Illuminations in Berlin!

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Apr 232012

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“The Illuminations” at  BAGL Springtime 2012 in Berlin

I am in Berlin for the “Gallery Weekend” to exhibit, “The Illuminations”, at BAGL Springtime 2012 Arts Festival.

The Illuminations comprise a glowing gallery of images that float as though disembodied, and at odd angles, in the center of a darkened room. The effect is at once ethereal and sculptural.

 

Exhibition Details:

Curated by: Anja Schneider, Jennifer Spruß
Location:
Spandauer Straße 2, 10178 Berlin-Mitte
 April 27th – May 1st, Open daily from 1 PM to 1 AM
Opening:
Friday, April 27th 1:00 PM to 1 AM (or perhaps even later . . . )
Daily entrance fee is 6,00 € (reduced 4,00 €)
Highlights:
  • Evenings of music and performance
  • 42 international artists
  • Parallel with Berlin Gallery Weekend

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Deutsche:

 

Ich bin am Gallery Weekend in Berlin und zeige “The Illuminations” auf dem BAGL Springtime 2012 Kunstevent.

Die Illuminations bilden eine leuchtende Galerie, die wie körperlos und in ungewohnten Winkeln in der Mitte eines dunklen Raumes schwebt. Der Effekt ist gleichsam ätherisch und bildhauerisch, sakral und profan.

Die Illuminations untergraben das gewohnte Seherlebnis und führen den Betrachter zu einer direkten und intensiven Beziehung mit der Vision des Künstlers.

 

Ausstellungsinfo:

BAGL Springtime 2012

Kuratoren: Anja Schneider, Jennifer Spruß

 

Ort:

Spandauer Straße 2, 10178 Berlin-Mitte

 

27. April – 1. Mai, geöffnet täglich von 13 bis 1 Uhr

 

Röffnung:

Freitag, 27. April, 13 Uhr bis 1 Uhr (oder sogar später…)

Der Eintritt beträgt 6 Euro (ermäßigt 4 Euro)

 

Höhepunkte:

- Abende mit Musik und Performance

- 42 internationale Künstler

- parallel zum Berliner Gallery Weekend

 

"Illuminations" Installation at Sancho Gallery, Los Angeles

1 Response »
Nov 192011

Here is my latest deployment of the “Illuminations”.  They were hung under a corrugated awning in the backyard of Sancho Gallery in Echo Park, Los Angeles for the “Dark Echo Park” show.   The space was approximately 10′ x 15′ and seven of the Illuminations were hung by fishing line so that they appeared to float in space.

(Photos by Paul Koudounaris)

This show also included seven of my original paintings that were displayed thusly:

"Illuminations" at Burning Man 2010 recognized with award by "The Necklace Factory"

1 Response »
Oct 042010

This is a photo of the award, certificate and medallion, that was presented to me by the "Necklace Factory" at Burning Man 2010 in recognition of my "Illuminations" installation at the Festival.

This is a photo of the award, certificate and medallion, that was presented to me by the “Necklace Factory” at Burning Man 2010 in recognition of my “Illuminations” installation at the Festival.

On the night before the Burning Man festival I was introduced to the folks at the Black Rock City Post Office (they are a real post office with a USPS cancellation stamp that sends and receives mail at Burning Man!).  My assistant, Damo, had made friends with them over the course of several days we had spent putting the installation together.  After making their acquaintance they came as a group to see my installation, and then after a brief while they  began to say to me, “We want you to come into our tent for something.  It will only take two minutes, and then it will last for eight minutes after that.”  I was quite apprehensive about this invitation and kept deferring.  I suspected that they wanted to give me DMT to smoke, since it sounded like they were describing the short acting hallucinogen’s effects, and I was not in the mood for taking a powerful drug like that.  They kept persisting, however, and so I acquiesced at last.

They brought me into a teepee like tent of modest size that was well appointed with oriental rugs, embroidered cushions, antique trunks, and other quaint furnishings that seemed to evoke Sir Richard Burton’s lodgings on an expedition to Arabia.  I thought the DMT pipe was to be produced at any moment, and  was nervous, and so it was to my great relief that they produced an award for me (pictured above).

My understanding is that the Post Office’s legacy is intertwined with something called the Necklace Factory that provided people the facilities to make necklaces to exchange as gifts at Burning Man.  At some point the Necklace Factory started giving awards to their favorite artists at Burning Man.   Every year they create a different certificate and medallion and present it to artists.  The award I received was 173 out of 350.  Damo also received one for helping me with my project.    Since many Burning Man projects involve large numbers of collaborators, potentially many awards are given to single projects.

I am very honored to receive the award.  It is in fact the first award or prize of any kind I have received since I won an art contest when I was in high school – 25 years ago.

Illuminations at Burning Man - Special Thanks to the Following People:

2 Responses »
Sep 122010

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The Illuminations by night

The Illuminations show for Burning Man was a real challenge for me to produce.  It seemed that I was besieged with setbacks and insecurities of every kind,  yet throughout the project friends, collaborators, and associates came through for me with great support and/or excellent work.

This page is to thank and credit all those people:

Printing:

Dynamite Digital (Large Vinyl Prints)

Boon Peng/ Mach Print Go Go Go (Acrylic mounted Illuminations)

Frames:

Western Dovetail (Max Hunter)

Construction/Rigging:

James “DAMO” Coldsnow

P.K.

Financial Support:

Fred Adler

Micah “Micxz” Love

Sven Hauth

Dale Ice

Dean Mermell

Publicity:

Rebecca “Sugarbunni” Lippert

Jacquelene  Sena


I also wish to thank individuals within the Burning Man for making the show possible:

Center Camp Cafe’ Administration:

Marcia Crosby (Cafe’ Director)

Jonesy Jones (Cafe’ Art Curator)

Cafe’ Crew:

Cory

Helen

Merritt

Jimmy

Apollo

Moral Support:

Larry Harvey

Michael “Flash” Hopkins

Lady K & General Purpose and the BRC Post Office Crew

Nome & Ina

Brother Peter

Last but not least I thank members of my family for their assistance and endless patience with and interest in my effort:

My wife:

April Lelia Naftalin

My mother:

Kathryn Ballentine Shepherd

My Step-father:

Lewis Shepherd

Thanks EVERYONE!!!


Illuminations at Burning Man 2010

2 Responses »
Sep 082010

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The Illuminations at Burning Man 2010

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Jul 262010

The Illuminations will be exhibited at Burning Man 2010 in the Cafe’ in Central Camp.  The Illumination Panels will ring the periphery of the dome where they will glow in the “alcoves” that are unique to the domes structure.  In the central structure of the dome, large format framed prints of my paintings ( 6′ x 9′) will hang between the “king posts”.

Drawing showing placement of the prints between the posts of the Cafe’ dome’s central structure.

A little more info about this on my calendar page.

Illuminations (Technical Details)

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Jul 142010

What is an “Illumination”?

A sign-maker might call describe an “Illumination” as a double-sided light-box using LED light strips to edge-light an acrylic sheet and  to illuminate  back-lit print media.

What that means is that there are strips of high intensity, low wattage LED lights mounted in the frames.  These strips abut the edges of the acrylic sheet that the frame is holding.  The acrylic transmits the light through its surface.  Adhered to this surface is an inkjet print of the painting that has been made on media specially manufactured for backlighting.   This media picks up the light from the surface of the Acrylic and radiates it outward.

It is a simple effect, but it is dependent on an array of sophisticated technologies:  LED light, Acrylic Sheeting, Inkjet Printing, Synthetic Fabric.

Illuminations for Sale

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Jul 142010

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If you are interested in purchasing an Illumination please contact me. I will make them to order.

The Illumination series  is comprised of images from my current oil paintings.  The Illumination series shown above are what I call “Medium Illuminations”.  These are on average about 2′ x 3′, and are modest enlargements of my small paintings.  The “Medium Illuminations” are a limited edition series of 25 each painting.  Each one comes with a notarized certificate.  The cost is $1800.

In essence what you are getting is  two prints in a custom gilded frame.  The prints light up on both sides.  The quality of the inkjet printing is exquisite.

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