AYSK (Number 1)

Or "Artist You Should Know" (in case you're not hip to the lingo quite yet.) I have chosen this particular artist because she is one my absolute favorites. So much of contemporary art seems to exist only to cause a stir--to be "avant-garde." This artist, on the other hand, actually thinks about her art and her cause is to examine much more that current political, social, or personal issues. Without further ado...AYSK #1 is... (drum roll please...)

Janine Antoni

Mini-Bio: Born in the Bahamas in 1964. BA from Sarah Lawrence and MFA from RISD.
What Kind of Art?: Process art. Performance art. Body art. Sculpture. Installation.
Examples of her Work:

"Slumber"
2000

"Loving Care"
1993

"Lick and Lather," detail
1993
7 soap and 7 chocolate self-portrait busts, 24 x 16 x 13 inches each

Each of these artworks deals with the body, the process of creation, and the cyclical nature of life. It also deals with many issues relating to women and contemporary standards of beauty. Every piece that Antoni creates is unique--with intricate details and choices--yet somehow related to her greater body of work--work dedicated to examining human existence, human relationship to the outside world and vice versa.

For more on her and her work, please visit:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janine_Antoni
• http://www.luhringaugustine.com/index.php?mode=artists&object_id=64
• http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/antoni/index.html

Hope you begin to enjoy Janine Antoni's work as much as me!

WEEKLY INSTALLMENT--ARTIST YOU SHOULD KNOW

I've decided that in order for me to actually keep up with this whole blogging habit, I'm going to have to impose upon myself some obligatory daily/weekly/monthly posts. I am really bad at keeping this sort of thing going, but I figure if I set up various "Weekly Installments" I will have a greater chance of succeeding. So here is the first idea...

WEEKLY INSTALLMENT #1: Artist(s) You Should Know

As the title suggests, this topic is meant to enlighten the masses on the various artists that are living/working/still relevant today. The person(s) chosen could be a visual artist, a musician, a writer, etc. If they make what I believe to be art, they could be an "Artist You Should Know" (or AYSK).

I will strive to provide some biographical information, info about their influences, their artistic style and links/images of their most important work.

Here goes! [Fingers Crossed]

Research in Progress...

It seems fitting that my first post on this blog is one that is a "work in progress"--since that is exactly what this blog is and forever will be. Art may be frozen zen, but there is nothing frozen about it. It is fluid, constantly changing and shifting. The definition of art is updated, negated, and reprocessed so often that defining it at all is a pointless endeavor. Art--and its endless motion--is frozen zen.

Currently, I am researching advertising as art--specifically, advertising and package design for various coffee companies in the US prior to the 1940s. If it seems obscure, that's because it is! Very little research has been done on advertising as art--and an even smaller amount on coffee advertising. What can I say? I guess I like a challenge. Below are some interesting advertisements/package designs that I have found. More on how this formulates any kind of thesis will hopefully come in time...

My Favorite Ad So Far...

A Coffee Tin Belonging to Mark...

As I'm sure you can tell, there is a certain theme I am trying to follow in my research--however, these two items are the only ones I've been able to dig up with clearly sexist tones. The search continues...