Auteur/artiste, Michel Gondry has an unbelievable new offer on his website.  For a mere $19.95, the man behind Eternal Sunshine and Be Kind, Rewind will personally draw and sign your portrait.  All you have to do is visit MichelGondry.com and upload your photo.  Amazing!

Thanks to SLAMXHYPE for the tip.

Interesting and inspiring story about the good folks behind Wooster Collective, the premier street art site on the Internet.

SWAMPDONKEY is an illustrator/photographer.  That’s about all we know about the guy.  However, his work is pretty damn impressive, seeming to combine elements of street/graffiti work in his illustrations (especially through his signature horns and tusks) with a more austere sensibility in his photographs.  And if his work in photos and drawing weren’t enough, the guy can also cut a mean music video too.  Be sure to watch the haunting video below (set to “The Triumph of Our Tired Eyes” by Silver Mount Zion) to get the full effect of this talented artist’s work.

SWAMPDONKEY official site

SWAMPDONKEY Flickr

Opening at Crewest in L.A. on February 7, this show celebrates the Sharpie and its place as the first tool a street artist acquires in his lifelong journey to hone his craft.  Featuring original works of art make exclusively with Sharpies, the exhibition contains pices from some of the biggest names in graffiti art from around the world.

Slicing and dicing the posters of the New York subway system, Poster Boy creates original pieces of art on the fly using only his trusty razor.  Check the video below to get an idea of his working process and check his flickr page for other pieces of his work.

See more of Posti’s work after the jump:

2008 was a pretty awful year all around.  Economic distress, blah blah blah.  However, there were a few things worth cheering and we thought we’d recount them here in our inaugural list of the best things of 2008.  You’ll note that there’s not a lot connecting the items on this list other than the fact that A) They happened in 2008 and B) They’re quality.  We’re sure we’ve overlooked some of the people and work that made 2008 stand out so feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section!

8. Milk – Sean Penn never struck us as the type of actor who could do restraint.  He seemed to embody everything bad about Hollywood overacting — don’t get us wrong, he’s great — but when it came to yelling and shouting we thought he was a bit of a one-trick pony.  We were wrong.  The thing that people keep overlooking about this movie is how funny it is.  I mean, who else expected James Franco to drop the line “I peed in the pool” into a movie not titled Pineapple Express?

7. Bill Murray, 58-year-old party boy – Okay, a recently divorced actor starts carousing around New York, bar-hopping and making cameo appearances at Halloween keggers for the 20-something set.  After taking a few minutes to display his dance moves in the living room the courteous guest helps clean up before vanishing into the night.  The story is weird and a little sad, like a Wes Anderson screenplay waiting to be written for the man whose career he helped introduce to the same crowds whose parties he now frequents.  I love the idea of Bill Murray showing up at my place randomly but I’m a little worried for the guy at the same time.  Let’s hope this is all part of some kind of preparation for a movie or at least a cameo on 30 Rock.

6. The Nightman Cometh – If you say “Boy’s Soul” enough, pretty soon it starts to sound like “Boy’s Hole.” If you think that’s funny, then you’ll love the breakout episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia and it’s “classy” rape scene.  Watch it at Hulu.

5. Bottle Rocket Criterion Edition – Before Wes Anderson learned how to stick his head up his own butt (he must have studied Yoga while filming The Darjeeling Limited in India), there was Bottle Rocket.  His scrappy debut with the Wilson brothers, Bottle Rocket hit all the right notes of whimsy and melancholy that made his early career so revered and later became his trademarks in films like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.  The Criterion folks have repackaged the previously-bare-bones DVD with extensive notes on the film’s creation, a making-of documentary and the original short that inspired the full-length version of the film.  It almost makes you forget about that stupid animatronic tiger at the end of The Darjeeling Limited.

4. Air Yeezy’s – They haunt us.  But word is they’re finally, finally coming out this March so hopefully the long distance relaysh we’ve been having with them will come to an end then.

Top three after the jump.

3. Celtics/Lakers Championship – For the remaining five of us who consider ourselves NBA fans and the two of us who considered ourselves Celtics fans, this series was a thing of beauty.  Capped off by a 39-point beat down in the final game, it made the two basketball capitols of the NBA universe matter again and has only managed to make last week’s Christmas day blow from the Lakers all the more meaningful.

2. The Return of the Mustache – Robert Downey Jr. made it playful, Jude Law made it dapper, Clooney stamped it as legit and Josh Hartnett is doing his best to ruin it for everyone again.  2008 was a down year for most things, but when it came to facial hair, we’re glad to welcome back the pepper to our upper lips.  Long disposed by the goatee, the stache — or “mo” as the Australians like to call it — returned to its rightful place in mainstream society like the prodigal son of facial hair.  We welcome its return wholeheartedly.

1.GQ’s 50th Anniversary Issue — Yes, this was the same year that Esquire turned 75, but for anyone who’s read the two magazines for the past year (or more), it’s clear that GQ is hitting its stride and putting distance between itself and Esquire.  Under Editor-In-Chief Jim Nelson, GQ has managed to make itself contemporary and relevant during a time that many books are struggling to find identities, let alone keep their doors open.

Anchored by their study of the 50 Most Stylish Men of the Past 50 Years, The Anniversary Issue managed to boil down the GQ formula to a simple formula consisting of timeless style, inspiring heroes and work that’s built to last.  Maybe they said it best, and hopefully we can apply this to ourselves in 2009 — Look sharp, live smart.

]]> http://commotionmag.com/2008/12/31/the-8-best-things-of-2008/feed/ 1 commotionmag newyearshat pennmilk murraypartyboy alwayssunny bottlerocket airyeezy2 celticslakers stacherdj gq50covers http://commotionmag.com/2008/12/10/55dsl-party-and-art-installation/ http://commotionmag.com/2008/12/10/55dsl-party-and-art-installation/#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:39:11 +0000 commotionmag http://commotionmag.wordpress.com/?p=920 ]]>

Thursday Dec. 11, 6-9pm @ 55DSL, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa
(Level 3, Crate & Barrel Wing)

RSVP at WWW.BPMMAGAZINE.NET/55DSL

If you’re a regular reader of ours you might remember a while back when we wrote about San Francisco based artist, Maria Forde.  Needless to say we were floored by her work.  The level of creativity and the strength of her voice are impossible to miss.  Well, we traded a few emails with her and what do you know?  It’s an interview.

We’re honored to make this interview the inaugural piece of what we hope to turn into a regular feature and give you, our readers, an insightful look into the work and worlds of some of the most interesting and talented individuals out there, like Maria.

So without any further ado…

Commotion: When did you start drawing and painting?

Maria Forde: I didn’t really make art much when I was a kid. I’m from a small town in Iowa and one lady taught all the art classes. I mean… Fifth grade to twelfth. And she was not a good teacher. I think she hated her job. I watched lots of movies and rode my bike around and shot baskets. I went to school at university of Iowa and I had no idea what I’d do. And after two years I took a drawing class and then just sorta kept taking art classes.

Read the rest of the interview and see more of Maria Forde’s work after the jump!

C: The images in your work play with a sense of nostalgia or harkens back to a more innocent time and place.  What attracted you to this point of view?

MF: I guess I make art about my life and what I’ve experienced. Whatever that adds up to. It wasn’t my intention to make something sentimental. Or worse, that I desire to relive something I’ve already been thru…. I just started thinking… and I’m horrified to believe that maybe just because my work is pretty straightforward and I guess “earnest” that it doesn’t fit in with our super-satirical culture. Maybe that makes my work seem … weird.

I make it for certain reasons and then it goes out in the world and hopefully it connects with other people. And you know… everyone has their own experience of what it means to be alive and if something that I do somehow resonates for them in a positive way… then [that’s] awesome.

In regards to describing what my work is supposed to “be” about… I’m just… me. I would prefer people didn’t consider me “endearing” or “quaint” or “charming” or worse… “quirky”. Because those associate with me someone who is trying to stand out and be unique. I’ve explained to people before that I think being artistic means to do something well. So that can be someone who is a plumber or a mom or a farmer. You don’t need to draw for me to think you are creative. I think the majority of “art” people don’t really know what to make art about so they look around and copy. Owls… bicycles… geometric shapes… etc. people just jump on the bandwagon because they want some success and attention.

C: Are those stories in your drawings true?  I’m thinking of your “people I see” drawings specifically.  You seem to be a very keen observer of daily life.  Is that where you draw your inspiration?

MF: Yes yes! I’d never just make shit up. I started making my “people I see” doodles when I was in a bad place in my life a few years ago. I went to Office Max and got these pieces of Manila paper and told myself to try to make one drawing a day. To try to keep myself looking and trying to see something interesting in life. And then I just sorta kept it up. Not every day but whenever I hear or see something I wanna draw. It’s funny you ask about them. I really hesitate even putting them on my site. I spend a couple minutes on them. Sort of a warm up exercise to other projects or whatever. But again… I appreciate them and I feel I’ve learned a lot from doing them.

C: Is work something that comes naturally to you?  Or do you find that you have to force yourself to sit and focus to get the creative juices flowing?

MF: Well… I can say I can usually sit down and make something. I do have a surplus of ideas in my head. I hear people say they need to have an art show or something in order to get them to make work. That is not how I work.  So far art is never something I have to “force” myself to do. I feel grateful for that.

C: Can you tell me a little bit about “read this to get your enjoys”?

MF: I love books and comics and zines. It’s very intimate.  And personal. And I see my art as a way for me to communicate with people. And so… I was listening to some country music (Bob Wills) and someone sang “so come along with me to get your enjoys” or something like that I’m really inspired by my friends. And wanted to try to be an editor. To share with others what inspires me. So I asked friends to contribute pretty specific things. I even chose the folks in each issue the way I think musicians decide to make songs for an album.

C: Any good music/movies/books you’ve enjoyed lately?

MF: I did watch and interesting documentary about girls b-ball in Seattle. “The Heart of the Game.” I braced myself for some smarmy maudlin crap but I was pleased with it.

I’ve been reading a biography of Alfred Hitchcock and so rewatching his movies. Boy he’s a weird dude.

Just went to see some music last night. The band is Harvey Milk. Pretty incredible. I told a friend that was at the show that “if I had any tumors they would have been dislodged by all that loud gonging bass”

I just got the second and third volume of Frank King’s comic strip “Gasoline Alley.”  One of my favorite discoveries by far this year. He’s a genius.

Also pretty into this photographer… August Sander. He was German.

C: Who are your favorite artists?  These could be painters, actors, musicians whoever.  Who inspires you right now?

MF: Most of these are still pretty [much] at the top of my list.

Totem books “introducing” series.  I discovered these when I was going to school at [the] University of Iowa. Most everything seems very abstruse to me so when someone successfully explains a concept to me I greatly appreciate it. Especially it is something like philosophy or physics or some shit.

Chester Brown, he’s an incredible amazing comic book artist. “ED The Happy Clown” is pretty much my most favorite thing ever.

Norman Rockwell, I remember reading people would line up down a street waiting to buy a magazine that had one of his illustrations on the cover. I read a biography about him and he was so obsessed with his work. He even worked on Xmas day. I feel he is largely misunderstood. Extremely intelligent guy

Charles Schultz, he’s pretty fundamental to the entire scope of comics, and to me, art history. I think Leonardo da Vinci said once the hardest thing for him to draw was a perfect circle. And I always think of Charlie Brown’s head and how beautiful it is. Every time he drew it.

A State of Mind.  This is a documentary I saw a few years ago about North Korea and this huge spectacle they have called “The mass games”. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite so amazing. It’s this weird combination of gymnastics and music and dancing and visual stuff. Google that shit. First time a westerner was allowed to enter and film a documentary.

The True Meaning of Pictures.  A documentary I saw many years ago. About an Appalachian photographer. Shelby Lee Adams. And the people he was friends with and photographed. So interesting. So hard to believe people still live up in the “holler” in great poverty. But there is such a dignity to how they are photographed. And Adams is very eloquent. His camera is really cool.

A. G. Rizzoli.  I found a book about this guy many years ago at U of Iowa. (I think I was drawn to him because his work reminded me of Chris Ware for some reason) Rizzoli was an outsider artist who made these elaborate architectural drawings of buildings that were supposed to be anthropomorphic. Like his mother or the little girl down the street. Beautiful draftsman and great imagination.

He slept at the foot of his mother bed in a cot even after she died. His grand master art plan was this pretend city. He was an architect so he knew how to draw blue prints for a city. But his is way way weird and cool.

David Foster Wallace. Gotta say I’ve still been crying on and off because of his death last weekend.  He was such a smart funny writer. And hyper aware of the world around him. So very articulate. Which is…. unfortunately rare.

Neil Young, I really admire his curiosity and how he just keeps plugging away making music. (I love transformer man)

The Farmer’s Wife, it’s like a ten-hour documentary of a Nebraskan farm family struggling through the farm crisis of the 1980’s.

Geoff Dyer, really creative writer. He wrote a book, “Out Of Sheer Rage” It’s a travel book that is actually all about how he had wanted to write a biography of D.H. Lawrence but failed. I love that he found that out of his failure he created an amazing piece of art. Really proves that art is in the trying not necessarily in the success.

C: If you could collaborate with anyone on a project who would it be?

MF: I just finished reading a collection of all of Flannery O’Connor’s short stories. I’d love to travel back in time and have her write a comic for me to draw. Or do a stop time animation title sequence for someone like Sam Peckinpah or Alfred Hitchcock. (Saul Bass is probably at the super duper top of my inspiration list).

Jamel Shabazz! He is a really great NY street photographer.

C: If there’s one thing you want people to take away from your work, what would if be?

MF: It seems like I am trying to be careful and aware of all the parts. That I am trying to create stuff that is dynamic and rewarding to someone who has decided to give it their attention. That my work doesn’t seem phony or arrogant or derivative or repetitive or boring. That they can see that my work isn’t just about me, but more about me trying to connect to some one else.

I guess that’s more than “one thing.”