 Liana Finck, New Yorker Cartoonist, who has been deemed by ELLE, "Instagram's favorite cartoonist," and has been featured on Adult Swim and HBO's Very Semi-Serious, as well as authored multiple graphic novels and a cartoon book (and a forthcoming novel as well), and has drawn the cover for a Justin Bieber + Ariana Grande single. Show Notes: Artistry and childhood Different modes of creating art Finding one’s voice as an artist Liana’s artistic evolution Naive art and perfectionism Finding one’s rhythm Cities being a hub for a variety of people and perspectives What we say vs. what we mean Personality tests The rigidity of dogmatic ideologies  The anxiety of being around people Life changes Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.lianafinck.com www.instagram.com/lianafinck  

Artist Decoded

#212: Liana Finck - “What We Say Vs. What We Mean”

 Ayoto Ataraxia 鄭博榕; pingyin: Zheng Borong; born 23 August 1985) is an artist, director, writer, performing artist, producer, poet, and musician. He graduated from Istituto Europeo di Design with cum laude in 2009, and from the School of Visual Arts with honors in New York City, 2013. His works have been exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and are part of the Beyond Fashion exhibition of the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography. He is currently hosting Asian Provocation, exploring queer Asian diasporic identities through conversations and stories Show Notes: 00:04:55 - Ayoto’s reflections time in New York 00:09:06 - The dangers of romanticizing working artists 00:12:18 - Artistic expression 00:16:42 - Modern American culture / getting lost in the American dream 00:19:52 - Considering what we truly value in life 00:22:14 - Observing people in different dimensions 00:27:24 - The illusion of control 00:29:08 - Identity 00:35:37 - The background to Ayoto’s original name/freedom from dogma 01:00:23 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/ayoto.ataraxia/ www.ayotoataraxia.com

#211: Ayoto Ataraxia - "The Illusion of Control"

 NYC-based Iranian songwriter, producer, and vocalist Kris Esfandiari, also known as King Woman, is set to release a striking full-length album, Celestial Blues, on July 30, 2021, via Relapse Records. Kris Esfandiari (NGHTCRWLR, Dalmatian, Miserable, Sugar High, i8i) founded King Woman in 2009 — a solo project which later gained the talents of guitarist Peter Arensdorf and drummer Joseph Raygoza. Now wiser and holding less animosity than King Woman’s previous sentiments on 2014 EP Doubt and the highly-esteemed 2017 full length Created in The Image of Suffering, the fantasy world that once plagued Kris' psyche is dancing in a new light on Celestial Blues. Feeling compelled to reshape the biblical archetypes that once bound her, Esfandiari has created a theatrical tale of rebellion, tragedy, and triumph — a metaphor for her own personal experiences over the years — Celestial Blues was born. Show Notes: 00:05:17 - Monotheism/experiences with Christianity 00:17:16 - The fluidity of expressing emotions through music 00:21:08 - Opening up to her creative spirit 00:25:44 - The current state of the music industry 00:27:22 - Surrounding oneself with the right people 00:29:12 - Her newest album with her band, King Woman, entitled, Celestial Blues 00:36:14 - Art being a gateway 00:38:17 - Deconstruction 00:44:00 - Kristina’s multiple side projects 00:50:00 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/kngwmn www.kingwoman.bandcamp.com

#210: Kris Esfandiari (King Woman) - “Celestial Blues”

 Poet, artist, and Daughters vocalist Alexis Marshall has announced his solo debut LP HOUSE OF LULL. HOUSE OF WHEN for July 23rd via Sargent House and along with it the first song and video for “Hounds In The Abyss”. Directed by Jeremy W., Marshall notes of the video’s concept “The long stare into the room of self—the universe’s middle distance—the many hidden doors we locate, the many rooms we find. Populated not only by whom else we are, but by places, we have been. The places we are. We don’t always pull away from the hot stove.”’ Produced by Seth Manchester the album is crafted around moments of spontaneity and sonic detritus. For the album, Marshall brought together an impressive group of collaborators to execute his vision, a vision that for the first time was under his full creative direction. Jon Syverson (Daughters), Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota), Evan Patterson (Jaye Jayle, Young Widows) joined Marshall in Pawtucket, Rhode Island at Machines with Magnets studio with no material. The strategy was to embrace new sounds, employ the element of chance, and capture the creative process in a song format. The genesis of a song could be anything—a fragmented piano line, a drum pattern—but the impetus was often a non-musical sound. Marshall sourced a lot of his textural contributions from a hardware store all contributing to a proto-industrial rattle-and-rumble reminiscent of early Einstürzende Neubaten. The resulting material stands to be the boldest and exciting work of his career. Show Notes: 00:06:21 - Artwork acting as a mirror to the viewer 00:08:12 - Positive and negative feedback from his band, Daughters 00:10:54 - Alexis’s personal growth 00:14:48 - Success, addiction, and trauma 00:21:30 - Romanticism and selfishness 00:25:17 - Discussing the progression of society 00:32:45 - His new solo album, “House of Lull. House of When” 00:40:14 - Arts affect on Alexis 00:48:37 - The recording process for “House of Lull. House of When” 00:53:46 - Lessons from Daughters comeback album and subsequent 01:02:34 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/asfmarshall Alexis Marshall's "House of Lull, House of When" on Bandcamp

#209: Alexis Marshall - “On His New Solo Album, “House of Lull. House of When””

 Emilio Villalba is a Mexican-American painter living in San Francisco. Born in Chula Vista and raised in Southern California, he grew up interested in drawing and art. He created a career in Los Angeles as a visual effects artist where he animated television commercials and films. After 2 years in the industry, he left for San Francisco to study fine art. He’s now focused on exploring painting figuratively, pulling inspiration from both old masters and contemporary artists—from Velázquez to Alice Neel and Basquiat.  Emilio’s latest exhibition, “People and Things” will be on view at Hashimoto Contemporary in New York from Saturday, July 17th to Saturday, August 7th, 2021. Show Notes: 00:03:12 - Emilio’s latest body of work 00:06:50 - Exploring new visual avenues 00:13:33 - Self-awareness of one’s work 00:20:30 - Saying vs. doing 00:32:42 - The psychology of reward systems 00:36:03 - Identity / fitting in 00:42:40 - The conceptual basis of Emilio’s newest body of work 00:53:37 - Owning who you are 01:03:33 - The painter's alphabet 01:25:42 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/emilio_villalba/ www.emiliovillalbaart.com/

#208: Emilio Villalba - "People & Things"

 Stuart Biddlecombe is a director of photography for The Handmaid’s Tale. Biddlecombe graduated from the National Film and Television School in 2003. He has also worked on Doctor Who, Call To Midwife, and Cold Feet. Show Notes: 00:02:53 - Adapting to an environment on set 00:07:26 - Stuart’s creative process 00:12:28 - Collaboration within the filming process 00:17:06 - The continuity of filming television shows 00:19:24 - Artistry vs. Craftsmanship 00:21:22 - Inspiration through different types of art 00:23:47 - Observing the world through the lens of cinematography 00:25:23 - How he sees his role as a DP 00:28:18 - Spontaneity while filming 00:33:40 - Stuart’s journey as a cinematographer 00:50:00 - Stuart’s best piece of work / working in TV 01:02:51 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/stuartdop www.stuartbiddlecombe.co.uk

#207: Stuart Biddlecombe - “Cinematography On The Handmaid's Tale”

 For the first episode of AD’s Movie Club, Justin will be discussing Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 2008 Film Tokyo Sonata with three of his close friends. First, we are joined by photographer and podcast host, Yoshino. Yoshino uses his photography to draw out deep lingering emotions while seeking to unveil a psychological truth embedded within all of us. He attempts to create a dichotomy and a confluence between his observations, molding them together between varying ideas and disparate elements. With these images, he invites the viewer to enter his world and to give space for the contemplation of their own personal framework and reality. Yoshino is also the host of the Artist Decoded podcast. Amirtha Kidambi is a composer, performer, and professor currently living in New York City. Kidambi earned an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from Columbia University, an M.M. in Voice and Musicology at CUNY Brooklyn College, and a B.A. in Voice from Loyola Marymount University. She currently serves on the faculty for the New School, teaching music history courses and heading a large-scale curriculum development project. She has also served on the faculty at Brooklyn College. Ru Storey (They/Them)is a Los Angeles-based queer skater, graphic designer, and editor. Ru and Justin are currently working on a short film to be premiered this summer. Justin Daashuur Hopkins is an internationally exhibited artist and award-winning director. Show Notes: 00:01:47 - Tokyo Sonata’s plot 00:04:39 - First reactions/thoughts on the patriarchy 00:09:03 - The historical context of duty and shame 00:14:00 - Structural issues of society and power dynamics 00:24:00 - Questioning your reality and moving towards self-actualization 00:35:38 - Reflections on the conversation 00:39:04 - Elements of a sonata 00:50:12 - Relinquishing of authoritarian control 01:00:58 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.mubi.com/artistdecoded

AD Movie Club #1 | Tokyo Sonata (Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa - 2008)

 Jan Hopkins is a master at creating sculptural vessels and figurative sculptures from unusual natural materials such as citrus, melon and pomegranate peels, lotus pods, fish skin, leaves, and seed pods. Each piece is a marriage of deep sensitivity and reverence to materials with a heavy emphasis on concept and innovation. Jan studied basketry with indigenous and contemporary artists, learning the art of meticulous construction, the basics of how to gather and prepare materials, and understanding new concepts in design beyond traditional construction. In the early 90s, challenged with the depletion and unavailability of many of the natural basketry materials, she began experimenting and innovating new ways of processing organic materials that she successfully uses in her work today. Her initial aspiration was to preserve the beauty of the materials she began to by constructing vessel forms. Jan’s work evolved to more figurative work with narratives sewn into each intricately designed piece. Jan and her husband Chris have also embarked on a deeply personal collaborative project about a part of her family’s history, The Japanese American incarceration during WWII. Piece by piece, Jan is puzzling together family stories that are both heartbreaking and inspiring. Jan states, “This project has changed the essence of my work and has challenged me to innovate new ways of construction and storytelling.” Their two-person show was exhibited at the Schack Art Center, Everett, WA in 2018. A future exhibit is scheduled to open at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art on Bainbridge Island in 2022, The timing of this exhibit marks the 80th Remembrance anniversary of the first Japanese Americans taken away from their homes on Bainbridge Island and sent to Manzanar Concentration Camp. An award-winning artist, Jan has exhibited across the United States and featured 8 years at SOFA International Expos, held annually in New York, Chicago, and Santa Fe. Her work is included in museum permanent collections across the country including the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA, Museum of Art and Design in New York, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Racine Art Museum in Racine, WI. Show Notes: Jan’s experience being a part of a family of artists Jan’s journey towards artistry Great ideas finding us Results-oriented thinking, taking you away from the process Intuition and spirituality The elements and materials that guide Jan’s art practice Jan's focus on narrative artwork The inspiration behind Jan’s exhibit “American’s Interned” The power of cultural art www.artistdecoded.com www.janhopkinsart.blogspot.com www.instagram.com/janhopkinsart

#206: Jan Hopkins - “Sculpting Vessels + Americans Interned”

 Mitch Horowitz is a historian of alternative spirituality and one of today’s most literate voices of esoterica, mysticism, and the occult. He is among the few occult writers whose work touches the bases of academic scholarship, national journalism, and subculture cred. Mitch is a writer-in-residence at the New York Public Library, lecturer-in-residence at the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles, and a PEN Award-winning historian whose books include Occult America; One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life; and The Miracle Club. The Washington Post says Mitch “treats esoteric ideas and movements with an even-handed intellectual studiousness that is too often lost in today’s raised-voice discussions.” He has discussed alternative spirituality across the national media and is collaborating with Emmy-nominated director Ronni Thomas on a feature documentary about the occult classic The Kybalion, shot on location in Egypt. Mitch received the Walden Award for Interfaith/Intercultural Understanding. The Chinese government has censored his work. Show Notes: Mitch’s approach towards his craft The origins of thoughts and ideas The brain within the metaphysical Tapping into an imaginal realm with art Being honest with your desires Artists going unrecognized Being uncompromising in our desires Depression and anxiety Navigating dark energy Free will Hypnagogic state The pathos of death www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/mitchhorowitz23 https://www.mitchhorowitz.com/

MIND/WAVE #9 - Mitch Horowitz x Jesse Draxler

 Damon Davis is a post-disciplinary artist based in St. Louis, Missouri. His work spans across a spectrum of creative mediums to tell stories exploring how identity is informed by power and mythology. He is well known for his body of work, Darker Gods, which explores Afro-surrealist manifestations of Black culture. Davis is a Firelight Media, Sundance Labs, TED, and Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow. He is the founder and creative director of St. Louis-based music label/ artist collective FarFetched and his work is featured in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Show Notes: www.artistdecoded.com www.heartacheandpaint.com www.instagram.com/damondavis

#205: Damon Davis - “Darker Gods + Filling In The Cracks”

 Born in Beijing and raised in Singapore, Jingna Zhang is a fashion and fine art photographer and director based in New York City and Seattle. Imbued with love for the Pre-Raphaelites and Japanese anime, Jingna’s work interweaves Asian aesthetics with western art styles, bringing unique visions of painterly and fantastical images to fashion and fine art photography. Before photography, Jingna was a world-class air rifle shooter representing Singapore at the Commonwealth Games and World Cup. She was the only female founder of a North American esports team in StarCraft 2; and was once a concept artist and illustrator’s agent, with clients including LucasArts, Amazon Publishing, and Sony Online Entertainment. Jingna majored in fashion design before dropping out of school to pursue photography. She is an alumna of Stanford’s innovation and entrepreneurship program Ignite and a Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 listmaker. Jingna’s works have appeared on multiple editions of Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her clients include Mercedes Benz, Montblanc, and Lancome. Jingna’s fine art works have exhibited at Leica Gallery Milan, Tsinghua University, and Japan Creative Centre in Singapore, and she has spoken at Laguna College of Art and Design, Monterrey Institute of Technology, and Square Enix. Show Notes: www.artistdecoded.com www.zhangjingna.com www.instagram.com/zemotion

#204: Jingna Zhang - “Allowing Interests To Guide You”

 Graham grew up in Ojai, a small ranching town in Southern California with pink sunsets dipping below the mountains.  He spent his childhood exploring Europe and the Southwestern United States with his travel writer father and family. His upbringing informs his photography, which is largely based in simplicity, nostalgia, nature, and the truth of a moment. Graham lives in Los Angeles with his wife, a kindergarten teacher, and his son, an extremely inventive whippersnapper. Show Notes: 00:00:00 - Introduction  00:04:55 - Teaching all aspects of history  00:08:53 - Homogenization of culture  00:12:22 - The importance of community  00:15:56 - The confluence of non-sequiturs  00:18:36 - The shifting landscape of commercial photography 00:25:00 - Human psychology within photography  00:33:16 - Graham’s projects during covid  00:42:45 - Having a “jack of all trades” approach  00:48:15 - Personal values influencing the way you approach your career  00:54:54 - Having a balanced life  00:56:51 - Learning and adapting from experience  01:06:00 - Mentorship  01:08:00 - Technical learning vs practical learning  01:14:32 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/grahamdunn http://www.grahamdunnphoto.com/

#203: Graham Dunn - "On Photography, Community, and Friendship"

 AD Non-Weekly Round Up #8 with artist, Jesse Draxler, and Yoshino. Jesse Draxler was born in rural Wisconsin, studied in Minneapolis, MN, and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. A formal mixed media & inter-disciplinary artist, Draxler has exhibited extensively both domestically and internationally.  Draxler collaborates with brands including Hugo Boss, McQ Alexander McQueen, and Ferrari, with original artwork appearing in Elle, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic, among other publications.  Show Notes: 00:00:32 - Seasons in life 00:07:18 - Focusing on the process instead of the result 00:12:05 - The confluence of running and creativity 00:16:32 - Self-reflection 00:22:16 - Personal values 00:34:35 - The practical reality of art 00:39:53 - Creativity thorough destruction 00:47:56 - Jesse’s personal growth throughout the years 00:53:05 - Life and death 00:57:09 - The importance of being conscious of one’s physical and mental health 01:13:20 - Perspective shifts 01:26:14 - Understanding guilt 01:42:34 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.jessedraxler.com www.instagram.com/jessedraxler

AD NON-WEEKLY ROUND UP #8 with Jesse Draxler

 Nadia Waheed, BFA 2015 School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is a Pakistani-American painter who makes partially autobiographical allegorical figurative paintings that explore selfhood, choice, and cultural trauma. Exhibition history includes shows with Mindy Solomon Gallery in Miami, BEERS London, Thierry Goldberg in New York, and Gallery 1957 in London. Upcoming exhibitions in 2021 include shows with Andrea Festa Fine Art in Rome, Lawrie Shabibi in Dubai, and Aicon Gallery in New York. Show Notes: 00:04:18 - Being aware of your youth  00:05:52 - Having numerous perspectives  00:09:40 - Nadia’s childhood  00:16:40 - Cultural nuances  00:23:07 - The core language approach and inner generational trauma  00:27:54 - The influence of mentorship  00:31:12 - Politics within the art world  00:37:46 - Telling someone who you are, through your actions  00:39:30 - Dating and relationships  00:46:39 - The loss of community and connectivity  00:53:01 - Intentionality and being vulnerable  01:00:45 - Being comfortable with who you are 01:08:33 - Engaging with emotions and understanding the context  01:20:16 - Nadia’s hesitance towards talking about her work  01:27:54 - “The curse of the expert”  01:34:23 - Commitment  01:42:45 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/nadiakwd www.nadiawaheed.com

#202: Nadia Waheed - "Empathy, Change, and Cultural Nuance"

 The son of Chinese immigrants, Nicholas came to LA by way of Hawaii and Hong Kong. Working as a truly international director, he has helmed global campaigns for brands like Google, Samsung, Disney, P&G, Kia, Dewars, and Nestle, working closely with top agencies such as BBDO, Ogilvy & Mather, and Iris Worldwide. In the music world, he is an MTV VMA nominated director having shot videos for Nick Jonas, Blink-182, Sara Bareilles, Bastille, Snakehips, Jess Glynne, Monsta X, and more. Known for his cinematic, emotional, and dynamic visual language, Nicholas' films often center on character-driven stories deeply grounded in humanity and sensitivity. His work has been featured in most major publications including The LA Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety, The Telegraph, The Independent, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, Forbes, Booooooom, Shots Creative, Little Black Book, and many more. When not on set, Nicholas will be found tearing through the canyons in his cars or motorcycle, creating new recipes in the kitchen, or talking watches with fellow nerds. Show Notes: 00:03:04 - The “Three R’s” Philosophy   00:05:41 - Finding one’s voice  00:08:34 - Filtering your work through a personal lens   00:10:14 - Navigating through the music video and film world  00:13:10 - Hardships within directors transitioning from music videos to feature films 00:18:59 - “The new aesthetic”   00:21:06 - Keeping a healthy mindset   00:24:36 - Pattern recognition   00:27:21 - Psychedelics  00:32:27 - The catch-22 nature of technology   00:37:00 - Difficulties and rewards within directing   00:41:54 - Having a balanced ego  00:46:29 - A director’s relevancy in the commercial world  00:49:44 - Nicholas’s first feature film  00:51:27 - The importance of representation   00:53:34 - Redefining the structures within the film industry & Asian American cinema 01:09:38- Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/nicholaslam www.nicholaslam.com

#201: Nicholas Lam - “The Three R’s”

"I started this series as a means for exploration, an exploration of self and an exploration of the perspectives of other artists. This series is an unabridged documentation of conversations between artists. It’s a series dedicated to breaking down the barriers we tend to set up in our own mind. I want to inspire future creatives to have the courage to explore and experiment. This is about making dreams a reality and not about letting our dreams fall to the wayside. My intention is to give my audience a sense of real human connection, something that feels rich and organic. When I was thinking of a title I thought of the word “movement”. In relation to the Renaissance period in art, my goal for this program is to signify a rebirth of consciousness towards the way we look at contemporary art." - Yoshino

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Artist Decoded

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