Out of Silent

I’d like to speak now. I apologize. In the last few months I ran myself into a bit of trouble. Cyber police were involved just as much as other police. I will glady elaborate more on this shortly, but know this: The fallen are still the fallen by any other name. I would never change my name. Thank you and you will be hearing more from Tom and myself very soon. – Lauren Carbone

Collaboration is the New Black: Part III

BLOG  (B) – (Cont. from “Collaboration is the New Black: Part II”) If I had to guess, Lauren’s face borders on an expression of strained-pleasant-surprise and abrupt rush with nervous ball of energy lodged midway in inexperienced throat locked at 50% spit and 50% swallow. For the latter, up or down could mean the difference between sweet public relief and graceless interview silence. Former, well, it just means it’s acting. In former’s case, we’re  not sure where the motivation comes from (unlike with a physical blockage posed by one nervous ball of energy). We just know former is self-conscious. The next step would be to debate the kind of raw emotion attached to each expression.

LC – Well if you heard that, it must come from somewhere, right?

B – Lauren probably smiles, attempting to channel sweet n’ sexy while willing her words the muscle to successfully flip the line of questioning onto interviewer. (I’ve seen her do 35 girl push-ups in a row.)

LT – Yeah, I would assume so, just like with the characters in your paintings and videos that come from a real place, some actual experience that takes on a perspective unlikely contrived or considered.

B – Leslie is a gracious interview-er, not a vampi-re.

LT – So is it safe to say that the laws of collaboration applied to this constantly vibrating digital age that we live in allows for plenty of room to craw up into a ball with your laptop? So much of your subject matter gives viewers a sense of looking into a spoiled experience of sorts. It often feels like a reflection of a moment, arrangement, or relationship that failed in the real world and feels better all wrapped up in the idea world.

LC – Ideas, the separation between thinking and doing, has always been a major focus for me. I think I’m trying to bring that more into the fold of what I actually do in the studio. I execute so many drawings about “potential” works of art, sculptures and installations especially. I love depicting the dreamier part of life, the fiction that holds the potential to realize a way to make sense from non-sense. Depicting ‘fantasy’ flavored with the here and now of my everyday existence is my way of creating forms of storytelling that ring true in true life. After all, is it not the high in the sky ideas we chase after in hopes of delivering our meaning, our individual message to others? That’s the story I’m itching to tell!

B – “You can say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one”…

LT – So it’s not just stripers that have trouble making and keeping appointments?

LC – No one’s good at that…(To be continued.)

Collaboration is the New Black: Part II

LC – (Cont. from “Collaboration is the New Black: Part I”) For a period, I’d say during the first year and a half  I started working in Reno, these women were a constant presence day-to-day so it felt natural to work with them. I helped them pick out new work attire, talked to them about their dead beat boyfriends and pimps, and even joined in on the gossip about their least favorite co-workers. From the time they were in the boutique to the time they left, we carried on like old pals, you know, talking about anything. And I mean anything. The personal information divulged at the boutique was truly astonishing, especially because it was so immediate and honest.

LT – So you obviously made these women feel right at home and comfortable with sharing information in regards to their work and personal lives. What about these conversations was of particular interest and how did the interactions register as “friendship”.

LC – All my life, the female-female bond or friendship has been somewhat of an enigma, a point of interest for me. I’ve done both direct and indirect work investigating that relationship. One such collaborative project was “The Women of Tyler”, a 12 month pin-up calendar featuring 12 different artists from Tyler School of Art. I directed each lady in a private photo shoot, giving them a variety of words to interpret while interacting with the work in their studios. I can talk more about the mixed results of that project later, but the truth is, I’ve always been curious how women interact, react and behave towards one another in public and private spaces. The conditional female friendships I established in the boutique were momentarily satisfying, yet at the same time, felt oddly familiar in the source of their satisfaction.

LT – Like you’d experienced the same kind of satisfaction from non-exotic dancer friendships before?

LC – Exactly. I was having these little accelerated friendship on the regular by listening, sharing, listening some more, and talking about people and things that bother. BAM! Next thing you know, I’m experiencing familiar qualities of friendship. That said, it seemed pretty natural to ask them to work with me on this video series. The hardest part about getting these women to agree to participate has not been getting them to agree to the project or content, but to agree to a date, time and place!

LT – I heard you struggle with that as well.

LC – …Who told you that?…(To be continued.)

Collaboration is the New Black: Part I

Forget what you’ve heard about yellow and purple. There’s only one substitute for such a classic and that substitute has switched from color to approach. Read below for the first part of a recent interview with artist Lauren Carbone on why the shade has grown legs, arms and a whole lot of heart.

Interviews are tough. I get nervous.

Art&Country, February 2010

Leslie Tet (LT) – Your work has predominately featured you in the role of model, actress, director, producer, editor, you name it. You’ve been a one woman show! That said, collaboration seems to be the last thing on your mind when it comes to making artwork. Would you agree?

Lauren Carbone (LC) – It seems that way, but in some cases it’s actually just a condition of time constraints. Kind of like with reporting the news. You’re only going to get what there’s time to report. I’m the most available participant and I usually fit the bill when it comes to playing the several female stereotypes that reappear in my work.

LT – I see. So when does it not become a matter of time constraints? Why have you started to connect yourself more with collaborative artwork.

LC – That’s impossible. It’s always about time. Why do you think I’ve been working in relative isolation for the last four years?

LT – I hear that’s not something you’re willing to speak about just yet. Is that still the case?

LC – It is, but not for too much longer….. So back to time as it relates to collaborative works and why I think collaboration is an avenue for me. The primary content I deal with (pop culture, female vanity, virtual culture and the art of story telling) does not exist without the masses. These subjects are a product of social beings, so I push myself to be a participant and be a social being. This is very hard for me since I like being quiet and alone. Sometimes I get lucky with my request to use certain people, other times not. Like right now, I’m waiting to here back from a few women in regards to the fictitious, reality based interactions I’ve written between family members, co-workers, and paper cut outs of female artists and fallen celebrities. I’ve also started rewriting past experiences with family, friends, and coworkers that I remember feeling foolish or ill prepared for. I’d like to act these stories out on video with willing female participants in hopes of showing the process of arriving at the most desired or ideal exchange and outcome deemed by each participant. Meaning, there will be a version directed by each person.

LT – Have you had much luck recruiting women? Is there a demographic in particular you’re hoping to attract to the project?

LC –  Actually there is. I’ve asked several of the women I met while working at an exotic danceware boutique. Most of these women are in fact exotic dancers, but the role they play in the video has absolutely nothing to do with exotic dancing. So far only “Kodie” has agreed to appear on camera.

LT – Why these women? The content used for the video already seems to suggest an investigation into the dynamics of power.

LC – Well…..(To be continued.)

Sneaky Peeks

A sneak peek at one of Carbone’s adventures in collaborative design. Be sure to check back later for more discussion on past successes, recent attempts, and the best outlook when joining forces in the name of the same name. I look forward to making future posts, as well as getting to know all our viewers better. Remember: shoot, move, communicate. – Thomas Aurelius, Personal Assistant, Carbone Studio

Together. That’s what we’ll be

BLOG: Lauren collaborated in 2008 with the hot, young non profit Envirolution on their first fundraising event. She designed a special piece of lingerie from recycled clothing for the event's silent auction under the moniker Deeta Maybell Mauve. Envirolution is based in NYC and Reno, NV

#1, #2

BLOG: These days, commentary is hard to come by (like minimum call waiting with the IRS). That said, it’s time to highlight the two most recent comments!

1#

LAUREN: A few weeks ago, I received an inquiry regarding the subject of vanity in my artwork. It came from a nice, young man named Nick, last initial, C. Some of you might know him as “Nicholas C%^4#@**>”, others “NE*&% CO*@<“. Regardless, it is widely known that Nick gives GREAT email. Thank you Nick, from all of us ” e-mais” who believe our in and outbox capable of true portraiture.

LAUREN (CONT.): Ok, so Nick Wrote – “What do you consider ‘vanity born from confidence in the parts of the self that distract from incompetence’? I look forward to your response.”

LAUREN (CONT.): I replied: Nick C – First, please call me. (See, he’s more vulnerable on the phone, hence, his preference for email. In an e-sess six weeks ago, we discussed our mutual favoring of email. We did not go any deeper, instead agreeing to push our personal envelopes – the expansion of phone to phone communicada . This agreement has yet to produce any results. My positive, thinking voice reminds, “all achievement begins with ideas over populating a head space.”

LAUREN (CONT.): Second, ‘vanity born from confidence in the parts of the self that distract from incompetence’ can best be summarized in the words of the late, great Anna Currena after a long day of executive search:

LAUREN (CONT. IN THE VOICE OF ANNA CURRENA)”Are you paying attention? Name one current event from your local news paper. Now World News. Easy? Moderate? What if you’re dyslexic? Autistic or OCD? Close your eyes, imagine your day as a singular sensation – simulating the inside of a paper lunch sack. Make sense? Probably not much, because that’s a very small space few people consider when trying to measure productivity and quality of though in the work place. There’s no room in there [the lunch sack], so there’s no room for it. Push it out of your head. People need space to think, space to logout and escape their own reflection. So Stop focusing on the little things you’re too lazy to change and start on the big things. Trust me. It takes longer.”

LAUREN (CONT.): Anna was 68. I worked with her at a high-end, boutique sized executive search firm in Midtown Manhattan. Having her in the office was like involuntarily exposing yourself to yourself on the hour, every hour (non-sexual). She was sharp, intentionally crass, well-tailored, and above all, a straight shooter. Often, after she had made her mid morning round, I’d be at my desk and the inspiration would happen – swirling thoughts of sidestepping the little distractions that seem so accessible, so easy to reach out and push away. (Don’t check personal email. Stay away from online, social networks. Avoid writing latest (uncooperative) love interest refusing plans for weekend at Jersey shore.) I’d have to breathe real deep to make room for the focus. Sometimes it would come, but most of the time it was like flirting with an unheated pool during a cool summer – dipping only. The pursuit of continued education is a privilege and I plan to keep fighting the good fight with lots of status updates.

LAUREN (CONT.): Third, there will be parts of your life, body and character that make you feel SUPER about how you’re built, perceived or received. SUPER is the best friend of FICTION….. But don’t feel left out. We’re all looking for the better ME.

LAUREN (CONT. &  SIGNING OFF) If I could be Nick’s eyes, (and all 124 eyes that have currently viewed my blog) I would hopefully recognize that the artist ( me, not as various eye balls) frequently casts herself in the role of subject matter to imply an overt treatment of the innate issue of narcissism in video and popular media. Next, I (I , as me again as various eye balls) would see that the female image is used to address issues of narcissism for two reasons: 1) The prevalence of female stereotypes within visual language and 2) The subject-object relationship that draws women, more so than men, to devoting attention and love to herself… Then I would transform into a green, glass-blown holiday ornament with a human soul, find the shattered body of THE deceased Noel (original, red, glass-blown holiday ornament with human soul) and hire careful hands to pick up the many red pieces of a former self.

Anna snapped a portrait of me during one of our out-of-office visits four days before she passed away. She told me I would never have good hair, but to try and keep it moody.

One of my special moments with Anna was learning that I had formally clerked for one of her close friends over at the New York Mercantile Exchange. They co-owned (with 7 other people) a horse by the name of Shady Character. SC is partially depicted on the left. Anna was there in spirit.

#2

BLOG: On April 16th, an Ashley Fipsnickel had a suggestion as to why Lauren had not received any emails with edits to the statement supplied in the post entitled “Ok, we need to talk” –

“I bet this might work if you asked people to put the name of a charity they’d like to donate to in the subject line of the email. Then you’d know where to contributed a dollar each time an edited document was sent from that person. You have to be thinking bigger picture” – Ashley Fipsnickel

BLOG (CONT.): Ashley brings up an interesting point. (One that Lauren has yet to address…slack-master.) Where can art make a difference?

Ok, we need to talk

I’ll I’m saying is, we’re not getting any younger. We have to meet people, get out there and make some real pals. You know, to attract good cyber neighbors. Grow. Prosper. So feel free, lend a hand – get out your favorite marker, edit and become a life long friend!!

(To initiate the BFF bond, click on the below, print, markup, scan and send to lccarbone@gmail.com…… Yeah it’s kind of a lot of work, but just imagine a nice, handwritten Thank You!)

Look at what other people have emailed. (Ok, really just one person with three favorite markers…I could never lie to you)

Quick Sketch for Artist’s Statement