David Ross Harper

There is intense empathy in the will to memorialize, to lay down a particular meaning on an object that is not inherent to it—life as remembered in the ripe fig of an ancient Xenia painting, or death anticipated in a skull. In my work I am taking account of these empathic tendencies, both in the sense of identification with and understanding of an ‘other’, and in the sense of joining one’s own feelings to an object. 

David R. Harper 

I was in Dawson City Yukon in 2009 and was lucky to get to see David Harper's work in person at The ODD Gallery. Photos don't really do David's work justice, the fine detail of the embroidery is difficult to see and the experience of actually sharing the space with the objects is quite different than looking at them on a screen. David's work Him part of the Wedding Portraits was purchased buy the Canadian Art Bank ensuring that it becomes a part of the Canadian cultural archive. If ever you get a chance to see David's work in person then be sure to go! For more great work from this upcoming Canadian artist visit his website.

"Him" part of the Series "Wedding Portraits" purchased by Canada Council for the Arts

 I wish there was a more comprehensive site with David's work including larger photographs and details. His work is amazing and the details are incredible. Unfortunately the images on his site are very small and it is difficult to source images of his more recent works. Keep looking and if I come across any more decent images of his work I'll be sure to post them.

Erick Swenson

Not only is Erick Swenson a great artist, look at that brilliant moustache!  Again I have had some time to scour the internet for more of my particular taste of art, and I tell you you are in for a treat in the upcoming weeks. There is plenty of bittersweet macabre coming your way. So without further adieu lets have a look at the work of this contemporary Texan sculptor.

Unfortunately I couldn't find a site belonging to Erick himself, just the galleries that represent him: Saatchi, and James Cohan Gallery . This is really disapointing because I don't really give a shit about where he was born or where he went to school I want to know about how he chooses him imagery and what it is about the stag that interests him? I am more interested in reading what he has to say about his work not what some gallery owner has interpreted on his behalf. I can't find a decent artist statement but maybe when you're famous you don't actually have to write those anymore.

Erick Swenson’s Ne Plus Ultra poses the decaying skull of a deer as a cryptic relic. Swenson captures every uncomfortable detail: white flesh peeled, exposing raw tissue and weathered bone. Cast in resin, Swenson’s sculpture doesn’t exude the expected revulsion of gore, but rather a beatific reverence. In its serene otherworldly aura Swenson’s perished beast evokes a more horrific haunting as a torn cheek reveals a row of carnivorous teeth, and flayed brow appears embossed with mysterious scrimshaw. Through attenuate craftsmanship, Swenson merges ideas of the romantic sublime with chilling surrealism, creating an object suggestive of dark fiction.

(Saatchi Gallery)

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Julien Salaud

Julian Salaud is an artist working in Orléans. His work is exquisite combining taxidermy and beaded strings and sequins and threads that envelop the form in a "constellation". He calls his pieces Stellar Animals. Not only does he make incredible sculptures but he draws and has begun exploring his images in etching as well. Have a look at his website for more of his work or follow his blog to see what he's currently up to. Note that both his blog and website are in French. The gallery currently representing Julien is Suzanne Tarasieve
and you can see even more of his work there.

Josh Keyes

I have seen Josh Keyes' work before but for some reason I forgot all about it until I stumbled across his newest work while stumbling around the internet looking for inspiration. I finally checked out his website and to my delight I discovered that he has posted images from his sketchbooks as well as his finished pieces. I love seeing the process other artists use to create finished pieces. My own sketchbook is a place where I work out ideas and dump a bunch of things I find interesting until I can sort out the connections I want to make between them. Josh Keyes gives us an insight into how he works and how he formulates his paintings- a rare glimpse into the often long tangled process of creating a final work of art.

To Me, Josh's work is like little slices of the present day apocalypse. It speaks to greed and waste and although humans are not present in his work (save his self-portrait) the aftermath of our existence is overbearing in most of his paintings. Each painting is a single element that ties into the fabric of a larger more ominous narrative. The story is clear and the imagery is undeniably powerful. Make sure to visit Joh Keyes' website to see more of the story...

 Images from Josh's Sketchbooks. See more on his website.