CThru.com Presents Tony Ward

TW met with his long term publisher Claude Bard and his assistant Anne Hautecoeur yesterday in Paris to review printers proofs from his forthcoming book entitled, “WASTELAND”. Mr. Bard is the owner and publisher of La Musardine, one of the most highly respected imprints of erotica in the world. TW and his publisher first teamed up in the year 2000, when his renowned book of erotica was published entitled, ORGASM, under Mr. Bard’s oversight. It was to be followed two years later by the sequel ORGASM XL.In the year 2000, TW embarked on a new project, to photograph over a period of time the largest fetish party in the world, held twice yearly in Amsterdam, thus the title of the new book and and also the name of the famous fetish extravaganza. The WASTELAND project has been the most prolonged project of the artist’s career.

The Faces Of Wasteland

Mr. Bard assured Wasteland producer Rene Meuessen during a telephone conference, that the first printing of the monograph will be made available to the public at a book signing to take place at the next Wasteland event on April 17th, 2010 in Amsterdam. TW is looking forward to attending the event.

Claude Bard

The book is dedicated to TW’s best friend and assistant Frans Verlinden. Mr. Verlinden was the former art patron, Winston Hotel owner and founder based in Amsterdam, who was at TW’s side over the many years of documentation of the event. Mr. Verlinden passed away in 2006. He is sorely missed.

Frans Verlinden: Former Owner And Founder, Winston Hotel, Amsterdam

……….Throngs of people descended upon the Grand Palais in Paris yesterday to attend the opening reception of Art Paris, the largest exposition of Art held yearly in France. TW’s most recent large new work, measuring 125cm X 225cm, entitled “L’Aphrodisiaque”, a commissioned piece by sponsor Marc Dorcel was introduced to the public for the first time by art dealer and gallery owner, Pascal Vanhoecke. Capa Presse TV and several other media outlets interviewed TW about his latest creation’s and new series that he refers to as “digital montage”.The exposition dates are March 18th to the 22nd, 2010. If you are in or near Paris, the Studio highly recommends that you attend this remarkable exposition.

TW: Art Paris 3-18-10

The Trickle Down Theory

Posted by Meredith Edlow

……….What inspired me to do this work was needing a change from the usual. I grew up shooting digital photography. I didn’t do work in a dark room. I shoot pictures, upload images, make corrections on a computer, if things don’t work out with corrections you can press undo. The work was very robotic. I needed to do something more organic. I wanted to work my way out of mistakes instead of being able to press a button and start all over. It’s interesting what can be made out of something that is not going the way you want. I was looking for a new challenge, I wanted to make art that committed me to my choices. I will still shoot with my camera, I need to work and I love photography, but everything works better in moderation. I can still shoot photos and now I have another outlet, doing this “scratch” art. 

Happiness Is.....

Everything new is influenced by the past. The decade of the 80’s is inspiring people to tap into what they idolized as kids. At least, that is what my generation is doing. I really loved this art class that I had in 2nd grade. We made art out of very simple materials, paper and crayons. It left a huge impression on me and now I find myself moved to express myself in that medium.

Lightening Strikes More Than Twice

The work I’m doing has many connections. There’s a personal connection tied to the motifs of the economy. When I was a kid my Dad took a buyout from Sears and Roebuck Co. before the recession of the early 1990’s. That had a huge impact on me growing up. We moved from the big city, Philadelphia, to Yorktown, VA. My dad’s home town. A very small town. That change of living really had a huge impact on who I am now. The recent economic crisis has brought back many of those same feelings and anxieties from my childhood, hence the crayons. It all seemed to come together and make perfect sense for me. 

A Necessary Sacrifice Question

Meredith Edlow

The Joy Of Consent

……….Please join us tomorrow as we celebrate the exhibition, “THIS IS NOT AN INVITATION TO RAPE ME” at the University of Pennsylvania, opening reception from 4:00 to 7:00 at the Fox Art Gallery-Cohen Hall. Join TW and Studio associates, as we welcome Charles Hall at the most recent installation of this ongoing International public service campaign.

Consent Lubricates Relationships

Sex Without Consent Isn't

Consent Is An Aphrodisiac

Consent Can Be Revoked

Exhibition Announcement

……….I just got back from Silicon Gallery to see the prints that are going to be hanging at PENN starting on Thursday, February 18, 2010, opening reception from 4 to 7. Charles Hall put one hell of show together. I recommend that everyone should stop by the opening if your in town. Various associates of the Studio will be there……

The Kandy Project

The Fairy Of Pirate's Alley

Posted by Charlene Lanzel

……….I was living in New Orleans’ French Quarter for the winter season in 2007. I fell in love with the city and its past, and became curious of the history of Exchange Alley where I was living. My husband (Ronnie Magri) and I decided to do some research, and headed over to the Historical Society on Chartres Street. What we found was that the infamous painter Edgar Degas had once owned property across the alley from our building. I began studying Degas’ life and discovered he was an avid drinker of Absinthe. I had heard many tales of the mysterious wormwood elixir and longed to try it. After all, it seemed to be the official drink of some of history’s greatest artists!

The Devil Drinks Absinthe

Absinthe is said to evoke the spirit of “La Fee Verte” or “The Green Fairy”. I learned that Absinthe was being served at The Pirate’s Alley Cafe, just a few blocks away. So, my husband and I headed over for my first taste. These two painting’s, “The Devil Drinks Absinthe” and “The Fairy of Pirate’s Alley” are the documentation of that night. They are portraits of myself an my husband, sitting across the table from each other in Pirate’s Alley, experiencing the effects of the notorious drink. We have since become Absinthe snobs and enjoy trying different brands from around the world.

……….To learn more about Charlene Lanzel’s work log on to www.CharleneLanzel.com.

Bamboozled

………Mikel has informed the Studio that Spike Lee’s film of the same name, inspired the creation of this piece.

Group Exhibition

……….The studio is pleased to announce the opening of an exhibition entitled, “This Is Not An Invitation To Rape Me” to take place at the University of Pennsylvania on February 18th, 2010. Please join us and welcome Charles Hall, Professor VCU Brandcenter, Richmond Virginia and selected artists who contributed to this humanitarian group exhibition.

Elizabeth Cunningham

…..In an ongoing effort to support student art, it is with great pleasure that the studio introduces you to the photographs of Elizabeth Cunningham. Elizabeth is studying photography at the University of Pennsylvania.

Series: The Misrepresentation of Identity
While trying to find the common thread running through my work, my initial thought was that it is an exercise in finding the beauty in the grotesque. While this is partially true, I think my unconscious intentions went further than that, to instead question the idea of identity and misrepresentation. How much does the body play a part in the two?

We live in a society where we are perpetually focused on our bodies and how they define us. It is impossible to avoid exposure to the advertising industry that exists to reminds us our skin is the most important tool in representing ourselves to others. But what if our bodies actually said nothing about who we are? What if that false connection between body and identity was broken?

In my work I explore how one can manipulate and distort the structural elements of our bodies to create grotesque figures that can still be profoundly beautiful. Piecing together new forms, these bodies say nothing about one’s identity.

I decided to focus on images to the extreme end of the spectrum of identity: the hyper-sexualized images of the pornography industry. These subjects are defined by their attempt to be seen as single-faceted, sexual beings, ritualistically obsessed with what their bodies can do. Viewers remain in a state of suspended belief, choosing to think of these men and women as the sex objects their actions are hinting at, rather than a unique person with a complex person. A belief that this is not a job for them, this is who they are.  I removed the figures from their erotic context, and intentionally distorted them. These new disturbing and grotesque figures would be unlikely to be found in the pornographic world, and yet I ultimately wanted to create images that were still undeniably beautiful. Most importantly, these images emphasize that once again, the body is a shell; a beautiful and complex one that can be distorted and changed to represent a multitude of things, but one that says almost nothing of what is held inside.

Elizabeth