0 Comments +

  1. on the three white cloths, what’s the little black speck in the corner of each? is it just that – a black speck – or is it perhaps a logo, signature, etc? how were the cloths folded? i find the crease pattern intriguing

    i find the suspended t-shirt bunny disturbing.

    dammit, if only i was back on the east coast so i could get a better look!

    thank you for the pics, Nayland. i appreciate being able to see more of your work, even if from afar.

  2. A friend of mine told me there was a show in Toronto right now featuring a video piece of yours. Now that I’ve finally seen some of your work, I can’t wait to go check it out.

    I like your stuff a lot. Two names that popped into my head: Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch. Seeing something like this motivates me to work on an art project of my own.
    When I finally get to New York, I’ll have to try to schedule the trip so I can see a show of yours in person.

    I’m going to be using some of these photographs as computer wallpaper!

  3. WOW!

    First of all….your bunnies kick ass

    Second–I had a dream about bleaching the Confederate Flag and then Flying it from the Walls Fargo Building here in Minneapolis.

    I like your work, how long is your show mounted?–& Where’s the gallery?

    I have some folks out there who would appreciate it.

  4. The piece at the powerplant is the one you see above of myself and another man being smeared and then kissing – the other man is artist AA Bronson and the show is mostly his work – which is fabulous.
    Another artist showing there is Judy Radul who was in a slight way a student of mine and is remarkably talented and smart as well.

  5. Aw, many thanks Claude – for each thing you said No one has mentioned Kubrick to me before and it’s great to hear it, because of course I’m a great big fan, being part of the generation where seeing 2001 was a formative event in my life.

    And please, come to New York regardless of whether I have a show coming up or not!

  6. Thanks for the additional info; I’ll be on the lookout for Radul’s work as well. This show has gotten really favourable reviews, and Bronson is very well known up here, as General Idea are basically legendary in terms of Canadian culture. I look forward to seeing it!

  7. the three white cloths are actually three white-on-white confederate flags – the creasing is actually where they were sewn together and the little marks are grommets.
    Thanks!

  8. I was actually unsure whether to mention Kubrick for fear of sounding obvious. I’m no expert art critic!
    I really wish I could’ve seen 2001 on a big screen when it came out, but even on video it blew me away – it’s one of my very favourite films.

    Oddly enough, the photo that first made me think of David Lynch is the last one, where Bronson’s face looked abstract to me – for a second I thought his ear was an eye!

    I will come to New York, though I don’t know when. But it’s not a trip I’ll be able to make often, so it would be nice if it happened while you had a show on.

  9. Black and white in color

    More things I like about your work:

    – I love the dappled sunlight that was caught in the first pic. Makes the lynching-of-our-childhood look positively sylvan, in a Richard Foreman kind of way.

    – I like the fact that one of your works is so exquisitely subtle (the framed blind embossed “print” in the second-from-bottom photo) that it probably can’t be reproduced photographically.

    – One more to come, but I have to find the visual reference on my home computer.

  10. Thanks a lot!
    Unfortunately the show comes down this weekend: Saturday is the last day. It’s at Matthew Marks Gallery 522 west 22nd Street – between 10th and 11th avenues

  11. The piece at the powerplant is the one you see above of myself and another man being smeared and then kissing – the other man is artist AA Bronson and the show is mostly his work – which is fabulous.
    Another artist showing there is Judy Radul who was in a slight way a student of mine and is remarkably talented and smart as well.

  12. Aw, many thanks Claude – for each thing you said No one has mentioned Kubrick to me before and it’s great to hear it, because of course I’m a great big fan, being part of the generation where seeing 2001 was a formative event in my life.

    And please, come to New York regardless of whether I have a show coming up or not!

  13. Um, I know you’re, like, a serious artist, and all…

    But, if you ever decided to go into the business of selling giant fluffy, bunny pillows, I’ll be in line to buy one!

  14. Nayland, thank you. The more I see of your work, the more excited I get. You continue to be an inspiration to me on both an artistic and a personal level. I’m sending you much love!

  15. really liking a couple of things:

    1. the charcoal (I guess?) drawings of the stump and the ropes; really interesting arrangement, very dramatic.

    2. the overall placement of objects and use of the space; really intriguing and personalized vocabulary.

    Thanks for sharing these!

    3. all-white confederate flags: scary! I still never know how to feel about those, but here’s an anecdote:

    My boyfriend, traveling cross-country and vaguely through the south bought (as sort of a joke) a confederate flag mug at a souvenir shop. Mostly because he just obsessively buys mugs wherever he goes.* The clerk nodded and said “Yeah, I agree with that.” Leaving my BF with a plastered on smile and a “whatthefuck?” feeling.

    *even weirder since he doesn’t drink coffee or tea

  16. alone again

    upon looking at your photos i felt really abstract lonliness and sadness

    i think it was mainly the pipe…
    it’s black bee’s wax… right?

    the idea of a corn cob pipe
    that is so simple. but friendly..
    no, like a friend
    reliable like a friend.
    simple and reliable like a friend.
    disposable
    , make another from the field
    drop the husk.

    but black
    but black and made of bee’s wax

    it would be so nice if i had something so familial i could share with you
    something so simple, comfortable (comforting)
    and disposable
    so nice if we could share it together
    our two hands being one hand holding it tight
    teeth gnawing the bit
    mouth, on mouth
    wait, two mouth pieces to show there is two of us

    no, if we tried to smoke anything in it
    it would light ablaze
    it would burn off our beard
    or our skin
    and it would melt

    can’t rely on anything these days
    nothing comfortable
    or friendly
    can’t trust friends

    things go up like candles around here.

    well, that’s how i felt, for a second.

    but when i read all the replies i felt bad
    like i should have something more intelligent to say
    and give you compliments.

    i want to say
    “hey Neyland, i wish i could see your art pieces in person”
    but art galleries make me feel abstracted and strange
    in solitude

    like most of life does

    i would love to see it

    but i am rio de janeiro right now
    and it is summer
    and the world is flapping around me like wings
    and i wonder if i am going to heaven or hell

    i don’t know
    i have to go to sleep first to find out

  17. See –

    I’m thinking of changing professions to designer. Then I could make those big bunny suits for everybody. The other thing I’ve been hearing is how many people want the little black recycled t-shirt ones for their kids, which is cool until you think how weird it is… If I just went into production, I could retire.

  18. See –

    I’m thinking of changing professions to designer. Then I could make those big bunny suits for everybody. The other thing I’ve been hearing is how many people want the little black recycled t-shirt ones for their kids, which is cool until you think how weird it is… If I just went into production, I could retire.

  19. Took me a while to get to this, but I’m glad you shared (kudos to thor as well in that regard).

    In lieu of a visit, it’s nice to get a sense of the show. Perhaps it’s seeing everything in the space without people that I’m drawn to…
    I suppose if I had to conjure a reaction – it would include a pang for frosting and pipesmoke.

    Curious hunger.

    As for selling bunny suits or t-shirts, i can’t necessarily recommend donning the title of designer, but if you’re into self-deprication, I can personally, highly, suggest it.

    Though Target is running out of shelf space I think.

  20. Nice Work! Can We?

    Hey there, Mr. Blake. You don’t know me but we have a friend, Final_Girl, in common. I got to your LJ through hers. I’ve enjoyed these shots from your recent show and only wish I could’ve seen it in person. Not to be so forward but do you think we could be LJ friends? I don’t post all that often so your friends page won’t be cluttered much more than it already is and I’d really dig reading more from you. Anyways…let me know what you think.

  21. Ooops…my bad!

    Sorry for the repetitive posts. I was trying to put a link to Final_Girl’s LJ but I couldn’t get the stupid html thingie to work. I never said I was a techno-geek.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.