Deep cleaning the garage studio this morning (it is much needed), and then sitting down to sign and number 100 of these bad boys.
Y'know, just another weekend.
work
Did the cover art for FLAP MY WINGS, the album, which The Lazours dropped on January 25th. I've been listening to the thing on repeat since, memories from 10 years ago rushing back and igniting feelings of anguish, empowerment, and inspiration. The album is a tour de force and includes powerful collaborations with the likes of Hamed Sinno, Ramy Essam, and Emel Mathlouthi!
Available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Video Art for FLAP MY WINGS, a song by The Lazours, brought to life with the animation magic of Paul MacLachlan. Conceived with Taibi Magar, and executive produced by Madeleine Bersin.
Vocals: The Lazours Guitar: Daniel Lazour Piano and arrangement: Madeline Smith Bass/qanun: John Murchison Percussion: Jeremy Smith Violin: Bengisu Gokce Cello: Naseem Alatrash Select orchestrations: Michael Starobin Mixing: Robin Buyer Mastering: Ryan Schwabe
Covid-living is starting to get to me (for like the 3rd or 4th time in the past year probably), so I've taken to fixing myself an elaborate cafe au lait on an almost daily basis now. Not quite bored enough to start messing with foam art, but if things persist I may just get there.
Only halfway through the first month of 2021, and already there are projects. Still more to surface over the next few weeks. Had a great editorial meeting with the Radix crew recently on marketing, production, and some slight restructuring pertaining to THE SOLAR GRID, which I should be able to get back to work on by February.
I have managed to resist all speaking engagements related to the 10th anniversary of the Egyptian uprising of 2011, except this one: FLAP MY WINGS: 10 YEARS SINCE TAHRIR SQUARE because what The Lazours have done with their LIVE IN CAIRO musical and subsequent FLAP MY WINGS album is a truly phenomenal way to carry forth the narrative of the revolution. I can only be so proud to be involved in any way.
Somewhat related is the Freedom Initiative's Ideas Don't Die creative contest, for which I'm happy to serve as judge in 2D Art category.
In other news: Child has unlocked the power of the full roll over. Farewell to the days when we could happily ignore him without worry of him potentially hurting himself.
It may not look like it yet, but the illustration I'm working on is for an essay that feels very timely with everything going on right now, penned by none other than Ahmed Naji.
Background listening is The Ottoman History Podcast, in particular a surprisingly rich episode on Mamluk Cairo. Surprising because it gets into some delicious details I knew little to nothing about; like the wandering carnivalesque peoples known as Al Ghurabaa` (“The Strangers”) and the odd jobs they performed, the fluid mix of tongues they spoke, and perhaps most interestingly of all... their printing.
“The Strangers” were the first to introduce printing to Egypt apparently, likely some form of woodblock printing (tin matrices were also employed), in languages ranging from Arabic to Coptic and Hebrew (and quite possibly more). Excited to learn more on the subject matter from Kristina Richardson's upcoming book; GYPSIES IN THE MEDIEVAL ISLAMIC WORLD: A HISTORY OF THE GHURABA, forthcoming with Bloomsbury Publishers.
It was in March last year when the Getty Museum in Los Angeles got in touch to record an interview on mythology, propaganda, and culture. This in conjunction with an exhibition they'd been planning on Assyrian art.
Armed with that recording and a few images of my work, Logan then went off and put together this short but striking video:
A powerful work of propaganda in and of itself. 🔥
A couple of pieces of mine are featured in Human Rights Foundation's ART IN PROTEST online exhibition, namely:
While I appreciate the foundation's efforts to highlight the work of artists attempting to speak truth to power, I must say I am rather astonished that in their survey of “A Year In Global Protest Art” as indicated on their website, their list of 15 countries represents every continent on Earth except three: Europe, North America, and Australia—which I find wholly appalling.
This is, after all, 2020; the year in which the Black Lives Matter movement was revived with vigor in the wake of George Floyd's murder by police and sparked protests of unprecedented mass in almost every metropolitan city across the United States, inspiring similar solidarity protests across the entire planet! Neglecting Europe discounts the plight of Polish women fighting for abortion rights and the over 100 protests in France critical of the country's new security bill. And what of the protests staged by Aboriginal Australians? Who only demand the end of their murder at the hands of Europe's colonial descendants.
This very obviously non-accidental oversight shows how the “Human Rights Foundation” view on human rights is a completely politicized and racialized one wherein violators of human rights can only ever be governments helmed by “brown, black, and yellow people” but never ever the righteous oh so civilized “whites”.
Despicable.
Happy fucking new year.
Finally made it to a spread I've had in mind since I first conceived of THE SOLAR GRID some 5 years ago. Feels great to finally relieve my mind of retaining it.
Still, a lot more stuff trapped in there looking for a release.
The above piece featuring my friend Mona Eltahawy went out to the Letterform Archive in San Francisco, which acquired it for its permanent collection along with a couple of process pieces, namely:
Didn't even know such a typography-focused artspace existed prior to this. Looking forward to paying them a visit once this pandemic is no more and it's cool to board planes again, which from the looks of things shouldn't be too far off. 🤞
2020 is coming to a close, and looking at the work that was done this year... y'know, not entirely a bad year! There are even a couple things not yet listed on the site that got done, but won't be announced till January. Would've liked to get more THE SOLAR GRID out the door, but hey, there's always next year (and hopefully ONLY next year!!!).
My resolution will likely involve getting distracted by less things and finally bringing THE SOLAR GRID to a close (though I must admit I'm feeling the nastiest urge to create more erotica, but it's totally possible that it's just the pandemic getting to me).
It's becoming clear to me that I am almost always attracted to things that involve a combination of art, rebellion, and sex. So it makes sense that that's exactly the type of art project I oughtta set out to do.
Temperature is down to 8 degrees Celsius (46 Fahrenheit), which may not be as cold as some other places, but it's cold enough for me. Cold enough to rock my snuggies outside with zero fucks given (yes, that's what the pants pictured above are called, yes).
My virtual talk with Kickstarter's Oriana Leckert for Society of Illustrators went online, and today I'm back to work on TSG06! A scene that takes place on Enceladus to be precise.
The other thing in the above sneak, the brush-strokey ornamental wing, that's part of another thing I should be able to share by next month I think.
Okay, more coffee, more drawing, all in my snuggies.