After the success of the previously released editions, having sold out of the first 2 and being well on the way with the third, Rossettoink in collaboration with print maker Chris Robertson of La Press Du Chat Perdu(formerly of Moniker Designs)is proud to present to you our Fourth and Fifth editions. “Thumbprint Drawing Number 1″ and the study of “Homo Heidelbergensis” have now been released in Edition numbered 1-100. As both works are owned in private collection these unique reproduction allow individuals of the public a chance to own them. Printed in limited numbers and signed by the artist to ensure authenticity and uniqueness once these silk screened works are gone they are gone. Even if the images where to be released again the format will be changed ensuring the originality of these pieces.

To ensure maximum VALUE to those looking to invest the works have been priced as such.
1-10 120$
11-45 65$
46-100 35$

“Hot Animal” and “De la Montange” previously released sold out editions

How a set of three editions might look on your wall (editions are aprox 19.5 x 25.5 inches

WHILE QUANTITIES LAST we will be offering the last of the “Heaven and Earth” Editions (not shown here due to DOCUMENTATION DIFFICULTIES) as a Bonus to anyone who orders BOTH NEW EDITIONS. NUMBERS are LIMITED and when possible all edition numbers will coincide. Contact me at rossettoink @ gmail.com for more information.

One of the mind blowing things about Facebook is you never know who you will meet, Anand Gupta, friended me about a year ago, after months of contemplation and after seeing he was an artist I added him and my life has been richer with knowledge since. I have made some more friends through his contact and learned about the Porapara Artist Run center which opened its doors in 2004 and has help artist in Bangladesh” with a mission to provide basic logistical, mediation and production support for emerging artists.”

So here with some help from Abu naser Robbi are some questions for Anand

Q/ What type of political and social climate do you live in?

A/ It is a growing economic country call a “developing country”. It is liberal and multicultural, there are 14 different “tribal groups” Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist and other religious people with a good coexistence

Bangladesh is an agricultural country. With some three-fifths of the population engaged in farming. Jute and tea are principal sources of foreign exchange. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups.
Now the Government leads by a 14 party alliance and the prime minister is Shakh Hasina, they are trying to reform the government structure to materialize a dreamy plane for digital Bangladesh.

Their envisionment is For higher GDP growth, investments in both public and private sectors all which will need to be accelerated. The prevailing political and economic stability has greatly encouraged investment in the private sector. The trend of foreign direct investment is very encouraging.

The government is committed to market economy and has been pursuing policies for supporting and encouraging private investment and eliminating unproductive expenditures in the public sector. A number of measures have been taken to strengthen, the planning system and intensify reforms in the financial sector. The present government believe is that wastage of resources is a far greater obstacle to development than inadequacy of resources.

It is common knowledge that many development efforts in the past years turned into exercises in futility because of inefficiency and corruption in high places. Terrorism was allowed to paralyse law and order. Administration was over centralized at the cost of local government institutions. The government has, therefore, decided to decentralize administration in the quickest possible time.

The newly-elected BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party’s level of political will to do so remains undetermined.

Population below poverty line: 35.6% (1995-96 EST.)

Q/ Is there Government aid for people?

A/None

Q/ Are there grant programs for artist?

A/Yes we have some, 1000$ price prize for artists … In some yearly exhibitions, which arranged by Government patronized “Shilpokola Academy”

Q/ What inspired you to become an artist?

A/We had a HQ print poster of “Mona Lisa” in my Childhood, I was inspired by that poster to become an artist

Q/ How does art history as I know it (mostly European based) affect your work?

A/Yes, in our academic and non academic carried a colonial inheritance from Europe. We also have folk tradition on art.
You can find some information about contemporary artists on fineartsbd.

Q/ Name some Artist that inspired you?
A/Rembrandt
Van Gogh
Dali … They r the common of everyone… : )
Jatin Das (India)
Jainul Abedin …
Francis Bacon … basically inspired me …
Sir Eduardo Paolazzi (pop)
Kosuth
Christo When I saw him I thought WOW!!! He is the BOSS!!! I admire him greatly.

Q/ Who are some Bangladeshi artist, both Historical and contemporary that we should know?

A/ Jainul Abedin was the father of art in Bangladesh our art history started with him. Kamrul Hasan, S.M. Sultan ,Aminul Islam also influenced me!!!

Zainul Abedin’s Famine 4 1943

They are the Historical Artists, they were Traditional, major Contemporary artists now are Mahabubur Rahaman ,Taioba Begam Lipi, Abu naser Robii

Mahabubur Rahaman

They are real Contemporary artists because of their diversity in art. They practice in every sector of visual arts as well as performing arts. Also Dhali Al Mamun, Shisir Bhattacharjee,Yasmin Khan,Nilufar Caman. There are also many other young mid career artists doing well with their work and activity in visual arts field such as Ronni Ahamed, Imran Hosain Piplu,Monjur Ahmed,Suva Rafiqul, Sarnali Mitra Rini,Yasmin Jahan Nopur, Lucky Barua, Ripon Saha, Arifujjaman, Palash Vhattacharjee, Rashidul Hasan Sarif, Sarod das, Jainal Abedin, Afsana sarmin Jhuma,

Searching for Missed Mystery of Happiness – Abu Naser Robii from Andang Kelana on Vimeo.

Q/ What is the art market like in Bangladesh, are there lots of Commercial galleries? Is there a Contemporary Art Gallery in the city capital?

A/No there are very few commercial Galleries in Dhaka (Capital city). The Art market is not very organized and it is very hard to survive as a freelance artist in Dhaka and Chittagong .We don’t have any contemporary art gallery or Museums in our Capital or in our other city. Only the Bengal foundation has reached a collection of art about Bengali Artist but most of them are the older artist’s works.

Very few artists do, most are struggling to be involved with artwork 100%. Most others are surviving by some Design job or teaching.

Q/ Do you survive strictly of your artistic endeavors?

A/Oh, I m working as a graphic designer and I’m an Illustrator. We are sustaining on a stormy sea … my 3rd position is craft teacher (Part time).

Anand Gupta’s” Senseless Individualism “

Q/ What are your hopes for arts in the future of Bangladesh?

A/Hope? We are dreaming of a good infrastructure of art market which will help our artistic exploration to march with the world contemporary realm of arts. We wish to be updated and run with the world with our artistic contribution. We shall over come some day…..!!!(as answered by guest Abu naser Robii)

If you would like to learn more about art in Bangladesh and the artist run center follow this link. I think you will find the more we are different, the more we are the same. I was just at the sight and found some really great images of prints from their 2009 print making camp. Check it out. And a special thanks to Abu naser Robii and Anand Gupta for taking the time to answer these questions.

Porapara Artist Space
https://sites.google.com/a/nam.am/porapara/home

for more info on art in Bangladesh
http://www.artisttrekker.com/2009/12/a-brief-history-of-art-in-bangladesh/

Here is an interview with the Artist’s Daughter. I was hoping it would give a clear idea of some of the trials and tribulations of being an independent artist while having to raise a family. I also thought it might give a clear idea of things in my practice as I adjusted through trial and error.As a society we are often enamored by those who those who suffered while creating great works of art. As example the stories of Vincent Van Gogh,Gauguin , Egon Scheile, Modigliani all created MASTERPIECES during their struggle to create one thing we fail to realize is the consequences it might have had on their family. It is something we gladly omit from their legend. You see for along time I was set on being a “starving romantic Artist” and well it worked. Which was great until I had my child. At which point being dedicated to my trade took a lot more gumption and sacrifice than I could have imagined. We rolled through the diversity and my child experienced more poverty than I could have imagined. All the time I believed the sacrifice was for greater gains tomorrow so I continued working, believing it would benefit her and society better than if I just took a “REAL” job. I was hoping that this interview might address some of the realities we went through while I focused on my vision, I was hoping it might give some insight into the fact the only people who were hurt during my sojourn were those I loved.
Regardless of what happened or what we might have endured I just kept working and working trying to make my way through the darkness(and I can realate very well to what Van Gogh says into the linked video clip). Then one day as if by magic life got better than it had been in the entire eight years of her existence. I found a job that would accept me as I was and allow me to work on my practice if I chose, I had always been willing to work my dedication to my practice had warped me and my frustration brought out all my bad traits as often happens when one is in difficult circumstances. Through it all she rolled like a warrior. She kept a positive mental attitude and mostly she believed. I demanded a lot and she continually preformed that includes when we lived without electricity for four months and when asked what she thought of it all… she stated “It was great…kindda like camping” How is that for a PMA. There where periods where I knew her belief started to fade luckily kids are incredibly resilient. So although I was hoping to show some of the difficulties of raising a family as an artist or being raised by an artist, that is not what this video portrays. Please believe me when I state this little girl you see has seen her share of hardships. What I think this ended up showing is what I believed art was about, which is the power of the human spirit and the power to overcome. Which as a father is the best gift you can ever give to a child. Some of the answers you have to be on the inside. Like the time I was teaching a fighting class outside and a weirdo came a little to close to my daughter fer my comfort at which point I responded by tearing of my shirt ala Hulk Hogan and challenging the man to a fight to the death.
So this how my child has responded to growing up with a mad genius as a father. I know we still live WELL BELOW the POVERTY LINE and if I think about it it wasn’t too many months ago she was sleeping on a mat on the floor with the dog, she is still insistent on sleeping with the dog at least they sleep on a nice big bed now. I am also well aware of how RICH OUR LIVES are now.Having gone without makes living with much more bearable having also halted my path of self destruction saves time , money and grief. It’s a true RAGS to RICHES STORY without the riches…. YET. AS fer art I can’t say when I will create next (I guess if you thought about it I am creating right now). I am pretty comfortable with the body of work I have created to this point and right now I am too busy living life. I know in my heart of hearts my legacy will be honored and more importantly I know my daughter has the strength to create her own.

PS (I raised her as a bohemian so when it was time to rebel she would shoot for the straight and narrow.).

here are works and notes I believe give a little more insight into who she is

a note she wrote me her first year of school

Her version of one of my works for an assignment about artists

a note I found in my pocket once

A picture of OUR castle

So over the past couple weeks I had some people ask me where I have been and what I ave been up to. Truth is I thought that once the fall art season started I might be a little more inclined to hit the books, get some drawing done and go see some shows to review. Well although I been invited to a lot of shows and had a far bit of time to do some art I have been occupying my time in other more fulfilling ways. Usually round this time of year I am happy to lock myself away in a dimly lit room spending hours toiling over thoughts ideas and images. This year it just hasn’t happened yet. I guess I am having too much fun working and the majority of the rest of the time I find myself with my daughter or working out. Art just no longer seems to be my priority. no matter how hard I try and make it I am just other places these days. I think alot of it has to do with being BORED of the ART WORLD. Art has ALWAYS had an INSTITUTIONAL side to it. As a matter of fact MOST GREAT ARTISTS and WORKS OF ART were created going against the grain. In the NEW WORLD ORDER though it seems to be something else though. Since 9/11 the art world has become more and more corporate. It’s almost like a cookie cutter formula to success and something I want nothing to do with.

The formula goes like this take some art classes in high school apply to college or university until you get in. Leave your individuality at the door get molded into what THEY SAY ART IS . Graduate with your B.F.A. Take your “MASTERS” apply for the right grants and competitions become a teachers aid if your lucky it will lead to some sortta semi permanent teaching position maybe even ten year. Impress the right people in the right places with the right words and maybe you will be given a show based on whats written on your resume. Regardless of whether you have artistic vision and talent or not.

And that is all fine and DANDY, but after 20 years in the game, the system can pretty much KISS MY ASS because if it was producing works of art that where exhilarating and mind blowing I would be impressed. Unfortunately it is not though. There are only a hand full of artist that end up doing so and in reality they would have created great works regardless. The rest is ALL FILLER based on IDEAS the GREAT ARTISTS had 30 to 150 years ago now with Bells and whistles. It is kindda like the B-side of an album. there might be a couple gems if you are dealing with an uber talented band in general it’s put there to fill space.
The truth of the matter is that more spontaneous and original things happen to me on Sunday night at the bar I work at than most of what I see in the galleries. I might even go so far as to say working at the bar fills me with many of the things I was looking for in the art world. WILD SEX, we got it, STIMULATING CONVERSATIONS on what’s happening in the world, we got it , CREATIVE MINDS, We GOT THEM TOO.
So I guess this goes out to all the “pretty” people AKTING like their work is new, relevant and has something important to say. We seen it, we heard, we are not impressed. it it all looks like you are attempting to make a BRAND. Back in the day we use to call them series. Brands in the creative realm happen organically. you can’t force bad ideas on the populous they will only buy them for so long and even then they know your lieing. A guy like Shepard Fairy got to where he is cause he followed his own vision not because he followed a formula he was told too. So this goes out to the last of the poets and true bohemians we are always free. Your cooperate cookie cutter ideals won’t stop creation regardless of how long you hold us out. here are some words of wisdom and some of my latest drawings from “The Book Of Skulls” both of which have been acquired in to private collections.

OH YEAH and one last thought

I have been a portrait artist since I began my career. It is a SKILL that is absolutely ESSENTIAL for any budding artist. It teaches all the basics needed in composing a good creation: depth, proportion, tone as well as expressiveness through mark making. The best thing about it is ball you need is a mirror. here is a small portion of portraits I have created over the past fifteen years, most of these are owned in private collections.

oil on paper canvas 2010

blue tooth 2009 oil on canvas

Pencil 2003

pen on paper 2005ish

oil on panel 2010

oil on canvass 2009

pencil Drawing 2011

http://rossettoink.com/2011/03/04/rossetto-portraits/

These are works of art I created before it was fashionable to have digital copies of work and upload them on the internet. Maybe at the time it may have been the norm for tech savvy types, in general when you where looking to document your work you kept a portfolio of slides. Created in 1998 and 1999 these works where given to my father the year I moved to Montreal and had been left in storage since. Recently during my fathers latest trip to Canada I asked him if he could send me some works for documentation purpose. I wasn’t sure what to expect as it had been a decade since I flipped through the pages. I had a memory that there where significant works. when the book arrived I was overwhelmed with emotion as not only did I see my history laid out before, I also stepped back through the history of my creations. I was Honored and humbled by the images that greeted me. Honored that I had created such a body of work over so many years ago and humbled because these works represented the beginning. taking a look back on 15 years of work can be striking for anyone. I find myself wondering now what’s next as one chapter closes and now a new one opens. the great thing about letting go sometimes is that suddenly there are endless possibilities. Looking back on these works I can see that these where works created by a boy. As my work has matured the content and reasoning behind my creation has changed. as I look towards middle age I know my work will change again. I know I will keep creating because it is in my nature, what I will create I am unsure of. I never planned my body of work like that. I may have never become as “famous” or as well recognized as I thought I may have by this point. I have become an artist 1000x better than I could ever image. That is a reward in itself and I will always be humbled by the works I created. As I never believed a “dumb kid” like me could have created the body of work I have. All images shown are owned and the property of Luigi Rossetto.

Unfinished Line drawing 99

portrait composition created playing with word drawing

Atlas Shrugged

Pretty Girls and Blue Balls

Totem

When I was a boy and lived in my parents basement I had a ritual, it consisted of lighting candles turning off all the lights and listening to records. I use to listen to the works of great artists and poets and let their imagery take me places I had yet to go. I dreamed of living the experiences they sung about, being the places they had gone, seeing what they had sung and loving who they had loved. Tonight I relived the experience. It just so happened I had been given a a candle, it was raining outside and had been a “somber” day. I was in no mood for the distractions of TV or movie. I guess I wanted my imagination to fly freely. I had a Leonard Cohen album that I hadn’t listened too in sometime. With out thinking I put it on to enjoy some tranquility. As I sat there with my child and dog, I was taken back to that place I had lived in on so many nights before. I was taken on a similar journey I had been taken on before many years ago. This time it was some how backwards. As I listen I remembered the places I had journeyed too and from, I remembered the people I had met, the stories we had “sung” , the things we believed we might be. One side of the record ended I put on the other. I thought of the girl who had introduced me to this album. I wondered where she lived now and where her journey had taken her. I remembered how free she was how she had shown me I too could be free. I remembered the gifts of music we shared, I remember the love. It touched my soul and I wept openly. I was thankful I could give these songs to my child. When the next side of the record was over I found Neil Young’s “Harvest”, It took me to being a little older I remember a drive in the river valley with a guy I barely knew it was the first time I had heard the album. I had lost my lover and my dear friend, as both had moved. I will always remember the yellows and reds that hung on the trees as we rounded the bend. I can see the image clearly to this day. I remember wondering what life experience it would take to write words with such meaning. I remember thinking the guy who was driving me was a true poet, I wonder if he ever filled his books with verse and if he did whether he stopped. The next songs I played where from Janes Addiction, I skipped the ones I would have heard in the club and went straight for the ones who reminded me of an angel I had chased for years. We had loved each other when I think of her now a chill runs down my spine. In truth we had loved each other since we where children. I thought of all the times I had “tried” to be the artist I believed would keep her. Our love affair ended like so many of the songs I had just listened to. Tragedy. Tonight I realized my life’s journey had mirrored the stories I had read and dreamed of from a very young age. I looked back from the present and realized the stories of the lives of the people I had admired where much like mine. I had always thought they lived in mansions and rolled in limousine. When I was young I had never thought about the difficulties of their true life’s journey. The ritual tonight was the same but different instead of going to all the places I wanted to go I went back to all the places I had been. Saddened by the losses I had suffered I was comforted by the knowledge I was the man I had dreamed of and had taken the journey I had believed I had said I would. The road looked far different than I had believed so did the destination. I leave these words of poetry like those who came before me for someone to read on an autumns evening who dreams of things beyond them. There are still places greater than you and I have dreamed. I hope these words prove it.

Before I get into the art of Ghada Amer, I think it’s important to talk about WHY her work is relevant in today’s society. I think it would be most clearly shown if I was to write the word FACIAL, if you think of anything other than a woman being LUXURIOUSLY pampered, then maybe we can agree that our society has a “problem” with Pornography. Now days PORN is so casually accepted it sent to business associates in emails, has apps available for downloads on cell phones and I-Pads and has even managed to find its way into the mainstream society influencing film and advertising. Need proof, ever watched HBO or heard the word pornofied? Many may feel that it’s no big deal porn is so accepted in our society, I think we have to look at it’s great effects on our society though. Its effect has such an impact because it’s so easily accessible to children, in particular young teens. I am not sure when kids in this day and age are first introduced to pornography, my guess is it’s between 11 and 13 having once heard three thirteen year olds talking about THREE-WAYS on my kids school ground. My daughter was 9 the first time she heard the word porn, I thought it would be safe to let her watching mainstream TV, it didn’t mean anything to her, I heard it clearly though and at some point and time it will register. You might say what’s the big if porn is accepted? Too which I might answer it’s no big deal as long as ALL PARTIES’ sexuality involved is being treated with dignity and respect. Which certainly isn’t the case, as porn gets more extreme and more violent more young woman’s sexuality are exploited. Suddenly young women are under the belief the have to take it up the BUM to show a boy you love them or to gain ones attention. (when I was 14 I was happy to find a Penthouse in the woods or basement or get to third base).

First off I think it has to be understood that the line between pornography and erotica is thin and often blurred. Sexuality and curiosity with it has always perplexed humankind, which leads to the confusion of why SOME porn turns us on while other gives us the feeling of looking at a train wreck. The difference is in the syntax as porn becomes more prevalent the fine art of erotica is getting lost.

For more clarification on the subject matter on the root of the words I went to dictionary.com :

pornography: noun, obscene writings, drawings, photographs, or the like, especially those having little or no artistic merit.
erotica: noun literature or art dealing with sexual love.

That NOTED let’s admit we ALL LOVE SEX and we are often CURIOUS about what happens in another’s bedroom. I will be the FIRST to ADMIT that WATCHING a WOMAN MASTURBATE will put a smile on my face and a glowing feeling in loins any day. Watching a couple HUMP can ALSO be a REAL TURN ON. This is natural and may even steam back to the days we were tribal animals and mated freely. I might even go to say that the longing to have more than one sexual partner at one time is natural. It has to go both ways though cause just as a man might dream of being inside more than one woman at once I am pretty sure a woman fantasizes about two men being inside her at the same time. The words associated with both scenarios as well as the consequences are far different which is why one might repress their sexual desires. That is how we propagated to be the most “powerful” species on the planet. It gets confusing when egos are involved, with a woman’s sexual power is about 1000 times more powerful than a man’s especially in a day and age most people prefer to watch TV rather than keep themselves in optimal performance. Which leads to loss of self-esteem and self-confidence which cannot be replaced by ANY AMOUNT of MONEY NOR any technological gadget created on the market. So what do we do look for things that empower us as the beings we are. There is nothing wrong with that! When it comes to making others feel bad about themselves in order to empower ourselves there is a HUGE PROBLEM. Especially when those effected are half the population of our planet.
Which is where the art of Ghadar Amer comes into play, in this day and age long gone are the words of wisdom of Camille Paglia and Naomi Wolfe. MOST modern feminist voices have either been censored or muted to the point of non-audible meanderings. Even artists like Madonna’s statement about sexuality are written off as simple shock value. Besides these days we have far greater things too fear than inequality like terrorists and people eating bath salts. People have too much to lose to freely speak their minds so rather than take a chance saying the wrong thing we all just eat the slops we are severed and hope our actions aren’t seen as stepping out of line. Another reason why the work of this artist is so important is that POWER of her work DOMINATES the VIEWER. MAKING the OBVIOUS even more BLATANT! Through the use of our societies CURRENT VISUAL LANGUAGE, and RECOGNIZED ICONOGRAPHY IMAGES with a melange of young woman masturbating or ENJOYING their SEXUALITY, she crosses the fine line of EROTICA and PORN using PORN EROTICALLY. CONFRONTING the viewer with works that stimulates their senses, while also RESPECTING the subject matter and leaving the viewer wondering…WTF.

These intense “PAINTINGS” and PRINTS, paintings in lose quotes because of many of her large images are contour figure drawings created through an abstract process of embedding COLORED string in a seemly organic way in layers upon layers to create depth and composition on large canvas. A process that could be viewed as anything other than painting. The canvases stand alone without the impact of the much more subtle images that lay within them. These seemingly non-objective compositions create an ELECTRICLY ALIVE ABSTRACT IMAGE with PUNCH long before the viewer distinguishes the story or message that lays within. Colors dance and move the eyes throughout the works before one realizes one is looking at works of figure. Most compositions are hidden and it takes a moment before one is stuck with the erotic elements. Once those elements are discovered the viewer’s sense are melted by the SEDUCTION of the works. One bows down to images sexuality, humbled by the canvases BEAUTY and POWER. Much like if one was confronted by one of these MUSES as a lover. Elegant images of women being sexually pleased, pleasing themselves and others overwhelm the viewer’s senses. Desires rise as the viewer’s senses are erotically stimulated making it even more difficult for the viewer to break away from the canvas. The COMPLEX process in which these works are created further engages the viewer captivating them in a search for understanding how this artist created the work.

Her prints, some of which where created with R.Frakhondeh, are much more intimate and more easily read. With the use ICONOGRAPHY we are all well indoctrinated with, she subtly makes her political statement. Again young women portrayed in various states of ecstasy are used to turn heads. This time they are joined by the Disney princesses such as Snow White, Princess Jasmine and even the Princess of the sea Ariel. As example in the work called “Princesses” the afore mentioned icons are rendered in outlines like one might find in a coloring book. Colors are haphazardly misapplied creating an almost a childlike sense of play. The princesses are accented with the reoccurring image of a partly naked woman. Her breasts and buttocks showing, her hands moving towards her vagina thus creating an unnerve sense. As images we associate with a young girl’s childhood are sexualized by the thought of a young woman touching herself. We are turned on but kindda feel dirty. We internally question at what age does a young a woman start to move away from the ideal of being a princess and start to long to be seen as a sexual being. At what age is their sexuality accept that or in many cases exploited.

This is where the “problem” with pornography lies. As young children have such direct access to “sexuality” many may not understand that much of what is being shown is actually exploitation and accept it as the NORM. Add technology as a tool they may misconstrue as something that can help them unlock their questions and you can have big problem. So the question becomes how do we ensure our children’s sexual journey is a POSITIVE and SAFE one. If we believe the problems that arise will only effect woman we are wrong. Men and boys are already insecure enough about performance without having to be hung like or “go” like porn stars.
These questions are important especially in a day and age where access to porn is as easy as looking up the lyrics of the latest Lady Gaga song. They become even more relevant as the young celebrities our children look up to, often cross the line while in search of their own sexuality. Ghada’s subject matter is HEAVY and TASTEFULLY DONE. Her Images are COMPELLING and CAPTIVATING even without their erotic edge. Most important in her work are the questions that arise while looking at it. They are ones that need to be addressed as a society. Lets’ face it porn is here to stay. What needs to be addressed is how we will let it impact us. Will we allow our children to grow up going from Princesses to Porn Stars? If not what is option? What else we can offer them to help them develop their own sexuality with confidence? I guess in truth it all comes down to instilling our own values. With works such as the images created by artists such as Ghada Amer confronting us we will have to look DEEP within OURSELVES. I KNOW MY ANSWERS to the questions, WHAT ARE YOURS?

This from a series of personal notes I write to close friends and family on Sunday morning. I wasn’t planning on publishing any of these private notes. This is a really nice story I thought I might share with you. Names have been altered for privacy of those involved.

Dear Friends and Family,
Hello Friends and how are you? I am well. For those of you have been reading my letters for sometime you will have noticed a great deal of change in the tone and subject matter of my emails(remember those remorse dark tortured artist email, I revel in thought of them, they were something I am happy to have moved on though) this one is no different and I’ll explain why some of those times in hind sight where the best thing to happen to me later.
So to start the kid is outta school and we have been on vacation. lots of time hanging out at the pool and going on long walks in the neighborhood talking and eating ice cream. I think I wrote to you about the dog that we have been helping I am unsure if I told you the story of Rainbow though. So my boss Bradley “The Boston Storm”, is the guy that EVERYBODY calls when they need a hand. Running a bar in the inner city is just what one might expect. We deal with all sorts of people in all sorts of situations. He gets calls all day everyday to help solve all sorts of people’s problems. Mostly people call to borrow money, cause everybody figures he’s “RICH”, after all he owns a bar right. I kid you not I once paid out 350$ in loans in the first couple hours of one of my shifts (that’s not including people looking to run a tab for drinks and he isn’t charging interest). He is a GOOD HEARTED BLOKE who does what he can to help EVERYBODY get along in our community.(he even fed me and what’s her nuts once long before I worked here). Of course running a bar in the inner city(and I do live in the inner city not a GHETTO but a real tough area of town where you gotta earn respect and be willing to throw down if things get outta hand) you deal with all sorts folks, even some that work on the other side of the law. So of course sometimes you meet people who you might not have thought you would associate with and even end up becoming their friends. You may even come to realize that just because someone is a “criminal” it may not mean that they are a bad person, they may have just grown up with the belief that they had no other option. Such is the case of the owner of the dog.
So low and behold one morning my boss gets a call from his friend “Jimmy”. “Jimmy” is probably one of the nicest most gentle people you could ever meet, there is a certain simplicity about him that would make you guess he is outta place in the modern world and would be better off as a farmer many years ago. So “Jimmy” calls as there has been a major narcotics bust, and due to certain substances he may OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD in his dwelling he has been incarcerated. That isn’t the serious problem the real problem is that “Jimmy’s” dog Yayo was shot in the raid. Of course “Jimmy” has his own problems , his biggest concern though is that his dog has been shot(as far as I know he has no close family and the dog is his only close relation) so with his one phone call (I am assuming they still only give one call) he calls my boss to get his dog. Being the guy my boss is and knowing “Jimmy” has no real family in Montreal he agrees and goes to make sure his friends dog is Ok. Yayo is found shot two times once in the face and once in the paw neither wound is fatal. Of course the dog is hurt and scared “Bradley” takes him to the vet and two days later in he comes into work with wounded dog by his side. Which is where I meet the dog.

First off in all honesty before I meet this dog I was TERRIFIED of PIT-BULLS, When I look into this animals eyes I clearly see the demeanor of his owner, it is a good and gentle animal. he comes hobbling in with a cone round his head and cast on his foot. he even seems kindda happy. All my previous notions of such an animal are instantly broken and the first thing I think of is my kids hopes in being an animal scientist and that even if this dog was a little off it’s kilter that this could be a great project for us to work on together. So the first couple weeks round the bar he’s upstairs in the office. Nobody is really sure what to do with him nor are we really equipped to take care of the dog. Bradley takes sole responsibility keeping the animal away from every one else , cleaning the dog doo , feeding it, giving it’s medicine ect. It’s a lot of work and one more thing he now has to deal with. As the dog gets better he starts to let the dog around the bar more. Everyone is excited and instantly falls in love .

He’s smart, obedient, cute and dare I even say cuddly. So everyone starts to pitch in and take care of the dog. At first he’s upstairs most of the time during or shifts , as he feels more up to it he starts to hang round the bar more. In away he serves a dual purpose part protection cause even injured he still looks pretty tough, and it’s kindda fun to have him round cause he’s pretty happy and go lucky. none the less we still aren’t set up to take care of a dog and only soo much can get done on our shifts.

And that’s when it occurs to me that the solution is one a sane man would scoff at. “Tiffany”(my kid) wants to rehabilitate animals, the is a potentially dangerous creature that needs some extra care. The only REAL way for “Tiffany” to start to learn her trade is to work with this animal, I also think it in the long term it will give here confidence in working with LARGER and SCARIER animals. I mean lets face it there is no use in being an animal scientist unless your going to work with TIGERS or something like that and this is as close as we are going to get. I feel pretty confident too as he still has his cone on his head and cast on his foot. So I ask her how she might feel about working with a dog that got shot by the police. I told her it might be dangerous and that we would have to be REALLY careful cause we had no idea how he may react to things and he might even attack unexpectedly. OF COURSE SHE LOVED THE IDEA and asks me what the dogs name is. I start searching quickly trying to think of something that sounds similar so he might respond and without having to explain meaning of the dogs real name. The first thing that comes to my mind is Rainbow. and so I christen the dog Rainbow, quietly chuckling to myself that here is a big bad ass dog everyone will be scared of named Rainbow, which also kinda goes with his personality. I also hopefully makes people question their judgement about such a dog (there was a Dog Whisper episode with a Chiwawa named Diablo, the owners couldn’t figure out why he was such a terror, the dog whisper ask’em what the expected his name was the devil)
I KNEW that once I made this decision I may very well have to put myself between her in the dog in the very unlikely hood that something went wrong. The whole man vs beast thing sortta turned me on . Soo we had a long talk and made sure we clearly understood some of the possibilities that might happen. We agreed that we could handle what ever happen and that I decided that this could be a very RARE learning opportunity that could set her in a direction for the rest of her life.
So I ask the boss. at first he is a little hesitant worried about what might happen, I tell him we thought about and explained my feelings. he said we could start to help and that maybe we could start by taking him for walks. So that’s what we do and as he gets better our walks get longer. We also start to try different things with him. In general he seems pretty safe. HE REALLY DOESN’T LIKE OTHER DOGS THOUGH. As the days and weeks go by he gets stronger . “Bradley” takes him for his check up and get him another cast . we also get to know dog. he is strong and can be aggressive, in general he’s a pretty sweet beast. and needs some love and care.And so that’s what we give him.

Nights at the bar can be pretty crazy as there can be lots of people and the music can pretty loud. on top of that Rainbow is a super celebrity as every one wants to see this lovable animal whose been shot 2 times. At time the dog is being told what to do by 10 people and although he’s cute he make an awful bar assistant. It’s like working with a land mind stepping round the dog .Things are going good on our walks and my daughter is really enjoying helping take care of the dog. She buys him treats and reads book about training dogs and basic things like that. The better he gets the more he needs. so I keep asking if we can do more. Eventually he comes for a sleep over. We watch “All Dogs Go to Heaven”, “Good Boy” and “Hotel for Dogs” (all of which are some of my kids favorites) We keep working on making him feel more comfortable and making sure he’s loved. He starts to stay over more often as it is convenient for everyone.
So the dog is better he can run on all fours even though he still walks with a limp (his cast is off). He listens better everyday even though he was a great listener to begin with. We have used the training techniques in the book as well as some common sense and he can now walk near another dog without totally going ballistic (he did try to eat another small dog the other day that was my bad though as I wasn’t paying attention when the kid was holding him I booted after the dog. The other dog wasn’t hurt although Rainbow said he had a nice taste lol).
His future with us is up in the air we are both fine with that. When “Jimmy” finishes his “vacation” which could last 2-7 years he may take the dog back. Tiffany asked if we REALLY HAD TO give him back when “Jimmy” got back from “vacation”, I asked her if she wanted to argue with a guy who just got outta “vacation” and she said “NO”! I said SMART KID! All in all it has been a wonderful learning experience. We both learned many tricks about working with animals. Give a dog a tight leash and it will listen and that animals are as much nurture as nature. you can train a dog to be anything you want and Tiffany is now obsessed with “deadly animals” and next she wants to work with a Rottweiler. Anyways he is a great dog and greatly changed our lives. I hope we helped change his when he needed it most. there’s much more to the story already this note is a little long.
Richard
PS ( the best thing that ever happened to me was not achieving my goal of being the most recognized artist in the world!!! We all know that since I was I kid I was obsessed with living like a crazy ROCK star and we all know I sure tried. After reading Ozzy’s book I sure can say I happy I never got to be that excessive or out of control. I’m glad I never had to go to Rehab and glad I got into fitness. I know now that when things work out I’ll be in much better health for it all and that my family will have suffered less. there where some EERIE similarities though between me and Ozzy. He was the class clown and labeled with dyslexia , he always felt he had to show off to make up for feeling stupid and even after he became a mega star. He battled with feelings of insecurity and hence lost himself in drugs and booze. I guess I feel kind lucky the way things worked out)

Alice Cooper was shock rock before anyone ever heard of shock rock. The inside cover of the Album “Killers” released in 1972 helped result in near riots as parents condemned Rock ‘n Roll and burned records like the Gestapo burned books. Often eerie, sometimes controversial almost always thought provoking here’s the godfather doing what he does best. For those of you unfamiliar with any of his work other than what is played on the radio here are some great moments in Alice Cooper History I took the liberty of picking some of his best works. His most well thought out albums in this guys opinion are Love it to Death, Killers, Million Dollars Babies as well as his first theme album Welcome to My Nightmare (and for those who would like to qype I know at first Alice Cooper was the name of the band until he legally changed his name to avoid legalities).

So Here are

Black Juju. This ALONE SHOULD DESTROY ANY PRECONCIVED NOTIONS ONE MIGHT HAVE of WHO and WHAT ALICE COOPER WAS ABOUT!

A hanging scene from the Killers Tour, maybe this is what got those parents undies in a knot!

Under My Wheels, some good old Rock n’ Roll fun

Is it My Body, Always puts me in the MOOD if you know what I mean(nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more)

The Chicken Indecent in Toronto

Welcome to My Nightmare as preformed on the Muppet Show

part one of a Biography which I suggest you follow all the way through if you have the time, as it gives some great insight and stories, like partying with the Doors, freaking people out on LSD and turning into Alice Cooper.

or how bout the autobiographical Ballad of DWIGHT FRY

And if any of this caught your attention The “COOP” can still be be found causing CHAOS in your town. He can still chill your blood and give ya the CREEPY CRAWLIES so I HIGHLY suggest you catch him at a venue near you. You can catch a COPPER sighting HERE.