The Morton Piece, 2009

In between consuming tons of good food, and most of the free art Washington DC has to offer, i Managed to make a small thanksgiving treat of an installation for my brother's apartment. The piece was created to accompany one of the Norman Prints that he purchased and I am pretty happy with the results. full image gallery is viewable here
http://www.jonathanbrilliant.com/morton
Up next I need to finish mounting a triptych of drawings for a group show that opens this week at plum elements in charleston, then I begin preparing for Sticks, Straws Sleeves and Lids which opens January 15th at The university of South Carolina. In between that I also need to figure out the final logistics for the stir stick piece for Eternal Return at Nurtureart in Brooklyn(a curated group show i have agreed to do a woven stir stick piece for). I am mostly focused on the USC show right now as it will be the first time in a couple of years that I will have enough time to present my expanded vision of what an installation drawn entirely from the detritus of the coffee shop and my ideas about british and southern sculpture. Plus it might be only the second time in working this way that throughout the duration of the install i will be sleeping in my own bed and won't need to travel more than ten minutes between studio and site. below are some process shots of the install in the apartment and an image of the print that the piece will accompany.




I did the bulk of the weaving in a couple mornings, then adjusted the piece to fit the space around the window.
This is actually the couch where i stayed for thanksgiving, doing double duty as a sculpture stand and a guest bedroom.

this is the norman relief print/embossing that will accompany the Morton piece in it's new location.

A view of My Favorite Things

THiNGS
on View November 21 2009-January 2, 2010
Eyelevel art 103 Spring gallery
103 spring street, Charleston South by-God Carolina
curated by Jonathan Brilliant
artists include

Sean Ahern- Charleston SC
Jonathan Brilliant Columbia SC
Jarod Charzewski- Charleston SC
Philip Estes- Charleston SC
Ashley Harwood- Charleston SC
Sarah Lowe- Oakland CA
Daniel Mcsweeney- Charleston SC
Michael Moran- Charleston SC
James Morgan- San Jose Ca
Michael Morrison- Charleston SC
Owen Premore- Portland Oregon
David Walen- Charleston SC
Sean Williams- Charleston SC









It was a tremendous honor and a huge learning curve to get to curate this show. Most of the hard work was done about six months ago when we nailed down a date when i would be free to install the show. This show was sort of like my off time between the berlin stop of the Have Sticks Will Travel World Tour and the beginning of the install at The McMaster Gallery at The University of South Carolina. The goal for this show was to use the space as a way to highlight a disparate but related arrangement of objects. I had envisioned being able to use the work of the other artists in concert with each other and the 103 spring gallery to create an overall sense of one cohesive installation. Throughout this process I think I learned that my approach and vision for curating, is to utilize other artists work to create a site responsive installation. I did have many limitations, not least of which was a non-existent budget for shipping, and my relentless installation and travel schedule for my personal work. None the less my west coast artists managed to come up with elegant solutions to this problem by creating work that was shippable in small packages but could take ownership of the space provided. I was equally surprised by the local artists, who when asked for specific types of work often times surpassed their previous work. In a couple cases I was completely unfamiliar with the artists work but their descriptions of what they were planning were enough to re-assure me that I would be able to create the installation I was imagining. The end result is that I've got a show which has a little weaving, a little welding, a little stacking, a little arranging, some found objects, a couple cubes, and a nice mix of work with the artist "hand" at the forefront and a lack of the artist "hand"(something i strive in my personal work as well). I had solicited cube or cube related work from 4 of the artists and was very happy to still see that vision carried through for the first passage of the show, then in the next section the show transitions into a still life/archaeological arrangement area. This flow was a response to the shear beauty of the 103 spring space. Inside the space is the facade of an 1830's era house which the former car garage was built around. Opposite the facade is this amazing wall of many colors. This lived in post-industrial space with the ghost of a former home was already a tremendous work of art in it's own right. I knew that any object I added to the space would immediately begin to dialog with this space. I hope the viewer has a chance to experience the show in the relative isolation that I was afforded as the curator/preparator/exhibition designer. It was a nice "break" from my work and still kept the part of my mind that is interested in shaping and engaging architectual spaces active. I am looking forward to my next challenge in Early December when i begin installing "Sticks, Straws, Sleeves and Lids" My new installation for the University of South Carolina which opens January 15th.

it's all part of my NPR fantasy.

I am openly hooked on npr as an integral part of working in the studio. It is true that npr can be thought provoking and stimulating, but I like it because it is the audio equivalent of a screensaver. You know really fascinating to observe, everyone has it on in their office or worksapce, and we are all guilty of staring at it and enjoying the unintended entertainement value. It is all these qualities and the even nature of the timbre on all of npr's programming that make it the perfect background noise for certain types of work. Particularly when i am weaving on site running up against a deadline the audio metronome that is public radio is just what i need to help me focus and feel less isolated. I am at my happiest working on site when i can listen to the public radio feed for kqed on itunes, because i am addicted to joe mcconnell's tarffic updates. It is also true that when I was younger I thought radio reader was the worlds greatest super hero. The other thing I have always loved about npr, and it's cousin etv is pledge drive season. That's right that one time of year when you see amazing concerts on etv, that one time of year that ira glass actually says something funny. You know that bit where he calls the child of someone who listens to npr and asks them to pledge for their parents, or he calls and guilts someone into joining. Well these are all the things i thought of when my npr fantasy became that much more real with the acceptance of my project by the startup fundraising website kickstarter. I know it probably is more appropriate to call it a crowd sourcing platform, but this is my npr fantasy and we call it fundraising(although one of the webby things about kickstarter is it is all or nothing, meaning if i don't make my goal, no money changes hands. I guess like ebay but I have never bought or sold on ebay before so i can't be sure). So following the npr model I have several different gifts for various levels including the ubiquitous "whole hog" pledge that ends it all at the bottom(meaning if someone pledges for the total amount we reach the goal and everything else is just gravy). In keeping with the npr model I will be going about my regular content creation as an artist but will occasionally interupt my programing for pledge breaks npr style(you know laden with guilt, wit, and tons of enticements based on your level of pledge). The pledge drive actually ends December 22 right around the time i start weaving stir sticks for The Sticks, Straws, Sleeves and Lids show at The University of South Carolina, because i figured that was more npr style to resume regular programming after the drive, rather than having it run into the real content.

Pledge $2 or more
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-travel-world-tour

every 2 dollar donation gets you a signed stir stick and a jonathanbrilliant.com sticker

Pledge $3 or more
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-travel-world-tour

LIMITED REWARD 32 of 33 remaining

If you pledge $3.33 in honor of my 33rd birthday I will send you a special limited edition birthday card. On the cover is an original drawing, and inside is the text "Happy Birthday from those who adore you", I will also throw in a signed stir stick, and a sticker. The cards will be printed with soy based inks on archival paper using a local mom&pop shop wedding invitation printer. They will be signed and numbered and include a standard invitation envelope. My way of saying happy birthday to you for saying happy birthday to me. Pledge $5 or more
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-travel-world-tour

A selection of jonathnbrilliant.com stickers and a personalized postcard will be mailed to you

Pledge $10 or more
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-travel-world-tour

LIMITED REWARD 47 of 50 remaining
A selection of jonathnbrilliant.com stickers, official tour poster(designed by Sarah Lowe), and a couple postcards

www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
Pledge $20 or more
LIMITED REWARD 5 of 5 remaining
Brilliant the Blinding elightenment- Is one of five unique compact flourescent ultrabright desk lamps featuring my favorite portable consumer fetish object as lightsource.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
Pledge $30 or more
LIMITED REWARD 29 of 30 remaining
A glow in the dark Jonathanbrilliant.com t shirt and A selection of jonathnbrilliant.com stickers, official tour poster(designed by Sarah Lowe), and a couple postcards

Pledge $33 or more
www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...

Brilliant 33rd Birthday vibrating Pledge- In Honor of my 33rd birthday on November 9, I am offering the following special: Your very own vibrating coffee cup. The cup is created from a genuine to-go coffee cup from any one of the many fine coffee establishments I frequent. The cup is then modified with it's very own vibrator similar to the cups depicted in this installation http://www.jonathanbrilliant.com/vibrating.html plus you get all the gifts listed at the ten dollar level. Show some vibrating birthday love won't you.

www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
Pledge $75 or more
LIMITED REWARD 7 of 10 remaining
A one color screenprint emblazoned with the woven stick patter plus A glow in the dark Jonathanbrilliant.com t shirt and A selection of jonathnbrilliant.com stickers, official tour poster(designed by Sarah Lowe), and a couple postcards
Backer 3 BACKERs

www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
Pledge $150 or more
LIMITED REWARD 10 of 10 remaining
everything from the $75 level, plus a dvd portfolio with all the documentation of the project a digital catalog of the tour to date and all videos in full quality,plus i will send you a coffee mug from all the places i visit on the second half of the tour in 2010(limit ten prizes at this level)

Pledge $175 or more

LIMITED REWARD 3 of 3 remaining
www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
The Zinnia This Pledge level entitles you to your very own custom woven acrylic wall panel. The panel will be created by weaving and plastic welding custom milled clear acrylic strips into a panel approximately 36”round. The weaving pattern used is the same one I use for the woven stir stick installations. The advantage of the clear acrylic is it’s permanence, and the beauty of the shadows cast directly on the wall. To see an example of a larger 85”x85” woven panel go to http://www.jonathanbrilliant.com/clear Of course I will still throw in a poster, postcards, stickers, and maybe a little something extra if your nice…

www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
Pledge $250 or more
LIMITED REWARD SOLD OUT (might release a tall, but this was the only venti and someone got it)
1cast aluminum coffee cup, postcard, stickers, and a signed stick This unique casting is created through the lost latte process of aluminum casting. This venti coffee cup was actually destroyed through the metal casting process in order to release it’s true essence into the atmosphere, creating this very sacred portable consumer fetish object which is now available to you only if you pledge at this level.
Pledge $500 or more
www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
a very special stir stick embossing monoprint(created by inking and running the actual woven stir sticks through a printing press) plus A one color screenprint emblazoned with the woven stick pattern plus A glow in the dark Jonathanbrilliant.com t shirt and A selection of jonathnbrilliant.com stickers, official tour poster(designed by Sarah Lowe), and a couple postcards

www.kickstarter.com/projects/brilliant/have-sticks-will-t...
Pledge $2,500 and end this pledge drive now.
you get all the awards mentioned above, plus i will create a portable installation in a crate for you. I will take an old art travel crate and convert it into a portable gallery complete with motion activated lighting system. The crate will contain a woven stir stick installation built directly into the crate. It will be shipped to you (sorry us locations only) and all you will do is simply open the crate plug it in and enjoy your very own installation to-go.

Iced beverage basket

Since I got back from Berlin I have been catching up on applications, proposals, and some studio work. On The 21st of November a small group show that I helped select artists for will be opening at eyelevel art in charleston sc. I gave the show the theme of "things". Loosely based on my misunderstandings and mis-interpretation of martin Heidegger's essay of the same name. I liked the gist of his concept as a thing or vessel acting as a gathering force for community. I extended this to my view of the gallery as a blank sheet of paper or vessel for artwork. I tried to select a disparate but related body of objects by artists, across disciplines and am hoping once all the work is assembled in the space I can create interesting relationships with the things represented. For my part i have taken this opportunity to investigate my idea of seeing all objects that i touch as natural and hand made objects. this led me to investigate an idea i had a couple of years ago that still holds my interest. I liked the idea of seeing all portable consumer fetish objects for dispensing liquid, water bottles, coffee cups, gatorade bottles, etc as being baskets. This is a conscious decision to pursue the idea of what is touched by the hand today being a "natural" object. What I am currently working on is My iced beverage basket.

The image is based on the to-go iced beverage cups, with the dome lids.
I particularly like how the dome lid makes no attempt to hide its relationship to similar portable fetishes in non-consumer society's. I am still resolving the form, and of course i will be painting the "straw" green.
I like the possibility that the piece can be presented either as the tipped over iced beverage,
a fetish image of loss and despair, or
as the upright with the lid removed to access the sweet nectar found within. But with a week left to work in between everything else i am sure i will find a comfortable resolution for this fetish.