May-June 1996 / Planet of the Arts 11 @ eginme or Grahan Gillmore interview by Igor Santizo M. photos by Leeta Harding isn’t bricolage a nice word? Hello? [New York] Hello Graham, this is Igor. [Vancouver] outstandingeccadlibraryfines Hi... umm... so would | be able to Futura Bold talk i you ior filtech iniios? art like a construction of nature [it actually took 40 minutes -ISM] Jo Anne Bernie Denzker (1989?) misquote: “the benevolent...” GG: “the belligerent coexistence between nature and artifice” ? The Enchanted Garden Is that cool? regarding John Currin: psychosexual aspect to really banal portraiture Yup. tenuous kind of psychology Igor: Could you say something about Portrait of a Woman in Renaiss Cadmium Red (1989). What were some of the thoughts around the work or intentions? Graham Gillmore:| think there’s a few layers to that piece, and to several of those pieces. One of them was...the technique that | was using...playing on the idea of taking an engraving, and engraving [a rotoring tech- nique that he still uses] that image...you know, pretty much verbatim...just stuck it in an opaque projector and blew it up. And so, the idea of taking old engrav- ings and remaining true to the method by which it was created in the first place. The tattoos were also a play on the idea of engraving as a tattoo is not unlike certain aspects of traditional engraving and embed- ding pigment underneath the surface. But also, | was sort of talking about the canonization of beauty, and kind of turning this traditional notion of beauty on its head by giving her a Maori tribe tattoo. A sort of cross-cultural play on beauty. Umm... what was that eight years ago? Hard time thinking where my the last person left on earth head was at. slipping away from reality she repeats herself the very notion of the physical act of writing becomes the most resonant thing about the book in the end: could you hold on the line one minute? “Wittgenstein’s Mistress” ty vavid morxen = Apollonaire [approx. 20 second wait] to put the wedge between the word and the meaning sorry, Igor. 4 . and trying to designify texts that’s alright. redundancy of young romantics a little nauseous ISM: Tell me of recent shows that you've participated in, that either really impressed you or brought about some kind of excitement. GG: I’m working with this guy and his name is Kenny Shacter right now. He’s about my age and he’s very ambitious. And er he has a great eye. He is seen as what you would call an comercial rystal Breeze alternative curator. Doesn’t have a gallery, doesn’t want one. Spleen...articulate the void that the self must cross to communicate with the other first sculptures | ever made hang on a second...I’m having a party here tonight...my friend is visiting from Vancouver. ya, oh | see. actually, I’m in the bath right now. [laughs] oh. okay. last time you called, | was in the bath. oh really? you must think i spend all my time in the bathtub. yeah, although you didn’t mention that last time. oh. Oh...Kenny. Finds empty spaces whether they‘re old galleries, warehouses or restaurants. Rents them for the duration of the show, and probably knows more young and coming-up artists in New York than perhaps anyone certainly that | know. He’s really on top of it. Makes 300 studio visits a year. And I’ve been in about half a dozen shows here that he’s put on with groups of artists, say, anywhere from half a dozen to thirty. The interesting thing about the shows generally is that they’re extremely eclectic. You know, work like mine, somewhat of a lyrical abstract painting...scatter-art, computer enhanced work, videos, performance... The theme to his shows is that there’s really no theme at all. And he is, | think, putting on some really exciting shows. Some of the visual metaphors in the sculpture, such as spineless jellyfish the hoses...are a kind of conduit or drain or passage- STONY BOD teen 0g Recaewarattuy way, whether it’s an emotion or physical entity, or any cdi embnintee cy co kind of polarity between two things...communication. ete or 9 ets thermodynamics of words and Edward Ruscha certain urgency Latino kids knocking on the door [at this point my tape runs out, and as | fumble, we realize that | hadn’t told Graham that | was recording the interview, at which point | apologized for forgetting.] “® - thanks to Monte Clark and Celia for the help ‘sure, interview by IGOr New York) Hello Graham, this is Igor. [Vancouver] Hi... umm... so would I be able to {alk to you for fifteen minutes? {it actually took 40 minutes -15M) Now? Is that cool? Yop. photos by Leeta Harding MayJune 1996 / Planet of the Arts 11 zens Grahan Gillmore Isn't bricolage a nice word? tonigaderoes crue chutes Bold GG: "eben coe ete ead oie dg: prosoel ipo aporte Igor: Could you say something about Portrait of a Woman in Renaissance Costume With Cadmium Red (1989). What were some of the thoughts around the work or intentions? Gillmore:| think there's a few layers to that piece, and to several of those pieces. One of them was..the technique that I was using...laying on the idea of taking an engraving, and engraving [a rotoring tech- nique that he stil uses] that image...you know, pretty ‘much verbatim...just stuck itin an opaque projector and blew it up. And so, the idea of taking old engrav ings and remaining true to the method by which it ‘was created in the first place ‘The tattoos were also a play on the idea of engraving as a tattoo is not unlike certain aspects of traditional engraving and embed- ding pigment underneath the surface. But also, | was sort of talking about the canonization of beauty, and kind of turning this traditional notion of beauty on its head by giving her a Maori tribe tattoo. A sort of cross-cultural play on beauty. Umm. ‘what was that eight years ago? Hard time thinking where my head was at. peg ony homey tere le pp tt et eos ‘et sn got he ak te could you hold on the line one minute? “Wittgenstein’s Mistress” » oonis worsen sure. ‘pee approx. 20 second woit) opt te meer he nd nd the eo nd go deste sia ten yasg ors that’s alright. ISM: Tell me of recent shows that you've participated in, that either really impressed you or brought about some kind of excitement. GG: _'mworking with this guy and his name is Kenny Shacter right now. He's about my age and he's very ambitious. And hhe has a great eye. He is seen as what you would call an alternative curator. Doesn't have a gallery, doesn’t want one. elm Breeze (espe mote hhang on a second...'™m having a party here tonight...my fiend is visiting from Vancouver. ya, oh | see actually, I'm in the bath right now. loughs) oh, okay. last time you called, was in the bath, coh really? {you must think i spend all my time in the bathtub, yeah, although you didn’t mention that last time. oh. GG: _Oh...Kenny. Finds empty spaces whether they're old galleries, ‘warehouses or restaurants. Rents them for the duration of the show, and probably knows more young and coming-up artists in New York than perhaps anyone certainly that ! know. He’s really ‘on top of it. Makes 300 studio vsits a year. And I've been in about half a dozen shows here that he's put on with groups of artists, say, anywhere from half a dozen to thirty The interesting thing about the shows generally is that they're ‘extremely eclectic. You know, work lke mine, somewhat of a lyrical abstract painting...catter-art, computer enhanced work, videos, performance... The theme to his shows is that there's emesrans wots ond Edward Ruscha realy no theme at all. And he is, | think, putting on some really exciting shows, paca Some of the visual metaphors in the sculpture, such as spec ah the hoses..are a kind of conduit or drain or passage- ‘way, whether i’s an emotion or physical entity, or any kind of polarity between two things..communication, tai is tig 2 {at this point my tape runs out, and as | fumble, we realize that | ‘hadn't old Graham that | was recording the interview, at which point | pologized for forgeting.] “® ‘tok Mane orton ep