After my last post on Stephanie Brooks’ work, I wondered if I should re-edit my writing because of the phrase “deceptively simple” which could be understood as simple instead of how I meant it — appearing simple but with depth. So, in my search I found this thread on linguistlist.org. It turns out the answers not so simple. (i had to write that:)
I had the chance to work with Stephanie Brooks while a grad school at SAIC. I’m not really sure how it happened that I signed up with her. This was before I knew much about her practice. I think it was in my search to work outside my video department as one of the only students at the time using moving image in the gallery. I needed to work with someone working in space. At the time, Stephanie was teaching in Sculpture. I admire the rigor of her practice and the fact the work is deceptively simple but ultimately resonates. I still go back to it.
Stephanie Brooks - info below the images
Untitled (metaphors for love)
light box
24″ x 24″
2008
Sylvia Plath’s underlinings in her copy of Virginia Woolf’s The Waves (No. 1)
two etched zinc plates, enamel, wood shelf
2008
I just came across these videos by Ira Glass from This American Life talking about the act of making. He’s speaking mostly about radio and film production but what he’s saying relates to all creative work. All the vids are great. I’m showing video #3 below.
I frequently show photography students clips from the film William Eggleston in the Real World by Michael Almereyda. In many respects the filmmaking and editing is sub par, but I am interested in how Almereyda follows Eggleston around as he searches for things that interest him “in the real world”. He trips over curbs, wanders into the street, get’s toilet paper stuck to his shoe and all the while he’s looking through the lens. Later parts of the film reveal just how socially awkward Eggleston is by showing him frequently mumbling, producing drunk drawings for a friend, and receiving a lifetime achievement award and skipping the speech. I (like everyone else) love Eggleston’s work but I might be more enamored with the eccentricities of the man himself.
Anyway, there is a new film coming out on Eggleston by Reiner Holzemer. Below is a clip.
Eggleston speaks about the negative reviews he received from critics during his MOMA exhibition in 1976. “I really felt sorry for them because it was so obvious..it’s like they had the wrong job. They didn’t understand what they were looking at..”
I’m just now getting my blog and website updated after two years!! That’s terrible.. My website designer is patiently showing me how to take over my site so I can keep it updated:) Many new things will be up soon!
Currently, I’m in a show called Unfiction curated by Bill Conger. He’s a fabulous curator and I love, love his artwork you can see it here.
I’m posting the card images below and the list of artists in the show. I’m proud to be included with such great work.
