Categories

best of book Denmark exhibition Hamburg Interviews Mexico Photos trains Uncategorized video

Didier Raoult

Astonishing media exposure for this JACE canvas in the office of the controversial  french scientist Didier Raoult who claims that Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin were effective in treating for COVID-19.

Self-Isolation : Tips from Elfo

image

My 3rd guest of this Self-isolation series is Elfo. There are many reasons for admiring Elfo work, but as for me he is one the few who seems to get new ideas every day, from a quick contextual message or drawing, to a train piece or a canvas.
Unstoppable !

ELFO: “As related to the pandemic, I actually live in one of the worst areas of northern Italy, and my city is second most infected in the country.
The situation here is atrocious, too many people are dying everyday.
I’m lucky to live in the countryside in the middle or nowhere. Here, everything is still really quiet.
I’ve been quarantined for three weeks now, but fortunately I can still go out for walks in the nature.
In fact, my life hasn’t changed much, but I now have a different mindset  approaching my paintings. Also the supports have changed, as the shops are boarded up, but in the end it’s not such a big deal, because that gives me the change to investigate on new media and make my brain work harder to find new techniques for future artistic designs.
I’m not speaking directly about this fucking global virus situation through my artworks, but since the end of 2019 my paintings were in a way already reflecting the situation we’re living now: being isolated in a room with death-related skulls and pointers.  

image

I fight everyday with the freaking Spotify free version to listen to different types of music – techno, trap, hip hop, classical, traditional Italian music, punk – all day long. The truth is, I can’t paint without any of this.
I go looking for food around my country house, as nature gifts in this time of the year are very generous, and I find fresh eggs outside my door everyday, thanks to my neighbour (thank you Sergio, and fuck off supermarkets)
I miss my family, my friends and my crew, but luckily we can still see and talk to each other through a webcam, having an “aperitivo” together. It’s very sad, indeed, but it’s still better than nothing.
I’m not thinking about the things I want to do after this time, but I’m thinking at the way people will be forced to change in the future in terms of economics, politics etc. I hope that they will reason in better terms, but I’m honestly not sure.

image

…………….and I order fucking legal CBD weed on the Internet :(
First of all, my advice would be not to add any bullshit or banalities on FB, none of this crap. I found an absurd and useless hyperactivity on social media.
To get away from all of this, I suggest you to read a couple books: Phaidon’s “bBody of art”, an excellent book describing and analysing the history of body art; “the Manifesto of Futurist Cooking”, a book written by the futurists where you can find a list of dishes using bizarre ingredients and funny culinary combinations.

image

On Insta for sure follow “Antistylers” page
I then recommend to listen to this album by the Shabazz Palace.
Please, watch “Volevo nascondermi”, a movie speaking of a pure and uncompromising painting (I hope it’s already been translated or has been already subtitled)
I would also add Marx’s classic ‘Das Kapital’, always so beautifully factual.”

image

If you want to see more from Elfo visit his Instagram page or ekosystem photo gallery.

Self-Isolation : Tips from Monsieur Poulet

image
The isolation caused by the spread of coronavirus means people are sitting inside all day and not being able to go outside painting.
I asked a few ekosystem friends some tips for spending time at home.

Today tips from Bordeaux tireless artist and friend: Monsieur Poulet. Comments are a mix of French and English.
image
Monsieur Poulet : So, here is my selections with a few recent favourites.

TV shows : I opted for french short videos on Youtube and not popular shows from Netflix like La casa, Strangers things or Peaky blinders… The videos are in french language.

• Le coroner : c’est une chaine qui décortique et analyse des films populaires sous un œuil nouveau. Et l’acteur principal est parfait.
• Pitch : c’est un format court de chez canal, l’acteur principal tient le rôle d’un producteur de film complètement fou.
• Les Kassos : Je n’arrive pas à m’expliquer comment je suis passé à côté quand c’est sorti…heureusement youtube est là !
image
Music:
• Dooz Kawa – Nomad’s land (2020) : J’ai découvert il y a quelques semaines, et j’ai pris une grosse claque…D’habitude le rap français m’en touche une sans me faire bouger l’autre, mais ce mec a un truc en plus, surtout sur son dernier opus. Il m’a même fait découvrir des mots (et je parle de mots qui existent vraiment)
• Hällas – Excerpts from a futur past (2017) : C’est mon côté métalleux qui ressort, même si j’aurais plus tendance à classer ça dans la prog. Comme quoi la Suède produit aussi des trucs qui s’emboitent de manière subtile et complexe !
image
Books: I’d like to read more, but It’s a luxury I can’t spend time on.

• Le signal (Maxime Chattam) : I advice you to read it at night when the house is sleeping.
• The art of Rage : Already a classic, a must have for any train lover.
• La Charku (es), Frenchkiss (F), Plaisir Coupable (F), Bomber (NL) : A selection of good magazines about paint on trains.

Drug: Krema candies, a real drug !

and to conclude an amazing Instagram page by Jean-Gabriel Pasquier  for all the 90s Bordeaux and Toulouse graffiti scene fanatics. There is an insane number of pieces, including a few from Me.

You can see more from Monsieur Poulet on his Instagram page and on ekosystem photo gallery.

Self-Isolation : Tips from THE WA

image

Many of us are now stuck at home and we have much more time than usual to read book, listen to music or watch movies.
That is why I’m starting  a new series with artists tips for spending time at home. 

1st recommendations today from the french artist based in Berlin and long time ekosystem friend: THE WA. The photos which illustrate the article are all  from The WA. if you want to know more about his work visit his Instagram page, his wabsite or his gallery on ekosystem. Thanks a lot to The Wa !

image

The Wa: “I’m locked at my mom’s house this is definitely not the worst place in the world to be stuck.
The good part is the “confit de canard” from the neighbor’s basement and the sunny weather.
I have been here for a week. I was in Paris to make a project I have been working on. Unfortunately, the whole lockdown came quick and did not allow me to finish the project but I had the chance to spend time with OX checking a last action with someone I really admire.
Then I catch up a last minute train as I had no place to stay anymore in Paris. The mood switched super quick up there from “ what a mess for a shitty flu to .. Don’t touch me don’t infect me ! … But I guess there was no other way to deal with it. No one would have expected such scenario except maybe: Bill Gates (video at Ted).

Checking some documentary here are an interesting series:
John Berger / Ways of Seeing. This is about how we consider image in the 70s it’s an eye opener to re-learn how to look at an image.

Just found this video : Animal Farm (film,1999) 
I read and enjoy the book very much but did not finish to watch the movie but it looks well done from here.

Also one of my fave, the  classic Mondo Cane with countless debate around it. Is it ” documentary or Mockumentary “ the fact is that I can ask a lot around me and most of those tradition existing ( couldn’t  double check from some of the tribes ) super interesting to rethink your belief in the norm and the way to see the other and how the other can perceive us.

image

The music mood switch between Cabaret nocturne ( pretty hooked on it for a while ) and when mom is fed up and want to make us both happy.  And I would like to ask Thom Yorke how does it feel to be right ?

But not being too much the wise voice and keep if funny and entertaining we’ve made a small platform on insta with Cynthia Montier  It’s called Confinementart.
Each week a new theme and we publish each contribution in the story part and make post based on it. A way to stay active and connected with virtual homies ;)

image

I think i spend too much time online. I feel very sorry about what is happening. I admire all the world savers…doctors…nurses… I stay at home as much as possible. I’m a bit annoyed to ear so many cars from my windows "jumping the fence is fun when it only exposed yourself”. And to be really honest it feels ok that everything slows down, actually more than “ok”. Just really sad that we need a major health crises to do it

But the confinement is fine for me. Feel like time had stopped I’m drawing trying things with watercolor and many other tools that  normally I wouldn’t  consider to be able to start ( even if I always wanted to) as I was always felt on the run in this rat race and I felt trapped in it in some ways. Time seems to have stopped and it rests.

I don’t know how it’s gonna end and I avoid listening those who claimed have answer to it.Respect those you search for it  

It feels that Mother Nature doesn’t dislike it and that feels good in some way.

Maybe as soon as things get better we will come back to the old routine. I wish I’ll learn something about life priorities and keep that lesson in mind.

image

Talking about Mother Nature I can’t not mention Andy Goldsworthy (part 2). He can work with no tools, the season are the most precious supply for him. It’s extremely poetic and very political in his way of art making and his aim of doing it.

And to conclude a book “Tristes Tropiques” by Claude Levy-Strauss and an Instagram page.

That’s it !”

The WA

Danza Macabra


New wall by Eleuro from the Italian red zone where he is stuck. It is fortunate he knows many good spots in his area. His wall is about a modern “dead dance” with medias and authorities spreading fear.