Kaboom Collaboration - With Winfred Hawkins

Upcoming fall will be the beginning of my final year at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). I see that a senior show is recommended but not required; at least that's how it is in the Photography department. Nevertheless, I am working towards having a Photography show of the new works I've done this year. There is a twist to the show - instead of a solo show like the occasional type - mine will be with other artists.

This show is called "Kaboom Collaboration".

It consists of me working with other artists, in and outside of school, from students to professionals. The concept is to create a body of work in collaboration with different amazing artists locally and internationally, among the artists and myself. I will be working with 10-15 artists all having their own discipline to throw into the mix. My part will be Photography, and their part will be whatever they would like to do (yet still falling under the selected context). I will try to have at least 20-30 pieces to show by the end of next year, in spring of 2008.

Why all this? I love team work; especially with amazing artists. This is how I play in the art world. Most importantly, it will prepare us (the artists and me) for future experiences when we would need to create art not only by ourselves but with others involved in the same canvas.

It has already begun. I have been working with few of the artists I know at school. Here I have worked with Winfred Hawkins (Graphic Designer/Illustrator/Musician). I took a series of images of the same model dressed up like a soldier; Winfred helped bring the image alive by creating the scene. He added robots and created an atmosphere that gave a sense of surrealism and a mind illusion of two different mediums mixed into one. It acts as a single piece yet holds two artists' talents.

I start off with a quick digital sketch, yes, as you can see it is quite quick. I am not concerned with what I see on paper but more for my hands placing the elements mentally. The finished product is what I am more concerned about. Most would laugh at it; but I just smile, because they have not seen my ink drawings yet.

More in development. As soon as I have them finished they will get published. Until then if you are an artist and would like to work with me on collaboration please send me an email at bytuan@gmail.com