mentisworks

Big Changes and a Happy New Year!

2011-12-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

View of North Beach from the SFAI campus.

It has been a tremendously eventful year. With a move to San Francisco and a new job, the summer was quite busy but developed into a simple enough routine. The biggest development of the year followed at the end of August with me starting the MFA program at the San Francisco Art Institute. Now, with the first grad school semester behind me, I am still thrilled to be doing this and having the opportunity to focus on my artwork.

On that note, there are many changes taking place in my art. With all the fascinating and exciting things that I am learning, my work is going through a lot of re-evaluating, re-examining, and refining. My usual style and subject matter are awaiting reintegration while I work on the foundation of my narrative.

Eastern Block 6. 18 in. x 24 in. Acrylic on Canvas.

I am happy to announce that some of these efforts will be on exhibit in March at the Diego Rivera Gallery. Rest assured I will be sending out additional announcements as the show date approaches. And if you are in the Bay Area it would be great to see you at the opening.

Hopefully your 2011 was also fruitful and rewarding. Mine certainly was, though not without a healthy amount of challenge. Especially at the end of the year and around the holidays, but that is all in the past now. As Rumi says, "Yesterday is gone and took away its tale. Today we must live a fresh story again." So I now look forward to the spring semester, creating a lot more art, and sharing it with all of you. Can't wait to see what 2012 brings into my life and wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Yoshitaka Amano at New People S.F.

2011-07-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

The show might be not-so-current news at this point, as I just got to see it on its last day this Saturday, but the work is just too good not to be shared. I had the pleasure of making it to the Yoshitaka Amano: FOR JAPAN exhibit and auction just in time. I attribute part of my hesitation to the promotional materials for the show which featured his signature black and white character design but in the end it was probably just neglect on my part. Nevertheless, while I still enjoy the black and white body of his work it's something that we've all seen time and time again from Amano.

You can imagine my surprise when I walked into New People's FROG Gallery and saw these amazing large scale color portraits. Some of these are of Amano's characters from Gatchaman but many were something I had not seen before from him. The exception being one piece on permanent display in the New People lobby which I realize came from a similar show in the past.

Photo courtesy of Iris Chen

The green portrait at the top of this post has grown to be my favorite of them all for some reason. There is a definite strength in his female characters. They are powerful, sensual, and often, as a friend of mine put it, coquettish. Yet there is also something unsettling about them, made obvious in some pieces where the eyes were deliberately crossed or skewed, that can leave me feeling tenuous and uneasy. It lends these girls an initial appearance of beauty but makes them somewhat grotesque on closer inspection.

The fact that these qualities are present in Amano's work is a sure sign that he has at last joined the ranks of the Superflat movement. The two pieces above are especially reminiscient of some Murakami works, albeit executed in Amano's own style. I never thought of Amano as a Superflat artist based on his previous concept and illustration art. This is a welcome evolution of my perception of him to be sure.

Of particular interest to me here is how Amano executed these paintings. While I cannot be entirely sure without further research I believe to have determined his method. All of these pieces are around five inches in depth off the wall and have a completely smooth gloss finish. This seemed to be curious given that the edges were a bit too perfect to be done by hand. The painting treatment itself looked as if it were done in cell vinyl paint.

Given Amano's background in the anime industry, this would make sense. So my theory, for what it's worth, is that these are all made in prefabricated plexiglass boxes which were painted using animation cell vinyl paint from the inside. It's a brilliant idea and one that I have thought about myself without knowing how to execute it exactly. I was always curious about what cell art would look like on a large scale, presented as fine art. And here we are. Much better than what I could have probably come up with.

If you didn't get to see Amano's work in this exhibit, there should still be that piece in New People's lobby which is definitely worth a look. Otherwise check out a few more shots from the show after the jump.

Photo courtesy of Iris Chen

Hooked On Initial D

2011-06-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

Without knowing quite what to expect I decided to give Initial D a try after it coming highly recommended by a friend. Seems that the last few anime I have chosen to watch have been based on recommendations but when someone things of a series so highly I can't help but give it a shot.

Knowing that Initial D was an older series I was prepared to face some questionable looking old-school animation and I was not wrong. In the early episodes there are some interesting stylistic choices in regards to the facial expressions. Not exactly what I have come to expect from the various anime styles out there. More than anything else I must admit that the mouths kind of bothered me. Fortunately this is only the case in the first season, with the series' overall quality improving significantly in the remaining seasons or "stages." No other visual aspects of note stood out, save perhaps that this was one of the first anime to implement the combination of traditionally drawn cells and CGI.

Having gotten only a few episodes into the series I quickly realized that I was getting hooked, and fast. The story is very strong and the way that the characters get into the technical side of street racing kept me interested. In a way, the first season was perhaps also the best because most of the character growth happened within those episodes. Later stages continued to get more and more technical and battle focused, with character development eventually becoming secondary. Still, the Extra Stage OVAs did try to make up for this by focusing on character relationships.

While the introduction of protagonist Takumi as the clueless and inexperienced protege, though genius behind the wheel, was a brilliant hook for starting Initial D off, the technical minutiae and drawn-out racing battles eventually became repetitive as the series drew to a close. Not to mention that this anime lacks an actual climax and ending. Maybe that's because each battle is a climax in itself. It would have been nice to see the completion of "Project D" as the proper ending of the series but perhaps audiences had lost interest at that point.

Personally I would have loved to see more development in the romantic relationships between many of the characters instead of breaking everybody up and trying to ingrain the notion of "the lonely driver" into the viewer's mind. I also would like to have back the couple of hours spent watching the live action movie. All the characters were so different by having the production be Chinese that I had a hard time enjoying the film after spending so many episodes with the anime's characters. It's not that the actors didn't do a good job but rather that the characters were portrayed very differently.

So here I am again. Another anime series that I enjoyed quite a lot and can't seem to stop complaining about. This tends to happen quite often for some reason and maybe I just don't like seeing so much potential not being reached. When it comes down to it, I really had a lot of fun with Initial D and would recommend it to anyone with even a small interest in automotive sport. Not only is it entertaining but it's also informative and has made me pay more attention to my driving technique. Oh, and now I want to own a late '80s sports car. Probably a Subaru XT6. Go figure.

New Website, Online Store, and Newsletter

2011-06-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already seen the announcement in your inbox or on Facebook and Twitter, then I invite you to check out the new offerings from yours truly. The Michal Wisniowski website has been compeletely redone so check out the new look and tell me what you think.

On top of that, I also launched a new online store. No longer am I using Etsy and have opted for an e-commerce solution that better suits my needs. Have a look at the store and see if you like any of the artwork currently for sale.

Last but not least, I also have an email newsletter that you can sign up for. Either enter your email address in the subscription box in the sidebar, or simply click here for the appropriate form.

Artists 2 Love

2011-06-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

James Jean [link]

Al Farrow [link]

More great artwork after the jump. Enjoy...

Hideaki Kawashima [link]

Minjae Lee [link]

Keiko Moritsugu [link]

Ai Yamaguchi [link]

Eureka! A Classic With A Proper Ending Even

2011-04-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

In an effort to try and still keep somewhat informed of what's what in the anime world I one day came across an article on Otaku2 where Sato Dai, storywriter for some of the best series out there, voiced his discontentment with contemporary anime. Can't say I haven't done the same on occasion, reminiscing about days-gone-by when the likes of Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell, and Lain were the big titles for an audience interested in substance. What caught my interest in particular was Sato's mention of Eureka Seven having been dismissed in it's day as an Evangelion clone.

Not the best quality video, but probably the best trailer out there.
Having posted about NGE here in the past, as it compares to Lain, I couldn't resist digging up Eureka Seven to see what all the fuss was about. A friend's mention of Eureka being his favorite anime nudged me further in that direction. The initial similarities between Evangelion and Eureka are pretty obvious but they are mostly superficial. The two series employ some genre-specific conventions but each has a very different feel to it.

While I can see how Eureka could be dismissed as just another mecha anime in the post-Evangelion days, it is less dark much of the time and ultimately resolves to have a more amicable outcome for its characters. Now, I'm not going to go into the nitty gritty details of what happens in the series because you should just watch it but I definitely enjoyed Eureka thoroughly. It may not have quite the psychological depth of NGE, nor does it have to. The cast tends to be more archetypal and draws on our basic desires and ambitions with a healthy dose of romance thrown in.

The thing that I probably enjoyed most of all is that it was such a well executed series. Within its fifty episodes you will find a great deal of character development in a steady progression. It's well paced, provides plenty of tension, and an equal amount of resolution. The animation is solid throughout and the last episode even kicks it up a notch with especially well done cells for key scenes. When it comes to how Eureka wraps up it has Evangelion beat. Not that it would take much to improve on Evangelion's original series ending, mind you. Even so, Eureka delivers a great climax with plenty of heart-warming resolution to leave me feeling good about having invested my time in an anime of this length.

Welcome to the NHK

2011-04-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple of months I have been watching the new-to-me anime series Welcome to the NHK, and loving it. The story is the best part about the series and the premise is entertaining in an "it's funny 'cause it's true" kind of way. Once you take away all the superficial content, some of which can be on the gimmicky side, NHK seems to actually present and address the real-life hikikomori issue.

Poor cell quality in episdoes 4 (top) and 18 (bottom).

In terms of visuals, you won't find anything spectacular here. There are in fact some flaws in the animation which are pretty hard to miss. The overall art style is mostly run-of-the-mill with a few episodes that clearly had some problems. These tend to often be budgetary issues as I understand it, but it has been some time since I have seen such crudely done cells in a contemporary production (more screenshots here, via Tyler Junky). Luckily those sequences tend to last for only a few minutes at a time, making them bearable.

Some of the content also seems too belabored. This would fall under that "superficial content" category mentioned earlier. The first and foremost is perhaps rather central, being the whole Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai angle and the series' namesake. It is derived from a conspiracy theory which comes up time and time again as a metaphor that is truly developed all too late. While the motif is presented many times as comical, main characters continue to reference conspiracies in a way that almost tried my patience. I say almost because it wasn't a deal breaker by any means, yet it remains as a non-essential element that gets in the way of what is truly important.

The real substance in NHK is to be found in its character development. Perhaps that is not saying much as this is true of any good story, especially those in episodic format. It comes to mind here because I do wish the creators had put more time into it. Less time on adding fantasy conspiracy theory sequences, and more time on the characters' actions and back stories. The protagonist and supporting characters are relatively well developed but the female lead is left a mystery for far too long. Creating suspense is one thing but providing little to no back story on Misaki's character for two-thirds of the series risks your audience loosing interest.

Pointing out the animation problems, filler content, and under-developed characters is starting to make NHK sound like an anime not worth watching after all. That is far from the case here. It's precisely because I liked it so much and care that I would have loved to see it done better. These flaws are merely areas that could have been improved and pushed NHK toward greater success. Besides, none of its problems stood out so much that I didn't want to continue watching.

When it comes down to it, this is a series that takes a good look at the otaku and hikikomori life-style and pokes a little fun at it. Not in a judgmental way but with a little Otaku No Video flare. It doesn't take itself too seriously and at the same time tries to present a message about the actual hikikomori phenomenon. At one point NHK concludes that hikikomori exist because they are supported financially, only getting a job and re-joining the world when forced to support themselves. Either way, once you get past the superfluous content and execution issues, Welcome to the NHK becomes a captivating story whose characters can speak to you and touch your little otaku heart.

RISE JAPAN: Art Shows Benefiting Japan Relief Efforts

2011-04-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

As the tragedy in Japan slowly unfolded, artists across the world quickly came together and organized art shows and events to raise funds for the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. Many of these were organized on the West Coast, and local artists in the San Francisco bay area are mounting a two part exhibition with all proceeds going to Give2Asia: Artists Help Japan.

Rise Japan Vol. 1 took place at Kokoro and Gallery Heist on on April 2. Most artwork was priced around $100 to make it more affordable and each piece is both shows is a full donation on part of the artist. My friends Jeremyriad and Sean-Franc are now happy owners of some beautiful original work as a result. They helped a very worthwhile cause, along with everyone else that night, and contributed to raising an amazing $15,542!

On Thursday, April 7, the second installment opens at Arc Gallery as Rise Japan Vol. 2. With the larger exhibition space at Arc, this night promises to have an even greater selection of work. If you are in the area I encourage you to swing by at 7 pm for the opening.

My contribution, "Ganbatte! / ガンバッテ," 9 in. x 12 in.

For Vol. 2, I contributed a piece that I hope will sell and add to the growing sum to be donated. I trust the organizers that donations will be put to good use in the ongoing difficulties that the Japanese people are facing. Because my work has so long been inspired by Japanese culture, these events have preoccupied my mind for weeks. Especially the fact that when applying for the JET Program for the 2010 season I was requesting to be in Sendai.

Update: The opening reception was a big success, with artwork practically flying off the walls. Check out more photos from the opening in the slideshow above or see the whole album here. More great photos are up in Ben Needham's Facebook album.

Press Start and Get Ready for Game Over 4

2011-03-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

This post would have gone out last week, but it just didn't feel right to be putting it out while the tragedy in Japan was unfolding. Not sure that the time is right even now, but here it is anyway lest it become completely outdated.

Photo by Giant Robot SF [link]

To coincide with GDC this year, Giant Robot S.F. opened it's fourth annual game inspired art show to a huge crowd. Getting into and through Game Over 4 during the opening reception was not for the faint of heart. Outside GR-SF the masses blocked entry and passage to the point of having to be broken up by local police. Inside the small gallery space, the line was at a standstill. In retrospect, I should have timed how long it took me to get through just for fun.

The video game inspired art spans multiple mediums both traditional and digital, hung salon style with varying degrees of professionalism. While some pieces were framed and displayed well, others were works on paper simply tacked up on the wall. Not exactly what one might expect from a show garnering national media attention from the likes of Wired and Game Set Watch.

Logistical issues aside, the quality of artwork in Game Over 4 was a less mixed bag. With a huge roster of artists numbering 54 in total it's essentially impossible that every piece would appeal to every viewer. Especially when it comes to the subject matter of video games, which in many cases touches on very personal experiences. Each person who has played games will have those specific titles that are associated with certain fond memories. The artwork that brings out those feelings and nostalgia will differ for each of us.

Since I can't tell what is going to pluck your nostalgic heart strings, allow me to get personal and look at some of what spoke to me as both a gamer and artist. Don't forget to check out all the art after the jump.

Cats shooting lazors from their eyes, destroying a Mario Bros. mushroom is a win win situation. Artist Jeni Yang put a lot of effort into this piece and her other contribution to the show.

Love the isometric take on FFVII by Jesse Fillingham. The scruffy treatment given to cloud and the giant are a nice touch. This somehow combines my memories of FFVII with other more old school experiences with isometric strat-RPGs.

Space Invades ceramic plate is gorgeous. Nevermind that I didn't play much during the Atari days. This is still something I would hang on my wall because I love it when art takes from digital gaming and puts it into a strictly analog and earthy medium.

One of my favorite pieces in the show is the rainbow SNES over a Super Mario World map. This is for those aforementioned personal reasons. The SNES was one of my big nostalgic systems and Super Mario World was some interesting memories attached to it. While the execution in this piece is not of the highest quality, the concept is great. Besides, who doesn't love a combination of rainbows and SNES?

An homage by Cory Schmitz. I did not realize the significance of it's demise at the time, but it would later become an object of some fascination for me. R.I.P. Sega Saturn. You are missed.

The pixel art giclee prints by Jude Buffum of Super Mario Bros, Zelda, and Castlevania terrariums are rather brilliant. Still thinking about the meaning behind encasing them in glass, but the idea seems genius.

While my love for Chrono Trigger is not as strong as other gamers', I do love the Frog portrait. It manages to capture the character's essence perfectly and makes me feel all fuzzy, warm, and a little sad at the same time.

Photo via Giant Robot SF [link]

The small, backlit pixel environments from Sword & Sorcery are incredible. Not to mention impossible to take a picture of in a gallery. The pixel art is so emblematic of many indie games I have played in recent years and their ambiance is somehow deeply touching. More than any others, they remind me of Nifflas' games, like Within a Deep Forest, Knytt and Knytt Stories. I have wanted to play this game since first seeing the videos on their site some time ago. Waiting is the hardest part.

Did you make it out to Game Over 4? What pieces spoke to your kid-in-jammies-playing-games heart? Let me know in the comments. More photos from the opening and of the artwork are also available at Giant Robot's flickr sets here and here. A few more from yours truly below.

Shibuya Girls Pop at Giant Robot S.F.

2011-02-18T13:40:00.000-08:00

Kawaii makeover in progress, by Sugarpill Cosmetics.

The first visit to Giant Robot S.F. for me was marked with a multitude of girls dressed in kawaii fashion to the point of filling up the gallery space and making it nearly impossible to see the artwork that I came to view. While GR-SF does not boast a huge exhibition space, there was initially enough room for people to get around, but as the aforementioned demographic continually filtered in things got tight. Still, I was not to be deterred and managed to snap a shot of each piece in the exhibition for your viewing pleasure.

A Girl with Some Pink Hearts on Her Back, by Eimi.

As a long time fan of Kaikai Kiki and it's female artists such as Chiho Aoshima, Aya Takano, Akane Koide and others, I was excited to see an exhibition of work by female contemporary Japanese artists come stateside. The cute theme is the common thread between all works in Shibuya Girls Pop: Real Japanese Kawaii, which opened with a reception on Saturday, February 5. As it turns out, Sugarpill Cosmetics was doing free kawaii makeovers in the gallery space, hence the appropriately attired contingent.

Rabbit Girl, by Eimi.

The show represents twelve female artists all part of the Shibuya Girls Pop project, which initially started in Shibuya as a distribution of free post-cards to woman in the city in order to spread a positive message. Artists from the collective that are in the show include the following...

Nana Aoyama, Eimi, Sayaka Iwashimizu, Marrontic, Hiroshi Mori, NICO, Keiko Ogawa, Ra'yka, Shinjuko, Yuki Takahashi, Kayo Tamaishi, and TAMMY.

As a new Tokyo-based collective, Shibuya Girls Pop collaborated with Giant Robot to exhibit Real Japanese Kawaii for the first time in America. Yet in all honesty, none of the work blew me away. While a small number of pieces felt interesting, the show as a whole was not brilliant. The most interesting art pieces for me personally were those by Eimi, Kayo Tamaishi, and Yuki Takahashi. Both demonstrated technical skill, interesting use of color and good composition. The fact that the artists were not there in person certainly didn't help to drum up interest for the work itself either. As one person at the opening familair with GR put it, "it's just filler" until the next show goes up.

That Night, by Yuki Takahashi.

True or not, it is easy to dismiss this collection and blame whatever shortcoming on the organizers but I do want to be dilligent in acknowleding the collective itself. Kato Kazuhiro, director of Shibuya Girls Pop, has made available their concept in English. Expounding the cultural nuances of what kawaii means in Japan and how it has changed in other parts of the world it ultimately demonstrating the purpose of the project itself.

I Want to Ask You, by Kayo Tamaishi.

We already know the Japanese perpensity for all things kawaii. Kazuhiro touches on this point in saying that "in Japan (although there are many exceptions), there is a tendency that people's desire for 'Kawaii' does not change even after they become adults." In bringing illustrators together to produce kawaii art and then distributing it first in Japan and now abroad, the project hopes to demonstrate the true essence of the style as a lasting and universal form of expression which can appeal to a wide audience...

"Although it might be only a romantic, naive illusion, I think it would be great if I could show a universal 'Kawaii' that will not fade with the times or yield to media manipulation or labeling. I would like to propose 'Kawaii' that will survive even after the present global 'Kawaii bubble.'"

The exhibit at Giant Robot may not exactly live up to these ideals but, now that the fan-girls have left, you should go and judge for yourself. That is, assuming the show is still up by the time this post goes live. If not, check out the full album below or more pics from the show up on GR's blog as an inadequate consolation prize.

Projekt Warszawiak Lyrics & Translation

2011-02-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my friend Sergey I have been listening to this incredible song all week! After it getting passed around via Twitter, Facebook, and email people started wondering what it was all about. I took a stab at translating it, though I don't consider myself a good songwriter or translator by any means. Nevertheless, here it is. I tried to be literal where it worked and changed the English lyrics to keep the "feel" of the phrases when appropriate.

The original Polish song by Stanisław Grzesiuk was written in the ~~'50s~~ '40s. Lyrics were altered somewhat to make them more contemporary in this rendition:

Projekt Warszawiak
Lyrics by Albert Harris

Alejami wycackany szedl se jakis gosc,
Facjata niby owszem, moze byc.
Nagle potknal sie o kamien ryczac "O, psiakosc!
Jak oni moga w tej stolicy zyc!"
I w tedy zalala mnie zla krew,
Wiec go na perlowo w tenze spiew.

Nie badz za cwany w skorke odziany,
To moze miec dla ciebie skutek oplakany.
Na warszawiaka nie ma cwaniaka,
Który by mógl go wziazc na bajer lub pod pic.

Mozesz mnie chamem zwac, mozesz mnie w morde dac
Lecz od stolicy won, bo krew sie bedzie lac.
Wiec znakiem tego, nie badz lebiega
Przyhamuj morde, i nie gadaj wiecej nic.

Jeden byl specjalnie na Warszawe straszny pies.
Juz mówil nawet : "Warschawa kaputt!"
Lecz pomylil sie lachudra, rozczarowal fest,
I prózny byl majchrowy jego trud.
Slyszec nawet nie potrafie jak
Dzisiaj my spiewamy jemu tak:

Chciales byc cwany, w zabek czesany,
To teraz gnijesz, draniu, w blocie pochowany.
My, warszawiacy, jestesmy tacy,
Kto nam na odcisk wejdzie, Hiszpan* - zimny trup.

I niechaj kazdy wie: kto na nas szarpnie sie,
To zara bokiem mu to wyjdzie - moze nie?
Na warszawiaka nie ma cwaniaka.
Chcesz z nami zaczac to se trumne w czesniej kup.

Mozesz mnie chamem zwac, mozesz mnie w morde dac
Lecz od stolicy won, bo krew sie bedzie lac.
Wiec znakiem tego, nie badz lebiega
Przyhamuj morde, i nie gadaj wiecej nic.

I niechaj kazdy wie: kto na nas szarpnie sie,
To zara bokiem mu to wyjdzie - moze nie?
Na warszawiaka nie ma cwaniaka.
Chcesz z nami zaczac to se trumne w czesniej kup.

The essence of the song has to do with Warsaw during the post-transformation period (a.k.a. the fall of communism in 1989). Since Warsaw is Poland's largest airline hub, much of the money and business came there first and the city has remained the center of the country's commerce since. This created a nouveau-riche class which was not thought of well within Warsaw but especially throughout the rest of Poland. People from Warsaw have long had a similar reputation in the country as the stereotypical New Yorker might have in the US.

Update: This interpretation of what the song is about applies perhaps more to the current version as the song has been appropriated by my generation. It would seems that the original song by Grzesiuk, as noted by Alan in the comments, was actually about the post-war Warsaw of his time:

This is important, as the bad feelings from the rest of Poland towards Warsaw refer not just to the fact that it's the capital, but that so much money and building materials were diverted to rebuilding Warsaw after it had been completely destroyed (apart from the Praga district) in WWII. [...] The general message of the song is, therefore, not only one of local patriotism, but one of survival: our city might still lie in ruins, but our spirit is still alive, and we can take on anyone.

I found it challenging to come up with a translation due to some of the older-style phrasing in the song. Nevertheless here is what I have thus far:

"Project Warsaw Guy"

In the Aleje*, all dressed up, some character walked by.
Admittedly he didn't look half bad.
Suddenly he trips on a stone and yells "Goddamn!
How can they live in this capital!"
That is when my blood began to boil.
So at him loud and clear I sang:

Don't be so clever, all dressed in leather,
This could be for you an end in tears
There is no cheating, a guy from Warsaw,
None that could scam him or defraud.

You can call me an ass, you can beat in my face,
But get the hell out of the capital or there will be blood.
Take the hint, don't be a moron,
Shut your mouth, and don't say another word.

This one had it out for Warsaw like a dog.
He even said that "Warsaw is kaput."
Didn't know how wrong he was, the son-of-a-bitch,
His disrespecting efforts all in vain.
Now he can't hear a thing,
And today for him we sing:

You wanted to be clever, ever the jester,
Well now you're rotting, asshole, in the mud.
Us Warsaw guys, we are the kind of guys
who will make a Spaniard** out of you - a cold corpse.

And let to all be known, that those who mess with us,
Will soon regret their choice - wanna bet?
There is no cheating, a guy from Warsaw.
You want to start something? Better dig an early grave.

You can call me an ass, you can beat in my face,
But get the hell out of the capital or there will be blood.
Take the hint, don't be a moron.
Shut your mouth, and don't say another word.

And let to all be known, that those who mess with us,
Will soon regret their choice - wanna bet?
There is no cheating, a guy from Warsaw.
You want to start something? Better dig an early grave.

* As Alan pointed out in the comments, "the 'Alejami' does not refer to an 'alley', but to the 'Aleje', that is, the main thoroughfares in the centre (Aleje Jerozolimskie etc.) [of Warsaw]. The rock the well-dressed mister trips on is a reference to the fact that Warsaw was still basically a pile of rubble."

** The phrase "dead as a Spaniard" was very popular in pre-war Warsaw and was referencing the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918. During this time about 50 million people across Europe died from what was then named the "Spanish flu."

Every scene is of course filmed in Warsaw, with a lot of buildings and places in the background that I remember personally. The most notable probably being the Palace of Culture and the interior of the Golden Terraces shopping center.

The character in the wig and tights with the cardboard sword and shield is a reference to Warsaw's iconic mermaid, a symbol of the city since the mid 14th century. It is most likely a statement about he nature of the city itself or what it has become in recent decades.

Towards the end there is a scene with a green car. The car is a Polonez, by the company FSO which was Warsaw based until going out of business in 2002.

On a final note, if you have any suggestions for improving the translation feel free to let me know in the comments.

Scott Hove's Cakeland

2011-01-27T18:30:00.000-08:00

Last week the gang and I took a little trip down to Oakland. In the middle of a questionable neighborhood on Shattuck there lies nonchalantly a wonderland made of cake. In a corner building artist Scott Hove created Cakeland in the storefront and works out of a studio in the back.

Scott was kind enough to invite a group of us art enthusiasts into his space where we proceeded to ooh and aah over his sugary creations. Only thing is, none of the cakes are edible! They are made of synthetic materials that will last practically forever, not unlike the cakes available at Wal-Mart, but Hove's are works of art that have gained no small amount of recognition.

Said pieces were exhibited at La Luz de Jesus gallery in 2010, and written up on BoingBoing as well as in HiFructose Magazine, just to name a few. I came across some of those photos online last year, though I can't recall where exactly, and was excited to get to see this work in person. There is a tension between the inviting, sweet and frosted presentation and the canine maws, as embedded in some of the cakes, or other skeletal parts entombed in the installation. It's a kid of lure-and-trap scenario.

This was also a prime opportunity for LOL placement, and I would like to thank Scott for generously indulging my request to snap some shots for The United States of LOL. Last but not least, check out this album for some even better photos of the Cakeland expedition.

Junko Mizuno Signing at Kidrobot San Francisco

2011-01-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

Somewhat sluggish after the long haul that was the previous day's Johnny Cupcakes outing, and not helped by the drizzly Thursday weather, Jeremyriad and I managed to get ourselves over to the Haight for some line-standing-in prior to Junko Mizuno's new toy release and signing.

We grabbed some decent grub at Asqew, and shuffled into 14th-or-so place behind some notably hip Asian kids who warded off the dog-on-a-rope folks' inquiries with "coffee enemas" as our reason for being there. The evening got more interesting as our excitement continued to build the closer we got to the front of the line and Junko Mizuno's table.

I was admittedly nervous at the prospect of finally meeting Junko, whose work I have been following for years with admiration, and came out early that day to make sure I could get my hands on one of the 25 limited edition prints. As it turns out, it wasn't a print at all. Instead, we were gifted a hand-drawn original of about four by four inches in size. This was only the first of several generous gestures on her part, which continued into the night as she spent a significant amout of time drawing on blank toys for almost every person in line. Kidrobot staff encouraged the practice, and as an artist I couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Junko's accommodations seemed for such a long haul.

Photo by Jeremyriad.

Not wanting to prolong things too much, I chose to forgo getting a blank and was more than thrilled to get my Junkocat Chococat signed. Still, I could not resist the photo-opp and gave Junko an LOL which she kindly showed off to the camera (for The United States Of LOL project). Huge thanks to the Toy Maven for having the presence of mind to take some great pics while I was off in Junkoland.

As for the awesome toy of the night, I have to say that I like it the most of the four currently available Sanrio reinterpretations. It seems to take more creative license in the way the character is appropriated into the artist's signature style than the others. Although maybe I am just biased on this one. Either way, that night was one of the most memorable I have had in San Francisco to date and thinking back to it still fills me with excitement.

For a more insightful post covering the Junkocat Chococat signing check out the one by Jeremyriad. I can't claim to know nearly as much about the toy scene so my thoughts are less informed by knowledge of toys than by contemporary art and pop art.

The Johnny "I Sell Experience" Cakes Way

2011-01-15T16:27:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, January 12, I attended a lecture with my new bay area posse. We drove out to CSU East Bay's campus in Hayward for the talk by Johnny Cupcakes, arriving a little late after getting a lost and asking for directions. Did not see any signs on campus for the event, so it took a bit of investigating before we found the lecture hall. Consequently, the place was already packed and we made ourselves (un)comfortable on the floor and against the wall.

I personally found the talk informative and insightful, going over a lot of pointers on starting your business in the non-traditional way of Johnny Cupcakes. Without going into the nitty gritty of the entire lecture, a few key issues emerged from my notes that I will try to summarize.

The point which Johnny Cupcakes stressed time and time again is the understanding that what you are selling is an experience as much, or perhaps more so, than a product. This means that you need to put your efforts in making the experience work to your benefit; something that businesses using traditional models forget all too often.

The way that experiences are created by Johnny cupcakes is a multi-faceted approach that starts with the details. The products generally come in limited quantities, adding to the feeling if it being special, and each item is packaged in a unique way. Products are further enhanced by the inclusion of random variants and a random object shipped out with orders, such as a battery, doll's head, etc. When customers discover these strange surprises it creates a memory which will likely be triggered by subsequent encounters with that object and links it back to the product.

Customer experiences are even more important in Johnny Cupcakes brick-and-mortar stores, with no expense spared on the design, construction and fabrication. Apparently, the Los Angeles store started with a budget of about $65K and ended up costing upwards of $600K! Now that's dedication to customer experience. Although it isn't likely that many startups would be in a position to do something similar, one can at least admire his vision.

On that note, Johnny suggests that when starting out, your physical business space should be multi-purpose, your product should generate revenue with pre-orders if you don't have much money, and never to rush things because the first impression is the most important. Hence the L.A. store's months of delays and budget over-shoot. It sure does look great though!

When it comes to marketing, his business has always relied heavily on word of mouth and does not invest much in traditional advertising strategies. We are too bombarded with ads everywhere as it is, which seems to be Johnny's primary reason for suggesting that these out-moded methods simply do not work. That's why new-media also plays a crucial role with Twitter, Facebook pages, and blogs being the most important. Johnny and his family are said to fall asleep each night with laptops as they personally answer comments and questions on their social media networks.

Additionally, his tips on marketing also include having very few sales, or none at all, and doing contests instead, to send out email blasts on Thursdays and Fridays, and not to carry on conversations on Twitter, rather keeping those in direct messages, emails, and out of public view. All of which goes back to his code of keeping things special and personal. It may be unorthodox in the contemporary business climate of faceless money-making machines that we take as the norm but his strategy does create brand longevity and customer loyalty that, in the words of Johnny, "other companies couldn't even pay for."

It makes a lot of sense to me and echoes some of my own conclusions and strategies over the years. Experiences are key, and variety is the spice of many aspects of life. Johnny Cupcakes was fun to listen to, threw out a lot of nerdy humor that I appreciated, and kept me interested for the long three hours sitting on the floor in back-hurting positions.

It was worth it for me personally, and hopefully this post will provide some inspiration for the few who might read it. Some concrete resources to check out, as endorsed by Johnny himself at the end of the lecture, include Kickstarter for fund-raising, Spoonflower for fabric printing, Storenvy for e-commerce solutions, Alibaba for manufacturing everything under the sun, and Jakprints for printing of just about any materials out there.

The Dragatomi Monster Ball

2011-01-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

This would mark my first visit outside the bay since moving here. Our little excursion took us to Sacramento for a visit to Dragatomi and the Monster Party kaiju show, featuring the work of Mark Nagata, Gatchabert, DLux and LilJapan.

Loved the Dragatomi store. Not only do they have a great layout and selection, but the proprietors are super nice folks. If you're ever in Sacramento, this is undoubtedly a mandatory stop.

While everyone at the show was a pleasure to visit with I especially enjoyed chatting with Mark Nagata. I look forward to revisiting the subject of Japanized youth-culture in America as a result of Japanese media consumption, being something that I may have a slight obsession with. Mark and Jeremy Dale were even kind enough to indulge my new experimental endeavor.

On the way out we swung by Rick's Dessert Diner and feasted with our eyes on the incredible selection of sugary delights. In reality I managed to be good and only have half a piece of white chocolate brownie. It was delicious. If you have a sweet tooth and find yourself in the California capitol I highly recommend it.

An Invitation From The United States Of LOL

2011-01-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

Hey you. Yeah, YOU! You want some free money? Then read on my greedy friend, read on. For the experimental little project that was inspired by little more than a sure-why-not from a couple of years ago at Anime Expo in LA has just launched. Back then I was contacted by a fellow anime art fan and con-goer about printing and giving out some ONE LOL bills. The photos that came back sparked an idea, and now that idea is finally taking off. Here's how it works...

The United States Of LOL is distributing free currency which you can download and print yourself. Photographs of you with said currency, or any placement thereof, may be chosen for publication on this site should you choose to submit them.

You are hereby invited to participate. Print out some LOL bills, get creative, take some pics and send them in. Print some fake money, get internet famous. What's not to love? Head on over to The United States States Of LOL for details and to download the goods.

The Loaded Currency of Scott Campbell

2011-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

Making art using the iconic image of the US $1 dollar bill is something that has obviously interested me for some time now. Appropriating this design automatically makes a statement about the country, consumer culture, and many other themes which can be highlighted depending on what you do with the image.

While I have made a piece of art based on the dollar, artist Scott Campbell has created an entire series of work made out of actual dollar bills. These pieces are superbly crafted and contain powerful imagery, much of it religious. Check out more of Campbell's work over at Monster Casserole and draw your own conclusions.

Media of the Year: My Anime, Manga, Movies, Games, and Music of 2010

2010-12-31T15:37:00.000-08:00

Because there aren't enough end-of-year lists on the internet and because everybody wants to know what I think is important, you will now be subjected to yet another somewhat useless post. On the other hand, for those who are looking for something they haven't read, watched, listened to, or played yet this may prove of some usefulness.

In retrospect, 2010 has been a hugely eventful and crazy year for me personally but I seem to have covered that already. So instead lets talk about some of the memorable media that's come out this year, and some which I have only gotten to this year that has been out for some time.

Manga...

In the world of manga there have been several notable releases. The biggest of these for me was PLUTO by Naoki Urasawa. It has been a while since any manga grabbed me like PLUTO. Since it is a reimagining of Tezuka's Astro Boy it consequently turned me on to a reading of the original Astro manga as well as Urasawa's 20th Century Boys. I'm still planning on getting around to reading Monster as I can't seem to get enough of the complexity Urasawa weaves into his characters and plots.

Meawhile, the English version of Biomega by Tsutomu Nihei, one of my favorite artists, was also released. While it is unfortunately not a sequel to Blame! but rather a reinterpretation of the story to some extent, this is Nihei we're talking about so I can't complain.

Absolute Fav: Definitely PLUTO.

Anime...

Which brings us to the wonderful world of Anime. Something that was rather momentous which occurred in my small world of Anime was the huge changes that were made to the Aniwave festival. Since leaving Wilmington and passing on the Aniwave torch to another dedicated group of individuals, the festival had well over 400 attendees this year! What unprecedented growth. This made me superbly happy for the future of my humble creation.

Several films that I was watching with selection for Aniwave in mind seemed well suited for the festival. Summer Wars was thoroughly enjoyable, brought to us by the people who created The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters Per Second was absolutely superb and I wouldn't have expected any less from him, though I realize that is not actually a 2010 release but it has been floating around in licensing limbo. Similarly, I was impressed by the somewhat older Mind Game, another excellent title from Studio 4°C, which satisfied my hunger for progressive anime.

Once the holidays were upon me and the winter blues came around for a bit I was looking to watch another anime series and check it off my entirely-to-long list. For some reason I decided to give Death Note another go. I couldn't get past the first few episodes when it came out originally because the entire premise struck me as juvenile, causing me to dismiss the whole thing. After some reports of the story getting good later on I persevered through the series' initial lull and was pleased to find some substance after L joins the plot. The detective-story styled back and fourth was fun while it lasted, though the ending seemed slightly contrived. Overall Death Note was good in part but still left me with mixed feelings and the occasional wondering of how I could have spent my time better.

Absolute Fav: Shinkai does it again, going with 5 Centimeters Per Second.

Movies...

Few can deny that 2010 has a pretty significant year for Hollywood. Not only did we see a lot of blockbusters hit the screen, but they were actually pretty good it seems. This was also the first year that I saw a movie in 3D. Naturally that made an impression on me and regardless of what people say I loved Avatar for being such a visual feast. Yes, I'm still counting it as a 2010 film as it was re-released in theaters this year.

As far as definite 2010 releases go, Inception was a great film to get lost in. While nay-sayers decried being left hanging at the end, I had no problems with its ambiguity in hopes of a sequel. On the serious side of things, I saw two excellent documentaries as well. Inside Job reiterated some information I was already familiar with while making explicit much that I was not aware of. It served well to inform but even more to stir the emotions in light of the frivolity with which actions were taken by those in power to make the recession happen. And while we are on this emotional note, Tibet in Song was also rather heart-wrenching at times. It brought me up to speed on the current situation in Tibet and the Chinese influence there.

Lest I become to involved with reality, I ended my 2010 in film with my first visit to an Imax 3D theater for a viewing of Tron: Legacy! Both nostalgic and new, Tron was visually fantastic and had my nerdy heart in its digital hands. I loved it enough to come home and watch the original again.

Absolute Fav:  This is a tough one. While I want to say Avatar or Tron I think I'm going to have to give it to Inside Job.

Games...

Admittedly, my gaming time tends to be limited these days and most of the year was little to no exception. The most notable new game for me in 2010 was undoubtedly the Cave Story release on WiiWare. In all honesty, I still occasionally pick it up and try to do the old Hell run-through. While I always die at the hands of Balrog, this game has been for some time now and will always be a classic in my book.

My other gaming escapades tend to be relegated to older titles that I can get for cheap. As such, I played some BioShock, Oblivion, and Gothic 3 this year on PC. On the Wii I had some fun with SSX Blur, and splurged on Metroid Prime: Trilogy on account of it being out of production. Two new titles that I ended up getting are Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, a great shooter with a nice old-school feel, and A Boy And His Blob, also nostalgic and with nice 2D artwork. I have yet to spend sufficient time with the latter two before I can make a proper assessment.

Absolute Fav:  That's easy. Cave Story all the way!

Music...

While the previous year heavily featured more mellow indie music on my speakers, 2010 had we wanting heavier beats and more electronica. Though I would find occasional respite in the soundtracks from the anime Mushishi and the indie-game Machinarium, I began to prefer chiptunes from 8bitstellar and Leeni. Much of the year seemed to be dominated by Lady Gaga and the various volumes of Tecktonik which eventually made way for a return to Daft Punk, Justice, Uffie, and Electric Six. Most recently I have discovered Capsule's fantastic electro fusion of Jpop, house, etc.

Absolute Fav:  Not sure I can make a choice here. Somewhere between Lady Gaga, Tecktonik, and Daft Punk maybe.

The Love Movement Amazing!

2010-12-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

The long anticipated LOVE MOVEMENT finally opened on Saturday, November 11 to a full house of San Francisco's overs of art, toys, and all things kawaii. Under the guiding hand of one Jeremyriad, the exhibition came to together beautifully to celebrate a theme of love at New People's Superfrog Gallery.

An all-star cast of Japanese, European, and American artists customized T-BOY and Dankeschoen bear toys under the guiding principle of love. Interpretations ranged from the literal, happy, or joyful to more contemplative, somber, or even dramatic.

Not only were the numerous customs on display for which the show was intended but walls also showcased many 2D pieces, which I was not expecting. My favorite of these were paintings by Yu Tihara, Satoshi Yoshioka and Yucachin (pictured above, from left to right).

One of the highlights of the evening, however, was a live beatboxing performance by Kazuo "Kaz" Saito. Check out the video I took of his first song of the evening. Later on Kaz is joined by violinist Nanaco for a beatbox-violin combo. Yeah, that's right. Not your typical night to be sure. I love this city.

Twisting Tales with Aki Marlow

2010-12-02T19:13:00.000-08:00

While still living in North Carolina, and as a result of my work with Aniwave, I had the pleasure of meeting the talented artist and mangaka Aki Marlow. It continues to amaze me how those who gravitate towards otaku sub-culture in this country develop the skills to emulate this medium at a continually younger age. At the time, Aki was posting her work on DeviantArt and it quickly caught my eye.

Her drawing shows a level of skill that many do not develop until well into their undergraduate studies in illustration, or later. This is especially evident in her upcoming manga TWISTED, which I am excited to bring you a short preview of here. These initial pages prompted a conversation between Aki and I in which she shares some details about the project and her inspiration behind it. Read the full interview after the jump.

Michal Wisniowski: I know that you've had the idea for TWISTED in your head for quite some time. Can you tell me a little bit about the background for this story? What inspired it and why you started to feel like this should be the one to make real?

Aki Marlow: Originally it was supposed to be a collaboration between myself and a few friends but it sort of got dropped before any story was developed. I thought about it more and more by myself and was inspired by a lot of music. Panic at the Disco's album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out was a major influence at the time. It's also a modern and basically realistic story. So when I heard or saw something that stuck out to me in the real world or on the news I would add it right in. Eventually it kind of snowballed into this nicely developed storyline with interesting twists and characters, so I decided to go ahead and make it happen.

MW: I appreciate that you are making the story be more current, which often makes it more relevant as well. What is the premise, setting, and what are the initial characters of TWISTED?

AM: The story is set in a modern, western-style urban city. Initially it was going to be set in Tokyo but I decided that this was not an ideal location. I wanted a more dangerous, sketchy kind of place to put my characters in. So the physical setting of TWISTED is a little creatively doctored.

The story is really character-driven. Everything that happens is caused by somebody and not some force out of the character's control; except for the main character, Yoitsu. In the beginning he finds himself in a hospital with no memories of his past. What he doesn’t know yet is that he has wronged many of the other characters and that they’re trying to take revenge. Yoitsu also has a family that he no longer knows. When or if they find out he’s alive, they will go to extremes to take him back. This creates two main opposing forces in the story but I’ve made sure to blur the lines between good and evil just right so it becomes that much harder to tell whose intentions are good. The reader is able to tell from a very early point that something is off with many of the characters that Yoitsu interacts with. As the story progresses, the reader will be able to watch the bigger picture unfold through flashbacks and narratives from each of these characters. There’s a nice complex puzzle to solve throughout and the reader shouldn’t be able to really figure out everyone’s true motives until the very end.

MW: Sounds like you are weaving a good deal of complexity into TWISTED. I find myself gravitating towards complex plots and intrigue in manga, like those of Naoki Urasawa. Being able to do so effectively takes some experience and I know that you have been doing manga art for many years. To get more specific, how long have you been drawing manga and is this the first print-bound story you have done (including zines and other self-made material)?

AM: I've been experimenting with sequential manga since I started drawing anime, which was about seven or eight years ago. There are a lot of things people don't realize about making manga specifically though. I think I'm still learning every day. TWISTED will be the first commercially printed work I've ever done. I'll start off self-publishing but I'm also interested in finding Western manga serialization magazines to submit the story to.

MW: Given your intent on self-publishing TWISTED, is there anything you can divulge about when it might become available and what format it will take?

AM: I decided to self-publish initially so that I'd have some time to think about what kind of publisher to sign with. Tokyopop is famous for their support of Western manga, but at the same time they also require a high degree of story confidentiality, and I've long spoiled that. Darkhorse also publishes some western manga but they are often looking for specific genres that TWISTED doesn't fall into. I think my best option is to get it out there as best I can and then see what kind of publication opportunities open up.

As far as availability, I'm planning on making the first volume or so available free online. I'm also planning on selling bound copies at various conventions. These will probably include extra chapterettes and artwork. For the time being, I'm concentrating on finishing the first chapter and printing it as a teaser. It may take me close to a year to produce a full volume since I can't make drawing manga a full-time occupation yet. The more I make though, the faster I'll get at it. I'm aiming for about six chapters per volume and around 40 pages per chapter.

MW: That would possibly put the first printed volume as being available in late 2011, just in time for the holidays. Can't wait to see it!

Getting back to the art though, there are many sub-styles and genres in manga today. Styles that I don't recall seeing ten years ago but that may have had to do with availability. In either case, what are some of the mangaka that have inspired your style and content?

AM: As far as my current drawing style, I think some of my biggest influences were Tite Kubo, Katsura Hoshino, Banana Nangoku, and Fujino Akitsugu.

Aki Marlow vs. Katsura Hoshino

MW: While Hoshino and Kubo's influence can certainly be seen in your characters, you can clearly hold your own. Given some of those names, how do you feel about guro and ecchi content as a storytelling device in manga?

AM: I think that just about anything can be used to make a story valuable. Or rather, a good storyteller can apply anything to a story and give it value. Elements like ecchi and guro can add a lot of impact to a story and to the artwork when used correctly. At the same time, I've read many manga that don't apply these kinds of themes intelligently or in a way that adds impact to the story. I think it all depends on the storytelling ability of the mangaka.

Aki Marlow vs. Tite Kubo

MW: Well put. I think that is very true. When dealing with things as powerful as violence and sexuality, both of which tap into our primal natures, there is an opportunity to emphasize a scene or event and make it more visceral. These moments tend to stand out in our memory and can alter the rest of a character's development and story just as much as they do for us in our own lives.

So without giving too much away, what do you hope to accomplish with TWISTED in terms of the readers' experience? What would you like to see readers get out of the story?

AM: My biggest hope is that by the end of TWISTED the readers will be able to see the story and characters the way that I do. I want the emotional and dramatic elements I've put into the story to affect the readers the way that they're meant to. I want them to be able to say, "Ohh, I see what happened there," at the revealing points. I believe this is the most developed and carefully constructed story that I've written so far and I would love to see it recognized as that. All this, however, will depend totally on my own performance.

MW: Given what you have shown us so far, I am confident that TWISTED will do well. You have taken the time to polish every aspect of it and it shows. Having strong artwork goes especially a long way for me. This is, after all, a visual medium.

Thank you for sharing your new project with me and my readers. Keep us informed on your manga's progress and best of luck!

In addition to the images posted here, you can follow TWISTED on its Smackjeeves home as the story continues to unfold.

Artists 2 Love

2010-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Camille Rose Garcia [link]

Kozyndan [link]

Four more artists after the jump. Watch out for the NSFW and enjoy...

Ikenaga Yasunari [link]

Mathieu Bessudo (aka mcbess) [link]

Kent Williams [link]

John John Jesse [link]

The Almighty Dunny Show

2010-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

Right before Thanksgiving I sent my newly painted 3 inch Dunny to New York for The Almighty Dunny Show. Curated by Genuine Artikle and hosted at Halcyon in Dumbo Brooklyn, the exhibition opens on December 11th and features a large roster of some familiar names...

Abe Lincoln Jr, Cope 2, D-LuX, Mishka NYC, Patricio Oliver, Task One dust, Jay222, Nerviswr3k, Nemo, Sneaky Raccoon, Igor Ventura, Leecifer, Tyler Coey, Suckadelic, Damarak the Destroyer, Viseone, Sinned, Droppixel, Osiris Orion, James Fuller, Jon Paul Kaiser, Sergio Mancini, Bryan Collins, Bishop 203, Chelsea Bloxsom, Ahh'd Art, Spanky Stokes, Tenacious Toys, Frank Mysterio, Brian Colins, Rampage Toys, Miss Kika, Nasty Neil, Albert Art, Trevor Zammit, FOOX Okkle, Royce Bannon, Phetus, Mr DEN, ZAM, Ian Ziobrowski, James Yeah?, valleydweller, Uncle, Matt A, Resin, Chris Rabb, Blake West, Christian Cabuay, Chamarro, Squidkidsink, FAS, Taz, Evilos, Tom Freak, Allison Revilla, Paul Duran, Ardabus Rubber, Hellsing Chaos, Jonathanway$hak, Pretty Poopie, Owen Dewitt, Paddy Leung, We Kill You, Adam Lee, Ashley Hay, Aaron Jasinski, Michal Wisniowski, Ego, Valerie G, Moody, SNO, The Chief Rocka, Lana Crooked, Matucha Studio, Danicus Prime, Dave Rapoza, Juan Franco, Jennipho, Adam Miller, Perry J Osman, Taek, Alone One, Troy Stith, The Flighty Ellz, DESN, Mr. Walters, Cozy Robot, Chrisosaur, Nikejerk, and MANY more!

Some of these great artists I have had the pleasure of meeting personally, or at least becoming more familiar with their work through social media. Names in bold are some of those whose twitter conversations I'm stalking with the occasional participatory remark.

Chances are that my humble contribution will be heavily overshadowed by such a strong group. Nevertheless, it's a good opportunity to get in another show. One of only three this year for me given the big East/West Coast switcheroo.

An Intro to Bay Area Art Scene[ery]

2010-11-24T08:45:00.001-08:00

Collage art at the Oakland Organic Food Fair.

Three months in the bay is a short time, yet it feels like I have been here twice as long at least. In those three months I have been fortunate enough to experience some really great artwork both in the city and the East Bay. During the first weekend here I got a little glimpse of some great pieces at a gallery in Oakland's river-walk area (pictured above).

A few weeks later, after a fun day with new artist-friends at Alternative Press Expo, we were going trough the Mission admiring all the great street art in those awesome alleyways. Towards the end of our little trek we finally found the Banksy we were looking for!

Jeremiah Ketner and I at Gallery 1988 S.F.

By the time November rolled in, its first weekend brought with it a fantastic exhibition at Gallery 1988 in San Francisco. Featuring the works of Jeremiah Ketner, Yosuke Ueno, and Ewelina Ferruso, the opening brought a lot of us out to admire the paintings and mingle with SmallandRound.

Concurrent exhibits of collaborative work between Glen E. Friedman and Shepard Fairey as Fuck You All, as well as one called Bad Dads: A Tribute To The Films Of Wes Andersen, made for an interesting detour in a two-or-so block radius.

Yosiell Lorenzo and I at Bad Dads.

After the show the lot of us shuffled on over to Tommy's Joint and then topped it all off with late night donuts! Yeah, us old folks party hard. Which is also why we've been dubbed Toy Pimps by toy-maven Jeremyriad.

Image via Jeremyriad.

The Big Move West

2010-11-22T08:45:00.031-08:00

What an incredible year it has been. Filled with the best of time and the worst of times. Although it is not yet over, the holidays have a way of speeding the last few months along quite effectively. This is in part why I have begun reflecting on all the crazy things that have transpired in the last year of this decade, bringing to a close a ten-year period of growth both fruitful and (at times) painful.

The most significant of these changes came about as I traded the East Coast for the West, embarking on a several-month long journey along the Northern route of the U.S. My most memorable stops were in Chicago, Mt. Rushmore, and Seattle, before culminating in a much anticipated resettlement in the San Francisco bay area. This transition has been very trying for me physically, emotionally, and mentally, but I would like to think that I have come out better for the experience. You might say that I am reinventing myself.

I now look to the future with hope and excitement. The bay area is beautiful, and I finally feel like I could belong in this place. Something that I haven't felt in this country since leaving Poland. I look forward to all the wonderful arts and culture that is so abundant here, eager to absorb as much of it as I can and to meet the people behind that culture.

Yes, 2010. You have really kicked my ass a few times. I want to be mad at you, but I just can't. You have brought me to a new place in my life and taught me some valuable lessons. So thanks. And farewell.

Free Music by Yours Truly

2010-07-26T08:50:00.002-07:00

Over the years I have dabbled in the creation of electronica. It's one of my many hobbies, and every once in a while I get the urge to make something new. Since last year I have been wanting to put some of those creations up for download but was not able to find a suitable online service.

<a href="http://mentis.bandcamp.com/album/click-here-to-start">Paradox by mentis</a>

Until now. I love the efficiency and simplicity of Bandcamp, which is where you will find three compilations of my music. While it may be of questionable quality, I would like to think that there has been some improvement in it. Keep in mind that some of it is of a more experimental nature, with influences from such genres as noise, ambient, and many other iterations of techno music. Oh and by the way, it's all free.