Guest Blogger: Dan Swartz

Dan Swartz, "I'm So Good Looking"
Mixed media on bristol paper, 2007

My guest today is Dan Swartz, a artist, curator, and fellow
Fort Wayne, IN area native. Dan has recently moved back to Fort Wayne
from New York, where he will be making our great hometown into the next
Marfa, Texas with the help of the boys at Soma - the newest artist-run
contemporary space there.  You can read Dan's recent editorial on the
promise of a "thriving art community" in Northern Indiana here.

Dan's shortlist for influential and monumental visual artists includes:


1) Marcel Duchamp:  He should always be at the top of the list. Wit,
Materiality, and Alchemy. No one gets better.


2) Bas Jan Ader: Questioning the intent behind an action is always
very important to me.


3) Felix-Gonzalez-Torres: Beauty, Relationships, Subversion.


4) Judy Pfaff: Freedom, Charity (to the viewer), and Sensuality in use
of materials.


5) Rachel Foullon: I am slightly hesitant to put her on my fav's list,
because I know and worked for her for a bit, but I cannot deny my
endless fascination with her work and process.

As for Music:

-Michael Jackson: The Duchamp of 20th century music? He
pioneered most of the trends that we value currently, and
most of his music has only ripened with age. Perhaps he was
just a bit ahead of his time?

-Madonna: Close second. For all reasons.

-Destiny's Child "Writing On The Wall" Album:
The best in guilty pleasures.

-John Frusciante: Apart from Red Hot Chili Peppers,
he is an amazing artist in his own right.

-Kanye West: after doing everything but claiming to be
the second coming of Christ, then succeeding in staying
relevant for more than another couple of months, I think
Kanye is pretty great.  I expect people to lighten up on
him and give more kudos in the future...hopefully that won't
spoil the quality of his music.

TV:

-The only good things on TV right now are
Charlie Rose on PBS and Conan O'Brien.

-Film

-6 degrees of Seperation
-Spanglish
-Dangerous Liaisons
-Contact
-Closer