…still slogging through it.
Author Archives: matt ballou
Of Pots and Beards
Two people I greatly respect were in the local paper recently.
First, Ian Shelly, a grad student in ceramics here at the University of Missouri who has been a student of mine in the past (and whose studio I often stop into to see new work and chat with [or head out to Klik’s for a beer or two of an occasional evening]), was featured in the Niche column of the Columbia Tribune. Check it out here.
The author of the piece, Aarik Danielsen, is also a friend of mine. Aarik is a great writer (and music aficionado) and has crafted pieces for PopMatters, Ethics Daily, among others, and is a zealous advocate for beards. Good stuff.
I’m enjoying this synergy of people I like doing things that I like. Best line by Ian from Aarik’s piece:
“The pots I like are brown,” Shelly said. “Nobody likes brown pots.”
Ian enjoying a famous ceramic work, Spring 2009
Iconoclast, Stage 5
…coming along a bit.
Neoteric Art Writings
I’m a contributor to Neoteric Art, a brainchild of William Dolan and Norbert Marszalek. Good guys, both of ’em. Check out my latest short text about Richard Diebenkorn and my older piece on Cecily Brown and Linda Nochlin at the Des Moines Art Center.
Short Thoughts on Loving Diebenkorn’s Work
Visions of Violence and Pleasure: Cecily Brown and Linda Nochlin at the Des Moines Art Center
I’m looking forward to future writings appearing at Neoteric Art.
International ExLibris 2009
I was one of 8 Americans included in the 2009 Small Print/ExLibris Biennial in Sint Niklaas, Belgium. Below is a shot of the catalog from the show that I received today. My thanks are to Bert Menco and Chris Daniggelis, two amazing printmakers who have worked with me personally and helped me develop my own printmaking over the last few years.
Iconoclast, Stage 4
Had some major issues with this painting. Had to regroup and get started again. It’s pretty dense right now in terms of surface, but this shot was taken right after getting back under way. We’ll see where the thing goes this week…
Still Life
I love setting up elaborate arrangements for my students. This one is for a project dealing with composition for my Drawing 2 class in the Summer Session at the University of Missouri.
Jesus Beefy Cheesy Glory
something tells me that Jesus wouldn’t appreciate this…
photo credit: chad hicks
The Nature of Art
People are just as convinced that they are having a true experience of art when they see a work in reproduction as they are of believing that verisimilitude is the ultimate measure of value in a work of art.
Can’t we see this insanity for what it is?
It’s a circular logic meant to establish the mechanical and the processed over the physically experienced and subjective. Find me someone who thinks a good work of art is something that “looks just like!” something else and I’ll show you a person who is satisfied with mere reproduction, divorced sensation, advertisement, and disengagement.
Being with objects or people or places is NOTHING like mere pictures of objects or people or places. representational art has to go beyond mere depiction if it wants to be anything like reality since reality is nothing like mere depiction.
Iconoclast – In Progress
here’s “iconoclast” in progress… it’s looking a bit rough at this point. stages two (way down there) and three (right below) are here in any case. i’ll have to post some of the studies and sources i’ve used for this pose/idea sometime soon…
ok, ok… so it’s a bit melodramatic. still in the first working hours here, people. give me a break.
eikonktizo 