrong move and it’s all gone! I used needles and little pins to carve out my client’s company name, and it was challenging… but I managed. They were very happy with the final product.

I love working under pressure. When I have a deadline, I’ll work until the last minute, using lots of coffee and no sleep; the shorter the deadline, the better.

How do you know when a piece is done?

I know it when I reach that point of satisfaction and complete exhaustion. Everything has to be polished to the need of the client because at the end of the day, the work belongs to them. I’m usually very tired by the end because I take my feelings and energy and put it all into my work. So when I can’t give it anything else, it’s done. That’s it. Mama made a baby (laughs).

For more information about Agy Sioud – Head Sculpture, please visit:www.agyart.com

Professionally, what is your ultimate goal?

I’m always looking for new things and bigger challenges, but I’d really love to have my sculptures in an outdoor setting one day. Something like the park where everyone can enjoy them.

http://centre-fuge.tumblr.com

http://www.mmartconsultant.com

paper tHInMolly McIntyre


M olly McIntyre is a

contemporary artist

working with cut paper.

She used to be in a band but now she

works in both animation and illustration

because she likes storytelling and

highlighting the humble moments of our

everyday lives.

originally from Philadelphia, in

2011 McIntyre received her MFA

in Interdisciplinary Studio Art from

Maine College of Art. After college

she moved to California and then to

Brooklyn where she now lives and

works as a freelance artist. Her latest

job was an animated music video for

Distant Correspondent (featured in

our interview) but she’s worked with

lots of cool stuff like, book trailers and

cut-paper art through which she likes

to express herself and her personal

relationships. Sometimes she even

narrates her own videos.

With a slight hint of melancholy in

everything she does, Molly’s use of

imagery speaks with joy and her stories

will make you smile with reminiscence.

art by presaPosted by GiGi CamPos 12/18/2013

w e met in 2012 at an

art show where Presa

Hall was exhibiting

one of her works on canvas, and had

one body to paint on. She calls it

“skin illustration”, but body painting is

not alien to her.

“I wanted to show that anything could

be your canvas, even if it’s your

body. I also liked that it’s a moment

in time, and it will get washed off as

soon as the work is done. ”

She got into painting thanks to her

big sister, who is also an artist.

“I must’ve been two years old when

my sister would come home from

college and bring work with her.

She’d always pass me the paints and

her brushes to keep me occupied

until I fell in love with it and started

working with her.”

At age six, Hall began to study

works by vanGogh and o’Keefe for

their use of colors. She remembers

being fascinated with their ability to

manipulate an image into whatever

idea they wanted.

“I wanted to show that anything could be your canvas, even if it’s your

body. I also liked that it’s a moment in time, and it will get washed off as soon

as the work is done. “

Later, she began taking classes

at University of Utah, where she

was mentored by highly acclaimed

individuals.

About three years ago, the young

artist moved to New York City

“To focus on [her] artwork and to

get inspired.” Since then, she’s

participated in numerous group

shows, a solo exhibition, and a

number of street art projects. Last

December for Art Basel, Hall was

commissioned to create a mural on

a 20-foot wall at Wynwood, Miami’s

art and design district.

This year at Art Basel, Hall

and some fellow artist shared

a booth where she exhibiting

new works from the series, “Eye

Constellations”.

Modern day MytHology:paIntIngs byMIsHatyutyunIk

B orn in Ukrain in the early 80’s,

Misha Tyutyunik is at the

forefront of his career as an

artist. His work integrates political figures

with comic book superheroes, which he

calls “modern day mythology.”


peter passuntIno

B orn 1936 in Chicago, IL,

Passuntino now lives and

works in New York City. He

attended the School of the Art Institute

of Chicago from 1954 to 1958, later

studying in Paris at Institut des Arts

et Acheologie and Sir William Hayter

Atelier during 1963 through 1965. At

18, Peter exhibited in a group show at

the Carnegie Institute and, at nineteen,

had a solo show at the Artists Guild in

Chicago.

During the 1970s, Peter Passuntino

co-founded the figurative expressionist

group Rhino Horn, contesting the New

York School rhetoric and promoting

political and social discourse. In 1971,

he was granted the Guggenheim

Fellowship, following which he received

the National Endowment for the Arts in

1983 and in 1999 a solo show at the

National Arts Club. Schedule a studio

visit with Passuntino.


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2014 J ustin Carty is

a native New

Yorker portrait

artist. He works primarily

in oils with the frequent

use of spray paint,

creating intersecting

and overlapping lines

to explore the face

as a landscape. His

unique style derives

from his background

in architecture, and he

seeks to capture the

“most genuine human

expressions”.

to see the

interview and

documentation in the

making of the art of

Justin Carty.

visit Artograma.com

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2014 T he illustration

of Los Angeles

based, Darby

Krow has caught some fire

on Instagram for its “cute/

macabre” celebrity portraits

with a deeply set sense of

humor. Darby Krow says

living in L.A. is not much of

an influence but he enjoys

making portraits of his

“heroes” amongst which are

Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie

and the ultimate, Captain

Jack Sparrow.

All Work is for sAle.

Inquiries for Darby Krow

Designs:

[email protected]

Instagram:@darbykrow

As seen in

this signature

Darby Krow

ensemble-

the portrait

is a skewed

image

of Darby

Krow’s vivid

imagination–

brought

together by

his keen

eye for

vibrant color

and flashy

imagery. With

a fusion of

modern cues

and vintage

flare, Darby

Krow is

setting the art

world ablaze.

“syMbIotIc proMIse” tHe

Work oF artIst

ernesto

G rowing up in a small town in Brazil, Kunde’s early exposure

to nature inspired his obsession for painting mangroves and

the nearby scenery. He has created an exceptional body

of work that captures the tropical surroundings of Miami and its iconic

landscapes such as the palm trees, sunsets, and the many wild birds.


“Despite my parents

disapproval, I was able to quit

my job and move to America to devote myself to my love for

making art. I’ve been working as an artist for five years now. I love

to use bright, exaggerated

colors; I think they bring joy to the people and to

me.”

aneta Ivanova pHotograpHy Q&a


a neta Ivanova is an artist

whose “brush” happens to

be a camera. At first that

might seem almost like a contradiction

in terms, but in her case it is not. In

fact, to hear her describe the way she

works, it is the perfect way to merge

the things she sees and the artwork

she creates, between the camera and

Photoshop.

“My work is both sensual and

emotional, a juxtaposition of the

individual and the surrounding,

between the surface and what’s

happening inside.”

Ivanova’s work is a natural product of

her love for travel, a way to show the

world what she has experienced.

1. What kind of tools do you use for processing?

I use my DSLR camera and

photoshop. Most of the time, I first

capture the landscape (or urban, or

nature) elements, then the silhouette.

Afterwards I just blend them in

Photoshop.

2. You seem to equally enjoy working in both color as well as

black white. Do you shoot in both or does color come with the process of editing?

I always shoot in color and then turn

the photographs in black and white. I

definitely prefer black and white but

I decided to get out of my comfort

zone and explore color too. There are

projects that just can’t be done in color

and other ones that can’t go without

it, so my decision depends on the

situation.

3. How important is Photoshop in your final image? What is your most used Photoshop tool, plug-in, action set etc.?

I use Photoshop to blend the two

photographs together and then apply

some contrast and color adjustments.

I don’t use plugins or actions. I just put

the two photographs one over another

and change the blending mode to

“screen” which is the closest to the real

double exposure technique.

4. is there anyone or anything you would love to photograph?

I would love to travel more and

photograph every new place I visit.

Mostly mountains and seas, then big

cities and foreign people.

visit Aneta Ivanova Photography at:

www.anetaivanova.com

popularIty as stateMent: tHe antI-elItIsM oF Mark t. sMItHPosted by GiGi CamPos 09/12/2014

a rtist Mark T. Smith (Marktsmith.com), who’s based in Miami,

has leveraged his dazzlingly colorful palette and fascination

with quasi-mythic/archetypal imagery into a solid career. Two

of his signal accomplishments are the Absolut vodka ad he created in

1996 (“Absolut Smith”) and the poster he did for United States olympic

Team for the 2008 Beijing olympics. Some of his many other corporate

patrons over the years include: MTv, Pepsi, AT&T, Budweiser, and Disney.

Popularity and accessibility are worthy goals for Smith, who believes that

art’s “primary function is to ennoble the public,” and should thus play a

larger role in everyday life.

an acrobat oF genres:

tHe art and attItude oF

nIcHolas cHIstIakov

Posted by adam eisenstat 10/02/2014 N icholas Chistiakov

(Nicholaschistiakov.com)

is a Belarusian-American

Artist whose oeuvre includes portraits,

animal paintings, abstraction, still lifes,

nudes, and more. Atypically, he does

many different kinds of work and he

does them all well. He studied painting

at the Belarusian State Academy of

Arts in Minsk, and then immigrated

to New York with his family (in 2004).

His first mature work was a series of

paintings depicting museum scenes—a

conceptual/pictorial means of

incorporating art history and the idea of

the museum as a metaphor for human

existence - where life, death and creativity itself are

on display, engaging in a complex dialogue with each

other, and with the audience.

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a chunk of pink meat exits

her delicate pout. She

presses it against the oven

door and licks it hard. Like the lumps

of butter she stirs, her scorn for

people melts away- flour blankets her

body. She contemplates the gaunt

silhouette staring back at her- black

drips of grease on a white canvas.

Red lush lips and eyes too big. She

licks the dirty girl away and flinches

as she touches herself. Good

Catholic girls shouldn’t paint, they

shall clean.

FeI lI: at War WItH tHe obvIous

h ow anything is so

meaningful-

vibrant strokes of subtle adorn the

canvas: a harmonious mayhem of

anything.

The installation near the window is

equally intriguing. “Is it a forest?” I ask

her. “It could be -It serves as a still

life for my painting.”

“Is it for sale?”

“No, I will destroy it after the

painting is finished.”

(the installation consists of wooden

frames, sheets of paper, a mirror,

pictures, newspaper snippets,

colorful sticks )

-She paints-

Fei munches her cookie and I stare at

her top.

“It’s a struggle. Sometimes I get so

desperate and frustrated. But painting

took over everything. I just have to do

Posted by eva dePoorter 10/25/2014

it. I’m destined to suffer.

(Fei was introduced to

calligraphy at the age

of two. She has been

drawing and painting ever

since.)

-Fei’s insecurity-

I munch my cookie and

she pours me some

coffee.

“I’m hopeful. Cézanne’s

early paintings were

not that good either. He

became better as he

got older. I consider art

as a lifetime process, a

constant evolution.”

-objects of inspiration-

The mirror: “I place it in the still life so I

can see myself in what I create.”

The psyche: ”What I paint comes from

the inside.”

Space: “In my art, I constantly interpret

space.”

-Fei’s job-

“I sleep with my husband. From 9 to 5, I

paint.”

tHe sIck bunnIes

road sHoW proudly

presents: HoW to

deal WItH randoMness


M otionless bunnies moan

to the beat. Holes in

bags reveal anonymous

snouts. Emma licks the pole and

clasps her hips. Just like the ocean,

her lips are obscenely present. Wet

paws press to the damp sand. She

twirls in circles and reaches for the

head on the plate. Blood stains on his

white fur. or maybe it’s Maybelline.

Emma smears off the red and smiles at

the concept of ultimate freedom. She

cranes towards him and whispers :

-Do not worry about me, Funny Little

Man. An array of soul-sucking events

has resulted in my almost soulless

body. I can deal with the random ivory

white in your dead eyes-

LyLeCarBaJaL’S“arTLeSS”PaiNTiNGS

Posted by adam eisenstat 11/05/2014

L yle Carbajal

(RomancingBanality.

com) has a relatively

major show—

“Romancing Banality”–coming up

in october in New orleans, where

he currently lives. The installation

that will be on exhibit—25 paintings

and the recreated structure/exterior

of a butcher shop in Mexico City–

embodies many of the essential

ideas about his work. He cites

outsider art and primitive art as

influences, though he’s not really a

“primitive.”

The jagged textures and apparent

artlessness of Carbajal’s

paintings are manifestations of

his work’s underlying origins, and

the considerably more refined

textures of his larger artistic aims

and ongoing explorations. The

artlessness is part of his strategy

to strip away any superfluous

aspect of the image, to focus

on the line, which he believes is

the essential element or default

of visual grammar. Carbajal’s

work may be fundamentally (if

inadvertently) concerned with the

status of beauty in contemporary

art. Indeed, his type of art—visually

raw, polymorphous, drenched in

ideas and information, especially

autobiographical minutiae—seems

to question the need for beauty,

even its validity as an element of

art.

MaHo kIno:In a nutsHell


C ompared to the mug, her

hands look tiny.

She smiles soothingly and

sips the lukewarm tea.

Everything about Maho oozes elegance

and her je ne sais quoi reminds me of

what she’s famous for: cute, frivolous

peanuts.

They dance and think, laugh and

celebrate.

They’re born entertainers and try to

make the most of ‘the moment’.

“But why peanuts?” I ask her.

“While I was drawing the shape of a

female body, somebody told me: ‘Hey,

that looks like a peanut.’

The remark made her further explore

the concept and she concluded

something even more astonishing,

something bitter sweet rather than salty.

“Just like humans, peanuts consist of

2 parts. They represent the conflict

inherent to our souls.”

Maho eagerly pulls out her sketchbook

and tosses down what appears to be a

woman sitting in a canoe.

I take a pic of the drawing and send it

to my friend.

“Peanut in vagina!” she replies.

I smile and feel like nuts.

www.mahokino.com

artIst MIcHael alanon tHe WatcH


J ust a quick visit to Michael

Alan’s art studio, or his

social-media presence, is

guaranteed to prove that

abstract painting is still alive amongst

contemporary artists. The city never

ceases to amaze with its art culture,

and if we could have a top ten list of

artists to invest in, artist Michael Alan

– “an alien who wants well and to exist

with a twist of chaos and a big splash

of toxic paint!” - would be somewhere

at the top. As a young kid, Alan had an

interesting start to his artist career but

at mid-career has now produced over

two thousand works and sold more

than half of that. Needless to say, this

artist is on a well-lit path and already

Michael Alan has left his print in the art

world.

Do you work from an idea, or do you go into it boundless?

I make art. To me that is never putting

limitations on yourself, this is a form of

freedom. I would not make art if there

were limitations.

What is your very first childhood memory?

MA – They are more like dreams

or questionable realities. I have

several questionable potential

childhood memories. I would rather

not get into each of them because I

question whether they are even real.

I do remember drawing dicks all over

everyone’s desks in kindergarten or

first grade and then hiding in the closet.

In addition, while I was in the closet I

figured I am pretty much caught so why

not paint up the closet with more dicks

and then I was caught and expelled.

The whole room was filled with dicks as

most rooms are.

What is the most memorable response to your work that truly inspired you?

MA- I painted a picture called Little Boy

Blue in remembrance of Mike Kelley.

Raymond Pettison came to see it and

then bought the work to put in his son’s

room. It really left a deep impression

on me for more than one reason.

With a new book in the market, a

collection of his works, Alan is sure to

continue growing and we are on the

watch.

For more, visit:

www.michaelalanart.com

http://www.outlawartsnyc.com

artograma's best of 2014

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