A very simplified, abstract landscape carved into wood earlier this year. "Along The Banks Of Rivers" is the title of a Tortoise song from 1996. One of my all time favorite pieces of music, and the title for me bears also a significant autobiographical reference - all my life everything of real importance happened while living close to a river ...
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New Woodcut for series #gefaelltdas
Oh well. Here's finally another pair of my Instagram woodcuts from the series #gefaelltdas. But they're different from the other ones - on one hand, even though both individually are the standard size and all, they belong together and stand in a contextual relationship to each other (so it's a modern diptych). And on the other hand they are uniquely "framed". These frames though are an integral part of the work. I will explain if you ask, but maybe the work process images below already give you an idea.
The Instagram screenshots I turned into woodcuts are by the users @myladalbesio @insaanimal
I never promised you a Rose Garden | woodcut
New 5-layered woodcut, created March–April 2016:
Alex Diamond: I never promised you a Rose Garden (2016)
Multi-layered woodcut, acrylic paint, ca. 80 x 60 x 11 cm (31,5” x 23,5” x 4,5”)
Background
When it comes to superheroes, at some point I will always come back to The Incredible Hulk, whom I‘ve used as a reference in my woodcuts for a few times already over the past years. For me personally there are so many angles to the big green fella that I am sure you will see him appear again in my future woodworks.
But as with most of the figurative elements in my work, I am using the Hulk mostly for his symbolic values: he is torn, powerful, unpredictable, unstable, and in constant soul-searching for the reasons for his being - all strong references to life itself and the daily struggles we often deal with.
However, in this work ... the Hulk is looking down into the golden light that shines from the bluff he is sitting on, and he is ... smiling. Ever so slightly, just a smirk that you only see when standing close to the artwork - but a happy smile it is. It appears that he has made his peace.
For some background trivia: There are two very popular „quotes“ in this woodcut: the Hulk‘s posture resembles Auguste Rodin‘s „The Thinker“, and the title derives from the famous country song „(I never promised you a) Rose Garden“.
The reference to the sculpture is mainly about visual familiarity, putting the Hulk into a less violent and non-agressive environment. All despite the fact that „The Thinker“ originally sits at Rodin‘s„Gates of Hell“ and is definitely not smiling. But he is however also more or less just an observer.
The title from the Joe South country song „(I never promised you a) Rose Garden“ completes my composition and is to be taken pretty literally. Because like most good music, stories and paintings are about the one thing only, this woodcut is also just another love song.
Everything else regarding the stories within this work I am sure you will figure out easily enough ...
#gefaelltdas | New series of 'Instagram' woodcuts
With my latest series of woodcuts, a new project I call '#gefaelltdas', I am exploring modern-day habits of interaction, (self-)reflection, perception and deception, borrowing the imagery as well as the values that we all have become so accustomed to through using Instagram. I am not criticizing social media, being a heavy user of mainly Instagram and Facebook myself. As an artist, curator, collector and gallery owner it has become a part of my daily routine to promote my work and even my lifestyle online.
continue reading below ...
For me creating art is also a very personal way to research and discover, to experiment and proof. It helps me to study and investigate life and the issues we interact with as humans, trying to satisfy my curiosity and to built (or develop) my ‚visual stories‘ upon my findings. I am mostly interested in the social and cultural aspects of the human habitat, and while some things may look supersimple and obvious to others, I have to dig in deep if something excites my ‚artistic instincts‘ until I am personally satisfied.
With ‚#gefaelltdas‘ I am going down the path of interaction, perception and deception, borrowing the imagery that we all have become so accustomed to from Instagram. As with most of my work, during research I am setting some ground rules through iteration to achieve my results. These rules or guidelines are a way of outlining the work I will create in the studio afterwards, which it is a vital part of my sketching process.
For example in the first work of the series (see below) I was narrowing down the principles after which a certain kind of selfie is being composed: shot into a mirror with the smartphone covering the face. The awkward angle of the camera leads to an interesting perspective of the overall picture, with abstract-looking lines in the background. For the following pieces I use these findings and continue to search for something „iconic“ in the imagery in the sense that this is conditioning our behaviour and our viewing patterns. It will always be related to how we compose and consume photography on Instagram, but also, like in the animal images, to the kind of content we devour.
To drive the recognition value of the imagery to the max, I am using the frame of the Instagram posts from the username/handle down to the interactive part and the number of likes, which seem to have turned into a hyper-valued currency these days.
That is why I am naming the artworks after the amount of likes of the source image. And because in the german version of Instagram on my smartphone a „like“ becomes a „gefällt“, the whole series is named ‚#gefaelltdas‘. I actually registered @gefaelltdas , a new Instagram account next to my regular one (@alexxxdiamond), where I will also document the project.
In regards to my distinctive woodcutting technique applied here: because of the smaller size of the woodblocks (18x 24 x 3 cm / 7” x 9.5” x 1.2”), the text becomes a bit choppy and almost unreadable, but everything is actually carved into the wood, while the color is mostly rubbed into the cuts. The pigmenting and painting of these works resembles old russian icon paintings, and while I am not pursuing any religious ideas here, the golden, vintage look and the choice of a „new iconic imagery“ supports the theme.
For updates:
Please check this online-portfolio below. I will update this document when I add new work.
You can inquire about the availability of the individual pieces by clicking the links inside the portfolio. And of course you can check directly here.
And of course please follow my own Instagram at @alexxxdiamond for my latest artworks, photography and nonsense.
The icons | more superheroes
Alex Diamond: Cash Only Motherfucker (2016)
acrylic paint, woodcut, 18 x 24 x 3 cm (7.8” x 7.8” x 1.2”)
Alex Diamond: A Is For Anarchy (2016)
acrylic paint, woodcut, 18 x 24 x 3 cm (7.8” x 7.8” x 1.2”)
Click this link to view (and download) the complete ICONS-Portfolio.
The Icons | #girlswithtattoos
Love the structure of the wood on this one...
Click the image below or this link to view (and download) the complete ICONS-Portfolio.
Alex Diamond: #girlswithtattoos (2016), acrylic paint, woodcut, 18x24 cm (7” x 9.5” x 1.2”)
Click image to view (and download) the complete ICONS-Portfolio.
The Icons | New series of woodcuts
Here‘s is a new direction in my woodcuts - an open series with various themes and formats, with technique and colors as the one thing in common. The pigmenting and painting of these works resembles old russian icon paintings, and while I am not pursuing any religious ideas here, the golden, vintage look and the choice of iconic characters is a main theme.
Looking at these images in this portfolio, please consider that my work is always rather difficult to document - woodcuts are so much harder to reduce to a Jpeg than a painting or drawing. They are simply never just „flat“ - it is the carving that gives them depth and a very special feel. Even my very own coloring techniques are so hard to see if you are just looking at the pieces on a screen.
It is again very true for this new line of work I am currently creating. These russion-icon-like small-format-heavily-worked-on-blocks-of-wood I am currently creating. They all are rather small, and I love running my fingers over the surfaces of them. They feel almost ancient, and they look different from every angle, and the light changes them depending on where you stand. Or hold them in your hands.
It is a beautiful experience. Well, at least it is a unique experience.
Believe me, I find the process of photographing them and uploading them to the internet pretty frustrating. So much gets lost.
You all should be able to see the originals, feel them, touch them. My work is a very haptic and sensual experience, one that I would love to share with all of you…
PS: These works are available through Galerie Wolfsen .
First show and new artwork in 2016
„Encounter at 4 am“ is a woodcut built from 6 layers in total, and it‘s the deepest I have created to date. It takes us far into a forest for what appears to be a rather unusual encounter between a hunter and some kind of mythical animal, resembling a man and his responsibilities in life. You could say that there are elements of inner conflict, of patience, hesitation, surprise and tension perceptible in the meeting of the two parties.
This encounter in the depth of the woods takes place in the very early hours, when the day still seems to be full of innocence and opportunity. Being an early bird myself, with my days often starting some time between 4 and 5 in the morning, I appreciate the solitude and tranquility of these moments before the world wakes up for its daily grind. It is a time you truly have to yourself. Thoughts spin slower and with more depth. Energy levels are fully charged but only used ... delicately. Creativity arises, ideas are born, but everything‘s still a bit dreamy in a softly distorted way. It is an excellent time for decision making, albeit in a rather lighthearted and slightly irrational way.
This woodcut will be first shown at the exhibition "PULS'16" at Gallery Wolfsen in Aalborg, opening January 9. (link: more info & Facebook event)
The Milkman Of Human Kindness
This work, created over a stretch of four weeks in October 2015, is one of my so-called ‘sculptural multi-layered woodcuts’: it is built up from several layers of wood and combines my trademark woodwork & woodcarving craft with specially developed painting and pigmenting techniques as well as the application of semi-translucent resin in some parts.
“The Milkman Of Human Kindness”, the title of the work, quotes a song by artist Billy Bragg from 1983. During the creation of the work, the song subconsciously crawled back into my head. I listened to it a lot during the punk-driven early 80ies back in school; I wholeheartedly admired Billy Bragg for his straightforward music and his strong political attitude.
My work however is not about punk. The song (for me at least) has always been about compassion and about being there for someone who is having a bad time. Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth criticizes her husband for being too compassionate with the words: “Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness“, and this expression has since been used as a paraphrase for the care and compassion for others. And taking this (freely) a stepfurther: If there is such a thing as the milk of human kindness, there may as well be a milkman delivering it to your doorstep, right?
And this is what my work is about. I will not go and explore this in writing too deeply here, because that can easily become an evening-long talk I hope to have with many people personally. While I actually tell a story with every work I create, you may see different angles and aspects in it that I don’t want to take away from you by elaborating on theartwork already too much beforehand. It is important to me as an artist that the viewer has every opportunity to explore my work independently.
What I will say though is that for me, nature (bear, mountains) and technology (telegraph poles) are an integral part of this piece. There is a huge conflict between the two, mainly in the struggle we’re living to try and find harmony (or balance) between both. While I am not necessarily aiming at the environmental issue here, in my work this struggle is rather a symbol for the larger battles humanity is currently fighting, most presently in the terrible wars that result in people losing their home and having to flee their countries to save their lives and those of their families.
I have been using the bear many times in my work before. You may say that it has become some kind of spirit animal to me and it definitely has significance as to my role within my own loving and caring family. Which is not the point, really, but may explain the importance of the imagery of the sleeping animal for the understanding of the artwork.
I hope I haven’t said too much, and didn’t confuse you either. I wish you will enjoy “The Milkman Of Human Kindness” as much as I did creating it.
If you are sleeping, I will wait
If your bed is wet, I will dry your tears
I love you, I am the milkman
Of human kindness
I will leave an extra pint
(Billy Bragg)
Jörg Heikhaus (aka Alex Diamond), October 2015
Below are some details from the work, and here you can find images from the work in progress
Work in progress: at the workshop
At work in the shop: carving one layer of the woodcut.
Sometimes I manage to document my work process properly while I am creating a new piece. Currently I am making a new and complex, multi-layered woodcut. I am posting progress pictures continuously on my instagram account (@alexxxdiamond) - please feel free to follow me if that is something you might be interested in seeing.
Some work in progress pictures, to be continued (on instagram):
I owe you a love song / for everything I've done wrong
My most recent work: a self portrait, created on the occasion of the Elmar Lause curated group exhibition "Das eigene Ich", which opened May 16 at the new location of the Affenfaust Galerie in Hamburg St. Pauli.
44 artists were invited to present their (inner) selves in self portraits for this show (complete artist line-up and exhibition information below).
About the work
This self portrait, created between April 5 and May 9 2015, is a combination of a complex, sculptural woodwork, my trademark woodcutting technique and diverse painting and pigmenting styles. I also used resin in the structure, which not only is a new favorite in my materials palette, but also ads the necessary weight to the piece. The complexity of the work and how it was composed and created over a stretch of four weeks at my studio is an important part of my 'self' within the admittedly unusual portrait. Besides various rather personal narrative elements, followers of my work will not be surprised that there is a double team blowing the clarions, which is also a reference to the 'creation' of the Alex Diamond project over a decade ago.
This work, 170 x 130 x 10 cm large and slightly heavier than your average painting, is titled after a quote (taken out of its original context) from a Mike Patton/Tomahawk composition: 'I owe you a love song / for everything I've done wrong'. This is not necessarily simply an attempted excuse to those who still deserve one (or more) from me, but also a way of understanding the importance of making mistakes and figuring out ways of dealing with them. What could be better than writing a love song whenever you are taking the wrong turn? At the end of the day, when all goes dark, there will be no view. Only music.
This picture gallery below is a small documentation of the process involved creating the work:
'Das eigene Ich'
curated by Elmar Lause
Affenfaust Galerie
Paul-Roosen-Straße 43, Hamburg St.Pauli
www.affenfaust.de
Exhibition from May 16-June 4, 2016
featuring self portraits by these artists:
ALEX DIAMOND, ANYM, BASE 23, BENE ROHLMANN, BJÖRN HOLZWEG, BOJE ARNDT KIESIEL, CARINA CRENSHAW, COCO BERGHOLM, DANIEL FALLER, DANIEL V. EENDENBURG, DAVE THE CHIMP, ELMAR LAUSE, FABIAN WOLF, FLORIAN BREETZKE, FLYING FÖRTRESS, GOLDEN GREEN, HEIKO MÜLLER, HENNING KLES, JANA SCHUMACHER, JAYBO MONK, JOHAN SCHÄFER, JOHANNES MUNDINGER, JULIA BENZ, JULIAN GORTEN, JÖRN STAHLSCHMIDT, KI YOON KO, MAGDA KRAWCEWICZ, MARC BRONNER, MARCO WAGNER, MARCUS SCHÄFER, NONSKI, MYMO, NICOLAS FRÈMION, NIELS DE JONG, NILS KASISKE, NILS KNOTT, PATRICK FARZAR, PATRICK HENNE, PUSH, ROMAN KLONEK, SUSANNE KÖNIG, SYLVIE RINGER, ULI PFORR, VARIOUS AND GOULD, ZIPPER DIE RAKETE.
Exhibition view from the group show "Das eigene Ich" at the new location of the Affenfaust Galerie, Hamburg.
Alex Diamond on Artvergnuegen.com
artvergnuegen.com is a new online gallery that was launched just recently. I am honored to be one of the first artists the curators invited for this project, and you can find a long interview and a video feature alongside some of my artwork for sale (exclusively) on the site.
Other artists already on artvergnuegen.de include the likes of Dave the Chimp and Various & Gold, and I have already learned from exciting other names that will be integrated shortly.
Photos & Video © artvergnuegen.de
AHAB!
This is a very special work I have created during December last year live on location at the #heliumcowboytakeover of the Mercedes me Store in Hamburg (read all about this very special art project here).
It's a large painting AND woodcut on a very well crafted lightweight wooden box that was built specifically for this project. The box consists of 2 individual pieces that can be displayed together as a stand alone block (measuring 200 x 180 x 30 cm) or individually as separate hanging wall pieces. During the final week of the #heliumcowboytakeover, fellow artist Elmar Lause painted one side while I was working on the other one. Below are images from the process as well as some details of the work.
My piece is called "AHAB!", and yes, that is a Moby Dick reference combined with a warrior theme, roots growing out of a tree leg and a carved Manga style eye on what appears to be a sheep. I am happy to talk about this work with you over a coffee or drink some time. My shrink may have to be present though ;)
If you are interested in the work, together or individual, please contact me. The box with both artworks is currently displayed at the heliumcowboy artspace, if you are in Hamburg, please arrange for an appointment with the gallery to check it out.
New woodcuts: Animal Inside - Masked Hero #01 and #02
Artwork by Alex Diamond. Left: Animal Inside (Masked Hero #01: Gorilla), right: Animal Inside (Masked Hero #02: Elephant). Multi layered woodcuts, acrylic paint, resin, approximately 45 x 65 x 10 cm (2014) - click images for larger views.
These two new multi layered, sculptural woodcuts will be shown first at the international group show "Don't Wake Daddy IX", opening at Feinkunst Krüger in Hamburg on November 29 (through to December 20).
Curated by Heiko Müller and Ralf Krüger, "Don't Wake Daddy" enters its 9th year. Highfructose Magazin sums it up quite nicely: “Don’t Wake Daddy IX” is a large group show featuring 29 prominent artists influenced by the Low Brow and Pop Surrealism movements. The figurative work in the show largely borrows for pop culture and illustration, focusing on mysterious, bizarre, and often grotesque imagery."
I am very proud to be part of this very prestigious show again, this year alongside the amazing talents of Allison Sommers, Anthony Pontius, Bene Rohlmann, Boje Arndt Kiesiel, Brendan Danielsson, Brendan Monroe, Charlie Immer, Chris Buzelli, Dan Barry, Elmar Lause, Femke Hiemstra, Fred Stonehouse, Gregory Hergert, Heiko Müller, Jon MacNair, Lars Hinrichs, Marco Wagner, Marcus Schäfer, Mark Elliott, Moki, Paul Chatem, Rayk Amelang, Roman Klonek, Ryan Heshka, Scott D. Wilson, Sean Lewis and Susanne König.
More info: Galerie Feinkunst Krüger
Details of the artworks:
Cover art for the Mercedes Mixed Tape #59
I was very honored for being asked to contribute the cover artwork for the famous Mercedes Mixed Tape! The original work I created for the edition #59 was drawn over a very personal photograph, something I usually never do but in this case it was just too tempting to resist: the picture was taken several years ago on a vacation with my family, riding around the beach in our Mercedes Benz 230S (built 1967, in my ownership since 1997).
The music compilation featuring this cover went online November 7, 2014, and can be downloaded here.
New project: The Water Lounge for Hase+Igel in Düsseldorf
Water & sanitation ist most important: 'inside' my work for 'Hase + Igel', a new restaurant by celebrity chef Stefan Marquard in Düsseldorf. With superkind support by Geberit.
© Alex Diamond for Geberit & Hase + Igel
I have been spending some time this summer working on a great project, and this past week I actually went to Düsseldorf to paint on location: at the construction site of 'Hase + Igel', the new restaurant of celebrity chef Stefan Marquard.
Earlier this year I had been asked by Stefan and Geberit, the european market leader in sanitary technology, to develop and execute an artistic concept for the bathroom facilities of the restaurant. The restrooms are equipped with Aqua Clean shower toilets and beautiful, high-end luxury modules by Geberit (called 'Monolith'), which I included in my design, using silkscreen printing on the glass parts. The entry and hallway in front of the bathrooms underwent a massive paint job I did using aerosol (by Montana cans), markers (by Molotow) and acryllic paint (by Lascaux).
Now the whole environment is called the 'Geberit Water Lounge' - and it is absolutely not your average restroom anymore ...
The restaurant will open Saturday, Oct 18, and if you are the area I hope you can check it out. It is definitely a very different culinary and aesthetic experience. And I mean this only in the best way! Stefan Marquard and his whole crew certainly know the meaning of Punk, and are living the Rock'n Roll life, be it in or out of the kitchen ...
