Toby in Venice at the 54th Biennale. Photo by Gary Baseman, 2011

Blue White Enlightened Chou Mask, by Gary Baseman at Venice 54th Biennale

Artist Gary Baseman toured the 54th Venice Biennale with his alter-ego Toby, “The keeper of everyone’s dirty little secrets.” Toby, who seduces girls and boys alike with his evil grin and a rather virile tail, was delighted by the maze of canals and overwhelmed by the art that dotted the twisting Venetian streets, cul de sacs, campos and rooftops. Especially interesting to Toby were the street performers, a constant distraction, and the hedonism of a city cramped with dressy art mavens, frolicking girls, tourists and random festivities.

Baseman’s work was exhibited at the Future Pass exhibition, curated by Victoria Lu, Creative Director of Today Art Museum in Beijing, and also in a group show curated by NY gallerist, Jonathan Levine, ‘The Emergence of the Pop Imagist,’ in association with Bonelli ArteContemporanea.

Toby earns a free meal. Gary Baseman with his drawings with the owner at Da' Paolo's in Arsenale.

Gary Baseman in front of his painting at the Future Pass Exhibition at the 54th Venice Biennale, 2011 - Beyond the hills of Creamy goodness acrylic on Canvas 121.92×274.32 Cm 2011

From the exhibition at Future Pass: no2good (Chen Po-liang) - A Fishing Bunny Fiberglass 300×100×185 Cm

Baseman carries Toby with him at all times along with his Enlightened Chou Masks, which he uses on appropriate candidates at every presentable opportunity – at the opening for Future Pass, which was overrun by Cosplay artists in manga outfits who became Baseman’s muses.

Here is Toby scouring Piazza San Marco with his discerning eye, while cute playthings frolic the flooded square:

Mickey reimagined...yet again. Gary Baseman positions Toby comfortably on Mickey Wiagra, artwork by Andre Saraiva, Polyester resin, strattée a structure - skeleton Frame 198×140×125 Cm, 2006

Baseman with a performance artist at Arsenale, Venice.

For more details visit: http://www.future-pass.com

Whether you’re aware of it or not, the vinyl toy movement has been raging on in America since the early 90s. Daniel Zana, a first-time documentary filmmaker, wraps all the various eccentric elements into one and is going to bring it into a full-on assault of your senses in The Vinyl Frontier, the first documentary to take a “comprehensive look at the vinyl toy scene,” including the complex world of vinyl toys and the throngs of fans that love them.

Shot over the course of three-and-a-half years, Zana has conducted on-camera interviews with designers explaining what goes into the toys for collectors who are dying to know, as well as interviewing collectors on what the obsession is. Designers can see, once and for all, the affect their toys have on people’s lives.

Brilliantly shot on location in studios, homes, convention centers, and offices around the country, The Vinyl Frontier is sure to be a favorite in this year’s festival season. Featuring such heavy hitters as Tristan Eaton, Ron English, Gary Baseman, Dalek, Frank Kozik, Tim Biskup, and many more.

SPREAD ArtCulture had time to sit down with Daniel and ask him a few questions.

SPREAD ArtCulture: What do you hope to accomplish with this film? What do you see it doing for the vinyl toy movement?

Daniel Zana: I hope the film will get the idea of vinyl toys out and to the mainstream so they can see it’s its own subculture. I’d also like to establish myself as a filmmaker and I hope it to be a primer on the vinyl toy movement, so if someone is new to it and they want to know more, they’ll check out the film. I hope it serves as an entry point for someone who wants to know more about the vinyl toy movement.

SAC: What interests you about vinyl toys?

DZ: The fact that they’re limited-run and done by artists, as opposed to gigantic, faceless companies, is very interesting to me. The fact that the designs are so fresh and contemporary is also very interesting, and the collectability. Also, the DIY aspect—having people buy a toy and being able to customize it and sculpt it and add to it is incredibly interesting.

SAC: Tell us about the documentary process.

DZ: In terms of my process, I started three years ago and decided to take it upon myself to work on the project and stumbled upon toys and started filming. Contacting artists, writing them and seeing if they would be open to the idea. At the time, there was no other documentary that covered the subject and I wanted to be the first and started interviewing people and compiled thirty interviews, went to comic cons in San Diego and LA, went to studios of artists and got to know them and be involved in the scene. Now I have a finished film that’s ready for festivals.

SAC:Talk about the digital distribution you’re interested in pursuing.

DZ: I’d like to explore sharing this video with the people who’d like to see it. Getting it out to the right people. Perhaps Hulu.

SAC: What is the next step for the vinyl toy movement?

DZ: It’s hard for me to say, but as far as what I can see, it’s going a bit more mainstream and corporate, but I hope for it to maintain its integrity. I see toys by Taco Bell and toys by all these other companies that are sponsoring toy releases, which is all fine and good, as long as it maintains that sort of fresh and unique feel that you get by buying vinyl toys.

The Vinyl Frontier: A Documentary Film Exploring the World of Vinyl Toys

Master of Ceremonies Gary Baseman addressing his captivated audience. Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.

Last Thursday night played host to another superbly cultural—and culinary—event at the Jonathan LeVine Gallery in Chelsea. Gary Baseman, the curator of the gallery’s newest exhibit, True Self, hosted a dinner put on by SPREAD ArtCulture in collaboration with New York’s Supper Club and the American Friends of the Louvre. The evening was sponsored by Domaine de Canton and AriZona Vapor Water. The three-course dinner was preceded with a walk through of the gallery by Baseman, who gave a synopsis of the show’s background, as well as a beautifully choreographed glimpse of each artist who is participating in the show.

Baseman told the group, “In this exhibition, I have invited a group of painters, photographers, and sculptors, to look deep inside themselves and create an image that they feel represents their own passion or obsession. They might imagine themselves as anyone or anything—a wolf, a cupcake, a mermaid, even a skyscraper. I am requesting each artist to create an artwork that represents his or her true self. I am not asking for (nor do I want) a self-portrait. Rather, I’m requesting that the participating artists pick an icon, metaphor, or symbol that they feel represents their true essence.”

The Supper Club of New York’s mission is to “bring together interesting and talented likeminded people in unique places for parties that create an enticing environment to whip up business, meet new friends and set taste buds on the prowl.” They were very adept in creating not only an amiable and intellectual ambiance at the LeVine Gallery, but were able to help set the tone for a night of good dialogue, interpersonal connections, and top-notch culinary formulations. Supper Club representative Dara Levine commented, “The night was really a celebration of all things artistic…. From an orchestrated seating plan to the palate of colors that popped off our plates, to the guided talk by Baseman (who later proceeded to sketch impromptu drawings on our menus), it’s this collaboration of our minds and entertaining that brings these dinners to life.”

For more information on the Supper Club, please visit www.thesupperclubinc.com.

True Self: A Group Exhibition Curated by Gary Baseman

Saturday marked the opening of Gary Baseman’s newest oeuvre, True Self, at Manhattan’s Jonathan LeVine Gallery. The group exhibition brings together the work of 40 artists, including Baseman, Ron English, Boris Hoppek, Eric White, Mark Todd, and others. Baseman left the theme open to encourage individual interpretation and there are no size or medium restrictions, so that each participating artist has complete creative freedom on the subject at hand.

"Temptation" by Gary Baseman

In his own words, Baseman elaborates: “In this exhibition, I have invited a group of painters, photographers, and sculptors, to look deep inside themselves and create an image that they feel represents their own passion or obsession. They might imagine themselves as anyone or anything—a wolf, a cupcake, a mermaid, even a skyscraper. I am requesting each artist to create an artwork that represents his or her true self. I am not asking for (nor do I want) a self-portrait. Rather, I’m requesting that the participating artists pick an icon, metaphor, or symbol that they feel represents their true essence. The desired result is a breaking of boundaries to allow a space and time where we can discover, accept, and love our true selves, feeling nirvana and heaven on earth.”

"Good Grin" by Ron English

Sharing the LeVine Gallery space is Make Room For The Emptiness, a solo exhibition of new works by Philadelphia artist, Jim Houser. Consisting of paintings, sculptures, and a musical score to accompany the exhibition, this is Houser’s third solo show at the gallery.

Make Room For The Emptiness marks a subtle departure in style and sophistication for Houser, resulting in a cleaner, simpler, more mature approach to his installation. For the past several years, his work has been heavily influenced by intense physical and emotional pain due to a congenital health problem and grief suffered from personal tragedy. Honoring the memory of his late wife, while also suffering from health issues, Houser’s work has often been a practice in cathartic meditation, driven by memory and mourning.

"Doses" by Jim Houser

Shepard Fairey says of Houser’s work: “When I think of Jim houser and his art, I’m alway struck by the bond he consistently forges with his audience, the way every work of his shows me a piece of myself while at the same time reflecting his own catharsis. Jim’s paintings and installations span the entire spectrum of human emotion, but he never seems to pass judgment, leaving the bias up to the viewer’s discretion. Being Jim’s friend is synonymous with being a collector of his art – no one is more generous when it comes to requiting the admiration he gets from the people around him. The pieces in my collection all stand out individually, but there’s something about the gestalt of his installations, the way that each compartment melds seamlessly into the integrated whole, that creates an atmosphere of a bigger picture. Maybe that’s just my interpretation of it.”

"The Hit Taker" by Jim Houser

Both shows are running through November 21st.