[Previous entry: "Immortality and Art"] [Next entry: "A Thank You Note To Artists"]

03/13/2005: "The Digitalist Goes Wild!"

The evolution of an artist in the past was dictated by the periods of art he/she created. For instance there was Picasso's "Blue Period" and Man Rays "Ray-o-grams." Periods are also measured by the times an artist spends in a particular place.

With the advent of jet airplanes, Federal Express and email, we live our lives around the world in an instant. One can write a letter here, get a video clip there. It has become ONE
WORLD under the "Golden Arches." (And I'm not talking Christo's GATES either.) Due to technology and fast food restaurants, our communications bring us closer together. Every Starbucks on earth these days has wireless Internet so you can have your $2.00 burnt coffee and surf the Internet at the very same time. With all that wireless connection around me I preferred to actually LIVE LIFE instead.


Let me tell you what I've been up to. P A R T Y I N G like a Rock Star is more like it.

Here in Miami we had the ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH come to town. Every major gallery from all over the world comes in for this one. While the art was "Emperors’ New Clothing," the parties on the rooftops of buildings sure wasn't! REAL ESTATE is the prime mover of these events and boy did they get gorgeous people out for them.



I threw a party myself at JOIA LOUNGE during ART BASEL and wouldn't you know it, but Los Angeles basketball star MAGIC JOHNSON showed up!! (Yo- Magic!!) One of the greatest of all times~!!



I guess I should tell you that before my JOIA PARTY, I was out in Los Angeles for Governor Jeb Bush's Office of Film and Entertainment where I put together a multimedia program for their Florida Filmmakers Reunion at the Globe Theatre at Universal Studios in Hollywood.



If we back up just a little more, I'll tell you that I was in Scottsdale, Arizona to be the JUDGE for the Scottsdale International Film Festival's "Digital Filmmaking Competition." I also gave a lecture at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.



I hung out in Tempe for a little bit; which if you blindfolded me, I could have been anywhere. Cheesecake Factory, Houston's, Fridays, Shell Oil, Einstein's Bagels.
Man it could have been anywhere in the US of Homeland Security A.

I drove to Tucson for a less that 24 hour visit to see my friend Lorraine Dar Conte who I hadn't seen in over 25 years. (She looked great by the way.) My buddy Gussie called me while I was on the road and he said to me, "You travel so much. How do you ever know where you are going?" I told him, "It's simple - its called a map!" -))



Tucson was fabo. I when to see this church in the middle of nowhere that looked like a dumb down version of Notre Dame. Pretty though, as I was told Ansel Adams went out there often to take pictures. I enjoyed my visit to Tucson. I finally saw some real authentic tumble weeds, as well as a REAL old western town. (Cause the yuppies are taking it over, but who can blame them???) Lorraine and I then had a terrific MEXICAN dinner (and yes more "Authenticism.") Some how living in America I'm always weary that I am at DISNEY LAND. (Reminds me of the time I was at Epcot Center and this guy told his family, "Honey - lets go to ENGLAND and have Fish and Chips!" He really believed he was in England. I really wanted to tell this guy it would have been cheaper to fly over to Heathrow than to get the family tickets to Disney. –Who am I to spoil a party??))))

Any case, after dinner we watched the DAY of the DEAD parade. Great costumes and a real tradition in Tucson. The only difference was, that the parade took place AFTER the election and Ms. Liberty was a skeleton in a casket. The American Flag was dressed in all black velvet. I think I saw a giant head of Saddam Hussein as well.



Yes indeedy... DEMOCRACY saw its death during that parade! Finishing up the parade we decided to have a drink at the HOTEL CONGRESS. –A real find! I'm not sure how long this place has been around but it sure felt like a lot of "stuff" went down in this place. (If only the walls could talk. as well as the waitress. She was really sexy and quiet.)

The next morning we went to this replica western town (yeah!!) and then I drove back to Phoenix and headed to Los Angeles. That's where the above story picks up about LA. (This writing is kind of like: "When Harry met Sally.").

Anyway, LA was great and I got to go to the GETTY Museum for the first time. I always wanted to go. Took a walk on Melrose and bought a pair of really nice shoes. (This is right about the time when you say to yourself, uh oh.this really "IS” starting to sound like a Blog" - time to live my own life. LOLOLOL) So then we go to a club after the big event at the Globe Theater and I have a verbal argument with some $5.00 an hour wannabe rent a bouncer who wouldn't let me into the SKYBAR. Oh well. Went across the street and dropped $400 for sushi for 6.



Getting back to ART BASEL, there were so many parties and so little time. MOCA spearheaded by Bonnie Clearwater was an exhibition about Film as Art. I don't know how many people went to see the art but there sure were a zillion people lined up for the sponsored liquor by Bacardi. (Great party.) Bonnie had Rolls Royce out on her front lawn. Made for an interesting entrance.



While walking the DESIGN DISTRICT I ran into KENNY SCHARF. (one of my favs!)
Right up there with Keith Haring, whom I went to art school with in the 70s.



Here are pix from this new club called the PAWN SHOP during ART BASEL.
I think you are getting the idea that my life is all about having FUN!!

Back to LA then afterwards for a big outrageous party bash. I can't show you the pictures from this party, as it was wild, but I can show you the images from the First Anniversary Erotic Museum on Hollywood Blvd. Crazy people and lots of fun.



GREG BRADY even showed up. He asked me, "Who is that behind those Foster Grants?" I told him, "You don't know famous artists when you see them???" - duh. I introduced him to the REAL DOLL they had on display and Greg got tongue-tied. ))



Back to Florida and time to get ready for the Miami International Film Festival. Boy was that exciting. The opening night film, "Modigliani" starring Andy Garcia, couldn't have been more apropos. Great directing by Mick Davis and if you go to my website you can get a little snip of "KEEDIE" who sang during the gala after party and for the film. Was really a super night with lots of great food and people. Kudos to the film festival people particularly the director, Nicole Guillemet. Of course a film festival should be about great films and this one was. Super films by dedicated filmmakers. I happen to interview about forty of them each from a different part of the world and enthusiastic about their craft. Reminded me why I became an artist in the first place. I saw another film called, "Twin Sisters" and fell in love with the star Thelka Reuten. (Nice to fall in love with the character on the screen and then - meet them in person!!) Actually I met her in person first doing an interview - THEN I saw her film. Her talent mesmerized me. I partied so hard at the VERSACE Mansion that I missed closing night. (Hey you can't do it all.)

I recovered finally from all this and then headed up to the PMA (Photo Marketing Trade Show) in Orlando. Nice to see people I hadn't seen in 10-15-20 years!! Melancholy to see them, after all these years. Dedicated souls who give their lives to the future of vision: Humbling actually. Most of the people love the models that stand in front of the camera booths but after seeing what I have seen, that's more like Swiss cheese. I go right through them to the cameras. The latest 3CCD video cameras half the size of my palm with micro drives. (yeah baby!!!) Then there was the Foveon camera by Sigma. (Who knows how many mega pixels this camera is. all I know is that its GREAT!) I also tested Fuji's digital camera that was wowing. Got a sneak preview of Kodak's first WI-FI camera. Yeah. "Snap and Send!" (Oops . Was I not supposed to say that?) The camera is not out yet. My friends at Konica/Minolta have a killer laser printer that produces gorgeous output. Gone are the days of lousy repros. Some of these images look as good as regular prints. Love my 8-mega-pixel A2 camera. Super resolution on the movie mode!
(That's where it's all going Gingersnaps!) Last but not least, I couldn't help but take a picture with Football Hall of Fame Great Lynn Swan at the Olympus booth. They have a
nice media player called "M:Robe." (Guess someone thought this up after they got out of the shower.)) My buddy John Reuter took a super duper 20"x24" Polaroid of me. He signed it too. - Thanks Johnny boy! (He won't know that I will go sell it on Ebay!) Okay finally, finally, who can forget the NOKIA body painted girl. Who ever thought this one up was a genius. - Girl as a leopard naked at a photo show! (I'll take two!)

What could possibly be left after this? - Why the Winter Music Conference of course!!
Dj's from around the world descending upon Miami and partying their asses off. They are attempting to charge the PRESS to get in. Outrageous. (Don't worry, I'll find a way to get in).

Party On people! - LIVING IS ART!

-Laurence GARTEL
gartel@gate.net
www.gartelmuseum.com

Replies: 8 Comments

on Monday, March 28th, muller jean francois said

This is Muller Jean Francois welcoming you to his home and giving you a close up look at his collection of his art work so enjoy.if interested you can call:(973)926-0204 email:artmuller2003@yahoo.com
letters:P.O.BOX 20216 Newark,Nj 07101
WEBSITE:WWW.artistpaintingonline.COM IN GOD WE TRUST

on Sunday, March 20th, Margaret said

Caught your comment and we do have some thoughts in common...also some thoughts in common with most "awareness books" that have been written for hundreds of years, which tend to talk about the "complexities of the period". I know that it is hard to understand when the author of a century old book speaks of laying in the field next to his horse, trying to have a quiet moment away from the bustle of life, in order to hear. I think the mass communication methods in place today allow us to have all that we can take in/wish to take in/can't get away from and take in... but I don't agree it brings us "closer". Close to me is more than just knowledge. I have seen people at lunch with friends who spend the whole time talking with someone on their cell phone. I don't understand why people believe mass emails, pre-scripted by who knows and from where, are somehow a way to touch my spirit any more than mass snail-mailings that are no more selective about who gets the message...you know "to the current resident at this address". Thank you for taking the time to put your own words to digital progress...

on Saturday, March 19th, stan said

sorry-got up this morning and felt like this was my blog-only kidding-but if you read my comment from last night, here is the followup-I am a photographer by trade and by art and I cannot tell you how great it is to walk into a room full of Vermeers and Holbeins and Rembrandts and know that it is virtually in your back yard-there is a large show of Diane Arbus right now, but in typical fashion, they go totally overboard and show so much stuff, it becomes just another corporate co-opt by the end and I expect to se a "Diane Arbus" line of furniture in one of the mags in another couple of months.

on Friday, March 18th, stan said

that is what makes the horserace-here I am in NYC at 5PM and in ten minutes I will be sitting on my ass in the Metropolitan Museum in front of a Louis Sullivan staircase from the Chicago Stock exchange, reading a book, sipping and espresso and people watching/falling in love with every other person who walks by for at least ten seconds--and when I hit the pillow tonight, our pal Gartel will just be getting into his sports car for a night down on Collins Ave....thank god there are a few buddhists in our midst to create a little bit of order out of all this wonderful chaos.

on Wednesday, March 16th, Pamela Griffith said

I have been a printmaker all my life with a very well equipped studio that has enabled me to produce my own work as well as the work of many other artists. I have embraced new technology both digitally and recently, in the field of printing, from poly carbonate plates. Boundaries are becoming blurred and it is difficult to define a limited edtion just as it is difficult to say what the rules are in making a limited edition plate.

I must say the etchings and lithographs that I have produced by time worn techniques have given me the most satisfaction as there is a lot of hand work and skill involved. I am always open to new ideas. I really do not think the art critics and academics have come to grips with the impact that commercial printing and the availability of visual imagery everywhere had had on the making of art and traditional methods of print making. We have limited editions of sorts everywhere.

Currently I am having an exhibition commence at Hazelhust Regional Gallery in the Sutherland Shire of Sydney, NSW, Australia www.hazelhurst.com.au that displays graphic work done over the last forty years. I will be teaching workshops in traditional etching techniques and the process gives a lot of satisfaction to would be printmakers. I often wonder now how relevant these techniques are to modern life apart from the satisfaction the process and results give to the maker.

on Monday, March 14th, jose freitas cruz said

Art is life, but what is Life? There are billions of possibilities and surely a zillion permutations. Your path sounds lively and the experiences you go through, the people you meet, almost make me want to cry out ‘I want a piece of that action’.

I used to be a party animal, once. Towards the end of that period the weekends extended from Thursday to Sunday in a spectacular blur. Tuesday was the only REALLY lucid day when there was time to reassess my bearings… and then Wednesday would come along again with Thursday peeping around the corner. One of the reasons that led me to quit the law firm I was training with at the time and accept unconditionally that what I wanted to be was an artist was the realization that the life you were expected to lead [if you wanted to make the right connections and be a successful attorney, or whatever it was others were trying to look being successful at] was passing by me at too fast a speed. So fast that all that is left of those times is the blur [much less spectacular and fading quickly into forgetfulness].

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being the party-pooper or prude. I find it great that life should have attained the speeds it has - that one can do triple the amount of things one would usually fit into the day - and that the in-trend is to be seen at as many places as humanly possible. But I personally feel that Life has greater depths to offer in some of its other, less glamorous, permutations and that ‘the blur effect’ one gets from jumping in the vortex of the Life you’ve described does not provide me sufficient inspiration. Fortunately for all of us Life still is such that there is room for diversity and sufficient places where we can exercise it.

Interesting read, though. I wish you continuing success.

on Monday, March 14th, Karen said

Sounds like you had a great time. I am very interested in Art Basel Miami. My husband went there to scope it out the first year of the event; I am an artist (painter of some quality) looking for good representation and or sales at such an event. Can you give us some pointers on how an artist without gallery representation attending the show can, in fact, show their work and be involved. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks Karen

on Monday, March 14th, Vvoitek said

If living is art, you better watch how you're living, or you may create something dreadful...

http://new-art.blogspot.com