Friday fun for Jan 12, 2007

I've always admired people who have the courage of their convictions - perhaps because I sometimes doubt my own resolve in that regard.

Today, I thought I'd point you to two video documentaries on artists who live their lives and create their art based on their own convictions.

I think you'll enjoy these, and I've also included links to other websites where you can find more information, if you want it. (By the way, I found both of these sites using my latest friend, StumbleUpon. It gives you more than just the latest exploding Coke bottle stuff.)

Have a great weekend.

POPaganda - The Art and Subversion of Ron English

Here's an excerpt about Ron English, from Wikipedia:

Ron English is a contemporary pop artist who explores popular brand imagery and advertising.

One aspect of his work involves 'liberating' commercial billboards with his own messages. Frequent targets of his work include Joe Camel, McDonalds, and Mickey Mouse. Ron English can be considered the "celebrated prankster father of agit-pop", who wrangles carefully created corporate iconographies so that they are turned upside down, and are used against the very corporation they are meant to represent. Ron English has also painted several album covers including The Dandy Warhols album cover "Welcome to the Monkey House". Some of his paintings are also used in Morgan Spurlock's documentary Super Size Me

The video I've linked to is an excerpt from a longer documentary that you can buy on DVD through English's website, at Popaganda.com.

Watch the video below, or click here to see it on Google Video.



Bob Brozman - guitarist, anarchist, anthropologist

My second video clip features Bob Brozman, who has been travelling the world for 30 years, spreading his own unique vision through his amazing blues guitar tunes. This lengthy (23 minutes!) documentary features interviews with the artist as well as excerpts from some of his concerts.

If you like what you see, visit his website for more info and links to his music, etc.

Here's an excerpt from the website:

Bob Brozman is a guitarist like no other: an established and prolific recording artist, performer, producer, and author, Bob is a non-stop world traveler and tireless researcher in ethnomusicology. His work with musicians from around the world in the past several years has marked him as not only a virtuoso musician and slide guitarist, but also as a pioneer in finding a common thread among global musical cultures.

Watch the video clip below, or click here to see it on YouTube:

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