I'm thrilled to be a part of an incredibly special collaborative art show this weekend, honoring my dear friend Jeff Anderson, in Mammoth Lakes, Ca. Below is a description of the project and people involved from the shows website www.iamjla.org . Please take a look...
I AM SNOWBOARDING started as a simple idea. This year would have marked Jeff’s 30th birthday – and what better way to celebrate than to do it in the way Jeff would have – art, party, family, friends.
But Jeff wasn’t a simple man. He was a snowboarder, skateboarder, creative, loud mouth, drag you along, stand by your side, call-you-out on your bullshit, make you want to scream, make you want to catch your dreams kind of friend – who we now miss desperately and treasure as visionary, leader, inspiration. He was something special and unique to every person his life touched, and his reach of friendship spanned many different layers.
So the simple idea of an art show got a little more complicated. How to include everyone? How to do something new and fresh they way Jeff would have done it? What kind of art? How to curate? The idea came. Pair up one photographer with one artist. Double the power of a moment captured in time by throwing a little raw emotion right on top.
Why? Step back in art history just a little to one of Jeff’s favorite artists Jean-Michel Basquiat who spent several of his last years collaborating with Andy Warhol. Warhol and Basquiat merged their disparate approaches to painting into a dynamic group of collaborative works on canvas. The resulting paintings underscored each artist’s unique style and production method while at the same time giving rise to a vibrant and original body of work.
So it was decided to invite photographers who had captured Jeff on film – those who knew him intimately – to submit a photo of Jeff. A photo of their choice – Action, portrait, snapshot. Then enlarge it onto a medium sized canvas and send it off to a partnered artist to create in turn however they choose directly over the photograph. We made a list of people to invite, the list grew and then grew again and again, and with a click of the email send button it was out there. I knew we had something by the tail when almost immediately emails and phone calls of affirmation started coming back and partnerships just fell into place. No strategy, no cajoling, no questioning, just pure excitement to be doing something for Jeff. And from that point on, everything seemed to happen as if it was a sleeping machine suddenly set into motion – Like this was and is happening for a reason.
The I am snowboarding art project is an embodiment of the love we feel for Jeff, a celebration of his life, and our way of continuing his ability to reach people through art, integrity, and friendship. Jeff was able to touch people by wearing his heart on his sleeve and by putting his emotions down on paper for the world to see. He opened doors for us in snowboarding and in art. He gave us a place to create by opening his own home and walls to our paint and pen, and he continues to give us positive energy and encouragement to keep on going and follow our dreams.
Please come and share this experience with us at the I AM SNOWBOARDING opening in Mammoth Saturday November 14th, 2009 six to nine in the evening.
