Test with Julia Wolters
Today we did a really casual test. Hair and makeup, no wardrobe. Here are a few of the shots we came up with:
Getting Published
A few of my pieces have been picked up by some regional and international magazines. It’s great to get these opportunities. My focus over the next month will be to get several more as well as some more clients on ad jobs. Life is good.
Update to My Site
I did a minor update to my site: http://michaeldonovanphotography.com/. I added a few more galleries including an archive showing some of the work I did while in Chicago. Take a look and let me know your thoughts!
Art & Fashion is getting harder for me to digest
I want to block my eyes from most things being pumped out or accepted in mainstream society right now.
This week I went to the galleries to see what is new. It was truly NOT a good week for art. I am not going to name names but there was one gallery with extremely AWFUL work: macro photos of Lilly's on one wall, paintings of roses on another. There is no wonder why they were handing out pitchers of wine and keeping cheeses fully stocked. TACKY.
I look at fashion magazines and blogs where I run in to similar junk: people just being quixotic. Fashion photography is held up by the strength of just a few leaders but the limbs are all dead. There is no substance or meaning. But, then again, maybe fashion has always been that way and I just never looked at it with that opinion.
In the end, it is harder for me to consume this stuff. I consume art, literature, fashion and music because I want something that will change me. I like taking in products that actually open my mind and assist me in changing my mental or spiritual shape.
I was contacted by a magazine this week and they wanted me to hash out a fashion story. Their idea was trite and has been produced at least a dozen times. I decided to put a twist on the concept and bring in elements of modern slavery and discuss obsessions with the story. I told them I would only do it if I could treat their audience like adults. They were hesitant but went along with it. The reason American magazines are dying is simple: they are not treating their viewers with art or fashion photography that actually challenges them. They are forcing rainbows in to our eyes rather than passing a cup of acid.
Personally, I am on a mission to produce work that actually has substance. I don’t feel the need to pump out piece after piece after piece. It would be nice to be able to work hard and earn a nice home but I would be just as happier if I could produce work that inspired peace or social equality. I find a social issue and I tackle it with my work. Or I get an assignment and I find a way to tackle a problem. But making art just to fill a page, to “look like fashion/art” is beyond stupid and I am quickly losing patience and respect for anyone who does that.
Fly 16×9
I am in the middle two writing two film scripts. One is for a large budget film that I’ll be pitching in Hollywood. The other is for Fly.
I was contacted by Stephen at Fly 16×9 a few weeks ago. We met to feel each other out. I liked them, they liked me. I think our common ground is an overt appreciation for art. I think it is interesting that many people consider our work fashionable however both of us are not fans of how much of the fashion world lacks a basic understanding of concepts.
We met again and I threw them a few of my ideas for a few films. A couple ideas gelled with them and we decided to take one and move it to production. It’s a great piece and the script is getting more and more interesting as I work on it. I’m excited to work with this magazine. you can see more of their work here: Fly16×9.com
John McGarity
I met John McGarity and his wife yesterday and just spent some time on his site today. His work is pretty rad! Go check it out! 
Clifford Coffin
I was looking at Clifford Coffin’s work recently for the first time in over a year. It makes me look at my work a little differently. There is such peace and stillness to his work while mine is always fighting something. This makes me want to let peace start to happen in my work over the next 6 months.
It’s great how the artwork and artist can evolve together.
Marc Quinn: Self
I have been wanting to see this ever since I first heard about it. I really do feel this is a very smart piece.
Luke Smalley & Bruce Davidson
Luke Smalley: Sunday Drive @ ClampArt
I was only able to see about 8 openings yesterday because I had meetings and couldn’t come out until 6pm. And, out of the 8, 6 of them sucked. I found more people agreeing with me as I ran in to other people looking for new and fresh art. My biggest pet peeve was how many portrait photographers were flooding the art scene this week. I guess oversized shots of people’s faces just didn’t resonate with me. I understood the concepts, I saw their value, and I saw the effort and work behind them but they really didn’t “wow” me. Would I want to have a 3′x4′ photo of a homeless person looking at me from behind my sofa? And will that REALLY be socially significant in 5 years?
There were two photographers that DID stop me. One was Luke Smalley. I won’t say why I liked all of his work, I just did. That’s the thing about really good art: you just like it. Artwork with reds sell better than artwork with browns. And art with cows have a MUCH harder time selling at Christie’s and Sotheby’s than artwork that doesn’t have cows. People will never say “I like this because the red” or “I like this better than the other work because there are no cows in it,” but people will make up SOME story in their heads. So I don’t know WHY I liked Luke’s work but I DID like it. In fact, MANY people liked it (ClampArt does an exceptional job at bringing in really good work).
Luke was presenting in the same gallery as Jill Greenberg. I understand the appeal of her work and I liked the large shots of bears with her signature lighting but I kept thinking they compared to kitten posters with taglines like “Hang in there.” She is going too commercial for my taste (it doesn’t help that her monograph is loaded with sales pitches by comedians and celebrities). Maybe that is why ClampArt stuffed her in the back room.
Bruce Davidson @ Bryce Wolkowitz.
The other was Bruce Davidson showing at Bryce Wolkowitz on 24th. The gallery was featuring shots from around the US dating five decades. There was a lot of cultural significance in each of the photos. I was eavesdropping on one of the dealers while she explained each piece to a potential buyer and, well, everything about the presentation from mounting to explanations was just sweet. The photos were approachable, the gallery staff was approachable and the small space was accommodating.
Bruce’s work in portrait was everything the other portrait shooters lacked. They all had an eye however he has a sense for art and telling stories. He wasn’t just shooting blank faces and attaching some meaning as the others were doing, Bruce shot people and let people attach their own meanings. He wasn’t “trying” to be someone else (you can read that in SO many contemporary artists!) but he was just himself and at peace with his work.
I missed everything at Pace Wildenstein and several other key galleries due to getting caught up in conversations with friends I hadn’t seen in a while (I tried to go in to Pace Wildenstein but it was closing. Chuck Close was leaving and our eyes locked briefly, I feel like he was saying “Yep… come back tomorrow. You’ll enjoy yourself”). Also, I was told Bill Viola at James Cohen Gallery was really good so I will be sure to check it out Saturday when I have some free time before a shoot.
(PS: I have this habit of changing the home page on every Mac I see to my site, MichaelDonovanPhotography.com. So yesterday I changed the homepage at ClampArt to mine just as I got caught. I hope they have a sense of humor. Please let me know if you need me to come in and change it back.)
I Won’t Have A Gun up in my Home
Andy Warhol’s “Gun.” (No, Jose Mugrabi did not pay me to post this…)
David Hockney, “Bigger Trees Nearer Warter” @ Pace Wildenstein
My mind can’t release the images of Hockney’s giant paintings he made for “Bigger Trees Nearer Warter” I saw Thursday evening at Pace Wildenstein. The web do an awful job showing the paintings for what they really are and the energy they give. They’ll be showing until December 24th and I suggest you pop in if you haven’t already.
Defining Art
Technology, music, fashion, dance, architecture, design, painting, sculpture, engineering, math, literature, film, cooking, serving, leading, science, sales, photography, comedy and everything else all need art. But Art doesn’t need each of them to survive. And Art will continue to grow with or without its users. And that is why some of us choose to be artists and others choose to be slaves of the games artists play.
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