_____________
Destiny Deacon Pacified, 2005
‘The baby doll of Destiny Deacon’s Pacified sits, broken and subdued, on its gridded backdrop. Like the subjects of ethnographic study, who were often photographed against backcloths and measuring devices, this doll is treated as an object to be observed and quantified.’
____________
Brian Hanscomb Premature Baby, 2010
Engraving
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Tony Oursler MMPI, 1996
Video installation with video projector, VCR, video tape, small cloth figure and metal chair.
_____________
Thomas Houseago Baby, 2002
plaster
_____________
Yu Chen Red Babies, 2003
mixed media on canvas
_____________
Ronit Baranga Tattooed Baby, 2017
life-like sculpture of an innocent sleeping tattooed baby
_____________
Rob Pruitt Baby, 2011
acrylic, enamel paint and flocking on canvas
______________
Ron Mueck Swaddled baby, 2002
polyester resin, hair, acrylic, fabric
_____________
Yang Jiechang Hitler as Baby, 2004
Ink and mineral color on silk, mounted on canvas
_____________
Catherine Opie Self-Portrait/Nursing, 2004
Chromogenic print
_____________
Nina Levy Big Baby, 2003
Cast polyester resin and fibreglass, painted with automotive paint
____________
Chuck Close Baby Jane, 2018–2019
Oil on canvas
______________
Ann Lislegaard Cosmic Existence, 2019
installation
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Marlene Dumas Baby, 2008
painting
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Valter Casotto Baby Artists (Paul, Maurizio, Damien), 2018
‘Casotto’s Hirst-baby is lying among an array of toys including a miniature shark, cows, and a butterfly (common motifs in grown-up Hirst’s art). He is in good company: Casotto has created a sort of artist-kindergarten with miniature versions of Maurizio Cattelan and Paul McCarthy as well.’
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Duane Hanson Baby in Carriage, 1983
polyvinyl sculpture
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Regina José Galindo America’s Family Prison, 2008
‘In America’s Family Prison, Regina José Galindo deliberately introduces an object that allows the audience to explore, in a metaphoric sense, the complicated landscape of contemporary migration—from the effects of the policies and forms of control adopted by the governments of both transit and destination countries, to the vast range of cultural, racial, and economic stereotypes that dominate these territories. The object consists of a small cube-shaped cell used to hold people detained by the authorities in their attempt to cross the border between Mexico and the United States. Aseptic and intimidating in appearance, this cubicle is mounted on a platform, which gives it a sculptural dimension within the gallery space. This example is but one of the thousands of such portable cells that specialized companies produce for the temporary detention of people involved in criminal cases in the United States, particularly illegal immigrants awaiting resolution of their immigration status.
‘Considering the ways that her audience might connect with the small cell, Galindo began her performance by renting one for the two-month duration of the exhibit. In addition to paying $8,000 to a specialized manufacturer in Oklahoma, the artist—with the support of Artpace–offered to move and adequately install the object, with the purpose of promoting the cell and attracting potential clients in the San Antonio area. The second part of the performance consisted of inhabiting the cell, once it was installed in the gallery, with her husband and young daughter for thirty-six hours. The purpose was to show, in a cold, efficient way, how the cell functioned. Analogous to a model home presented in a housing fair, this prototype cell transformed the Artpace gallery into a temporary shop window intended to attract those interested in the private business of family cells. Viewers could approach the window in order to observe the cell’s interior and the movements of the artist and her companions within it. As if that was not enough, the look and gestures of the external observers functioned as panoptic view. Temporarily, they assumed the role of prison wardens in order to observe and, in a way, control the artist and her family.’
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Grayson Perry Alien Baby, 2022
‘Police are investigating after a sculpture by the artist and broadcaster Grayson Perry was stolen from a Bristol art gallery. The 27cm glazed ceramic figure, called Alien Baby, was taken from the Hidden Gallery in the Clifton area between 1.15pm and 1.26pm on 30 August, Avon and Somerset police said. Officers said a man wearing a camouflaged baseball cap and dark zip-up jacket walked up to the limited edition gilded ceramic on display at the gallery.’
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Anita Dube Untitled, 2008
treated photograph
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Wendy Coburn Fable for Tomorrow, 2009
two porcelain “piano babies,” arms up, seemingly in alarm, with silhouettes of insects crawling over their tiny bodies
_____________
Opal Mae Ong Original Joy, 2023
a floating pair of elegantly gloved hands push a baby stroller
_____________
Chris Salmon Cry Baby, 2018
Etching
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Yin Jun Crying, 2006
oil on canvas
___________
Isa Genzken Schwules Baby (Gay Baby), 1997
Spray paint on steel and aluminum
___________
Patricia Piccinini The Builder, 2018
Silicone, fiberglass, hair
____________
Bruce Davidson Wales, 1965
Gelatin silver print
____________
Roy Villevoye Madonna (after Omomá and Céline), 2008
‘Villevoye’s Papuan friend Omomá, who posed for the artist’s first wax sculpture, Madonna (after Omomá and Céline), informed the artist about a dream in which he was visited by an ancestral spirit who warned him of the potential misfortune that awaits him for ‘allowing his soul to be copied and taken to Holland’. His collaboration with the Dutch artist has broken a taboo, which, according to Omamá, can only be undone by further financial compensation – a request that the artist complies with. Regardless, Omomá’s sculptural double will pose a lifelong threat: according to his beliefs, if he ever sees the work that was made after his image, it could result in sickness and, possibly, death.’
___________
Walter Oltmann Infant, 1992
letterpress on chine collé on paper
____________
Hiroshi Watanabe TDTDC 61 (Wall Shadow), 2009
Archival Pigment Print
____________
Robert Gober Untitled, 1993-2013
‘Exposed in its confining crib, this body-sized stick of butter (actually beeswax) by American sculptor Robert Gober is perfectly formed but slightly repulsive. Scattered apples, meticulously crafted in wood are all-American (recalling apple pie or Johnny Appleseed) but suggest that temptations lurk from the earliest days of life.’
____________
Sayap Kebesaran The Concert, 2009
oil, acrylic on canvas
_____________
Louise Bourgeois The Woven Child, 2002
Fabric, wood, glass, and steel
____________
Haris Purnomo Waiting for the signal, 2008–09
‘Continuing the artist’s interest in the dichotomy of good and evil, this work juxtaposes the innocence of infants with tribal symbology and menacing knife blades.’
____________
Andrea Kim Valdez Newborn, 2009 – 2010
3D object
___________
Bie Baert Screaming Infant, 2016
Pencil drawing
___________
Liu Xia Untitled photograph of Liu Xiaobo, 2010
‘Liu Xia’s late husband, dissident Liu Xiaobo, was not allowed to leave China to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. In China his very name remains forbidden. Liu Xiaobo died in custody in July 2017 and Liu Xia was only released from house arrest last year.’
____________
Mat Collishaw Single Nights, 2007
‘Teenaged single mothers photographed with their babies in the style of Georges de la Tour.’
____________
Keith Edmier Beverly & Keith Edmier, 1967
Cast urethane resin and acrylic resin, silicone, acrylic paint, silk, wool, and Lycra fabric, cast silver buttons, nylon tights
*
p.s. Hey. ** David Ehrenstein, Hi. The link didn’t work, but I think I can guess what was at the other end. Thanks. ** Probably, male, Hi. Oh, I see. I guess I’m kind of the opposite? Hm. Let me try to find a pdf of ‘My Loose Thread’. I’ll email it to you if I can find it. Surely I have something like that somewhere. Historically, dark ambient-wise, I like Coil, Nurse with Wound, Popol Vuh, Lustmord, … These days, does Sunn0))) count? Burial, Merzbow, Demdike Stare, and I’m sure a bunch of others. What about you? Lovely day -> night to you. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi. Thanks for thanking Hobart. Oh, Arnold, I don’t know. I find him really charming, and I like him in movies. I disliked him a lot when he was governor of California, but now that he’s virulently anti-Far Right/Trump, I like him a lot more. But, yeah, fascinating guy, that’s for sure. ** Dee Kilroy, Cool. Hobart did good. Nice about the spiders. That’s interesting, yes, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a really colourful, imposing spider here in France. The ‘house’ ones tend to be itsy-bitsy, and, it’s true, kind of gruff and dingy on a very small scale. I’ve never even seen a daddy long legs, which, coming from SoCal where it seems like every bathroom has one ensconced, is very odd. ** Dominik, Hi!!! I’m sure Hobart is smiling. Thanks, yeah, we’ll make it happen with the film whatever it takes, but, yeah, it sure would be nice if the people in charge weren’t dead weight, at best, and a destructive force, at worst. I just looked at my nails, and, yeah, they’re not really pristine, ha ha. But … but … if life was like a Hallmark movie, wouldn’t SCAB and my stuff kind of like … disappear? Or … get us arrested? But, hm, maybe that would be refreshing? Love leaving a newborn baby at your front door and wondering what you would do with it, G. ** Steve Erickson, Very, very nice about the Currents lineup. Dennis Lim is such a great guy and chooser. I’ll watch that Geller video, thank you, as I imagine Hobart will too if they haven’t already. Ah, okay, yeah, then Butler’s reservations make sense. We won’t be able to complete all of that in time for sure, but the goal is to accomplish enough of that to make the unfinished film sufficiently charismatic, I guess. ** Damien Ark, Hi, D. Enjoy Portland. Sure, I’m way down for a post for your book. There’s a chance I’ll be in LA for Halloween in late October and the blog would be on vacation if so, but, even if that’s the case, I’ll launch the post at the soonest opportunity thereafter. Thanks. I’d love a pdf, of course, thanks, man. And/or a physical copy naturally. No, I don’t know ‘Phasmaphobia’, but I’ll find it. I don’t think I can do VR, but here goes nothing. Have fun! ** Cody Goodnight, Hi. It’s very muggy here, but I’m ok otherwise. I have ‘played’ LSD Dream Simulator, and it is big fun. Happy that ‘Tago Mago’ worked its magic on you. ‘Ritual in Transfigured Time’ is one of my favorite films. Cool. Right, they still make ‘Saw’ movies, don’t they? Jeez. And an excellent day to you, sir. ** Bill, Glad you liked it. I tried ‘Sisyphus’. It’s kind of hilarious. Hacker space, ooh, yes, ask. Oops, I’ll see of I can fix that link. Weird. You’re still away, right? What are you doing? What have been some highlights? ** Gray_gary, Hi. Your comment was a beauty, and I’m wondering how you did that. Can you believe I’ve never played Minecraft? Fucking weird. You good, gooder than good? ** Darbyy🐎, You’re back! Hey! Obviously I’d love for you to draw me a picture. Hm, body horror-ish. Okay, I’ll find something and I guess email it to you? Thank you, wow! God, people like the people you describe are the fucking absolute lowest of the fucking lows. Disgusting. Fuck them, and I’m so sorry they’re in your realm. ** Okay. Today you get an entirely self-explanatory post. See you tomorrow.
Now available in North America 
*
Hi!!
Yeah, well, it sounds pretty reasonable – the wish that those in charge of the production were actually FOR the film instead of against it…
Hmmm… Love didn’t really think that one through. The idea of life becoming as one-dimensional as it is in Hallmark movies sounded fun until… Yeah, we’d either disappear or rot in jail, haha. So maybe let’s not go there after all. (I’d say we’d be some kind of underground revolutionaries but… in a Hallmark movie…?)
Wow. Okay. Love sent me a weighty one today! What would I do with a newborn baby? I don’t have or want kids, so I’d be a bit fucked. But maybe some now-dormant parental instinct would kick in, and I’d raise another twisted and weird little freak, haha. Love making every newborn look like the one in the painting of Marlene Dumas from now on, Od.
Hi Dennis,
I had submitted a reply before but I guess your blog wants me to be a minimalist which is an excellent writing exercise for me. I am used writing a lot as a maximalist from in school and university. The painstation reminds me of the old game kids at school played with quarters and pencils. Bloody knuckles.
1. Why did you think you were bisexual in the early 1980s? My gay uncle-family friend thought this about himself and didn’t come out & start dating men until 1986 and safe sex and AIDS were known about and this saved his life. I am like our friends Kevin Killian and Nayland in that I thought I was homosexual/gay but am bisexual. How common is this? I don’t use or like the term queer as it was and still can be a slur. I don’t go to bars or dance clubs as I did enough in my 20s in 1990s 2000s, the bars and dance clubs are boring now, and my liver thanks me.
2. When you saw a therapist were you just dx’d with depression and obsession\compulsion? Or did you take meds? I saw a therapist and it was helpful dealing with friends’ suicides OD’s I was on a low dose of zoloft but it was more helpful for the depression and falling/staying asleep. I don’t take anything now as I am not like my bipolar friends who go into psychosis if not on their meds. Yes the obsession is strong but I tame it by writing, cooking, and reading.
3. I loved Blanchot and the other French writers I wrote about before. I am reading J.K. Hyusmanns, and Gregorie Bouillier’s report on myself right now. I read all types of novels.
Have an excellent week.
John
P.S. your poems that were about mediocracy or mediocrity were the ones about JFK Jr. In school and buying records.
P.P.S.-In her old novel BASTARD OUT OF CAROLINA, Did Dorothy Allison write about the immolation scene based on your horific experience of it? Whatever happened to Bear/Brian from Hawaii that you wrote about in the memoir piece in ugly man? I did search for a woman I very briefly dated and I learned she is married and has seven or eight children. When we dated at 19 she wanted me to get her pregnant which I refused as it was casual dating and we had very little in common and lived far apart. Perhaps I “dodged a bullet”? I am not against children but I didn’t want any or to be a single/co-parent at 19 in college and I am 40 and almost nobody from my generation that I have known for decades has any not even married friends. Actually one ex-friend does he is gay, in a marriage of convenience-family pressure and deep denial/closet issues-and he and his wife foster three children so I guess it works out somehow?
Two men who I dated disappeared rather suddenly and I learned they died, one from a stroke and the other from being diabetic. Neither took care of themselves, didn’t stay on meds, insulin, etc. rest in peace J.K. and R.A.
Funny, I was at this show earlier with quite a few babies:
https://www.taikwun.hk/en/programme/detail/hope-patricia-piccinini/1206
Then I saw the Piccinini piece in today’s post, ha.
It’s a pretty interesting show, definitely a highlight of my trip so far. All that skin and fleshy distortions are totally up my alley, though I’m often not sure what she’s trying to say. There’s a little silicone baby held by a staff person that you can feel (I did, of course). There are a few technically amazing creatures in the video pieces, though I would have recommended a better video consultant in an earlier piece or two.
Otherwise it’s mostly been hanging with my parents. I have a little gig coming up, first time I’m playing away from home since lockdown.
Bill
That Keith Edmier sculpture, here’s the deal… Beverly & Keith Edmier, 1967 was made in 1998 and portrays Edmier’s expectant mother wearing a Chanel suit similar to the one worn by Jackie Kennedy on the day her husband was assassinated. I went to New York in 1999, saw that sculpture (in whatever gallery) and was very moved by it. Maybe the best thing I saw on that particular visit.
Oh not back yet. Well, that seems contradictory, since im here right now, but every time you post about art and I see the words “Polyester resin” “Silicon” or “Fiberglass” I get so excited. Uh yes i’ll still be gone, yesterday though I was drawing for friends I was just wondering if u wanted one. Oh i’ll check for whatever ur sending later tonight, which feels ominous but exciting, whatever it will be! I guess since I’m here today would you mind if I go on a medical conjecture that has been on my mind? You don’t have to read the whole thing, it most likely will be very long, but I like talking about these things.
There is in some way or another a form of connection between neurological disorders and mental ones. There’s no doubt about it, but what really fascinates me is the scale of catapulting connection between the two. Ex: Migraines. Those diagnosed with reoccurring migraines are at risk of being diagnosed with epilepsy. I suffer from my migraines and its kind of funny that when the pain is so bad I start to have “a metal taste” and fear “Oh no please don’t let this be an Ian Curtis moment!” But that’s mostly paranoia because the risk and chance is low, but that being said, most people eventually diagnosed with Seizures usually begin with intense headaches. Now, though the change is slim, yet not unfathomable, depending on the severity of the seizure, brain damage is a possibility. This is where I bring up WWE. Chris Benoit. The guy who murdered his wife, child and killed himself after. Post-mortem, when they analyzed his brain they discovered that the amount of brain damage spanning his career to death was so severe it “compared to an Alzheimer’s patient.” Wrestling is a serious sport that can and inevitably will lead to severe injuries, external and internal. This was around when WWE started taking head injuries more seriously! Though what he did was cruel and unforgivable, it begs the question how much of that brain damage played into the murders? Its worth noting that he did suffer from depression, and that if this brain damage brought on all that turmoil to a superficial level, is there cases where nefarious behaviors can be the result of some form of brain trauma? Something uncontrollable.
When Richard Ramirez was 2 years old a dresser fell on him and then later when he was 6 years old he was hit by a swing and suffered traumatic damage to the prefrontal cortex. There is a lot of interest on just how much of that damage as well as environmental factors played a huge part in the monster he became. uncontrollable anger that results front severe brain trauma.
There’s a common case where someone with schizophrenia is initially diagnosed with Bipolar 2(that is if they don’t have both). Its always intrigued me but I feel there’s a lot more to it than just “lapping symptoms” since they are both mental disorders that affect sense of perception and psychosis. There was a well known schizophrenic coder named Terry David who I think I’ve mentioned, he went homeless and killed himself in front of a train. He had this idea to make a operating system because God told him to. He was actually a quite successful coder in the nineties before showing signs of mania and having psychotic episodes. Initially he was diagnosed with BP 2 and maybe its just me being overanalytical but I swear there HAS to be some interesting meticulous neurological reasoning as to why those two are commonly intermixed. I read a book about an intelligent shizophrenic sociologist who in someway predicted his own inevitable illness but tried fruitlessly to stop it. It was interesting, because he would create protocols and thought experiments as a way to understand his own demise and find a way to intercept it. He ended up homeless too. Dead.
WHEWW. if u read all that wow! I got really into it and forgot I was here haha. Ok see u in one week…or not idk. I still need to count the pros and cons.
oh wow. I wrote a whole thesis haha! Well it will give u alot to think about yes.
Hi, Dennis, thanks, for answer. I like all these artist, especially Coil and Lustmord. Weird: despite on your huge rock references, always when I read your prose, I hear dark ambient in my head. And answering on your question about my favorites… I worship album Oren Ambarchi – Triste. That more sad, experimental ambient, then dark… But sooooo deep and emotional. Listen this album thousand times, when read “Frisk”…. Also, today I found out that two of my classmates recently committed suicide. One threw himself under a train, second hanged himself. Strange, because they always translate cheerful lifestyle in Instagram/Facebook. Have you ever attempted a suicide? Have a nice, lovely day)
Mr.pM–
So sorry to jump in but I wonder if you’d heard of Black Sun Productions? They worked with Coil and if you go to Bandcamp (look under for their “Anarcocks” moniker) they have a lot of really interesting ambient/tech work. I love the mix of their niave vocals and the ambient beauty of their sound.; they’re favorites of mine. They (Massimo and Pierce) met on a porn shoot and worked/lived/loved together for some 10 years, but not anymore, unfortunately.
Try “Time Uncaptured” from their ‘Chemism’ album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HszS2TCjHLw
*** And I really, really love their ‘operettAmorale’ (just fantastic, so wonderful):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5cn6lkMsDI
*** Lastly, the band Uhushuhu’s ‘Light Owls’ album is stunning (also on Bandcamp). Here’s a link to the first track, “It Was Before Silence” (kind of apocalyptically gorgeous/ a fine soundtrack to this year):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwe52tqz2b4
I so hope you are well- ke.
Oh, awesome! Thanks so much Dennis. Ah, cool post. I’ve become a bit of a baby myself the past year… I was brainwashed into abdl… to add to my many weird quirks and fetishes. Not sure if you’ve done a post on that stuff before.
And here’s a song for you.
https://youtu.be/FRuKWy75isA?feature=shared
Mr. Damien–
‘I can get not being a millionaire or a rockstar like in fight club, but living in this generation just feels like an abortion with extra steps.’– from your “Suicide Diary 86-94” (Misery Tourism).
Yup. Kinda sharpish, you really are. Have you read Ballard’s ‘Atrocity Exhibition’? Paul Curran’s ‘Left Hand’ or ‘Generation Apocalypse’? Slocoe’s ‘Cows’? I so recommend all.
May I ask; what’s the new novel like? -ke
“Generation *Bloodbath”
Matthew *Stokoe
ha ha
That’s crazy that it’s just you and Zac, damn, I can see why you’re going a little crazy lol very very impressive though. Hope you can get genius sound guy back on track. Sound is the one aspect of filmmaking that eludes me the most, I just don’t know how these guys do it without spacing out completely at one point or another, true wizardry.
No need to apologize for the poem thingy! And thanks a lot for the zine advice!! Yeah, I’ll see what we can do. Gotta beat out that writerly laziness/hesitancy and just get to work, I guess! Yeah, creating a “scene” is the most important part of it for me, I think. I’m recently meeting so many young talented people that are gravitating to me and my work and most of them just don’t put anything out there cause they don’t see a space for it here, which sucks… There’s a bit of a punk desire in me to get my fellow youth to write lol which at the same time would probably help me feel like less of an outlier/outsider, I guess? Ideal altruism/self-interest balance, lolol. Whatever.
I loved the videogame post yesterday. Excited for Bava day! I like him, especially visually, but am more of an Argento/Fulci guy myself if we’re talking giallo. Apparently they’re re-releasing Kevin Killian’s Argento Series, Thomas (Moore) posted it on Instagram, so exciting. One of my favorite poetry books ever. You know Jean Rollin, right? Another one of this year’s horror obsessions.
Hugs hugs
Hey Dennis,
Just popping by to say hi and catch up with the haps! I’m reading the Cookie Mueller collection and I thought you’d featured it on here before, I was right!
As far as what goes on over here, I’m trying to moderate my boozy vice because my liver needed a rest. That’s been going ok, it’s definitely a different world when I’m I’m sober most of the time but not as bad as I expected! Been writing tons of poems, I’m going to pare down for another collection soon.
Oh hey, I’ve been listening to a convoluted oral history of Sunburned Hand of The Man via Aquarium Drunkard. That’s been fun and I’d recommend it. If you get a chance to answer those interview questions for the new zine that’d be great, I can also resend if necessary. Deadline is Sept. 30 but just a reminder.
Much love from the Pacific Northwest,
-L
Mr. Dennis– Don’t mind me just feel a wave of empathy and cool calm wash over you/// work well today/// go steady (and may your troubles dissolve– “All a dagger can ever be is a ship against the sea, turning to snow…” “Certain Things You Ought to Know”)– /k//e///
Hi Dennis! It’s been a while, how are you? Hope things are going well with the movie and everything else.
Dennis hi! It’s been a while, hope you’re doing well and everything’s going well with Zac and the movie. What’s been going on? —e.