The following is a true story… prose by Ryan Ariano… photos by Borbay…
It’s a disturbing thought, that somewhere in the Idaho high desert lurks a nuclear submarine, carrying the mark of the beast on its fin and the skeletons of Kruschev, Einstein, Oppenheimer, a forgotten city named Arco and a forgotten man named Zinn in its buried gut. For now the devil sub is frozen under moongrass, a small but vital relief for the burger joint standing at its bow. But you never know if, once the city has returned to dust and the vast Idaho winds have unearthed the great hulking corpse, it will set sail through the loam and finally off into the atomic sunset that had been promised here so long ago.
On December 3rd and 4th, from 10AM-5PM, four Teton Valley artists are throwing open their studio doors — and you’re invited! Tis’ the season to studio-hop in Victor, Idaho… and here are the delectable details.
Sometimes… the connection finds you. While researching neon signs, I discovered the Blue Swallow Motel. My attention immediately turned to the swooping bird… reminiscent of Twitter’s logo. Most 140-character-missives dissolve into the collective unconscious… some, as we now know, can change history.
I’ve been wanting to create a piece exploring Anthony Weiner’s pseudonym, ‘Carlos Danger‘, for ages — and the Blue Swallow triggered a memory. I met Weiner back in 2011, just as his first scandal hit the airwaves. Weiner is an ice hockey goalie, for those who don’t know. Clearly, Anthony had his hands full, so the team needed an emergency substitute keeper — not uncommon in beer league.
So there I am, half suited-up and ready to skate — when a distraught Weiner shows up in long baggy basketball shorts and a rather unseemly tank top. He began whining to the captain, who was sitting next to me getting his skates on. Needing the “stress relief”, he pleaded for the crease. I told the captain, “your team, your choice. If I bounce, you need to give me 30 bucks and a six pack.”
Well, the captain paid up, I got undressed and went home. The next day, I received a call, “sorry man, I wish you played, we lost 12-3. I’m trying to get a municipal contract out of him, so you know how it goes.” Even beer league hockey is ruled by politics.
I digress. Here is the dangerous process from start-to-finish captured in time lapse, with a soundtrack courtesy of my man MH the Verb. Read on for the creative process…
At their root, all signs exist to provide information. Some hope to offer a warm welcome. Great signs do way more, they evoke emotion and often memories.
For those of you in the community of people who had the privilege of spending a summer, or more, at Camp Echo Lake in upstate Warrensburg, NY, there are a series of signs that, when seen in sequence, take each and every one of you from happiness to bliss.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jason T. Borbet | +1.646.469.6496 | jason@borbay.com
NEW YORK, NY – October 25, 2016 — Time Out Magazine’s Most Creative New Yorker, Borbay, is returning to Manhattan for the inaugural Accessible Art Fair New York at The National Arts Club. Selected by a star-studded jury, including representatives from Sotheby’s, Gagosian Gallery, Christie’s Collectrium and artnet News — Borbay will exhibit three paintings in his electric, 80% sold-out neon series.
“Manhattan will always hold a special place in my heart. My girls were born in our apartment on East 20th Street, so returning to share my new series in Gramercy Park represents the best kind of reverse commute.”
The Accessible Art Fair New York runs from November 1-25th, with VIP Opening Reception’s on November 1st and 2nd.
In August, I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with local landowner and thespian, Harrison Ford, at the Murie Ranch for the Spirit of Conservation Awards. My contribution was a commissioned, original painting — which was live auctioned by Larry Flynn to benefit the merged Teton Science Schools and Murie Center. Added bonus? Coraline is now a student at Teton Science.
If you’d like to see the entire work come together in one minute… check this time lapse.
Jackson Hole, WY — At 6:00 PM on Wednesday, October 12th at The Center for the Arts — this plate will auction to benefit Community Entry Services (CES) at “The Art of Love,” the first Annual Plate Auction. Tickets are available online and at the door. If you’d like to win this plate, but cannot attend, please email Rebecca with your bid. I will also be available to coordinate remote bids during the auction via text (contact me for details).
In the summer of 2009, I painted the Guggenheim on a 30″X30″ canvas and practically sold it on the street. In 2010, I longed to paint the Gugg once more… but it felt wrong. Opportunistic.
Unless? I wondered… if I made a more serious commitment. And with that, I decided to paint a 30″X30″ Guggenheim, each summer, for 20 years. Today, I’m proud to share Guggenheim #8 — “The Neon Guggenheim”. Fittingly, this painting will debut at The National Arts Club in November, for the Accessible Art Fair.
MH the Verb sent me “Good Morning”, and, well, I couldn’t cut a single beat… so this video is long, strong and down to put the acrylic on. From MH, “‘Good Morning‘ perfectly exemplifies the collaborative style ArtHouse95 is all about. I produced the track featuring live bass from engineer, Dave Humes and layered drums. It’s pure Hip Hop… digging crates for the perfect sample, chopping the jazzy groove, and linking with two of Philadelphia’s most lyrical emcees – Drusef and Mic Stew. We wrote the song during a cloudy studio session a couple years ago while reflecting on our daily grind and ambition as artists. The homie, Kuf Knotz even had to make a guest appearance at the end. Overall, when the beat drops after the intro, you can feel the energy build… I just can’t wait for people to hear what comes next.
Enjoy… and do read on for an unusual painting recap.
Attention Art Collectors… the 32nd annual Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival is coming to the Tetons from September 7-18th, 2016. Will you be in town? If so, I’d like to invite you to my studio in Victor, Idaho for a cup of coffee.
This collage painting commission of Christian Bale as Dr. Michael Burry in ‘The Big Short’ represents a highly collaborative work between yours truly, and collector Thane Stenner. Our 40″X40″ canvas illustrates the thoughts, ideals and predictions of Mr. Stenner… essentially, he played the poet, and I executed his poem — visually.
New Paintings. Works-in-Progress. Insider Art Market Information.
Another newsletter? You got that right. I'll honor and respect your inbox, as if it were my own. I endeavor to share everything happening at Borbay Studios & Gallery. No daily updates. No weekly updates. Simply a message, every month or two... updates on life, creativity, and the journey that began on July 2, 2009. Let's be in touch, as the first leg of my quest reaches completion in 2026. From a studio in my 600-foot Upper East Side apartment living room, to a museum collection. Oh, but friend, that is just the beginning. The road is long, and I am looking for cool, sophisticated company to navigate each challenging turn.
New Paintings. Works-in-Progress. Insider Art Market Information.
Another newsletter? You got that right. I'll honor and respect your inbox, as if it were my own. I endeavor to share everything happening at Borbay Studios & Gallery. No daily updates. No weekly updates. Simply a message, every month or two... updates on life, creativity, and the journey that began on July 2, 2009. Let's be in touch, as the first leg of my quest reaches completion in 2026. From a studio in my 600-foot Upper East Side apartment living room, to a museum collection. Oh, but friend, that is just the beginning. The road is long, and I am looking for cool, sophisticated company to navigate each challenging turn.
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Join me. Let's do this together.