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A Beautiful Deep Dive Into Our Worldwide Arts + Culture |
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LAS VEGAS-BASED ARTISTS MARK BRANDVIK, ZOE CAMPER AND MATTHEW COUPER SPEAK OF THEIR WAGON TRAIN TO AN ART SHOW IN LA |
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by Gordy Grundy, Editor-in-Chief
Matthew Couper explains, ""We're Very Well Read/It's Well Known" has opened at the Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles at 260 S. Main St, Downtown LA, on the 23rd of May, 2026. Los Angeles-based curator Mat Gleason selected 470 national artists to respond to their favorite book and reimagine their own cover in various types of media on a set-sized panel. The planning for this exhibition started in 2022 and will be on view through Sept 6th, open Sat and Sun from 12pm - 6pm, or by appointment." This may be the last show of its kind. Thankfully, I went to elementary school before they stopped teaching kids how to read. Couper continues, "I chose to paint Daniel Defoe's epic "The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an un-inhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With An Account how he was at last as strangely deliver'd by Pyrates. Written by Himself', commonly known as Robinson Crusoe." Thankfully the title was shortened. How's a publisher going to put all of that on the spine? Favorite book? We all have them. We hold them dearly. We cherish them. The concept of the show is brilliant and quite heartfelt. Says Couper, "I reread the book during Covid while working on a series of works titled 'Isolation Paintings' that were spurred on by my interest in the psychology of social Isolation that has been compounded by social media. Once Covid hit, my artworks became more about survival in general and of course, Robinson Crusoe is one of the seminal books written on the subject that has spawned many survivalist films, books and reality TV shows."
Most published books are 6 by 9 inches, in a portrait or vertical aspect ratio. It is the most effective way of displaying product in a bookstore. I don't know why size matters anymore; bookstores are a quaint memory. If I have grandchildren, I will tell them of the beauties of shopping for a book in a store. Artists! The show featured several, not many, weisenheimers who busted up the status quo. Couper painted in three dimensions. Bob & Bob, the performance art pioneers, went horizontal. The non-Nevadan Karen Finley had two submissions. She ripped the cover off two old books, added a few brush strokes and called it a day. She changed the title of the much respected "Art Through the Ages" to "Fart Through the Rages." In Nevada, we've hung artists for lesser offense. Mark Brandvik is best known for his sculptures, but in this show, he shows off his painting chops. He writes, "Drove down from Las Vegas and stayed in a downtown Los Angeles hotel. Walked the mile and a half from there to the show on Main Street. Passed by The Original Pantry Cafe on the way and was sad to discover that it was closed after 100 years in operation." "The art gallery was packed. The crowd, which skewed a bit older, spilled onto the sidewalk. Caught up with a couple of fellow Vegas artists as well as a few artists from LA. Was very impressed by the sheer number of works and was heartened by the skill and talent of the artists represented. Whole worlds revealed and navigated on 6 x 9 surfaces. After the show, we joined the curator’s group for a bite at nearby Grand Central Market before walking back to the hotel. Great company, great food, and cool weather in Los Angeles."
I wonder if any artists chose The Bible. It is a bestseller. Zoe Camper picked a rather uncomfortable book, one that is too close to home. Even the whiff of a reference to Orwell reminds us that this author's work is a frightening coming attraction of our likely near future. I like Camper. She ignores the impending apocalypse and chooses to focus on her art heroes. She'll be singing and skipping through the flames. That's the attitude. "I was excited to be involved in this exhibition, but I didn't know Laurie Lipton was in it too!," Camper writes, "She is one of my idols. As an artist who draws, I have my drawing idols; they are a different set to my digital, painting, sculpture and other idol groups. My drawing idols are intrinsic to what I do, they act as a guiding light, I see what they achieve, and I study their technique." "The image is a portrait of George Orwell drawn over an RSA two-key encrypted text excerpt from the book where Winston, the hero character, is being tortured by O'Brien, the Thought Police agent, from the Ministry of Love. Winston must accept a singular reality as enforced by Big Brother, and is made to accept that 2+2=5, or any number that BB says it is. It's such a powerful scene and can be analogous with the ways of our world." "Using encryption for this piece, and many of my recent works, stems from an interest in WW2 cyphers and using encryption to send messages and expose hidden stories. I think this works well with the theme of the book and Orwell's WW2 propaganda work." "I've always felt inspired by Orwell and his ideas resonate well with me, and also because he worked at the BBC during the WW2 (1941-43) on radio propaganda programming. I worked for the BBC (not during WW2 :^) and was lucky enough to see his office in the old section of BBC Broadcasting House in London. Some people believe that his BBC office/work was inspiration for Room 101 in 1984, the place where the worst things happen. He did not consider his propaganda work, at the BBC, to be useful or effective. The exhibition will open in May 2026 and there are around ten Las Vegas artists in the show, so really happy to be one of them!"
Participating artists included JK Russ, Karla Lagunas, Jerry Misko, Kim Garrison and David Ryan. ------------------------------------------ Artist and writer GORDY GRUNDY is the Editor-in-Chief of Art Report Today
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