THE AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION
AMERICAN PHOTO GALA 2007
11-12-07 L.E.S, NYC
Getting out of the cab at an unassuming building I had to check the address on my printout to see if I was at the right place. Normally I don't show up to events just before they start, but in this case I had been invited to cover one of, if not THE Biggest American illustrator gatherings of the year: The American Photography 23 and American Illustration 26 "The Party to Die For" book release party.
After entering the building and getting my PRESS PASS I got the full view of the open hall, and there was no mistaking it. The ancient, lower east side synagogue had been beautifully redressed and bathed in vibrant color.
An imaginary dividing line of food marked the center of the room in the form of three single colored two tiered hors d'oeuvre tables with an insane variety of five star finger foods. COMMENCE NIBBLING!
The large open area in the center had an arched thirty foot ceiling which was lit in a pretty blue. Food lined the middle, while the left and right of the stage were open bars. There was a second floor catwalk that overlooked the crowd with a bar on each side and a lounging area in the middle, good for relaxing and watching the crowds around food and booze stations below.
The left wall of the main level was lined knee to ceiling with photography from the AP-23 book. The spreads were cut out and tiled in rows, with gallery style lighting. The right wall was done up similarly with the AI-26 book's spreads.
Even without close inspection it was still impressive to look at. So much to see, so much to take in. The whole space was an eye candy buffet, add booze and good munchies to the mix and you've created a visual utopia, at least for a few hours until the booze wears off and you remember you have deadlines to get to back in the real world.
Let me just get this out of the way before you start to wonder, no I didn't submit any work into this show. I have done and still do a TON of illustration work ( COJO'S PORTFOLIO ) over the past ten years, and all of these directories, sites, and competitions contact me every year. The reason I'm not in this show or any other illustration show is simple. It's just that the "Illustrator" label doesn't jibe with me and what I do.
I've explained this to some degree on this site before. It comes down to semantics, the title of illustrator. I love doing commercial illustration art work and I'm at the top of my game, but I also love professionally painting, cartooning, blogging, designing, photographing, creative thinking, and writing. Illustrator is just too confining for me. I know it's cost me a lot of work by not advertising myself that way. I do have a professional job description: I'm an ART JUGGERNAUT .
The crowds quickly started to filter in and head immediately for the food. This was impossible to avoid, as the spreads were tremendous.
I have been to one of these parties before, back when I was a student (around 1998). I recalled from the looks on some of the younger illustrators faces the look I must have had at my first AI-AP gala. A lot of the industry heavyweights show up to this event, and I remember it being extremely intimidating. To put it in context, this party is like the Oscars of the magazine art and design world. If this building were to somehow collapsed leaving no survivors, the magazine business would have been crippled.
I hit the bar and stupidly ordered a specialty martini. I have learned long ago that I cannot handle a martini glass if I'm doing anything. Sedentary in a lounge is pretty much the only way I can hold one of these awkward glasses. Of course I immediately spilled most of it over the back of my hand. I quickly swapped it in for white wine in a plastic cup, which would be my drink of choice for the rest of the evening.
Now that I had had some food and was supplied with a beverage, I decided to start mingling and searching out people or names I could recognize.
Illustrator / Parsons Faculty Steven Guarnaccia and Legendary Illustrator / Designer Seymour Chwast .
I spotted Seymour Chwast, co founder of Pushpin Studios wearing a name tag that read "Skippy." He was and is a legend at my Alma mater and I remember he was given a MASTER SERIES AWARD when I was a Junior.
Illustrators Juliette Borda and Jordin Isip chatting by the hors d'oeuvres.
I met Jordin Isip years ago through fellow artist Rich Borge , at one of Rich's legendary parties (I met Rich through Brian Romero ). I was just out of art school back then so it was a much bigger deal to me at the time and Jordin wouldn't recognize me now from Adam.
When I lived on 43rd Street there was a Public Theater down on the corner that had a two story blow up of an illustration Jordin did for them. I think I ran into him at a party or something later when I lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Juliette Borda is a Society of Illustrators silver medal winner.
Andre Joint from DETAILS MAGAZINE.
I met Andre years ago through my bro Datwon Thomas at King Magazine where he AD'd me on a few projects . I've seen him outside of the offices twice (At two Complex Magazine parties). One at Apartment (6-2-03) and one at Coral Room (7-29-03) . Now he's the Art Director at Details. Congrats Andre!
1) Illustrator Scott Bakal 2) Scott Bakal and Cojo "Art Juggernaut. Cojo looks shitfaced but probably not because it was early. Even if Cojo was drinking before he got to the event it doesn't make him a bad person. Pregaming knows no age!
Scott Bakal is one of my friends through FACEBOOK whom I'd never met. He's a really good conceptual illustrator. I look drunk in the photo but actually was only "semi-buzzed" at this point- shitfaced comes later. My left hand was still damp with with martini spill-over, by the time that dried my tonsils were floating.
Scott Bakal's work mounted and printed next to the word ASSHOLE.
When Scott located his piece on the wall he was annoyed that his snowman illustration was paired up with the word ASSHOLE. We assumed it was because of the similar color choices, which could be worse because it makes the snowman look like an asshole. The snowman is supposed to be realizing his future. I told him, "This could be a good thing, people will remember that Asshole snowman." Seriously, how many snowmen do you remember, but Asshole snowmen? Hummmmm. . . I wonder
Illustrator Scott Bakal, Illustrator / Artist Rep Frank Sturges and illustrator David Hollenbach
Frank Sturges knows everyone. This is because he manages a lot of illustrators. He was nice, he asked if I worked for the company, I assume that meant AI-AP. I told him I was there as press for ARTSUCKS.COM, which I was, and he still allowed his picture to be taken. David Hollenbach is one of his artists.
Illustrator and Cartoonist Ward Sutton.
Ward Sutton is a huge fixture of THE VILLAGE VOICE. I doubt there are many Urbanites who haven't seen his cartoon strips. You gotta love Ward's work if you are a New Yorker.
Illustrator Peter de Sève.
Illustrator Cathleen Toelke.
Jeanne Graves of BEST LIFE MAGAZINE and Alison Unterreiner of ESQUIRE MAGAZINE.
Michael Longo from THE BLACK BOOK .
Artists Anita Kunz and Scott Bakal.
Dragos Lemney from THE NEW YORK TIMES.
Photographer Gina LeVay and Mark Shaw, Art Director of VIBE MAGAZINE.
Laura Konrad from W MAGAZINE.
Photographer Will Steacy and Lauren Dub from BROWN HARRIS STEVENS.
Art Director Florian Bachleda.
Illustrators Wesley Bedrosian and Greg Grabowy.
Mark Heflin, event host from AI-AP / DART
Illustrator Christoph Niemann.
Photographer Emilia Houra, Illustrator Antonia Barbano
Artist Rep Dave Tabler from Theispot.
Illustrator / Painter Tim O'Brien and Illustrator / Comic Book Artist Tomer Hanuka.
Randal Gray and his lunch lady illustration.
Illustrator Lara Tomlin.
Illustrator Chris Buzelli.
Alice Alves, Asso AD FORTUNE MAGAZINE
Alice Alves, FORTUNE and Grace Martinez from CONDE NAST.
Alice Alves groping Cojo.
Illustrator Jose Ortega.
Gail Bichler and AJ Rourk from THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE.
Illustrator Emiri (Emily) Suzuki.
Photographer Gavin Thomas and Lee Wilson.
Illustrators Tim Tomkinson, Justin Gabbard, and WIRED.COM art director Carl DeTorres.
The great illustrator / painter Brad Holland, and designer Genevieve Williams.
After the party wrapped, there was an after party at Lit.
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