I've always loved me a good button pusher, and I have to say, I'm still a fan of M.I.A, even though we've been really limited in what her label has wanted to have us hear from her of late. It's really interesting to see how some acts manage (or don't manage) to cope with the inevitable withholding of affection that always happens at some point in their careers. M.I.A's fourth studio album Matangi arrived long after it was originally planned and months after fans had hoped for it. There'd been super bowl controversies, lots of run ins with the press and a general reluctance to continue to see M.I.A as the pioneering and experimental artist that she doesn't always get credit for being. More than the goddess of words, Matangi was suddenly M.I.A on a back foot. Let's not forget that M.I.A was once a critic's darling. Her first two albums, Arular (2005) and Kala (2007) received universal acclaim on their release. She vaulted onto the scene out of the emerging social media world, and was celebrated in part for the way in which her records blended world music and hip hop sounds in a way that created something fresh and new. With her mix of Sri Lankan and London heritage, she was as important for the cultural significance her presence suggested as she was her ground breaking music. Here was a polarizing figure who straddled the visual arts, fashion and music scenes in an authentic way that few others had before. In a way she seemed to continue the legacy of eighties acts, but razor fresh and modern. She was the antithesis to Lady Gaga, the industry's template for the same mix. And although they were pitted together and had their own war of words, the reality was that they had their own congregations to preach to. But times have changed. Few artists from the late 'oughties still have the same cache they once did. Look at Gaga- she's the prime example of universal withholding and, bar for Kanye West, there are few other acts with a mainstream presence who are courting the ire of the establishment these days. People fall out of favour. M.I.A isn't a straightforward proposition for anyone. She has a complicated back story, and her music drips with a mix of influences that are meaningless to the wider, western public. And in this new decade the game has changed again. Where we once coveted other influences, we're closing borders and closing our ears and whitewashing it under the name of 'cultural appropriation'. You could never imagine something like Memoirs of A Geisha happening again (the film I mean, and thank God for that: file under film adaptation travesties). M.I.A has made mention on her social media in recent days of a video being blocked for fears of cultural appropriation. The full story and details, as often happens with M.I.A controversies, aren't yet known, and whether or not this is really a case of the PCs, it still begs the question. What constitutes cultural appropriation these days? Aren't we supposed to be living in a ever more globalized world where our ideas are all but interconnected? How is it that so much of what we see and read these days is the product of literal translations or direct copying and we have no problem with that, yet we still seek to limit the cross pollination of ideas when it comes to the arts? I'm pretty sure that sampling a traditional beat, or filming a local dance is not akin to colonizing a country or continent and stripping it of its identity and riches. Rather, what often happens is it turns people onto "new" things and informs the zeitgeist, pushing it into new territory and widening the diaspora. So where's the harm in interpolating other sounds, visuals and ideas with one's own? Doesn't M.I.A have enough of a track record to suggest that she more than adds her own two cents to the mix? Are we seriously trying to suggest that white people should only make white music and black black? How ridiculous. Are major label acts given a set of rules saying what environments can and can't be deemed inspiring? When we tire of somebody we often try to diminish them. In part it happens because we move on from things and people at break neck speeds. Watch or read any interview that M.I.A has granted since 2010 and you'll see that she's been smarting, because she's never been one to articulate her ideas in a conventional way, because we don't allow renegades much free reign these days and because after you've been demonised in the press, it's very hard not to be distrustful. I'm gonna fight the fight for M.I.A, cos, even if you feel that her more recent work isn't on par with her earlier stuff, the reality is without her, we face an alternative where we no longer feel we need the grit to create the pearl. And without that, we just end up rewarding more and more acts like Taylor Swift and the various voice/idol franchise winners, who, all talents aside, do little to push popular culture forward when all is said and done.
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Hyperallergic reports that the Syrian film collective Abounaddara are unhappy and claiming censorship at this year's Biennale.
There's even more controversy stirring with Swiss/Icelandic Buechel's installation. New York Times takes a look at the Iraq, Ukraine and Syian pavillions. And suddenly all is right with the world again. All that underlying discomfort with the state the world is in just floats away... "When MTV arrived everything changed... things just went into overdrive. It wasn't like trawling around all the clubs and dives, doing your show and hoping people would seek you out. It was much faster than that. You just needed a good video and you were off..." - Alekzandr: one of MTV's first real crossover acts, and one of its most enduring stars. So, what better way to discover who Alekzandr is than to get into his head through music video? After all, he was one of the pioneers and would go on to be one of the greatest artists of the genre. You'll find a playlist at this link that will help you understand where he came from and what parts of his journey, competition and inspiration looked and sounded like. But o know more, well, you'll have to wait. Don't worry. Vinyl Tiger is coming, and he's going to get his 15 minutes.... I have fond memories of my time at university back in the nineties. I remember all the early morning classes: life drawing, oil painting, sculpture and the terrible smells of the materials we used to use to prime our canvases. Not for empty stomachs! Back then, me and the two dozen or so other students in my class were studying to be Art Teachers, which was a reasonably reliable fall back for any practicing artist at the time. But these days there seems to be less and less demand for Art Teachers. Yet, more and more we require artists to be financially self sufficient. I've worked with a lot of creative people over the years, and watched as they've negotiated all kinds of mediums and situations to keep afloat. Some are better at it than others, and some, like Damon, use some of their time to help other artists; whether through workshops or by offering other forms of support and encouragement. Here's the second part of my chat with the #worldsbusiestprintmaker. Who is someone that everyone in the world needs to know about? Who deserves a good shout out? My friend the Korean printmaker Hyun Ju Kim. She makes works that combine her extensive travels with a surreal and mystical imagination. Kim is currently working on a series of lithographs inspired by Susan Cooper's 'Dark is Rising' series. There is lots of room for the fantastical there. Here in many of the EU nations, funding and art education has really taken a bollocking in recent years. Is it the same where you are? Do you think younger artists are handicapped or that they can find ways around it? I'm not sure, though I do know the Australia Council's ArtStart program specifically targets graduates in their first years out of college. People I know who have received one have found it an enormous help. Pakistan is a good example of how things function with very little government assistance. In a population of nearly 200 million there are only four major art colleges, and most of the support that comes after graduating is from peers, private collectors, patrons, and the international market. While I'm not suggesting this as a model it does show how much can be achieved when people are passionate and dedicated to the cause. That the art scene in Pakistan is so dynamic is ultimately due to individuals rather than bureaucrats. The internet helps, and this is one technology that is open to everyone everywhere. It's never been easier to let people see your work, and hopefully find your place in the world. What would you say to a 16 year old who has a real desire to get into your profession but isn’t sure of what path to take? Learn to draw. Really well. Think of a goal or destination and break it down into the small steps you need to get there. You want to be a car designer in Detroit? What do you do first? [First step. Learn to draw. Really well. Second step. Talk to people who have got there. Ask them what they did first. Third Step. Learn to draw. REALLY WELL.] I have a friend who is a top car designer at Toyota Australia. His drawings are amazing, and he would be at the top of his field no matter where in the arts he worked. Be it industrial design, fine art, or his favourite side project, zombie portraits. You also need to put in the hours. Clive James once said that talent is a gift from God, which must be matched with the gift of the artist's life. I don't know anyone who has succeeded long term without enormous amounts of hard work. What life/professional advice would you have given to your 16 year old self? Mary Schmich once said that all advice is a form of nostalgia. I was a kid at 16. I'm still that kid, more or less. I guess I'd say keep going, and occasionally speak your mind. How would your 16 year old self have responded to that advice? 'Keep going where?' When was the last time you were genuinely happy for someone else and why? I was thrilled when Hyun Ju Kim was invited to take part in the 2nd International Murree Museum Artist's Residency in July this year. The art world is often competitive and frequently even worse. It's nice to see someone who gives so much joy to her practice being recognised. Yay! What was the last gift you gave someone? And the most recent gift you’ve received? A set of 12 jade green Crown Lynn desert bowls rescued from a second hand shop in country Victoria and given to my cousin Jude, whose house is close to the Auckland suburb where they were once made. A chilli and lime good luck pendant from Hyun Ju Kim when we travelled together in India over Christmas. What’s your karaoke/no-one’s watching song? Elton John. 'Can you feel the love tonight?'. Sung at full volume in duet with the Canadian printmaker Valerie Syposz in a karaoke bar during my time at the China Guanlan Original Printmaking Base last year. Or anything by Katy Perry. Possibly even in public too. How do you access popular culture?
On the net. At the movies. With headphones. Occasionally while waiting in line at the supermarket. Is there anything you’d like to do/try, but you’re afraid you’ll really suck at it? Worrying about being bad at stuff isn’t that much of a deal – everyone gets better with practice. I'd like to learn a martial art, but am concerned it would be like putting too much of my GDP into the defence budget. Where can people discover more about you and/or your work? Online at www.damon.tk. In Hong Kong at Odd One Out, New Zealand at Solander Gallery, Melbourne at PG Printmaker Gallery and Otomys, New York at Aicon Gallery, and Philadelphia at Twelve Gates Arts. On the walls of Aesop stores in Melbourne, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney. In a collaborative exhibition at the Islamic Museum of Australia from 8 May to 8 August this year. Thanks DK. As always a true sport. All the best for the new show! For more information visit Damon's website. www.damon.tk I have always had a soft spot for print makers. I was never much cop in the print studio myself, but I've always considered print makers to be the real artisans of the visual arts. They're often daring and meticulous in equal measure, and in most cases, the best print makers have trained, trained and trained in order to make work that can appear so effortless. Damon Kowarsky studied printmaking at VCA (Melbourne) and at the Glasgow School of Art and Advanced Figure Drawing with Godwin Bradbeer at RMIT in Melbourne. Since graduating, Damon has gone on to receive numerous prizes and awards including a Toyota Community Spirit Artist Travel Award, APW Collie Print Trust Scholarship, Arts Victoria New Works Grant and Australia Council Asia-Australia Creative Partnerships Grant. He has worked as a scientific, courtroom, and archaeological illustrator, and has travelled extensively in South Asia, Europe and the Middle East, where the architecture and colours of earth and sky inspire much of his work. Damon exhibits regularly in Australia and abroad, and I had the good fortune of convincing him to participate in a show I curated at my old artspace Immersion Therapy in Northcote, Melbourne back in 2008. Since then, I’ve watched with admiration as Damon continues to work, teach, travel, and, yes, exhibit his work. He’s a one man printmaking powerhouse who was kind enough to make some time to answer some of my questions in the lead up to HYBRID II -Project by Damon Kowarsky & Atif Khan at the Islamic Museum of Australia (Melbourne), opening on May 8. … Hi DK, tell me, what one thing has been taking up the majority of your time so far in 2015? Travel. I was away for the first three months of the year concluding a six month journey through Pakistan, India, Oman, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia. During that time I also carried out a one month residency at the Bait al Zubair Museum in Muscat, where I produced a 3 metre drawing of the area around the Sultan's palace. What’s been the highpoint of your year to date? Teaching a one day printmaking workshop at the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo was pretty good. The students were great but lacked firsthand experience working with copper plate etching. It was amazing to see them expand their horizons even in the small amount of time available. I'm hoping to go back to teach an intensive one week workshop in the future. What are you looking forward to? The opening of 'Hybrid II', a collaborative print project with Atif Khan, at the Islamic Museum of Australia on 8 May. It's the first time I've had a show in a public museum, and it's brilliant to be working on it with the Artistic Director, Nur Shkembi. Can you think of five words that encapsulate your current head space or current work/project? Screen, foliage, nature, pattern, life. And that's screen in the sense of a shelter or barrier rather than a 42 inch plasma. It’s almost Biennale time in Venice. What’s your opinion of art fairs: a plague or a platform? Mostly they exist in a slightly parallel universe to how I make work day to day, though a number of the artists I know from Pakistan are now entering the biennale world. Last year I visited Art Basel Hong Kong thanks to Thomas Erben from Thomas Erben Gallery New York. As well as the usual over-hyped überartists there was an astonishing range of art on display, Drop some names. What kinds of things did you see there? Everything from freshly painted David Hockneys to mid-century Freuds, Bacons and Picassos. It’d be hard to see so much work at once outside the art fair system. I'm sure people have been predicting biennales being the death and/or corruption of the art world for a long time. Their effect on me has been small so far. Whose work have you been interested in lately and why? (any medium) David Hockney [always], and the painters of the South Asian miniature tradition. Particularly the Mughal and Pahari school. Hockney and the miniaturists share a love of drawing and a humorous appreciation of past visual styles. Their luminous colours are harder to do in etching though. You’re the hardest working print maker in the world. Discuss. Could be true, but it's truer to say that I work consistently. I'm also lucky enough to be able to work in the studio full time. You can get a LOT done when you work at it 40 – or 70 – hours a week. I first met you six or seven years ago...can you cast your mind back to then and in particular to what themes or issues you were interested in exploring then? When we met in 2008 I was looking at the city, particularly the cities of Pakistan and India that I’d drawn while studying and teaching at the Beaconhouse National University in Lahore. Some, like Aminabad, were ghost towns. Others, like Rawalpindi, were haunted by the then recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto. There were figures in my work, but they too were ghostly and often appeared only as outlines against the skyline. Are those ideas still of interest to you today? How has time helped you approach them? I am still interested in cities, but have, for some time, been trying to make them more human, more organic. This began in 2012 when birds first appeared in my work. At the time this was a logical step. I'd been drawing aeroplanes and started thinking about other things that fly. I'd been staying in New York and noticed that despite the city being a densely packed conurbation, the natural world was sneaking in everywhere, from street side plantings to 'pop-up' spaces like Highline Park. More recently I’ve been drawing plants, and yesterday, for the first time ever, drew clouds. I was surprised to see this drawing echoed the cloud forms in South Asian miniature painting. The experiences in Pakistan keep informing my work. You’ve often made a point of working with others whether through workshops or group exhibits, but you seem to have been collaborating a lot lately. How did your recent collaborations come about? Both the recent collaborations [Kyoko Imazu and Atif Khan] came about when the artists approached me. In Kyoko's case she asked if she could 'vandalise' my work. I could only say yes. Five years later we are still going strong. Atif saw my collaborations with Kyoko on the net and invited me to work with him in the studios of National College of Arts Lahore. I had been wanting to work with an artist from Pakistan and Atif's prints seemed to have to the right mix of humour, politics, and an acute visual sensibility. What have you gained from working with them? Working with other people is like a conversation. When it works well it's pure joy. Both Kyoko and Atif have influenced my practice as their different ways of working, as well as how we combine our styles, invariably feeds back into my solo work. In Atif's case it was the plant motifs and politics. With Kyoko it was her use of scale and the delicacy of her lines. I'm still struggling to make things cute though. ...Our conversation will continue soon. In the meantime, if you are in Melbourne, HYBRID II opens on May 8 and runs through to August 8. If you're in Sydney, Zodiac: Collaborative etchings by Damon Kowarsky and Kyoko Imazu is running through to June 26 at The Library, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. |
Dave
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Dave Di Vito is a writer, teacher and former curator.He's also the author of the Vinyl Tiger series and Replace The Sky.
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