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November 07, 2003

Comix Chicago: The Aftermath.

Here's something I've been meaning to put online for a while. Since August, really.

Clicky-clicky for a massive, legible image.

A couple of months ago, Dirk, Matt and myself dropped in on "Comix Chicago," a gallery showing of comic art at the Hyde Park Art Center. The cartoonists in the show each used Chicago as a backdrop for their stories; There was original work by Ivan Brunetti, Jessica Abel, Dan Clowes, and, of course, Chris Ware up to see. Hopeless fangirl-at-heart that I am, I made a beeline for Ware's stuff.

The first thing I noticed, with a shiver of perverse glee, is the fact that Chris actually used white-out. As in, he actually fucked up from time to time. Chris Ware. He's been a subject of psychotic, jealous loathing among local cartoonists for God knows how long, due in part to the persistent rumor that he NEVER uses white-out, because he never needs it. (I know that sounds silly, but it's an artist thing. Hard to explain.) Seeing those tiny white dots of correction fluid on the original pages makes the guy less superhuman, but easier to worship, believe me.

The show was accompanied by a small panel, which was slightly surreal; One of the featured speakers, obviously less than well-versed in comics in general, compared Ware's stuff to Venom comics. A guy in the audience hijacked the discussion for about seven minutes straight to plug his own comic, a tragically incompetent DIY deal he passed around with a little too much enthusiasm. And a recent art school grad that had somehow managed to convince someone to give him space for an installation in a comic book show walked us through how we were supposed to interpret photographs pasted to the wall with false frames drawn around them in Sharpie marker lines. Deep.

Still, it was nice seeing the work of people I truly admire up close. Ware's originals are massive. Clowes' aren't. And Ivan has an exact replica of himself in doll form. Very educational.

Posted by Spike at November 7, 2003 10:40 AM

Comments

I want a print of that piece so I can tattoo it across my broken (from years hunched over a drawing table) back.

Posted by Lisa Jonte at November 7, 2003 11:55 AM
64.85.227.122

Mal and I felt the same way about the whiteout. It was a huge comfort.

As for the installation guy, guess where he graduated from last spring... Yep. He got on my nerves from the day of orientation, when my tourguide, a friend of his, took us through his studio. She made the usual comments: "He, like, paints these cartoon dogs, but that can be art, too!" He obviously talks a good talk, because he managed to get a solo show in one of the student galleries. It featured paintings of dogs, hung at dog's eye level.

Maybe I'm just jealous, but how can so many people appear to like that shit? HOW? Aasadfgjhasdjkgev.

Posted by Hope at November 7, 2003 12:06 PM
67.167.232.157

[bitterness on]

An SAIC graduate that can't draw worth a shit??? GET OUTTA TOWN!

[bitterness off]

I remember making an calculated effort to not even look in the installation's direction. Jesus Christ, what the hell was that guy doing in the show at all? I'd love to know how deeply he went into debt to learn how to paste photographs onto a wall. But then, I guess it's just WAY OVER MY HEAD.

And Lisa: Matt n' me were just talking about how we ought to harass Chris into making this comic into a poster. I'd buy ten.

Posted by spike at November 7, 2003 12:19 PM
68.20.24.183

I would also love to have a poster of that Chris Ware piece. It's gorgeous, and delightfully sadistic at the same time. But we know we're all doomed to it, one way or another, for a period of time.

Don't get me started on art school bitterness. Though looking back on what I've learnt while not in the FineArts program at my school, and what I would of learned if I did get into it based off what I've seen of students in it, I haven't missed out on much. Still, ACK.

Though I do plan on using what I've learnt with my Art History minor to further my art career. Now I can do anything so long as I back it up with the proper pseudointellectualism [or actual recognized theory where applicable:)]

Hope, Spike, Lisa the answer to becoming a successful artist in any field is simple based on what I've learnt in Art History-
Boobies.

If you just have talent, you might attain some success, but chances are you won't be recognized for anything till you're dead.

Posted by Andre again at November 7, 2003 05:04 PM
138.73.70.162

Or really old...

I remember the last time I brought in a portfolio [admittedly illprepared, but not that bad]. Someonelse had one which was just a series of paintings of differently posed bathroom girls [ie- round heads] in varying shades of green and purple. It was creepy. If they got in, I guess my school's department was damned anyways.

After that experience, I suppose I'll just keep at drawing Bunnies, esoteric nature/supposed skill/"talent" be damned.

Posted by Andre at November 7, 2003 05:08 PM
138.73.70.162

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