Sneak peek AR project

Here is a teaser for my next intended AR (augmented reality) project. Early days yet & this may change in the process (it most likely will)...

New Babel AR Official Launch & Salon

Hot off the presses, the official New Babel AR launch flyer (both sides) including handy QR codes. You do have to be in Union Sq. New York to be able to see the installation (having previously downloaded the appropriate app to your phone). New Babel is the first in a series of large-scale, site-specific augmented reality installations, mostly dealing with social issues.

New Babel QR code for iOS App

Here it is at last:

QR code for NewBabel iOS App

Or use this link: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1481288714

New Babel AR poster & flyer

Here are the promotional items produced by Maya Georgieva & the XReality Center at the New School in NYC to promote the New Babel AR installation/activation:

New Babel AR flyer

New Babel AR poster

App links
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.TheNewSchool.NewBabel
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1481288714

New Babel XReality Center Page

Here is a link to a feature on the New School's XReality Center's web site about the New Babel project, which is part of the New School's 100th Anniversary "Festival of New":

https://xrcenter.newschool.edu/projects/ar-art-on-the-square-new-babel/

Thanks to Maya Georgieva of the XReality Center for all her help & support.

New Babel images courtesy of XReality Center / The New School

Multiple Views of New Babel Tower

Views of tower & globe from New Babel

Above is a composite image made of different screen grabs (outside & inside) of the AR image of the New Babel Tower & Globe...these were actually taken in Union Square Park, NYC. Thanks to Minhye (Min) Kwak for development & programming.

New Babel short video

Here is the latest iteration of New Babel, the AR (augmented reality) installation for Union Square Park in NYC:

 The video is very short & without sound. The four images are my (intermediate, unfinished) versions of FDR's Four Freedoms. The installation will fill a large portion of Union Square.

Art (including textures) by me, development & programming by Minhye (Min) Kwak.

New Babel

This is a teaser preview of a forthcoming augmented reality (like virtual reality, but combined with actual visibly real elements and viewed via a handheld device such as a mobile phone or tablet) installation intended for Union Square Park, NYC for October 2019. More information & images to follow. Below is a simulation of the piece inserted into Google Earth 3D view. My daughter, Lizzie, created the tower (Tower of Knowledge) in Fusion 360, btw, based on my original drawing. The globe hovering (rotating) above the tower is textured with the painting we used on my wife's book, A New Global Agenda. In the final version, the tower will not have the golden texture seen below, but a painted one.

New Babel, simulation of augmented reality installation

The Fisher Kings...

In a strange & unexpected coincidence I seem to have 2 drawings on the subject of the Fisher King (from Arthurian/Grail mythology) coming out in published books shortly. There is no apparent connection between the 2 books, which I will feature here when I get them. Stay tuned on that...meanwhile, here are the images. The second one has been digitally colored.

The Fisher King, 2011, brush & ink on paper, 10" x 8"

The Fisher King, 2012, ink on paper with digital coloring, original size 14" x 11"

New Dawn Fades

A new oil painting on panel. The title is borrowed from a Joy Division song, & I think they might have borrowed it from William Burroughs (?). Reality dissolves. I might do more work on this.

New Dawn Fades, 2019, oil on panel, 20" x 16"

Storm Over Mountains

Another small new oil painting on panel (the canvas textured kind). I'm trying to extend the creation time of my paintings to give more depth to them...using liquin to speed up drying time & also put glazes on the work.

Storm Over Mountains, 2019, oil on panel, 6" x 8"

The One Who Couldn't Stop Evolving

Another new oil painting on plywood panel, this figurative piece depicts a being in a constant state of evolution...which might not be a bad idea for all of us (?)

The One Who Couldn't Stop Evolving, 2019, oil on panel, 20" x 16"

Venus Melancholy

This is a new small painting on canvas panel, hence the visible texture in the photo. I want to give this painting a day or two, as it may be done or may need more work. It's often better to sleep on it rather than overdo (or underdo) a painting.

Note: I've updated this posting with the final version (upper image).

Venus Melancholy (final version), 2019, oil on panel, 10" x 8"

Venus Melancholy, 2019, oil on panel, 10" x 8".

The Egg Man and Comet Boy

These are two similar pieces that I did in the last few days. I actually started the painting first, then while waiting for the first layer of oil paint to dry I made the drawing, then I went back and finished the painting. While they have notable structural similarities, they are also quite different. I would find it difficult to choose between them as to which I preferred.

Comet Boy, 2019, oil on panel, 16" x 12"

The Egg Man, 2019, ink on illustratoin board, 20" x 16"

Manipulator of the World

This is a new painting on plywood panel done in oil paint. I tend not to paint in oil during the colder months, as my studio is expensive to heat, so it's easier to work inside with acrylics. This is from some new oil paintings I'm working on at the moment. I took the photo while the paint was still wet, and you can see that in parts, such as the upper left blue sky, where the light is reflecting off the liquin (glazing/drying agent) I used with the paint.

Manipulator of the World, 2019, oil on panel, 14" x 11"

The Book of Revelations

This is something I'm currently tinkering with...to produce the series of paintings of The Book of Revelations as an actual publication, with some kind of narrative text(s). It will probably be a long, slow process, so don't expect anything anytime soon. This is just a teaser of what the cover might look like.

The Book of Revelations

Man Transforming Into a Landscape

Channeling my inner Bonnard/Matisse in this small new painting...

Man Transforming Into a Landscape, 2019, acrylic on panel, 11" x 7.5"

Storm Over Spire

The Tower of Babel seems to be as good a metaphor as ever of human striving & human arrogance, which is why I've used it repeatedly in the past, so it of course makes an appearance in the Book of Revelations...(see previous posts)

Storm Over Spire, 2019, acrylic on panel, 9" diameter

The Angel of the Revelation

Since the world (the one we actually live in) has allegedly only about 10 years to go until at least widespread systemic collapse (no joke), I'm working on the Book of Revelations to try & avoid the disaster...which may not be much, but it's something. Here's an Angel to try & save things...

The Angel of the Revelation, 2019, acrylic on panel, 14" x 11"

The Madman in Red (the Sun)

This is one of the "jokers in the pack" as it were...for the Book of Revelations...

The Madman in Red (the Sun), 2019, acrylic on panel, 12" x 12"

The Plains of Megiddo

Another small acrylic painting from the "Book of Revelations" as I've decided to call it...this is a reference of course to Armageddon, the Final Battle, which you can read about on Wikipedia here.

The Plains of Megiddo, 2019, acrylic on panel, 8" x 10"

Destroyer

Another painting from the "Book of Revelations" series, this one done in basically monochrome hues. The giant figure looming over the world theme is one I've dealt with several times before...

Destroyer, 2019, acrylic on panel, 20" x 16"

Judgment Day

This may be the highlight of the Revelation Series, or at least a highlight. I may do a larger & more complex version of this someday...

Judgment Day, 2019, acrylic on panel, 20" x 16"

A Palette

Personally I like to see behind the scenes regarding other artists' working methods & so forth. So, in the interest of sharing information, here is a palette I've been using recently for the Revelation series of paintings (posts below). It's a simple orange paper plate—we have a stack of them in the kitchen cupboard. They're cheap & disposable, & I don't find that the bright orange distracts from the other colors, for some reason. It's kind of an interesting artifact in & of itself. Maybe I should sell these on Etsy or something, as I usually just throw them away. Thoughts?

Palette, 2019, acrylic paint on paper plate, 7" diameter approx.

More Paintings from the Revelation Series

Whilst you can see all of the current images on Flickr and Tumblr, I thought I'd post a random selection here also. I've included seven of them, which is an appropriate number for the Book of Revelation, as it occurs numerous times.

Damaged Souls, 2019, acrylic on panel, 14" x 11".

Damaged Gods, 2019, acrylic on panel, 12" x 16"

This is the way...step inside.., 2019, acrylic on panel, 20" x 16"

Eye in the Sky / Eye of Heaven, 2019, acrylic on panel, 14" x 11"

Melt / Down, 2019, acrylic on panel, 14" x 11"

Riders in the Sky, 2019, acrylic on panel, 14" x 11"

There Arose a Radiant Star, 2019, acrylic on panel, 10"x 8"

Ezekiel's Wheels

This is one I've been meaning to paint for a long time. A few years (about 6) ago, I did a drawing that proved somewhat unsuccessful...I think this version is better. From the Revelation series (forthcoming).

Ezekiel's Wheels, 2019, acrylic on panel, 20" x 16".

The Deluge

This is a new color piece done today for the new & developing "Revelation" series. It's actually based on a drawing I did many years ago -- I've put the original piece below underneath the new one.

The new version was done from memory, rather than looking at/copying the older version, so in some ways they are quite different.

The Deluge, 2019, acrylic on panel, 20" x 16"

The Deluge, 1998, acrylic pigment on museum board, 40" x 32"

Spiral Sky

This is a new piece that may be from a new series, that I've been thinking of for some time. Titled "The Revelation" perhaps...

Spiral Sky, 2019, acrylic on panel, 12" x 12".