Category Archives: Art

Attempt: A Short Film by Jennifer Sharpe

by Cimaxion | 2 Comments

The film seems almost out of time. It could have been filmed fifty years ago. The gently swaying palms of Los Angeles fit between buildings easily but seem to have a romantic life in this film. The music, a piece for theremin and string quartet by Herbert A. Deutsch, fits the imagery in Jennifer Sharpe’s film to perfection. This kind of filmmaking, done with a small camera and then edited and colored in a relatively simple digital editor, is very close to the simplicity of the poet working in a notepad or the artist sketching from her window. Sharpe’s films are deeply felt poetic expressions that seem to exist in the only possible form that they could have. She turns her video images into something close to painting, extending time and finding mystery in simple movements. She has a very gentle approach but with strength in her observation and emotional ability, sort of like a butterfly with steel wings.

You can find out more about Jennifer Sharpe’s digital videos and paintings at her web site.

Behind The Wall: The Battle for LA’s Murals

by Cimaxion

Oliver Riley-Smith made this short documentary about the disappearing mural art of Los Angeles. It features a prominent muralist complaining about how murals have been ‘bludgeoned by graffiti’ and ‘censored by the city.’ Perhaps so. The city does make it difficult to get permits for murals. But I don’t really like murals. They tend to be stiff and unoriginal. I like the murals that have been vandalized by the graffiti artists. Sorry but I do. They are much more interesting than the clean murals which are entirely unimaginative and offer nothing to move art in any direction whatsoever. If muralists want to preserve their images, they should paint indoors. Look at the mural on the highway underpass wall that’s covered with graffiti at the 42 second mark in the film. Beautiful. Much better than the mural ever was. The muralist in the film says, ‘Museums are for the dead. I want life.’

Bullshit.

There’s a guy in this film called ‘Ghost One.’ I like what he says about art.  He’s realistic and open to whatever comes along.  He says that taggers mark up murals because they assume that their marks will have more longevity that way. That’s a very interesting thought. An artists seeks longevity by making his mark inside the work of another artist. Fascinating. Much more interesting than the murals. Such thinking shows possibility.

But then the film draws the two sides together and our muralist says he ‘hopes our two styles can work together.’ Well, they can’t really, but it’s a nice thought.

Los Angeles to Ease Restrictions on Murals

by Cimaxion

The Los Angeles Times reports that the City Council is easing its restrictions on outdoor murals.  It will no longer classify them the same way it does billboards.  Since 2002 it has been illegal to paint a mural on private or public property because the artworks are considered advertisements.  But Los Angeles is going to try to do a better job of distinguishing between the two.

Of course this will all get muddled again as soon as an artist paints a figure holding a can of Coke!  Is it art or is it an ad?  As a rule though, it is never difficult to tell when something is a giant ad and when it’s not.  It just takes a little common sense and observation.  Surely the City Council can manage this.

But the bottom line is that the murals of L.A. are inspiring and extraordinary.  The city needs to reclaim its title as ‘The Mural Capital of the World!’

The photo is a portion of a photo by Al Seib for the Los Angeles Times,  April 6, 2011.

Pacific Standard Time: Anthony Kiedis Celebrates Ed Ruscha

by Cimaxion | 1 Comment

Red Hot Chili Pepper, Anthony Kiedis rides along with L.A. artist, Ed Ruscha. They talk about using words for art and how that inspires them. I like shooting L.A. this way. The film uses the car and the streets well. I think I even see some duct tape holding Kiedis’ passenger door mirror together.

Pacific Standard Time web site.

VSV Taos to Topanga: A Film Visit with Artists George Herms and Dean Stockwell

by Cimaxion

George Herms is one of Los Angeles’ great artists, having been a founder of the ‘assemblage’ or found object kind of art. Actor Dean Stockwell has been making art for many decades and apparently lives out in the desert somewhere.  I think he’s one of those fake grumpy guys.  I’m familiar with them.  They try to set you off balance by pretending to be asses. The filmmaker, Paul Hasegawa-Overcracker takes his friends to visit both artists at home. Watch for Herms’ personal definition of High Definition.

The Eye Like a Strange Balloon Mounts Toward Infinity: A Film by Guy Maddin

by Cimaxion | 1 Comment

Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin made this short film which is inspired by an 1882 illustration by Odilon Redon that was in turn inspired by the writing of Edgar Allan Poe.  It has a kind of wild sinister fantasy about it that fascinates me.  I like the way Maddin builds little sets that end up looking almost like illustrations.  He also does a quick visual quote of a great old French film called L’Atalante by Jean Vigo.  This is a frightening and beautiful dream film.