I began creating art when I was 3 years old and that is one of the main reasons that I continue to make artwork today. I liked the way the creative act made me feel; I could forget about myself and simply be there; here, free to work, explore and follow the process to wherever it led me: into the realm of discovery, wonder and the unknown. My later philosophical studies of approaches to artmaking through Zen and ancient Chinese texts: “The Mustard Seed Book of Painting,” re-introduced and affirmed that special timeless feeling that one can attain in the creative process. I love painting, cutting steel, sculpting with clay and working with various mediums and have been exhibiting my artwork in galleries for over 30 years. I consider myself to be one of the great living painters on the planet today; NO _*_*_*_!!!… and I laugh at myself too: as much as possible!!!. You can see some of my paintings, sculpture and photo documentation of some of my performances on this website: http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/46697-steve-vanoni .
For the last 7 years I have focused primarily on creating Performance Art both locally and Internationally at Festivals, galleries, Museums, Artist Communities, venues and some street performance in New York City, London, Paris, Seoul, Barcelona, Berlin, Toulouse, San Francisco, Miami, Nowon, Ystad, Malmo, Helsinki, Tampere, Pori, Tallinn, Oakland, the Black Rock Desert, Brooklyn, Cologne, Basel, Sabadell, Brighton, Alytus, Marseilles, Parnu, Vaasa, Riga, San Lys, Sacramento, Davis, Stockton and a few other lesser-known cities. Through my collaborations with various Performance Artist Groups I have been fortunate to establish many important and invaluable working relationships with a great network of talented artists that spans the globe.
My local performance art group was known as the HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE. We began creating our unique brand of public performance art in the Spring of 2004... We performed within the context of Gallery spaces and non-traditional art spaces alike; such as Nevada’s Black Rock desert and some vigilante street actions, attempting to “take the art to the people”..... The HORSECOW BOMBERS was Formed by a small group of like-minded artists, tech heads and pranksters who enjoyed working together on projects. We incorporated a piece of technology known as a "Pulse Jet" as a key element into our actions. Our performances were literally explosive and could be rather conceptually challenging for the viewer...... We remained open to collaborate with artists from the art community and worked with visiting International Performance Artists. Our interactive performance artworks were based in audience participation and were fun to become involved in both as a participant and a spectator. Please see accompanying article: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=587534 .
Videos of pulse jet performances are available to view on links below as well as an assortment of links of performances from the last several years. I do not use the pulse jet in all of my performances.
performance VIDEO LINKS:
This is from my most recent solo performances at the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts “2nd International Performance Art Festival” in Davis, California, December 10th, 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqTQM3EiPEQ .
These are some scenes from one of my performances in Berlin during the Summer of 2010; unfortunately, some scenes from the performance are not available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOzl9eRvUMQ .
This is a video from a collaborative performance with NONGRATA in Berlin during the summer of 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvTLH1pmcTo .
This is from a collaborative performance with NONGRATA and OPEN SPACE in Barcelona during the summer of 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WftPJzZ2JPo .
This is from a performance at a young people’s art school in Lithuania during the summer of 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HucoaQD5esQ .
This is from a collaborative street performance featuring GOGO TRASH, GALLERY SOTODO, NONGRATA, OPEN SPACE, HORSECOW and KOPAS at the MYFEST in Berlin on May 1st, 2009: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIyAc7JxLAw .
This is from a collaborative performance with Performance Art Groups PROTOPLAY, NONGRATA and HORSECOW in London during the Spring of 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ts0szCAqts .
This is a HORSECOW performance entitled “MediACTion….. 2004,” which utilizes a pulse jet at the HORSECOW Gallery, Sacramento, CA. http://artists.horsecow.com/node/167 .
This is a very long HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE PERFORMANCE from 2007:
“CIRCUS SHOW” http://artists.horsecow.com/node/168 .
This is a pulse jet Performance: “SPAGHETTI SPLATTER 2004” at HORSECOW GALLERY
http://artists.horsecow.com/node/166 .
This is a collaborative Performance Art Piece HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE with NONGRATA in 2006 at the GALLERY SOTODO Performance Art Congress hosted by HORSECOW….. http://artists.horsecow.com/node/160 .
ART COMMUNITY
My/Our artworld depends on working together with the multitude of talented individuals, institutional connections, art groups and contacts in order to create new artworks (performance / studio / public art) and curate (create art exhibitions / cultural events) and continue to thrive where ever “we are” in this HERE &NOW. This is the way that I have worked for years in my own local artistic community. “Think globally, act locally…” Our art community extends from most communities and countries in the EU, parts of Asia and the US; from the underground to the institution, and consists of this rich mix of talented individuals, cultures and subcultures that come together to create some of the greatest ART / events that I have ever seen or participated in any place or time on this planet. Here are some links to the artists and arts communities that I am blessed to know and work with:
My great friends and collaborators NONGRATA from Estonia; I have performed with NONGRATA perhaps 100 times since 2006, in Europe, America and Korea. They are an Art Institution within their country who annually produces 3 major Art / Cultural Events: The International Performance Art Festival: DIVERSE UNIVERSE, The “Parnu International Film and Video Festival” and the “PRINTMAKING IN” International Printmaking Festival. They are a great and gifted group of performance artists who have toured and shared their creations with populations around the globe. I will continue to tour and work with NONGRATA globally and annually for as long as possible. Check out their Website, it is quite thorough and informative. http://www.nongrata.ee/.
PROTOPLAY is a wonderful group of performance artists residing in the UK. I have had the pleasure of performing with them in London at the Shunt Vaults in 2009 and at the DIVERSE UNIVERSE International Performance Art Festival 2009 in Estonia. I have collaborated
and toured extensively with Protoplay member Orion Maxted during the DU2009 European Tour. http://protoplay.net/.
SKANESKONST is a thriving art venue located in Malmo, Sweden. This “LIVE ART” Gallery has existed for some 80 years and I was honored to perform there as part of the DIVERSE UNIVERSE TOUR 2010. My great friend and collaborator Morgan Schagerberg is a gallery staff member there. http://www.skaneskonst.se/ .
Friend and experimental / electronic musician Johannes Bergmark works at FYLKINGEN; an established venue in Stockholm that I hope to perform at someday. Flykingen is a great venue specializing in experimental performance and sound art and a resource for an extensive catalogue of recordings of that genre for their community. http://www.fylkingen.se/ .
Friend and fellow Performance Artist Peter Rosvik works with the PLATFORM Organization which is responsible for bringing cutting edge International Performance Artists to the Museum of Modern Kuunst in Vaasa, Finland. I was honored to perform at PLATFORM in 2010 and hope to conduct a residency there sometime in the near future. http://platform.fi/2002/mope/default.htm .
My great artist friend Jean Michel Rubio started the TERRE BLANQUE artist community in San Lys, located 30 kilometers outside the city of Toulouse some 20 years ago. I have had the great pleasure to perform there in 2009 and 2010 and have been invited to do a residency there for the last few years… It is a wonderful and beautiful place; one of a kind. http://www.terreblanque.org/ .
The “Performance Art Union of Latvia” represents some of the EU’s finest performance artists. I have performed in Riga 3 times over the last 2 years; twice during the Diverse Universe Festival’s 2009 and 2010 European Tours and once for the “Survival Kit” Project in September of 2010. I was invited to teach performance art there for a theatre academy. I love Riga: “The Paris of the Baltics.” http://www.performance.lv/ .
GRACE EXHIBITION SPACE Performance art gallery is located in Brooklyn. I had the pleasure of performing there in March of 2010. It is owned and operated by my great friends and performance artists Jill Mcdermid and Erik Hokanson. http://www.grace-exhibition-space.com/performance.php?event_id=58 .
A Review of my Grace Space performance: http://www.nypress.com/article-21006-bash-compactor-live_-naked_-art_.html .
The “KOPAS” Organization is based in Seoul, South Korea. “KOrean Performance Art Spirit” Artists create amazing performance art works and represent hundreds of performance artists throughout Korea. KOPAS annually hosts a couple of important International Experimental Performance Art Festivals…. It is directed by my fellow performance artist and brother Kim Baek ki. I look forward to participating in the Korean Experimental Art Festival, KEAF 2011 in July for one week. http://kopas08.cafe24.com/keaf/2008/05_organ/01.html .
The Tehdas group of performance artists is based in Pori, Finland. I have had the great pleasure of spending a month there over the last couple of years performing in their PERFO9 and PERF10 Performance Art Festivals. I presented an American Outsider and Contemporary Southern Folk Art Exhibition at their great artspace: Gallery 3 H&K…. The Gallery has existed in Pori for over 20 years and provides a bevy of cultural activities for the artistic community that resides there. I consider this talented group of performers and artists to be some of my best friends and family. http://tehdasry.blogspot.com/ .
The Center for Contemporary Art Pispala, Hirvitalo, in Tampere, Finland is a great crew of Artists who for the past 6 years have operated a truly alternative artist community ….. Hirvitalo is a wonderful Gallery and community center for a very talented group of artists who produce monthly exhibitions, some great CD’s from the local music community and host an annual popular International Performance Art Fiesta…… http://www.hirvikatu10.net/wordpress.1/?page_id=8 .
I have had the pleasure of working with the Ornic’ art Group 3 times over the last 2 years in Paris, France…. They are a talented group of raw, direct and brutal street performers who open up the context of what performance art can be and is, to the pedestrians on the streets and sidewalks of the Paris metropolitan area. They are based in Marseilles and produce 2 International Performance Art Festivals annually. http://www.ornicart.org/ .
Open Space has been producing performance art events in Berlin for several years….
Micha Steger and Luz Scherwinski are great, talented artists and organizers who bring much to the performance art world and create a wild and lively art buzz in Berlin and everywhere they go. I have had the pleasure of touring and performing extensively throughout Europe with them in 2010 and hope to return to Open Space at the end of April this year to create an artcar for the COWS AND CULTURE Festival…… http://www.openspace32.de/ .
Gallery SOTODO has been in existence for over 25 years. I have known the creator Theo Diricco for some 30 years. Theo has produced International Performance Art Festival’s in Innsbruck, Paris, Montreal, Seoul, the US and Berlin and is based in Berlin…Theo currently hosts monthly performance art events at the K Salon in Berlin. http://sotodo.org/cms/ .
CONFLUENCES is an amazing Cultural facility located in Paris…. They have a wonderful staff that manages the gallery space and theatre…. I have been fortunate to perform there in 2009 and 2010. http://confluences.jimdo.com/
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE&
the HORSECOW Gallery
My Curatorial experience comes from my experience as a gallery director for 9 years; conceptualizing, developing, installing and promoting monthly art exhibitions and events at the Gallery Horse Cow. The Horsecow existed in Sacramento, California from the years 2001 until 2009 and is currently re-evolving into a community educational arts center for youth and adults and has some web presence.... www://horsecow.com/ . Horse cow began by presenting monthly Gallery Exhibitions of SELF TAUGHT, OUTSIDER ART, ART BRUT, CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FOLK ART, ART CARS and the D.I.Y. Community of artists at large, including the Burningman Community of artists. We presented art exhibitions to the community that never had been seen in the area before. Later we included more contemporary regional artists, LOW BROW and other young and under-represented community artists into the Exhibitions. Here is a link to a review published in a local magazine; The Sacramento News and Review: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=12076 .
I was responsible for curating approximately 100 art exhibitions at the HORSECOW during those 9 years as well as creating and producing large quarterly Cultural Events. As acting Gallery Director; some of the details of those events included choreographing the evening’s artistic line up and presentations, inviting artists to take part in theme-based gallery group art exhibition and encouraging the public to attend the events donned in costumes relating to the theme of the art exhibition. This allowed the attendees an opportunity to engage, participate and have an active creative role in the event. The Fashion show also related to the Theme of the evening and featured local up and coming young designer’s works presented in an experimental multi media/ video aesthetic that didn’t always rely on the traditional run way approach. Ideas and conceptual approaches and considerations of how to present the works in the most interesting way would be worked out with the designers beforehand. Live performance artists would be featured during the evening as well, interspersed with sets by live musical acts from the community and dj's performing throughout the night in various spaces in our large industrial warehouse spaces. These quarterly events were very popular in the community and were well attended by some 600 - 900 paying attendees. We “created culture” in, from and for our community whereas otherwise there would have been an empty “cultural void”…...this is not New York City.
One key element in creating successful events is to know who you can work with and delegate responsibilities to. Identifying key players and trusted individuals who have the talent and abilities in the variety of important details that need to be addressed in order to host a successful event is of paramount importance. Some people are good at promotion, others are knowledgeable at setting up lighting, video projectors and sound systems, installing artworks, building flats for sets, security and door people, photo and video documentation. There are many diverse details that must be addressed and a great team of players is necessary and invaluable.
I was fortunate to have an intelligent, talented, creative and very capable business partner; my great friend: Allen Denault; whom I collaborated with on the multitude of both physically and conceptually demanding projects from the very beginning of HORSECOW. Allen was also my main collaborator in helping to facilitate both creatively and technically in our HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE Performance Art Group that performed throughout Northern California beginning in 2004 creating explosive performance art events that utilized the “Pulse Jet.”
Horsecow consisted of a great group of “artists” who came together and helped to create some very wonderful and magical evenings…. It is also important to have connections with members of the local press in order to get the advanced publicity out to the community in order that the events will be successful, as well as receiving reviews when appropriate. PLEASE CHECK OUT THE VIDEO LINK BELOW TO GET A TASTE OF WHAT THE FASHION SHOW ELEMENT OF ONE OF THESE EVENINGS FROM 2004 WAS LIKE…. VIDEO OFCOURSE IS A LIMITED MEDIA AND CAN NEVER CAPTURE “THEE MOMENT…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ltmWrk2q6U&feature=related .
This next link is an accompanying review from the local news publication about this event:
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=33936 .
As previously stated these evenings were very well attended by the local arts/music/cultural
Community and assisted in raising funds that enabled us to pay some talent and events workers. This allowed us to raise needed monies for future projects and to invest and purchase needed supplies and equipment.
HORSECOW STUDIOS
One of the most important functions of Horsecow was to provide affordable studio spaces for artists in Industrial, off the beaten path locations for obvious reasons of: Cheaper Rent, Large Industrial Warehouse Spaces to work in, located away from residential neighborhoods. This enabled us to work without disturbing neighbors or being disturbed by them…. We were fortunate in our 9 year existance to have some very beautiful and amazing spaces for both the working artists and the public to experience. Here is a video that was produced by a visiting Italian rock band “JENNIFER GENTLE,” that captured a special time at the last location of the HORSECOW…… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWjba-hb240 … Please check out the video to get a sense of the beautiful place that we once had. Unfortunately the Horsecow was tragically lost in 2009 while I was touring Europe Performing with NONGRATA; see article: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=1050483 .
OLD & New times
I was one of the founders of an early, 1982 – 87, now legendary Sacramento Underground Art and music Community known as the Stucco Factory. The Stucco Factory contributed much to the Northern California Cultural Community by housing several art and music studios and the FIDO Art Gallery. The Stucco Factory was legendary for raucous events that I held in my Live / Work space. Here is a short video clip from a remake of a Bunuel film that I wrote and directed in 1985 featuring the legendary Sacramento punk rock band “TALES OF TERROR.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq5mhkMGQd0 .
In October, 2010 I organized an evening of performance art in Tallinn, Estonia at EAST CREATIVE SPACE featuring my friends and fellow performance artists: ROI Vaara and Philip Pedersen from Finland, Arianne Foks from Paris, France, Ville Karel, Meeland Sepp, Tuutu and Musicians IG NOIR of Estonia, CWO1 of "Cleaning Women" fame. Please check out “CLEANING WOMEN” video. They are some of my favorite musical performers in the world, great friends and they reside in Helsinki: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCdMJtEjpDg . The evening also included a wonderful set by DJ JOJO200, who annually spins at the “Midnight Sun Film Festival,” in Lapland, JOJO is also from Helsinki. I MC’d the evening’s festivities and participated in both musical and performance artworks.
CONTEMPORARY FOLK & OUTSIDER ART
I am an expert in the field of Contemporary Southern Folk Art, Outsider Art and Art Brut and was the first to present exhibitions of American Contemporary Southern Folk and Outsider Art in both Finland and Estonia, bringing some fine examples from my personal art collection to the Gallery 3 H + K in Pori, Finland in 2009: "AMERICAN OUTSIDER ART," and presenting another selection of works: "AMERICAN OUTSIDER AND SOUTHERN FOLK ART," at the Center of Contemporary Art Pispala, Hirvitalo,Finland in 2010. As part of that exhibition I met and lectured with my friend and colleague Erkki Pirtola: This is a webpage about Erkki and his artistic history in Finland: http://www.liveaction.se/ARCHIVES/LIVE-ACTION-08/ARTISTS/Erkki-Pirtola.html .
I will return to Europe in 2011 in hopes of working with Erkki on several important art projects in Finland. Erkki is one of the foremost experts on Finnish ‘ITA’ art: Contemporary Folk Art in Finland and is a wealth of information about the Finnish art scene in general. I would love to promote ITE art and help to establish a Museum of Contemporary Folk Art in Finland so that these beautiful and valuable Cultural Masterpieces might be saved and enjoyed by people today, as well as the future generations to come.….. Please See the VOIMA 8, 2010 article that Erkki wrote about me: http://fifi.voima.fi/voima-artikkeli/2010/numero-8/yes-yes-yes-right-on . Here is a video that Erkki produced about me, my exhibition and workshop that I conducted at the center for contemporary art in Pispala, Tampere, Finland during the month of July in 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y9ranl5SII .
Here is a link to an interview about me, the American Outsider Art exhibition that I presented and the artist workshop I conducted during the month of July, 2010 in Tampere, Finland by Finnish artist Kristiina Sario. http://www.tampereen-taiteilijaseura.fi/verkkolehti/vanoni.html .
In 2009 I presented the first Exhibition of Contemporary Southern Folk and American Outsider Art in Estonia at the Parnu Museum of New Art. In 2010 I presented the "Estonian and American Outsider Art" exhibition in Tallinn at the Patarei Cultural Park along with performance art by Estonian Performance Artist Ville Karel and live musical performances by Estonian Musicians IG NOIR, Katri Meh, and Ryan Left from Canada....DJ LEVY closed out the evening with some electronic music.
FUTURE EXHIBITIONS:contemporary folk, outsider,ite, naive
For me this is a rare and opportune moment as an artist/curator to reach out and collaborate/connect with various experts and curators from around Europe in creating multi-national art exhibitions that have never been seen or thought of. I would very much enjoy working with other experts from these culturally rich countries to help organize and create Exhibitions that brings together and features American Folk and Outsider Art, Finnish ITE Art, Estonian Outsider Art, Latvian Naïve Art and Russian Outsider Art that travels throughout the EU and Russia to interested Museums and Institutions over the next couple of years…. I believe that these would be important exhibitions and that this would be a great opportunity to experience, through this particular genre; (CONTEMPORARY FOLK, OUTSIDER, ITE, NAÏVE) the universal similarities and different sensibilities that are communicated by this amazing group of artists through their wonderful creations. The difference that is a direct result of the regional, social and individual psyches of these artists, because of the psychological, physical and political climates that they live in; their region’s history, the light, their individual and cultural struggles within it and themselves. Because of what materials are available to them, their sense of “time and place,” the conditions that simultaneously come together to create, form and shape their cultures and are reflected in their artworks. These Exhibitions could serve as an important aesthetic experience and educational opportunity for the public and art community alike to learn about this amazing group of talented artists; whose works are largely excluded from the textbooks and museums of the mainstream artworld and yet continue to make a profound and immeasurable impact on influencing modern and contemporary art as we know it today.
In 2004 I co-curated the Exhibition: "THE EYES HAVE IT; An Exhibition of California Visionaries;” along with noted California Outsider and Folk Art Gallerist Bonnie Grossman of the AMES Gallery, Berkeley, California and in cooperation with my mentor, the amazing global folk art environment expert Seymour Rosen of the SPACES Organization. Seymour was the foremost expert on Folk Art environments in the world and worked with me for years advising me in my attempt to save Duke Cahill’s amazing folk art environment…. This is a link to a website containing a story that I wrote about Duke Cahill’s folk art environment and was published in 1995 in the Sacramento News and Review. There are also some nice photos of Duke’s artworks. http://tomwhitney.net/dukecahill.html . This is a link to the S.P.A.C.E.S. Organization that Seymour Directed for some 20 years: http://www.spacesarchives.org/ . This Exhibition was held at the University Library Gallery, California State University, Sacramento.
In 2000 I was invited to become the curator of CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FOLK ART AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA OUTSIDER ART for an online gallery based out of New York City, NEOIMAGES.COM . NEOIMAGES was one of the first art galleries to have extensive web presence on the internet in America.
In 1995 I became Gallery Director and Curator for the Martin Ramirez Gallery; an art
gallery that featured monthly exhibitions of Northern California Outsider Art from various
Institutions based throughout Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 1993 I conceived and curated the "EXPRESSIVE VISIONS" Exhibition held in conjunction at the E.B. Crocker Art Museum and the Dean Moniz Gallery in Sacramento, California. This Exhibition featured artworks created by artists that I worked with at the Short Center’s North and South; an arts-based day program for adults with developmental disabilities.
ART EDUCATION
I have been an arts educator for the past 21 years working with students at the University and Community College level, Developmentally Disabled Adults, inmates at Folsom Prison, Adolescent Prisoners, High School Students, Elementary and preschool students. I’ve taught Drawing Classes at California State University, Sacramento, American River College and conducted Monday night drawing classes with inmates at Folsom Prison for 3 years. I have taught art history in a lecture class: “INTRO TO ART,” and feel confident about teaching Art History from the Impressionists through Contemporary Art. I ran and maintained a drawing and painting studio at a day program for adults with Developmental Disabilities at “The Short Center” in Sacramento, California for 18 years. In 1995 I received the Fellowship for “Visual Arts – Artist in Education Award” from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission for my efforts in teaching art in my community.
I was the lead artist on a very fun and rewarding project at the Center for Contemporary Art Pispala, Hirvitalo in Tampere, Finland in the summer of 2010. The “COM-POST-MODERN SCULPTURES FOR THE AVANT GARDENERS” workshop and Exhibition. I conducted a found object sculpture workshop with a group of 15 very talented and accomplished visual artists from the Tampere region. I am very excited to be returning to Finland in July of this year, 2011, to repeat the workshop with the same group of artists at the Voipaala Art Center in Saaksmaki, a town close to Tampere.
I was the lead artist in creating an artcar in Estonia, working with NONGRATA artists for the DIVERSE UNIVERSE 2008 International Performance Art Festival. In 2008 I conducted a “Artcar-making” workshop for families at the Children’s Artist Workshop in the Children’s Grand Park / Sejong University Subway Station in Seoul, South Korea. I was invited to create an artcar for the 2008 NEW WAVE NOWON International Performance Festival that also took place in Seoul. I collaborated with HORSECOW artists on creating a couple artcars in my hometown of Sacramento, California. I have been invited by OPEN SPACE to return to Berlin in the late Spring of 2011 to be lead artist in creating another artcar for the “HUNGER INTERNATIONALES PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL.”
I would like to teach Performance Art, as I have much knowledge of its History, concepts and practice and have an extensive video library of contemporary performance art from around the globe. I would like to teach a course in Painting as I feel it is one of the main mediums that I thrive, excel and am most knowledgeable about. I feel qualified to teach an art gallery operations based on my 11 years of experience in art gallery management. The course could include curatorial practice, Exhibition installation, promotion, etc…. I am also very knowledgeable in Ceramic Sculpture and would enjoy teaching course work in Ceramics as well.
MUSIc
I have been a musician for over 40 years playing saxophone, trumpet and flute. I have performed with a variety of musical groups over the past 15 - 20 years. Most recently I performed with the “Broken Finger Trio” in Tallinn in October of 2010. I also performed with Mike Farrell group in 2009 in Sacramento, California: (see video below) and was also involved playing saxophone in the great Estonian Rock Band in 2009 “Tatijana Krystall.” I have performed in Big Bands playing swing music and have performed in a number of Rock Bands, Experimental Groups and grew up playing much classical music within the American educational system. Here are some links to videos on from a few groups that I performed with through the years:
This is a video from a performance with The Mike Farrell Band in October of 2009 at the Blue Lamp Club in Sacramento:
http://www.videosurf.com/video/mike-farrell-at-blue-lamp-10-23-09-145970380 .
This is a video of a group that I performed with for 5 years in the late 80’s known as the EARWIGS. This is from an evening at the CATTLE CLUB:
http://www.videosurf.com/video/the-earwigs-monster-virgin-cattle-club-84545754 .
This is a video from a Big Band that I performed with in the mid 90’s known as
Dutch Falconi and his Swing’in Orchestra…… This is from a sold out evening at the Crest Theater in Sacramento. http://www.videosurf.com/video/pistol-packin%27-mama-9677629 .
This is from an Outdoor Concert in Cesar Chavez Park in Downtown Sacramento… This is a band that I performed with for 5 years know as SEX 66. This was in the late 90’s.
http://www.videosurf.com/video/sex66-concert-in-the-park-sacramento%27s-cesar-chavez-park-mike-farrell-return-140235900 .
SPOKEN WORD
I wrote poetry when I was in my early twenties and self published two chap books in
the early 80’s and have continued to read and perform those writings for over 25 years.
Most recently I read my work for the DIVERSE UNIVERSE 2009 and 2010 Festivals at
the Writer’s Hall in Tallinn, Estonia and also like to incorporate certain writings into my performance art pieces when appropriate.
Here is a link to my poetry from those times:
http://artists.horsecow.com/node/777 .
I opened up for Lydia Lunch and my great friend of some 30 years the infamous Los Angeles Punk Rock icon Exene Cervenka.
http://www.last.fm/music/Lydia%2BLunch%2B%2526%2BExene%2BCervenka .
I was also booked to open for legendary rocker Jim Carroll but he cancelled at the last minute and I became the headliner for the evening…. I had a great time…. and the audience was the best.
I formed an experimental performance spoken word group known as NEBULOUS STUCCO THING in the early 80's that combined performance art, Jazz, noise and several poets performing spoken word. There are not many videos available from these days…… Here is a short clip from around 1984 of NEBULOUS STUCCO THING………….
http://www.videosurf.com/video/nebulous-stucco-thing-146768467 .
For the last 7 years I have focused primarily on creating Performance Art both locally and Internationally at Festivals, galleries, Museums, Artist Communities, venues and some street performance in New York City, London, Paris, Seoul, Barcelona, Berlin, Toulouse, San Francisco, Miami, Nowon, Ystad, Malmo, Helsinki, Tampere, Pori, Tallinn, Oakland, the Black Rock Desert, Brooklyn, Cologne, Basel, Sabadell, Brighton, Alytus, Marseilles, Parnu, Vaasa, Riga, San Lys, Sacramento, Davis, Stockton and a few other lesser-known cities. Through my collaborations with various Performance Artist Groups I have been fortunate to establish many important and invaluable working relationships with a great network of talented artists that spans the globe.
My local performance art group was known as the HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE. We began creating our unique brand of public performance art in the Spring of 2004... We performed within the context of Gallery spaces and non-traditional art spaces alike; such as Nevada’s Black Rock desert and some vigilante street actions, attempting to “take the art to the people”..... The HORSECOW BOMBERS was Formed by a small group of like-minded artists, tech heads and pranksters who enjoyed working together on projects. We incorporated a piece of technology known as a "Pulse Jet" as a key element into our actions. Our performances were literally explosive and could be rather conceptually challenging for the viewer...... We remained open to collaborate with artists from the art community and worked with visiting International Performance Artists. Our interactive performance artworks were based in audience participation and were fun to become involved in both as a participant and a spectator. Please see accompanying article: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=587534 .
Videos of pulse jet performances are available to view on links below as well as an assortment of links of performances from the last several years. I do not use the pulse jet in all of my performances.
performance VIDEO LINKS:
This is from my most recent solo performances at the John Natsoulas Center for the Arts “2nd International Performance Art Festival” in Davis, California, December 10th, 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqTQM3EiPEQ .
These are some scenes from one of my performances in Berlin during the Summer of 2010; unfortunately, some scenes from the performance are not available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOzl9eRvUMQ .
This is a video from a collaborative performance with NONGRATA in Berlin during the summer of 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvTLH1pmcTo .
This is from a collaborative performance with NONGRATA and OPEN SPACE in Barcelona during the summer of 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WftPJzZ2JPo .
This is from a performance at a young people’s art school in Lithuania during the summer of 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HucoaQD5esQ .
This is from a collaborative street performance featuring GOGO TRASH, GALLERY SOTODO, NONGRATA, OPEN SPACE, HORSECOW and KOPAS at the MYFEST in Berlin on May 1st, 2009: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIyAc7JxLAw .
This is from a collaborative performance with Performance Art Groups PROTOPLAY, NONGRATA and HORSECOW in London during the Spring of 2009:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ts0szCAqts .
This is a HORSECOW performance entitled “MediACTion….. 2004,” which utilizes a pulse jet at the HORSECOW Gallery, Sacramento, CA. http://artists.horsecow.com/node/167 .
This is a very long HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE PERFORMANCE from 2007:
“CIRCUS SHOW” http://artists.horsecow.com/node/168 .
This is a pulse jet Performance: “SPAGHETTI SPLATTER 2004” at HORSECOW GALLERY
http://artists.horsecow.com/node/166 .
This is a collaborative Performance Art Piece HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE with NONGRATA in 2006 at the GALLERY SOTODO Performance Art Congress hosted by HORSECOW….. http://artists.horsecow.com/node/160 .
ART COMMUNITY
My/Our artworld depends on working together with the multitude of talented individuals, institutional connections, art groups and contacts in order to create new artworks (performance / studio / public art) and curate (create art exhibitions / cultural events) and continue to thrive where ever “we are” in this HERE &NOW. This is the way that I have worked for years in my own local artistic community. “Think globally, act locally…” Our art community extends from most communities and countries in the EU, parts of Asia and the US; from the underground to the institution, and consists of this rich mix of talented individuals, cultures and subcultures that come together to create some of the greatest ART / events that I have ever seen or participated in any place or time on this planet. Here are some links to the artists and arts communities that I am blessed to know and work with:
My great friends and collaborators NONGRATA from Estonia; I have performed with NONGRATA perhaps 100 times since 2006, in Europe, America and Korea. They are an Art Institution within their country who annually produces 3 major Art / Cultural Events: The International Performance Art Festival: DIVERSE UNIVERSE, The “Parnu International Film and Video Festival” and the “PRINTMAKING IN” International Printmaking Festival. They are a great and gifted group of performance artists who have toured and shared their creations with populations around the globe. I will continue to tour and work with NONGRATA globally and annually for as long as possible. Check out their Website, it is quite thorough and informative. http://www.nongrata.ee/.
PROTOPLAY is a wonderful group of performance artists residing in the UK. I have had the pleasure of performing with them in London at the Shunt Vaults in 2009 and at the DIVERSE UNIVERSE International Performance Art Festival 2009 in Estonia. I have collaborated
and toured extensively with Protoplay member Orion Maxted during the DU2009 European Tour. http://protoplay.net/.
SKANESKONST is a thriving art venue located in Malmo, Sweden. This “LIVE ART” Gallery has existed for some 80 years and I was honored to perform there as part of the DIVERSE UNIVERSE TOUR 2010. My great friend and collaborator Morgan Schagerberg is a gallery staff member there. http://www.skaneskonst.se/ .
Friend and experimental / electronic musician Johannes Bergmark works at FYLKINGEN; an established venue in Stockholm that I hope to perform at someday. Flykingen is a great venue specializing in experimental performance and sound art and a resource for an extensive catalogue of recordings of that genre for their community. http://www.fylkingen.se/ .
Friend and fellow Performance Artist Peter Rosvik works with the PLATFORM Organization which is responsible for bringing cutting edge International Performance Artists to the Museum of Modern Kuunst in Vaasa, Finland. I was honored to perform at PLATFORM in 2010 and hope to conduct a residency there sometime in the near future. http://platform.fi/2002/mope/default.htm .
My great artist friend Jean Michel Rubio started the TERRE BLANQUE artist community in San Lys, located 30 kilometers outside the city of Toulouse some 20 years ago. I have had the great pleasure to perform there in 2009 and 2010 and have been invited to do a residency there for the last few years… It is a wonderful and beautiful place; one of a kind. http://www.terreblanque.org/ .
The “Performance Art Union of Latvia” represents some of the EU’s finest performance artists. I have performed in Riga 3 times over the last 2 years; twice during the Diverse Universe Festival’s 2009 and 2010 European Tours and once for the “Survival Kit” Project in September of 2010. I was invited to teach performance art there for a theatre academy. I love Riga: “The Paris of the Baltics.” http://www.performance.lv/ .
GRACE EXHIBITION SPACE Performance art gallery is located in Brooklyn. I had the pleasure of performing there in March of 2010. It is owned and operated by my great friends and performance artists Jill Mcdermid and Erik Hokanson. http://www.grace-exhibition-space.com/performance.php?event_id=58 .
A Review of my Grace Space performance: http://www.nypress.com/article-21006-bash-compactor-live_-naked_-art_.html .
The “KOPAS” Organization is based in Seoul, South Korea. “KOrean Performance Art Spirit” Artists create amazing performance art works and represent hundreds of performance artists throughout Korea. KOPAS annually hosts a couple of important International Experimental Performance Art Festivals…. It is directed by my fellow performance artist and brother Kim Baek ki. I look forward to participating in the Korean Experimental Art Festival, KEAF 2011 in July for one week. http://kopas08.cafe24.com/keaf/2008/05_organ/01.html .
The Tehdas group of performance artists is based in Pori, Finland. I have had the great pleasure of spending a month there over the last couple of years performing in their PERFO9 and PERF10 Performance Art Festivals. I presented an American Outsider and Contemporary Southern Folk Art Exhibition at their great artspace: Gallery 3 H&K…. The Gallery has existed in Pori for over 20 years and provides a bevy of cultural activities for the artistic community that resides there. I consider this talented group of performers and artists to be some of my best friends and family. http://tehdasry.blogspot.com/ .
The Center for Contemporary Art Pispala, Hirvitalo, in Tampere, Finland is a great crew of Artists who for the past 6 years have operated a truly alternative artist community ….. Hirvitalo is a wonderful Gallery and community center for a very talented group of artists who produce monthly exhibitions, some great CD’s from the local music community and host an annual popular International Performance Art Fiesta…… http://www.hirvikatu10.net/wordpress.1/?page_id=8 .
I have had the pleasure of working with the Ornic’ art Group 3 times over the last 2 years in Paris, France…. They are a talented group of raw, direct and brutal street performers who open up the context of what performance art can be and is, to the pedestrians on the streets and sidewalks of the Paris metropolitan area. They are based in Marseilles and produce 2 International Performance Art Festivals annually. http://www.ornicart.org/ .
Open Space has been producing performance art events in Berlin for several years….
Micha Steger and Luz Scherwinski are great, talented artists and organizers who bring much to the performance art world and create a wild and lively art buzz in Berlin and everywhere they go. I have had the pleasure of touring and performing extensively throughout Europe with them in 2010 and hope to return to Open Space at the end of April this year to create an artcar for the COWS AND CULTURE Festival…… http://www.openspace32.de/ .
Gallery SOTODO has been in existence for over 25 years. I have known the creator Theo Diricco for some 30 years. Theo has produced International Performance Art Festival’s in Innsbruck, Paris, Montreal, Seoul, the US and Berlin and is based in Berlin…Theo currently hosts monthly performance art events at the K Salon in Berlin. http://sotodo.org/cms/ .
CONFLUENCES is an amazing Cultural facility located in Paris…. They have a wonderful staff that manages the gallery space and theatre…. I have been fortunate to perform there in 2009 and 2010. http://confluences.jimdo.com/
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE&
the HORSECOW Gallery
My Curatorial experience comes from my experience as a gallery director for 9 years; conceptualizing, developing, installing and promoting monthly art exhibitions and events at the Gallery Horse Cow. The Horsecow existed in Sacramento, California from the years 2001 until 2009 and is currently re-evolving into a community educational arts center for youth and adults and has some web presence.... www://horsecow.com/ . Horse cow began by presenting monthly Gallery Exhibitions of SELF TAUGHT, OUTSIDER ART, ART BRUT, CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FOLK ART, ART CARS and the D.I.Y. Community of artists at large, including the Burningman Community of artists. We presented art exhibitions to the community that never had been seen in the area before. Later we included more contemporary regional artists, LOW BROW and other young and under-represented community artists into the Exhibitions. Here is a link to a review published in a local magazine; The Sacramento News and Review: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=12076 .
I was responsible for curating approximately 100 art exhibitions at the HORSECOW during those 9 years as well as creating and producing large quarterly Cultural Events. As acting Gallery Director; some of the details of those events included choreographing the evening’s artistic line up and presentations, inviting artists to take part in theme-based gallery group art exhibition and encouraging the public to attend the events donned in costumes relating to the theme of the art exhibition. This allowed the attendees an opportunity to engage, participate and have an active creative role in the event. The Fashion show also related to the Theme of the evening and featured local up and coming young designer’s works presented in an experimental multi media/ video aesthetic that didn’t always rely on the traditional run way approach. Ideas and conceptual approaches and considerations of how to present the works in the most interesting way would be worked out with the designers beforehand. Live performance artists would be featured during the evening as well, interspersed with sets by live musical acts from the community and dj's performing throughout the night in various spaces in our large industrial warehouse spaces. These quarterly events were very popular in the community and were well attended by some 600 - 900 paying attendees. We “created culture” in, from and for our community whereas otherwise there would have been an empty “cultural void”…...this is not New York City.
One key element in creating successful events is to know who you can work with and delegate responsibilities to. Identifying key players and trusted individuals who have the talent and abilities in the variety of important details that need to be addressed in order to host a successful event is of paramount importance. Some people are good at promotion, others are knowledgeable at setting up lighting, video projectors and sound systems, installing artworks, building flats for sets, security and door people, photo and video documentation. There are many diverse details that must be addressed and a great team of players is necessary and invaluable.
I was fortunate to have an intelligent, talented, creative and very capable business partner; my great friend: Allen Denault; whom I collaborated with on the multitude of both physically and conceptually demanding projects from the very beginning of HORSECOW. Allen was also my main collaborator in helping to facilitate both creatively and technically in our HORSECOW BOMB BRIGADE Performance Art Group that performed throughout Northern California beginning in 2004 creating explosive performance art events that utilized the “Pulse Jet.”
Horsecow consisted of a great group of “artists” who came together and helped to create some very wonderful and magical evenings…. It is also important to have connections with members of the local press in order to get the advanced publicity out to the community in order that the events will be successful, as well as receiving reviews when appropriate. PLEASE CHECK OUT THE VIDEO LINK BELOW TO GET A TASTE OF WHAT THE FASHION SHOW ELEMENT OF ONE OF THESE EVENINGS FROM 2004 WAS LIKE…. VIDEO OFCOURSE IS A LIMITED MEDIA AND CAN NEVER CAPTURE “THEE MOMENT…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ltmWrk2q6U&feature=related .
This next link is an accompanying review from the local news publication about this event:
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=33936 .
As previously stated these evenings were very well attended by the local arts/music/cultural
Community and assisted in raising funds that enabled us to pay some talent and events workers. This allowed us to raise needed monies for future projects and to invest and purchase needed supplies and equipment.
HORSECOW STUDIOS
One of the most important functions of Horsecow was to provide affordable studio spaces for artists in Industrial, off the beaten path locations for obvious reasons of: Cheaper Rent, Large Industrial Warehouse Spaces to work in, located away from residential neighborhoods. This enabled us to work without disturbing neighbors or being disturbed by them…. We were fortunate in our 9 year existance to have some very beautiful and amazing spaces for both the working artists and the public to experience. Here is a video that was produced by a visiting Italian rock band “JENNIFER GENTLE,” that captured a special time at the last location of the HORSECOW…… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWjba-hb240 … Please check out the video to get a sense of the beautiful place that we once had. Unfortunately the Horsecow was tragically lost in 2009 while I was touring Europe Performing with NONGRATA; see article: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=1050483 .
OLD & New times
I was one of the founders of an early, 1982 – 87, now legendary Sacramento Underground Art and music Community known as the Stucco Factory. The Stucco Factory contributed much to the Northern California Cultural Community by housing several art and music studios and the FIDO Art Gallery. The Stucco Factory was legendary for raucous events that I held in my Live / Work space. Here is a short video clip from a remake of a Bunuel film that I wrote and directed in 1985 featuring the legendary Sacramento punk rock band “TALES OF TERROR.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq5mhkMGQd0 .
In October, 2010 I organized an evening of performance art in Tallinn, Estonia at EAST CREATIVE SPACE featuring my friends and fellow performance artists: ROI Vaara and Philip Pedersen from Finland, Arianne Foks from Paris, France, Ville Karel, Meeland Sepp, Tuutu and Musicians IG NOIR of Estonia, CWO1 of "Cleaning Women" fame. Please check out “CLEANING WOMEN” video. They are some of my favorite musical performers in the world, great friends and they reside in Helsinki: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCdMJtEjpDg . The evening also included a wonderful set by DJ JOJO200, who annually spins at the “Midnight Sun Film Festival,” in Lapland, JOJO is also from Helsinki. I MC’d the evening’s festivities and participated in both musical and performance artworks.
CONTEMPORARY FOLK & OUTSIDER ART
I am an expert in the field of Contemporary Southern Folk Art, Outsider Art and Art Brut and was the first to present exhibitions of American Contemporary Southern Folk and Outsider Art in both Finland and Estonia, bringing some fine examples from my personal art collection to the Gallery 3 H + K in Pori, Finland in 2009: "AMERICAN OUTSIDER ART," and presenting another selection of works: "AMERICAN OUTSIDER AND SOUTHERN FOLK ART," at the Center of Contemporary Art Pispala, Hirvitalo,Finland in 2010. As part of that exhibition I met and lectured with my friend and colleague Erkki Pirtola: This is a webpage about Erkki and his artistic history in Finland: http://www.liveaction.se/ARCHIVES/LIVE-ACTION-08/ARTISTS/Erkki-Pirtola.html .
I will return to Europe in 2011 in hopes of working with Erkki on several important art projects in Finland. Erkki is one of the foremost experts on Finnish ‘ITA’ art: Contemporary Folk Art in Finland and is a wealth of information about the Finnish art scene in general. I would love to promote ITE art and help to establish a Museum of Contemporary Folk Art in Finland so that these beautiful and valuable Cultural Masterpieces might be saved and enjoyed by people today, as well as the future generations to come.….. Please See the VOIMA 8, 2010 article that Erkki wrote about me: http://fifi.voima.fi/voima-artikkeli/2010/numero-8/yes-yes-yes-right-on . Here is a video that Erkki produced about me, my exhibition and workshop that I conducted at the center for contemporary art in Pispala, Tampere, Finland during the month of July in 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y9ranl5SII .
Here is a link to an interview about me, the American Outsider Art exhibition that I presented and the artist workshop I conducted during the month of July, 2010 in Tampere, Finland by Finnish artist Kristiina Sario. http://www.tampereen-taiteilijaseura.fi/verkkolehti/vanoni.html .
In 2009 I presented the first Exhibition of Contemporary Southern Folk and American Outsider Art in Estonia at the Parnu Museum of New Art. In 2010 I presented the "Estonian and American Outsider Art" exhibition in Tallinn at the Patarei Cultural Park along with performance art by Estonian Performance Artist Ville Karel and live musical performances by Estonian Musicians IG NOIR, Katri Meh, and Ryan Left from Canada....DJ LEVY closed out the evening with some electronic music.
FUTURE EXHIBITIONS:contemporary folk, outsider,ite, naive
For me this is a rare and opportune moment as an artist/curator to reach out and collaborate/connect with various experts and curators from around Europe in creating multi-national art exhibitions that have never been seen or thought of. I would very much enjoy working with other experts from these culturally rich countries to help organize and create Exhibitions that brings together and features American Folk and Outsider Art, Finnish ITE Art, Estonian Outsider Art, Latvian Naïve Art and Russian Outsider Art that travels throughout the EU and Russia to interested Museums and Institutions over the next couple of years…. I believe that these would be important exhibitions and that this would be a great opportunity to experience, through this particular genre; (CONTEMPORARY FOLK, OUTSIDER, ITE, NAÏVE) the universal similarities and different sensibilities that are communicated by this amazing group of artists through their wonderful creations. The difference that is a direct result of the regional, social and individual psyches of these artists, because of the psychological, physical and political climates that they live in; their region’s history, the light, their individual and cultural struggles within it and themselves. Because of what materials are available to them, their sense of “time and place,” the conditions that simultaneously come together to create, form and shape their cultures and are reflected in their artworks. These Exhibitions could serve as an important aesthetic experience and educational opportunity for the public and art community alike to learn about this amazing group of talented artists; whose works are largely excluded from the textbooks and museums of the mainstream artworld and yet continue to make a profound and immeasurable impact on influencing modern and contemporary art as we know it today.
In 2004 I co-curated the Exhibition: "THE EYES HAVE IT; An Exhibition of California Visionaries;” along with noted California Outsider and Folk Art Gallerist Bonnie Grossman of the AMES Gallery, Berkeley, California and in cooperation with my mentor, the amazing global folk art environment expert Seymour Rosen of the SPACES Organization. Seymour was the foremost expert on Folk Art environments in the world and worked with me for years advising me in my attempt to save Duke Cahill’s amazing folk art environment…. This is a link to a website containing a story that I wrote about Duke Cahill’s folk art environment and was published in 1995 in the Sacramento News and Review. There are also some nice photos of Duke’s artworks. http://tomwhitney.net/dukecahill.html . This is a link to the S.P.A.C.E.S. Organization that Seymour Directed for some 20 years: http://www.spacesarchives.org/ . This Exhibition was held at the University Library Gallery, California State University, Sacramento.
In 2000 I was invited to become the curator of CONTEMPORARY SOUTHERN FOLK ART AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA OUTSIDER ART for an online gallery based out of New York City, NEOIMAGES.COM . NEOIMAGES was one of the first art galleries to have extensive web presence on the internet in America.
In 1995 I became Gallery Director and Curator for the Martin Ramirez Gallery; an art
gallery that featured monthly exhibitions of Northern California Outsider Art from various
Institutions based throughout Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 1993 I conceived and curated the "EXPRESSIVE VISIONS" Exhibition held in conjunction at the E.B. Crocker Art Museum and the Dean Moniz Gallery in Sacramento, California. This Exhibition featured artworks created by artists that I worked with at the Short Center’s North and South; an arts-based day program for adults with developmental disabilities.
ART EDUCATION
I have been an arts educator for the past 21 years working with students at the University and Community College level, Developmentally Disabled Adults, inmates at Folsom Prison, Adolescent Prisoners, High School Students, Elementary and preschool students. I’ve taught Drawing Classes at California State University, Sacramento, American River College and conducted Monday night drawing classes with inmates at Folsom Prison for 3 years. I have taught art history in a lecture class: “INTRO TO ART,” and feel confident about teaching Art History from the Impressionists through Contemporary Art. I ran and maintained a drawing and painting studio at a day program for adults with Developmental Disabilities at “The Short Center” in Sacramento, California for 18 years. In 1995 I received the Fellowship for “Visual Arts – Artist in Education Award” from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission for my efforts in teaching art in my community.
I was the lead artist on a very fun and rewarding project at the Center for Contemporary Art Pispala, Hirvitalo in Tampere, Finland in the summer of 2010. The “COM-POST-MODERN SCULPTURES FOR THE AVANT GARDENERS” workshop and Exhibition. I conducted a found object sculpture workshop with a group of 15 very talented and accomplished visual artists from the Tampere region. I am very excited to be returning to Finland in July of this year, 2011, to repeat the workshop with the same group of artists at the Voipaala Art Center in Saaksmaki, a town close to Tampere.
I was the lead artist in creating an artcar in Estonia, working with NONGRATA artists for the DIVERSE UNIVERSE 2008 International Performance Art Festival. In 2008 I conducted a “Artcar-making” workshop for families at the Children’s Artist Workshop in the Children’s Grand Park / Sejong University Subway Station in Seoul, South Korea. I was invited to create an artcar for the 2008 NEW WAVE NOWON International Performance Festival that also took place in Seoul. I collaborated with HORSECOW artists on creating a couple artcars in my hometown of Sacramento, California. I have been invited by OPEN SPACE to return to Berlin in the late Spring of 2011 to be lead artist in creating another artcar for the “HUNGER INTERNATIONALES PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL.”
I would like to teach Performance Art, as I have much knowledge of its History, concepts and practice and have an extensive video library of contemporary performance art from around the globe. I would like to teach a course in Painting as I feel it is one of the main mediums that I thrive, excel and am most knowledgeable about. I feel qualified to teach an art gallery operations based on my 11 years of experience in art gallery management. The course could include curatorial practice, Exhibition installation, promotion, etc…. I am also very knowledgeable in Ceramic Sculpture and would enjoy teaching course work in Ceramics as well.
MUSIc
I have been a musician for over 40 years playing saxophone, trumpet and flute. I have performed with a variety of musical groups over the past 15 - 20 years. Most recently I performed with the “Broken Finger Trio” in Tallinn in October of 2010. I also performed with Mike Farrell group in 2009 in Sacramento, California: (see video below) and was also involved playing saxophone in the great Estonian Rock Band in 2009 “Tatijana Krystall.” I have performed in Big Bands playing swing music and have performed in a number of Rock Bands, Experimental Groups and grew up playing much classical music within the American educational system. Here are some links to videos on from a few groups that I performed with through the years:
This is a video from a performance with The Mike Farrell Band in October of 2009 at the Blue Lamp Club in Sacramento:
http://www.videosurf.com/video/mike-farrell-at-blue-lamp-10-23-09-145970380 .
This is a video of a group that I performed with for 5 years in the late 80’s known as the EARWIGS. This is from an evening at the CATTLE CLUB:
http://www.videosurf.com/video/the-earwigs-monster-virgin-cattle-club-84545754 .
This is a video from a Big Band that I performed with in the mid 90’s known as
Dutch Falconi and his Swing’in Orchestra…… This is from a sold out evening at the Crest Theater in Sacramento. http://www.videosurf.com/video/pistol-packin%27-mama-9677629 .
This is from an Outdoor Concert in Cesar Chavez Park in Downtown Sacramento… This is a band that I performed with for 5 years know as SEX 66. This was in the late 90’s.
http://www.videosurf.com/video/sex66-concert-in-the-park-sacramento%27s-cesar-chavez-park-mike-farrell-return-140235900 .
SPOKEN WORD
I wrote poetry when I was in my early twenties and self published two chap books in
the early 80’s and have continued to read and perform those writings for over 25 years.
Most recently I read my work for the DIVERSE UNIVERSE 2009 and 2010 Festivals at
the Writer’s Hall in Tallinn, Estonia and also like to incorporate certain writings into my performance art pieces when appropriate.
Here is a link to my poetry from those times:
http://artists.horsecow.com/node/777 .
I opened up for Lydia Lunch and my great friend of some 30 years the infamous Los Angeles Punk Rock icon Exene Cervenka.
http://www.last.fm/music/Lydia%2BLunch%2B%2526%2BExene%2BCervenka .
I was also booked to open for legendary rocker Jim Carroll but he cancelled at the last minute and I became the headliner for the evening…. I had a great time…. and the audience was the best.
I formed an experimental performance spoken word group known as NEBULOUS STUCCO THING in the early 80's that combined performance art, Jazz, noise and several poets performing spoken word. There are not many videos available from these days…… Here is a short clip from around 1984 of NEBULOUS STUCCO THING………….
http://www.videosurf.com/video/nebulous-stucco-thing-146768467 .
