Aithan Shapira

“I don't expect you to be interested in all the things that I'm interested in. But, what I need you to know …when you look at it, it looks like there's an urgency: it needed to be made, and it needed to be made right now. Today. By me” 

By using only red, yellow, black, and white – the limited color palette that Rembrant himself operated from – Aithan Shapira remains very conscious of referring back to the techniques of the Old Masters in his printmaking. While his work is understood as a reflection of the present, he is very much influenced by art history, as well as his own personal heritage and prior experiences. In this way, his work serves as a reminder that it is our pasts that have brought us to our present.

In this video interview, Aithan discusses his new studio in Portland, O.R., symbols within his work, and life as a traveling artist.

Danny Intro

"Graffiti and street art really don’t need to be defended much anymore. Besides some right-wing, waste-of-brain art critics, most progressive art collectors and galleries have been very welcoming to the new scene."

Danny Intro allows the essence of graffiti and street art to inform his design work. The explosions of color juxtaposed with a simple black image on a clean, white background is gives his work it's signature style.

GE: How did you first get into graffiti art?

DI: I first got into graffiti at a very young age. I grew up in NYC and was constantly surrounded by it. I remember trying to draw bubble letters as early as 6 or 7. I made my first tag at about 10. I started to get more serious with it, study techniques and eventually learned how to paint in about 1999-2000, at the age of 13. It may be cliche, but with graffiti art, the world is truly your canvas.

GE: As you go through your day, are you constantly considering new surfaces you encounter as possible canvases?
DI: I can’t go 5 minutes without looking at a spot on a highway, billboard, etc., and thinking about putting up some work. Although as of lately I haven’t done much illegal work, I still itch for it. It never leaves you. I just have different priorities than I did when I was 16 years old, mostly work and bills. That’s why I channeled a lot of my creative energy into gallery style pieces on canvas and wood panels. It’s just been a natural artistic progression for me - I never really plan anything.

GE: This idea of an explosion of color plays a big part in a lot of your work. Is there a significance behind this?
DI:The Controlled Explosions series was the first real cohesive series of gallery style artwork I put together. After years of doing letters and graffiti style artwork, I wanted to put a new twist on things. Besides being an artist, I work as a graphic designer and have a very clean style with a lot of white space. I’m a big fan of Paul Rand and his use of simplicity. Graffiti in essence is a very vibrant, explosive and colorful style of art and I wanted to capture that somehow without actually doing graffiti.

The paint splashes are the free flowing expression that comes from my graffiti background. The static monochromatic image juxtaposed to the loose and uncontrolled paint splashes it really what gives my work it’s character, in my own opinion.

There is some significance behind it, but every piece is different. I carefully pick my subject matter to be able to use the color as a catalyst for whatever expression or feeling I’m trying to relate. I never actually tell anyone what I was thinking or what it means to me. That would take away all the fun!

GE: In a public space, many times you see that a graffiti artist has painted over another artist’s work. Is this a justified action in the world of graffiti art?
DI: There are many unwritten ‘rules’ of graffiti etiquette. It’s so in depth and the terminology is so foreign to an outsider that its hard to explain. Basically, if you have a problem with someone, you cross them out. If you crossed someone out, then he has the right to go over your work, but you still have the right to come reclaim this spot. Also if you’re doing something more impressive its generally okay to go over someone's work. But there's problems with that logic too. Like I said its complicated…

GE: An admirer of your work can definitely see similarities to that of Banksy’s work. Do you appreciate that comparison?
DI: I don’t dislike it, but it sounds very elementary to me. Everyone knows Banksy because he’s sort of a pop culture icon for street art. Its like 'the cool thing to do', as compared to liking a popular band of sorts. His work is great but when I hear that from someone I know you don’t know much about the street art movement.
I’m much more in tuned with someone like Blek Le Rat, who is the pioneer of stencil art. Most people never heard of Blek because hes about 60 right now and isn’t as 'cool' as Banksy. But let me assure you, Banksy took tips from that guy too.

GE: How would you defend graffiti art to someone that might claim that it is not a form of fine art? Do you feel that you would even need to defend it?
DI: Graffiti and street art really don’t need to be defended much anymore. Besides some right-wing, waste-of-brain art critics, most progressive art collectors and galleries have been very welcoming to the new scene. They see the energy it emits and the response it evokes from people. It’s hard to deny.

Recently LA MOCA just held the first major U.S. Museum exhibition of the history of graffiti and street art, “Art in the Streets”. The show clearly legitimized the movement. It was supposed to come to the Brooklyn Museum, but right-wing lobbyists shot it down. In my opinion, it was because the artwork relates to more people - its not just for the elite to enjoy. They had an outpouring of kids visit the museum, which would generally never set foot in a museum. That’s the great positive impact which graffiti and street art can bring; it engages kids in a positive art form that they can relate too, unlike a lot of other ‘boring' art forms.

People's main claim is that it stemmed from illegal activity. I didn’t know the law was part of judging artist merit. It’s an ad Hominem argument: a strategy used when you don’t really have a legitimate point to make.

I don’t even consider myself a ‘graffiti’ artist either. I’m just an artist that does graffiti. Classifications drive me nuts because they’re limiting. Its hard to grow when your classified.
Right now the current graffiti/street/fine art movement is kind of in a hybrid evolution. Everyone pulling bits and pieces from all different facets of art and making a new evolving style. It’s been coined Hybridism and Graffuturism by prominent art bloggers, the reason being that most people started in the graffiti scene and evolved as they got older into something else.

Joseph Ventura

"Along with the study of anatomy, what better way to learn about the characteristics and capacity for expression of the human body than to engage my own?"
  
Joseph Ventura's methodical rendering capabilities allow him to materialize his curiosities with physical phenomena. His figures emit the energies of the body and reveal the mechanisms on which they function. By successfully capturing light, he is able to accurately translate the properties of material into an impressive 2-D state.

GE: What are the most important elements to keep in mind when painting in a hyper-realistic manner?

Anna, Oil on Panel. 2011

JV: The single most important thing one must keep in mind at all times is LIGHT. Light is largely the means by which we experience reality, so when creating a believable representation of reality understanding its behavior is essential. A painter must examine the subject and describe how it is receiving light (with value and color). Light follows the same laws everywhere in the universe, so if it is interpreted consistently then the painting will be consistent with reality. (An artist should constantly be curious about light in everyday life! Look at how objects reflect light, identify the light sources, cast shadows vs. form shadows, etc. Always ask yourself, “how would I paint that?” Also, the ability to create a realistic illusion from imagination can come only from this practice.) 

The next super-important thing is understanding your materials. It seems obvious but oil painting has a long and rich history, and there are tons of different types of paints, chemicals and brushes, many which did not exist before the last 100 years. I find that looking at technique and the proper use of materials from a historical point of view is extremely helpful when painting realistically. A fantastic book for this is The Materials of the Artist by Max Doerner. 

The point is: painting realistically is an intellectual endeavor. A painter is translating a 3-dimensional object or space into a 2-dimensional image. You wouldn't be a very good translator unless you are fluent in both of the languages you are working with, likewise a painter of realism must be fluent in the language of light and perspective, and the language of their own materials and execution.

GE: Can you explain some of the ideas behind the series “In-Phase Feedback Loop of Time, Space and the Probability Wavefunction of an Apparently Frustrated Human Subject”? Where are these men coming from and going? Are they fighting or holding onto each other? And what is the purpose of the black rope?

In-Phase Feedback Loop of Time, Space and the Probability 

Wavefunction of an Apparently Frustrated Human Subject, Part II

Oil on Canvas. 2011

JV: The ideas emerged from my obsession with theoretical physics. I was watching a ton of the Science Channel and reading books by Brian Greene, Stephen Hawking, and Michio Kaku. The strange phenomena of physical reality became my inspiration, and their philosophical implications became my imagery. 

A simpler idea exists in “Wavefunction Collapse”, which is the “wave-particle duality” of matter. Early in the 20^th century the “double-slit experiment” proved that particles exist not only as solid matter, but also as a mathematical wave of probability concerning their location, velocity, etc. Simply stated, particles can exist in multiple locations at the same time. The painting asks, if true for particles, what does that mean for sentient agglomerations of particles like human beings? 

The Feedback series adds to this another phenomenon. We know that feedback through a mic and speakers is the continuous amplification of a sound wave. So, what if there were such a loop in space-time through which a human might fall? Perhaps he would replicate physically, or his frustrated emotional state would be amplified.

And if you noticed, the Feedback series begins with part 2. In a part 1, which no longer exists, the figure was actually tripping over the cable connecting the two portals. It provided a graphic continuum to stand alongside the metaphor.

I know it's a lot and probably sounds crazy, but this is what goes through my head when I'm sketching.

In-Phase Feedback Loop of Time, Space and 

the Probability Wavefunction of an Apparently 

Frustrated Human Subject, Part IV

Oil on Canvas. 2011

GE: Is that a self-portrait in “In-Phase Feedback Loop of Time?” Are all the figures supposed to be you?
JV: Well the figures are certainly all the same individual and though that individual might be a representation of myself in an alternate reality, it is mostly just a human being as opposed to a portrait. Also, I am both the cheapest model I can get and the easiest to work with.

GE: I understand you have an interest in martial arts. Are there any aspects of martial arts and fine arts that relate?
JV: Absolutely. I'm a student of Jeet Kune Do which Bruce Lee developed. He said, “martial art is ultimately an athletic expression of the dynamic human body.” You could use those exact words to describe some of the greatest art; the Laocoon, anything by Michelangelo or Bernini, and someday as I endeavor, my own work.

Combat is the most primal, instinctive expression of the physical nature of living organisms; imagine any animal fighting for its own survival or to defend its young. It's like a super high-energy improvisational dance but with everything at stake. I would like to see Pollock or Rothko step inside the ring and truly express themselves...

Anatomical Study, Graphite on Paper. 2010

It helps me approach a composition with that mindset of dynamic expression, of powerful movement with emotional content. Along with the study of anatomy, what better way to learn about the characteristics and capacity for expression of the human body than to engage my own? 

“Art is the way to the absolute and to the essence of human life. The aim of art is... but the opening of all human capacities – thought, feeling, will- to the life rhythm of the world of nature.”

-Bruce Lee

Fruit of the Earth, Oil on Linen. 2012

GE: Is there any significance behind the small statue reoccuring in your still-lifes? How do you choose your imagery in your still-lifes?
JV: The human torso is a complex and beautiful result of natural evolution, so to me the statue functions as a celebration of that epic story. A still life set up has to flow with the things I tend to think about. “Still Life with Wine” might be about having a glass of wine over a philosophical discussion. “Fruit of the Earth” may suggest world view in which humans are a part of the Earth's natural ecosystem. Most importantly though, it has to be something I won't mind to sit and stare at for a few weeks.

I'm painting a skull right now, which sadly always has the connotation of death... I see it rather as an odd-looking structure that holds our faces together. It's a combination of choosing things that might interest me and drawing interest from the objects.

Still Life with Wine, Oil on Panel. 2011

GE: What is the most challenging material to paint realistically and why?
JV: This is going to sound ridiculous, but in all honesty the hardest thing for me to be paint is a solid wall. I find it more difficult to create a large, smooth and uniform gradation than to work in details. Also, painting a flat surface or drawing straight lines of architecture bore me to death. It's always the most challenging to paint something you don't really want to sit there and paint, even if it's supposed to be easy.

GE: How was the transformation from undergraduate studies to graduate school?
JV: The move into grad school was smooth for me. Over the four years at Marist pursuing digital media, I shifted heavily toward studio art my senior year after going abroad to Italy. While quickly becoming passionate about learning to paint and draw the figure, Professor Chris Seubert told me about the New York Academy of Art, where figure drawing and traditional techniques were the focus of the curriculum. I hastily got together a portfolio to apply, and was attending later that fall. I suppose I was a bit lucky, the Academy was a perfect fit, and I was able to continue seamlessly and develop rapidly as an artist in the short, two-year program. The difficult transformation is happening right now, going into the real world... I'll let you know how that goes.

Ribcage, Graphite on Paper. 2010

GE: Do you think its necessary for today's artists to keep up with the latest news and newest figures present in the art world or is it possible to be successful as an artist while being removed form everything that's going on?
JV: I'm really not a big fan of the art world but it's probably a bad idea to be totally removed. There's a lot of really, really terrible, shitty work everywhere you look, but once in a while there is an artist or a gallery that's really appealing. Subscribe to their newsletters, go to openings, etc. There's nothing quite like seeing up close the work of someone who does similar work to yours, only a million times better. I mean that in a good way, it's totally inspiring. 

I also made a lot of friends at the Academy and even went back to intern as a teaching assistant a few times. Keeping in touch with colleagues and faculty will probably prove important, especially when it comes time to invite people to your opening. Those connections are where many opportunities might come from, you may have friends organizing a show, curating, or just recommending your work to someone. Also, if you want people to show up to your openings, showing up to theirs is a good idea. And from what I hear, the most likely way to find a gallery is to know someone who already shows there and have them recommend you.