5 with Lampe

With all the excitement of Crazy 4 Cult 2, and the heaps of print orders, I usually find myself ready to calm down quickly after the close of the show, but with our upcoming show "Lumber Smack" - a solo exhibit from one of my absolute favorite artists, Travis Lampe, I don't think the amp is gonna fade away.



And yes, at the opening reception we will be debut an art toy (that means hand created and painted, Jerky), produced by G1988, Travis and Julie B.'s Pretty in Plastic, called "Accidental Mishap" that is one of the coolest things I've ever seen (right after that video of Kim Stewart falling off that motorcycle with Paris Hilton. Youtube it.) You'll see those previews soon here on the blog, but they're gonna be a super limited run, so keep an eye to the blog if you want in. The opening will be on Tuesday night, September 16, from 7-10 PM.

In the meanwhile, we wanted to bring back our favorite blog feature and ask Travis Lampe to cite 5 of his current influences and inspirations by sending over 5 paintings, throughout history without any sort of restriction, that he's really feeling right now. These are the 5 he picked, and his reasons.



1. "The Sermon on the Mount" - Duccio

Duccio was basically a badass mofo. Though I love all his work, this painting is probably my favorite as it best represents all aspects of his particular je ne sais quoi - the screwy perspective in the city walls, the total disregard for accurate size relationship, the colors, and most of all the rendering of
the mountains. I love it.



2. "Venus Standing in a Landscape" - Cranach Lucas the Elder

I couldn't find a good image of the Cranach painting that I wanted to show (actually three paintings of women saints that I came across in the British Museum several years ago and stood in front of for an hour), but this one is close enough. Cranach Lucas the Elder achieved what I like to call "epic ridiculousness." The deep colors and details in the background give the painting a fantastic depth. Then , in the foreground he puts a cartoonish, yet utterly beautiful full frontal nude , and, oh yeah, she's wearing a ridiculous hat.



3. "The Reconciliation of Titania and Oberon" - Joseph Noel Paton

I love Victorian fairy paintings. This one is my favorite. The detail is astounding - there's so much going on in there, so much interaction between the minor characters, that you could look at this painting forever and not get all the subtle detail. And again, it's ridiculous and epic and beautiful at the same time - something I am drawn to.



4. "The Forest", an illustration from Dante's Divine Comedy - Gustave Doré

Sad and lost in the forest? Yes, please! I've been fascinated by Doré's engravings since I first glimpsed them in a copy of Paradise Lost at my aunt's house as a kid.



5. "Experiment 769" - Ryan Heshka

Ryan is so good it kind of makes me angry. The next time I see him, I'm going to punch him in the head.

This painting was more or less picked at random, because I like all his stuff. He combines creepiness and humor in a way that is just sick. Sick, I tell you! Ryan inspired me to get my act together and start painting in the first place. He's a great guy and very encouraging.

Jensen
G1988: LA