Los Angeles Exhibition

Opening Reception: April 16, 2016 6:00-8:30 PM
On View: April 16 – June 18, 2016

Mark Moore Gallery is pleased to present Ersatz Infinities, a solo show of recent work by Portland-based artist Christopher Russell. 

For his second solo show with the gallery, the artist has created a series of manipulated landscape photographs. Using a colored veil over the camera lens, the original prints are fuzzy impressions of forest scenes—seemingly underwater, awash in blood, or encased in amber. Russell then scrapes, gouges and scratches the surface of these prints with intricate, overlapping swaths of pattern. The individual marks are violent disruptions to the pristine surface of the print, a romantic impulse invading the field of mechanical reproduction, revealing the bright white glow of the paper's inner core. 

The space of the photograph, already illusory, begins to alternate between visual systems. Repeating patterns are used as stand-ins for personal and abstract sets of values. Unlike Victorian flower codes, with rigid definitions assigned to specific flora, the meanings of patterns are individual and fluid. They line interiors, envelop bodies and provide a glimpse of an ersatz infinity—the valiant attempts at replication falling ever short of the real thing. In the drawings, patterns are chopped into awkward, intersecting ribbons, free flowing signifiers jammed against each other and into the shapes of mountain peaks. The result is both destructive and revelatory—the patterns bringing to life the photographic subject’s inner world, or suggesting at the vast potential therein. 

Exhibition Images

I'll soon load exhibition images, and individual pieces from the new show, but for now, they can be found here.

Solo Exhibition

I will be having a solo exhibition, GRFALWKV, at Mark Moore Gallery, 5790 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA. The exhibition opens on April 5, 2014 to May 3, 2014. The reception is on April 5 from 6:00-8:00 pm.

The catalog is available for purchase from the gallery, or to download freely:
http://issuu.com/markmooregallery/docs/statements27_final

Additional images and details:
http://www.markmooregallery.com/exhibitions/2014-04-05_christopher-russell/

Landscape has been included in Martin Parr and Gerry Badger's third and final volume on the history of the photo book. This has been an extremely influential series, and it's a special honor to see this work affirmed in such a well respected project.

A New Relationship

I am very pleased to anounce that I am now represented by Mark Moore Gallery. While I'm always happy to answer questions about process and intention, any inquiries about availability or purchase should be directed to the gallery.

They put together a nice page of images of my work: http://www.markmooregallery.com/artists/christopher-russell/ 
Please check it out. 

Pattern Book by Insert Blanc Press

A collection of my short-story-wallpaper-patterns has finally arrived! The book involves 5 short stories, each designed as a historical wallpaper pattern adding a visual element to the emotional tone of the story. Each piece is designed around the interplay of text and image, displaying a block of text that tries to strike a balance between the legibility of the image and the legibility of the text. This compromise is followed by a few pages that are "wallpapered", covered completely in a tiny repeating pattern composed of letters too small to read. The  readers focus is shifted completely to the flow of the pattern across the page. Finally, the image gives way to a large-size, colorful text from which no clear pattern can emerge, but which retains everything necessary to recreate the intricate patterns of the previous pages. And there are exquisite essays by Holly Myers and Kevin Killian!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0981462375/ref=mw_dp_img?is=l&qid=1360096252&sr=8-1

For the next few days you can catch a survey of 10 years of my book works at MOCA's Geffen Contemporary building, as a part of the LA Art Book Fair.

In The Make

Please check out inthemake.net. There is an interview, and some really nice pictures of me in the studio. It is currently on the front page of their site, though in time it will be moved to the archives. This is a great project put together by Klea McKenna and Nikki Grattan. They interview and photograph different types of artists to gather insight about what it means to make art. They are very nice, respectful, and I enjoyed working with them. You might also recognize some of the other artists they've interviewed, or find their archive to be an interesting resource.

San Francisco Reading

I will be reading at Second Floor Projects in San Francisco, 3740 25th street, no.205. San Francisco, on December the 4th at 3:00 pm. Please come by and hear a selection from my new book, Sniper.

If you can't make it, but would like to check out the book It's available in the following locations:

Toronto: Art Metropole (online ordering for Canadians)
New York: Printed Matter (online ordering available)
Los Angeles: MOCA Bookstore
Los Angeles:Hammer Bookstore
Los Angeles: Skylight Books (Under New Fiction or in their art book shop.)
Los Angeles: Luis De Jesus (La Cienega Blvd.)
Los Angeles: 2nd Cannons at LTD (Sunset Blvd.)
San Diego: Double Break
Internet: Amazon.com (a fresh batch just shipped, so if you're in America, but not near New York or So. Cal they in a few days they should be fully stocked.)

Fioction Reading

I keep forgetting to post things on my blog. I have been having a mini-book tour, and haven't even posted the dates on here. In the past was a reading at Double Break in San Diego. It's a great little shop that sells books and accessories and shows quality works of art from local artists. www.doublebreakstore.com

I also went out to New York and Read my work at Printed Matter, the venerable non-profit that has been helping artists/small/self publishers get their ideas out into the world for the past 20+ years. www.printedmatter.org

On the 18th of October, I will be reading at The Standard in Hollywood as part of Artillery Magazine's reading series. There is a wine reception at 7:00 pm and the reading begins at 8:00. www.artillerymag.com

On the 6th of November, I will be reading at Second Floor Projects in San Francisco. Space is very limited, so please email me for details. projects2ndfloor.blogspot.com

If you're looking for a copy of Sniper, it's Currently available at the following locations:

Online:
Art Metropole
Printed Matter
Amazon.com
2ndcannons.com

In Person:
Los Angeles
Skylight Books (Shelved with New Fiction, not Art.)
MoCA Bookstore
Hammer Museum Bookstore

San Diego
Double Break

New York
Printed Matter

Totonto:
Art Metropole

Or contact me christopher@russellarchive.com

Sniper: Now Available

My novel/artists book, Sniper, is now available. The following are pictures from the various chapters, followed by a description. The book is being shipped this week and will be available at Amazon.com, Printed Matter (NY), and Skylight Books (LA). If those aren't convenient options, please contact me directly, christopher@russellarchive.com, and I'll make sure you can get a book.

"Sniper takes a very loose and imaginary look at The Baltimore Snipers, examining the relationships of paired serial killers as an ultimate expression of repressed desire. Russell writes a perverse version of the classic American love story told through the narrative chaos of nameless characters, past-life flashbacks, false recollection, parental and bureaucratic influence that define the psychological space of the outsider. The text's 200 pages are profusely illustrated, reproducing Russell s first set of drawings scratched into photographic emulsion, which has now become his signature style. The release of Sniper revives the Bedwetter brand, which achieved notoriety during its 12 issue existence with a destroy-to-enjoy design strategy and an embrace of difficult literary and visual material. With Sniper, Russell has created a design and layout that makes the process of reading its own adventure."

Sniper Reading, Cheap Edition, etc.

The bound proofs of my novel, Sniper, have arrived, been approved and are making their way across the ocean as I type. I expect to have the first copies available in mid April. In the meantime, I am doing a reading of sorts through Tucker Neel's 323 projects, and I've made an edition of photographs to support Turker's project.

First, the edition. It's titled Uncut, and is a portfolio of 4, 9x12 images. The images come as a single uncut 18x24 page. The back is signed in four places, so the collector has the option of cutting the piece down to 4 signed images, or keeping it as a single sheet. Tucker's price is $150 and the edition size is 10. (This is comically cheap for my work --$37.50 for each 9x12 image in the set, as a means of helping out an interesting project.) http://323projects.artcodeinc.com/pages/support/

Now for my 323 Projects "show." Christopher Russell will divide his forthcoming novel, Sniper, into 30 pieces divided equally by word count. He will read each morning’s selection upon waking. At the completion of his 323 Projects exhibition, the entire novel will have been read.

Sniper takes an imaginary look at the Baltimore Snipers. Russell proposes the relationships of paired serial killers as an ultimate expression of repressed desire. He writes a perverse version of the classic American love story told through the narrative chaos of nameless characters, past-life flashbacks, false recollection, parental and bureaucratic influence.

The release of Sniper revives the Bedwetter brand, which achieved notoriety during its 12 issue existence with a destroy-to-enjoy design strategy and embrace of difficult literary and visual material.

The "show" runs from 25 March to 22 April, 2011. To hear each day's reading, dial 323-843-4652.

LA Art Fair, New Work

Here are the pieces that will be on display at the Art LA Contemporary, January 27-30 at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica. I will have a full wall at the Luis De Jesus Los Angeles booth, along with my the extraordinary LA based painter, Heather Gwen Martin and international provocateur Federico Solmi.

Framing Exercise #7

While this work has been largely about using frames from illuminated manuscripts to frame the image, so that the frame of the picture relates to a type of literary framing that helps make sense of how the literary and the photographic overlap in my work. This is an attempt at interrogating that relationship, replacing parts of the literary frame with sections of pattern.

Framing Exercise #8

The photograph is surprising, because the effect in person is one of silver sheen with accents of blues and copper. The image isn't scratched into, just pushed to the background, observable through the paint.

Framing Exercise #9

Here I was trying to break down the frame more, make it conform a bit more to the style of manipulations I'm using, rather than copying directly from historical sources.

Framing Exercise #10

Who can resist a big silver swath of cabbage roses?

Framing Exercise #11

I like to think that it's bleeding copper in the upper left corner.

Framing Exercise #12

Black with a silver mist, while the white paper that's exposed by scratching remains white.

In Framing Exercise #13, there is a cut away area that exposes a drawing of a leafy wallpaper pattern in the upper left corner. It's the first time I've scratched through to expose something beneath.

This is how Framing Exercise #13 looks during the night time.

Framing Exercise #14.

This is how Framing Exercise #14 looks glowing in the dark.

A Couple Updates

The first is from a fellow photographer and writer in Los Angeles, Carrie Yury, who has written me into an article for the Huffington Post that looks at contemporary experimentation with photography:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carrie-yury/reinventing-photography-h_b_785631.html#s185926

Next is a slide show, from Blackbook Magazine, of what Nick Haramis believes to be the most original works at the NADA fair this year:

http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/the-11-most-original-artworks-at-nada-basels-most-original-art-fair/23733/P2

Third is a silly picture of me that made it to the Miami New Times

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/slideshow/nada-art-fair-2010-at-deauville-beach-resort-31997190/6/

Last, but absolutely not least is the upcoming exhibition Now WHAT? at the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach. It looks like it will be an interesting show that will raise a few eyebrows. A daring look at the art fair that tries to make sense of the work without ignoring the economy surrounding it. Curated by Cheryl Brutvan and Charlie Stainback.

http://www.norton.org/Exhibitions/Future/NowWHAT/tabid/477/Default.aspx

The insights of Carrie Yury, as well as being mentioned alongside friends and admired artists!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carrie-yury/reinventing-photography-h_b_785631.html#s185932

Runaway Exhibition Images

Luis De Jesus just sent me new images from my show. I hope to get a more comprehensive set of images posted to the gallery section in the very near future. This was a very big show that developed over a couple cross country moves with big chunks being created in LA, Ohio and New York. Due to transportation and storage issues, I didn't always have access to the previously completed work. (While working in Ohio I didn't have access to work made and stored in LA, while working in NY I didn't have access to any of the other work.) This made for a number of different responses to the Runaway text, yet there was a certain consistency in the show as a whole. I made drawings in locations where I didn't have reliable access to a suitable printer. During the installation process, more than 20 pieces were returned to storage, and will likely never be seen; I was working up to the night before shipping the final pieces to the gallery. There is an excerpt from the runaway text on this site, and a larger excerpt at Matthew Timmon's exceptional short Fiction site: http://www.joyland.ca/stories/los_angeles/runaway_excerpt. For those of you who are interested in the full catalog --which reproduces the complete text but offers more design mayhem than stolid reproductions of individual works, please write to: Gallery@LuisDeJesus.com.

Shipwreck scratched into the plexi. A ghostly presence hovering above, and casting slight shadows upon the frozen lake.

This is a 6x7 foot piece, the biggest I've ever worked.The lines of the ships line up, though fail to at certain points. The waves are clunky swaths of competing op-art patterns.

The main install shot. Ghosts of ships scratched into images of water with a silver mist of paint on the inside of the glazing.

These are my favorite pieces from the show. Literary borders, things used to frame text within a codex, framing images which become references to my writing. There is no text in this work, but conceptually it creates a dialog with literature and bookmaking conventions. The borders are scratched into the digital/photo image and painted over. When I thought the work was seeming too masculine, I would apply a mist of glow in the dark paint, undercutting the possibility of machismo with a mist of kitsch.

Photographs, made in the woods, those solitary walks that seem to be an unending inspiration for my work. "Framed" with Xacto scratches and layers of paint. These are extremely fragile, and two didn't make it through shipping.

A Romantic version of geometric abstraction. The lines of ships, the lines of trees, the mysteries of where air and water currents might lead, the crashing of waves and rumbling wind. I think of Nadar photographing from his balloon and Maldoror's shark. This piece is about 7 feet tall.

LA Times Review from Christopher Knight!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/10/art-review-christopher-russell-at-luis-de-jesus-gallery.html

Art review: Christopher Russell at Luis de Jesus Gallery

October 28, 2010 | 7:00 pm

Romantic literature and its predecessors are filled with shipwrecks — Byron, Defoe, Poe, Shakespeare, Swift, etc. Even Homer's tale had Odysseus tossed about at sea by supernatural forces. The ship as an emblem of life's journey through the unknown — at once beautiful, thrilling and treacherous — and its eventual wreckage as a necessary platform for renewal have served lots of writers well.

Shipwrecks are at the core of Christopher Russell's new work at Luis De Jesus, his first show with the gallery, in both an artist's book and a large group of quirky drawings. The collective title, “Runaway,” comes across as having several meanings. Partly it's a traditional description of the artist as fugitive from society (as romantic a notion as there is for an artist's role). Partly it's an urgent command to his audience, suggesting that they join him. And partly it characterizes the runaway torrent of imagery that constantly crashes into contemporary life, from which there is hardly any escape.

Many of Russell's drawings begin with rustic landscape photographs that are the opposite of technological — a remote forest stream, tree limbs draped in Spanish moss, a frozen lake and especially a rocky gorge — which he brings into the fold by manipulation in the computer. Doubled, flopped, patterned like kaleidoscope chips, the photograph becomes a color ink-jet print that, in its largest format (as much as 7 feet tall) has the creepy look and claustrophobic feel of scaly Victorian wallpaper. Russell draws on it — not with a pencil or brush but with a sharp stylus or blade, scratching away the surface to reveal the white paper beneath.

The technique is quietly effective, at its best exuding a feral quality of clawing for release from domestic confinement. Like Robert Rauschenberg erasing a drawing by Willem de Kooning, it also acknowledges the authority of pervasive digital imagery while declining to be limited by it. The show would benefit from some editing (there’s too much to take in), but the old-fashioned four-masted schooners that emerge throughout as negative spaces amid the encroaching gloom assume a ghostly quality of positive release.

--Christopher Knight

@twitter.com/KnightLAT

Luis De Jesus Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 453-7773, through Nov. 27. Closed Sundays and Mondays. www.luisdejesus.com

Photo: Christopher Russell, "Runaway," 2010 (installation view); Credit: Luis de Jesus Gallery

Times Review

I'm currently in a group show at Kinkead Contemporary, curated- or um, orchestrated by Whitney Carter, and reviewed in the LA times. The show has been extended to 28 August.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/08/stille-post-7-curators-7-artists-at-kinkead-contemporary.html

I am also in a show at LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division), curated by Shamim Momin, around the corner from Kinkead, so if you find yourself in or around Culver City check 'em out.

Fund Raising

Dear Friends,

I have received a grant from Printed Matter to print my novel, Sniper, and it is currently being edited by the renown poet, Amy Gerstler. The thing is, I need a little more money to make the book exactly the way I want it, 1,000 copies, full color, hard bound, all the design fun you’d expect from the publisher of Bedwetter. Please consider supporting my project with one of the following options

1) A copy of the book when it arrives in early 2011, with an original bookplate and a hand written note of thanks as well as acknowledgment in the book itself. $30.

2) A copy of the book when it arrives in early 2011, with an original bookplate and a hand written note of thanks as well as acknowledgment in the book itself AND an 8x10 signed copy of the image “I’d Like to Thank” One of the most overlooked images in my oeuvre. $75.

3) A copy of the book when it arrives in early 2011, with an original bookplate and a hand written note of thanks as well as acknowledgment in the book itself. AND an 18x24 print of the cover image, Untitled (Stained Glass). This is one of my favorite images from this project. $250

Of course I’m always open to making deals. Want to pre-order a bunch of books? Want a drawing made especially for you? Let me know.

Thank you for considering support for my project. You may send funds through Paypal to: crussell3@yahoo.com. All proceeds will be used to support the publication and promotion of my novel. Please make your contribution no later that 26 July, 2010. Domestic postage is covered, please contact me for international shipping. Photographs will be mailed in late August. Books will be mailed once the completed edition arrives in early 2011.

Best,
Christopher Russell

The 18x24 image you will receive as a thank you for a $250 contribution.

The 8x10 image you will receive as a thank you for a $75 contribution.

Printed Matter Grant

I just received word that I have been awarded a Printed Matter Awards for Artists grant to assist in the publication of my novel. To make the book the way I want to make it, I am still going to have to do a little bit of fund raising, but this grant makes it completely possible. A novel, my way. Full color images, eccentric layouts. I'm hoping to have it edited and ready to send to the printers by the end of this year.

Also, a cool, very short, video of David Richards and Geoff Tuck sowing off one of my artist's books:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1407906071433