December 11, 2009

Five Questions: Christo & Christina

Five questions to SFMOMA visitors, artists, staff, or guests.

Christo

Christo in the Atrium

Name/ Place of Residence/ Occupation/ Hobby?

My name is Christo. I am information desk attendant at SFMOMA. I’m also a painter. A hobby of mine would be photography.

Do you collect anything?

I’ve noticed a collection of cameras in my apartment. And that just kind of happened. I just like cameras but I don’t consider myself a photographer by trade, it’s just a hobby. Definitely something that will develop into a trade, I just don’t have enough money to buy the equipment.

If you could invite any artist to dinner, who would it be and why?

I would like to have dinner with Kerry James Marshall. He’s a contemporary artist and he’s very interesting regarding [the kinds of] conversations he’s bringing into institutions like SFMOMA. Conversations on race, conversations on class dynamics that normally aren’t said as bluntly as he says it here with the two murals of Visible Means of Support in particular and with his body of work in general.

If you could steal any artwork in the world to have up in your house, what would it be?

It would by Guernica by Picasso. It would definitely be Guernica. I like Guernica because it was artwork that was a reaction to what was happening. I think that is what I try to get in my work. Say, for example, the Spanish Civil War and the atrocities that happened, they didn’t have YouTube, live-leak or any media outlets to show the atrocities of war. This large painting left an emotional residual effect on people and they understood that it was an ugly war, it was a civil war and it was a dictatorship that was horrible. I like the way that it functions. To have a functional piece of art like that, imagine the conversations in your living room with that, right?

What’s your favorite tool?

My favorite tool is a brush. A paint brush, in particular a Japanese paint brush, I love the sumi ink brushes because they hold a lot of water but they have variance, like in life. They have thin lines, thick lines, and everything in between, and you can make it all with one brush. That’s my favorite tool.

———-

Christina

Christina in the Rooftop garden

Name/ Place of residence/ Occupation/ Hobby?

My name is Christina. I live in Boulder, Colorado. I’m a student, I study architecture. I make things, like clothes or bags or food. Books sometimes.

Do you collect anything?

I used to collect no smoking signs from places I visited, but I don’t really do that anymore.

If you could invite any artist to dinner, who would it be and why?

Maybe some of the artists I like I wouldn’t want to invite to dinner. Jhonen Vasquez who is a comic book write and illustrator. He does Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and Invader Zim. Or Takashi Murakami.

If you could steal any artwork in the world to have up in your house, what would it be?

I don’t think that really appeals to me. I don’t think I would do that.

What’s your favorite tool?

Sewing machine.

My scissors. I use them on a daily basis.

Comments (2)

  • Frank Lostaunau says:

    christo…the bombing of guernica was tragic…the genocide of the indigenous people in the southwest was equally tragic…don juan de onate was of basque decent and delighted in chopping off the feet of indians…i remember a guy from acoma who commented that what goes around comes around…guernica is a great painting…maybe a courageous spirit will destroy the giant statue of don juan de onate…it’s another slap in the face

  • Frank Lostaunau says:

    christo…pretty is as pretty does…please no stealing…it’s too hurtful to others…by the way, whatever happened with the effort to hire an american indian curator at the deYoung? is the new board of sups interested in addressing the issue? it’s always a good time to shine a light on the deYoung’s hiring practices…hmmmmmm…?

    if they do have any shows of CA indian art, who qualifies to participate? only artists who are registered and have a tribal affiliation…mixed bloods like myself…DNA proof…criteria?

    i like christina because she wouldn’t steal art…VIVA CHRISTINA! VIVA!

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