art

Levi’s travelling journals and A.P.G. WORKS silkscreening

| Florence EMA Blanchard

Due to my ‘involvement in the use of art and design to encourage social change and empower other individuals’, I have been selected by Levi’s to participate to an international art project. This collaborative work will be presented at the next TED Women’s Conference in Washington next December.

I had one week to inscribe my thoughts on 4 pieces of paper, which will eventually be included in hand made books together with that of other participants. The books are being made by a team of book binders from Etsy.

As I am currently doing a residency with A.P.G. WORKS a printing studio in Sheffield, UK, I used their facility and their help to silkscreen onto the pages, and made a mini book populated by dropmen and synchrotronic waves.

COVER VERSION Sheffield (UK), Sept 10

| Florence EMA Blanchard

I’ll be part of the COVER VERSION show curated by Pete McKee at A Month Of Sundays Gallery in Sheffield (UK) in September. We had to redesign covers of one of our favorite LP of choice.

I chose Cymande (1972), one of my biggest musical crushes (see original cover below) for which I recreated the original visual elements – a dove perched on top of a man’s head, guarding him with it’s wings, only this time, it’s painted in my own decorative style.

You may have never heard of Cymande, but if like me, you grew up listening to hip-hop – you will definitely know their music. They have been sampled by everyone from De La Soul and the Fugees, to Kool Herc, Master Ace, MC Solar, Grandmaster Flash, and the Ruthless Rap Assassins. Cymande were a British electric funk band who formed in London in 1971.During their short lived career, they toured the US after the release of their self titled LP in 1972 and sadly disbanded in 1974.

The band was composed of west Indian musicians who were self declared Rastafarian. Their music incorporates omnipresent Nyabinghi rhythms, which consist in a warm syncopated heartbeat added to a mix of jazz, funk, calypso, soul and rock. The name Cymande (pronounced ‘Sah-mahn-day’) was inspired from a calypso word for Dove, the universal symbol of peace and love, which their lyrics are all about.

Check out the original version:

Here is my version:


2 shows starting this week: Mighty Tanaka (NY), Vic’art (Fr)

| Florence EMA Blanchard

I’ll be in two group shows starting this week:

‘ Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell‘ is happening at Mighty Tanaka studios in DUMBO brooklyn NY:

Mighty Tanaka is pleased to bring you our latest installment entitled Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, a six-person group show that exposes our individual insecurities and transcends our personal observations. Through representations of introverted wonder and inner chaos, each artist offers a unique balance of emotion and integrity, which provides them with the proper tools to create their personal iconic styles.

Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell encourages the viewer to closely examine the turbulence of humanity and, in turn, challenges the visitors to look more closely at their own personal commotion and understanding of life’s social constructs. The exhibition provides a voyeuristic look at the personal interpretation and experience of the artist’s life and how they choose to relay it to an audience.

Featuring the art of Robbie Busch, EMA, KOSBE, Josh McCutchen, Skewville and Alexis Trice this New Century art show brings together artists of various disciplines and techniques in order to express a common theme that is congruent to us all.

Mighty Tanaka
68 Jay St., Suite 416 (F Train to York St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Hours: M-F 12:30PM to 7PM, weekends by appointment only
Office: 718.596.8781
Email: alex@mightytanaka.com
Web: http://www.mightytanaka.com

Also happening in Vic-Sur-Cère, Auvergne France  this weekend:

This week: busy.

| Florence EMA Blanchard

This week I’ll take part in T.r.a.c.e.s. ‘open studios exhibition, which is curated by Guillaume Mathivet. The opening is on wednesday 6:30p – 10:00p, see all info below:

Also this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon, I’ll be painting in Jardins du Luxembourg alongside other artists to celebrate many historical events related to empowerment of Black community in the world…
R-E-R: LUXEMBOURG,PLACE ÉDOUARD ROSTANd next to FABRICE HYBER

Hedonistic Cloud

| Florence EMA Blanchard

This past weekend I worked on a mural installation called Hedonistic Cloud for the Chocolate & I New York week, which is currently happening in Chelsea. The whole event is about chocolate and offers various workshops and activities available from $0 to something like $85 per session. Several artists from various background are showing their artwork too. I’m showing new and old works as part of the installation.

All the info is below

Food for Art. Art for Thought.

Feb. 8-14, 2010

Chocolate & I, New York
511 W. 25 Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY10001

Chocolate & I, New York is excited to showcase recent works from both established and emerging artists revolving around the relationship and characteristics society attributes to chocolate and the way it affects us on a personal level. Join us on February 11th and view the work of Elim Chen, Ema, C&T, Jason Krugman, Michelle Mayer, Carolina Vallejo, Asli Sevinc & Charnan Lewis.

Reception: Thursday Feb. 11, 9p-11. Music performance by Rifle Recoil.

Hours:
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 4p to 7p
Thur: 4p to 11p
Sat: 2p to 11p
Sun: 2p to 9p
Internet Press:

Jim Avignon on the Neighborhood Public Radio

| Florence EMA Blanchard

On this episode of Bohemian Biology, you’ll hear Jim Avignon aka Neoangin talking on ArtSci Fridays, a show I hosted on the Neighborhood Public Radio back in 2008 as part of the Whitney Biennial.
Jim is a German painter and performer based in Brooklyn, who at the time, just had a new album out titled ‘The Happy Hobo & The Return of The Freaks’.
As I just attended his even more recent album release party a couple of days ago I thought I would revive this piece for the occasion.

To give you a taste here is how his bio starts:
‘1994 marks the beginning of the whole story: Berlin painter and „pop-art“ activist Jim Avignon spots a one-man-entertainer-keyboard in the sales bin at the hardware store, right next to the cash register.
He wastes no time and purchases the instrument. In the ensuing months he will dedicate quite some time to his new keyboard. The instrument has funky accompanying rhythms and a snazzy sound but unfortunately there is no feature to save the songs. Not knowing how to read music Mr. Avignon develops his very own method to memorize the numerous melodies and chordal sketches which he had composed in no time.’

Jim’s next performance will be at Monkeytown, 58 N 3rd St. Brooklyn
His new album is ‘Say High To Your Neighborhood’ and is available on http://neoangin.info/
Happy holidays!

Run Time: 21:33

Episode 6: Jim Avignon on Art Sci Fridays (Neighborhood P…