For now, let's call it art

Winner of the 2010 William H. Johnson Prize

2010-12-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

I feel so honored to be this year's winner of the William H. Johnson Prize. This prize is awarded annually to an early career African American artist. Some of my favorite artists have one over the years--Sanford Biggers, Dave McKenzie, Rodney McMillian and Edgar Arceneaux.

http://www.whjohnsongrant.org/grants_2010.htm

"God's Army," "3 Black Sculptures" and "Twin cities (Pittsburgh and Rio)," from the series Double Vision

2010-12-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Photography Exhibition at the World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures in Dakar, Senegal

2010-12-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

I am currently participating in the international photography exhibition at the World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures in Dakar, Senegal. I am showing the photo series "Double Vision" for the first time.

BRIC GALA covered in the local NY Times section

2010-10-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

A graduate student at CUNY's Journalism school covered the event. Check out the article--

http://fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/fort-greene-artist-honored-at-bric-art-gala/?emc=eta1

Kind of a goofy picture. The writer asked me to pose next to my auctioned photo.

2010-10-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

Opening at Hendershot Gallery Sunday October 24th

2010-10-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Doubleslide will be featured in this three-person exhibition at Hendershot Gallery before it heads down to Miami for the Scope Fair. A catalog will be produced in conjunction with the exhibition.

BRIC GALA

2010-10-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

BRIC's Gala took place Tuesday night. I was pretty excited when my photo "Double houses" (pictured above) was auctioned off higher than the value listed. I think I may need to raise my prices :-)

Featured in article back "home"

2010-10-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

One of Trinidad and Tobago's daily newspapers--Newsday, published an article about me and my work last Sunday...Needless to say my parents are very proud

http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,129274.html

I am being honored this month at BRIC Arts Gala

2010-10-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

BRIC Arts I Media I BKLYN, a contemporary art, performing arts and community media organization (the folks that also present Celebrate Brooklyn concerts each year) is honoring me along with 19 other artists at this year's gala. The event will take place on October 19th at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

http://www.bricartsmedia.org/about/news/press-releases/bric-arts-media-bklyn-announces-the-2010-bric-contemporary-art-gala

Days of Yore Interview

2010-09-24T16:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this interview I just did with Days of Yore--an online site of interviews with visual artists, writers and musicians. Some really good folks in there (George Saunders!!)

http://thedaysofyore.com/Karyn_Olivier

Dancer/Danger T-shirt

2010-09-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

Bite exhibition--I've made t-shirts!!

2010-09-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

I've driven by this sign many times and I each time I pass by I think about the first time I saw it and read it as "DANCER". The second time, I realized my folly. For this exhibition I decided to do something I haven't done before--make a t-shirt. The image was applied using a heat transfer process. It is an edition of 25.

Bite Exhibition at Third Streaming

2010-09-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am currently participating in BITE: A Street Inspired Art and Fashion Exhibition at Third Streaming in Soho, NYC through November 6th

http://thirdstreaming.com/events/current/11-bite-street-inspired-art-and-fashion

Library Project profiled this month in the Caribbean Review of Books

2010-07-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled when the Caribbean Review of Books asked if they could run a piece on the ACA Foods Free Library in their bimonthly journal. The article includes an interview and several images from the project. It feels good to be included in something outside of a strictly visual arts realm.

http://caribbeanreviewofbooks.com/crb-archive/22-july-2010/hungry-for-words/

Inbound: Houston Book

2010-05-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to put together some pieces for the Inbound: Houston catalog. I'm realizing that I'm less interested in it being a straightforward catalog and more excited about it being a book that is tangentially related to the billboards. So far I know it will include a conversation between myself and the amazing Paul Ramirez Jonas. I am also trying to find a creative writer to create a literary piece for the book. Lehze Flax, a wonderful graphic designer will design the book.

My hope is that it will be completed before my school begins again in the fall.

More soon...

I've been gone for awhile.

2010-05-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

Somehow teaching always takes over, pushing my art aside until the day graduation caps are thrown up in the air (tomorrow's the day!).

So the ACA Foods Free Library project opened in March--it was super exciting. Some locals were skeptical, not believing that the books were really free (the only catch being the promise to return them). But once we discussed the impetus for the free library and why I wanted to create it, they were excited too.

The children's section was sweet--books nestled among cookies, biscuits and all things sugary. We placed the political books among an array of hot peppa sauces, which seemed like an obvious location and cultural books in between energy drinks with names like Secret Stallion and Bedroom Bully (oh, Jamaica!).

I haven't been back up to Hartford recently to but hear that people are still using it. Here are some pics.

My hope is to create this project in other cities with a high concentration of West Indians.

Here's the list of books locals will be able to check out at the ACA Foods Free Library in Hartford

2010-02-28T09:39:00.002-08:00

I hope all of the books will come in by Thursday--here's the tentative list

2010-02-28T09:39:00.001-08:00

2010-02-28T09:38:00.001-08:00

2010-02-28T09:34:00.000-08:00

Install at ACA Foods, Hartford, CT

2010-02-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

Most of the books have come in for the ACA Foods Free Library. I will head up to install the books among the various provisions. Photos soon!

ACA Foods Free Library

2010-02-18T07:03:00.000-08:00

I'm getting ready to install a library inside ACA Foods, a West Indian grocery store in Hartford, CT. It will be part of "Rockstone and Bootheel," an exhibition on contemporary caribbean art at Real Art Ways.

Website Launch

2010-02-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

I have finally finished my website!

www.karynolivier.com

My Blog gets a face lift!

2010-02-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

Though my plan is to create Inbound: Houston in another city (Chicago? please?), I've decided to shift this blog away from being project specific. I'll just use it to post general info and updates on my work.

Catalog coming!!

2010-01-10T10:12:00.001-08:00

Great news! I just secured funding for the creation of a catalog/book for Inbound:Houston. I need to find a designer to within the next month to get things going. Right now I'm in the process of finishing up my website--karynolivier.com and adding images from the project. I can finally add a video section!

Real Fiction

2010-01-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Joel Love created the musical score with video editing by Grant MacManus.

Exertion/Distortion

2010-01-08T15:33:00.000-08:00

I created two videos to accompany the musical compositions which were orginally created for drivers to listen to while viewing the billboards. Paul Wadle created the score and the lovely Grant MacManus edited them.

Billboard at I-10 near 45 South exit

2009-11-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

Interview with KUHF's Bob Stevenson on the program the Front Row

2009-11-20T07:23:00.000-08:00

Listen to this two-part interview with Bob Stevenson from KUHF's program the "Front Row." The first part is a driving tour of the billboards with Bob Stevenson. The second part took place in KUHF's studio with composers Joel Love, Paul Wadle and music director Dr. Rob Smith. I commissioned two student composers to create a score for the billboards which were performed by The Aura Contemporary Ensemble. Once the "soundtracks" were made, I created two videos to accompany the music. This collaboration premiered at the ensemble's fall concert this past Monday.

Here's the link to the interview and music samplings--

http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1258410147

Here's a segment from Houston's public radio station KUHF

2009-11-20T06:35:00.000-08:00

Melissa Galvez from KUHF reported on Inbound:Houston this past Monday morning

http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1258154376

Fox News interview

2009-11-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

Check out this short segment that aired on Fox News the other night.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/weird/091116_anti_billboards_artist

59 North at Mt. Houston

2009-11-13T19:33:00.000-08:00

Map of billboard locations

2009-11-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

Click the link below to get a map of locations!

http://ow.ly/zegR

Inbound: Houston's Podcast is finally available!!

2009-11-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

Click below for directions on downloading the musical score composed for Inbound: Houston. You will also find directions on how to tour the billboards with the musical accompaniment!

http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-listen_online.php

North belt near Hardy Toll Rd exit

2009-11-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

59 near Quitman exit (just inside the 610 Loop)

2009-11-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

59 Spur at Jack Street and Richmond Avenue

2009-11-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

59 North at Mt Houston

2009-11-09T15:48:00.000-08:00

Things have been super hectic.

Just did a little interview for KUHF (the NPR station down here) News which will air next Monday. I will be on the arts and culture program "The Front Row" next week as well.

This past weekend we worked on the video which will accompany the musical score for Inbound: Houston. For now, here's another billboard image.

Here's a piece that ran in Houston's Business Journal last week

2009-11-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

bumper sticker

2009-11-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

I'm looking into making a bumper sticker of this image

2009-10-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

here are some images from the first week of installation

2009-10-31T12:08:00.000-07:00

Mention on KPRC's Bumper to Bumper blog

2009-10-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Reyna of KPRC's Bumper to Bumper blog wrote a short piece on Inbound: Houston

http://www.click2houston.com/bumpertobumperblog/index.html

Rehearsals for recording session

2009-10-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

A lot of notations were made during the rehearsal
Here are the members
Paul Wadle's score

I am collaborating with the University of Houston's Moores School of Music. Two graduate student composers have created original scores inspired by my billboard installation. The scores will be performed by Aura Contemporary Ensemble, conducted by Professor Rob Smith. Yesterday I sat in on the rehearsal of Paul Wadle's piece titled "Exertion/Distortion". It was wonderful and thrilling. This evening there will be a recording session for both pieces, which will be available for download through KUHF's website. The two scores (the other composer is Joel Love) will also be performed by the ensemble at Moores Opera House with an accompanying video I am creating with the assistance of Grant MacManus, a graduate student also at the university. The concert will take place on November 16th.

CW 39 News aired a segment on Inbound: Houston

2009-10-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Channel 39 News came to the launch party on Monday and aired a story during the 9 o'clock news hour.

http://www.39online.com/news/local/kiah-billboard-art-story,0,2526264.story

2009-10-28T17:00:00.001-07:00

Check out the story in Houston's city guide 29.95 by Nancy Wozny

http://www.29-95.com/art/story/billboards-art

Absolutely in the Loop magazine

2009-10-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

check out the story

http://www.absolutelyintheloop.com/features/beyond-the-billboards

Another billboard view!

2009-10-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of videos driving by the billboards

2009-10-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Houston Chronicle story

2009-10-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Check out the story in the Houston Chronicle.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/6685456.html

BAD WEATHER

2009-10-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

The billboard unveiling will be postponed until tomorrow morning. There is word of a bad storm coming in. Big big bummer.

Will keep you posted. But the launch party at Diverseworks is still on for 6 o'clock tonight!

Inbound: Houston Media Alert

2009-10-25T19:39:00.000-07:00

MEDIA ALERT

‘INBOUND: HOUSTON’ BILLBOARD UNVEILING

Major public outdoor art exhibition along Houston’s highways revealed on October 26

WHAT: University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts visiting artist Karyn Olivier is replacing 13 billboard ads along Houston’s freeways with life-sized photographic representations of what drivers would see if the advertising did not exist: sky, buildings, homes, trees and other elements of the environment. Olivier’s major public art project, “Inbound: Houston,” will reveal this new view of the city Oct. 26 through Nov. 22.

With Karyn Olivier’s assistance, CBS Outdoor will transform the 13 billboard ads across the city into artwork the morning of Monday, October 26.

BILLBOARD UNVEILING & INTERVIEW OPP

Photos of the unveiling of one of the 13 transformed billboards
Interview with artist Karyn Olivier
Interview with Nancy Zastudil, Associate Director of the UH Mitchell Center for the Arts

WHEN: Monday, October 26, 2009

10:00 AM Billboard Unveiling

WHERE: 11939 EastTex Freeway

For best view, park in parking lot of shopping center with T-Mobile store and Club Ritmo Latino

MORE: Presented by the UH Mitchell Center in collaboration with the Moores School of Music, Creative Capital, DiverseWorks and CBS Outdoor, “Inbound: Houston” will be located along Houston’s major freeways including eight points along U.S. Highway 59 (Southwest Freeway), one location along Interstate 10 at Wood St. (in between I-45 and Hwy 59), and four points along North Beltway 8.

Houstonians can celebrate the launch of this exciting project at a free kickoff party on October 26 at 6 p.m. at DiverseWorks (1117 E. Freeway). The event will feature an artist talk with Olivier and billboard viewings as well as live music and details of a special geo-caching scavenger hunt.

For more information, visit the Mitchell Center online at www.mitchellcenterforarts.org or Olivier’s blog at karynolivier.blogspot.com

ON-SITE CONTACTS:

Susan Elmore Jordan Oberthier

Cell: 713.702.4331 Cell: 903.240.5269

University of Houston News

2009-10-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

There's a story on my project Inbound: Houston under Top Stories. See the link on the right

Houston Chronicle

2009-10-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did a phone interview with Houston Chronicle writer Douglas Britt. It was a fun interview and should go to press in Monday's paper. I think there will be an image too of one of the sites!

2009-10-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

Earlier this evening I took part in Spacetaker's Artist SPEAKeasy via Skype (I'm teaching at Tyler in Philly and couldn't make it down to h-town). I took this from their website--it's an evening of artist networking where three artists present in an informal atmosphere their creative dialogs/talks/presentations about their work, followed by a question and answer period from which the audience can glean further insight into the artist and the artist’s aesthetic and creative process. Spacetaker is a Houston-based organization that provides artists and small non-profits access to economic, educational and networking opportunities. Check out their website!

Spacetaker's Artist SPEAKeasy

2009-10-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Press Release

2009-10-20T18:42:00.002-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: K.C. Scharnberg

Elmore Public Relations

713.524.0661 or kc@elmorepr.com

‘INBOUND: HOUSTON’ TO REDEFINE COMMUTERS’ VIEW OF CITY’S BILLBOARDS

Visiting artist Karyn Olivier replaces billboard ads with life-sized images of surrounding environment

HOUSTON, Texas (October 14, 2009) – Drivers on Houston’s freeways are used to seeing billboards promoting fashion, fast food, beverages and other items. Starting October 26, they will have a new view of the urban landscape that lies beyond the ads, courtesy of the University of Houston’s Mitchell Center for the Arts.

UH Mitchell Center visiting artist Karyn Olivier is replacing 13 billboard ads across Houston with life-sized photographic representations of what drivers would see if the advertising did not exist: sky, buildings, homes, trees and other elements of the environment.

Olivier’s major public art project, “Inbound: Houston,” will reveal this new view of the city

Oct. 26 through Nov. 22. Houstonians can celebrate the launch of this exciting project at a free kickoff party on October 26 at 6 p.m. at DiverseWorks (1117 E. Freeway). The event will feature an artist talk with Olivier and billboard viewings as well as live music and details of a special geo-caching scavenger hunt.

Presented by the Mitchell Center in collaboration with the Moores School of Music, Creative Capital, DiverseWorks and CBS Outdoor, “Inbound: Houston” will be located along Houston’s major freeways including six points along U.S. Highway 59 (Southwest Freeway), one location along Interstate 10 at Wood St. (in between I-45 and Hwy 59), three points along North Beltway 8 and two locations along Loop 610 North near Main Street.

“We are thrilled to present this wholly original event in Houston,” said Karen Farber, director of the Mitchell Center. “Karyn Olivier will bring a totally new experience to our daily trips on Houston’s freeways. What is invisible will become visible, and vice versa.”

According to Olivier, the project’s goal is to confront drivers with an “unsettling and uncanny” experience in which the replacement images suggest a different reality. Photos of the behind-the-billboard landscapes will vary considering they will be taken at different times of the day and during different weather and lighting conditions.

“I want to see how each change affects the way people understand the pictures when the landscape is no longer the same as it is in the image,” Olivier said.

“Inbound: Houston” is inspired by works such as Rene Margitte’s painting within a painting “The Human Condition” (1933) and Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ 1990 billboard piece detailing an empty bed (symbolic of the artist’s partner’s AIDS-related death). Olivier said it also uses concepts from literature such as Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” and Italo Calvino’s “Invisible Cities.” Both novels address false appearances and fabricated existence.

“Inbound: Houston” also spurred the Mitchell Center to commission a musical score from UH Moores School composers Paul Wadle and Joel Love. A concert on November 16 at 7:30 p.m. by AURA, the Moores School of Music’s Contemporary Ensemble, will include the premiere performance of Wadle and Love’s compositions, featuring videos and photos of Olivier’s billboards. The concert will be made available as a Podcast on www.kuhf.org that can be listened to while driving past the “Inbound: Houston” billboards.

During her residency, Olivier will also work with UH students in the Mitchell Center Mentorships course to produce collaborative projects in the community.

For more details on “Inbound: Houston” or to track its progress, visit Olivier’s blog at karynolivier.blogspot.com or visit the Mitchell Center online at www.mitchellcenterforarts.org.

Photo by: dabfoto creative

High resolution photos available upon request

###

About the Mitchell Center

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston cultivates interdisciplinary collaboration in the performing, visual, and literary arts. From its base at the University of Houston, the center offers public events, residencies, and curriculum that fuse artistic disciplines, ignite dialogue, and open doors to new ways of seeing and understanding the arts and the world around us. The Mitchell Center forms an alliance among five units at the University of Houston: The School of Art, Creative Writing Program, Moores School of Music, School of Theatre and Dance, and Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston. For more information about the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston, visit www.mitchellcenterforarts.org.

Inbound: Houston Postcard Invite

2009-10-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

Inbound: Houston Postcard Invite

2009-10-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

And here's what the billboard will look like on site..

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Here's another billboard image

2009-10-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Here's what the billboard image will look like on site

2009-10-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Actual billboard Image

2009-10-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Billboard Photos

2009-10-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

All of the images to be placed on the billboards were uploaded this past Wednesday to the printing company, Circle Graphics, based in Colorado.

Yesterday we saw the proofs (we needed to sign off on them before they begin printing thirteen 14ft x 48 ft vinyl images!) and they look great. Many thanks to Anthony Thompson Shumate, the image designer and photoshop extraordinaire who worked like crazy to prepare the images for print. Here are some of them...

great little poem

2009-10-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

I think that I shall never see a billboard lovely as a tree. Perhaps, unless the billboards fall, I'll never see a tree at all--Ogden Nash

Two billboard images

2009-10-11T20:02:00.001-07:00

Two sites on 59 South near Almeda

2009-10-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

So here are mock-ups for two of the billboards that are just south of downtown. What exist behind the billboards is sky. When you emerge from under the Alabama Street overpass, these billboards immediately present themselves. They are across the freeway from each other and appear to be equidistant from the driver. I think I will use the same image of sky replicated on both billboards. I hope these images will speak very directly on our understanding and perception of artifice vs. veracity.

Map of billboard locations

2009-10-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Creating photographic images

2009-10-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a quick trip to Houston. I met with David Brown, a wonderful Houston-based photographer who will help shoot the images for the billboards.

We spent Friday/Saturday figuring out which vantage point to shoot the billboard images from. We spent most of the time making u turns around the freeway exists as we tested each lane. We tried to find the lane that would yield the most interesting landscape image.

Billlboard Locations

2009-09-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

This billboard is at i-10 East and Wood. It currently has an ad for Cafe Adobe.

2009-09-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

This billboard is next to 59S (Spur) and Jack. It currently has an ad for Hornitos Tequila on it.

Billlboard Locations

2009-09-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

This billboard is at 59 North and Quitman. It currently has an ad for Jack's carpet.

Scouting Billboard sites

2009-09-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Houston where I spent most of my time, driving around the freeways with Ana Kulak, a very sweet account executive at CBS Outdoor. We met on Thursday and tackled 59 North, the 610 loop, Beltway 8 and I-10. We made changes to the proposed list of sites and I am thrilled to say that I will have 13 billboards for Inbound: Houston.

The locations are varied--quite a few are within the 610 loop which is the busiest part of the freeway. I was also able to secure one near Diverseworks, which will host the launch party on October 26th.

Pictures soon

Check out this text on the project by Linda Yablonsky

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2009-09-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

2009-09-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

2009-09-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

Just received a list of the billboard locations I will use from the CBS Outdoor folks. I'm traveling down next Thursday to check them out. I also need to figure out how to photograph some of the locations while driving! Hopefully there will be a lot of traffic so the pictures won't be blurry.

2009-08-21T04:26:00.000-07:00

This is what my life is right now

I've always loved this Magritte painting

2009-08-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Felix Gonzalez-Torres

2009-08-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

When I came up with the idea for the billboards I started to think of works that had impacted me, potentially leading me to the creation of this project. I thought of Felix Gonzalez-Torres' "Untitled" billboard project in 1991. This was before I was an artist or even thinking about studying art. I was working as a manager at Bloomingdale's department store and every day on the walk to the DeKalb Ave train station in Brooklyn, I noticed this billboard. First I thought it was an ad for something—maybe it would change in a week. Some weeks later, I noticed it never changed; this was it. But, somehow, the slow unfolding of the work through repeated viewings over many weeks resonated with me and I began to understand and really "feel" the work. Eight years later when I began my art studies, his work was revealed to me through books, critical theory and museums--all necessary to my growth as an artist. But that initial exposure to Felix Gonzalez-Torres' work remains the most profound.

I took this photo a few years ago in Pittsburgh

2009-08-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

It seems relevant somehow to my billboard project in Houston.

2009-08-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Billboard Project in Houston's Third Ward (2004)

2009-08-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

With the help of a Houston Arts Alliance grant, I installed a billboard structure at the edge of Dupree Park, a park sponsored by Project Row Houses. I was thinking about the various roles a neighborhood billboard can play. Of course a billboard could and should advertise products and services desired by the community, but perhaps it could also just simply celebrate the people who share that community. For this public project, I casually photographed three frequent park goers. The photograph was taken at the site where the billboard structure was later installed.

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Earlier projects that inspired Inbound: Houston

2009-08-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

When I moved to Houston after graduate school, I immediately noticed the dizzying number of billboards and signs on the city's freeways. The billboards seemed to look and feel different than they did back home in New York City. Maybe the perpetual traffic and cluttered NY landscape forced you to feel the physical weight of those huge structures in a way I didn't have to experience in Houston. In Houston, I just whizzed by those signs, which seemed to be floating in the sky. For an exhibition in Victoria, Texas I decided to photograph isolated signs along the freeway with only the sky as backdrop. I wanted the signs to become characters, the varied sky in each photo hinting at a narrative. I back-mounted the photos onto 1/2 inch plexiglas to reinsert their three-dimensional properties.

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Inbound: Houston Project Description

2009-08-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

This public art project will engage the general public and everyday commuters on their drive to work. Photographs of whatever exists directly behind each billboard will take the place of an advertisement. In a way, the project will unknowingly invite the commuter to a game of chance. If the weather conditions do not match those captured on the billboard photos, the art will appear as an interesting statement: Ubiquitous advertising will be replaced with representations of sky, bushes, buildings—whatever it is that would be seen if the billboard wasn’t there. When conditions are such that the weather and light match the photos on the billboard, the experience will be more surreal—a blurring of the line between natural and unnatural, real and fake, art and commerce. How will the commuter react to this potentially uncanny experience? And will commuters who repeatedly travel the same freeways become re-sensitized to the advertisements that they see as a result of this experience? One interest I have is in reengaging commuters with their surroundings. The uniqueness of these images will reassert the presence of the billboard, asking the viewer to notice and pay attention once again to what’s being “advertised.”

Here's another example..

2009-08-03T12:23:00.001-07:00

Some of my billboards will look like this...

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Here you can see what billboard ads usually look like.

2009-08-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Inbound: Houston

2009-08-03T08:38:00.000-07:00