Fluffy's Chi

Another Blog

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:06:50 GMT

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 03:05:47 GMT

Accidental Cell Phone Photography

On-Going Photography Project; Samsung cell phone; Removed from my cell phone and posted to the Internet in January 2007

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Web based Project by Harrell Fletcher and Social Practice Students gets Coverage:
...might be good

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Posted on August 18th, 2007

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+16 all black pocket pics on September 2, 2007 from Steven Beatty.

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Posted on June 20, 2007

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Posted on August 18th, 2007
I posted an ad on craigslist.org in the items wanted section. I had 10 ads up in: Portland, Oregon; Auburn, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; New York, New York; San Francisco, California; Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Washington DC; and Tokyo, Japan

Only one person sent photos.

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 18:29:56 GMT

Project Pill Bottle

This Is The Same Medicine You Have Been Getting. Color, Size, Or Shape May Appear Different.

A Collaboration by Steven Beatty and Laurel Kurtz

How To: Remove Glue

A seven foot detail of the piece is on display in the
Portland City Hall First Thursday Sustainable Art Show.

We put an ad on Craigslist.com in the beginning of April 2007 asking people dependent on prescription medication to send us their empty pill bottles via snail mail. Our virtual tour of the US has so far led to ads in every city in all three states along the west coast that are categorized on Craigslist.

From that first ad, we received 108 replies, and had further email correspondence with each. As a result, we have received six packages of pill bottles in the mail, and there are promises of more out there from people who began saving them after the initial correspondence. Since then, we placed two more ads in Portland, and received another 15 replies; ten of whom we collected bottles from and met with briefly at their homes. Two of these ten were Washingtonians.

We told those who have responded with email that we did not wish them to send bottles if they could not afford the postage; packages addressed to both of us have been arriving at Laurel’s home address.

The correspondence has been remarkable and enlightening. A diverse group of people have responded with a desire to aid in our collecting, many of them with large collections of their own as well as tidbits as to why they held onto them: they have been saving them because despite razzing from family members, they knew that someday there would be reason to reuse them; others were storing beads, screws, and new prescriptions; some planned to nurture seedlings, protecting them from harsh sunrays; they have held onto them out of shame, afraid to put them out with the recycling then clueing their neighbors to their illness, but not wishing to throw them into the landfill; and like us, some saw them as potential art making material.

ART

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 07:13:32 GMT

Response to Walter Lee Project's UFO Diaries

My Youtube is here

- Laurel Kurtz

Covert Hand Drawing: Univitational Group Show With Damien Hirst, still shot from video, 2007

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:34:20 GMT

This hand drawing is in response to Damien Hirst’s controversial butterfly work. The ten second video was taken by Kurtz of her short performance near Hirst’s Chlorprotamide at the Portland Art Museum, where cameras are not allowed. Kurtz drew the butterfly on her hand and fluttered it around in front of her camera.

In relation to his butterfly pieces, Hirst was accused of cruelty to animals and of stealing artist Lori Precious’ idea of making stained glass out of butterfly wings. Recently Hirst has been in the news for demanding 16 year-old Cartain to pay him 200 pounds for selling collages that incorporated an image of Hirst’s diamond encrusted skull without his permission. Kurtz thinks Hirst, who she read is the world’s wealthiest living artist, is interesting.

head:foot

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:21:19 GMT

Know Your Pass Code

Mark Jondahl, a.k.a I.X.Zist, and I:

Collaborative Social Art Performance piece; irons, ironing boards, cut out iron-on letters, 50 t-shirts; July 2006; Grow Gallery in Portland, OR Left: me, ironing; Left/Middle: participants answering questions; Right/Middle: iron-on letters; Right: the iron

Know Your Pass Code

head:foot is an art gang looking for participants to join us in our practice and exploration of the expansive possibilities of art making.

Contact us at headcolonfoot@gmail.com

Know your Pass Code is a performance piece reflecting the absurdity of supposed Internet privacy, and the unusual assignment of random personal codes. Within the world of Internet pass code assignment, one is asked to give their most private information after which they are to choose from a list of banal questions meant to be memory joggers. To the answer “Fluffy”, one then receives from their invisible interrogator a bizarre and seemingly mystical set of letters and numbers akin to glossolalia, the practice of speaking in tongues.

Head:foot wishes to play on the absurdity of this ritual by employing our intuition as well as providing a face to the questioner. We are working diligently assigning pass codes to ethereal beings and your desire to participate will be met with random questions. Your pass code, you cannot possibly forget, for it will be displayed proudly upon your chest if you so choose, or it will be hung on line and most likely forgotten among the other pass codes.

We asked questions such as, "what is your favorite aromatic bush?", if people answered us, we gave them a T Shirt with their Pass Code. Free T Shirts!

The Art Virus Viral Art Project
Collaborative Social Sculpture; February 2007; Portland, OR, with the intent to go beyond Left Top: head:foot BLOG; Left Bottom: tag w/first instruction; MiddleRight Top: my art virus in Multnomah Village; Right Bottom: Mark and I placing the objects in public

How To: Make Glue

When creating your virus, we encourage you to use ordinary household items, found objects, detritus, and recyclables. Papier mache, aka wheat glue, is an inexpensive sculpting material, consisting of water, paper and wheat flour (above you will find detailed instructions on how to make some). All you need is an armature which can be made from any of the following: chicken wire, wadded up paper, foam, egg cartons, wire, sticks, etc, and you are on your way. You are not, however limited to these materials. Let your creativity be your guide. Other material options include: like duct tape, scrap metal, wallpaper, paints, stones, gum, garbage, and fabrics.

It is very important to stir the entire time you are heating the concoction, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot while stirring. If you do not, the mixture will burn and become lumpy. If it does become lumpy, don't fret, the lumps are hard to detect when the piece dries. Also, you will want the mixture to cool down some before using it. Adding a quarter cup of glue, such as wood glue or children's paste, is an option. Make sure each paper scrap is thoroughly soaked. Using a brush to apply can help. As it cools, the supply will thicken to a custard-like consistency. It is fine to use it warm or cold. Attaching multiple layers of paper and wheat glue increases the rigidity of the structure, and is something to consider. If you are concerned about the piece being water resistant, consider covering it with a water based clear-coat, or another clear medium.

Have fun filling up the large alternative gallery space that is your city! Take pictures and add your contribution as a show on your resume. Is it public art/plop art? Is it set discreetly on a counter top at your favorite chachka shop? You had a show there, congratulations! You are a showing artist and an active curator.

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:00:09 GMT

Portland Women Field Recordings
Social Sculpture; iBook, digital camera, short video, ‘zine; May 2006; Hawthorne, Irvington, and Alberta districts in Portland, OR Left: my sign; Middle: video still from Alberta st.; Right: video still from Hawthorne

the accompanying ‘zine

- Laurel Kurtz

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:40:14 GMT

Stop Smoking Valentines
Mix Media Social Collage; 4.5”x4”; set of eight; February 2006; Detroit, MI

- Laurel Kurtz

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:35:47 GMT

Aunty Ann
Mix Media Memorial Sculpture; 2.25”x4”x1”; October 2005 Left Top: “before” pack; Left Bottom: “after” pack Middle: all 10 cigarettes; Right: detail

- Laurel Kurtz

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:30:01 GMT

The Police Badge Rubbing Project
Social Sculpture; 15 rubbings with crayon on 18”x24” newsprint mounted on 20"x30" poster board, video; May 2005 and September 2006; Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA Left: video still of me with police chief Derrick Foxworth Right: video still of me with officer Kyle Nice

Top Left: The badges on display; Right: detail of rubbing; Bottom Left: the accompanying pamphlet

"Foxworth video still" video shot by Sara Bubenik

"Nice video still" video shot by Sara Bubenik

Voodoo Doughnuts; Portland, Oregon; First Thursday; June 3, 2005

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:16:43 GMT

Cock ‘n’ Balls Wedding Doughnut
Sculpture; cast bronze doughnut with acrylic paint; 10”x1”x5”; April 2005 Left: “before” photo of original donut; Right: “after” photo

Fruit Loop Doughnut
Sculpture; cast bronze doughnut; 4.5”x2”x4”; April 2004; on display at Portland’s Voodoo Doughnut

- Laurel Kurtz

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:02:29 GMT

Street Roots Tree
Collaborative Social Sculpture; papier mache, chicken wire, 2”x4”s, spray paint, polyurethane clear coat; 4’x4’x8’; May 2004; PSU in Portland, OR

- Laurel Kurtz

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 02:50:29 GMT

Weed
Site-Specific Sculpture; camellia, memo sticker dots; 2’x6’x2’; July 2006; Kitchen Sink II in Portland, OR
Left: bush detail; Right: the front of the bush

Bush
Site-Specific Sculpture; dandelion, pompom’s, thread; 8”x8”; July 2006; Kitchen Sink II in Portland, Or.

Installation Red and Orange/The Fun Room
Collaborative Site-Specific Installation; found red paper, tan masking tape, foam pool noodles;10'-6"x8’x11'-6"; July 2006; Kitchen Sink II in Portland, OR Left: “before” photo of room; Middle: “after” photo of room; Right: floor detail

5037 N Princeton
Portland, Oregon 97203

What happens when 20 artists, 7 bands and 2 DJs infiltrate a vacant house in St. Johns? Find out on July 22nd at Kitchen Sink: Welcome Home, Stranger, a one-night-only multidisciplinary arts event. Visual artists have been invited to fill the home's empty rooms with site-specific installations, and the backyard will play host to live music, performance, short films and a DJ-assisted dance party. Excellent, inexpensive food will be provided by Vegan Empire.

Featured visual artists:
Gordon Barnes, Steven Beatty, Katrina Boemig, Seann Brackin, Maggie Casey, Philip Cheaney, Liam Drain, Alicia Cortney Eggert, Alex Felton Eliza Fernand, Carla Forte, Jason Gigli, Rochelle Koivunen, Laurel Kurtz, Lacy Lowry, Heather Mackenzie, Scott Mazariegos, Hope McManus, Christopher Nakayama, Dalas Verdugo, Gary Wiseman