Burning Man 2010

Art | 07 September 2010

Welcome to Black Rock City! Pull up a bicycle and share a few tales!

It’s no mystery where I disappear to every year about this time, and honestly, living in northern California, there is almost no excuse for me not to go to the annual Burning Man Festival in Nevada.

With our chartreuse camper to wield off the dust and heat, my partner and I set off for art-filled adventures; like roving with a band of caped superheroes fixing things for people.

View from the third story of “The Man” facing the temple.

One of the hundreds of sculptures dotting the events “playa”.

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One of the most breathtaking pieces this year was this intricately welded sculpture of a woman. Approx. 60 feet tall.

Hundreds of art cars and “mutant vehicles” move about the event, and art is encouraged to be interactive. Personally, my favorite scene is going out on daytime art tours and city adventures, but there is no denying the nightlife at Burning Man. Costumed “citizens” roam at all hours with an overwhelming sense of kindness and giving.

My boyfriend and I in our playa wear. (So dusty!)

The week long event peaks on Saturday night when the giant wooden effigy of a man bursts in to flames and fieworks.

Any Burners out there?

Hanging with Ranjani Shettar

Art | 03 August 2010

by Sienna

The works of international artist, Ranjani Shettar, have been spreading round the globe like wildfire.

Born and working in Bangalore, India, Shettar works with natural materials like fabric, wax and wood, while also employing processed man-made materials like silicone and stainless steel.

In the last three years she has been featured in the Lyon Biennial in France, the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and most recently at the 10th Liverpool Biennial in England. Her work is represented by the Talwar Gallery in New York.

An installation in the SFMOMA I was so lucky to see last year!

This piece entitled “Sun-sneezers blow light bubbles” is made from muslin and tamarind powder.

You can view these pieces in the permanent collection at the SFMOMA in their new rooftop garden. The basket-like forms are made from recycled metal taken from junkyard cars.

Shettar installing one of her pieces.

A-Z with Andrea Zittel

Art | 09 July 2010

by Sienna

So you just moved into a 10′ x 20′ living space, and you’ve alotted half of the room to your artwork. . .where does the rest of your life go?

Artist Andrea Zittel was faced with this very predicament years ago as a budding artist in New York. Her solution was to expand her body of work to include an extreme form of space-intensive design based sculptures.

In her 1992 piece titled “A-Z Management and Maintenance Unit, Model 003″, you’ve got shelf space, a small stove, utility sink, and a lofty sleeping pad. Gorgeous!

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In a PBS series entitled Art: 21 they say this of the artist: “Zittel’s sculptures and installations transform everything necessary for life—such as eating, sleeping, bathing, and socializing—into artful experiments in living. Blurring the lines between life and art, Zittel’s projects extend to her own home and wardrobe.”

In recent years Zittel has started a project called the Smockshop. Guest designers were invited to come and riff on what start as simple dress designs built around the natural shape of fabric: the rectangle. Here are a few examples of some of over 200 designs created and available to view on the site. Designers include Molly Keogh, Tiprin Follett, Michelle Brunnick, and Lulu*s own Claire Fong!

Beyond Embellished: The Art of Nick Cave

Art | 17 June 2010

by Sienna

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Out of common materials appears the uncommon work of NickCave. A trained sculptor, performance artist and dancer, he has made best friends with everyday items including buttons, sequins and embellished sweaters, sisal fiber, crocheted doilies, and fake flowers.

Cave creates elaborate costume-like works of art that cover every part of the body minus the heels, which is a vital part of activating these pieces in contemporary dance.

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“African ceremonial costumes and mask are obvious points of reference” writes Cave in a personal statement.

The wearer is often burdened by a large and awkward assemblage of materials ranging from antique toys to woven handbags. At the same time these pieces give the dancer a chance to move in a new way and often have a audio element to them.

Coined “Soundsuits”, the original suit was made from hundreds of fallen twigs gathered by the artist and cut to 3″ in length. The suit made a beautiful series of sounds when worn.

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One of Cave’s largest compilations of work was on view at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, until June of last year.