Omakase I
You Should Own Art, Edition 32
You Should Own Hats | Peruse past YSOA Editions here | Follow the YSOA Instagram here
Hi there.
In case you are unaware, “Omakase” is a Japanese phrase that, according to Wikipedia, means “I leave it up to you” and is used when ordering food. It leaves the selection to the discretion of the chef. I chose the phrase for the title of this edition because I’m putting myself, and you, into the hands of Past Me. Past Me is a compulsive hoarder of links to art and artists that intrigue him in the moment. Like the careless man-child that he is, he leaves it to Future Me to organize what’s been collected into themes so it might be enjoyed by Future You in reasonable harmony and cogency. Well, Future Me, which is presently Present Me, has had quite enough of this arrangement. So, we, all of the temporal iterations of you and me, are simply going to take a look at what’s been gathered in the past few weeks. It’s actually a really great selection of works. Good job, Past Me.
But first, in the last edition, I mentioned hats. There are now You Should Own Art hats in the world. And you may order them for yourself and your loved ones. I plan to use the proceeds to fund events and other art-related adventures that we can all enjoy. So, take a look. I’d be grateful.
"La maison"
Atelier Bingo
Handmade, original screenprint
€70.00
Atelier Bingo are a two person illustration and art practice in France. I think their work is just lovely and vibrant. Lots to see here.
You can buy this work here.
“Anatomy Plate Back”
Gabriela Handal
Graphite on Stonehenge paper
USD$300
Gabriela’s drawing is masterful. I really enjoy seeing the rougher works of highly skilled artists. It’s like seeing the magic trick in progress.
You can buy this work here.
“With the Beasts”
Leif Goldberg
Pencil, watercolor, acrylic, colored pencils and markers on paper
$600
This is a wonderful work of imagination. I’m intrigued just by the breadth of mediums.
You can buy this work here.
I wasn'‘t able to find a website or instagram account for Leif. If anyone happens to have info, please let me know and I’ll post it in a subsequent edition.
“Asylum”
Koen Hauser
22 pages / edition 25 / digitally printed with 16 illustrations manually mounted / hand stitched
€ 35
I really admire complete works. By this I mean a body of work that the artist has assembled int0 a cohesive and coherent object. You see this a lot with photography but not so much with other artists. This work gathers a set of images that Keon created responding to time at the Van Gogh residency. It’s worth reading about this project. The images and the book itself are compelling.
You can buy this work here
Koen’s Instagram, Koen’s website
The Groom
Carla Petelski
Fine art print
Starting at € 20
This is right up my alley: super saturated color, portraiture, abstract shapes and repeating texture. I think this is great.
You can buy this work here.
Carla’s Website , Carla’s Instagram
“Kapadokya”
Screen print
€150
I love that this has been reduced down to the essential forms. It’s a photograph that looks like a block print that’s been printed on a risograph. Also, it takes one of the most standard photographic tropes (an image of a hot air ballon is the image that I look at while my optometrist examines the back of my eyeball) and gives it a more oblique vibe.
You can buy this work here.
Renato’s Instagram, Renato’s Website
“The Abyss”
Hans van der Leeuw
Fine art print
65€
I very much appreciate this. Hans has great classical skill, but is able to employ it in just the right amounts. His portraits distort or emphasize elements of the subject in a way that conveys great character. I’m always interested in what he does.
You can buy this work here.
Hans’s Instagram, Han’s Website
High Low Tech Tokyo
Luis Mendo
Giclee print
€85.00
I adore Luis’s work. He is a prolific illustrator based in Japan. The images he creates are narrative, charming and very often profound. He also is a force in his creative community. He and his wife have established Almost Perfect, a creative residence in Japan. There’s an accompanying podcast that features some inspiring creative voices. I really encourage you to dive in.
You can buy this work here.
Luis’s Instagram, Luis’s website
Ok. That’s it for this month - well, not exactly. I’ll be sending an extra edition in the next week. Call it an interlude. A former colleague shared a beautiful story with me that brings to life many aspects of the fundamental argument behind You Should Own Art. So, I want to share that story with you. So, look forward to that. You can read it while you wait for your new hat to arrive (ha!).