Ray Caesar

[jimandtara]

Ray Caesar is one of my favorites - I wanted a piece from his last solo show, "Sweet Victory" at Jonathon Levine gallery in 06' but had bought too much around that time so I passed it up. Another earlier piece, "Queen of Flies" (which is my favorite) I missed too - was just too late to inquire and there were only 10 to start with

Anyway - his upcoming solo show at JL, "In the Garden of Moonlight" (Jun 28 thru Jul 26), I'm positioned pretty nicely on the wait list so if there is a piece I can't live without, I will NOT hestitate this time around!

My favorite! - "Queen of Flies"




Tara's favorite! - "Kitty Kat Study"



jIm

[sleepboy]

Is all his work digital? The one for hi-fructose looks pretty nice, maybe you should go for that one if you want to buy a piece.

[mikem]

his work is all digital.

there's an interview with him in the juxtapoz june 08 (#89). good read. you should check it out if ya get a chance

[commandax]

I love his work, but there's something about the thought of paying OG prices for digital art that kind of depresses me, though logically, I know that it's no different than buying a limited edition photograph. I've really got to get over it.

I adore his "Ebb Tide" and the new piece in the Hi-Fructose show. He has a book coming out later on this year: www.murphydesign.com/

[sybilm]

ray caesar is so amazing...i would love to one day own a piece. that juxtapoz interview was awesome...

[jimandtara]

Jun 7, 2008 9:10:21 GMT -8 sleepboy said:

Is all his work digital? The one for hi-fructose looks pretty nice, maybe you should go for that one if you want to buy a piece.

Hey Hung!

First-off - thanks for the heads-up invite to this board.

If you're talking about the piece below - that one sold instantly at the JL sponsered group show in CA - "Friendly Fire".



Unfortunately the days of being able to kick back and "think about it" are LONG gone with Ray pieces now. Like commandax, when I first became aware of Ray I went thru a spell of over-rationalizing "how his work was done", meanwhile loving it, but letting the hang-up of the "how" dictate my actions - if that makes sense LOL. I should have just pulled the trigger - my gut instinct was screaming at me, I just wasnt listening I guess!

Anyway - the end result was, I sat and looked at "Queen of Flies" for 4 months until it was too late. And to rub salt in the wound - the opening price was like only $600

As far as the "how" goes - he uses a 3D imaging software called "Maya" to create his work. He spends months on one piece - the JL show coming up was originally supposed to be in Dec 07, he pushed it to June 08 so he could finish the pieces he needed for this solo.

jIm

[mute]

Jun 7, 2008 16:31:39 GMT -8 jimandtara said:

[If you're talking about the piece below - that one sold instantly at the JL sponsered group show in CA - "Friendly Fire".



Unfortunately the days of being able to kick back and "think about it" are LONG gone with Ray pieces now. Like commandax, when I first became aware of Ray I went thru a spell of over-rationalizing "how his work was done", meanwhile loving it, but letting the hang-up of the "how" dictate my actions - if that makes sense LOL. I should have just pulled the trigger - my gut instinct was screaming at me, I just wasnt listening I guess!

I'm pretty sure Hung is talking about the blue"Underwater Jellyfish Bride" piece in Commandax's post. I'm still kind of on the fence about him and how it's made. First off I love a lot of the images he creates but there are some that are a little grotesque like the "menstruating poodle"(WTF??) print that they have for sale at Richard Goodall Gallery. Secondly when I came across his work awhile back I thought it was some of the best paintings I had seen but was disappointed when I found out it was digital. I'm not sure why now, maybe because I didn't think he put as much effort into it but clearly I was wrong. Give me a year and I'll regret not declaring him one of my favorite artists. I already have so many of those like not trying to buy that Fuco piece just because I was new to her work or the Hiemstra pieces(basically anything Roq La Rue shows . The problem is I need some feeling out time with an artist to see if I really like them.

[jimandtara]

Jun 7, 2008 19:42:20 GMT -8 mute said:

The problem is I need some feeling out time with an artist to see if I really like them.

Mute -

I usually instantly connect with what I like and consquently end up buying - but there are some cases where I need some time like you speak of, and I have now learned that those can end up being the ones I feel the strongest about. Not always - but sometimes.

jIm

ps - I guess there is a reason why that poodle piece is STILL available when every other single piece has long since sold! Its disturbing - but not in a good way

[sleepboy]

Now I want to see how this menstruating poodle looks like ;D

Yah, I have the same hangups with digital art which is kinda ironic since the first piece of art I bought was a kozyndan print on canvas. Most of my initial purchases were digital art. I guess my concern is that it could always be printed out again. I can see how it might take even longer to finish a digital painting as opposed to a real physical painting but just can't seem to get over it.... I guess I associate it with the fact that i'm paying OG prices for a "print."

[mute]

Jun 7, 2008 21:20:37 GMT -8 sleepboy said:

Yah, I have the same hangups with digital art which is kinda ironic since the first piece of art I bought was a kozyndan print on canvas. Most of my initial purchases were digital art. I guess my concern is that it could always be printed out again. I can see how it might take even longer to finish a digital painting as opposed to a real physical painting but just can't seem to get over it.... I guess I associate it with the fact that i'm paying OG prices for a "print."

I just noticed he does them in editions but still charges out the ass for each one. jonathanlevinegallery.com/?method=Exhibit.ExhibitArt&ExhibitID=4E3EDE85-115B-5562-AA4E1BCA45C602E6&ArtistID=D3710946-3048-28EB-927E4BC74ACF9041&artidx=1&artistidx=1
I don't like that. Something seems wrong about paying $12,000 for basically a print. The only thing that separates the original from the others is the frame. And obviously he could always make more in the future to keep for himself or someone else might be able to make them behind his back. I guess this is the future of art with all the technological advances becoming more easily available to people,but call me old fashion, because I take pleasure in looking at the brush strokes on my paintings and knowing the fact that it's unique and one of a kind. He's still really good at what he does. It wouldn't bother me so much if they weren't so expensive.

[masao626]

Jun 7, 2008 21:20:37 GMT -8 sleepboy said:

Now I want to see how this menstruating poodle looks like ;D

these are words you don't read every day ;D

i think Ray's work is positively beautiful. i wouldn't have problem dropping money on one of his originals (that is if it wasn't absurdly out of my price range

[marcusslo]

you asked for it

[masao626]

i think it's lovely...

although i'm sure someone i know would punch me in the face if they saw it hanging in my home. (love the greens)

[dangler]

Jul 20, 2008 10:19:15 GMT -8 masao626 said:

i think it's lovely...

although i'm sure someone i know would punch me in the face if they saw it hanging in my home. (love the greens)

HAha... oh man... I love art so much. Calling a menstruating poodle "lovely" and meaning it is one of the coolest things I have ever seen lol... partially because I completely agree.

[doktor]

Hi

I am new here.
But if I may be so bold I have this to say on Rays work :

I went to the Ray Ceaser show at RGG in Manchester a little while ago.

I was rather dissapointed.

Its like this.
I love his ideas, designs and a lot of the images, though I think some of the figure work is very stilted (but thats another thread). I preordered the Murphy book last year when it was announced.

I felt the show really lacked energy and life. What you have is very large very well printed computer renders. Now if you are familiar with an artist's work you know the images already but visiting a show gives you so much more. You see the paint on the surfaces, you see the movements of the brushes and energy in the physical pieces. You can glean hints of how it was constructed and what went into the thought patterns that may have altered during its production, see details which were altered or painted out etc.. You can find a hidden story in the piece as well as the image you already knew.

You dont get any of that from Ray's show. You get perfectly printed images..
If you have a book of his work its just like looking at big posters from the book.

I am not saying his work is not expertly done. Oh no not at all. I am just saying its not painting and you need to bare this in mind when visiting a show of his.
As I said I was a little dissapointed, and I was dissapointed that I felt disapointed..

[commandax]

Now if you are familiar with an artist's work you know the images already but visiting a show gives you so much more. You see the paint on the surfaces, you see the movements of the brushes and energy in the physical pieces. You can glean hints of how it was constructed and what went into the thought patterns that may have altered during its production, see details which were altered or painted out etc.. You can find a hidden story in the piece as well as the image you already knew.

Welcome, Doktor A! I feel the same way you do... Though I've only seen one Ray Caesar in a gallery – and it was an image that I loved – I still felt like it was a $16,000 poster. But being able to see the process behind a piece of art is so important for me that I almost never buy prints – lots of folks here love their prints dearly, so I expect they would feel differently.

[jimandtara]

Hi Doktor -

We have come to see it pretty much in the same light as you (having now seen them). I had my chance this time around and passed - in part because I wasnt moved enough personally by any of the new work and certainly not at those prices.

That being said - I still wish I had bought my favorite (Queen of Flies) when I had the chance - price was $600! (loved the image and as it turns out, was certainly a great value).

jIm

[sleepboy]

I think these are new images?

[svenman]

anyone here do the pre-order on his book what seems like years ago?
i had some correspondance with murphy toward the end of august about this, but i've still not recieved my book - just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat?

[sleepboy]

Oct 29, 2008 14:18:33 GMT -8 svenman said:

anyone here do the pre-order on his book what seems like years ago?
i had some correspondance with murphy toward the end of august about this, but i've still not recieved my book - just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat?

just got an email saying they were available. maybe they were just done?

[jimandtara]

Oct 29, 2008 14:18:33 GMT -8 svenman said:

anyone here do the pre-order on his book what seems like years ago?
i had some correspondance with murphy toward the end of august about this, but i've still not recieved my book - just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat?

Which version? The standard edition has been done for a while and the pre-order folks should've gotten thiers (my sister got hers last month). I'd shoot Mark an email...

The pre-sale of the Special Ed. version was earlier this month and were shipped too. JL has some up on his site for sale too...

jIm

[brobt]

I only just received my regular edition this Monday from my order from last year. I was told 7 to 10 more days to receive it back on October 3rd, but it was more like 3 weeks. Needless to say, they are not too sure about it.

[jimandtara]

Maybe they're playing catch-up sorting out all those pre-orders for the Reg Ed. - they took orders for over a year. My sister ordered hers July, 07! (the first 100 got signed Reg Editions).

jIm

[anabagayan]

Last I talked to Mark, they were still signing books. That was October 9th. I'm guessing the rest of the orders will be arriving shortly

[boyer]

I had accidentally ordered two after loosing my email confirmation for the first order.

I got a third book in the mail yesterday. I must be loosing my mind.