heiko
Full Member
Posts: 136
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Moki
Sept 21, 2008 23:20:42 GMT -8
Post by heiko on Sept 21, 2008 23:20:42 GMT -8
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heiko
Full Member
Posts: 136
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Moki
Sept 21, 2008 23:33:15 GMT -8
Post by heiko on Sept 21, 2008 23:33:15 GMT -8
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Moki
Sept 23, 2008 8:19:58 GMT -8
Post by sleepboy on Sept 23, 2008 8:19:58 GMT -8
I like her stuff Heiko. Scary japanese hair girls lol. Looks like she's still trying to settle on a style though. Is she a new artist?
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heiko
Full Member
Posts: 136
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Moki
Sept 23, 2008 10:56:27 GMT -8
Post by heiko on Sept 23, 2008 10:56:27 GMT -8
She is young, but not new. She had some great shows here in Hamburg and also in Spain and Denmark. Take a look at the photos from her exhibition at Heliumcowboy in 2005: www.heliumcowboy.com/hc_digilog/moki/index.htmlI'm really looking forward to her next big exhibition in December. Next year we'll both have solo shows at the same gallery in San Francisco.
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Moki
Sept 23, 2008 12:05:29 GMT -8
Post by masao626 on Sept 23, 2008 12:05:29 GMT -8
i absolutely love her work - thank you so much heiko for sharing it.
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heiko
Full Member
Posts: 136
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Moki
Sept 23, 2008 13:10:01 GMT -8
Post by heiko on Sept 23, 2008 13:10:01 GMT -8
My pleasure...
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 12:38:00 GMT -8
Post by commandax on Aug 1, 2009 12:38:00 GMT -8
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cgriffin
New Member
too new to be clever
Posts: 32
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 18:54:40 GMT -8
Post by cgriffin on Aug 1, 2009 18:54:40 GMT -8
It'll be interesting to see her develop. I had the same initial response as sleepboy: is she looking for her style? At this point, I think she succeeds most when she focuses on the surrealism, and man's strange interaction with nature. When she introduces the conceptualized black shapes/creatures, it feels contrived to me. Like she's trying to be hip. Just doesn't feel authentic...dunno how better to put it! Her paint handling is quite lovely, though. I particularly love the woman disappearing within the tree. I could imagine an entire series of figures being lost and found in flora, like this. So elegant.
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 21:15:19 GMT -8
Post by commandax on Aug 1, 2009 21:15:19 GMT -8
I get the impression with Moki that there's so much going on in her head that she will never submit to the popular demand to confine herself to a single aesthetic. I have nothing but respect for that... how terrible would it be to be stuck painting the same thing over and over again your whole life?
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 21:26:46 GMT -8
Post by thecreep on Aug 1, 2009 21:26:46 GMT -8
I get the impression with Moki that there's so much going on in her head that she will never submit to the popular demand to confine herself to a single aesthetic. I have nothing but respect for that... how terrible would it be to be stuck painting the same thing over and over again your whole life? I agree. I used to look at the paintings of some artists that were doing the same thing over and over and ask questions, get frustrated, now I just feel sorry for them. Whether they don't have the ability to advance their art into new areas, or because they are stuck making sure they please everyone. It's a terrible waste. Moki surely doesn't seem to have that problem. I would really love to see these paintings in person.
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cgriffin
New Member
too new to be clever
Posts: 32
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 21:44:01 GMT -8
Post by cgriffin on Aug 1, 2009 21:44:01 GMT -8
Me too. And I heartily agree that an artist should never rest on his or her laurels, and paint the same thing over and over, with little to no variation. The skill is in evolution, building on your vocabulary and taking it in an advancing direction with each subsequent effort. No artist should stick with one theme, one subject, one whatever their entire career, as a rule. That would, indeed, be sad and stagnant. Even Picasso had…I dunno…how many Periods?
But in order to achieve some level of recognition and expertise, it would behoove a person not to be too mercurial. I can compare it to a singer who does a handful of country songs, then a handful of pop songs, and yet again a handful of opera…how does one ever grow a career, like that? You just can’t. I guess I’m too pragmatic about art. Moki is very young, yet, so I suppose now IS a good time to taste all there is to taste. And I'm certainly not saying she has to cave to the 'popular', but I'm not altogether certain popularity has anything to do with it. It’s basic identification and building a reputation. But that can come later. She's got time!
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 21:46:35 GMT -8
Post by commandax on Aug 1, 2009 21:46:35 GMT -8
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cgriffin
New Member
too new to be clever
Posts: 32
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 21:50:00 GMT -8
Post by cgriffin on Aug 1, 2009 21:50:00 GMT -8
Boy, would I kill to see that! I have a brother in San Francisco, but a husband and three kids here in Ohio that would shrivel up and die without me. Some day...some day...
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 21:56:42 GMT -8
Post by thecreep on Aug 1, 2009 21:56:42 GMT -8
Whoa, thanks. Ill be there this Thursday and will take a whole mess of photos. Thanks for the heads up. I'm bringing my "good" lens, so I can grab some close ups.
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 21:58:41 GMT -8
Post by commandax on Aug 1, 2009 21:58:41 GMT -8
I would liken it more to an artist who puts out albums that are always strange and surprising and exploratory, but which all retain the same familiar echo of identity that is the stamp of genius, as opposed to an artist who sticks to the pop formula that brought them to fame, and only hesitantly alters small characteristics of the music for fear of alienating the fans. The first artist has fewer fans, but they are lifetime devotees and the music will live forever. The second artist is initially more successful, but in the long run is remembered only for a handful of hits.
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cgriffin
New Member
too new to be clever
Posts: 32
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 22:29:29 GMT -8
Post by cgriffin on Aug 1, 2009 22:29:29 GMT -8
I'll agree, as long as the aforementioned 'strange, surprising, etc.' also includes 'quality', and the artist is content to dwell in relative obscurity and poverty. Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much!
Yes, artists create because we're driven to, and we don't want to be told, by the public or anyone, what to do. But we also long to shine our light for the world to see and admire, or we'd not give a dern about sales or display or reviews. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule...the brilliant recluse being one. It's a big fat balancing act, and no matter how glamorous it may seem to follow one's muse with not a single care to anything but our own fancies, artists must make money in order to continue to create. And sometimes, that includes being not just a 'genius', but a practical business person as well.
Time will tell what Moki eventually will do, and how her career will evolve. I certainly admire her zeal and obvious talent. But I still maintain that being a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ may be difficult, over the long haul. That's probably just the illustrator in me coming out, vs. the fine artist.
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 22:34:58 GMT -8
Post by commandax on Aug 1, 2009 22:34:58 GMT -8
I'd say that technically and conceptually she's already mastered a great deal more than most artists covered here have managed. And career-wise, she's doing quite well... having solo shows on two continents is nothing to sneeze at, especially for someone who's still in school. But yes, we'll see.
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cgriffin
New Member
too new to be clever
Posts: 32
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 22:44:14 GMT -8
Post by cgriffin on Aug 1, 2009 22:44:14 GMT -8
Thanks for allowing me this discourse, commandax. I want to promise you I'm not trying to be contrary; I'm just new to the whole 'scene' and trying to understand it a little better. No sneezing here!
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 23:05:42 GMT -8
Post by commandax on Aug 1, 2009 23:05:42 GMT -8
Thanks for allowing me this discourse, commandax. I want to promise you I'm not trying to be contrary; I'm just new to the whole 'scene' and trying to understand it a little better. No sneezing here! No worries... I am a big defender of vision, and I see waaaaaaay too much stagnation in this scene, which is supposed to be so wild and revolutionary, but instead verges on the overly careful. So I guess I'm out there for the undisciplined geniuses, because without them, life wouldn't be worth living.
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 23:09:16 GMT -8
Post by sleepboy on Aug 1, 2009 23:09:16 GMT -8
Hm... Judging from the new images that Commandax posted, it looks like she is beginning to settle on a style compared to the original images heiko posted. I really like her new stuff. An artist can paint whatever they like and explore as much as they want, my only points are that as a collector, I would be hesitant to buy from an artist who keeps changing their style. Experimentation is cool but if no one can recognize it's your work, then that might be counterproductive, unless of course you are still trying to discover a style you enjoy and to make your own. After that, hopefully there is some stability for a time, then they can evolve and develop their work, hopefully maintaining a characteristic style. This is a assuming the artist doesn't hate their work or wants to try something completely new, again, their prerogative...
This would be what I'm looking for as a collector but it may not be every collector's view or artist's view...
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Moki
Aug 1, 2009 23:26:50 GMT -8
Post by thecreep on Aug 1, 2009 23:26:50 GMT -8
The very first set of images did have a few pieces that didn't seem to be as "settled" as the second set, but I can still clearly see elements in each one that would tie the work back to Moki. I don't think an artist needs to be that blatant in his/her style so that people will automatically know who they are. I like the idea that she has the ability to move around and do different things at this stage in her career. Like commandax stated, they will have lifetime devotees.
I don't think there are too many artists in this scene that have the problem of not being able to recognize that it is their work or not. In most cases its all too easy to name what artist did what. I also wonder, if the idea that a collector will not buy if the style of an artists works isn't instantly recognizable, is what keeps many of them afraid or unwilling to try something new.
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Moki
Aug 2, 2009 6:01:49 GMT -8
Post by LeBasse Projects on Aug 2, 2009 6:01:49 GMT -8
i've been enjoying moki's work for a while now. hoping to see this show in person..
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Moki
Aug 2, 2009 7:33:44 GMT -8
Post by sleepboy on Aug 2, 2009 7:33:44 GMT -8
The very first set of images did have a few pieces that didn't seem to be as "settled" as the second set, but I can still clearly see elements in each one that would tie the work back to Moki. I don't think an artist needs to be that blatant in his/her style so that people will automatically know who they are. I like the idea that she has the ability to move around and do different things at this stage in her career. Like commandax stated, they will have lifetime devotees. I don't think there are too many artists in this scene that have the problem of not being able to recognize that it is their work or not. In most cases its all too easy to name what artist did what. I also wonder, if the idea that a collector will not buy if the style of an artists works isn't instantly recognizable, is what keeps many of them afraid or unwilling to try something new. I think if i saw the first set of images as a gallery owner I would have told the artist to concentrate on one style and come back when they did, in particular I would have told them that I liked the girl holding the bug or the hair face. If i saw the second set of images as a gallery owner I probably would consider offering her a show as there seems to be a consistency to that body of work, although still not perfect...close though. In fact, I think those paintings are fantastic. And to answer your last question, if I saw one of her pieces in a group show, I might have bought something. But, if that first set was in a solo show, I would have thought the artist is still finding herself and would not have bought something. I think collectors discover new artists all the time, so there should not be one person here who does not try new things. How many of us has a list of like 10 artists they like and will not buy anything from anyone else, EVER? I think very few.
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Moki
Aug 2, 2009 8:19:14 GMT -8
Post by roqlarue on Aug 2, 2009 8:19:14 GMT -8
Well AS a gallery owner I've wanted Moki here for years! Schedule conflicts made me flake on pursuing her though. I think she has several strong styles- I myself like the black figure pieces and just bought two from the show. The work is rediculously affordable!
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cgriffin
New Member
too new to be clever
Posts: 32
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Moki
Aug 2, 2009 8:52:14 GMT -8
Post by cgriffin on Aug 2, 2009 8:52:14 GMT -8
Why do you suppose her prices are quite affordable, roq? Any guess there?
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