Welcome to Miseryland

New website/blog!

2010-05-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

I have a new website/blog, which can be found at aliaschman.com. All new work will be posted there, and no longer at this blog.

New Papercuts

2010-03-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

Balloons

2010-02-25T16:44:00.000-08:00

I'm submitting a couple of designs for NYC Dot / Urban Art Program's Jersey Barrier project (2 public art proposals in one week! not to mention more proposals due next week). I'm actually quite proud of this one - I might make it into a painting.

Mural for Mateo

2010-02-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

Last October I painted this mural (with much help from Andrzej Nowicki) in my friends Kate and Stephen's Jackson Heights apartment, in the nursery for their then-still-a-foetus baby boy Mateo (now almost 4 months old). I finally got around to taking pictures, here they are!

P.S. If anyone wants a mural painted in their house/apartment, children's or otherwise, I could use the work!

'Lest Our Remains Be Scattered Across The Surface Of The Whole Earth'

2010-02-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

I made this site-specific installation for Flux Flactory's inaugural show 'Housebroken' in their new building, which included over a hundred installations and performances. I collaborated with architect Eckart Graeve on some compositional aspects and lighting. Despite having to work in a freezing cold stairwell while all the other artists were cozying up in the rest of the building that was actually heated, and traveling almost an hour there and back every day, this was actually a pretty rewarding project. Well, at least in that I made something that I'm proud of and that I think was successful in achieving what I set out to do, but not very rewarding in terms of other people's opinions - at the opening I witnessed many drunken fools staggering down the stairs with nary a glance to my hard work.

Joann Kim wrote a really good review of the show, with some very insightful comments about my work. Read it here.

Marginalia

2010-01-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

This is a piece I made for a show titled 'Marginalia' last September at MTS Gallery in Anchorage, Alaska. The show was part of the ongoing Le Roman du Lievre project by artist Jimmy Riordan. The show was co-curated by Leslie Rosa-Stumpf, who also curates the Parlour series in which my work was shown last March.

'The End is Like the Beginning' at Cinders

2010-01-27T09:49:00.000-08:00

I made these three boxes for 'The End is Like the Beginning', a silent auction at Cinders on December 29.

Minotaur at Desert Island

2010-01-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

I hauled my Minotaur from the Wassaic Project last summer out of storage, and installed it, with some changes, as a winter window display at the wonderful Desert Island Comics on Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg in December. It's still up, though I'm not sure for how much longer.

Brooklyn Fire Proof Mural

2010-01-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

I've been really terrible at updating this blog, and have a bunch of projects to post. Let's start with the mural I painted at Brooklyn Fire Proof in Bushwick last August-October (yes it really did take that long, scheduled around family visits and an awful minimum wage job with terrible hours). Its in the alleyway leading up to the bar/cafe, Brooklyn Fire Proof East, in the building where my studio is located.

The Endless Disappearance of Everything - Film by Nathan Punwar

2009-09-29T21:26:00.001-07:00

Here's a link to a short documentary about my work, specifically the mural on India Street, made by Nathan Punwar. Each of us 6 mural artists was assigned a filmmaker, selected via an open call by Moviehouse, and the 6 films (How the Mural Got Made) were screened on September 8th at the mural site (see pics here).

I really love the film, even though its always a little embarrassing to hear myself speak, especially about my work. Its wonderful how he made all my little characters come to life. The visual collage element is really cool.

The Wassaic Project - Untitled Minotaur Installation

2009-08-25T19:34:00.001-07:00

Wassaic Project in the NYTimes

2009-07-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

Check out this article on The Wassaic Project in the New York Times yesterday.

Current inspiration

2009-07-25T22:55:00.001-07:00

With regards to the previously mentioned Wassaic Project piece, I've been looking at the work of the following awe-inspiring artists:

Sarah Moli Newton Applebaum who also has the best name ever.

Julien Vallee

Shintaro Miyake

Stay tuned for how I shamelessly copy these great artists in my next installation - to be complete August 14th!

Pattern and Colour

2009-07-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

In the process of creating a piece for The Wassaic Project I've been fiddling around with wood, paint and foam. Having fun taking pics of things in various formations. More to come!

Letterpress Notecards on Etsy!

2009-07-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

Back in May I made some letterpress notecards of some of my older characters. I printed them at The Arm, a letterpress studio in Williamsburg (I took a day-long class there sometime last year but only just got around to using my new skills). I sold a lot of these at Bushwick Open Studios and have been meaning to put the rest up on my etsy shop ever since, and now I've finally done it!

Buy them here.

India Street Mural Project

2009-07-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

I spent the whole month of June (at least on days when it wasn't raining, which was rare) painting a mural in Greenpoint, as part of the India Street Mural Project organised by the North Brooklyn Public Art Coalition. Its located on India Street between West St. and the East River (Greenpoint Ave G Train).

The launch party is this Saturday. There will be food, music and games!

Silent Auctions this week

2009-06-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

I'm in two silent auctions this week. The first is a fundraiser for the North Brooklyn Public Art Coalition's India Street Mural Project, of which I am a participating artist (the mural is almost finished! Will post pictures when its done). This is the piece I donated. Its the beginning of my thought process towards an installation I will be making about the Minotaur for The Wassaic Project this August (so excited about this!).

The second is to benefit one of my favourite local galleries, Cinders. Here's the piece I'm donating for that. I'm getting really into collage.

Open Studio Tomorrow and Sunday, 12-7pm

2009-06-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

Crocodiles, tears, squidmen, dendrology, murder ballads, cryptozoology, cloaks, daggers, boats, houses, carnivals, two-headed boys, ninjas, boognoses.... come see our work! its bozotown okay! okay!

119 Ingraham Str (corner of Porter Ave)
Brookyn, NY 11237
Sat and Sun, 12-7pm

Web listing and map

Bushwick Open Studios

2009-04-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

Bushwick Open Studios is an awesome event that I participated in last year, and this year I'm helping to organize it, and Andrzej and I will be opening our studio again (though we've relocated since the last time). It runs from June 5 - 7, starting with events Friday night, and open studios and more events through Saturday and Sunday.

If any Bushwick-based artists are reading this, REGISTER YOUR STUDIO NOW, before May 5th to have your info on the website and on the printed map that will guide all the visitors to studios. You can register after May 5th but then you'll only be on the website. Registration costs $30, which can be waived in exchange for 3 hours volunteering before or during the festival.

If you don't live in Bushwick, or have a studio there, you can still participate as long as you find a space in the neighborhood to show your stuff. There's a page on the website of artists seeking spaces / spaces seeking artists. Check it out!

Its a lot of fun, and last year I sold a whole lot of prints as well as making some good connections.

All the info is on the ArtsinBushwick website.

Parlour Photos

2009-03-23T21:13:00.001-07:00

Parlour No. 4 - Crocodile Tears

2009-03-19T05:47:00.001-07:00

This is a bit last minute, but I'm in a two-person show tomorrow night with Andrzej Nowicki. Its part of the Parlour series conceived by Ciara Gilmartin and Leslie Rosa-Stumpf. "Parlour is a new nomadic exhibition space that presents weekend-long exhibitions in different homes throughout New York City. Parlour’s impetus is to showcase the work of contemporary artists in a unique and dynamic setting."

The exhibition 'Crocodile Tears' includes drawings by Andrzej, and drawings, prints and sculptural installations by me (some stuff already on this blog as well as new work) as well as pieces we made in collaboration.

The show opens tomorrow so there will be pictures soon!

The Isle of Misfits at Canteen

2009-01-16T09:32:00.000-08:00

My work is currently in a group show called 'The Isle of Misfits' at Canteen Gallery in Ottawa, Canada (www.canteenlife.com, http://canteen.tumblr.com), for which each artist was asked to "offer his or her interpretation of a fantasy sanctuary - or sanatorium - populated by toys that are somehow not quite right." I made 5 pen and watercolour drawings of children's toys whose apparent cheerfulness I find both disturbing and melancholy.

New Etsy Shop!

2008-07-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

I've just set up an online store at Etsy where my etchings are for sale. Check it out at www.aliaschman.etsy.com

For fear of little men

2008-03-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

This is a little miniature theatre I made out of hand-printed, hand-drawn lithographs, cut out and assembled three-dimensionally. It was a bit rushed, but nonetheless here it is. The narrative is taken from the installation I made in third-year at Michaelis about the misunderstood Wildman and the villagers that shower him with ill wishes, in the form of skulls.

Sets for fashion shoot

2008-03-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

I did the sets (and some modeling) for this amazing fashion shoot for my friend Niki-Jay Bougaard's clothing label Nutrition, photographed by Philip Grobler. It was shot in the wendyhouse at a friend's house. These are the pictures that best show my sets, but I will put some other ones up soon.

3 colour etchings

2008-02-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

These are some etchings I made towards the end of last year for a show in Hong Kong. They are each made from 3 different copper plates printed on top of one another in different colours.

Juju's Mobile

2008-02-18T13:19:00.001-08:00

I made a mobile from my etchings for my niece Julienha for Christmas 2007.

New watercolours

2008-01-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some watercolours I made. The scanner messed up the colour and contrast a bit. They are all going in gold- or copper-coloured metal frames from the Milnerton market.

Moonlight Wisteria etchings

2007-10-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

The Underbunny: New Lithographs

2007-10-09T06:09:00.001-07:00

4 new offset lithographs printed in pink ink (though it comes out white/grey) on black paper, cut out and mounted on cream irridescent paper. Printed at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. To be shown at the Whatifthe-
world group show in Hong Kong in November.
Each is an edition of 9.

The Moonlight Wisteria

2007-05-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

My current exhibition at Whatiftheworld - til 2nd June

T-shirt illustrations

2007-02-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

These are some illustrations I did for Marina Geldenhuys, whose show 'Grace' was part of the Union of the Dull fashion show. The whole t-shirt line had a circus theme. Only the one with the tightrope walker and the dog ended up being used.

Giants Beware

2006-12-15T09:05:00.000-08:00

This is my graduate show at the Michaelis School of Fine Art. My installation is in a shed behind the main building on campus. Its called GIANTS BEWARE.

More pictures in posts below.

Giants Beware: house dioramas

2006-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Giants Beware: etchings

2006-12-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

"Kids get lost"

2006-06-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

This is the work I've been doing this year and will be carrying on with for the next 6 months (for my grad show). hopefully by the end of the year it will be a kick-ass installation.

Nobody Likes Nothing - sculpture...

2006-04-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

I'm in a group show called Nobody Likes Nothing at What If The World, opening on Friday 5th of May. This is a sculpture that will be in it.

...and paintings

2006-04-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

1. Underbunny Underground
2. The Haunt of the Miserias
3. In the Shadow of the Boog

...and etchings

2006-04-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

carnival box

2006-04-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

This is a project I did a year ago, but I only just came across the photographs on my PC, so here they are. Its a box with a paper cut-out carnival inside, one side colour, the other black and white. The interior could be viewed from the outside through fisheye lenses.

finally, my installation

2005-11-19T02:04:00.000-08:00

i have finally finished the wildman installation, called "for fear of little men" for my third year exam. its been marked and i am awaiting my results. just took it down the other day, which was very sad for me, i had become quite attached. anyway, here are the photos.

More pictures

2005-09-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

These are a couple more pictures that are going to go on the walls. I am about to start installing the piece in its first manifestation and will post pictures soon.

1.Untitled, acrylic on canvas
2.Wildman territory, acrylic on wood panel
3. Is this all there is? Watercolour on paper
4. Wildman dreams of the carnival, Ink, goauche and pencil on paper
5. Untitled, drypoint on paper
6. No-one leaves magic mountain, watercolour on paper
7. Wildman territory, drypoint on paper

Current paintings and prints

2005-08-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

1. What is everything?, hardground and aquatint etching
2. Goodbye Nowhere, acrylic on canvas
3. If you go down to the woods today..., multi-plate colour etching
4. Untitled, acrylic on wood panel
5. Push me pull me, acrylic on canvas

Current project

2005-08-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

I'm working on an installation centred around the theme of the Wildman from Medieval European carnival. As soon as possible I'll post some photos of it and the paintings, drawings and prints accompanying it.