Michael Leavitt (artist)

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"Michael Leavitt" redirects here. For Secretary of Health and Human Services, see Michael Leavitt.
Mike Leavitt
(a.k.a. ArtCardMike, Mikey Blue)

Leavitt at work (2006)
Birth name Michael Gipson Leavitt
Born November 4, 1977(1977-11-04)
Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
Field sculpture, painting, installation art, art toys, kitsch, puppetry, stop-motion animation
Movement Conceptual Art, Pop Art, Interactive Art, Urban Art, Low Brow


Mike Leavitt (born November 4, 1977) is a visual artist based in Seattle, WA U.S.A. He is most widely known for his "Art Army" series of hand-made action figure toys depicting visual artists, musicians, and entertainers. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Under the production name Intuition Kitchen Productions [19], Leavitt is responsible for a variety of conceptual art projects and performance artworks. [7][8]

Contents

[edit] History and Education

Mike Leavitt, Budweiser Hydroplane, 1992, balsa wood, glue, acrylic & enamel paint.
Mike Leavitt, Budweiser Hydroplane, 1992, balsa wood, glue, acrylic & enamel paint.
Mike Leavitt, Push Button Performer, 2003 performance.
Mike Leavitt, Push Button Performer, 2003 performance.
Mike Leavitt, Interactive Puppetry, 2001 performance.
Mike Leavitt, Interactive Puppetry, 2001 performance.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Leavitt was influenced by the wood-craft and engineering of Native American, Scandinavian, and industrial manufacturing in the region. As a child he taught himself to build miniature hydroplanes in balsa wood.[9] "My mom had some drawing skills, she started as a graphic designer at Boeing," Leavitt says, "I would have her draw my action figures, and I would watch her draw."[10] Though Leavitt is not considered a "self-taught" artist, his art training was unconventional. He attended one year at The Pratt Institute in New York in 1996-97, [9] took sculpture courses at the University of Washington in 1998-99,[7] and completed a self-designed Bachelor of Arts at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA in 2001.[8] From 1998 to 2004, Leavitt executed a diverse series of conceptual art pieces. "Grandpa's Forest" (1998), "Infinite System" (1998) and "Epiphany" (1998) were large, room-sized installations involving physical audience participation. "Push Button Performer" (2001-2004), "Velcro Clothes" (1999), and "Interactive Puppetry" (2000-2001) were cabaret-style, amateur performances using audience confrontation in public settings. The "Piano Massager" (2001) and "Improv Station" (2001) were designed as interactive objects, with both manual and motorized moving parts.[11] Between 1998 and 2004, Leavitt's studio gradually became a gallery known as The Intuition Kitchen ArtShop in Seattle. If not outdoors or in public, it was at this location that Leavitt arranged the production and promotion of his interactive, conceptual, and performance art. The 'ArtShop' slowly evolved from an exhibition space to a self-produced retail gallery for Leavitt to sell his "product". Originally an installation-type setting related to Claus Oldenburg's "The Store" (1961), the space became more akin to concept of Keith Haring's "PopShop" (1988-2005). Leavitt's 'ArtShop' hosted his first hand-made action figures, sold the majority of his trading cards, and occasionally dealt other examples of his paintings, prints, and small sculpture. This informal venture continued intermittently until the 'ArtShop' closed, and Leavitt began to show his work in retail galleries in 2004.[10][8][9] Since then, Leavitt has continued non-commercial side projects, including plans for large scale public works[12], and political and community activism.[13][14]

[edit] "The Art Army", 2002-current

Mike Leavitt, Vincent Van Gogh, 2005, polymer clay, elastic cord, internal steel armature.
Mike Leavitt, Vincent Van Gogh, 2005, polymer clay, elastic cord, internal steel armature.
Mike Leavitt, Ron English, 2007, polymer clay, elastic cord, internal styrofoam steel armature, mixed media background.
Mike Leavitt, Ron English, 2007, polymer clay, elastic cord, internal styrofoam steel armature, mixed media background.

Though accurately described as action figures, The "Art Army" series is more commonly considered fine art.[15] "These are art toys with a capital 'A'." (Jason Atomic, PIMP Magazine[3]) Since they are not made in plastic or reproduced in multiples, and are only available commercially through fine art galleries, the "toy" definition only describes the figures' engineering. Leavitt says, " 'action figures' are OURS, (they are) particular to the early '80's boom in mainstream toy business that predated the anti-social video game boom' and I like the connotations of the words 'action' and 'figure'- movement and motion, and figurative realism." [3] The articulating, polymer clay, small-scale (3 to 12 inches, 7 to 24 cm tall) figures are assembled with elastic cord, have removable parts and internal armatures, and display in hand-made blister packages, glass domes, and custom diorama-style backgrounds. [16][17][18] Leavitt also carves the articulating action figures in wood, both at the small action figure scale and in a large scale (up to 3 feet, 100 cm tall).[19][20]

"More of a good-natured joke than a stern commentary on the commodification of art" (David Stoesz, Seattle Weekly[16]), the biographic series depict artists in an array of genres. From over 230 figures since 2002, subjects include Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Laurie Anderson, Björk, Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday, Johnny Cash, and Ralph Nader. [10] "The tributes to Leavitt's heroes will do nothing more than put a big dopy grin on your face." (Seattle Magazine [18]) The series also depicts artists in the "low brow" and urban contemporary art movements, including Big Daddy Roth, Robert Williams, Mark Ryden, Shag, Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Lori Earley, Sas Christian, Audrey Kawasaki, Friends With You, Fafi, Barry McGee, Ron English, Shepard Fairey, and Banksy. [4][21][22][23][24][25]

"When it comes to art icons, Michael Leavitt has a deep set of beliefs about who deserves a reserved parking space in the annals of history." (Juxtapoz Magazine[5]) Many of the action figures take on non-human form, as the likeness of the artist is shaped with trademark visual elements in their work. [20][2] Leavitt has said, "I wanted to pay respect to people's work I love, and give them a little taste of their own medicine.[26]" The "enemy" of the "Art Army", "The Man", includes action figure versions of Martha Stewart, Britney Spears, Darth Bush, and the John Tesh, Michael Bolton, Kenny G "3-Headed Monster". "The project is clearly aligned against the forces of imperialism and cultural suckiness, but Leavitt makes his points with a light touch, being too high-spirited and incorrigibly silly to get bogged down in another dreary leftist critique." (David Stoesz, Seattle Weekly [17]) "Leavitt succeeds in art’s most important function — to not only help us recognize and articulate our values, but participate in a dialog that validates them as well. At its best, art connects our best selves with each other, and he has done that... I’m grateful to artists who address the subject of 'What is it about fighting and glorifying fighting and power, anyway?' in a way that gets our minds thinking and lips moving." (Polymer Clay Daily [27])

An "Art Army" story is developed in a short set of movies, stop-motion animated by Leavitt, with the articulating action figures themselves.[28][10][3][17][9] Leavitt also makes custom-tailored action figures as private commissions [29], and as wedding cake toppers that uniquely depict the bride and groom. [30][6]

[edit] Other Recent Works

Mike Leavitt, ArtCards (on view at 2001 Olympia, WA exhibition)
Mike Leavitt, ArtCards (on view at 2001 Olympia, WA exhibition)
Mike Leavitt, Portable Homeless Shelters, 1999, salvaged pallet wood, recycled materials. (at use in Seattle Tent City)
Mike Leavitt, Portable Homeless Shelters, 1999, salvaged pallet wood, recycled materials. (at use in Seattle Tent City)
Mike Leavitt, BumBag BoomBox, 2006, salvaged paper bag, glue, internal styrofoam.
Mike Leavitt, BumBag BoomBox, 2006, salvaged paper bag, glue, internal styrofoam.
Mike Leavitt, Q-Train Penny Place, 2007, acrylic paint, found copper penny.
Mike Leavitt, Q-Train Penny Place, 2007, acrylic paint, found copper penny.

"ArtCards", 2001-2003
Leavitt hand-painted small portraits of famous and lesser-known artists, re-printed in the likes of traditional baseball trading cards.[20] "I had so many ideas- too many ideas- the opposite of writer's block" says Leavitt, "I started doing trading cards of work I had already done, ideas for things I hadn't built, and famous people... my influences, who inspired me." [10] "ArtCard" subjects were drawn from varied genre, similar to the "Art Army", with icons such as Vincent Van Gogh, David Byrne, Bob Ross, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock, Laurie Anderson, Björk, and Michael Jackson. As described by Leavitt, the trading cards were a direct pre-cursor to the 'action figures': "the trading cards... were like singular figures in action. Why not 3-D? Why not an action figure, a toy?"[10] In 4 complete sets of 45 cards each, Leavitt also developed sub-sets such as the "Future Stars" and "Concept Only" cards, representing unknown artists personally familiar to Leavitt and his un-executed ideas for large-scale works, respectively. Printed in limited editions and packaged in wrappers with bubble gum, "Art Cards" were sold personally by Leavitt and exhibited as art objects. [9][4] Leavitt said, "It's a way I created to compare people and what they do across all kinds of different areas." [8]

"Portable Homeless Shelters", 1999-current
3 small, wheeled housing units were built for Seattle area Tent Cities. The first two units, made from salvaged pallet wood, served these Tent Cities for 3 years. The third unit was built in 2001, using vinyl siding scraps salvaged from construction debris. This shelter dismantles completely, with the roof, walls, and floor separating into large, flat, transportable sections. Though designed for domestic dwelling, the units have most often been used for secure storage and nighttime security posts in the Tent Cities. [7][31]

"Hip Hopjects", 2006-current
To-scale editions of 1980's ephemera are made with recycled materials. Items such as a "ghetto blaster", vintage Puma shoe, and the Nike Air Jordan have been rendered in actual scale and size with reconstituted cardboard and brown paper bag. [4]

"Penny Places", 2004-current
Small landscapes are painted onto copper 1-cent pennies "in the style of landscapes hanging in a 1970s suburban rec room" (Regina Hackett, Seattle P-I [32]). In the painted scene, Leavitt attempts to re-create the exact location where the penny was found in public. An impressionist-like technique results from the brushwork, as no magnification is used to execute the miniature paintings.[33][34][35][19]

[edit] Private Collections

Actress Geena Davis
Nike President Mark Parker
New York artist KAWS
New York artist Ron English
Los Angeles collector Long Gone John
San Francisco-based artist Sam Flores

[edit] Exhibitions, Teaching, Awards, and Publications

Leavitt has performed and exhibited work in Brighton Beach U.K., Barcelona, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Austin TX., Denver CO., Portland OR., and Seattle. He has had solo shows in New York City at The Showroom NYC [21], Los Angeles at Copro/Nason Gallery [22], and Seattle at Roq La Rue Gallery [23]. His work has been shown in formal galleries, street festivals, private homes, cafes, restaurants, bars, weddings, the Art-o-Mat art vending machines, and on television. [8][9][30][29] He is an Artist Trust GAP Award winner, teaches long-term art education residencies in primaries schools, and has led numerous art workshops and guest lectures. [8][9] Publications include "Dot Dot Dash" ((c)2006 Die Ghestaltin Verlag. Berlin, Germany) and "Rat Fink's Revenge: The Custom Monster Collection" ((c)2006 Tornado Design. Los Angeles, USA).

[edit] References

  1. ^ Esquivel, K: "Art Attack", TABLET Magazine, November 2002
  2. ^ a b "Mike Leavitt, Young Guns", sleepstodream.blogspot.com[1], November 23, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d Atomic, J: "Art Army", PIMP Magazine, November 2006.
  4. ^ a b c d "Stranger Suggests", The Stranger, December 28, 2006.
  5. ^ a b "ToyBox", Juxtapoz Magazine, March 2007.
  6. ^ a b "Great Art by Michael Leavitt", allthatscool.com[2], February 14, 2006.
  7. ^ a b c Goedde, B: "Evergreen Student Does Something Useful", Real Change Newspaper, January 15, 2000.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Herber, K: "Art Cookin' in the Kitchen", Madrona News, March 2003.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Albert, J: "Watch Out for Darth Bush", South Seattle Star, June 25, 2003.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Nishimoto, G: "Living Artist Are Just as Good as Dead Ones", Vapors Magazine, Fall 2005.
  11. ^ YouTube.com, retrieved December 18, 2007[3]
  12. ^ Leavitt, M: "An Epic New Space", Seattle Times, March 31, 2008 [4]
  13. ^ (Editor): "Power to the Peeps", Seattle Times/P-I Sunday Edition, March 16, 2008.
  14. ^ Leavitt, M: "'Parking Lot' Still Not Respecting Community Concerns", Madrona News, April 1, 2008.
  15. ^ "Art Army by Michael Leavitt", hypediss.com[5], December 13, 2006.
  16. ^ a b Stoesz, D: "The Art Army", Seattle Weekly, November 27, 2002
  17. ^ a b c Stoesz, D: "The Art Army vs. The Man", Seattle Weekly, April 30, 2003.
  18. ^ a b "Editor's Picks", Seattle Magazine, December 2006.
  19. ^ a b "Art Army by Michael Leavitt", gothamist.com[6], June 27, 2007.
  20. ^ a b "Mike Leavitt- Art Army Young Guns", vinylpulse.com[7], November 22, 2007.
  21. ^ "Show Coverage: Art Army Juxta-posers @ Copro/Nason", vinylpulse.com[8], April 23, 2006.
  22. ^ "Art Army Action Figures", oldmanmusings.com[9], April 26, 2006.
  23. ^ "Art Army Action Figures", ozoux.com[10], November 2, 2006.
  24. ^ "Art Army", blogs.walkerart.org[11], November 3, 2006.
  25. ^ "Spring Into Action (Figures)", joshspear.com[12], November 28, 2007.
  26. ^ Geyer, K: "Creative Force", Los Angeles Magazine, August 2006.
  27. ^ "Leavitt's art army", polymerclaydaily.com[13], May 2, 2008.
  28. ^ YouTube.com, retrieved December 18, 2007[14]
  29. ^ a b Corey-Boulet, R: "Mudroom", Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, September 2007.
  30. ^ a b "Editor's Picks", Seattle Bride Magazine, Fall 2007.
  31. ^ YouTube.com, retrieved December 18, 2007[15]
  32. ^ R. Hackett: "Seattle Kitsch and Kink", blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/art[16], January 22, 2008.
  33. ^ Derouchie, D: "Out There", TimeOut New York, June 21, 2007.
  34. ^ "Penny Places", neatorama.com[17], October 5, 2007.
  35. ^ "Money as Art", thethinksithink.blogspot.com[18], October 7, 2007.


[edit] External links