Interview with Vincent Picone!!!

So, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vinny Picone, a painting major working with changing how we view painting and painting materials. He's been working on some pretty different looking stuff involving raw canvas, wrapping and weaving it around stretcher bars. Creating some really interesting linear patterns, where one would normally find paint he leaves the canvas raw allowing us to see the textures and shapes formed by the layering and weaving. Enjoy!

Danielle Ramirez: Whats your major? Did you come in to school knowing that you wanted to paint?

Vincent Picone: Painting. Yes I did because that was all I knew really. I started painting in my senior year of high school and there was no drawing concentration so painting was the closest.

DR: Yeah, the same thing happened with me. I always drew and then I found out coming into Mason Gross that there was no drawing major. What kind of work were you into before coming to Mason Gross?

VP: Pre-Mason Gross all i did was draw really. Its the easiest. you just pick up a pencil and go. I liked to try and make things look exactly how they appear. It was satisfying to me. I had done some sculpting but wasnt that interested.

DR: How did you start making the strap paintings? Correct me if you want them called something else--but what inspired you to make them?

VP: Strips. Straps. Whatever. It was just an idea that came to me in high school. I don't know how...it just hit me. I never followed through on it though. Obviously i never forgot. In Painting II I had Richard Baker who is probably my favorite teacher thus far. I really had the freedom to do whatever. For our final crit I made one...gesso-ed it...and that was it. I let the surface weave be the composition. In high school I didn't know this was "acceptable" when i got the idea. It wasnt until I built some artistic knowledge that I realized I could do this. I thought I had to apply paint to the surface in a traditional sense.

DR: Yeah, its funny how things seem like they're "not allowed" in art...especially when you're just starting out. Sounds like you moved on from "painting" as soon as you learned you could...what about tradtional painting disinterested you?

VP: Nothing about traditional painting disinterested me. This was just something that I experimented with and really caught my and other peoples attention. Its mine. Its new. Its fun for me. I get excited to do it. I think that's important. I had never really seen anything like it so it was sort of ground breaking...to me at least. I've thought about revisiting painterly paintings.

DR: What about making this kind of work...using materials as a medium...interests you exactly?
VP: I guess the fact that its my own innovation really. I developed my own technique and am running with it. I still havent found something that totally works so I'm striving for that with many learning steps along the way.

DR: Would you say you're more of a painter or a sculptor, because your work seems pretty sculptural. What makes them paintings to you?

VP: The painting/sculpture boundary has often come up in discussions. Its interesting. I think I am a painter. when i think about making new works its with the mind set of a painter. I talk about them as paintings. i present them like paintings. I see them as paintings. So to me they're paintings. They're about painting materials. In deep thought once--trying to find my purpose of creating these works because i was thinking of them as sheerly aesthetic-- I realized that I was having a definite dialogue about painting. I realized that I take the conventions of a painting and display them in a new context. I'm re-introducing the viewer to something that theyre already familiar with. I think the fact that I'm having a dialogue about painting makes them paintings more than anything else.

DR: So what kind of conversation are you trying to make with others, or are you having a conversation with yourself? What are you trying to figure out through this work?

VP: Right now I'd say I'm having conversations with myself because I'm still trying to figure out what works best for this technique. Its still in the works...but it always will be i suppose. I guess the conversation I want to have with people is to make them wish they thought to do it. Just because you can doesn't mean you did. I wanna make people think about something they never did before...make them see painting differently...make what they already know new again.

DR: Have you worked in other mediums? Do you think they've they influenced your painting?

VP: Definitely. All different kinds of printmaking, sculpture, design and most recently photo. I love it all. Right now, though, I don't really think they've influenced my paintings honestly. Its worked the other way around. my painting is primary so I think about it as painting. It definitely impacted some prints at the end of last year in relief. I realized I could do things I couldnt with canvas. one of the things I want to work on this semester and into thesis is to try to combine all that I've learned, whether it be media or technique. Along this journey known as school I've come to some really nice points of creation. I want tp start to revisit those points and create new things and even more techniques. I don't want to forget what I've learned. One of the things I want to do is actually ink one of the canvas surfaces and make a print from it. Hanneline, my painting teacher who ive worked with for a couple years no, says that my work is often the most interesting and successful when my work hovers in between two thoughts or techniques. I'm trying to create those moments.

DR: Do you draw inspirations from other forms of art? Are you interested in other artforms others than painting?

VP: I like to think that I can draw inspiration from anything. I try to stay as open minded and eyed as possible. Architecture has been a large inspiration to me. Cars...fashion...graffiti...definitely music...food. Most importantly, my peers inspire me more than anyone. Anyone around me doing their own thing makes me wanna do mine to the fullest. My family inspires me too. Can't have them thinking they sent me to art school for no reason haha.

DR: Yeah, haha, got to keep the parents happy. Do you feel like your work relates to any other artists either stylistically or conceptually?

VP: Conceptually its become very minimal. I think it has to be for it to work. I don't think I think as a minimalist though. I just try to figure out what works. Stylistically its been knid of hard to find things that are similar. I have a diverse, eclectic group of artists that have inspired me along the way...Pollock, Chuck Close, De Kooning, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Sol Le Witt, Piero Manzoni, Antoni Tapies, Jose Parla, Banksy. List goes on...

DR: Are you happy with where these paintings are going? Where do you seem them going from here?

VP: I havent painted in a while so its hard to say if I'm happy about where they're going. I'm excited about where I'm pushing them though. They're going to be different than what I've done. I'm eager to start combining my ideas into something new. I'm going to start this weekend.

DR: Any plans for thesis? Are you going to continue in this style?

VP: I want to continue with this style. I've been working at it for too long to suddenly abandon it I think. I don't have any idea about what I'm going to make though. This semester is going to help determine that a lot because im really going to push myself to new directions and marry ideas from all corners of my brain. I hope the children are beautiful.

DR: Do you think you'll ever return to painting in the traditional sense? Combine styles maybe?

VP: I've thought about. Haven't done it...but its something I want to do just to see what happens. That might be the answer I'm searching for. I just did a drawing trying to replicate a photo for the first time in a while. I enjoyed it.

DR: Are you looking to work towards an art career?

VP: Yeah or all this schooling would kind of be a waste haha. I'm not sure where I want to go. I don't know about grad school. For a while i wanted to be an architect. I'd love to do automotive design. Music would be the coolest. I'd love to be a chef. Right now I'm really into fashion so maybe I'll head that way. as for now im focused on now

DR: Well I can definitely see fashion coming out of you're work. You're already working with textures and shapes...I could see that. Well, thank you for your time! And keep up the awesome work, I can't wait to see how your new stuff turns out.

Chelsea Times...

I started off with with the Pace Wildenstein gallery. Here, Maya Lin's work was showing. I was excited to see since I haven't really seen much of her work other than the Vietnam Memorial. Her work shown was beautiful. Her Blue Lake Pass and Water Line were simple and stunning. It looked like a 3D topography of hills cut out of sliced wood, stacked together to show the contours of the changing elevation. The wire sculpture had the same feel with a grid pattern and the wire bent to show change in elevation. I wasn't surprised to see she was working with the concept of earth and topography, seeing as the Vietnam Memorial was so in tune with the landscape and earth.

Next I stopped by the Lehmann Maupin gallery and say the Juergen Teller exhibition. The show, entitled, "Paradis" consisted of multiple photographs of nude women in different rooms just standing or interacting with some of the scenery. Some photographs appeared to be in an art museum. The lighting of the photos was interesting...almost like fashion shoots. They seemed like fashion photography without the commercial lighting and colors. They actually kind of reminded me of American Apparel adds without the clothes...I felt like the photos were hung kind of strangely. Some were very close together, others very far apart and in such an open room. It felt a bit awkward, but then again, so did the photos themselves. I have to say, it was nice to see framed photographs...photos being treated right. :)

To end my trip I finished up the Aperture gallery and checked out some interesting stuff. There was work from multiple artists, but one that caught my eye were the photographs by Chuck Close. they were very striking, raw portraits of people. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time to make it through a lot of the gallery, but these photos very very eye catching. I feel like we don't see so much photography with such emphasis on the face anymore. Very nice black and white... Another interesting group of photos were those by Edwin Zwakman. They were pictures of buildings that, when you got up close, you realize are just very detailed models. They were very convincing and well done.

Three very different, very interesting shows!

Alex Bag :(

At first I thought the Alex bag video was a joke...someone acting...but I guess not? As the video drew on it felt more real to me. It was exciting to see someone follow through with such a project, a study of their own experience. I enjoyed her little snip-its of video work in between her talking about her semesters. I wondered if they were much like the work she did in classes. I wish she showed her paintings and things. She has a talent for mimicking voices and expressions. Her video made me sad...I really felt for her. It was moving to hear someone speak about their accomplishments and hardships throughout art school so openly. I loved her commentary on pop culture of the time and being young in the 90s. I have to say I sincerely enjoyed the 90s lingo and references. She/her character epitomizes the 90s. :) edit: typo/clarification

Bucket of Blood

I found the Bucket of Blood movie we watched in class to be really interesting...and funny. I liked how it poked fun at how serious people can act in the "art world" sometimes, but also brought up some serious concerns of artists existing in any time period. The movie showed a man who desperately wanted to be an artist because he thought it would mean he was special, gain him respect and make him an equal among those he admired. I think many of us aspiring artist have similar wants and asks ourselves some of the same questions this movie brings up...Questions like, "Am I a real artist?" "How can I be a real artist?" and "What MAKES someone an artist?" The movie poked fun at different kinds of people in the art world, but it also portrayed some of the real anxieties and fears of aspiring artists. I myself have wondered when I can call my work art and how I can be taken seriously. Very funny movie...and very interesting

The New New New Museum

First of all, walking up to the museum with that glorious rainbow "Hell,Yes!" glowing down on me like an adorable beacon in the dark made me quiver with joy. Hands down my favorite part of the entire museum. Thank you, Ugo Rondinone. :)

But onward...The building looks so big on the outside, yet feels pretty claustrophobic on the inside. I went to the "hub" fist and didn't get it. I kind of felt like I was intruding on the two guys sitting on the little couches up there. I put my ear up to the headphones on the wall and listened to the voices for a bit and then hurried on my way.

I went to the next floor down and saw the David Goldblatt photographs. I moved pretty quickly though this exhibit as I don't spend much time on work that doesn't interest me. I literally walked past 80% of his photographs wondering why artists insist on taking digital photographs and presenting them poorly. They flourescent light look in the photos made me cringe. On top of that, they were crappy loose paper pinned to a wall. When work is displayed cheaply it looks cheap and disposable. Luckily I wandered into the room housing his older work, and I'm glad I did. I found his black and white work infinitely more interesting and moving. It was more personal, more about people and their lives. His color work look so much more detached, more about things. I'm glad I took time to read the text on the walls and was able to learn that his work documented life in South Africa, and you can see changes in the country over time in the photographs. I still much prefer his older work, though. Seeing people in their everyday life with little captions from the photograph on the wall made me feel more connected to those people and feel like I was looking in on their life.

Making my way down the stairs, I got to see the little jail cell. It was cute. I enjoyed laying down and looking down the hallway leading to the future. I'm guessing its supposed to make you feel like you're waiting to get out of jail and the end seems so far away? I just like when artists make environments so this made me happy (especially since it was like a little secret in the stairs).

Moving on, I saw the Emory Douglas exhibit. I have to say I really enjoyed his line quality and use of so few colors to make a really rich image. I found his prints really beautiful in the simplicity of line and color scheme. He created so so many portraits of the struggle people who needed change and were willing to risk their lives for it. The images were powerful, and the captions accompanying them enforced the message wonderfully. There were masses of posters and magazine covers showing how much work he did for the Black Panthers throughout the years promoting their ideals and sending out their message.

I made my way down to the ground floor and almost missed the Dorothy Iannone show. I read the wall text and looked at her book on the wall. What a wonderful little thing! I loved the type and the illustrations. I would love to have a copy to read though. Her images of men and women with exposed testicals and penises were...interesting. I enjoyed her illustrative style and vibrant use of color. It made her strange, comical images very beautiful while still being pretty damn strange. I couldn't watch the video of her orgasming. I tried but I got really embarrassed and nervous. I really wanted to watch it because I didn't want to let it embarrass me.

So all and all...some good, some not so good. Overall, I'd go back again but I wish they had more than three artists at a time showing.

Obligatory First Post: "Ew, I Can Now Say I 'Blog' :("

Is it just me or does "blogging" sound pretentious? Meh. Well, here I am. :) Edit: Clarification