Updated 2/17/15
Collaboration with Javier Cambre, Part 2
A year ago my friend and teaching colleague artist Javier Cambre and I collaborated on a photography / collage collaboration. In case you missed it, you can read about it here : http://wp.me/p2SFO-FG. I enjoyed the process and the piece we generated so much that I asked Javier to collaborate again this year. Javier submitted to me a gelatin silver print that you see below. Obviously the photography is powerful both technically and content wise. Ironically, in the photo the pig is smiling, as if it is relaxed, but contradictory to this is the grim outpouring of its interior. I was super excited to begin screen printing images to collage onto the photo itself, much like the previous technique I used.
Below is my first attempt, indeed, I over did it, and ultimately hurt the composition of the work. Although I like the use of color in the foreground in contrast to the black and white back round, too much new content clutters the image. I glued the prints down and submitted the image to Javier for his feedback. Through e-mail I received this response;
“I think that maybe you are hiding too much of the fact that the pig’s head is chopped off. I like the color yellow and the red, but maybe the yellow girl and red fish could be made smaller or moved elsewhere? Also… and/or show some of the eerie veins in the pig’s ear? The photo itself is kind of disturbing, but you are hiding all the uncanny elements and only showing the pig’s smile. I think what would be ironic, would be to show the eerie-ness with the pop/humor. What do you think?” JC
I was in 100% agreement with Javier’s suggestions, but dont forget, the original image was an actual silver print, I had glued down my work before consulting with my collaborative partner about the composition. Lesson learned, the hard way. Javier was kind enough to let me print out a high resolution digital version of the image here below. I revised the works shortly after and submitted it back to him. It was a go!
In essence we ended up with two finished works of art between us. Both artists retain an original of each piece.
Questions to ponder:
What titles would you give these pieces, and Why?
Which piece do you like better, and Why?
From 4/22/12 :: Collaborating with Javier Cambre, a new series develops.
I am happy to announce the development of a new series of works between my colleague, fellow artist Javier Cambre and myself. I first discovered Javier’s work back in 2006. We were both showing as a part of the CUNY Queensborough Community College Faculty Exhibition. Javier showed a video installation titled “One Plus One”, ( you can view the info here – http://javiercambre.com/section/49819_ONE_PLUS_ONE.html ) and I had installed a large scale wall relief. ( see it here :: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmsmovement/272209456/in/set-929193/) I felt that Javier’s video had an emphasis on movement, gesture and composition. The works were cinematic, yet stretched the traditional aspects of the medium. Much like my own work, through the principles of design I too seek new ways to emphasize movement, variety, and compositional variations. I like to do this through the fragmenting of several inter related parts. I felt even back then, if Javier and I were to collaborate, it would be an energetic approach to creating a contrasting series of exciting works. Javier and I are both multidisciplinary artists. We both work in a variety of mediums, sometimes integrating them together, and sometimes simply showing them by discipline. The image above is the first piece in progress. Javier first arranged a series of some of his silver prints from a trip to Brazil. He spread them on the floor of his loft and re-photographed them. He later printed that as a photograph of photographs. He handed this image to me, and so the process began. I love the content and the high black and white contrast. I see it as a composite of events, stories, and narratives. I felt very much impulsed to add to the stories. I too added characters to the narrative, except mine are fictional, cartoon like, and from several different time periods. I knew I could create a visual tension by layering my screen prints directly on top of the images. This would also give the piece a layered effect and a sense of dimension. It creates the illusion of a foreground, yet the images still seem to float weightlessly. We will be posting our process as the works expand.
Check out Javier Cambre’s site here:: http://javiercambre.com
short-link to this page :: https://www.ryanseslow.com/zFA2u
