I'm famous

Colby recently had a few more interviews in NY magazines Heeb, Time Out New York, and Corduroy. Rather than me talk about them, click on those links to read for yourself. I just wanted to say that in the latter, the teaser sentence leading into the interview is:

Corduroy had a chance to sit down with the polarizing photographer-cum-sculptor to talk about the creative process, Bushwick’s best duck confit, and why a microbiologist in Dresden is his most important critic.

In case you're wondering, that would be me.

(not me)

ahem.

Strike a Pose

So Colby's in a show in London with Crumb and Andy Warhol (and a buncha famous artists I don't know). I guess that's pretty cool.

Colby visits for Thanksgiving

Colby braved the overseas flight for the first time in 9(?) years to see what Dresden is all about and hangout over Thanksgiving. I'm too lazy to post photos again, so here are some on facebook. Anyway, it was a good time. Since Colby was only here 5 days, we had some early morning rushes to get everything in, but it was also a chill Thanksgiving weekend as a significant amount of time was spent watching college football and basketball and eating leftovers. Thanksgiving day involved a group of expats like last year complete will two turkeys and all the traditional dishes. Fortunately, the Christmas markets opened this weekend too, so I could show Colby that whole scene complete with Glühwein. And we took an overnight trip to Berlin to check out the art scene. Colby knew a couple people that would be around, but at least 3 or 4 other people at the openings randomly recognized Colby from NYC and said hello.

A date with 3 birds.

Picked up one at the airport today.

The other two will be picked up tomorrow morning.

Colby Bird explained (kind of)

Many people ask me to explain my brother's art. Usually I try to give them an idea as I understand it, but then generally stop as I envision Colby listening and getting quietly frustrated. The gallery in NYC representing Colby has a small blurb on his art in general, but doesn't help for specific pieces. Now, lucky for all you that have asked me, the gallery has published a small publication (scroll down for download), which includes an essay by João Ribas, whom (who? eric?) I ignorantly presume is some big-shot in the art world. Anyway, there are specific pieces referenced there, including a few that were in his show last year that I made it to.

Be warned, in contrast to what you read here, it includes big sentences with big words, like

It is this confounding mixture of individualized capitalist aspiration, ersatz opulence, perceived authenticity, and the obsession with consumptive iconography that gives the work of Colby Bird its distinct resonance.

I don't even know if I've heard the word "ersatz" before. At least in English. In German I know it most familiarly from "Ersatzverkehr". Which often means you gotta ride the bus cause the tram is broken. I guess like "replacement transport".

On my trip to NYC

I guess I'm kind of behind on this. So I was in NYC for the weekend 3 weeks ago or so. Colby had a big opening for a show at a gallery that I mentioned before. This was a great trip. It was a little crazy. Well, alot crazy. But fun. And I survived. I think I actually never adjusted to the jet lag the whole time I was there due to the stimulation of all the people I was meeting and the long nights out on the town and naps and sleeping late or getting up early. And then this hellacious trip home so really it turned out I didn't have to re-adjust back to Germany time.

<- two masses of red hair collide

But this was a convergence of craziness of friends and family. Of course Colby. My Mom flew in from Texas. My Dad flew in from Cali. And then Eric flew in from Cali. And then Amy (from Brighton) just happens to be in NYC that weekend. And Sean is in NYC. And to top it all off, my Aunt, Uncle and a Cousin from Dallas make a surprise appearance at the last minute. These are ALL OLD and GOOD family and friends. Like the best of them. So it was a bit overwhelming to have everybody at once. And then 3 days to try to hang with them! But it was fun trying. I hadn't seen Eric in like 2 years.

Eric and Colby getting angry or something->

It was great to see the two shows Colby was in at the time, and his studio. Colby's seriously blowing up. Or having his 15 minutes of fame (I ain't trying to jinx it, ya know). But his name is getting out there.

It was kinda fun. More than a couple of times at his opening and later at the afterparty/etc, people would come up to me like "HEEEEYYY! GREAAAT show. good stuff. Hey. I'll see you later, right?! allright cool, Colby..."
I mean, actually I crashed at Colby's place one night unexpectedly, and I'm sitting in the kitchen in the morning eating some cereal and his roomate walks in and is like "Oh, you know I thought your brother was here or something last night."
"Umm....I'm not Colby."
"Oh. what? Oh, God. Wait, are you like twins or something?!"
"something like that"

At his studio Colby gave us a preview of a new piece of his going into a third show that hadn't opened yet. So he just assembled his piece in his studio for Dad and I...and turn on the light and BAM! there it is.

See this piece on the right here.
And see it HERE on the announcement card for this show.
Based on the stuff at show of his I was at I'm gonna guess this will be priced at about $6000.

Check out the piece on the wall back here in Colby's studio on the photo below.
Now check it out on the front page of the Village Voice website:
(Article HERE when the front page changes)
I remember this one was $2500 framed if anybody's interested.


















Update: here's a nice picture of Amy, Eric and I. The last time the three of us where in the same spot was probably in high school in Texas in the orchestra room or something in like 1992. Ha. Notice how clearly close and comfortable we are in each other's presence: no touching.
strange looking photo.

June 8th, New York City

So it appears Colby is blowing up. Well, at least he has work in two galleries that are opening shows in the next month. First, some pieces in a show entitled "In Defense of Ardor" at Bellwether Gallery in Chelsea. The piece on the front page there is his.

And then a more prominent show opening June 8th at CRG Gallery . I'm flying in for this one, so if you're gonna be in NYC or around there, holler, and come to the opening. Friday June 8th.

If you've been looking at Colby's website, wondering what this stuff is all about, the press release will give you a clue, although I don't know if Colby actually wrote what went into it about his stuff.