D-CITY: WHERE SIDEWALK CAFES MEET THE STARS, FROM "ATOPIA: ART AND CITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY," CENTRO DE CULTURA CONTEMPORANIA DE BARCELONA, BARCELONA, SPAIN, 2010 PLEXI-GLASS, MDF, POLYSTYRENE, DECORATIVE TAPE, THERMOPLASTIC ADHESIVE

D-CITY: WHERE SIDEWALK CAFES MEET THE STARS, FROM "ATOPIA: ART AND CITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY," CENTRO DE CULTURA CONTEMPORANIA DE BARCELONA, BARCELONA, SPAIN, 2010 PLEXI-GLASS, MDF, POLYSTYRENE, DECORATIVE TAPE, THERMOPLASTIC ADHESIVE

she is interested in transformation - by the force of nature, by human intervention [perhaps meddling], by all aspects of life and living. how do our cities, waterways, landscapes and maps change? and thus how are our relationships to these places - places we call home - altered by these internal and external forces? how does reality butt up against our memory? how do we predict how our worlds will look and function in the future?

MIGRATION OF THE LADYBUGS, 2009 OIL AND ALCOHOL-BASED MARKERS ON PAPER 31 1/2 X 43 1/4 IN. (80 X 110 CM)

in terms of my own work, our interests overlap in many ways. above she charts the migration of ladybugs [my last show was all about migration]. i love how she uses data and then shows how things shift over time. her interest is global - she explores the ideas of shifting landscape and the results on inhabitants in locales from kuwait to califorina, cambodia to berlin... and beyond.

BERLIN WALL, TIFFANY CHUNG, 2010 EMBROIDERY, PAINTED METAL GROMMETS, AND BUTTONS ON CANVAS 33 X 44¼ IN. (84 X 112.5 CM)

i also am just completely drawn to her use of color. such amazing combinations - and textures. small marks next to embroidered ones. colors reminiscent of office supplies like highlighters [and thus loaded with their own meanings].  these are maps rooted in reality, but also full of made up or completely personal markings. flowers and misshaped polka dots instead of perfect grids and geometry.

THE PUSH BACK OF CAMBODIAN REFUGEES MEMORIAL PARK - PREAH VIHEAR, TIFFANY CHUNG, 2010 EMBROIDERY, 3D FABRIC PAINT, METAL GROMMETS, AND BUTTONS ON CANVAS 24 X 24 IN. (61 X 61 CM)

so if i had to choose one? [which is hard] i think i'd pick the above. the negative space - those two squiggly river lines - that row of small salmon/red/pink crosses. and the gromets. yeah. i'm in a mad mad crush with tiffany chung. i can't wait to see what she does next.

there's a great archive of a talk she did here

and i'd just like to take a moment to thank jan + earl of poppytalk for giving me the space to ramble about my art whims. i wish for them - and all of you - the best that life has to offer in 2013. may it be filled with great art discoveries... happy happy  new year. i look forward to watching my collection here grow even more in the coming year ! keep an eye on it on pinterest !