painting, painting, painting, painting, my friends, tattoos and tattooing, bicycles, bmx, music, travel, teaching, the psychology of man, art books, siamese cats and saluki's, old vw's
I'd like to meet:
Imitation and artistic plagiarism is something that will always be there.
As a teacher, I really try and challenge students to think for themselves and be "their own artist" with their own voice. Make art from your own experiences, whatever they may be.
The younger you are, maybe the less experience you have- Travel,
explore, read, observe EVERYTHING. Be a sponge. Take it all in and then reflect and make art from these experiences.
Art is creation and self expression; experimentation and progression.
If you are expressing yourself through someone else's imagery, personal icons and symbols- What does that say about you? Is it art? Is it right? Who decides?
You have to ask yourself, as someone who has no identity- other than being someone who can emulate their idols, are you a fanboy doing "fanart"?
Personally, my opinion is that it's a slap in the face if you do it more than once. It's not art and the plagiarist is just pathetic, thoughtless and lazy.
Who cares if you become famous or the flavor of the month- anyone can do that. It's too damn easy to come up with a gimmick- that's what advertising and commercialism is all about.
Is it art? or commodity?
Music:
fugazi, refused, shellac, ac/dc, led zeppelin, faith no more, pigface, slayer, quicksand, milktoast, minor threat, mclusky, queens of the stone age, shank 456, helmet, pantera, prong, ministry, the bronx, misfits, dead kennedys, the jesus lizard, mastodon, suicidal tendencies, descendents, death from above 1979, anthrax, megadeth, gorilla biscuits, muddy waters, nofx, rancid, screeching weasel, the clash, operation ivy, bad religion, john coltrane, r.l. burnside, miles davis, civ, the ramones, body count
Books:
krishnamurti's 'the first and last freedom', ben shahn's 'the art spirit', joseph campbell's 'the power of myth', ivan brunetti's 'haw', don ed hardy's 'tattooing the invisible man', mat hoffman's 'the ride of my life', jerome witkin's 'life lessons'
Heroes:
it's about respect for sincere integrity- choosing and pioneering your own path- not being a follower and willing to sacrifice everything for what you believe.
