Ektopia

I first heard about Joe Sorren while reading an interview with the ultra-talented Chris Vrenna, AKA Tweaker. Vrenna has been quoted as saying that his debut album was inspired by Sorrens painting “Elliots Attraction to All Things Uncertain,” so much so that the painting adorns the album cover, which is called The Attraction to All Things Uncertain. It appears that the connection between Vrenna’s music and Sorren’s artwork is so strong that one can’t be without the other and Tweaker’s latest album also has a Sorren painting on the cover. I digress…I’ve just got hold of two of Joe Sorren’s books, In Celebration Of Balance & Opposable Thumbs and When She Was Camera, both published by Murphy Design.

In Celebration Of Balance & Opposable Thumbs, Painting Collection I, is a beautifully catalogued collection of Sorren’s work over a 10 year period. With artwork spanning over such a period there’s no surprise that there’s no single theme within his surreal work. However, music seems to crop up quite a bit throughout his pieces. Pianos, guitars, drums, cello, double bass, mouth organ…even an accordion gets a look in. The fine detail in some of these pieces is incredible. There’s a wonderful painting called “Portrait Of Marie,” where she is seen playing the piano. We see Marie frozen in time as one hand is drawing away from the keys (still half depressed). Drawn out perspective, long neck and arms, being looked over by portraits on the wall. Even in it’s surreal state it’s still kind of like looking at a photograph. I can’t quite work out why. Maybe it’s in those details…the books on the floor, the electrical sockets on the walls. Another thing that’s struck me is that surreal, often contorted, characters within Sorren’s paintings are never really looking falsely happy. They look more like they are stuck in some kind of daydream, just the way normal people look when they don’t know people are watching them, somewhere between sad and neutral. Anyway, there are loads of paintings shown here, whole pieces as well as details within. In Celebration Of Balance & Opposable Thumbs weighs in at 160 pages, with full colour inset on its embossed, cloth covered, hard cover and is a limited edition run of of 3500 copies.

When She Was Camera, Exhibition & Installation, Painting Collection II, is a different kind of book altogether. Sure, they share the same styled textile hardback cover but the extended title tells is that this is a collection of images, drawings and journal notes from the exhibition of the same name held at La Luz de Jesus Gallery in 2004. It’s all about the girl, her camera, her world and how they interact with one another…I think!

While the characters within these paintings share some of the characteristics of his earlier work they appeal a little more…cute I guess. I’m much more attracted to these works because of it; I’m more comfortable viewing them. The camera’s her chance to see the world but sometimes comes between her and what she actually sees.

I’m particularly taken with the drummer pictures (no surprise there!), including When She Saw her Camera See A Drummer In A Tree…what a sublime title. I’m also taken with the painting titled When She Was Camera…is that a Lomo she’s using?! Surely not! Looking at these paintings it’s hard to imagine that Sorren just starts painting, no sketches, nothing. He just starts and sees where the paint and the canvas take him. Inspiring.

With the musical content in his pictures it’s no surprise that he’s not only a painter but also a musician, he’s the drummer in a band called Sparkleface. I wonder if Sorren sees himself as the six armed drummer (who’s playing with five and drinking tea with the other) in the painting titled The Space between. It’s hard to imaging that it’s the same guy playing drums dressed in a bunny suit that paints these pictures (Here’s a band that deserve their own post on Ektopia!). I’ve also found this wonderfully photo of Joe in front of a 40′ x 60′ mural that he painted in Flagstaff, Arizona, that took him 9 months to complete! When She Was Camera weighs in at 72 pages, shares the same styled classy hardcover as Volume I, includes a signed lithograph print of one of Sorren’s finger paintings and has been printed in a limited edition 1,200 copies only.

I’m sure you’ve worked out that I love these two books. Each is quite distinct and equally inspiring. They just leave me wondering when the third book will come out, hopefully in the not too distant future and hopefully another collaboration between Sorren and Murphy Design, what a great combination. Anyways, you can get copies of both books direct from Murphy Design, take a look at the Murphy back catalogue as well, there are some great titles.