If My Body Were Paper and Bones
My imagination took hold of my senses and as I felt the paper I began to wonder about our bodies, our lives here. We are but flesh and bones. Our bodies are broken, torn, weathered and fleeting. I imagined I was paper, a scultpure of paper and bones.
“An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's.” ― J.D. Salinger, Franny and Zooey
Today I started a new body of work that is titled "If my body were paper and bones", all of the pieces will be painted on paper. Before I began this new journey I created a playlist consisting of Max Richter, The Black Atlantic, The Helio Sequence, Peter Broedrick, Birdy, TV on The Radio, The Lighthouse and the Whaler, M83 and Sigur Ros to bring my ears to ease with the world.
I began to tape paper to a piece of plywood to create a flat surface so the paper doesn't warp to bad and to create edges or a frame to the piece. My head started to choose an ocean of color for my brushes, knives and fingers Peter Brodericks "I Am Piano" began to fill my studio (from the It's Starts Here album) and I was immediatly wisked away to someplace else. My imagination took hold of my senses and as I felt the paper I began to wonder about our bodies, our lives here on this earth.
We are merely flesh and bone. Our bodies are broken, torn, weathered and fleeting. My mind was picturing self as paper, a scultpure of paper and bones. As Peter Broderick sang "I am Piano", I played a flim in my head, (transformation):
...(as film flickers apear on the mental screen) my body is now paper, a figure mashed together with pulp that has dried over time, easy to tear, bending when wet, unrecovering from fold. I moved with the sound and was pressured by the wind, soft and peeling at the edges. Movement was difficult yet flawless, as momentum set in wrinkles from folds began to manifest across this figure, clean yet stained. A journal written, yet erased, scratched out, but pages adding by the minute.
(Back to now)
If we were paper and bone could we tear off a sheet when we needed to start over, or would we continue to try and create something beautiful out of the mess?
This is my mind. This is my world.
[vimeo=https://vimeo.com/35333323]
To View this body of work please visit http://www.samo4prez.com or http://www.etsy.com/shop/samo4prez?section_id=12457081
Degas, Woody Allen and my Humble Studio in Austin.
"My art, what do you want me to say about it? Do you think you can explain the merits of a picture to those who do not see them?
"My art, what do you want me to say about it? Do you think you can explain the merits of a picture to those who do not see them?...I can find the best and clearest words to explain my meaning, and I have spoken them to the most intelligent people about art, and they have not understood; but among people who understand, words are not necessary, you say humph, he, ha and everything has been said." Edgar Degas
I recently watched Woody Allens "Midnight in Paris" for the first time (and after a long wait). It was everything I hoped it would be and more. I have been in a massive state of creation lately with a new body of work and it was a perfect film to offer me a bit of reflection on a few of my artistic hero's. I am always looking for films that can coincide with a "creative binge", films like ones that Julian Schnabel, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Wes Anderson, Michel Gondry, or Charlie Kaufman/Spike Jonze would create. Woody did not disappoint me. So often I become like Gil and completely disappear when I enter my Paris (my studio). I often find myself in moments where I am discussing art with my dead peers, sitting for a moment in my pink studio chair and talking to Andy, Jean-Michel, Franz, Rothko, Cy , Degas or many others whose books line my bookshelves'. I get what Edgar is saying in the quote at the beginning of this post. The greatest moments for me while painting are when am talking with my artist peers and moments where words don't need to be spoken. A look, a nod or a snear, a laugh or a grunt speak volumes and encourage the moment where the brush meets the canvas.
So as I continue to master my craft as a painter, I look forward to the silent moments I spend with my hero's and search the quiet for answers and guidance as I move with the rhythm and dreams of one day becoming like them.
In the Studio with Debbie Harry
A short film of SAMO4PREZ painting in his studio.
I have had a ton of feedback and interest in my latest piece, so I put together a short film from my studio time creating it. [vimeo http://vimeo.com/20123087]