I decided to be an artist when I was 14, but had always wanted to be an artist before then. Here are my works from when I was a kid (perhaps I am a kid still, but...).
This is a journal made by me and two good friends I met at MICA art camp in 2007.
Ethan Pitts, John Thomas and I. It was mailed back and forth for over a year.
Ethan Pitts, John Thomas and I. It was mailed back and forth for over a year.
Some day I will post my childhood art.
I also wish some day to return to the practice of oil painting.
This is a statement I wrote for College (God this makes me laugh):
This is a statement I wrote for College (God this makes me laugh):
Artist's Statement Kjartan Code What do you expect to get from this stupid "statement?" Is it going to give you "insight" into the artist behind the work? Most kids just put a bunch of BS, what they think you want to hear. So what is this really going to achieve? My art is made to make people think. To question their standings, beliefs, tendencies, structures, standards, realities, opinions, and definitions. Like the statement above, my art may shock, offend; it may get me in trouble. I stress the importance of honesty, an open mind, willingness to question and be questioned. I included the following selection to show my strength of thought, skill of craft, and breadth of medium. I will include a description of each selection explaining intent.
For the Love of Money This piece shows a distaste for American life, strengthened through a contrast in life observed during a visit to Europe. In America we live to work, a greed for money. Rising in the corporate ladder. The painting is intended merely as a blunt statement of my view. An icon encaged in a square of florescent off white. And how ironic, a self-portrait. I chose this piece to show my ability to convey a message, and display my skill in oil painting.
In a circular world everything is connected Viewer perceptions. Each piece of the instillation is created to be reminiscent of "things." It is the viewer who is to interpret each "piece" as some functionary or natural object. The viewer's job, to think, to interpret the piece based on how they see it, and come to their own "meaning." I chose this piece to demonstrate my venture into instillation/sculpture and the conceptual intent behind my art.
Suffocation After a break-up with my girl friend, she told me that I, "suffocate people." I didn't really know what she meant, but I thought, "People suffocate me, and I them, but I suffocate myself most of all." I painted self-portrait suffocating myself with a plastic bag. The main intent of this piece was to practice and experiment with oil color for aesthetic purposes.
At the Fair I have included this piece in my portfolio because it demonstrates my eye for composition and subject matter, and represents a large segment of my time devoted to photography.
Link:http://homepages.wmich.edu/~code/kjartan/Code_K_Video_Desire.mov
Desire is the cause of suffering (on separate DVD)
In reaction to American consumerism, I looked at Buddhism, beat/hippie culture, and minimalist art. A central belief of Buddhism is that 'all humanity is suffering, and desire is the cause of suffering'. Desire seems to be the drive of America. Want. Work. Buy. Consume. Want. Work. Buy. Consume. This piece is my third video; I have a strong draw towards video, and could imagine majoring in video.
The sound made by the single crack of a neck Without further instructions my art teacher at MICA told us to draw 20 "sounds" and bring them to class the next day. Once we had done this, we were directed to choose one sound and make it in life size sculpture form, using clay, plaster, and wood. I chose "the sound made by the single crack of a neck." The sound has a deep croak and then a sharp snap or crack at the climax. I encountered some difficulties with my original intentions of a solid wood base and had to settle with a "skeleton base." It was serendipity. The sculpture resembled the action, as well as the sound; a body and a tilted head. Aiding this allusion I added burlap "skin" and a red light "heart." This piece demonstrates my skill in sculpture and handling of assigned art. Still life on Desire and Suffering A still life I organized with the same theme as the video mentioned above, included to show my skill in observational drawing.
Existence = Art To achieve anything in life you have to start somewhere; so why not right now? Make art for art's sake. The intent of the piece was the act of making it. It didn't matter what it was to become. What mattered was that you acted on impulse, did what you wanted. This piece was done with one of my friends Derek. We each assigned a half Derek had the top and I had the bottom. Through thought-bouncing, idea-sharing, we ended up with a two abstract self-portraits: Our personal styles and qualities, our shared similarities and the influence of culture and society. Art is my ambition; my desire. My tormenter. My lover. My confusion. My clarity. Kjartan Code December 4, 2007 Scholastic portfolio essay
This is called "Four Months Left" completed at the peak of my teenage angst.
This was a reaction to my high-school art teacher, I despised.
I took adderall once and.... could not stop drawing these creepy pictures.
