mcginnis.fr

Artension No. 111 jan/fév 2012 p.10

2012-02-09T21:27:00.003+01:00

"Toile étoile"

"Cinq kilomètres de fil ont été nécessaires à l'artiste Sean McGINNIS pour réaliser sa nouvelle oeuvre, Somewhere over the rainbow, inspirée par le fameux film américain Le magicien d'Oz (tourné au Kansas, d'où l'artiste est originaire).
Trente mètres de long, quatre de haut, deux semaines de travail avec six assistants... Et au final, un moment de poésie. A découvrir jusqu'en avril prochain à la Direktorenhaus/Johanssen Gallery, à Berlin. www.mcginnis.fr" artension jan/fév 2012 p. 10

Time lapse video

2012-01-12T19:51:00.000+01:00

Here's the first ever time-lapse video of one of my installations.

5 days in October in Berlin, doing the "Somewhere over the rainbow" installation.

Let me know what you think

Seth Godin's Blog

2012-01-11T19:18:00.003+01:00

"Out on a limb

That's where artists do their work.

Not in the safe places, but out there, in a place where they might fail, where it might end badly, where connections might be lost, sensibilities might be offended, jokes might not be gotten.

If you work with artists, don't saw off the limb. Don't waste a lot of time explaining how dangerous it is, either. No, your job is to quietly support the limb at the same time you egg your team on, pushing them ever further out there." Seth Godin

Berlin Poche

2011-12-18T16:02:00.001+01:00

my first cover

ma première couverture :

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW, SEAN MCGINNIS / DIREKTORENHAUS / JOHANSSEN GALLERY / VERNISSAGE LE 01.12 / 20H

"L'inauguration d'installation de Sean McGinnis, un américain à Paris, aura de quoi vous ammêler les penceaux et pas seulement.... L'imposant couloir au second étage de la galerie - connue aussi sous le non de Direktorenhaus - sera habité de mille fils de couleur, comme un savant tissage d'araignée. (cf. notre couverture !)"

Berlin Poche N° 35 Dec 2011

couverture et page 48

http://www.berlinpoche.de/

google+ art page

2011-11-22T11:08:00.001+01:00

As if facebook AND twitter AND youtube AND my personal webpage AND a blog weren't enough :

here's introducing my :

google+ art page

Special offer to fans + friends

2011-11-13T11:00:00.001+01:00

limited first edition print of "crépuscule 11/11/11"

now available

by popular demand and to mark the event of 11/11/11 Sean is offering a special limited edition print of his image "crépuscule" (the giant globe he did in Colorado in 2009)

Printed on high-quality acid-free photographic paper. The first edition is limited to 10 images.

Many people have been asking for such a print and we are happy to make it available to you today.

79€ plus shipping + handling

This is a special offer to friends, fans and enthusiasts who follow the mcginnis.fr blog

regular price 115-158€ (depending on the location)

frame size 40X50cm (15,75x20") image size 21x28cm (8x11")

muuuz.com

2011-11-10T13:15:00.001+01:00

muuuz.com article on the Berlin exhibit

architecture-design-tendence-inspiration

a great webzine with beautiful inspirational design architecture and art. en français and in English

communiqué de presse français pour l'installation à Berlin

2011-11-09T15:17:00.000+01:00

Le titre « somewhere over the rainbow » vient du film « le magicien d’oz ». Ce film est un grandclassique américain qui passait à la télévision tous les automnes de mon enfance.

Plus qu’une institution aux Etats-Unis, ce film peut êtreune métaphore de ma vie.

L’histoire se passe dans le Kansas, où je suis né etgrandi, mais il parle aussi de quitté chez soi pour les aventures dans un autremonde magique lointain, plein de danger mais aussi plein de personnagesbénéfiques.

Mon voyage en Europe, mon séjour récemment à Berlin pendant deux semaines pourfaire une installation sur place, peut être vu comme ce voyage. Et à lafin de l’histoire le protagoniste réalise qu’après tout, il n’y a pas meilleurendroit que chez soi, « there’s no place like home ».

Mais la question se pose : « chez moi c’estoù d’où j’appartiens vraiment? Là où j’ai grandi ? là oùj’habite (Paris) ? ou l’endroit où je fais mes sculptures et où je me retrouvemoi-même dans mon essence la plus pure ?

Les cônes peuvent représenter les tornades, une menacetypique d’une vie menée dans le Kansas, ou une métaphore pour un événementtransporteur, perturbateur dans une vie. Un cône peut être un tipi, lesmaisons temporaires des indiens américains des plaines. Pour moi ce sontdes objets facilement modulables par l’imagination, même s’ils sont d’une formegéométrique simple, banale, mais ouverte avec une notion d’infini incorporé. Cesont des formes géométriques et j’aime les formes simples, même si le résultatglobal est d’une complexité à l’extrême.

Comme toutes mes œuvres, celui-là est tissé directementdans son lieu et il en dépend dans ses proportions et ses pointsd’accrochage.

Cette fois l’environnement était comptait un couloir de30 mètres de long avec une hauteur de plafond de 4 mètres et une largeur de 2.50m.

Les proportions du lieu sont tellement exagérées,tellement immenses, qu’elles exigeaient une installation aussi monumentale. L’espace, ces particularités m’ont conduit à créer une installation trèscomplexe, où plusieurs formes se croisent et où les formes géométriques s’entrecoupent.

Déjà dans mes installations antérieures les motifs« moires » sont présents quand les traits de la face devant et laface derrière se croisent quand le spectateur se déplace. Mais cette foisci, l’effet est magnifié par la complexité des formes multiples qui cohabitent dansle même espace et prennent leur sens sans regard des autres formes. Commedeux nuages qui se croisent dans le ciel, ou des esprits qui traversentles murs comme ils n’étaient pas là. Les multiples possibilités demélange, de transparence, de dialogue entre les formes change avec chaque pointde vue du visiteur.

Pour réaliser cette installation, Il m’a fallu deuxsemaines de travail, assisté par 3 à 6 personnes mises à ma disposition par lagalerie, en plus de quelques amis qui sont passés pour donner un coup de main.

Cette installation a mobilisé plus de 5 kilomètres defils et comme d’habitude des couleurs très intenses, très fluo. Utilisation de fils industriels est un élément clef dans mon travail. De prendre des matérielles de tous lesjours et les transformer dans la manière dont je les utilise.

Cette installation a été réalisée auDirektorenhaus/Johanssen Gallery qui se trouve dans un immense bâtimentadministratif des années trente, dans le centre-ville de Berlin, à proximité dufleuve Spree et à côté des écluses. Le lieu très pittoresque, la galerieest renommée et elle est considérée comme un des hauts lieux de l’artcontemporain à Berlin.

Le visiteur découvrira, en plus de l’installation,plusieurs petites sculptures tissées dans des cubes métallique (40x30x30cm),ainsi que des impressions de photos cousues à la main.

Cette exposition restera sur place pendant six mois entrenovembre 2011 et avril 2012. Le vernissage qui sera l’évènement culturelde fin d’année aura lieu le 15 décembre. (date àconfirmer)

Johanssen Gallery/Direktorenhaus info

2011-11-08T15:08:00.002+01:00

direktorenhaus link for latest photos and information

more pix from Taha

2011-11-08T13:42:00.000+01:00

"somewhere over the rainbow"

installation in cord by Sean McGINNIS

Direktorenhaus/Johanssen Gallery, Berlin

oct 2011 - apr 2012

bo texts/commentaires sur ce blog gothique

2011-11-07T13:37:00.001+01:00

toile-gothique blog

Angemécanique C'est magnifique.

"Ouvrez moi cette porte ou je frappe en pleurant" Apollinaire

Moonsorrow

As the wheel of days turns into darkness, it reveals the light and hope of spring.

par exemple...

some more photos of the Berlin Project... these I took

2011-11-07T13:24:00.002+01:00

"somewhere over the rainbow"

installation in cord + rope

by Sean McGINNIS

Direktorenhaus/Johanssen Gallery, Berlin

Oct 2011 - Apr 2012

ok, here come the photos

2011-11-04T11:05:00.001+01:00

here a a few photos of the show that my dear friend Taha Moghani took on Monday. Very dramatic shots, lovely details.

I'll post more as I have a chance to edit and select them.

"somewhere over the rainbow"

installation in rope + cord

by Sean McGINNIS

Direktorenhaus/Johanssen Gallery, Berlin

October 2011 - April 2012

Kleine Vernissage ganz groß !

2011-10-28T17:51:00.002+02:00

Sean McGinnis verzaubert heute Abend mit einer farbenfrohen Installation.
Kommt zahlreich und staunt über die Farbenpracht von Schnurskulpturen, die anmuten wie ein Stück eines Regenbogens!
Grün, Blau, Gelb, Rosé fließen ineinander und entführen uns in eine Welt der Fantasie....
Jeder Gast ist herzlich eingeladen das Land des Regenbogens zu betreten.
(Direktorenhaus 2 Og. Am Krögel 2 10179 Berlin)

Berlin Blog - VV4

2011-10-28T11:55:00.000+02:00

C’estfini, c’est beau !

On a ri eton a chanté pour les derniers nœuds ! Maintenant on va boire etdanser :-)

Il resteencore quelques petits détails à régler mais soyez sans crainte, tout sera finprêt pour 19h.

Ce soir,voyons la vie en vert…le « vert Sean » bien sûr !

La phrasedu jour : Le mieux est l’ennemi dubien.

Berlin Blog - YES! Just finished

2011-10-27T18:16:00.002+02:00

"Finished" the installation at 16h30. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, Valentine, Satu, Ella who where there at the end!

Now, there's a bit of tweeking to do, and maybe some changes in lighting.

Tomorrow, I will install the cube sculptures and the sewn photos in the adjacent gallery and tomorrow night at 7pm is the inaugural reception. Please wear green. Bring your friends (especially if they are art collectors, ha :)

actually, I'm a bit too exhausted to celebrate... will have to get a good nights rest and the tomorrow night, give me champagne.

Actually, I love it, there are many new elements in this piece that haven't been in my previous work and a new spirit of freedom.

Berlin Blog - Sophia - auf Deutsche :)

2011-10-27T08:25:00.001+02:00

hi sean!

here my german report for your blog:

Nach einem weiteren, intensiven Tag im Schnur- Wirr Warr von crazy Sean ist leider das Ende in Sicht.
Es war eine super Erfahrung und hat wahnsinnig viel Spaß gemacht- es ist echt schade, dass es schon fast vorbei ist!

Die ganzen neonfarbigen Schnüre haben die komplette Etage eingenommen und alles erleuchtet.

Was mich am meisten fasziniert ist, wie mit jeder neuen Schnur das gesamte Kunstwerk klarer und eindeutiger wird.
Jeden Abend sieht man die Fortschritte von dieser total genialen Konstruktion!

Ich freu mich schon riesig auf das Opening.
Und verabschiede mich mit einem großen Dank an Sean, der in den letzten Wochen viel Geduld bewiesen hat!

Sophia

Berlin Blog 10 - Sean - Tuesday

2011-10-25T20:26:00.001+02:00

Yesterday was a HUGE day. All hands were on deck. So the first part of the day was spent showing them how to string and then following them. I concentrated on the most difficult/awkward places. We ended-up working until 10pm. Valentine stayed until the end. Otherwise I had Liane, Klaus, and Morti, with Sophia and Satu stopping by and helping in between their other projects. Gijs came by in the afternoon and helped too.

So, we got the behemouth going... and made good headway, even if the beginning took a lot of energy to get it going. I finally got all my structural work/details done in the morning, so I could start stringing in the afternoon.

Today, was even better. Morti (a.k.a. Mortimouse, a.k.a. Speedy gonzalez) worked on the big green cone and raced through it. His technique was remarkable... good quality and super fast. He got more than half of it done before he left.

We got started this morning at 8, when the workers got here. So I had Liane and Klaus again all day. Liane worked on the yellow cone, and Klaus on the blue. Valentine was there most of the day as was Sophia, who worked together on the pink and yellow cones, which now completely intersect.

This is the first time I've had multiple forms crossing through each other. The effect is visually very beautiful, but technically complicated to pull-off.

Gijs came back at the end of the day with a friend of his from school, Julie, french from Poitier. They are both post-doctoral in law history/anthropology. So for a couple hours we had the "Doctor's corner" in the one end of the hall. They seemed to enjoy themselves and definitely did an A+ job.

If we get as much done tomorrow as we did today, we will be mostly finished.

Then there are my small sculptures and sewn prints to hang in one of the galleries. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. :)

My favorite thing so far is the complex intersections between the pieces, which transform each of them and make the space varied and very interesting. Also, due to certain space-use limits, two of the cones are not fully round, and this is lovely. It is more poetic, finer.

Taking a calm night to blog and rest, before attacking again tomorrow.

Almost there....

Net tightens - Verkko kiristyy -Satu-

2011-10-25T12:22:00.002+02:00

I took these photos yesterday. Sean's piece is starting to look just amazing!

Kuvia eiliseltä. Seanin taideteos alkaa näyttää mahtavalta!

Sean's diligent assistant Valentine at work on Friday, above. As you can see below, on

Monday the "cone" had progressed a lot from Friday!

Seanin ahkera avustaja Valentine työssään perjantaina, yläkuvassa. Kuten alemmasta

kuvasta näkyy, maanantaina "tötterö" oli jo paljon valmiimpi.

images © Satu Kemppainen 2011

www.satukemppainen.com

2011-10-25T07:45:00.005+02:00

source : wikipedia

Berlin Blog 9

2011-10-24T23:03:00.002+02:00

too tired to blog today, sorry... I'll make-up for it, promise :)

Berlin Blog 8 - Sean

2011-10-21T22:08:00.001+02:00

The installation is really starting to come together now... the skeletons of two of the five shapes are in place and the others are ready to go. This is the fun part. Hard to stop at this point.

Valentine was my trusty side-kick super assistant today. She really gets the idea and not only executes perfectly but also adds cleaver sollutions and suggestions.

Was also helped by Liana today. Started training her on "weaving." We hardly speak each other's language, but manage to make each other laugh anyway.

I'm sure to continue working this weekend, as the form in the photo you see, took 3 hours to do, and that is only a small part of 70 odd meters of tracery still to do.

I need to be finished by Wednesday next. Not feeling panicked just yet, but will need lots of hands on-board next week to get it done. Any volunteers?

Side note : We spent the first hour of this morning, figuring out how to set-up a timelapse shoot of the project. I had the idea a while back and many people have been requesting one, so here goes.

Don't forget to drop a line and let me know if you are following along.

bises, Sean

Thursday pictures - Kuvia torstailta -Satu-

2011-10-20T17:52:00.000+02:00

images © Satu Kemppainen 2011

www.satukemppainen.com

Berlin Blog - VV3 vf

2011-10-19T23:55:00.000+02:00

J’ai toujours adoré regarder les enfants s’amuser avec trois fois rien. Alors quand un grand gamin tout vert s’éclate avec de la ficelle, ce n’est que du bonheur! Il est là, au milieu des formes qu’il a imaginées et qui se dévoilent peu à peu, déployant le squelette rose de son installation qui envahit le couloir.

La phrase du jour : Un âne ne butte jamais deux fois sur la même pierre !

Valentine

Berlin Blog 7 - Sean

2011-10-19T21:29:00.001+02:00

Worked 'til after 8pm.. got on a roll...

Started "stringing" today... creating the outlines of the two of the five cone shapes that make up the installation. What fun, to actually start doing the "art" part after all of the long slog of the "prep" part..

Satu just posted some great photos of the happenings...

the first ones are of all the preperatory drawings, that I've been doing for the last week, with some details of all the layout measurements. (now maybe you understand why that part took me sooooo long :)

Love the photo of the two circles one on either side of the glass divider wall... one shows the paper template we taped to the windows to lay-out where the 12 points of that cone will intersect the windows.

Also a silly photo of me, as I started the first colored rope.

Valetine was a great help and is a quick study... getting an early start on having a feel for the right string tension, making knots and a good eye for aligning the intercrossing strings.

Now the fun begins...
and the biggest part of the process ...

thanks for following along...

Art starting to happen - Taidetta alkaa syntymään -Satu-

2011-10-19T18:18:00.000+02:00

images © Satu Kemppainen 2011

www.satukemppainen.com

Berlin Blog 6 - Sean

2011-10-18T18:49:00.000+02:00

Latest news : the last hole has been drilled!!! don't know how many there are, but will count them and get back to you... LOTS in any case.

So tomorrow, will finish the layout of the framework and the intersection points (on the west end as the east end is already done)...

If all goes well, then we will start installing the cones on thursday and start filling in the cones on friday... the clock is ticking

a demain...

got to finish the drawings so I'm ready for tomorrow

Sean and Valentine at work - Satu -

2011-10-18T16:08:00.001+02:00

Sean and Valentine at work In Direktorenhaus, setting up the chords which will work as a frame for Sean's art work.

Sean ja Valentine työn touhussa Direktorenhausissa: he asentavat nauruista kehykset, joihin Seanin installaatio viritetään.

images © Satu Kemppainen

www.satukemppainen.com

Vison Magazine - China - november edition

2011-10-18T09:48:00.002+02:00

Cool news : Vision Magazine in China, its leading visual arts, fashion and culture monthly is doing a feature article on my work for their November issue. Their circulation is 286.000 copies per month... wow, China here I come :) !! sehr geil !

note this is not an online mag... you have to actually buy a copy of the rag if you want to see the article

here's the text from their site which details their work

"VISION is a leading art and fashion magazine showcasing the international visual art, fashion and culture to Chinese readers. With its unique visual expression, VISION has seen tremendous development of the Chinese creative industry since 2002, exerting
great influence on the new talents in fashion, art and design in China.

VISION cannot be interpreted as a traditional magazine, because it is so visually exuberant and sensational that only sedated value will be filtered after in readers’ mind. What is the spirit of fashion? What is lifestyle with international taste? What is the individuality among the trendy flock? What is the true beauty people look for? VISION never offers definite answers, but provoking these questions is what we always wish to do.

On top of a circulation of 286,000 per month, VISION actively appears in various public events, giving support to the growing industry in China of visual culture, while more importantly, inspiring a mentality toward a creative lifestyle to the Chinese reader s."

Berlin Blog VV2

2011-10-17T22:30:00.002+02:00

Lentement mais sûrement! Lentement parce que quand Sean et moi commençons à faire de la géométrie, on se rend compte que c'est un peu loin dans nos têtes et qu’on est légèrement rouillé! Quoi qu'il en soit, les retrouvailles avec l'ami p ont été fructueuses. Ça avance, ça avance !

Le commencement est déjà loin, l’avancement est certain et l’engagement est serein.

Les mots du jour : krass et Bleistiftspitzer.

Valentine

Berlin Blog 5

2011-10-17T20:59:00.000+02:00

Monday evening.

Although I worked on the installation this weekend, I didn't take time to blog.

I was at Direktorenhaus, pretty much all by myself all weekend, which gave me enough quiet time to work through my idea for the project and continue to lay-out the framework.

This piece presents a whole new challenge, in that it requires that I calculate where the cones intersect with the walls and with the corners etc. The idea is simple, but the layout is complicated. I have to calculate point by point where the ropes will hit the walls. Requires a lot of math and sifering :)

Get to use the math and geometry skills I learned 30 years ago.

My feeling is that once the outlines of the forms are in place, the stringing of the cones will go pretty quickly. We'll see. As I've never done this one before, I can't say... there may yet be technical surpises that will have to be dealt with. (there always are).

In any case, the worst part of the installation is past, and I am now really enjoying myself.

Everyone here is so friendly and it is a good environment to work in.

I went to big Fair of "street art" with Annemarie and her friend Hanna, on Friday. I loved it. It was very vital, combining graphity and comic aesthetics with contemporary and modern art language. It really gave me a boost. I'm including some pictures to give an idea.

Satu was not here today, so photos of the installation will have to happen at her return.

Still eating outside every day on the banks of the Spree. There's a canteen next door which has homemade and cheap food and usually go with a mix of people who work at the gallery. A bit chilly, but knowing it won't last... taking full advantage.

big outdoor mixed media piece

three lovely mininmalist photos by Matthias Heiderich

crasy fun photos by Frank Kunert

huge powerful portrait on paper by Rems182

Annemarie + Hannah

incrediby fine work by Andrea Chiesi. the second one is enormous

"viel geil"

and this one is for djaydjo :)

Sunday, Taha and Neda came by for tea and to discover the Direktorenhaus and to see my work.

Then Sam Tiel and Roman Lukas, friends of my good friend Melanie, came by on Sunday and took me out to eat at Max und Moritz... a traditional germanfood resto that looks like it's been around for more than 100 years and the deco has never been changed. It was great!! Sam is an opera singer and Roman is an artist. Had a lovely evening in their company.

otherwise, my german is improving every day. I'm having fun enjoying the first time ever to actually practice what I learned in college and what I heard growing-up when my grandparents spoke german to each other. Feels like home/childhood.

Baci

Berlin Blog VV1

2011-10-13T22:27:00.000+02:00

Parce qu'il faut toujours commencer quelque part et parce qu'on ne sait jamais par où commencer, le premier pas est sans doute le plus difficile à accomplir mais aussi le plus important.
Il faut se lancer!
Aujourd'hui, j'ai assisté aux premières manifestations concrètes de l'installation de Sean.
Des trous ont été forés, des vis ont été vissées, des ficelles ont été tendues et des nœuds ont été noués.
C'était un petit pas pour l’œuvre mais un grand pas pour Sean!

La parole du jour: L’asymétrie, c'est mieux que la symétrie...

Valentine

Berlin Blog 4

2011-10-13T21:28:00.001+02:00

Settling in to the rhythm here.

Spent the morning reworking the new idea for the installation in 3DsMax and finally started installing the frame for the piece with Valentine's help. (the painting is all done, the lamp/sculpture is down and the electrical work is done for installing the lights needed for the scultpure).

Obsiously a simpler day... not much else to say.

It was cold but sunny, ate lunch with Satu and Annemarie outside at a table on the edge of the Spree River.

Tonight is a quiet night "at home" Sewing my cartes de visites, keeping warm by the fireplace. Need the down-time to mull over the new idea for the installation. Calm is good.

Direcktorenhaus/Johanssen Gallery addresses

2011-10-13T14:56:00.001+02:00

johanssen gallery on-line

direktorenhaus on facebook

the new installation in Berlin is at the Johanssen Gallery, which is located in the Direktorenhaus. Info on the ehxibit will soon be published on their website.

Ella + Annemarie

2011-10-13T13:05:00.003+02:00

Ella + Annemarie on the balcony at Direktorenhaus

cool image from this morning

2011-10-13T12:05:00.002+02:00

redrawing, redesigning the project this morning, and this image was a cool by-product of the process :

thought i would share it even if the new sketch isn't entirely finished yet.

Berlin Blog 3

2011-10-12T18:46:00.003+02:00

Well at the end of today, all I can say is, I'm tired. Lots of "new" to deal with. New country, new city, new neighborhood, new bed, new language, new people, new routine (and I'm not as young as I used to be) :)

not only that, but realized in talking with Pascal that the idea I came up with and made sketches of (see earlier post) won't work in the space, the way it functions during a big event. So, I'm going to have to redesign it to leave the middle mostly empty. Every constraint is an opportunity and I like the idea of the piece progressively getting more dense as it moves towards the ends of the corridor, which is the idea that came to me after switching ideas.

If you didn't catch the earlier posts, the cube sculptures arrived today. The box of cords was located and a fun surprise, they found glow in the dark orange rope, which is the first time I've heard of it. I'm excited to give it a try.

The painters painted a third of the hallway and will finish tomorrow.

Daniel Becker, the designer of the lamp that is now in the corridor, but which comes down tomorrow, was here and we had a good talk. He is also doing custom tiling for the several wood burning stoves they have been installing here for the last couple of days, and which come in handy with the cold. The smell of a wood burning fire is also one of life's great pleasures too.

With the wood stoves and the two feather quilts I had, I was waaay too hot last night.

Weather-wise, it was sunny if not a bit colder today... but MUCH prettier and less depressing than yesterday.

I will start actually installation tomorrow.

btw, if you are following the blog, leave a comment and let me know who you are...
thanks... Sean

Daniel et Morti

2011-10-12T14:42:00.001+02:00

Daniel Becker who designed The lamp In The hallway and Morteza The technician

cube sculptures arrive

2011-10-12T13:07:00.002+02:00

wow! that was fast! The cube sculptures and frames just arrived by UPS!

Berlin

2011-10-12T12:54:00.000+02:00

Same church - different view

Berlin

2011-10-12T12:53:00.001+02:00

church near The gallery

what i love about berlin are the many buildings like this one, that have lost all of their surface decoration, and are just form, structure, materials. "épuré" in French. Without all the plaster and gilding, they become pure form, sculptural. What's more, I prefer the patina of time, destruction, history, that is present here, to the superficial "beauty" of churches that haven't been destroyed. Authentic, un-masked. Their structure, their soul if you will is exposed. They are beautiful. Very modern. I find them to be more spiritual and uplifting than they would have been in their original state.

Direktorenhaus/Johanssen Gallery

2011-10-12T12:52:00.001+02:00

View of The balcony from below
My room is the window just to The right of the balcony

berlin project images

2011-10-12T12:41:00.000+02:00

Here are some images of the first draft idea for the direktorenhaus/johanssen gallery. they give an idea of the space and the concept. However, now that I'm here and understand the uses and limits of the space, I will come up with a new idea which is better adapted.

Berlin Blog 3 - Brainstorm

2011-10-12T12:17:00.000+02:00

New brainstorm idea : I'm having any of the people who want to, who work here, to blog their experience of the installation on my blog. I hope to have Valetine, whom you've now seen in Satu's photograph, write in French. She's Belge. And if there is someone who'll write in German, we'll have four languages, four different points of view on the event.

Painting and prepairing - Satu

2011-10-12T11:49:00.000+02:00

Sean and Valentin from Direktorenhaus are bringing upstairs the essential material for Sean's artwork, the different coloured strings.

Sean ja Direktorenhausin Valentin tuovat yläkertaan Seanin taideteosten olennaisen materiaalin, eri väriset narukerät.

The painting work continued in the hallway, where Sean's piece will be exhibited. Very exciting to see the work gradually take it's final form!

Remonttireiskat jatkoivat seinien maalamista Seanin tulevaa taideteosta varten. Jännä nähdä minkälainen teoksesta tulee!

- Satu -

The balcony

2011-10-12T10:01:00.000+02:00

outside The sitting room NeXT to my bedroom. Kinda creepy. You can see the other balcony In The top of The photo. Big Free fall

This is Satu (means fairytale In Finnish). She's a photographer/Graphic artist at Illustrative

2011-10-12T09:36:00.001+02:00

The painting has begun

2011-10-12T09:32:00.001+02:00

Berlin blog 2

2011-10-11T19:27:00.001+02:00

Arrived at the gallery by taxi, after a charming chat with the taxi driver. Between his not very good english and my not very good german, we had a good chat.

I was here a month ago and it was summer. Today is winter. Gray, dark, raining, cold. Berlin in winter, quoi.

My room is on the same floor as the hallway where i will install the sculpture. The gallery has made a cozy little corner for me. A bit like a hostel, the toilets and the shower are two doors down and the kitchen is on the next floor down. A bit like camping, VERY bohemian :)

Met Valentine, my assistant, who is charming and enthusiastic. We had only communicated btpy email and phone up until now

Pascal, the director, Katja and Annemarie, the staff (i'm not sure yet what everyone does) were in and out all day. Good to see them again

The gallery is in the former mint building. It is massive and has a beautiful oval stairway. Its something of soho nyc in the 80's. However, it is downtown and has nothing but big buildings around it. No restos, no shops, no grocery stores. Apparently theres a canteen across the street, but nothing gastronomic.

I had to walk 15 minutes to the Alexis shopping center to find one, which took me past the rot rathaus and the remains of the franreich kirche, which had a eerie poetic calm beauty to it. Alexis is a mall like any other. Huge.

I found some potato bread, yogurt, cereal and was even chuffed about finding oatmilk. I had to go to the cereal isle, find oatmeal to find the word and then go back to the milk section to verify that i had the right thing. Hafermilch !!!

Had a cup of tea with Mathilde and shared a slice of bread, who is a graphic artist from paris whose lived here for about four months.

Think i'll head out and join friends for dinner

2011-10-11T12:13:00.003+02:00

Article Vogue.Italy. !

2011-10-11T12:13:00.001+02:00

Here it is!!!!

Sculptures before shipment

2011-10-11T11:47:00.000+02:00

Berlin project blog 1

2011-10-11T10:59:00.000+02:00

In the bus headed to the airportfor my flight to berlin at 13h. The cube sculptures were shipped yesterday. Everything else is in my suitcase :(. It's a bit heavy :)

Journal du design 05 oct 2011

2011-10-05T21:47:00.000+02:00

"Exposition de Sean McGinnis à la galerie d’art Illustrative à Berlin"

Du 28 octobre prochain jusqu’à mars 2012

September Press Release from Coudray

2011-09-27T14:29:00.000+02:00

The Webmaster

American sculptor Sean McGinnis was born in 1965 in the Great Plains of Kansas (USA).

Based in Paris since 1997, McGinnis is an artist of international stature whose work consists in creating sculptures that are essentially made of vibrantly colored strings and ropes which are articulated, entwined and woven into a complex web to ultimately create architectural arches or hybrid forms that are held in place by the anchoring points existing within the places they inhabit.

The creative predominance of McGinnis echoes the maestria of Christo, the delicacy of Andy Goldsworthy, and the poetical architecture of Gaudi all in one idiosyncratic vision.

His abstract sculptures defy gravity and often contrast with the environment within which they evolve; whether urban or in the middle of a luxuriant nature.

Created on site, these ephemeral entities are intimately linked to their respective sites. The process of installation is an important part of the sculpture itself. Once created, they cannot be moved and most are dismantled after each exhibition. They can be seen as metaphors of the interconnections between beings and their environments.

McGinnis holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Ceramic Sculpture, a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Art History from Fort Hays State University in Kansa as well as a Master of Fine Arts in ceramic sculpture from the University of Arizona, Tucson.

His work has been exhibited in numerous high profile exhibitions throughout France. The artist is currently working on his next monumental exhibition project entitled “The Cathedral of the Wind” which will be realized in 2013.

Le Webmaster

Le sculpteur américain Sean McGinnis est né en 1965 dans les plaines du Kansas (USA).

Basé à Paris depuis 1997, Mc Ginnis est un artiste d’envergure internationale dont le travail consiste à créer des sculptures qui sont essentiellement constituées de fils et de cordes de couleurs vives qui s’interlignent, s’entrelacent et se tissent en toiles complexes pour former des arches architecturales hybrides tenant en place par les points d’ancrage existants dans chacun des lieux qu’elles investissent.

La prédominance créative de McGinnis regroupe la maestria d’un Christo, la délicatesse d’un Andy Goldsworthy, et la poésie architecturale de Gaudi en une seule et même vision idiosyncrasique.

Ces sculptures aériennes défient la gravité et contrastent souvent avec l’environnement dans lequel elles évoluent ; qu’il soit urbain ou au milieu d’une nature verdoyante.

Créées sur place, ces oeuvres éphémères sont intimement liées à leurs sites respectifs. Le processus d’installation forme une partie importante de l’oeuvre. Ne pouvant pas être déplacées, ces oeuvres sont entièrement démantelées à la fin de chaque exposition ; sorte de métaphores des interconnections entres ces entités et leurs environnements.

McGinnis est titulaire d’une licence des Beaux-arts avec spécialisation en sculpture céramique et d’un diplôme d’Histoire de l’Art de l’université Fort Hays du Kansas ainsi que d’un Master de Beaux-arts, avec une spécialisation en sculpture céramique de l’Université de Tucson en Arizona.

Son travail a été exposé à de nombreuses manifestations de haut niveau en France, aux Etats-Unis et dans le monde. L’artiste prépare actuellement son prochain projet monumental intitulé “La Cathédrale du Vent” qui sera dévoilée en 2013.

Press & PR Inquiries: Coudray FSPR+ / coudrayfspr@gmail.com / T. +33 1 43 57 18 40 / Paris – France.

RE.BLOG

2011-09-19T10:14:00.000+02:00

great blog for art and installations

Villemomble Installation

2011-09-14T12:37:00.001+02:00

Here's an image I found in my files of an installation I did in Villemomble, France, in 2008 for Salons Libres. I like the installation and the image and haven't published it before, so here it is...

McGinnis.fr Sep 2011 Newsletter

2011-09-06T17:19:00.003+02:00

Friends, Enthusiasts, Supporters

I haven't ever done a newsletter before, but so many things have happened and are going to happen soon that I wanted to keep you in the loop.

If you haven't heard, this is the Year of the POLLOCK-KRASNER FOUNDATION GRANT. I received a large chunk of money for 2011, which I have used, among other things, to get new equipment and materials, but also used it to hire an assistant and a press-agent. All are great.

Nilda, is my ASSISTANT. She is half-Armenian and half-Turk. A dancer by trade, she is sharp as a tack, funny and very well organized. She has completely taken over the website (having had no previous experience in the field) and is also working on grant writing etc. She'll soon get the chance to "high-wire" on the installation of the next sculpture.

Joyce Bidouzo-Courdray came on board about the same time as my PRESS AGENT. He is actively promoting my work and finding great opportunities for exhibits and events. He's a 100% believer and supporter and is an effective communicator. I am finding him to be a super advocate for my work. Good job.

I took a two week workshop on using 3D SOFTWARE this summer (3DsMax, if you know it). Primarily to use as a device for presenting my work for possible projects. It works great for this, but also is a great creative tool, allowing me to sketch-out ideas, lighting effects etc, before ever attacking the ropes in person. Lots of examples of this on my webpage and facebook page.

There have been many recent exciting ARTICLES on my work (link to my press page). Check out the Yatzer article and Inhabitat. Great text and pix. Hey, I even got a write-up in Wired Magazine !! The article isn't the best, but love the platform.

More even-better articles to come (Vogue Italy, Journal of Design, Superfuture etc). Sign-up on my blog or on my facebook art page to keep up-to-date.

The gigantic CATHEDRAL OF THE WINDS PROJECT has been launched. (See the link below for more information). A 100' high cathedral, to be entirely invented from scratch... materials, site, etc. Not only will the construction be blogged live, but also the conception, and realization of the project from the beginning idea, each step along the way to the ribbon cutting. (See the preliminary drawings on the site). More to come as it develops. Use the flashcode here to follow along :

Just got word of a new installation at JOHANSEN Gallery/Direktorenhaus in BERLIN for October of this year. It will be in their entry hall for four months and will be inaugurated during a big art conference there. I'm very excited to be doing a piece in Berlin, which is the epicenter of Contemporary Art today, both production and consumption. Start of the exhibit is the 26th of Oct and the installation will be in place for four months. Art Opening the 1 Dec. Come and join us !!

Other projects are in the pipe-line. Will keep you posted on the blogs as they develop.

Not to mention, that part of the Pollock-Krasner Grant was used to buy a 3D film set-up, so the next project will be documented in 3D by my very good friend SHANNON BENNA from LA. She is getting fame as the first woman STEREOGRAPHER of a feature film. She is not only talented, she is dynamic, smart and creative. We have been dreaming-up and working toward a collaboration for years. and, of course, my work will be best documented in 3D.

Reminder : My work is INTERACTIVE. The process of installing them is like a PERFORMANCE piece and people are always encouraged and invited to get involved helping in any way they can. I had 8 volunteers who showed-up out of the woods, when I did the Colorado Project in 2009 and that is part of the art. Watching it evolve, helping, getting involved.

I think people have a lot of misconceptions and fantasies about being an artist. Sure, creating is a solitary activity, but other than that part of the process all the rest can't happen without other people (and lots of other people) getting involved. People need to believe in what you do and support you in words and acts. Art must be sold, because even artists have to pay their rent at the end of the month like everyone else. I have gotten all of my exhibits so far by word of mouth. People who know people who know people who talk to them and tell them about what I do. That is how it works. In addition to that, my work is interactive. People can help build it, follow the progression on my blog, can spread the word and can participate in financing it. Doesn't seem like much, but it really does make a difference (all the difference, really). Art in general, but my work in particular, requires the participation of lots of people. If I am where I am today, it's thanks to all the people who have believed in me and helped along the way. So, thanks to all of you who've been there for me and helped make my installations possible. And thanks to you who come aboard and help me get my work out.

So, you are invited personally to be engaged in any of the up-coming projects.

and if you want to participate, you can even do it from your computer. I've made a list of things YOU CAN DO from your computer. There's an extensive list below, see how many you can do and let me know what you did so I can keep track.

Don't know if I will do another newsletter. Give me feed-back...

See you soon.

Sending love,

Sean

If you are an enthusiast of Sean's work and want to contribute, here's how :

Participate (yes, you can help and yes, it does make a difference !! ) :

a few ways (yes, 12 steps :)))) (any, part, or all of them makes a difference. "not perfection, but progress") :

1. follow the mcginnis.fr blog - click here and sign-up (leave a comment or two, too :)

2. Vote for Sean's work at Landarts.org (be sure to click "voter" AND click on the photo-link to the website to bump-up the "visits" counter too - this can be repeated every 24 hours - 250 votes for first place - 40 votes to take 5th place)

3. Sign-up to follow Sean's work on his facebook artpage (click on like) (I get a free toaster once the number of followers gets over 500 and we are almost there :))) (joke) Actually, once I get over a certain number, there are more options available for the page that make it more accessible.

4. Follow updates on the Cathedral of the Wind Project

5. Buy a Cathedral of the Wind Project t-shirt and support the cause.

6. Take a picture of yourself wearing the t-shirt in an interesting place and we'll post it on the site (depends on the photo :)

7. purchase a Sean McGINNIS artbook at Blurb

8. purchase greeting cards, posters or a small string sculpture

(all proceeds go to help make the Cathedral of the Winds Project possible. Your help is essential and vital to the eventual realization of the project. Thanks in advance for your help)

9. Spread the word : tweet, facebook. Tell your friends. Forward this newsletter to them. The more people onboard the merrier!

10. "recommend" the article on Sean's work at Yatzer (scroll-down, find the article, click on like and then go to the page and click on the recommend button)

11. Check-out my website http://mcginnis.fr

12. Sign-up and f ollow on twitter : McGinnisFR

Check out this video of Jason Hackenwerth's installation

2011-08-22T15:58:00.001+02:00

Jason does it again!
Here's his beautiful crazy-amazing installation for the Green Box Arts Festival 2011.

Not only is Green Mountain Falls where I vacationed with my family growing-up, but I also had the honor of doing a massive installation there for the Festival in 2009. The video was a walk down memory lane, of course, uprooted by a massive new balloon creation filling the church!

check it out, I think you will be as bowled away as I !!!

here's a link to his website

Wired.co.uk

2011-08-13T20:39:00.003+02:00

Hey, how cool is that? An article in wired magazine :)

article at trendhunter

2011-07-27T17:04:00.003+02:00

an even more fun and enthusiastic article

Giant Psychedelic Webs article in Fastcodesign.com

2011-07-27T16:30:00.000+02:00

Beautiful lively original article on my work.

It's well written, funny and accurate.

Enjoy

reflections on 3D imaging

2011-07-22T13:35:00.000+02:00

I took a two week class this summer to learn 3DsMax software.

My first intention was to have a tool to use in the presentation of my work. Commissions, art competitions all require drawings of the proposed idea. My work is nearly impossible to draw in itself, and although I can draw a still life with skill, I have a hard time drawing my installation/string work.

I found out the first day of the class, that 3DsMax was a GREAT way to present my work. By the second day, I had created a new work, lighted it and got some great snap shots of the newly imagined piece. By the end of the week, I even had films.

So my first intention in taking the class actually hit pay dirt.

For all the time I have been doing string installations, people ask me if my work was drawn by computer first. That raised my hackles, and I assured them, that I imagined the piece in my head and then built it. Drawing it by 3D somehow cheapened the idea in my mind.

After a week of my 3D class, I soon dropped that antiquated prejudice. I soon discovered that 3D was a GREAT way to work out new ideas. I could build a 30m piece in a day, light it, change it, refine it all before ever needing a to "string" it by hand. I realised I could work out a lot of the structural and aesthetic problems before ever "getting physical"

I could play with lighting, setting, scale, material, color... all with the click of a mouse.

So now, I find it to be an integral and necessary part of my work.

However, it should be noted that the work I do in 3D rendering is limited. It lacks all the hand-made qualities that I think make my work relevant. It lacks imperfection, which is also an important part of my work.

I now see that it is only a part of the creative process and doesn't in anyway replace the hands-on part. It is a step along the way to realizing a project. But not the final result.

The 3D images that come out of my studio, should never be considered anything other than sketches. Working drawings. They are not final pieces in themselves, to me.

They are fun, they are colorful, they are popular, they are easily readable...
BUT, they are not my "real" work and shouldn't be confused with it.

They make a great "other" point of view.

I'm having a ball, and am enjoying working through new ideas as they come to me and at rapid speed, instead of waiting for the once or twice a year "big projects" that come along, such as "crépuscule" in Colorado or "cathedral" in the volcanic mountains of Central France.

Those are where my work really lives and breathes, but if I only do those monumental pieces, my work advances too slowly for my taste.

Of course, I'm continually doing small pieces that I can advance my ideas with too, but I find having big projects, small sculptures AND 3-D provides a new richness, which allows me to explore different aspects of my visions, which compliment each other.

Yatzer.com feature article on Sean's work

2011-07-20T17:20:00.000+02:00

Great article - comprehensive

new Cathedral of the Wind Images

2011-07-12T16:15:00.000+02:00

3D Cathedral of the Winds update

2011-07-08T17:52:00.000+02:00

It's taken me three days, but the 3D image of the cathedral is nearing completion. Here's a photo teaser

sewn photos

2011-07-08T10:43:00.002+02:00

new gallery of sewn prints online

2011-07-07T18:07:00.000+02:00

a line a artwork I do in addition to strings in boxes and strings in installations :

strings hand-sewn on prints.

check them out and let me know what you think

Sean

Rockhem & Chicstone

2011-07-06T11:12:00.000+02:00

text from the bio at Rockhem & Chicstone, who represent my work globally

Sean McGINNIS, an American sculptor living in Paris, grew up in Hays, Kansas, attaining a Master of Fine Arts Degree in 1989 from the University of Arizona. McGinnis takes an intensely hands-on approach to his work that he crafts in his Parisian workshop or on-site at various international destinations. Creating a sculpture in mini form or transforming an entire space, he gives either method a three-dimensional aspect by adding a dense installation of strings held and sculpted into arcs, by yet more strings. Miles and miles are needed to create some of the architectural weavings, that float like colored drawings in the air. Original and rare, his work recalls the sculptures of Andy Goldsworthy and Christo, as well as the architecture of Gaudi.

The result is an array of fresh, architectural forms that reveal an intricately dense installation of strings. Glowing with brilliance the work is seductive, putting to use simple materials but allowing pieces to assume surprising shapes. Once the general idea is determined McGinnis begins to improvise. He factors in surprises, accidents and twists of fate. Accommodating these twists of fate and experimenting with them, not panicking but trusting the material and the area elevates the art of string sculpture far beyond our imagination.

Cathedral of the Winds

2011-07-04T10:41:00.000+02:00

Today, I'm continuing to work on drawing the Cathedral of the Winds project in 3DsMax. Need to get it done this week. As soon as I do, I'll post photos and films.

test 2

2011-07-01T17:04:00.001+02:00

testing to see how to send blogs from my email

new blog

2011-07-01T15:15:00.002+02:00

playing around with the new blog today, figuring out how to post, how to put photos on, how to make links, how to change the graphics... :)

2011-07-01T14:18:00.000+02:00

Grand Arch Project

a 3D sketch of an idea I have

an installation I would like to build

This is part of the larger Cathedral of the Winds project

Sean McGINNIS videos on youtube

2011-07-01T14:10:00.000+02:00

Sean McGINNIS @ youtube

older posts 2008-2011

2011-07-01T14:08:00.000+02:00

use this link to see previous blog entries in the old format

http://sean.mcginnis.perso.sfr.fr/seanexpoblog.html

new blog

2011-03-15T12:08:00.000+01:00

trying out blogging here
this is for my website : http://mcginnis.fr