Warhol can still wow

Well, I guess I should not be surprised but that old windbag Andy would still be pretty amazing over time. Here in Buenos Aires, there is a show of his work and the museum has these raws screen tests that were made over a period of years. Sure they are fascinating because you have people like Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Salvador Dali, Allen Ginsberg, Nico, Yoko Ono and Marcel Duchamp (and more) staring at the camera for a period of 4 silent minutes. But really, it is interesting, even amazing as people stare at the camera. The ones where people move around are not as engaging. Personally I found Susan Sontag's to be downright creepy as she shifted in her chair miming the word "CHEESE!" over and over again. Some of the ones I have put up have added music, just ignore that part.



The most compelling was Ann Buchanan, who barely moves but does not blink, she cries looking at the viewer, emotionless in her face, like French novel. Of course I can't find this one online to post.

Experiments

After a long delay, I decided to finally sit down and write an entry. I have been thinking about making a blog entry for weeks, beyond a month for sure but, well, anyways...

I scanned this old negative the other month, this picture of Allen Gardens was shot in the spring of 2004-2005? I guess it kind of surprised me as it made me start thinking about constructing panoramas as a multiple exposure image. Having said all that, I cannot remember if took this picture or not. My friend Christie had shown me some old family camera and we were trying to figure out if it was usable, 620 camera. Anyhoo, did she take these pics? Did I? I don't remember, but I do like the effect.

Of course it also nice to note an image like this, all lush and green in the current cold conditions of Toronto.

Cabbagetown Nuit Blanche

The Cabbagetown Nuit Blanche will be here on the evening of October 3rd, where all should come to the park and help us find the fabled Cabbagetown Monster- not seen since 1979. Last seen, Ernest said he had glowing red eyes...who is Ernest? come to Riverdale farm and check us out, we have torches to help find the critter.

here is some places for more info:


Cabbagetown Nuit Blanche

Main Scotia Bank Nuit Blanche Info

Mushroom Paintings and High Style

Hey if you have a second, check out November's copy of Style at Home magazine. In the High/Low section, you'll see two of my paintings, of mushrooms....what do you want from me, it pulled the room together.

I'll put some images of that up soon.

Edward Kennedy passes

Well, Teddy is gone. His image both young and old is all over the television. These paintings are some sketches from various points in his life.

Automatic Television Portraits

While staying in this hotel room, i actually have a TV for once. To clarify- there is nothing on TV worth watch, NOTHING.


Having said that, I noticed these two southerners being interviewed last night. On the right, Jimmy Carter who was on the CBC show, The Hour with George. Still articulate, he talked about a bunch of other things. On the left, Dolly Parton, who was on this show that has not changed since the 80s and has these weird production values- i thought it was from the 80s (Dolly does not age) till they started talking about Julie&Julia with Meryl Streep. . These sketches were made from the moving images while lying in a king size bed.

Cabbagetown Festival

Ok, well with the Yoga Festival wrapped up, that means its time to get ready for the Cabbagetown Art and Crafts sale. My work will not be in the park, mind you, but I think I will put up some of my prints in front of my house for sale as the entrance to my place is a natural red brick walled gallery.

With an ice cream shoppe nearby, an added dimension.

So, if you are in the hood around Sept 11-13th, grab a coffee from Jet Fuel, stop by and say hello.

Oh, also, I am gonna try daily posts for this week which should prove to be interesting as I hope to create new work and exercise every day.

Dream big I guess.

William Kentridge

This is a South African artist who is I guess a draughtsman who films his ever changing charcoal drawings and creates incredible films from them (shot on the same sheet of paper). I believe I watched this one in Chicago in 1997 and since I was just there, here is that film. Much of Kentridge's work relates to Apartheid and the treatment of people, there are always modern articles in his work (telephones and other office objects figure prominently) and the stripe suited businessman is always a main character. The fragility of the human is seen again and again.

Obviously the title is taken from the bible's story of Belshazzar's Feast, the hand writes these words on the wall of his palace and Belshazzar is dead by morning.

There is a beautiful painting of this in the National Gallery in London, UK. The Rembrandt painting is just a literal visual of this biblical tale-although it is a fantastic portrayal of these events.



To be honest though, when I am in the Rembrandt room, I look at his young self portrait: haughty, full of expectation and then you walk into the other room where one of his last self portraits hangs- he looks absolutely at the viewer with honesty and no pretensions.





please check out the National Gallery and the Art Institute of Chicago

Some More Older Paintings...

This is some older paintings that I found in the back of the hard drive-this was when I was obsessed with GIJoes of the 1970s.

At the time, I was just taken by the way these toys all looked similar but maintained an individuality due to what 'life' had exposed them to, despite having come from the same mold.

Incidently, for those who are unfamiliar with my work or not equally obsessed with GIJoes or Action Man figures of the 60s and 70s,you may find this stuff unlike the GIJoes you know. Yes, this bears no resemblance to the 80s, GIJoes and the real american hero schtick. In fact, as a kid, i did not understand how my figures disappeared, these amazing adventure team guys who would capture the pygmy gorilla, or the albino tiger, or discover the mummy- yes, those adventure team members! How did they disappear during the OPEC oil crisis and re-emerge, a few years later as 3" characters who all appeared to have been rejected from a village people toy tie in.



If you want to see more of these images please go to ericfarache.com and click on tickle trunk, you'll see plenty of images both painting and sculpture. My GIJOE studies are in the sketchbook area.

Old Painting 1995?

I was going through some old emails and found this picture my brother sent me of a painting I did for him in like 1995 or 1996. Part of the fun with this image was that I had to mail it from Toronto to San Diego and went to my local post office which, at the time, was the oldest post office of Toronto, the office of old York.

Anyways, they do not have anything modern there, that is part of their schtick, so I had to apply $60 of small denomination stamps to the painting to send it down. Years later, I think 2000, I was staying in SD and decided to heavily rework the background elements. I was more satisfied with the appearance of the woman, her look is more ambiguous and she appears to glance to the male and the viewer simultaneously. The guy from the left side with his back turned was a new addition as well. My brother? Well he wanted to be more monochromatic in blacks and grays.

And if you are curious about the old post office, it is still going strong, check it out here. You can even get sealing wax!

Art-Yoga Art through Yoga 2009

Later this month, August 21st-23rd to be exact, there will be a Yoga throw down in Toronto. A yoga art throw down to be exact. My friend, Maggie O'Connor, yoga lady cabbagetown maven and the Union powerhouse, asked me to contribute art which would aid in contemplation-ish like practices, I chose this Holga image from Cuba from January of this year. I was standing on the beach after a storm and these clouds were there, as if to roll back time. It was intense and amazing relaxing.

Care to know about the Yoga festival? Click here. Maybe you can figure out the angry cobra move.

August 2009

August 2009

Long Time Comin'...

I thought I would log in an entry while the workers next door bash the crap out of the adjacent apartment, ...serenity now.

I decided to put this picture up on the blog, I drew it in 1994 0r 95. I say drew as it is oil stick on top of oil pastels on paper. I suppose it was to be a study for a another piece but it was rather large and the other drawing/painting was never completed- instead this is what started my 'urban architecture' series of that era which continued until I re-entered college in 1998.

(wow, 19__ really looks good and carries more weight than 20__. so take that 2012 and shove it)

This drawing/painting was severely damaged and I recently restored it, something I am very happy to have accomplished, so now it sits on the wall next to my computer.

The news as they see it

Its great to be in a town where you can pick up a copy of the Onion, I admit it is like Vice magazine for people who read, but hey, once and awhile right?

There were no copies in this box just a hand drawn note that said "Shut your Fuck...Please"

See, grandma was right- politeness goes along way.

Chicago 2009

While Toronto kids had no outdoor services due to the strike, Chicagoan kids in this water park were having the time of their lives!

This massive glass monolith had projection screens in-bedded into the glass brick and would display video images of children smiling and eventually "geysering" water onto fellow children...that sounds weird now that I look at it.

Old Farm House

We were on a shoot in the town of Jordan. You may know Jordan as the town you pass by that old abandoned rusted masted boat enroute to Niagra Falls via the QEW. We went to this old farm and spotted this 1948 scrawled in the concrete and the abandoned house.
I liked the way the cement scrawl worked together from one entry to the next.

Sidewalk

I saw this today outside of where we were shooting in Leslieville. It made me remember all the scarred pieces of concrete from childhood, initials, one that said "terry blackwood' by my junior highschool.

More Guns

This is a simple little ink painting I did after the firing range of some of the characters I encountered there.This target was my best one, not as good as the old guys who were expert shots though. The guy more to the left with the hat, well he called me a "millerite" and treated me with suspicion as I may want to take his guns away.

The big guy on the right was, as the drawing states, a Zeus of a man- a great mane of hair and massive form in a dirty khaki shirt stuffed inside of some pants. He was talking about running for the mayor's office I kid you not!

We always hear about how people who shoot guns are just like you but every time I have met one, I am convinced they are crazy. Perhaps we are all just crazy, but these guys have firearms- that is the kicker.

I have a gub!!!

Well it was a strange invitation that I could not say no to- "do you want to shoot some guns with me?"

SO we went to this rather non descript office building in the west end, where, sure enough, guns can be fired.

In looking at this little clip, I noticed more my hair thinning than anything else.

Loop Gallery

Just a small plug here for Loop gallery, an artist collective on Queen west. I have recently been accepted to become a member so expect to see the flag of the International Art monkey fly over the gallery n the next 18 months or so, very excited over here.

Go to the Gallery's site, find out more- they are moving soon, check it out for those who care to know more about Loop Gallery click here

For those who care to know more about Lupins click here

sketches from London-Rubens to Paula Rego

When I was in London a few months ago, I had to go a few times to the National gallery in Trafalgar Square to see one of my favorite paintings, this lion hunt by Rubens. It is unfinished but I would like to think that he saw it as finished as it is- really bold and anticipates the romantics like Gericault and Delacroix by about 100 years.

It is a really fun piece to look at- the energy in this painting.

Below is a little sketch i did in my notebook, normally I just look at this painting for a long time.





In the nice restaurant at the gallery, there is this fantastic almost graffiti like piece that Paula Rego painted, based on the collection in the National Gallery. Her work incorporated the few images of females in the paintings. It is a long beautiful piece but you cannot get a postcard or anything, these are just a few sketches. It rifts off of Spanish/Portuguese painted tiles and always makes me think of that imaginary Synagogue that Salman Rushdie describes in The Moor's Last Sigh where the main character's mother is interpreting the tiles and telling the future.

Anyways, she is a fascinating artist (to me at least) and her paintings deal with childhood taboos, story telling she does a bit of it all.

click this link to see a minute or two of Paula talking about here studio and how she works

Then tambourine man slides all over the place

Note, images that were on the wall were Stacey Brandford's Roller girls.

Practice continues

things start to get sloppy

Guitar wielding man

Edge of his seat

Last minute studies during band practice

Vintage Polynesian Bride.

Yup, the band that was. Here they are in a practice gig at Jet fuel one night with Mike Bell on drums at the extreme right and Tim in the back.

June 07, 2009

Sketches in Maroc

Here are a few sketches from my small travel sketchbook. Most of these drawings were done in Essaouira, where I spent a few days relaxing and gorging on bbq'd fish in this coastal village.



This is a watercolour sketch which, as often is the case with my trip to Morocco, is indebted to Delacroix. Note in the margins, I have notes written in pencil. Due to his social milieu and Romantic leanings, all of Delacroix's comments are tinged with the nobility of the people and all that jazz. Maybe because I am effectively from there, and a little more cynical- all my comments on the margins of my images are about how that guy wanted more money from me, this guy was a schister and it was interesting to see people in traditional garb with black latex gloves on.




I was looking for the typical music of the region, Gnouia which is fantastic, the hotel guy sent me here....Tauros, a upscale bar where there were people doing fire poi It was as crappy as this guy in the video, I was in hell. So I had to draw from another angle to avoid this misery.



Just a view of someone walking in the street.

People in what was Mogador now Essaouira

I was sitting in this cafe in the main square which was the only time I had not an insanely sweet and overly steeped tea, when I noticed this French woman. She was about 70 something ( or the sun was mean to her) that dame in Pink was like some amped up version of Phyllis Diller if that is possible. In my notes I wrote a cross between Diller and Carol Burnett.

On the other side of the page, a terribly deformed local and a kid.

sad sights

I spent the day in marrakech doing nothing but walking around. In the evening I was eating in the place djelma el-fna, the intense main square and I noticed a Berber woman I gave some money to yesterday, I gave her money for her boy who looked like the spittingvimage of my friends son. This time I was taken a back as she had blood streaming down her mouth. There were other women there all engaged in a huge arguement, not like maybe they were excited and in another language, it was an arguement with pushing. I was mystifyed but knew there was nothing I could do, even if I tried, it ain't like I live here. Dejected, I walked away then as I came around the square I saw a white truck, loaded with all ethnic berbers. It was terrible, and to see women and children holding onto wire grates on the inside of this van made me sick- it was dehumanizing for them and revolting to see it.

The excuses the people gave were just ignorant and these poor kids were crying.

"they were bothering people" if you come here you will know how funny that is, everyone is annoying and after a few days you want to punch the guy who wants to sell you coucous, shoes, cigarettes, sunglasses, etc. It was just over vendor territory but good grief was it hideous.

Rooftop in Pen

Rooftop in Marrakech

April 18th, 2009

Chris and I were waiting to see Barry Lyndon in the theatre and I drew this guy with the great Schoz.

I remember nothing about this

Moving on to Morocco

Well, a week has gone by and it is time to say goodbye to Cambridge and head back to London and catch my plane to Marraech. I think it is going to be hard to do updates from there, no computer so I guess this blog will be on hiatus till I get back to the UK.

Journey to the North Pole, in Cambridge.

Went to the Scott Polar Institute here in Cambridge. You can see records of these amazing voyages and read terrible stiff upper lip last letters from the crew and Scott himself as they froze to death in the bleak snow. oh, and Shakelton too.
Egad.



The place was full of old weird stuff, all quite aged and fascinating.




These things above, they had a huge case of them, were called scrimshaws and they had a beautiful folk quality- but scrim shaws? Who knows.



I always say that boots have a real narrative quality, much more than shoes. I felt fairly convinced of this by these babies.



And well this is just here as proof that you can find Inukshuks anywhere, even in Cambridge. These were made in Canada, 4 inches tall and cost $160.