a question of:

what is the flatness of a photograph?
what is the field?
what is the medium
and
what is the meaning of
the general lack of an
overt surface?

can one subsist on
the subtleties of matteness
in an era defined by
the unchecked rampancy
of photographic imagery and
(un)media(ated) saturation?

have the qualities of sharpness
and of a photographic nature
become
hopelessly bland
in a world inundated with
High Definition?

my
oh
my
how things have changed
in a mere
thirty
years
for our good, dear friend
the color photograph.

it is no longer enough
to be this or that
and perhaps
it is time
to return to the basics of
what is and what ain't.

or perhaps i am not articulating myself
correctly...

what i mean is...

what i mean is...

what i mean is...


surface
flat
texture
matte
glossy
finish
contact
plate
air
press
look
look
look
at the wall

---------------------------------------------------



Frederick Sommer, Untitled (1943)


Frederick Sommer, Glass (1943)


Frederick Sommer, Untitled (1973)


Thomas Struth, Paradise 36 (New Smyrna Beach), Florida (2007)


Thomas Ruff, Substrat 10 II (2003)


Morris Louis, Floral V (1959-60)


Jules Olitski, Draky (1966)


Jules Olitski, Exact Origins, (1966)

---------------------------------------------------

color
color
color
in
flat patches
touched by
texture
but
rendered
flat
through
technology
we are
grasping
for
something more
a
moment
which
was
and
can't
be
touched.


i am not afraid of making the taboo connection
between
photography
and
painting.
they
are
flat
and
things
have
become
boring
.

new acquisitions, january 2009

when i was young(er)
i held very few hard and fast ideas about the world
(y'know, the sort of belief that tends to hold true)
(throughout the course of one's lifetime)
with one palatable exception being that
i think it is absolutely necessary
(if one is to be taken as a knowledgeable or)
(remotely intelligent and interesting person)
to have a stellar library
that communicates one's identity, interests,
and areas of knowledge and expertise with

one
swift
glance

this is a photograph of the 29 volumes
acquired by myself in the month of january 2009.

four antiquated methods of proving one's masculinity

four antiquated methods of proving one's masculinity
(in chronological order in accordance to historical tradition)
(as opposed to date of visual production)

google photography

let's be honest here.
i don't really know shit about photography.
and even though i am slowly learning,
i somehow doubt that i'll ever be
one of those people who is incredibly successful as a commentator on
PHOTOOOOGRAPHY.

despite all of this,
i would like to publicly put forth questions that have been plaguing me lately
regarding the increasing conflux of photography
and net-based imaging
(both in terms of tools)
(and found imagery)

for now
i would like to focus on
google maps

as of late
i myself have been doing a great deal of experimentation

with google maps and streetview
and i know that a lot has probably been said about the subject
but i have been intentionally keeping myself away from the
mindless chatter
of the internet.

but
the truth is that this stuff is fascinating and
(moreover)
directly related to art history.

because the guy who originated streetview cites ed ruscha as a direct influence
(more on this in the next month or so)
and because i
(for one)
can't look at satellite view without considering
the photographic efforts of some minimalists
not to mention (sometimes) even
emmet gowin's
majestic aerials when i am confronted by a particularly
beautiful terrascape.

regardless...

we all know that the design of the thing is art within itself
as well as its customizable elements
(moma agrees)
(P.S. it's in there somewhere.)
(for a show that is dedicated to design it sure is a shitty website)
and that some serious net art shit has come about from it and
it has successfully been used as a tool for performance art
(see also)

BUT!

can this tool
which is so dependent on photography
operate as photography?

straight photography?
(street photography)
(aerial abstractions)

is screen capture a form of photography?

AND

is screen capturing more akin to incorporating found elements
or should it be considered along the lines of
appropriation art

AND
more specifically

the 

rephotography
of
richard prince
and
sherrie levine?

is this a new form of conceptual practice?

or is it

just

same

ol'

... ... ... ...
after all,
the only realm in which one can really get away with reworking anything these days is
netart
(which is not to say that its not already over-done)

----------------------------------------------------------

my latest project involves a voyeuristic archiving
a catalog of

everywhere i woke up (2006-2008) (2009)
(selections from)
(and very very very much in progress)






perhaps the best part of the google maps technology
is the fact that you can create this sort of conceptual document
completely in hindsight

the cult of judd returns

Barton Sloane
bombMARFA


stella wuz here / prada marfa



drawings at castelli in symmetry / 15 untitled works in concrete



fuck dia / 15 untitled works in concrete



bochner measurement / ballroom marfa



smithson lives / 15 untitled works in concrete



manifest destiny / clarence judd architecture offices



---

i have been thinking about marfa lately.

planning a project there for the summer.
here's to hoping things proceed without a hitch.
because when i think about new york summers
and long subway rides in the heat and
astronomical rents with no space and little
to no pay i feel ready for the 12 hour drive and
lots of afternoon straight whiskeys playing hank williams and
having a hell of a texas time while still getting my
pseudo-intellectual fix.

success

GODDAMMIT!

the web domain name
www.badconceptualart.com
is taken.

and by someone who makes even worse conceptual art than i do!

my plans have been ruined.

--------

3:24 AM...
UPDATE!!!
UPDATE!!!
UPDATE!!!

MOTIVATIONS

motivational stickers for children.
just one of the many things from my childhood
that i have been ruminating over the past two weeks.
(...my work is going in strange directions...)

boredom merits videomaking

.

I originally made this for this thing
just trying to be funny, as usual
(i am loving the new photobooth's shitty in-camera greenscreening capabilities)

but the message applies for everyone in my life
(and thusly anyone who might be reading this as well).

happy new year ya'll!