the daily grind + seth koen

hi there. i didn't mean for it to be a week since i last posted, but ... so it goes.

first up i'd like to thank erin from design for mankind for including me in her dailies project . a day in my life can be seen here. reminded me of when i did a similar thing for self-portrait tuesday

seth koen

last week i went to go see my friend seth koen's show at gregory lind gallery . seth was a year ahead of me in graduate school so i've been fortunate enough to see his work progress for quite some time [we're in a critique group together as well].

i think what i love most about seth's work is the purity of it. he takes simple simple shapes - like circles and ovals - and makes me really pay attention to them. every small choice - in color, in material, in size, in placement - becomes oh so much more important.

the last few years seth has been crocheting. creating these soft sculptures that hint at masculinity [or the lack/deflation of]. the colors would remind me of sports teams, or tube socks. his work also often spoke to relationships... how things [people] might be tied together, who carries more weight... how we can be pulled taught, rest together, tied over distance, etc.

for this show seth decided to hand carve these really delicate maple sculptures. they are so thin. so fragile - and they cast amazing shadows [of course i was drawn to this]. they speak to the same ideas, but it's a perfect example of where your material choice matters most. hard rather than soft i begin to think about how the shapes and pieces relate in a new way.

but for me the most successful pieces were the ones that incorporated both the crochet and the wood. there is something so impossible, so wrong, so odd, so childlike about the combination that just grabbed me. i felt like the two components really worked.

seth koen 2

my favorite piece from the show.

you can see the entire exhibition here

it feels to me like seth is on that precipice. i think all artists like their latest body of work the best. it's like an instinctual gut reaction. for me it's rare when something "sticks" for an extended period of time. often times i find myself with one foot in an old body of work and one foot in a new body of work. trying to make that cross over between areas seems terrifying and new and exciting. seth is there - but his transition is graceful - and integrated. i'm really excited to see where he goes next.

have a good monday!

Comments

/// said…
Awww, thank YOU dear Lisa. I SO enjoyed getting to know you better! Give Tonka my love...
Anonymous said…
i loved hearing about your day. and your shoe buying rule. i'm going to have to try that one out. whatever it takes to control my shoe buying habit!
bugheart said…
i love your
art posts...
always
something
amazing...
and i appreciate
your perspective
as a teacher
and artist...
now i have gone
and bought
a planner...
as for the dailies...
thanks for
the "start here"
link-
all the moleskin planners
from here to
eternity
were sold out.
this one's cooler
anyway
i can have colorful
pockets
and tabs.
hooray!
wendy said…
loved a peek into your day over with erin @ design for mankind and how you speak about seth...think it would be fabulous to see in person.
Esti said…
I love the way you talk about this artists's work. Obviously in love with his art, so tender but passionate. You've left me willing to check more. Thanks for sharing these thoughts and for the link.
julie said…
Like everyone else, i love how you talk about art. I could listen to you for hours!! This work is so intersting - as you say the unusualness of the materials and the accuracy - beautiful and so quiet!!! Thanks for sharing with us. I will go and check out your day :) xxx
Cally said…
Wow, his work is beautiful. I love when men work with fibre in a sculptural way, they bring something to it that is subtly different from a woman working in the same way. I like that and wish I could see it more.

Sorry to hear you've been unwell sweetie, I hope your cough has gone and your lungs are getting some clean smooth breath in them now. Good to know your hubby was there to take care of you x
comfies said…
i hope you're feeling better - and that mental picture of the tether ball being released is just AWESOME. loved the peek into your day on design for mankind and love hearing you talk about art! all somehow inspiring and reassuring.
shari said…
loved the dailies. :) your photos of seth's work makes me want to see it in person. btw, joe says hi...we are about to go to an open mic night to scout it out. must send you our new song. xoxo
Anonymous said…
I always love to wander through the galleries with you... thanks.
g xo
amisha said…
ditto to the other comments... i love reading your thoughts about art... makes me wish i could sit in on your class! lucky lucky students.
this is such an interesting exploration of gender... so much to think about.
xoxo
Anonymous said…
I love how you look at art and find a combination of inspiration, of the hows and whys...*heart* a man who crochets :) Really enjoyed reading your dailies, you look super-cool in your sunglasses (Bethany's comment is hilarious!)
Anonymous said…
hey lisa! thank you so much for these thoughtful and evocative words! it is always interesting to read and think on someone's reaction to your work, and you've really opened my own stuff up for me. i, too, am excited to see where i go with this new work. love, seth, and an extra hug for little tonka!
Anonymous said…
hey lisa! thank you so much for these thoughtful and evocative words! it is always interesting to read and think on someone's reaction to your work, and you've really opened my own stuff up for me. i, too, am excited to see where i go with this new work. love, seth, and an extra hug for little tonka!

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