"John Hawaka: A Retrospective"

“Not to be unappreciative, but I cringe when someone says: "Your painting is 'nice'". A "nice" painting does not offend nor does it stimulate. I don't paint to match the colors of your couch or your rug or your drapes--I paint to stimulate. Like my work or not, I hope that the viewer walks away stimulated.” –John Hawaka

I visited the Alfa Art Gallery and saw the solo exhibition of seventy four year old artist John Hawaka. One of the more noteworthy mediums utilized by the artist is lacquer which he applies to poster board. I am not sure how he applies the lacquer but in some instances it appears as though he may have slowly poured it and in other cases as though he splashed it onto the surface. The way in which the lacquer and pigment react with their union to the surface on which they are applied creates a lovely and stunning effect. Each application of the lacquer creates a bleeding effect that is soft and wise concerning its mergence with other layers.

Some of his works are more abstracted and seem to focus on color and the texture that the lacquer makes, but others, such as Blue Dahlia apply the same techniques but in the form of a representational image. If my presumption about him pouring the medium is correct, then I imagine that it would be fairly difficult to create a specific image using such a method. Outside of this technique the artist also uses other styles of painting where he focuses on either outline and color, texture, or a sketch of an image.

Blue Dahlia shown on left

What I really enjoyed was that the gallery also had on display older works by Hawaka including the artists’ very first painting. This allowed me as a viewer (especially one who is new to Hawaka’s works) to see a change and even a progression in the artist’s style. What I specifically noticed was that Hawaka’s signature changed drastically over the years. The artists’ signature was originally legible with a strike through it, and over the years it has become more and more abstract. Currently it looks like tally marks. I thought that was really interesting because I had never seen an abstract signature before. His present signature could probably be better regarded as a symbol of the artist.

First Painting

Signature 1

Signature 2

Current Signature

John Hawaka’s works don’t seem to parallel mine in any particular way. Yet I enjoy the amount of freedom that is conveyed in his paintings. He is in no way restricted by any limitations or conventions, but rather it appears that he lets the paintings go wherever they wish. I later visited the Alpha Gallery’s website to see more examples of the artist’s works and while reading about the artist I learned that he doesn’t have anything in mind when he begins a painting but he instead just allows his imagination to flow. I enjoy this in art and would like to apply it to my own works. I tend to focus on accurate depictions, but I’d like to allow more expression rather than accuracy.

Select works by John Hawaka:

 

October 9th - October 29

Alpha Art Gallery, 108 Church Street, New Brunswick

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Kinetic Compositions: The Art of Alex Masket

I went to see the work of Alex Masket at the Art Library. On display were 13 works by the 22 year old severely autistic artist whose works are described as being a combination of mixed media, paper collage and color constructions.

Knowing of his ailment ahead of time, for some reason I was expecting his work to look as though they were produced by someone with autism. However, based on the work itself I never would have guessed. I suppose it’s because there are so many straight lines that neatly overlap one another and the general placement of items within the art were so masterfully laid that it didn’t necessarily distinguish Masket’s work from that of someone who does not have his ailment. When I saw his signature however, I immediately thought that it looks as though it were written by a child. The titling of the works is in a very neat and scriptive handwriting and it is clear that he has had someone else print that on the image for him.

His Giclee Pigment prints of Legos (Harmony, 2007; Echo, 2007; and Yellow Brick Road, 2007) are reminiscent of Mondrian paintings where there exist the primary colors which are sectioned off into geometric shapes. He literally lays colored Legos down and together they form the image. It shows the artists’ concern with placement and the role that color plays in it. They appear to be randomly laid, but they fit together nicely and the fact that the colors are in no specific order is interesting. It’s relieving not to see a pattern in this presentation and the spontaneity of the situation is intriguing.

In his vinyl adhesive works (on either canvass or poster board) Masket takes what appears to be large labels where he has peeled away the text and sticks to the canvass what is left of the label. Left with only the negative image of the labels (or vinyl adhesives) Masket uses the negative space and its contrast with the surface onto which it is place to create a work of art. He applies several of these adhesives overlapping them. They are ultimately quite interesting to see. Some of the images consist of black, white and red adhesives applied to black boards, black on white; and multi-colored adhesives on multi-colored backgrounds. Of Masket’s works I was most drawn to Red/Green, Fusion, and Color Fields.

In Color Field in particular he paints the canvass various colors such as red, blue, orange, black, and purple, then he applies gold, silver, purple, neon green, blue and red vinyl adhesive to the colored canvass. These are visually stunning. I am partial to color, but in this instance the vinyl adhesives overlap and the colors fuse and on the dark background the colors are further accentuated. It’s really amazing. The works are really crisp and clean and look like they could have been made by machines except for the fact that the artist fumbles with the adhesive which sticks to itself at times and fails to lie down properly. I like that this happens sometimes. It makes the work more unique. You can see that the artist was hands on with the project. I like mistakes in art. In this case it works. It also makes me think that because he is autistic he may not be as delicate with the material as he should be, and therefore he mishandles the vinyl, but it’s something very precious about that because he can’t help himself and it’s nice to have this in mind when seeing the works. This is one of the few times that I have actually kept the artist in mind while viewing their work. I even visualize him as he is creating these works and that creates a different experience that is also quite enjoyable.

The contents of the vinyl adhesives cannot be considered text because it’s not comprehensible in any way, but rather it is simply a sequence of letters, numbers and punctuation marks along with every other character imaginable on a standard keyboard. (I can just imagine the artist slapping his hands on the keyboard and whatever gets typed gets printed and applied to the work of art). It also looks like someone is trying to communicate something but they can’t quite find the right words and therefore they’re just making a bunch of noise. The artist uses a simple font like Arial which draws to mind the elementary alphabet and makes me think of childhood which also has its reference back to the artist.

The fact that these works are in a library setting detracts from them. Unlike a gallery setting where people come to see the art, here people come for a specific purpose (to take out a book, use a computer, study) and since they are so preoccupied they don’t even notice the works which are pushed to the back walls. The paintings are strong enough to attract attention, but if you are not looking for them you probably won’t notice them. I do think that they look rather out of place. They are just so vibrant and that they seem way too fast paced for their slow and subtle, lackluster surrounding. I just feel like they are not being appreciated in this particular setting. I’d prefer to see them on white gallery walls in abundance rather than on painted cinder block walls situated above and around bookshelves. The works do the place justice, but the place doesn’t offer anything to the works.

All in all I really enjoyed the mixed media pieces. I think I like them even more because of who the artist is and the fact that he does have autism. I think that is important because it shows that anyone can be an artist.

Art Exhibit Opening: Kinetic Compositions: The Art of Alex Masket. The work of Alex Masket, a gifted, young artist with severe autism will be shown all semester at the Art Library, Voorhees Hall, College Avenue Campus.

 

visit aemcreations.com for more info on Alex Masket

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Chapter 6: “The Studio Visit”

♥ “At the end of the day our business is to sell symptoms articulated as objects”

♥ When Takashi says that the artists’ hand should be left out of the painting, automatically Andy Warhol came to mind, and after reading on it is clear that he is a fan of Warhol’s work and his processes. I personally enjoy seeing the artists hand in any work, particularly painting. it just seems really mechanical and impersonal. If that is what an artist is going for then I guess it can be a good thing, but it can also be a bit boring. Takashi doesn’t necessarily have that problem because his works are already so busy and colorful that the lacy of the presence of his hand does not bother me.

♥ “Takashi’s practice makes Warhol’s look like a lemonade stand or a school play”

♥ It’s interesting that Marc Jacobs distinguishes between Takashi’s role as a painter and not a designer. He is sure to emphasize Takashi’s position as the painter of a piece which was later added to a pre-existing handbag, rather than him being labeled as the actual designer of the bags.

♥ I find it interesting that Oval Buddha also works as a self-portrait of the artist and that some consider whether or not it is sacrilegious. I think that makes it more interesting because it gives the viewer something to contemplate. When you hear the name Oval Buddha you assume that you are about to see a Buddha similar to those in history, but when I looked this up online, it couldn’t have been at a greater variance. I like that it has a typical name and brings to mind something familiar and turns out to be something completely different.

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Chelsea Galleries

Enoc Perez

I really enjoyed the artists’ use of color and the way that he makes the paint look like a dry medium, especially in his figure paintings. The paintings look more like pastel drawings but I like that dry-brush technique. His color combination is what attracts me the most to his paintings. His colors are very vivid and that is something that I use a lot of in my own works, so naturally that appealed to me. He clearly has a strong interest in architecture and he always centrally composes his subject, but that doesn’t bother me at all. His drawings appear accurate and you can tell that he spend a lot of time studying his subject. I didn’t like his figurative paintings as much as I did his architectural works although I did like his faceless Nude painting. My favorite painting of his on display is Alma Bank, Georgia.

Barthelemy Toguo “The Pregnant Mountain”

To be honest I found all of his works to be extremely strange and creepy, which is not necessarily a compliment! They just felt very eerie. There was something very ritualistic and taboo about the works. Perhaps that is what the artist is going for. And then there’s the umbilical-esque cord that connects everything together. I just thought his ink drawings were creepy. I am impartial to the Pregnant Mountain room. It appears to be a warning about sexual immorality and sexually transmitted diseases hence the sign on the wall reading “AIDS around the world, condoms in Vatican” in addition to the religious icons posted around the room. There are many sexual references including the picture of the couple making out as well as more graphic sexual imagery on the walls. I supposed the canopies signify condoms and the clothing under them represent a couple sleeping together and in turn sleeping with each of the other person’s past/current partners as well, hence the pile of clothing. Perhaps the Chiquita banana boxes are to symbolize an erection (just in case the viewer doesn’t already get the idea). Since luggage usually relates to travel I suppose the bags in the corners of the room show that people sleep with one another and then they just move on to the next person and the cycle continues and the disease continues to spread. I suppose the mesh covering the walls was there to make the entire room one big condom, and we as the viewer were in it. This is what I gathered from my experience in the room.

Jed Fielding “Look At Me” Photographs from Mexico City

Of all of the required galleries, this one was by far my favorite. His photographs were forceful, mysterious, and completely out of the ordinary. I generally prefer black and white photography because it always seems to make the subject matter appear to be really serious. In this case it is absolutely necessary and the contrast made the images pop. In this show he mainly photographed children that appeared to have some kind of retinal obstruction and/or some other form of disability. Each image left me with a chilling feeling, and although some of the images were gruesome in a way, they were also really beautiful. I think what gave me a sad feeling about them was the fact that most of the subjects were children and there is something disheartening about seeing children at a disadvantage, but the fact that the children appeared to be content lightened up the mood a bit.

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Additional Galleries That Sparked My Interest:

Jane LeFarge Hamill at Stricoff Fine Art

Anselm Reyle Monochrome Age Gagosian

Jaume Plensa In the Midst of the Mind Galerie Lelong

Carole Feuerman Swimmers, Bathers, Nudes Jim Kimpner Fine Arts

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Chapter 2: "The Crit"

♥ I wasn’t aware that teaching was seen as an impediment to artists as is stated on page 46 of the book. Thornton mentions that, “significantly, in L.A., teaching does not stigmatize an artist’s career in the way it does elsewhere.” Teaching is something that I am considering doing in the future, but I never knew that it was seen as a drawback to artists in some places and I am not sure why since it seems to give a n artist the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of certain artistic procedures as well as the ability to pass them onto others.

♥ I thought it was interested that some people reacted so strongly to Thornton’s question of “what is an artist?” she said in a way it felt taboo to ask. I think it is so specific to a person that it makes it almost impossible to answer. I feel that being an artist is whatever a person makes it. The fact that it is indefinable makes it what it is because if there were certain rules and regulations to being an artist, many people would be omitted from that list. But since it is so open of a category it makes it ever changing and therefore almost impossible to describe. With every characterization of an “artist” there is also an artist who fails to fit that label. I like the response in the reading where a woman says “I mean, for me, and artist is someone who makes art.” I think that is the best way to describe it. I also think that it’s hard to define what an artist is simply because it’s almost impossible to define what art is. I think Leslie Dick’s explanation is credible as well.

♥ Baldessari believes that the most important function of art education is to demystify the artist: “Students need to see that art is made by human beings just like them.”

♥ In response to the artists who feel that it is unnecessary to have critics, I would disagree. I do understand what they are saying, but I also feel that it can be extremely rewarding to get feedback on one’s work. As Mary Kelly suggests, I think it is also important for the audience to be able to read a work of art on their own. As Alex Bagg joked in her video the artist is not always going to be standing in a gallery beside their work waiting to answer any questions that a viewer may have. So I guess it’s important on the artist’s part to make a work of art that can be grasped by the viewer, and it is also up to the viewer to take enough time to analyze the work so that they can receive as much from the work as is possible. But I think that if the viewer reads into the work in a way that the artist did not intend then that’s okay too. I think the work should be allowed to transcend the artist’s intentions as well. Sometimes it’s nice to not know too much about the work ahead of time.

♥ “Finally, art students need to understand their motivations deeply, because in grad school it’s imperative to discover which parts of their practice are expendable. As Jones explains, “You have to find something that is true to yourself as a person—some non-negotiable core that will get you through a forty-year artistic practice’.”

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Interview with Hannah O'Brien

Part I

Hannah O’Brien shows me the last few paintings she has completed over the summer. Immediately I realize that although we are both painting concentrations and have had several courses together, our styles differ greatly. While I tend to be more figurative with concerns about capturing features and a likeness of what I see, Hannah paints more from the inside out, allowing her emotions and instinct to take control rather than choosing to follow after the construct of what is immediately in front of her. Her work depicts drips that she has very little control over, abstract grids and really powerful color. What we seem to have in common is an attraction to color. In my paintings I like to pull out color that may not really be there, but can add a very interesting element to the painting. Hannah seems to have a similar technique, as she goes with the colors she feels, which in turns makes a really stunning and vibrant color combo that practically stands off of the canvass.

[Our interview was swift and since we have painting class together we were already familiar with one another’s works. We both being pressed for time viewed one another’s paintings and jumped directly into the interview. We each edited and transcribed our portions of the interview and sent the the final versions to one another. Here are the contents of the complete interview:]

Marteha: What inspires you to paint?

Hannah: Well, I think my inspiration comes from my emotions. Depending on my mood, how I’m feeling, sometimes the weather, I spark ideas and then I just start to paint. I never usually make sketches or anything, but I always think about my colors. I have strong tendencies to base entire paintings, based on the 2 or 3 colors I pick out of the box. I’ll just really want to use a specific color and from there I start painting, and whatever happens, happens

Marteha: What is a common theme in your work?

Hannah: Drips. A common theme in my work seems to be drips. In almost every painting I have drips that occured naturally, or I put them there. Something about the flow and the uncertainity of them facinates me and I enjoy watching what they will do. It helps me continue with a painting, especially when I become frustrated with a painting, I turn to drips, and it gives me something to work with.

Marteha: In what ways have you grown as an artist since you’ve been painting? (Especially within the past four years).

Hannah: I don’t rely on photographs or models anymore, I have grown completely into abstraction and the use of colors and how they compare. I have a much better understanding, how to “use the paint,” and not just use it “as paint.”

Marteha: What artists influence you the most and what artists have you recently been following?

Hannah: Artists that have had the most influence over me would be, Wasilly Kandinsky, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Ellsworth Kelly, Joesef Albers, Helen Frankenthaler, Barnett Newman, and more, but these are the ones that I always reference to when I find myself lost. I haven’t been looking at too many artists for myself recently, however I have been seeing a lot of new work while making gallery visits to New York. Some things are interesting, but I haven’t been “looking” too much, I use myself and what I see around me. Sometimes a CD cover will give me all the fuel to create an idea for a painting. It’s just, I like it, or I don’t.

Marteha: What are your hopes for your artwork this semester?

Hannah: I hope to paint as many paintings as I can. I want to have so many I can really pick and choose different combinations and styles to use for my thesis. I’m really interested in experimenting with texture and color, to create counter effects within the painting. I want to cover my exhibit area top to bottom, and with new ideas and techniques. I want to have a decent selection of work by the end of this semester, so as to motivate me for the spring.

Part II

Hannah: What do you want your work to give to the viewer? What type of reaction are you looking for?

Marteha: When I am painting I don’t really have this on my mind. Before I paint I have an image in mind, but by the time the painting is finished my mind has changed so many times and instinct has also come in to the point that the image has deviated so far from my intension that sometimes I’m shocked at the outcome (that’s usually a good thing). So I don’t necessarily paint in order to give something to a viewer, but rather I follow my instincts and the paint does the rest. But generally I like to please people with my paintings. I don’t paint for any particular kind of audience so I’d like to paint something that is appealing to adults, kids, men and women alike. I like things that just about anyone can enjoy. I don’t have any political messages or anything serious like that in my art, I just want people to see my works and be pleased in some way. Whether it’s because they enjoy my bright, vivid colors or if they like the subject matter is completely up to the viewer. I don’t want them to walk away disgusted, angry or sad. I just want that to be one moment of peace.

Hannah: What subject matter do you lean towards more? Portraits, landscapes, still lives? Why do you think so?

Marteha: Definitely portraiture, figure painting and occasionally still lives. I really enjoy portraits because it’s something familiar to me since we see people everyday. I like to try to capture an essence of the individual in my paintings. I don’t just want to capture their appearance, but I am interested in incorporating some of that person’s psychology as well. Portraiture can be really dynamic and no two people look exactly the same; not even identical twins! I like still lives simply because I like to analyze things and recreate it on a canvass. I think that is an interest of mine. I just like to observe things.

Hannah: What artists have you been looking at that have the most influence on you? Is it showing in your work?

Marteha: My main inspirations tend to be artists who work figuratively and use compelling colors. I am absolutely in love with Jenny Saville and Wayne Thiebaud. I also enjoy works by Alice Neel, Euan Uglow, Lisa Yuskavage, Kamille Cory, Simmie Knox, and Terrance Osbourne. Some artists that I have recently taken an interest in include Michael Naples, Gerard Boersma, Debra Hurd, and Jane LaFarge Hamill. I don’t think you can look at my work and necessarily see that I am inspired by these artists, but I do take certain aspects of their styles and apply it to my work. Some of them I like their color palettes, their compositions, or I have an interest in the subject matter that they paint. I have lately been viewing Boersma, Hurd, and Naples because I have some ideas in mind for my next series of “Night paintings” and I felt that viewing their works would be useful for that purpose.

Hannah: What do you plan on exploring/investigating in your body of work for thesis? Is your thesis work of similar concepts as what you’re currently doing?

Marteha: I believe it will be based on my initial interests, but I plan to push it towards another level. I want to continue certain themes but I would also like to create works that are visually distinct from what I have been creating up until this point. Pretty much I would like to create something that is new to me but still is in tune with my interests.

Hannah: What is it about the bold, vibrant colors you like? What qualities do they provide for your paintings?

Marteha: I have always been attracted to really vibrant saturated colors. There’s something about them that really makes a work of art POP! That is specifically what draws me to the art of Wayne Thiebaud and Terrance Osbourne. If you see their works the color just captivates you. You can never be bored. There is no way that you can walk past a painting like this in a gallery. The colors have a way of demanding your attention and the images stay with you. This is exactly my intention. If you like mediocre colors that’s fine, but if you’re looking at one of my paintings expect color that is going to excite you.

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Alex Bag video

I felt the Alex Bag video brought to mind Chris Crocker, a pseudo celebrity who uses YouTube as a means to gain the public's attention. He creates characters and acts out skits that are amusing an entertaining. He is probably most known for his “Leave Britney Alone” video which is targeted at paparazzi and critics of Britney Spears. Some of the characters that Bag creates were similar to Crocker’s in that they wear silly wigs and costumes, are funny and act ditsy. Bag pokes fun at art students in particular. When she plays the role of the art student at SVA a lot of what she is saying I can relate to, so it’s not so much what she’s saying that is humorous but rather the manner in which the character speaks. She puts on this suburban, brain-dead teenage girl accent that debases the content of what she is saying. If it were said by anyone else it could be taken seriously, but the fact that she uses this accent makes it less significant, which ultimately makes the viewer question if common day dialogue is actually as consequential as is made out to be.

''Call Me!''

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