A Song About A Man In A Box & A Thousand Artists At The Edge

Nothing Much Happened Today In     insert city name here     . That's a blog post title I used frequently at The Wild Wild East Dailies, because just when you think that nothing's going on, there's a lot going on.

For me, this cold weather has revealed its share of surprises. First up, Steve Baldwin of Occupy music fame has penned and recorded a song about me and iTOMB called "The Man In The Box". With the actual event of Occupy Wall Street now working on being nearly two years old, many of us long for the days of Zuccotti Park - the days when thousands of us actually lived in a city park and exercised our first amendment rights every day. This song not only brings us back, but reminds us of why we went there in the first place. It was fun! And so, not like the next place I visited.

Andrew Purchin and aThousandArtists.com put together quite the bash for the Inauguration, an installation of artists dressed in white jumpsuits and orange hats just making art in public:) Quite the freeform expressionist ignoring of an event devoted to near nazi-like propaganda. But it was still great fun - like Occupy without the cops! Check out Andrew's review of the event here. As part of my participation, I wrote a few stories for Mike Felber and his soon-to-be-launched new art magazine, At The Edge.

At The Edge will have it's launch party at the Empire Room, and yes, that's at the friggin' Empire State Building, and iTOMB and I are planning a mass paint-in - except they're real worried about us getting paint all over the place:) At The Edge has gained national distribution for Mike's ArtistsInTheKitchen.org first print and web publication and the launch party looks to be just the way to kick things off . If you are interested in attending (it's free) click the launch party link above and sign up. Things will be happening until the wee hours and should be quite fun.

So that's what's not happening. Pretty good for a winter the groundhog said would be already over:( Again, nothing much happened in New York today.

iTOMB: Bringing the First Amendment to the People - Inauguration 2013

iTOMB on the Mall in Washington D.C. 01.21.13

My thanks to those who helped get me to D.C. this week. It was a bit of a crazy time with all the buses being booked, but me and iTOMB made it just fine and joined up with A Thousand Artists for the installation that brought art up through the people, as opposed to all the propaganda that was being trickled down from the top. It was a lovely day and we all loved it in our Tyvek 1000 Uniforms and orange hats. A thousand artists turned out to be more like twenty-something but it didn't matter. Thousands of attendees enjoyed our show and a great number painted their own dedication to the ceremonies. Art speaks louder than words.

Constituents painting the future.

Urgent: Help Us Exercise Our First Amenment Rights at The Inauguration

The People Listening...Oil on Canvas 2009 by Andrew Purchin

Breaking news: I just received a note from a friend in San Francisco regarding the project "A Thousand Artists: Inauguration 2013" and I apologize for the lateness, but this is just the sort of thing that I would like iThink Outside My Box to be involved in, in the future. The trouble is, the future is tomorrow. Literally tomorrow. 

"Four years ago, Andrew Purchin set up his easel in the nation's capital to capture the crowd on Inauguration Day. He painted alone. When he returns Monday, he will be one artist among many. 'It was incredibly moving in 2009. It was the best day of my life,' said the 50-year-old Santa Cruz artist and psychotherapist. 'But it will be second best after this year's inauguration."  

The website for the event is here.

With no political agenda, not for nor against the President or any government, but much more in the spirit of allowing art to be a conduit through which people can express themselves publicly, the message of iTOMB fits perfectly with Mr. Purchin's event.

"'The inauguration seems like the best place to magnify the importance of art, especially when the arts are so underfunded,' he said. 'If everyone had some sort of creative outlet, our society wouldn't be as crazy as it appears to be these days.'"

And so I would like to join in. Not unlike the crazy trip I made a few years ago to see Todd Rundgren in Amsterdam - leaving from Munich, this will be a rush - but I won't hitchhike this time:) Buses and trains will be available Saturday night and that will get me there for a full Sunday and beyond for the Inauguration on Monday.

The best way to help would be to send contributions via Western Union with David E. Carlson in New York City, marked as the recipient.The budget is $500 - there and back.

The second best way is to use the PayPal button in the sidebar - but that takes a few days and I wouldn't see the donation until after the event.

In either case, I would love your support to have iTOMB attend "A Thousand Artists: Inauguration 2013". Things have been a little trying in the Big Apple this winter, and I know the project would benefit from a little airing out and quite possibly national exposure in advancing the people's creative voice in our national dialogue. God bless America.

 BTW: I just heard from Andrew, the organizer, and he's keen to have iTOMB at the event:-)

For 2012, Thank You...

iTOMB Javiera (Chile) II 12.23.12

As the year softens to a close I look at the little painting above and all I can say is, "Thank you". Thank you all, for as long as I shall paint, I will never make a one like the one above. Look at the fire in that sky:-) And thank you Javiera. This one was made just days before Christmas and since then the rain has been bad and things just too cold to do any painting at all. So, this may well be the last great painting at iTOMB in 2012. And so be it. It has been a great year.

Since beginning as an activist vehicle for Occupy Wall Street, I Think Outside My Box (iTOMB) has seen an organic growth into a vehicle from which over 1200 artists have been inspired to etch their own thoughts on a little 3" X 3" canvas - all from a simple request, stated over and over by people watching me paint, that said "Hey, can I paint too?" And so iTOMB was born again - a place where everyone can have their shot at spontaneous self expression. A place where peace, and a little snippet of New York City skyway, can be a place of respite, of reflection and of creation. All wildly different. All widely original.

My thanks also to Ronnit Bendavid-Val and all the staff on The High Line - without who's gracious work and space, iTOMB would never have grown to the community project it has now become.

On Christmas Eve, all my painting supplies were stolen from the rolling mobile studio I use for iTOMB. It a bag, atop the cart, all paints, rulers, glues and all manner of gear with which we all use to paint were unceremoniously lifted by someone who thought they needed the stuff, or value, more than I - and maybe they did. But I doubt they will be put to use by so many for as much expression as I have seen this past fall at iTOMB. Should you wish to make a donation to help me replace supplies and to build an even more functional display space for the over 500 real artworks that have been entrusted to me, please find the PayPal button in the sidebar and help out with any amount.

And still I thank you. In 2013, I will work to make iTOMB a non-profit foundation and hope to see the concept spread from New York to as far as an idea will go. And with your help, I'm sure that's to infinity :-) Peace.

"What do I get if I win?"

iTOMB. Tala (Syria) 11.24.12  (not the girl described below)

"What do I get if I win?", the little girl asked as she sat down eagerly to paint her little square. "Well, nothing", I said laughing, "It's not a competition." - as her father looked reassuringly at me, smiling warmly as well at my answer. 

Yet so goes the state of education in America and dare I say, much of the rest of the world as I have seen it ... see the whole story here.

iTOMB and NEST+m: New York's Premier K-12 Public School for Gifted and Talented Students

iTOMB - NEST+m, Anon 10.27.12

"Amor et reverentia pro scientia (love and respect for knowledge): It is our hope that every student works and lives by these words. - NEST+m is a New York City Department of Education city-wide coeducational school for Gifted & Talented students, grades K to 12. We offer an academically challenging curriculum designed to produce young scholars who are distinguished by their intellectual capabilities, communication skills, capacity for leadership, ethical values, and readiness to contribute to the betterment of the world at large.

And so reads the website of NEST+m. On October 27th, iTOMB was pleased to be a guest at the school bringing inspiration, freedom of thought and a boatload of cardboard and paint for student expression. Read and see the whole experience here.

iTOMB: Tiny "Gates"?

One Tiny Gate: Anon.V. 10.20.12

My apologies the last few weeks all. Things became hurricane based for a week with no power and the High Line closed and they have been slow to return. Our collection of small paintings continues to grow and is now nearing 1000. Who knew? As thankful as I am to all the painters out there, I am more thankful to you for just making me feel like a king on a daily basis. Often I have said, that never have I had a job where people thank me for what I'm doing all day. My days at iTOMB are truly gratifying because of all of your spirits.

To read more about what makes it akin to The Gates", a massive art installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Central Park in 2005 click here:)

The High Line, NYC - ©Above It All

David Everitt-Carlson and iTOMB, The High Line, NYC. Photo: Will O'Mailley

Last week a journalist asked me to describe the High Line, the New York City park built on an old abandoned elevated railway where I execute iTOMB, in three words. ©Above It All, I said. She smiled, and I thought that would make a lovely promotional line for the park. I'd be very happy to see the line used in that way.

iTOMB: See the best of the week 10.01.12

iTOMB.Yeheli (12) (Israel) 10.05.12

The week of 01 October produced not only more pure genius but some genuine emotion as well. Above, my favourite from our painting sessions on The Highline in NYC for the week.To read and see the slideshow of bests, see iThink Outside My Box.

iTOMB: © Interactivism Now Comes to You!

The original iTOMB 10.06.11 Zuccotti Park, NYC

Wall Street Journal

From activist statement to interactive family experience, months have passed since the NYPD surrounded me in Zuccotti Park and Union Square in 'iThink Outside My Box' (iTOMB) and eventually arrested me for that First Amendment activity:) All charges were subsequently dropped and I'm now in the business of counter suing the boyz in blue for false arrest and confiscating all my artworks and belongings. Too much fun:) But having passed our first anniversary, Occupy survives as an activist octopus of varying actions and iTOMB continues as performance art, activism and interactivity.

Now I've moved the whole enterprise to The Highline at 22nd St. and have had nothing but positive responses from the staff and visitors. Aside from just me working, now anyone can paint a picture and boy do they paint! See this selection of the best of September's work by visitors to iTOMB. 

Benji 10.01.12

Through visitor and fan suggestions I am now making the © Interactivism of iTOMB available for school, social organisation and corporate programmes. That means I can travel anywhere in the 5 boroughs and set up a painting exercise for all ages at a very reasonable fee. Prices start at just $150 - and with my mix of performance, humour, painting and encouragement a few minutes behind the brush brings a welcome break to virtually all ages. Can you think of any schools, companies, orgs or programmes where this would work well? Let me know. I'm excited to bring the box on the road and share the experience with as many people as need a dose of creative juice. Otherwise, check out the rest of the site and see all the things we're up to.

iTOMB today 10.04.12 The Highline, NYC- Interactive activism:)

iTOMB Work of the Week 09.24.12

Romi (21 mos) 09.30.12

This week iThink Outside My Box is proud to introduce our Work of the Week - but since this a new feature, it's more like a compendium of the best work done in the month of September. See below for the full show. Above, my favourite from our painting sessions on The Highline in NYC until now. Working in a 3"X3" cardboard canvas space, Romi, at 21 months, creates a swirling post-modernist abstract that by most accounts, would be just at home at MoMA if it were 3'X3' or 30'X30'. Remember, there is no age requirement at iTOMB and certainly no skill evaluation to paint. Our current cardboard Rembrandts range from 13 mos to infinity - yet all bring a spirit that truly knows no boundaries. Thank you all, artists, for continuing to amaze me and the viewers of the world:)

Messages From a Box - by Vincent J. Tomeo

Last Friday, before the onslaught of a three-day Occupied weekend, a man came to visit the i Think Outside My Box project on The Highline here in New York City. Click the link to read the poem he was inspired to write. The reference to Paul Klee is more than welcome:)

S e p t e m b e r  1 6 ,  2 0 1 2

M e s s a g e s  F r o m  A  B o x

 

Some things were just not meant to happen

1 October, 2012 Occupy Wall Street, Zuccotti Park, NYC

In two separate instances this week all of the art that was to be exhibited on the 21st at Munch Gallery has been lost or stolen. I had entrusted the box to the care of a friend who had left it with his apartment building front office, folded and wrapped. In breaking the news to me of its loss he had sent a text to my phone asking for an early morning meeting at Union Square. Upon my arrival his first words to me were, "So how do you feel about the bad news?" "What bad news?", I asked. "The news that your box was thrown out by my building staff", he responded.

I took a minute and went to sit down on the granite steps to the park. Rushing through my head were all the possible ramifications of this event - without the box, does any of the work at all make sense in a gallery setting? How was it that I could save this piece from the riot police during the Zuccotti Park raid in November of last year, only to lose it to sheer negligence in a Gramercy Park apartment building? Why wasn't the package marked? Why didn't building staff know of its importance? WTF? I was furious with the friend and dumbfounded by his total lack of responsibility in the matter.

Answers to too many questions would lay pending the next day events. A piece of history was gone. And too many other opportunities with it.

The next day I spent the better part of the day on the computer doing general office work and trying to make a plan B for the gallery show. It wouldn't matter.

I had left my mobile studio with the Occupiers at Union Square, a place where it had been safe and watched over since our arrival in March of this year. Apparently, a rain had fallen in the early evening and Occupiers had packed up and moved their tables to dry shelter. My mobile studio, containing the remainder of the artwork was left behind and not to be found when I returned to the park. It remains lost along with the original box and may be decorating a city landfill somewhere. Nicely I hope.

This week also another friend reminded me of the myth of Sisyphus, the mythological Greek character who was doomed to pushing a boulder uphill only to see it roll back down again, over and over and over again. "The struggle itself ... Is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus as happy", wrote Albert Camus. These past 10 months with Occupy and 4 different boxes, all lost to one end or another, compares to the myth of Sisyphus. Maybe it's time to think truly out of my box and find a more productive way to spend my time.