Jonathan David Smyth talks about his Just One More project and his practice in general.
Video interview and editing: luke kurtis
Music: “everlasting” from electronic quartets by luke kurtis
About the Just One More book:
Introduction by Michelle Dunn Marsh
Conversation with the artist by Dana Stirling
Design by luke kurtis
Published by bd-studios.com
Michael Tice looks back on over four decades of art-making.
Video interview and editing: luke kurtis
About the Retrospective book:
Introduction by Philip Mullen
Design by luke kurtis
Published by bd-studios.com
I’m so happy to share with you electric wire, the first video single from my Angkor Wat book and album. electric wire represents the genesis of the entire project, it being the first poem I wrote during my first visit to Siem Reap. It’s based on my experience of exploring the town and the things I experienced and saw there. The video is a visual interpretation of the poem (and the experiences it describes). There’s also an electric wire zine and even tote bag you can get as gifts over at my fundraiser for Cambodian children. Check it out and enjoy.
Understanding the difference between skillful vs unskillful fear is an important Buddhist concept. I’ve been thinking about this in very personal terms. When I did my convergence installation earlier this year, I had to face some fears. The piece is installed in the middle of the woods. To fully experience the piece, you must visit in the dark of night with no lights. That can be a somewhat scary thing, especially with the constant sounds of the forest and all the animals around you. But I pushed myself forward to do this with skillful fear. I remember sitting there under cover of darkness, the convergence orbs glowing nearby, hearing the snaps and cracks of animals and birds all around. I even heard the snorting of deer who dashed away as soon as they detected my presence. My heart raced at these encounters with skillful fear, helping me ultimately get more in touch with my love for these animals and nature at large.
I captured one of the encounters on video when I heard something moving towards me. It turned out to be an armadillo! I had never seen an armadillo in Georgia before. When I showed the footage to my parents, they were amazed as in their almost-70 years of living there, they also had never seen an armadillo. I guess it takes a New York artist working in the woods—and a bit of skillful fear—to bring them out!
No matter what your fears may be, I encourage you to practice skillful fear. Use your fear as a tool to uncover more productive feelings within—not as a weapon in defense.
I’ve released two short video diary clips leading up to a more formal video which I’ll be releasing about the woods are watching, a brand new work that I am very excited about. Tune in to Michael Harren’s podcast this Thursday, 17 September, to learn about the work. In the meantime, watch these two clips and subscribe to my YouTube channel—it really helps if you subscribe—so you don’t miss the new video when it comes out!
UPDATE: The full video is out now!
I first performed my journey meditation walk in 2011. I was deeply enmeshed in the Jordan’s Journey project at the time and the meditation walk video was a one-off creative experiment that I did while I was working on the Jordan’s Journey videos. In fact, the meditation walk video clip ended up being part of that trailer. I sat aside the footage and in 2012 first created the standalone journey video both as documentation of the original performance and as original video art.
In 2013, OR Books released Yoko Ono’s Acorn, a sort of spiritual follow-up to her landmark Grapefruit, which was first published in 1964. As a Yoko Ono collector, I was particularly excited about the special edition OR published alongside the standard edition. I was so excited, in fact, I made an unboxing video upon receiving it! It was something I did on a whim that turned out to be an important moment for me. Not only did OR love the video (they feature it on their main product page for Acorn to this very day), Yoko herself loved it and shared it on all her social media. That meant a lot to me! I see the video as a work of art in and of itself. If you’re at all familiar with Internet unboxing videos, you’ll notice how mine’s a bit different from the run of the mill fare. In particular I focus on hand gesture as I open and show the book on screen. It’s about a simple, everyday action (opening a package you receive in the mail) and elevating it to something visually interesting with formal properties that extend beyond then object itself and into a different realm of object-as-performance.
Premiered yesterday on The Justin Wayne Show, my video for Michael Harren‘s Invocation (the second single from #TentativeArmor) features my “journey” meditation walk. I documented this performance art piece during my trip to Iceland last year, which is also when I created all the other footage that appears in the video. For me, Michael’s music and the visuals I paired with it are all meditative in nature and reflect the spiritual elements of the Tentative Armor project as a whole.
I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment on the video or drop both me and Michael Harren a line on Twitter (@lukekurtis and @MichaelHarren).
Going into the INTERSECTION exhibition for Massillon Museum, I knew it was going to be lots of hard work. Even before I conceived of doing the Kickstarter to help me get through it all, I had already put in months of work on developing the show and all the things that revolve around it.
But where so much of that work was digitally (and brain) based, things have moved head on into the physical plane now! I feel like the show is manifesting, bit by bit, right before my eyes. And never more-so than when I went to pick up the proofs for the two large pieces I made–with the help of my Kickstarter supporters–specifically for this show.
As they say, a picture is worth 1,000 words… so rather than write about it, I’m going to show you. In video.
A huge thanks goes out to my collaborator, Michael Harren. I love his music for this video!
The last I updated you here, my Kickstarter campaign was under way. If you didn’t already see the news, it was a phenomenal success. The project reached 100% funding before it was even halfway through. I’m so thankful for all of my fans and supporters who helped make it happen.
As part of the campaign I posted several videos featuring the Kickstarter rewards. I thought I would gather a few of those here.
The first video shows my We Are One People artist’s multiple. This is a new work I created earlier in 2013 but I debuted it as part of the INTERSECTION Kickstarter campaign. This limited edition boxed set contains my article “We Are One People” (originally published in Georgia Backroads) on a set of 12 cards accompanied by a set of 12 mounted digital chromogenic prints. This multiple is super deluxe and high end. See what it’s like in the video:
I’ve been waiting for my collector’s edition copy of Yoko Ono’s Acorn for months now. It finally arrived today, 1 August 2013. This is my unboxing video. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get a better edition number, but what can you do? I’m pleased nonetheless. Enjoy. i ii iii
UPDATE 4 Aug 2013: Or books published the video on their blog (as well as their Twitter and Facebook). Chimera Records also posted it on Twitter and Facebook. Even Yoko herself posted it (Twitter and Facebook)!
Hang Five $20.00
Springtime in Byzantium $20.00
Vigil $20.00
The Girl Who Wasn't and Is $20.00
Train to Providence $20.00