Behind the Art

Feb

2013

MFA NOW! Slide Slam

Posted by Pabi on 21 Feb 2013 / 0 Comment

Root Division presents the MFA Now 2013 Slide Slam, featuring presentations by 12 current MFA candidates in seven Bay Area programs.

MFA Now began in 2012 in efforts to create dialogue and community between the Bay Area schools that are listed in a US News and World Report survey from 2012, as part of the top one hundred MFA Programs in Visual Arts in the country: California College of the Arts, Mills College, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, Stanford University, and the University of California, Berkeley. This year’s presentation includes a comprehensive archive catalogue, juried exhibition, and slide slam.

The Slide Slam offers another opportunity for professional development in which emerging artists gain exposure and meet and interact with audiences. It also allows for the community to gain further insight into the work of up and coming local artists.

SLIDE SLAM PRESENTING ARTISTS:

Brittney Cathey-Adams
Pabi Chulo
Arash Fayez
Helga Hizer
Xiaotong Jiang
Amelia Konow
Carmen Lang
Keegan Lutrell
Em Meine
Cate Nelson
Aimee Santos
Sieglinde Van Damme

Jul

2012

Interview: With me about art!

Posted by Pabi on 11 Jul 2012 / 0 Comment

Interview by Jesse Taliaferro from Talenthouse. Enjoy!

http://blog.talenthouse.com/2012/07/10/featured-artist-pabi/

May

2012

The Getty Getaway

Posted by Pabi on 31 May 2012 / 0 Comment

”The Getty Getaway”. Acrylic and spray paint on raw linen canvas. 40”x 65”. 2012

The painting shows the Getty Museum blown up or ripped apart. Out of the white marble building comes a flying oil platform lifted by the power from the oil pressure. I have used raw linen canvas in order to show the real natural material and structure. I have kept the pallet in a gray scale except for the foundation of gold spray. In February 2012 I visited The Getty Center. The museum is located in the hills of Brentwood just outside of Los Angeles. It is built by the J. Paul Getty Trust founded by the oil mogul J. Paul Getty.(1892-1976). The center cost more than 1,3 billion dollars to build. It is designed by architect Richard Meier and opened in 1997.

“We are all affected by Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto, and Mies van der Rohe. But no less than Bramante, Borromini, and Bernini. Architecture is a tradition, a long continuum. Whether we break with tradition or enhance it, we are still connected to that past. We evolve.” – R. Meier

Every year more than 1,3 million visitors come to the attraction and this makes it one of the most visited museums in The US. It has no entrance fee. The Museum is also well known for its architecture, its garden designed by Robert Irwin and the incredible collection of art. At his death Paul Getty was one of the wealthiest people in the American history. He was the first to own more than one billion dollars. By creating the Getty Museum, owned and driven by The J. Paul Getty Trust, The Getty Research Institute, The Getty Conservation Institute and the Getty Foundation. The Getty dynasty is now the wealthiest and most powerful organization in the American art scene. With an endowment of $4.2 billion, the Getty Trust is the wealthiest art institution in the world

“The beauty one can find in art is one of the pitifully few real and lasting products of human endeavor.” ― J. Paul Getty

No doubt that J.P Getty was interested in art and in making good conditions for the art. But under the generous surface there is also another reason for spending these large amounts of money. It is a “public secret” that the Getty empire every year saves a lot of tax money so they instead can spend it on the art world. From a democratic point of view I find this spectacular, because the public majority might not agree about spending that much money on art. Instead the money could go to education, the infra structure or health care to the benefit of more people. On the other hand, support for cultural and other extraordinary projects often need to come from private founding. Otherwise they would never become reality. I find this discussion about private and public founding very interesting because these organizations create the systems that the artists need to work within. No matter if the money comes from the government or from private donations. In USA there is a tradition for private founding and charity. In Denmark we just pay more taxes and then we have the feeling of given enough. In Denmark it is difficult to become really rich, but also difficult to be really poor.

It is all about values.

In my choice of material I try to make that contrast by using gold on top of the brown unprimed natural linen canvas, with fake poisoned gold spray paint on top, together with the white building and the black oil. I use the oil to represent progress and invention. But during the last couple of decades it has become a symbol for something negative and almost stupid. The oil is equal to pollution, abuse of power and war. It has become a symbol of a lack of development in technology and thereby the possibility to be independent as states. If a county as America became independent from oil, there would be fewer reasons to make wars. In this way I can argue that the Getty´s oil money take the art as its hostage. This brings me to another point. Most artists I know of are anti-capitalists, socialists and pro green innovation, but I have never heard of any artist who denied receiving any kind of financial aid from a company or organization with a bad reputation. Nor would they give their money away when they become extremely rich. For example is the expensive Swizz made double framed linen canvases I use sponsored by a donator from Texas. And guess where the money comes from? Oil! Yes, we are all hypocrites! My goal is actually not to state what is right or wrong, but to question all kinds of institutions that create our world, because there is always a backside. To me the art world is getting more and more organized and controlled by all kinds of interests because of the increasing values in art. In my opinion the result is the loss of freedom for the artists and an elite-controlled art scene. The art world is not what it used to be and so be it!

Apr

2011

Video about me, my art and I. (Click to see the video)

Posted by Pabi on 11 Apr 2011 / 2 Comments

The Danish artist Pabi tells about his inspirations and what motivates him to make art. This short-movie delivers an insight in the daily life as an artist and Pabi reflects on the very beginning, the never-ending progression, the ups and downs, and the unknown future awaiting around the corner.

Production by: Camilla Møller Poulsen, ©2010 Millefilm
www.millefilm.wordpress.com
Music by: Gotan Project: Chunga’s Revenge
Copenhagen, Denmark

Apr

2010

Under El Dorado

Posted by Pabi on 11 Apr 2010 / 0 Comment

In many ways the Danish well fare society seems like an “El Dorado”. As a Dane I can proudly say that I live in one of the richest and safest countries in the world. In several studies we have shown to be the happiest people in the world. But underneath or in between; “there is something rotten in the state of Denmark”. Just like Shakespeare said many years ago.

“The Fairytale” 150×60 cm. 2010

In my latest work I have focused on the theme separation. I question the cohesiveness in different structures of societies. When something is mythically perfect such as El Dorado, I question the truth of this infinity. I don’t trust the unscarred surface. I believe there must be something lying underneath that’s about to burst. Like a boiler that’s reached its limit. This will inevitably happen and when it does the imperfections will come crawling from every possible crack and ruin the image.

“The Fairytale”; the perfect story about a Tasmanian girl that becomes a real princess in the kingdom and well fare society of Denmark. It all sounds so romantic and beautiful, but maybe she´s just entertainment for the mob and not even happy about it. Maybe the fairytale has a bad ending?

“Under the Shell”; In 1966 the Danish architect Jørn Utzon left his own project “The Sydney Opera House”. There were to many demons hidden under the shell. But on the surface it still looks so polished and flawless, just like the state of Denmark.

“Under the Shell” 150×60 cm. 2010

Eldorado

Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old-
This knight so bold-
And o’er his heart a shadow
Fell as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow-
“Shadow,” said he,
“Where can it be-
This land of Eldorado?”

“Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,”
The shade replied-
“If you seek for Eldorado!”

Edgar Allan Poe