Wednesday, July 15, 2009

SKID






















if you are in the GTA, you can see SKID for real @ magic pony till august 2, 2009. Walk on by!
"Ghetto" is no longer an appropriate word to use. apparently. (even though I live half a block away from a 'ghetto'). I am now using "SKID" instead.
For example, one of the windows at my house is missing a screen. To prevent annoying flies from coming in to bug me, i put up a SKID screen made out of tutu tulle. It is held by green painter's tape. Now that's SKID!

materials:

pennies

pinnipeds cut out from rescued National Geographics. Pinnipeds are seals. Pinnies and pennies
(accident!)
a rusted can found on road. I rode by it for a few weeks before picking it up. I thought about it alot when I wasn't riding past it. I might need to frame this Self-Portrait.

BOOKS: Sweet Valley Highs (not worth reading), feminist theory texts: The Female Eunuch w/ most horrifying cover art - almost as brutal as the cover of SYBIL, Backlash by Susan Faludi...uh...women and confidence, self-confidence and women. Look. I tried to read these tomes and i AM a feminist but i dont have time to read 300-pages of academia. I'm too busy writing my own book (on these matters). It will be far more accessible. Rest assured.
Black Stallion (obsessed with movie as child. 'In Love' with Kelly Reno who played The Boy), Watership Down (never felt inclined to read this book. saw movie. disturbing and dark) et cetera

I've never been much for sacred cows. I rarely do things i should. Even though there are a hundred shoulds i put on myself daily. & that's plenty enough.

books became small mountains become circus tents with red flags/warning signals.

A Lake: flaxen-haired arian-looking girl/dutch-ess creating protective gate for a hamster (sonic youth album reference). stevie - a real lady! - grows from her head.

a pile of broken toe shoes.

toilet paper rolls

10 comments:

Unknown said...

this is fucking top notch art; very beautiful!!!

kristin said...

this is so beautiful, sonja! i only wish i could be there to see it in person. xo

anabela / fieldguided said...

Friggin' amazing, girl. I especially love the mountains & the tin cans -- makes me think of the stories you told me about cans and the north and it gives me goose bumps a little bit!

Oliver said...

add me to the the list of those with glowing accolades. did you fold every one of those friggin' pages? my god. its lovely. really lovely. congrats.

Jenny said...

yes, i agree. this is beautiful and captivating.
i was just about to ask if that tin can was from canyon city but its not!

Erandi said...

luv it! congrats! is so pretty and great! oh and i adore your book! yes, i'm the mexican girl who bought it :)

donnasuewhite said...

you are so amazing...you never cease to amaze me. the installation itself reminds me of a frozen land / glacier landscape. and i want to live there. gorgeous. SOOOOO PROUD OF U !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you for making your art. it is the best. ♥ donna

Netty said...

I can't even believe how gorgeous this is... and can't believe I'm just missing seeing it in person. Stunning.

Netty said...

i also want to say THANK YOU FOR MAKING ART.

Sonja Ahlers said...

hey thank you ladies and gentlemen. i promise to make more art. and yes, ben, i stole that can from the CANyon City. just kidding.

Enjoy it while you can!

basement studio with monster hiding in the corner

basement studio with monster hiding in the corner

Ahlers

going on about Random Avenue, friends, art (maybe), rock (sometimes), movies, current events, childhood memories & other things like bunnies