March 2009

You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2009.

Interviewed by ABACO

March 31, 2009 in Exhibitions & Events, Japan, News | Add your comment

Patrick Gannon's cut paper art and Interview at Abaco magazineAlessandro Silvestri and Flavio Parisi are a couple of Italian guys living in Tokyo, and, like me, constantly being amazed at the little differences that surround them. So amazed, in fact, that they decided to put together a really nice little webzine called “ABACO magazine” to document the art and culture they encounter everyday.

I am very flattered that they asked to include some of my work in their magazine, along with an interview about my life and my cut-paper creations. I’m my usual verbose self. That they put my Sharky on the cover…I haven’t the words. The toothy guy does me proud.

It’s a very cool webzine, and definitely worth a look to see what’s going on in the Tokyo art and photography scene. I really dug the February issue too. Check it out!

Gallery Show – IDIOT BOX @ Gallery 1988 LA

March 24, 2009 in Exhibitions & Events, News | 2 comments

Idiot Box art show @ Gallery 1988 LA, opens April 2, 2009
100 artists take aim at television’s guiltiest pleasures.

And boy, let me tell you, there are a lot of them. Guilty pleasures, I mean. Well, artists too, obviously.

Here’s a little known fact about me that you never would have guessed from my art or the constant stream of pop-culture references that pop out of my mouth. I didn’t watch all that much TV as a kid.

Shocking, isn’t it? For the first couple years of my life, back in the 70′s all we had was a teensy black & white set which only played Sesame Street. The 80′s hit and my family moved up to a full-color, life-sized 25-incher. We gazed upon the likes of “The A-Team” and “Knight Rider”. If I’d had my way, I would have settled into a couch-potato lifestyle like the rest of my friends, had a “normal” childhood, and probably be something sensible like an eye doctor right now. But I was thwarted. By school. Anytime my grades on a report card or progress report were less than stellar, I was barred from watching TV until they improved (or I could sneak into the family room when Dad wasn’t home). I spent exactly half my school years not watching TV.

Knowing that my source of entertainment might be cut off at any moment, I internalized every line of cheesy dialogue I could cram into my head. TV became a reward, an aspiration, a holy grail. Which probably explains why it was so difficult for me to whittle down the choices for this show and pick only one or two.

Idiot Box art show @ Gallery 1988 LA, opens April 2, 2009Let’s face it, this is an unfathomably awesome theme for an art show. Not just TV, but bad TV. Bad TV that we love in spite of, or maybe because of its badness. The list of artists for this show is mindboggling. The host is Dennis “Mr. Belding” Haskins of “Saved By The Bell” infamy. Plus, it turns out that this show marks the 5th anniversary of the opening of Gallery 1988. The only non-awesome part is that, once again I am here in Tokyo while my artwork goes to more parties than me.

That’s a preview of one of the pieces off to the right. 10 points Extra Credit goes to anyone who can name the “show” that inspired it. Come on, y’know you want that extra credit.

The details:

Name: IDIOT BOX

opening reception: Thursday April 2, 2009 7-11pm

dates: April 2 – 23, 2009

place: Gallery 1988 Los Angeles
7020 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038

website: right here.

Echizen-Washi at Dai Nippon Insatsu

March 22, 2009 in Japan, News | 2 comments

Evening Aisatsu cut paper art by Patrick Gannon
It should come as no surprise to anyone that I really dig paper. All kinds of paper. It’s fascinating to me; the feel, the color, the texture, even the smells of it. What may be surprising though, is that until now I haven’t gone out to see the paper being made or to meet the people who make it.

Back on February 26, I took a small first step to make up for being so lax. My wife’s boss’s husband works for Dai Nippon Insatsu (DNP), one of the biggest commercial printers in Japan. Now, just by itself DNP is an impressive visit for a paper fanatic. On this particular day however, DNP was hosting an exhibition of Echizen-Washi, one of Japan’s oldest and most beautiful “brands” of hand-made paper. My wife and I were very kindly invited to attend.

Echizen-washi is more of a culture than a “brand”. From as far back as about 1500 years ago, the craftsmen and women of Imadate-cho in Fukui prefecture have been transforming plants such as kozo (楮 paper mulberry), mitsumata (三椏), and gampi (雁皮) into some of the most exquisite and beautiful papers you’ve ever seen. Some of my favorite papers are created by layering two pieces of paper with a special glue; the bottom layer is opaque and provides the color, the top is translucent white and often patterned. Together, they create a delicate, shimmering and utterly beautiful paper which I have used in numerous projects.

Evening Aisatsu cut paper art by Patrick Gannon

Read the rest of this entry »

Flailing Purple Tentacles of Beastie Destruction!

March 18, 2009 in Art - Recent Work, Exhibitions & Events, Japan, ` | 6 comments

Flailing Purple Tentacles of Beastie Destruction cut paper art by Patrick Gannon
cut paper on wood
10 x 15 cm (about 4 x 6″)

Ancient legends tell of a gargantuan, trident-wielding, octopus-headed beast that will rise from the deep, tentacles flailing, to bring a new age of chaos, darkness and destruction to the world of man.

No, I’m not referring to everyone’s favorite Great Old One, Cthulu, who also waits in that long line of slimy, world-munching monsters. I’m not even talking about Emperor Guillotine from Japan’s “Giant Robo” (ジャイアントロボ ), known in the US as Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot, although the alien with a cephalopod for a head almost certainly was the influence for this guy.

No, instead I refer to the Beastie Boys’ unnamed adversary in their “Intergalactic” video. With his bulbous purple noggin’, stylish sackcloth robe, and starfish bling, this tentacled menace set his bugged-out eyes on metropolitan Tokyo. All I can say is, thank goodness for Giant Boxy Robots.

For extra credit: Can you name more evil, octopus-headed Big Bads? Squid critters also count. Read the rest of this entry »

Evening Aisatsu

(sold)

March 8, 2009 in Art - Recent Work, Japan, W.I.P.s | 11 comments

Evening Aisatsu cut paper art by Patrick Gannon
cut and torn paper on wood
42 x 29.7 cm ( about 16 1/2 x 11 3/4″ )
To see the big woods, click here!

Meeting someone for the first time is an intricate dance, fraught with peril.

Okay, maybe not fraught exactly. And perhaps peril * is too strong a word. But none can argue that there are metaphorical landmines in need of stepping over and symbolic crocodiles best avoided. In other words, it can be a tricky, awkward, and somewhat uncomfortable situation at times. Especially for those of us not blessed with the smooth socialization gene.

Japan throws it’s own twist into the first meeting. The language you use and the depth of your bow is dictated by your relationship to the 相手　(aite = the other party). Your relationship is, in turn, defined by your respective ages, jobs, friends, social standing, gender, what you want from each other, and how much hair you still have. Luckily, it’s often possible to fumble through with an embarrassed grin and some kind words. Alcohol helps too. Also, always make sure you bow one more time than the other guy. This can take awhile. Read the rest of this entry »

Gallery Show – HEARTokyo @ Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Building

March 2, 2009 in Exhibitions & Events, Japan, News | Add your comment

HEARTokyo @ Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Bldg., opens March 4, 2009

｢あいさつ」is a pretty big deal in Japan. The word translates as “greeting”, and it is. But it’s also so much more. Compared to English, Japan’s greetings are much more highly ritualized, often using standard queries and responses. The level of politeness of the language the speakers use indicates their respective social and age levels, and their relationship to each other.

The ｢あいさつ」is meant to soften the barriers between people. The standardized call and response provides a level of comfort, a gentle overture accompanied by a business card, leaving enough space for a polite retreat or a tentative step forward. In a city like Tokyo, where people literally live on top of each other, that safe and controllable social distance may be the only personal space available. ‘Cuz there sure isn’t any on the rush hour trains.

｢あいさつ」also happens to be the theme for this year’s HEARTokyo art exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Bldg. 1st Floor (Citizens’ Gallery). 28 artists, including my lucky self, will be celebrating the various greetings in art.

There’s also a children’s collaboration section, which I’m looking forward to. Kid’s art is great. I believe there will also be a workshop planned as well as a live painting relay (which I will probably chicken out of, ‘cuz I haven’t painted since I picked up my first x-acto!). The show promises to be an amazing and beautiful gift for the eyes and the soul.

The details:

Name: HEARTokyo

Place: Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Bldg. 1st Floor (Citizens’ Gallery)
Shinjuku, Tokyo
東京都新宿区2-8-1 都議会議事堂1F

Dates: March 4, 2009（水 Wed.）〜10日（火 Tues.）
Time: 10:00 – 18:00
Opening day starts from 11:00, Closing day ends at 15:00

Here’s a link to the English website

日本語　ホームページ.

I will be there on Friday afternoon 3/6 from 1:30pm until closing, and Sunday afternoon as well. If you know when you plan on visiting, email me and I’ll make sure I’ll be there waiting for you. Stop by and check out some great art!