the3some

Confessions of a Superhero

When I was a kid, I collected Archie comics. Yup, those cheery, wondrous excursions into surburban, middle-America. For someone growing up around the somewhat tame beaches of Sydney, Australia, this window into the girl vs boy fixation of American teenagers — as reflected in the bright eyed adventures of Archie and his crew — bordered on the obsessive. I had garbage bags of them, comic book after comic book piled up and dog eared from repeated reading. Oh, and I had a crush on Betty. But that’s another story altogether. This documentary, Confessions of a Superhero, which chronicles the day to day existence of four faux superheroes panhandling on Hollywood Boulevard, makes me feel a whole lot better about that traumatic day at age sixteen when, convinced I had finally outgrown them, I packed up my entire collection of Archie comics and sold it to a kid down the street. Sigh. I still recall the sense of loss that enveloped me as I handed the bags over in exchange for $50 and a thick wad of football cards. But now I’m grateful for that moment of belated epiphany. Afterall, I could’ve easily ended up sporting a red wig, op shop clothes and flogging fake smiles and hugs on LA’s tackiest strip.

Ben Newman

I’ve always liked the thought of a ‘peoples choice’ award. It means that the masses love you and that’s what counts right? That and winning something. Lucky Ben Newman received the People’s Choice Award at the Bristol Art Show in 2006. You can see why his work appeals — his bold graphic lines and creatures inspired by superheroes and rope swings are strong and instantly recognizable. Read more

Jon Todd solo exhibit in Los Angeles

If ever there was an artist more deserving of critical acclaim, it’s Toronto-based, Jon Todd. I first came across his work a number of years ago at an underground art exhibit at the famed Niagara Bar in New York City: it was a painted skateboard deck. Who would have thought four years later that he would be staging his first solo show in the hotbed of Pop Surrealism. Read more

Fornasetti wallpaper

I am in love with the new Fornasetti collection of wallpapers from Cole and Son. If you’re into Damask patterns, oddities, and a hint of the early surrealists, this wallpaper has your name written all over it. Cole and Son has been around since the 1800s and has become one of the oldest and most respected wallpaper companies in the industry. I’m ready to cover my walls in the new Fornasetti already. Merry Christmas me!

Tifenn Python

I recently came across the work of French illustrator Tifenn Python. She is also showing at the current Young Blood show at New York’s Opera Gallery. What I love about her work is that it has a certain vibe to it that reminds me of some of the great masters like Lautrec and Shiele, which I’ve been drooling over these past weeks. Her work calls focus to the line, encourages simplicity, and bathes our eyes in colour. It also has a certain sense of comfortable melancholy, which feels familiar to me.