Off The Wall: Complex Selects the Art of the Week

Every week, someone in the art world breaks down the biggest happenings in art and design. This week, Cedar Pasori (@cedar), Complex's Art+Design Editor, gives you the coolest #OFFTHEWALL art you may have missed.

It's hard to stay on top of everything, especially in the vast worlds of art and design. In this week alone, Marina Abramovic did a Reddit AMA, Ai Weiwei defended his copious amounts of Instagram selfies, Vanessa Hudgens painted a serious work of art, and graffiti was found on a 4 train in NYC. Since a lot of the work we feature at Complex Art+Design is "off the wall," in terms of being cool, different, and often on the streets, in your hands, or online instead of in a gallery, we decided to round up the week's treasures in a new form. Catch up before the new week starts.

RELATED: What the Hell Just Happened Last Month? (In Memes)

Off The Wall: Complex Selects the Art of the Week

For some people, Marina Abramovic deserves to be "Artist of the Week" every week. While some are quick to criticize her recent endeavors in mainstream culture—she's making a movie about James Franco's life, she did a performance art piece with Jay Z at Pace Gallery, she announced an art collaboration with Lady Gaga, and she created a Kickstarter to fundraise $600,000 for a new performance art institute in Hudson, NY—one must consider her past. THIS is the artist who sat in the MoMA for 736 hours with any visitors who wanted to see her. THIS is the artist who did performance pieces where she'd eat a raw onion, brush her hair until her head bled, and let visitors point a gun to her head. She's earned her place among the great artists of our time, and what does she do with that status? She spends her money on a place to teach others about her medium, and she's getting the support of other influential celebrities.

This week alone, she was spotted at Robert Wilson's Watermill Center benefit with Lady Gaga, where the two posed on haystacks and ate a body-shaped cake. It's no surprise that they're spending time together, since Gaga announced earlier this month that they'll be collaborating for her forthcoming album, ARTPOP. Will it be for Gaga's VMA performance possibly? We can only hope. Then on Tuesday, Marina did an AMA on Reddit, where she remained open and honest throughout the questions, comments, and ridicule (someone thought asking her if she is a vampire was appropriate, so you know it got real). Shortly after, she shared a hilarious video where she tries (and basically fails) to tell a lightbulb joke. Of course, Marina ends the week with an appearance in Jay Z's "Picasso Baby" video on HBO (airing tonight), filmed earlier this month at Pace Gallery in Chelsea. Jay was inspired by "The Artist is Present" at MoMA, and paid an homage to her while she herself was there. The two swirled on a stage together, at times forehead to forehead, after she took off her belt and shoes to interact with him. It was momentous, and culture will never be the same. Cheers to Marina for owning this week, making strides with her Marina Abramovic Institute, and showing us that even awesome artists can fail at telling jokes, including lightbulb ones.

via

Ai Weiwei continues to create and spread his work, despite being unable to leave China. Since the government deleted his blog, he's uses Twitter and Instagram to stay in touch with his fans. As the guy who recently released a heavy metal album and did a parody of "Gangnam Style," it should be no surprise that he's open, experimental, and...prone to many selfies. Some are goofier than others, but his answer to ARTINFO (above) about why he takes so many is pretty excellent.

via

Some of us are on a "40 Days of Dating" train that cannot be stopped, although in reality, the series itself will stop after the 40th day has been posted. Depending on the outcome, and whether or not well-known designer friends Jessica Walsh and Timothy Goodman decide to keep dating (fyi: they are dating as an experiment for forty days to examine their dating habits and issues in a serious and open manner), many of us will be very sad.

No matter what you think of it, 40 Days of Dating gets a mention because of the stunning artwork they and their friends have made for each day. The intro videos are cool, but the GIFs, coloring, and handwritten type bring an added, intimate tone to the narratives they tell daily about seeing each other and what they're learning. Day 25's GIF corresponds with how Jessica's feeling due to some health issues, but out of context, we've all been there, and this GIF sorta makes an "all falls down" moment come to life in an clever animation.

via

Another Marina moment, but this time by one of our "Funniest Artists to Follow on Twitter," Manny 404 of ArtNotFound. Only three of the body pillow have been made, and he's selling them for $400. Be lonely and rich no more after you spend your cash on a cuddly Marina Abramovic body pillow.

via

I'm still trying to figure out Le Clair Obscur's PU_P3TS, which is definitely the runner-up to Artsy's launch of gallery pages. After all, the only thing that can match a performance art project where dancers' bodies become an augmented nervous system is the coolest art site on the Internet launching pages for galleries, showing their continued dedication to making all of the world's art available to anyone with an Internet connection. How cool is it that you can be ANYWHERE in the world and see OR buy work from a show at a gallery in New York City? It's revolutionary, and it's what makes Artsy continually awesome. I can't wait until more galleries sign on and update their pages, so that I can share the shows that get me excited about art with more and more people.

Also, if you're curious about Le Clair Obscur's project, here's a video from Creator's Project:

Cop Selfies won the week, and you already know it. Even law enforcement wants to sneak a pic of themselves here and there. Think of this Tumblr what you will.

via

Tel Aviv-based Know Hope is considered the Israeli Banksy, and his abstract work carries a minimal style that makes powerful statements about how people identify with their homelands. His art exists on the streets and on canvas and contains found materials like objects, vintage frames, and old papers that explore collective social existence. The show is up at Lazarides Gallery in London from August 2 until August 29.

via

Andrew posted this awesome "Shaun of the Dead" print by the ever-prolific Mondo, which celebrates the theatrical release of World's End.

via

If you want to read an educated opinion about Jay Z's performance art piece/music video taping at Pace Gallery, which contains discussion of the Trayvon Marton trial, Yeezus, and Jay's response to Harry Belafonte in Magna Carta Holy Grail's "Nickels and Dimes," this is what you need to read. Even if you care about none of that, just read it.

via

Bof Arkitekten designed a research station in Antarctica using 134 shipping containers (full disclosure: shipping containers and any way of recycling them or turning them into art are my soft spot). It's so sleek and futuristic that I've include a second image of what it looks like with the southern lights. It's wrapped with an insulating aerodynamic metal skin and can be disassembled. The research station also houses a kitchen, library, and fitness room plus 24 single and double rooms.

via

We don't know who tagged this 4 train that was spotted yesterday in the Bronx yet, but it's a welcomed blast from the past. It was spotted yesterday and photographed by Jose Donneys, and Gothamist theorizes that a European street artist(s) did it. Regardless, it's like time-traveling back to thirty years ago when this type of thing happened more often.

via

Vanessa Hudgens joins a host of unlikely celebrity artists by sharing a painting inspired by (and very closely resembling) Dalí's The Persistence of Memory (1931) with the caption, "Yep. I painted that. #MADskills lol #paintinglounge #brooklynstheshit #dali."

via

While we don't have the images of the photo shoot yet, this cover is ridiculously cute, even with the Japanese type over the picture. There's nothing over-the-top about it, but Cara's the "it"-girl who keeps killing covers and spreads, including this one.

via

Simon de Pury recently confessed his love of Instagram to The Daily Beast, but now I'm the one obsessed with his feed. He Instagrammed Gaga and Marina together at the Watermill Center's event, and right afterward, shared this priceless image of himself hanging out with Rick Ross in the Hamptons, presumably before or after attending Russell Simmons' Art for Life event, where Ross performed. Rick Ross continues to et busy in the art world, and I sure am not complaining.

via

13th Witness Instagrammed a video of 1,000 images with a soundtrack in the background, and even when they move this quickly, it shows how many brilliant photographs he's taken over the course of his career.

The FRANK151 book series continues with a "China" chapter curated by impossibly cool brand/agency/store, CLOT. Contributors for the book include RZA, KAWS, Nigo, Bobby Hundreds, Matthew Williams, Cassette Playa, Michael Dupouy, SSUR, Vashtie Kola, and more. Lucky for you, we're giving one away, and today's the last day you can enter to win it plus the limited edition FRANK x CLOT T-shirt and five older, rare chapters curated by the best of the best.

via

While The Weeknd's "Belong to the World" had more of a narrative, the "Love in the Sky" video is perfectly simple, with just Abel's face to give the emotion and lust of the song. It's especially excellent when you consider that not long ago, the guy didn't even want to show his face at all. You must read our interview with him, because, you know, it's the first one he's ever done.

via