Artist Shout Out: Chris Scarborough

Untitled (Orbital Debris) graphite, watercolor, and gouache on paper, 2009

Artist Info:
“Drawing on diverse influences such as Japanese anime cartoons, science fiction, the mass media and real life, Chris Scarborough creates characters and environments that explore the grey areas that happen when cultural and media boundaries are eroded and crossed. The artist loves to ‘challenge our notion of reality and our ideals,’ especially when images are placed in contexts that we think we understand but then realize we don’t. For the artist, his use of anime is an investigation of that idea, because he plucks images from Japanese pop culture that have a specific context, transforms them from their original stylized environment into something he deems more ‘real,’ and then offers in the outlandish new results” (curator’s office).

Detail of Untitled (Orbital Debris)

Untitled (The Deer Hunter) graphite on paper, 2006

Untitled (War Baby II) graphite on paper, 2007

Untitled (The Huntsman) graphite and watercolor on paper, 2009

Chris Scarborough lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee. Look for Scarborough’s upcoming solo exhibition entitled If This Ain’t A Mess It’ll Do Till The Mess Gets Here at Marcia Wood Gallery in Atlanta, GA December 2, 2009 through January 2, 2010. See more of his art including some creepy photography here.

posted by: Brent Carter

Crystal Stilts’ “Departure” Video

Somewhere between Joy Division, 60′s garage rock and The Clean lies the music of Crystal Stilts. This is the official video for “Departure” the first single taken from their album Alight Of Night which is available now through  Slumberland Records. Sure the video is incredibly simple and devoid of any video wizardry but with this much solidarity and civil unrest on display we couldn’t resist passing it on to our readers.

posted by: Harold Johns III

Photo File: JeongMee Yoon

Kara-Dayeoun and Her Pink Things, 2008

Jake and His Blue Things, 2006

Artist Statement:
“My current work, The Pink and Blue Projects are the topic of my thesis. This project explores the trends in cultural preferences and the differences in the tastes of children (and their parents) from diverse cultures, ethnic groups as well as gender socialization and identity. The work also raises other issues, such as the relationship between gender and consumerism, urbanization, the globalization of consumerism and the new capitalism.

“The Pink and Blue Projects were initiated by my five-year-old daughter, who loves the color pink so much that she wanted to wear only pink clothes and play with only pink toys and objects. I discovered that my daughter’s case was not unusual. In the United States, South Korea and elsewhere, most young girls love pink clothing, accessories and toys. This phenomenon is widespread among children of various ethnic groups regardless of their cultural backgrounds. Perhaps it is the influence of pervasive commercial advertisements aimed at little girls and their parents, such as the universally popular Barbie and Hello Kitty merchandise that has developed into a modern trend. Girls train subconsciously and unconsciously to wear the color pink in order to look feminine.

“Pink was once a color associated with masculinity, considered to be a watered down red and held the power associated with that color. In 1914, The Sunday Sentinel, an American newspaper, advised mothers to “use pink for the boy and blue for the girl, if you are a follower of convention.” The change to pink for girls and blue for boys happened in America and elsewhere only after World War II. As modern society entered twentieth century political correctness, the concept of gender equality emerged and, as a result, reversed the perspective on the colors associated with each gender as well as the superficial connections that attached to them . Today, with the effects of advertising on consumer preferences, these color customs are a worldwide standard.

SeeWoo and Her Pink Things, 2006

“The saccharine, confectionery pink objects that fill my images of little girls and their accessories reveal a pervasive and culturally manipulated expression of femininity and a desire to be seen. To make these images, I arrange and display the cotton – candy colored belongings of several children in their rooms. When I began producing the pink images, I became aware of the fact that many boys have a lot of blue possessions. Customers are directed to buy blue items for boys and pink for girls. In the case of my eleven-year-old son, even though he does not seem to particularly like the color blue over other colors, whenever we shop for his clothes, the clothes he chooses are from the many-hued blue selection. The clothes and toy sections for children are already divided into pinks for girls and blues for boys. Their accessories and toys follow suit.

Seunghuyk and His Blue Things, 2007

“The differences between girls’ objects and boys’ objects are also divided and affect their thinking and behavioral patterns. Many toys and books for girls are pink, purple, or red, and are related to make up, dress up, cooking, and domestic affairs. However, most toys and books for boys are made from the different shades of blue and ? are related to robots, industry, science, dinosaurs, etc. This is a phenomenon as intense as the Barbie craze. Manufacturers produce anthropomorphic ponies that have the characteristics of young girls. They have barrettes, combs and accessories, and the girls adorn and make up the ponies. These kinds of divided guidelines for the two genders deeply affect children’s gender group identification and social learning.

“As girls grow older, their taste for pink changes. Until about 2nd grade, they are very obsessed with the color pink, but around 3rd or 4th grade, they do not obsess with pink as much anymore. Usually, their tastes change to purple. Later, there is another shift. However, the original association with the color-code often remains.”

See and learn more about Yoon’s Pink and Blue Project here

posted by: Brent Carter

William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe Trailer

Studio Synopsis:
“In William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe filmmakers Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler explore the life of their father, the late radical civil rights lawyer. In the 1960s and 70s, Kunstler fought for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr. and represented the famed ‘Chicago 8′ activists who protested the Vietnam War. When the inmates took over Attica prison, or when the American Indian Movement stood up to the federal government at Wounded Knee, they asked Kunstler to be their lawyer.

“To his daughters, it seemed that he was at the center of everything important that had ever happened. But when they were growing up, Kunstler represented some of the most reviled members of society, including rapists and assassins. This powerful film not only recounts the historic causes that Kunstler fought for; it also reveals a man that even his own daughters did not always understand, a man who risked public outrage and the safety of his family so that justice could serve all.”

Disturbing the Universe is open in NYC and LA while the date of the nationwide theatrical release is TBA.

posted by: Brent Carter

Bizarre Bazaar at the Lawrence Arts Center

Lawrence’s annual Bizarre Bazaar, held at the Lawrence Arts Center (940 New Hampshire), is this Saturday, November 28 from 9am-5pm. The event features live music, a bake sale, and over 100 artists selling their unique and unusual goods. Looking for some handmade, original gifts for the holidays?  Check out the Bizarre Bazaar.

posted by: Tricia Rock