Artist of the Week: Yngve Holen

[Image courtesy of strangeteaching.info]

It's been awhile since I've been able to write an Artist of the Week post, but I promise that they're back to stay! To christen this lovely Friday afternoon and the beginning to more featured artists, here's a quick profile on German artist Yngve Holen.

As a Berlin-based artist, Holen works primarily with sculptures and collaborations of large scale trinkets. As a contributor to the genre of modern art, he puts his own twist on his creations, whatever they may be.

[Image courtesy of http://s3.amazonaws.com/contemporaryartgroup/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/110718_Leighton_026.jpg]

From his work, it is clear to see that Holen has an interest in aviation. Compilations of airplane models with holographic "sheets" skimming the top of them make up just a few of his pieces. However, he makes them his own by sometimes placing them on obscure objects, such as washing machines (as seen in the second image pictured below).

 

 [Image courtesy of taboofart.com]

[Image courtesy of www.frieze.com]

To learn more about Holen and his exquisite designs, check out his profile at www.johanberggren.com to view some of his exhibitions and further work that he has produced.  

Artist of the Week: Jenny Holzer

Happy Sunday! I didn't realize how long it had been since I last made an Artist of the Week post. My apologies!

If I'm not mistaken, I think that I posted my last artist feature on Christmas Day. (Whoops!) No worries, they're back again with this week's artist, Jenny Holzer.

(Side note: I would have chosen a better picture of Holzer to include, but copyright infringement prevented me from doing so. *Sigh*)

As a neo-conceptual American artist, Holzer's creations are fueled by political and social movements of her time. Working and living in Hoosick Falls, New York, she has also been a prominent voice among the artists for feminism.

Holzer, now 65-years old, has incorporated the usage of projection and electric lights in her art work over the years. Each piece, as simple as the words may be, entails deeper and vivid concepts for the viewer to grasp.

The large-scale artist initially started her work by leaving paintings and script around the city of Manhattan. Eventually, that led her to begin to create billboard pieces and the building projections, where her career really took off. Holzer has also put some of her pieces on vehicles, as pictured below.

 

To learn more about Holzer and to view some of her most cherished and powerful work, visit her website at projects.jennyholzer.com.

Artist of the Week: Artie Vierkant

It's that time of week again, and just in time for Christmas! Through the madness that has ensued in my life in preparation of the busy holiday, I managed to come across another new artist: Artie Vierkant.

 Although I only recently noticed Vierkrant this past week, I find his style of art to be fascinating. Each piece seems to tell a different story through vibrant colors in his distinguished sculptures and exhibit displays.

The shades and hues that make up each work of art add to the overall attraction. Different color schemes and layouts keep the eyes going back for even more to see. From spray-paint patterns to geometric designs, each piece has its own unique flair. 

Aside from capturing different paths of light and prisms of color, Vierkant uses his art to create puzzle-like pieces out of realistic images. While he still seems to use vibrancy in the majority of his creations, he still has a solid grasp on the concept of using both gray-scale and the idea of realistic imagery.

From what I've seen, I admire Vierkant's media and ideas. While his website might not have much information to offer, it still has a good amount of his art on display that can be viewed here.

Happy holidays!

Artist of the Week: Lawrence Weiner

In search of a new artist to showcase this week (and also to peak my personal interest), I came across Lawrence Weiner. With a bit of a different style, the New York resident expresses his creativity through typography.

 

Using different fonts and phrases to cover the walls of his exhibitions, Weiner allows a person to read and comprehend what they are seeing, rather than absorbing a visual image into their mind.

Up until today, I have never really discussed my interest in typography. I have been interested in the art form for quite some time now, and I could not be more thrilled that I came across Weiner to share in this post. The phrases and words that he strings together, combined with simple color here and there, have so much more meaning than there appears to be. 

I actually found it incredibly difficult to pick just a few pictures that I wanted to attach to this post. I saved about twenty files before realizing it might be a bit excessive to add them all. (But really, is there such a thing as excess in the world of art?)

 

Perhaps the most crucial lesson that Weiner represents in his art, is that there is no limit to artistic expression.

How Iggy Pop Stands for the Youth of Today

 

Iggy Pop: iconic, influential, outrageous, and unpredictable. Even if you cannot put a face to the name, there is a good chance that you've heard it at some point.

I might be biased based on my adoration for punk rock, but that does not change the fact that Iggy Pop has created important sets of footprints for the youth of today to follow in. Known to many as "the godfather of punk rock," he has set an example for numerous alternative musicians, including Nirvana's front man the late Kurt Cobain.

As one of the greatest innovators of punk rock and front man for The Stooges, Pop has been known for a number of things as a musician. From rolling in piles of glass on stage to singing duets with Kesha, he's a man who can say that he has left a wild legacy throughout his life.

It seems like there is a new celebrity each day who decides to pull some type of dramatic stunt to get a rise out of the media as an attempt to save their careers from drowning in the infamous abyss of has-beens.

Iggy Pop, however, has the mindset of someone who could care less of what anyone says or thinks. Paying no mind to opinions, he has paved the way for the aspect of doing what makes you happy at any cost.

I tend to touch upon the topic of taking chances in my posts, and I feel that Pop is the best person to use in order to reiterate myself. Ever since he stepped foot onto the music scene in the early 1970s, he has been a part of shaping people in every generation, in both his music and his actions.

Spontaneity, as Pop has proved time and time again, often leads to success. No matter how hard you try, life does not follow any particular agenda. It just happens, and it is as simple as that. 

In one of Pop's most popular (and one of my absolute favorite) songs "The Passenger," he sings about relinquishing his control as a driver and taking a step back for a change. In essence, rather than trying to direct his own life, he lets his life guide him for a change. After doing so, he is finally able to realize the beauty instilled in everyday life.

In today's world, it seems that criticism can be almost inescapable. Situationally depending, when all eyes are on you, nerves might begin to crash in fear of messing up. Living for others begins to seem all too familiar and it can be an exhausting cycle to get wrapped up in.

This is where I think Pop comes into play. Even though he might have been a great influence for punk rock in past decades, he is an even better example for the youth of today. Turning dreams into realities and living for himself made him into an iconic character. If we cannot learn to accept our mistakes and live for ourselves, then what are we doing?

As Iggy Pop himself once said, "The embarrassment quotient has been going down for a long time, and the fond amusement has been rising."

Artist of the Week: Megan Geckler

A native of Los Angeles, artist Megan Geckler masters the technique of installation art. Colorful patterns fabricated through three-dimensional techniques capture life within each one of her pieces.

The vibrancy in the materials that she uses captivates viewers, especially when combined with the intricate patterns that she creates. By using thousands of strands of flagging tape that combine into a plastic ribbon, Geckler is able to create pieces that really do stand out from the crowd.

"There is an inherent immediacy in the materials that I use, and in the manner in which they are crafted is obvious and deliberate," Geckler says in the About section of her website. "Generally, a gesture is repeated over and over until the area is completed."

 

To learn more about Geckler and her extraordinary creations, visit her website at www.megangeckler.com. 

 

Artist of the Week: Audrey Kawasaki

Over the past few days, I've decided to dedicate one post each Friday to spotlight some of my favorite artists. Current or not, I'll be sharing some information and artwork on ones that I personally admire.

The first artist that I wanted to highlight is Audrey Kawasaki. Ever since my freshman year of high school, I have always admired her intricate work and how she creates her pieces. Honestly, she's probably become one of my biggest inspirations to pursue my interest in the visual arts. Her paintings intrigue me with the flowing movement, and have really pushed me into becoming a real artist myself.

A Los Angeles native, Kawasaki works slabs of wood and uses oil paints to bring her pieces to life. She is most known for her portrayals of young Geisha surrounded by beautiful wisps of floral designs. 

                    

I have always been drawn to Kawasaki's piece "Dishonest Heart" (pictured below) as one of my favorites. The portrayal of a young girl whose heart is in full visibility has a sense of mystery surrounding it. This is one of Kawasaki's more known works, and many people decide to get it tattooed onto themselves out of appreciation and admiration of the painting.

While I am certainly interested in all kinds of art, I have a soft spot for Kawasaki's. If you are a fan of her work as well, you can find some of her paintings or doodles and at www.audrey-kawasaki.com. There is true movement within each stroke of her paintbrush that she touches to every piece of wood.