November 15, 2024

Volume 204

I NEED TO LET GO IN ORDER TO GRASP MORE FULLY

As curated by Jonny Alexander

Artist, Imperfect Human

I just moved into a new shared studio space in Mexico City.

It’s in a part I haven’t spent much time in called Centro. It’s the historical downtown and it is a chaotic symphony of people, shops, sounds, smells, vendors, cars, churches, performers, barkers etc. I walk from an apartment I’m renting from a friend about 20 minutes to the studio most days. It’s one of the most alive and continuously bustling places I’ve ever been. In stark contrast to my last studio stint which was in Pioneertown, CA. In that place I would open the back door of the tiny house / studio and there was a silent 300 acres of protected land with nothing human constructed to be seen. I’m curios to see what this change of scenery does to new idea developments.

Not everyday, but most days I can manage, it’s a little hot water with some lemon, about 5-10mins of stretching and straight into 20 minutes of mediation.

I do this first thing out of bed in the morning, when I can. I’m in a new chapter of life without a fixed home base, which is exciting but worry, anxiety and over thinking enjoy creeping into the mind and body in this transitional time and this helps to work with it and settle it. (And if you are thinking, I suck at meditating or I can’t. I think the misconception is that you will sit down and your mind will go blank and if it doesn’t your doing it wrong. But I’ve found its more about watching where your mind goes and catching yourself in these moments and bringing it back to center).

What's been keeping you grounded?

On the mental state, as I mentioned before I work with meditation as often as I can. I also couple that with lectures or talks from people like Ram Dass and others. It helps to keep a center in a world that without fail is always fluctuating and changing. On the physical front, it feels good to be in a city without a car. I am walking or biking everyday and that feels good to have as a base level of activity. Always room for improvement and more structure on all of this.

I’m into this new series of paintings that has been an interesting road thus far. I am dipping back into the human figure in my paintings after about 12 years of not working with it and it has posed exciting thoughts and challenging technical questions. I think I know what thoughts I want to convey but kind of expanding and reinventing my technical approach to how I apply paint to a surface.

WHAT IM ROCKIN THIS WEEK

Been in the Black Shop Tee for running around busy all the way to fitting it up for dinners out on the town. Been in the Off White Shop Tee that was sacrificed to the paint gods, (it’s become my studio working shirt). Lastly been rocking my Double Dipped Cunningham Coat in Bonsai Green. I get compliments and comments on it regularly.

Shop Tee in Organic Cotton

Shop Tee in Organic Cotton

$45.00

Cunningham Coat in Primo Denim

Cunningham Coat in Primo Denim

$199.00

Directors Cap in Winter-blend Wool

Directors Cap in Winter-blend Wool

$65.00

WATCH OUR FILM ABOUT JONNY!

Mike here with a quick interruption but I think you'll appreciate it.

In the early days, Jonny blessed my first ever shaping bay with a mural, he was one of the first ever models for Imperfects and holds the keys to the first ever product collaboration with Imperfects. In short, Jonny is a forever woven in part of the blended fabric that defines us and our journey here at Imperf.

It was only right that when our new HQ in Ocean Beach was finished, we had him come bless it with a mural. A freedom piece representing new beginnings, is what we decided on - and my goodness did it turn out to be powerful.

Watch the film here.

What are you listening to?

Man… I like the playlist to be mood based. Like when I need to get into a certain pocket, you have to have the collection of music that lends to that energy. But in this case that feels limiting to the range of music I have on rotation. So we are starting ambient, calm, and instrumental, to lay a nice relaxing base down. Then we’ll move into some RnB, jazz-like / hip hop feeling and then ramp up to a little dance music and cap it off with a soulful track that’s one of my favorites ever made. It’s a sample platter of some of my musical interests..

Quote of the Week

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Trying to understand can get in the way of understanding”

- JONNY