baby art blog

there’s been a change in design re the special edition - the type is now grey, not pink - the covers have been printed already - minus the title, which has been embossed - they then planned to fill the embossing with a matt pink, matching the spine - but apparently the ink doesn’t stick to the paper (?!?) - and the only ink that will stick is available in just five grotty colours, the best of which being grey - (or, alternatively, the embossing could be left with no colour) - i’m assured it will still look “special” - and perhaps this is no big deal for most people? - but as a fussy artist, personally i feel slightly disappointed - not helped by my grave reservations about the 3D pop-up thing - and the fact i’ve not even been given an opportunity to check the colour proofs of the book!… : (

also picked up on my visit to taco-che yesterday, a new addition to my nurse doll family - this one (a bit weakly) based on the kazuo umezu manga “orochi” - her face much too adult, so the head looks somewhat disproportionate - but it has a sort of (trevor brown-ish?) charm because of that - i haven’t actually read the manga but someone is obligingly scanlating it currently here (should i be seen as endorsing such activities of questionable legality?) - check out the drifting classroom too, a tb fave

stéphane blanquet in tokyo shortly and facing a hectic schedule of exhibition openings, book-signings and talk-shows - this blog covers it all - i’m happy for the chance to build up my blanquet library - these two books were the most longed for and snapped up today - graphic novels told entirely without words and in silhouette - the books are also tactile delights with thick pages and recycled paper feel

related post

arrived back from the printers today! - these are actual scans of the posters (wysiwyg!) - colours are strong and printing sharp - i’m happy - coincidentally the “down the rabbit hole” original painting is the same proportions and more or less the same size as the print, so you can see the grain of the canvas - depending on how lethargic i am, they should be on their way to aka tako sometime next week

now available for pre-order from aka tako - $30 each or $50 for the pair (price includes shipping within the usa) - i wasn’t intending to blog about these till they arrived back from the printers - but i’ve received one or two letters asking if they’re legit - so, yes!, obviously they are official - 200 of each design are being printed, A2 size - half the stock will be on sale at my exhibition - the other half sold/distributed exclusively by aka tako (i’m not offering these for mail order myself - thanks to being barred by paypal) - note: there’s a slight change in design - i took out “april 2010″ from the first design - mainly so i can use that space to sign them (with a pink pen)

国内販売分は各１００枚限定になります。展覧会開催中に文化村ギャラリーさんにて購入できますので、よろしくお願いいたします。

i’m stockpiling reading matter again - it’s hilarious to read all the criticism of this book bitching that it’s a subjectively personal account thus not worth taking seriously (or even reading!) - yeah right, as if all other news reportage is not biased?! - the difference is joe sacco is honest - also sounds like many people still haven’t got over their bigoted view of comics being for kids and/or idiots

it’s been pointed out to me that i’m apparently a “participant” in a group exhibition of new upcoming undiscovered artists at la luz de jesus gallery in los angeles, titled everything but the kitsch ‘n sync, this month - news to me!!! - the “trevor brown contribution” in question originally purchased from me, in 2004, as a present for someone - obviously that recipient parted with it - and, via unknown history and circumstance, it’s now found included in this show - with a somewhat disproportionately high price tag! (haggle if by chance you are interested in buying it!)

500 plus page graphic novel re jack the ripper - meticulously researched by the esteemed alan moore - spoiler: queen victoria did it! - yes, it mostly follows the “final solution” (stephen knight) book huge scale conspiracy theory - which of course makes for the most interesting comicbook of this size and depth - includes extensive footnotes - i’m not too keen on the scratchy art but i guess easy to overlook once engrossed in the thick plot

“What would happen if a band took its fans seriously and chose to encourage them to explore… ANYTHING?”

psychic tv were always more than a band - thank god, as their records were/are mostly crap - their better philosophical half originally known as thee temple of psychick youth - which had thee supposed aim of creating a world of individuals possessing a desire to break through “Control” - ho hum - inevitably, as it presented itself as a pseudo religion, followers took it at face value - and ironically what it amounted to was cult zombies with identical haircuts and interests - getting themselves arrested while digging up graves wanting to make thigh-bone trumpets - oh dear! - so much for taking your fans seriously? - it still provides former devotee david tibet with whole album’s worth of lyrics re his embarrassment - genesis (breyer) p-orridge and thee temple of psychick youth have also disowned each other(?) in uncertain circumstances…

anyway, happily it appears the world’s new no.1 loony (in the absence of michael jackson) has reclaimed his brainchild and surprised us with this beautiful book / bible / research document / manual of possibilities and impossibilities - 542 pages filled with all thee t.o.p.y. and related mumbo jumbo you could desire - a signed numbered limited edition (mine #14. one away from my favourite number!) - quite reasonably priced at $69 (esp. as it comes shrinkwrapped with a 90 minute dvd) - altho, predictably, the evil book dealers have leapt in and already asking up to over several hundred dollars for this

body credits:- mulqueen (by redrum tattoo again), darren skorepa, tina nicolle and an unknown partygoer? - i know of at least one more but i can’t find the jpeg