PeopleMatter
Early in 2009 I began painting journalists, bloggers and infolebrities, especially those affecting New York City. The great digital continuum had swallowed an industry and was steadily digesting. Panic and opportunism came in all colors, flavors, and shapes. That was either the point or the problem.
Free was a feature of the industry, at once a failed experiment and a new reality for journalists and creatives. Loss leaders and liberty went hand in hand. I gave 99 of the works away. Subjects pitched me to replace my selections, to be painted, and to reserve a painting. I clipped their social media outreach--and sold the paintings that were bumped off the list to the 'paywall.' This was the bartered territory between the cultural commons and economic manipulation.
Subjects ranged from the (in)famous to the obscure. Edward R. Murrow to Perez Hilton to my food blogging neighbor. Whoever interested me. It was all human factor. 'Awareness' as a fledgling world view. Breadcrumbs in a labyrinth.
PeopleMatter received a lot of press. Many reveled in the project, some were genuinely touched-- a few found it impotent and annoying. I was described in a reblog as "an instant personality." My kingdom for an instant.
View Complete Image Archive
Free was a feature of the industry, at once a failed experiment and a new reality for journalists and creatives. Loss leaders and liberty went hand in hand. I gave 99 of the works away. Subjects pitched me to replace my selections, to be painted, and to reserve a painting. I clipped their social media outreach--and sold the paintings that were bumped off the list to the 'paywall.' This was the bartered territory between the cultural commons and economic manipulation.
Subjects ranged from the (in)famous to the obscure. Edward R. Murrow to Perez Hilton to my food blogging neighbor. Whoever interested me. It was all human factor. 'Awareness' as a fledgling world view. Breadcrumbs in a labyrinth.
PeopleMatter received a lot of press. Many reveled in the project, some were genuinely touched-- a few found it impotent and annoying. I was described in a reblog as "an instant personality." My kingdom for an instant.
View Complete Image Archive
{image 7 
{image 1}{image 2}
{image3}