AAR-January '11 (#1)-For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver

So Finally, the first weekly installment of my "Album Art Recreated" series is ready. This is my recreation of indie rocker, Bon Iver's album: For Emma, Forever Ago.

Who's Bon Iver, well let me tell you. Because in addition to creating alternative album covers, I am going to discuss the entire album as well. And sorry in advanced to people who like to review albums, because I'm not that great of a writer, but this is good practice!

Bon Iver is a music project founded by Justin Vernon. His style is considered to be indie folk rock. When playing live, he is backed up by four other musicians that he gathered over the years to bring his sound to life.

For Emma, Forever Ago is a brilliant album completely written and composed by Justin. He actually recorded it in a cabin, while he was isolating himself after a break up with is band DeYarmond Edison, break up with his girlfriend, and being ill with mono. Self recorded using only a microphone, a guitar, an old drum kit, and anything else he could find, Justin Vernon found comfort in being alone and in the cold. Which is said to be part of his inspiration, aside from all of the stress foramentioned.

The use of overdubbing gave this album

a really strong rich sound, that Justin Vernon seems to have a knack for. This is why I love his work. He can start off really mellow and many of his songs are very chill. But when he wants to, in a song, Justin will bring in heavy bass and percussion. That mixed with layers of voices singing the lyrics, really are what make this album so different from other artists' work. The lyrics themselves are cleverally thought out and were actually written to the melody, rather then that other way around as many other artists prefer.

Although Justin wasn't intending to release all of his songs as an album, the deal with record label Jagjaguwar, allowed for him to release For Emma, Forever Ago as a complete album. The big single for the album was "Skinny Love", which received a lot of recognition and was even a free single on iTunes for a week, as well as being played by Justin on the Late Show with David Letterman. In my opinion though, the entire album is amazing, there is a reason why this album made it in the top 50 albums of 2008 by Rolling Stones. I'm looking forward to listening to more of Justin's work in the near future. On top of For Emma, Forever Ago, he also released the EP Blood Band in 2009, as well as appearing on The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack; the Dark Was The Night Compilation; and helping write and appear on Kanye West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Left: the original album art work.

You can check out Bon Iver's website or myspace here:

boniver.org

myspace.com/boniver

Some information was paraphrased from the following websites:

wikipedia.org/Bon_Iver

yellowbirdproject.com/products/bon-iver

Advanced Art Work Update-1.24.11

Silver Lining. 2010-2011. collage, paint, spring, on cardboard.

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COE. 2010-2011. collage, paint, thumbtacks, twine, on cardboard.

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Doorway. 2010-2011. collage, newspaper, cardboard, on masonite.

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X. 2010-2011. collage, paint, on wood with pallet.

Is This Art?

In the Fall of 2010, I put together a brief exhibition, called Is This Art?, of the current work for my Senior thesis project. Since this is only the halfway through my Senior year, this is only a glimpse of direction of my work to be shown in my Spring 2011 gallery exhibition.

The concept behind this particular exhibition was showing how I've been influenced in the past few years by artists like the Dadaists, Marcel Duchamp, Jasper Johns, and Robert Rauschenberg. I show these influences by using similar techniques and styles learned from studying these artists. And the highlight piece to this exhibit, A Progression of Broken Chairs, shows the path that my work is going.

I Hate My Job. 2010. mask, wood.

on sale: $5.00, email njjared@coe.edu to purchase

3 Open Containers (Smells Included). 2010. jars, clay.

Untitled. 2007. book, paint, tape, collage

on sale: $10.00, email njjared@coe.edu to purchase

Tribute to Ceramics/Iburg Erased. 2010. wood, collage, plastic, spray paint, vase.

Iburg Erased. 2010. broken/reassembled vase

Y?. 2010. wood, keyboard, wax, collage, spray paint

on sale: $15, email njjared@coe.edu to purchase

detail of Y?

Lantern. 2010. lantern, wax, string.

A Progression of Broken Chairs. 2010. collage/assemblage on broken chairs

A Progression of Broken Chairs was the main piece for my art show Is This Art? The story behind this project is definately interesting. The chairs were given to me, after they were broken during a student theatrical production at Coe College, after the production student director, Trevor Ketteman, allowed me to take his broken chairs. After his last show was finished, I quickly approched him, saying that I would like his broken chairs, and he reluctantly agreed. And so I cleaned up the chairs and moved them into my studio, which was conveniently next door to the theatre where this performance was being held. It was once I had them all in the studio, that I realized I wanted to fix the chairs, but not just in anyway, but to sort of create a metamorphasis. Starting with one who chair, each chair, I decided, was going to become more creative, more decorative, more...me. This was the first time in a while that I've felt this close to my art. And I think that this piece has really reflected itself upon me and I back at it. The piece itself is reflecting my life in past few years as an artist. From nothing to something, I guess. And being one of the last pieces to be created for my show, I can definately see the direction of my show to open in the Spring of 2011.

A Progression of Broken Chairs is for sale. The cost for the for all three chairs (the first chair coincidentally broke) is just $45. If you would like to purchase this piece, please let me know. My contact email address is njjared@coe.edu.

Fan. 2010. fan, newspaper.

Monitor. 2008. computer monitor tube.

Artist of the Month: Robert Rauschenberg

Probably one of the biggest inspirations for me from the art community, Robert Rauschenberg is considered a highly influencial artist of modern American Art. He has been titled with being one of America's earliest Pop artists, and even been titled a Neo-Dadaist, although he considered his work to be very "Neo-Rauschenberg". Best known for his Combines in the mid-50s. This series of pieces all included found objects in a collaged element. His most famous Combine: Monogram can be seen below. But he did more than just paint and collage, Rauschenberg also loved to work with other creative minds, both in the field of art and dance. He worked with such names Cy Twombly, Jasper Johns, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham, among other abstract artists of the mid-20th century. Rauschenberg had even experimented with movement and is a part of a group of people, whom some consider the first group to invent the idea of Happenings.
After his Combines, Robert worked with the scientific community to create EAT (Experiments in Art and Technology), which helped to fund art works with scientific elements, such as works that moved to sound, works that involved chemical reactions, etc. Rauschenberg would continue to create works for the rest of the century, and sadly passed away in 2008. His creativity and imagination has paved the way for many artists of the present day, and he is one of my favorite artists in modern art.

Monogram. 1955-59