tiffany bozic's solo show in la

we went to the opening of tiffany bozic's solo show at blk/mrkt in culver city. the show runs through october 21 and is definitely worth checking out.

i am a junkie for tiffany's work. i generally respond to art which makes a strong showing in three categories:
(1) unique voice -- not repeating someone else's work;
(2) artistic excellence -- i value illustration and rendering skills, artistic craft; and
(3) emotional resonance.

tiffany's new show is spectacular on all fronts.

first, her voice is clear. you recognize her paintings. in part, none of her peers can replicate her work. in part, the content is uniquely tiffany's. as the la weekly said "Tiffany Bozic is a new traditionalist informed by Audubon and Rousseau.... Bozic has built her young career on surrealist, anatomical/botanical fantasies; beautifully rendered yet sometimes haunting and gruesome, void of irony and absolute with sincerity."

second, her skills are exceptional. beyond old master. she generally devotes 2-4 weeks on her bigger paintings. she puts in overtime. check out the detail -- for example, the eye -- on this painting:

(see the full painting here)

third, you feel life in her paintings. read and respond to the body language when viewing the work. this show includes a number of pieces which focus on the joys of love and coupling.


tiffany's work often incorporates metaphor. for example, the cover piece is of a "monkey eating eagle."



the bird exists in nature - it is the national bird of the phillipines which, according to this site, usually eats flying lemurs. the representation is graphic and disturbing. the rendering is beautiful and loving. a closer inspection shows that the bird's legs are intertwined with - a part of - a plant. the flora and fauna inextricably linked.

i took copy photos for tiffany of the four smaller paintings before she took them to la. i also brought my lights and cameras down to take photos of the installation.
(note: the photo takes a few seconds to load when you scroll --> --> --> patience)


the miceball in the background is amazing in person.

the individual mice are rendered beautifully.

(a differenttake)

collector's notes:

i think the work is a good value. as noted in an earlier blog, the show is receiving good press. in addition, the show was la weekly's art pick of the weekend - no small task in a crowded field.

(update: the show was also reviewed favorably in the lat.)

the postcard piece (phillipine eagle above) is expensive ($11,000). the artist - who typically earns only 50%-60% of the sales price - has invested one month full time and is only paid if and when the work sells. and, she has to cover the costs of the materials. in this light, the price appears to be expensive but reasonable given the quality of the work and the costs of a months full time work. it is a signature piece (used on the postcard, in the ads). it is huge. my guess is that tiffany will only produce 5-10 big paintings a year. as demand exceeds supply, her prices will increase and the market will provide tiffany with more economic freedom to continue to invest time into her art. tiffany does not repeat herself with new paintings and since she produces a small number of signature pieces, these pieces should hold their place in her catalog. she is still emerging and her work will only get more expensive as the market finds her.

the individual mice on eggs (shown above) are more affordable at $300 each. these are also beautifully rendered so that you see and feel the life of each mouse. i am happy that tiffany is able to also produce the smaller work - like the hummingbirds from the last show - which expand the field of people who can afford her work.

looking further
the photos i took of the work are here. i did not take quality photos of the five bigger paintings or the six masks (and am hoping they will appear elsewhere on the web since i know good photos exist).

note: ert from juxtapoz has now posted more photos of the show here.