>> HOST: IN THIS EDITION

 

OF ARTWORKS.

 

PUNK STYLE MEETS HAUTE COUTURE.

 

A BALTIMORE ARTIST WHO DEFIES

 

THE EDGE.

 

A PHOTOGRAPHER PERFECTS A LOST

 

CRAFT.

 

AND THE ICONIC ART

 

OF THE SUPERHERO.

 

UP NEXT ON ARTWORKS.

 

CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN MADE

 

BY MARYLAND RELAY,

 

EMPOWERING THOSE WHO ARE DEAF,

 

HARD OF HEARING OR SPEECH

 

DISABLED TO STAY CONNECTED

 

BY PHONE.

 

>> ANNOUNCER: ARTWORKS IS MADE

 

POSSIBLE IN PART BY

 

THE CITIZENS OF BALTIMORE.

 

>> WELCOME TO ARTWORKS!

 

I'M RHEA FEIKIN, YOUR HOST.

 

THIS SHOW OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES

 

OUR SECOND SEASON.

 

WE'RE BRINGING YOU ALL NEW

 

PROFILES OF FASCINATING ARTISTS

 

FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

 

AND FROM

 

THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON AREA.

 

BUT MORE ON THAT LATER.

 

FIRST, THOUGH,

 

I CAN'T WAIT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO

 

MY GUEST CO-HOST, STEVE YASKO,

 

WHO IS THE GENERAL MANAGER

 

OF WTMD PUBLIC RADIO.

 

WELCOME, STEVE!

 

>> STEVE: THANKS RHEA,

 

I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE.

 

>> RHEA: I'M SURE YOU ARE BUT

 

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL YOU FOUND

 

TIME TO GET HERE WITH ALL

 

THAT'S GOING ON.

 

>> STEVE: THAT'S TRUE.

 

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS

 

OF BUILDING AN 8000 SQUARE FOOT

 

STATE OF THE ART BROADCAST

 

FACILITY THAT TOWSON UNIVERSITY

 

HAS SO GRACIOUSLY PUT TOGETHER

 

FOR US.

 

>> RHEA: WELL,

 

YOU CALL IT A BROADCAST FACILITY

 

BUT I UNDERSTAND IT'S GOING

 

TO BE MORE THAN THAT.

 

>> STEVE: WE HAVE A HUGE

 

PERFORMANCE SPACE IN THERE

 

WHERE WE ARE GOING TO HOST ART

 

OPENINGS, CONCERTS,

 

EVEN CHILDREN'S MUSIC EDUCATION

 

CLASSES.

 

ANYTHING WE CAN THINK OF WE'RE

 

GOING TO DO.

 

>> RHEA: IT SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY

 

GREAT.

 

AND WHAT A WELCOME ADDITION TO

 

THE COMMUNITY.

 

>> RHEA: IN THE MEANTIME,

 

WE HAVE AN ECLECTIC GROUP

 

OF ARTISTS FOR YOU TO MEET

 

TODAY,

 

INCLUDING AN ARTIST FROM

 

BALTIMORE.

 

AND OUR FIRST STORY IS SURE

 

TO GRAB WTMD FANS,

 

WOULDN'T YOU SAY, STEVE?

 

>> STEVE: ABSOLUTELY,

 

IT'S ABOUT AN EXHIBIT

 

OF PUNK HIGH FASHION...

 

HIGH FASHION,

 

I REMEMBER HAVING MY SAFETY PINS

 

IN MY JEANS.

 

>> RHEA: DID YOU BRING US

 

A PICTURE OF THAT?

 

>> STEVE: I DON'T THINK THEY FIT

 

ANYMORE.

 

THIS EXHIBIT INCLUDED PUNK

 

STYLES FROM NEW YORK CITY

 

AND LONDON AND IT WAS CALLED

 

"PUNK CHAOS TO COUTURE."

 

>> RHEA: THE EXHIBIT WAS

 

AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM

 

OF ART IN NEW YORK CITY,

 

AND IT CLOSED IN AUGUST,

 

SO IF YOU DIDN'T CATCH IT,

 

THIS MAY BE YOUR ONLY CHANCE

 

TO SEE IT.

 

>> STEVE: IT TURNED OUT TO BE

 

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR

 

COSTUME EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM

 

IN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.

 

LET'S CHECK IT OUT!

 

>> NARRATOR: THE EXHIBITION

 

REALLY FOCUSES ON THE IMPACT

 

OF PUNK ON HIGH FASHION.

 

WE WANTED TO START OFF

 

THE EXHIBITION WITH THE ORIGINS

 

OF PUNK BOTH IN NEW YORK

 

AND IN LONDON,

 

IN A WAY TO CONTEXTUALIZE

 

THE FASHIONS ON DISPLAY.

 

NEW YORK IS REALLY WHERE

 

PUNK ORIGINATED.

 

PATTI SMITH ONCE FAMOUSLY SAID

 

THAT ALL THE ACTION HAPPENED

 

IN THE TOILETS AT CBGB'S.

 

WE HAVE RECREATED THE TOILETS

 

AND PRESENTED IT AS A PERIOD

 

ROOM.

 

PRIMARILY PUNK IN NEW YORK

 

WAS MORE OF A MUSIC PHENOMENON

 

WITH ARTISTIC AND INTELLECTUAL

 

UNDERPINNINGS,

 

WHEREAS PUNK IN LONDON WAS MORE

 

A FASHION MOVEMENT REALLY,

 

AND IT HAD MORE SOCIO-POLITICAL

 

UNDERPINNINGS.

 

IN LONDON,

 

WE'VE RECREATED THE BOUTIQUE

 

430 KINGS ROAD,

 

WHICH WAS A BOUTIQUE THAT

 

WAS CREATED BY MALCOLM MCLAREN

 

AND VIVIENNE WESTWOOD.

 

AND I THINK MORE THAN ANY

 

OTHER DESIGNER IT REALLY

 

WAS VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

 

AND MALCOLM MCLAREN,

 

WHO NOT ONLY CRYSTALLIZED

 

THE LOOK OF PUNK BUT ALSO

 

COMMERCIALIZED IT.

 

I THINK ONE OF THE SORT

 

OF CRITIQUES OF THE CO-OPTION

 

OF PUNK BY HIGH FASHION

 

DESIGNERS IS THE FACT THAT

 

IT'S FOR COMMERCIAL GAIN.

 

BUT PUNK AS ARTICULATED BY

 

MCLAREN AND WESTWOOD,

 

IT VERY MUCH WAS A COMMERCIAL

 

ENTERPRISE.

 

BRIDGING "THE TALE OF TWO

 

CITIES" IS A ROOM CALLED

 

"CLOTHES FOR HEROES",

 

AND "CLOTHES FOR HEROES"

 

WAS A SLOGAN UNDER WHICH

 

MCLAREN AND WESTWOOD MARKETED

 

THEIR FASHIONS, THEIR CLOTHES.

 

WHAT WE'VE DONE IS ACTUALLY

 

JUXTAPOSE ORIGINAL PUNK FASHIONS

 

BY MCLAREN AND WESTWOOD

 

WITH CONTEMPORARY DESIGNERS

 

LIKE CHRISTOPHER BAILEY

 

FOR BURBERRY.

 

RODARTE...

 

REALLY TO SHOW THE SORT

 

OF ENDURING IMPACT OF MCLAREN

 

AND WESTWOOD'S PUNK AESTHETIC.

 

AFTER YOU GO THROUGH

 

"CLOTHES FOR HEROES",

 

THE REMAINING SECTIONS

 

OF THE EXHIBITION ARE REALLY

 

FOCUSING ON HIGH FASHION.

 

AND TO ME I THINK THE GREATEST

 

AND MOST ENDURING LEGACY

 

OF THE PUNK AESTHETIC

 

IS THE IDEA OF DO-IT-YOURSELF.

 

THERE'S FOUR MANIFESTATIONS

 

OF DO-IT-YOURSELF AS ORIGINALLY

 

ARTICULATED BY PUNKS

 

IN THE MID-70'S: THE GALLERY

 

"HARDWARE" FOCUSES ON PERHAPS

 

THE MOST OBVIOUS AND THE MOST

 

FORMALISTIC ASPECTS

 

OF DO-IT-YOURSELF,

 

WHICH IS THE SORT OF HARDWARE

 

PUNKS USED TO IMBUE THEIR

 

CLOTHING WITH AN AESTHETIC

 

OF VIOLENCE AND ANARCHY AND EVEN

 

CRUELTY.

 

SO PIECES LIKE STUDS

 

OR SAFETY PINS OR CHAINS

 

OR ZIPPERS.

 

THESE ARE PERHAPS THE MOST

 

OBVIOUS MOST GO-TO ASPECTS

 

OF PUNK FASHION THAT DESIGNERS

 

HAVE APPROPRIATED-DESIGNERS

 

LIKE VERSACE.

 

BUT IT ALSO HAS GARMENTS

 

BY ZANDRA RHODES AND DATED

 

TO 1977 FROM THE COLLECTION

 

CALLED "THE CONCEPTUAL CHIC

 

COLLECTION" AND THAT REALLY

 

WAS THE FIRST TIME

 

THAT A DESIGNER CO-OPTED

 

THE PUNK AESTHETIC FOR HIGH

 

FASHION.

 

THE NEXT GALLERY IS "BRICOLAGE"

 

AND "BRICOLAGE" REFERENCES

 

THE FOUND OBJECTS THAT PUNKS

 

OFTEN WOULD INCORPORATE

 

INTO THE CLOTHING PRIMARILY AS,

 

REALLY,

 

A CRITIQUE ON THE IDEA

 

OF GOOD TASTE,

 

AND ALSO ASPECTS OF CONSUMERISM.

 

AND PUNKS OFTEN WOULD CO-OPT

 

OBJECTS FROM THE BASEST

 

OF CONTEXTS AND THEY WOULD

 

INCORPORATE THOSE INTO

 

THE CLOTHING REALLY

 

AS A MANIFESTATION

 

OR A CHALLENGE TO WHAT WE MEAN

 

GOOD TASTE AND BAD TASTE.

 

I THINK ONE OF THE HEROES

 

OF THAT GALLERY

 

IS MARTIN MARGIELA.

 

MARTIN MARGIELA'S KNOWN

 

FOR INCORPORATING FOUND OBJECTS

 

INTO HIS CLOTHING.

 

SO WE HAVE WAISTCOATS MADE

 

OUT OF BROKEN CERAMIC DISHES

 

AND HELD TOGETHER WITH WIRE.

 

AND IN THE CENTER OF THAT

 

GALLERY WE HAVE SOME

 

EXTRAORDINARY DRESSES BY

 

THE DESIGNER GARETH PUGH,

 

WHICH ARE ENTIRELY MADE

 

OF GARBAGE BAGS THAT HE SHREDDED

 

TO LOOK LIKE FEATHERS AND FUR.

 

THE THIRD GALLERY AFTER

 

"BRICOLAGE" IS A GALLERY CALLED

 

"GRAFFITI",

 

AND "GRAFFITI" IS SIMILAR

 

TO HARDWARE IN THE FACT THAT

 

IT'S A VERY SELF-EVIDENT

 

EXPRESSION OF DO-IT-YOURSELF.

 

IT REFERENCES THE SLOGANS

 

AND THE STENCILING

 

AND THE DIFFERENT TYPES

 

OF "GRAFFITI" THAT PUNKS WOULD

 

USE AS A WAY OF CHALLENGING

 

THE ESTABLISHMENT,

 

AS CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.

 

I THINK ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS

 

IS PERHAPS A DRESS

 

BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN.

 

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT

 

GALLERY WE HAVE FOUR BALL GOWNS

 

BY DOLCE AND GABBANA.

 

AND THEN THE FINAL GALLERY

 

IS CALLED "DESTROY",

 

AND "DESTROY" LOOKS AT I THINK

 

PERHAPS WHAT IS THE MOST

 

ENDURING LEGACY OF THE DIY

 

AESTHETIC ON HIGH FASHION,

 

WHICH IS THE IDEA

 

OF DECONSTRUCTIONISM

 

AND REFERENCES THE RIPS,

 

TEARS, AND SLASHES,

 

THAT PUNKS WOULD INCORPORATE

 

INTO THEIR CLOTHING,

 

REALLY SYMBOLS OF URBAN

 

DERELICTION AND URBAN

 

DESTITUTION.

 

I THINK THE HERO OF THAT GALLERY

 

IS PROBABLY REI KAWAKUBO.

 

AND I THINK PROBABLY MORE THAN

 

ANY OTHER DESIGNER REI HAS TAKEN

 

ON THE MANTLE OF PUNK.

 

SHE LOOKS AT PUNK ALMOST

 

AS AN INTELLECTUAL PARADIGM.

 

SHE'S CONTINUED THE IDEA

 

OF RIPS AND TEARS INTO

 

HER FASHIONS,

 

BUT SHE GOES MANY STEPS FURTHER

 

IN DECONSTRUCTIONISM,

 

WHERE SHE IN A WAY CHALLENGES

 

THE FORMER LOGIC OF CLOTHING

 

BY HAVING JACKETS MORPHING

 

INTO SKIRTS,

 

SKIRTS MORPHING INTO JACKETS

 

WITH ARMS PROTRUDING

 

ON THE SKIRT.

 

SO HER CLOTHES NOT ONLY TAKE

 

ON THE PUNK TACTICS OF SHOCK

 

AND PROVOCATION,

 

BUT CONTINUE THE LANGUAGE

 

OF PUNK INTO A 21ST CENTURY

 

IDIOM.

 

I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING

 

IS THERE SEEMS TO BE

 

A DISJUNCTURE BETWEEN THE IDEA

 

OF HAUTE COUTURE AND PUNK.

 

BUT I THINK BOTH VERY MUCH

 

FOCUSED ON THE CONCEPTS

 

OF INDIVIDUALITY AND CONCEPTS

 

OF NOVELTY AND I THINK THAT,

 

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY SHARE

 

VERY MUCH IN COMMON.

 

I THINK WHAT WAS INTERESTING

 

ABOUT PUNKS IS THAT THEY DID

 

CHALLENGE THESE VERY NORMATIVE

 

CONVENTIONS OF BEAUTY

 

AND FASHION.

 

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SEEING

 

THAT ON THE STREET,

 

AND WHERE YOU REALLY ARE SEEING

 

IT IS THE RUNWAY.

 

SO IN THAT RESPECT,

 

HIGH FASHION HAS COMPLETELY

 

OVERTAKEN PUNK IN TERMS OF THIS

 

ARENA IN WHICH INDIVIDUALISM,

 

IN WHICH CREATIVITY,

 

IN WHICH ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

 

IS CELEBRATED ABOVE THE IDEA

 

OF JUST THE STATUS QUO.

 

>> RHEA: WELL,

 

I'M NOT SURE PUNK IS MY STYLE

 

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A DEFINEABLE

 

STYLE!

 

I THINK AS LONG AS ROCK & ROLL

 

IS ABOUT REBELLION,

 

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN

 

CLOTHES AS WELL.

 

>> STEVE: THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE

 

RHEA.

 

AND I'M SURE YOU'VE LIVED

 

THROUGH FELLS POINT IN THE 70'S

 

AND I'M SURE YOU USED GLUE

 

TO SPIKE UP THAT BEAUTIFUL HAIR

 

OF YOURS.

 

>> RHEA: COULD WE TALK ABOUT

 

SOMETHING ELSE?

 

>> STEVE: SURE.

 

>> RHEA: TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT

 

THIS EXHIBIT,

 

VISIT METMUSEUM.ORG.

 

>> RHEA: OUR NEXT ARTIST HALES

 

FROM BALTIMORE AND LAST SPRING

 

HE WON A PRESTIGIOUS $25,000

 

BAKER ARTIST AWARD.

 

JONATHAN LATIANO IS AN

 

INSTALLATION ARTIST CREATING

 

MOTION AND VERVE WITH SALT,

 

STEEL, GLASS,

 

AND THE FLEETING MOMENT.

 

>> STEVE: MANY OF LATIANO'S

 

WORKS EXIST ONLY TEMPORARILY

 

THEY'RE DESIGNED TO VANISH AFTER

 

THE EXHIBIT.

 

SO TAKE A GOOD LOOK....

 

>> JONATHAN LATIANO: THEY TALK

 

ABOUT THIS THING IN SCULPTURE

 

WHERE SCULPTURE ENDS

 

AT THE FLOOR.

 

HOW DO YOU MAKE SOMEONE

 

HYPER AWARE OF THE SPACE AROUND

 

THEM SO THAT YOU BEGIN TO TALK

 

ABOUT HOW IT DOESN'T END

 

AT THE FLOOR?

 

MAYBE IT CONTINUES.

 

INSTALLATION ART IS SCULPTURE

 

THAT YOU CAN WALK INTO.

 

IT'S AN IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENT.

 

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE

 

YOU HAPPEN UPON IT,

 

AND THEN YOU'RE INSIDE IT.

 

I REALLY DO HAVE THINGS EMERGING

 

OUT OF WALLS AND CEILINGS

 

AND FLOORS.

 

THINGS EXPLODING OUT,

 

KIND OF LIKE ORGANIZED CHAOS.

 

I LIKE THIS KIND OF PAIRING

 

OF ART AND SCIENCE,

 

SPECIFICALLY FIELDS OF SCIENCE

 

THAT DEAL WITH FIELDS OF LARGE

 

EXPANSES OF TIME.

 

SO, GEOLOGY IS A HUGE ONE.

 

EVOLUTION. EXTINCTION.

 

I'M DEALING WITH THESE REALLY

 

IMPORTANT THINGS THAT

 

ARE HAPPENING IN SCIENCE

 

OF THE DAY.

 

IT HAPPENS TO BE VERY DARK.

 

BUT IT'S NOT SO MUCH AS ME

 

BEING AN ACTIVIST AS ME TRYING

 

TO CAPTURE THOSE REALLY SAD

 

MOMENTS,

 

THOSE REALLY SAD AND EPHEMERAL

 

MOMENTS THAT ARE GOING ON

 

IN THE WORLD AROUND US.

 

I'M ATTRACTED TO SALT,

 

WHICH SHOWS UP IN SO MUCH

 

OF MY WORK.

 

I USE TABLE SALT,

 

JUST REGULAR TABLE SALT,

 

BECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY REFINED.

 

AS IT EVAPORATES,

 

THE SALT BEGINS TO REBOND,

 

AND IT BEGINS TO FORM THESE

 

REALLY BEAUTIFUL INTRICATE

 

PATTERNS,

 

SO IT'S PHYSICALLY GROWING,

 

EVEN IF IT'S JUST BY HALF

 

A MILLIMETER.

 

MIRRORS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

 

TO ME.

 

WHEN THE VIEWER SEES THEMSELVES

 

IN THE WORK,

 

THEY BECOME VERY HYPER AWARE

 

OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO IT.

 

THERE'S ALSO THIS IDEA

 

OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE SKY

 

BEING SUCH AN IMPORTANT VISUAL

 

ELEMENT,

 

BECAUSE I'M TAKING THAT

 

AND SHOVING IT DOWN,

 

SCRUNCHING IT UP INTO

 

THE GROUND.

 

DURING THE DAY IT WAS REALLY

 

BRIGHT.

 

IF IT WAS CLOUDY IT BECAME

 

THIS REALLY GRAY PIECE.

 

AT SUNSET IT WOULD BE THIS NICE

 

COOL PINK ON THE INSIDE.

 

AND THEN AT NIGHT,

 

WHICH ENDED UP BEING MY FAVORITE

 

TIME WITH THE WORK,

 

IT WAS JUST THIS BLACK ROCK.

 

SO AGAIN,

 

IT'S THIS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN

 

THESE REALLY EARTHY MATERIALS

 

VERSUS THESE REALLY ARTIFICIAL

 

MATERIALS.

 

PLASTICS AND RESINS

 

AND STYROFOAMS,

 

THESE THINGS THAT HAVE

 

A HALF LIFE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS

 

OF YEARS BEFORE THEY BEGIN

 

TO DECOMPOSE.

 

BECAUSE EVEN THE ARTIFICIAL

 

MATERIALS ARE BEAUTIFUL.

 

THEY'RE STAGGERINGLY BEAUTIFUL.

 

SO MANY THINGS IN OUR ECOSYSTEM

 

ARE COLLAPSING RIGHT NOW.

 

AND THEY WILL BE GONE.

 

WHEN SOMETHING IS EXTINCT,

 

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

 

MOST OF MY WORK HAS THIS

 

LIFECYCLE.

 

IT'LL EXIST FOR TWO WEEKS

 

OR A MONTH.

 

ONCE I DEINSTALL IT,

 

IT WILL NOT BE SHOWN AGAIN.

 

WHETHER THE VIEWER LIKES

 

THIS PIECE, OR DISLIKES IT,

 

OR THEY AGREE WITH IT

 

OR THEY HATE IT,

 

IT ONLY EXISTS JUST FOR THIS

 

MOMENT.

 

THERE IS SO MUCH BEAUTY IN THAT

 

FLEETING MOMENT.

 

>> RHEA: YOU KNOW,

 

I INTERVIEWED JONATHAN LATIANO

 

AND HE'S AMAZINGLY CEREBRAL

 

FOR SOMEONE WHO'S SO YOUNG

 

AND WHOSE WORK IS SO VISUALLY

 

ENTICING.

 

AND WHAT I LIKED MOST I THINK

 

IS THAT GLOWING SALTY TEXTURE.

 

>> STEVE: YEAH. I'M JUST TOTALLY

 

SHOCKED THAT HE COULD MAKE

 

SOMETHING SO INTRICATE OUT

 

OF SOMETHING SIMPLE AS SALT.

 

>> RHEA: HE IS REALLY TALENTED

 

AND SO SMART.

 

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS

 

AND MANY OTHER ARTISTS

 

AT THE BAKER ARTIST AWARDS

 

ONLINE GALLERY:

 

BAKERARTISTAWARDS.ORG.

 

AND YOU CAN SEE SOME

 

OF JONATHAN LATIANO'S

 

INSTALLATIONS AT THE BMA'S

 

BAKER ARTIST AWARD EXHIBIT

 

IN FEBRUARY.

 

WE'RE GOING TO KEEP YOU POSTED.

 

>> RHEA: OUR NEXT ARTIST'S

 

WORK IS SUCH A CONTRAST TO

 

THE LAST ONE.

 

GILES CLEMENT IS A PHOTOGRAPHER

 

WHO STRIVES TO PERFECT

 

THE DISAPPEARING 1900'S CRAFT

 

OF WET PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY.

 

>> STEVE: YOU'LL SEE WHY

 

HE'S SO HOOKED ON THIS HAUNTING

 

BEAUTIFUL AND LASTING PROCESS.

 

>> MY NAME IS GILES CLEMENT

 

AND I'M A WET PLATE COLLODIAN

 

PHOTOGRAPHER.

 

SO YOU WANT A PHOTO OF YOU

 

AND YOUR DOG FOR YOUR DAD?

 

>> YES. I'M ASHLEY SCHAHFER.

 

I'M HERE TO HAVE A PORTRAIT

 

TAKEN BY GILES TO SEND TO MY DAD

 

AND MAKE HIM HAPPY.

 

>> GILES: IF WE HAVE JACK

 

ALONG SIDE YOUR FACE THERE.

 

AND THEN WE JUST GOTTA KEEP HIM

 

PARALLEL TO YOUR EYES.

 

SO HE STAYS IN FOCUS,

 

AND YOU DO TOO.

 

AND HOPEFULLY HE DOESN'T

 

HATE THE FLASH TOO MUCH RIGHT.

 

>> ASHLEY: HE'S GOING TO HATE

 

IT.

 

[GILES PETS JACK]

 

>> GILES: WET PLATE WAS INVENTED

 

IN 1851 AND THEN USED UP UNTIL

 

THE EARLY 1900's.

 

AND WITH WET PLATE YOU HAVE

 

TO MAKE THE PLATE, SHOOT IT,

 

AND DEVELOP IT IN TEN MINUTES

 

OR SO.

 

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED WET PLATE

 

BECAUSE THE PROCESS IS WET

 

AND ITS VERY FLUID,

 

FLUID FAST MOVING,

 

FAST PACED THING.

 

>> ASHLEY: SO YOU SIT HERE

 

AND YOU JUST WAIT FOR HIM TO DO

 

HIS THING AND THEN YOU GET

 

FLASHED AND YOU'RE DONE.

 

YOU'RE OKAY.

 

>> GILES: IT CAN BE BETTER.

 

>> ASHLEY: I THINK ITS CUTE.

 

>> GILES: WE CAN DO BETTER

 

I JUST HAD SOME DIRT THAT GOT ON

 

RIGHT THERE AND THEN THOSE

 

DROOLS ARE FROM THE TOP RUNNING

 

DOWN.

 

SO YOU WANT TO JUST TRY ANOTHER

 

ONE AND WE'LL GET IT BETTER?

 

>> ASHLEY: SURE.

 

>> GILES: I JUST START WITH

 

A REGULAR PIECE OF BLACK GLASS

 

AND I POUR COLLIDING ON IT

 

AND IT'S A SOLUTION OF COTTON

 

MIXED WITH ALCOHOL ETHER

 

AND SOME ACID...

 

WHEN I DUNK THE PLATE INTO

 

A TANK OF SILVER NITRATE

 

THE SILVER NITRATE REACTS TO

 

THE CHEMICALS IN THE COLLIDING

 

AND THE SILVER THEN BECOMES

 

LIGHT SENSITIVE.

 

SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'M DOING

 

IS JUST TAKING A PIECE

 

OF BLACK GLASS AND TURNING IT

 

INTO A PIECE OF FILM THAT I CAN

 

THEN TAKE A PICTURE ON.

 

WHEN I'M IN THE DARKROOM THERE,

 

I PUT THE PLATE IN LIKE THIS

 

AND THEN CLOSE IT,

 

AND THEN THAT HOLDS THE FILM.

 

AND THIS IS WHAT GOES INTO

 

THE CAMERA AND THEN THERE'S

 

A DARK SLIDE THAT PROTECTS IT,

 

AND WHEN I'M READY TO TAKE

 

A PICTURE I'LL PULL THAT

 

DARK SLIDE OUT AND YOU CAN SEE

 

THE FILM WITH THE GLASS RIGHT

 

THERE,

 

SO THE IMAGE IS MADE RIGHT

 

ON THAT.

 

>> ASHLEY: YOU'RE JUST LOOKING

 

INTO THIS BIG LENS AND DON'T

 

REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON

 

CAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY DO

 

A WHOLE LOT IT JUST SITS THERE.

 

>> GILES: THE LENS IS MADE

 

IN 1849 SO IT'S A HUNDRED

 

AND SIXTY FOUR YEARS OLD

 

AND IT ACTUALLY PREDATES

 

WEB PLATES,

 

SO IT WAS MADE

 

FOR DAGUERREOTYPES,

 

WHICH IS THE FIRST REAL METHOD

 

OF PHOTOGRAPHY.

 

IF EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE

 

ITS EASY AND ANYBODY CAN DO IT,

 

BUT IT'S WHEN THINGS START

 

TO GO WRONG THEN TRYING

 

TO TROUBLE SHOOT,

 

FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

 

LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES

 

IS THE LONG LEARNING CURVE

 

I THINK WITH IT.

 

YOU ACTUALLY POUR DEVELOPER

 

RIGHT OVER THE PLATE IT'LL GO

 

FROM JUST BEING A WHITE,

 

IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A YELLOWISH

 

WHITE THE SILVER,

 

AND YOU'LL SEE A NEGATIVE IMAGE

 

EMERGE OUT OF THE WHITE.

 

AND YOU'LL TAKE THAT AND PUT

 

IT IN THE FIXER,

 

AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE

 

THE IMAGE IS MADE.

 

YOU SEE A BLANK PIECE OF GLASS,

 

BASICALLY,

 

AND THEN YOU SEE AN IMAGE

 

MAGICALLY KIND OF APPEAR ON IT.

 

>> ASHLEY: I LIKE THAT.

 

IT'S ALWAYS REALLY COOL AND FUN

 

TO SEE IT COME TO LIGHT.

 

>> GILES: YOU KNOW A DIGITAL

 

PICTURE,

 

AN HISTOGRAM OR WHATEVER,

 

IT'S HERE ONE SECOND AND YOU

 

FORGET ABOUT IT THE NEXT.

 

IT'S ON YOUR HARD DRIVE

 

SOMEWHERE.

 

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT

 

YOU CAN HANG ON YOUR WALL

 

AND IT'S GOING TO LAST 200 YEARS

 

OR MORE.

 

IT'S VERY ADDICTING.

 

IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO,

 

AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO PERFECT,

 

AND I ALWAYS WANT TO GET

 

IT PERFECT,

 

OR AS CLOSE TO PERFECT AS I CAN.

 

SO I JUST KEEP GOING.

 

I KEEP GOING. I KEEP GOING.

 

AND I CERTAINLY DON'T GET BORED.

 

FRUSTRATED, YES.

 

BORED, NOT SO MUCH.

 

>> RHEA: I ABSOLUTELY NEVER

 

GET BORED LOOKING AT OLD

 

PHOTOGRAPHS.

 

>> STEVE: YOU KNOW WHEN I WAS

 

A KID I WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER WITH

 

ALL THE CHEMICALS.

 

SO THIS WAS JUST REALLY A WALK

 

DOWN MEMORY LANE FOR ME.

 

YOU CAN CHECK OUT

 

GILES CLEMENT AT HIS WEB SITE.

 

>> RHEA: AND NOW,

 

OUR FINAL ARTIST WHO STARTED

 

DOODLING AS A KID AND ENDED UP

 

CREATING A COMIC BOOK SUPERHERO.

 

>> STEVE: MEET ALLEN BELLMAN,

 

A RETIREE IN SOUTH FLORIDA,

 

STILL GOING STRONG.

 

>> RHEA: RIGHT HERE AND NOW

 

WE'RE REVEALING HIS SECRET

 

IDENTITY AS THE MAN WHO DREW

 

"CAPTAIN AMERICA."

 

TAKE A LOOK!

 

>> MY NAME IS ALLEN BELLMAN

 

AND I WORK FOR TIMELY MARVEL

 

COMICS IN 1942.

 

I STARTED DOING BACKGROUNDS

 

CAPTAIN AMERICA.

 

I ALWAYS WANTED TO DRAW COMICS.

 

MY FATHER HAD A BAKERY.

 

EVERY CHANCE I HAD,

 

I'D DRAW ON THE PAPER BAG

 

AND I'D OPEN A BOOK AND THERE

 

WAS A WHITE SPACE IN

 

A HARD COVERED BOOK,

 

I'D DRAW IN THERE.

 

IT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU HAVE

 

IN YOU.

 

IT WAS COLUMBUS DAY 1942.

 

AND I SAID TO MY DAD,

 

I SAYS I'LL GO TOMORROW,

 

IT'S A HOLIDAY.

 

HE SAID NO, YOU'LL GO TODAY.

 

AND I SAID DAD AND WE WENT

 

BACK AND FORTH

 

AND BACK AND FORTH AND HE WON.

 

AND I THANK MY DEAD DAD BECAUSE

 

I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'D BE NOW

 

IF I DIDN'T LISTEN TO HIM

 

CAUSE I GOT THAT JOB

 

IN 10-15 MINUTES AND THEY SAID

 

YOU START MONDAY.

 

I WENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL

 

OF INDUSTRIAL ART AND I WENT

 

ON AND OFF AT NIGHT

 

AT PRATT INSTITUTE.

 

BUT ACTUALLY,

 

IT WAS ON THE JOB THAT I GOT

 

MY TRAINING AND THE ABILITY

 

TO IMPROVE,

 

THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP

 

IMPROVING MY WORK AND I ALWAYS

 

WORKED AND STRIVED TO HAVE

 

A BETTER JOB.

 

I WAS NEVER REALLY EVER HAPPY

 

WHATEVER I DO EVEN NOW.

 

I ALWAYS FEEL I COULD DO BETTER,

 

MORE AND MORE.

 

BUT WHEN I DO A DRAWING

 

FOR A FAN,

 

I WANT IT TO BE GOOD.

 

I'M SO HAPPY TO DRAW IT

 

THE OLD WAY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT

 

THE FANS WANT.

 

WHEN I GET A NOTE OR EMAIL

 

SAYING, MR. BELLMAN,

 

YOU MADE ME HAPPY WITH

 

YOUR WORK.

 

IT'S FRAMED,

 

THIS MEANS MORE TO ME THAN

 

ANYTHING ELSE.

 

IT'S JUST A PERSONAL

 

GRATIFICATION THAT I GET

 

THAT I CAN MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY

 

WITH JUST MY ART.

 

THEY LIKE MY ART.

 

SOME STORIES I LOVE TO DO

 

MORE THAN OTHER STORIES.

 

IT'S LIKE AN ACTOR GETTING

 

THE SCRIPT AND THEY READ

 

THE SCRIPT AND THEY SAY

 

NOT FOR ME AND THEY GIVE IT

 

TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND IT BECOMES

 

A BIG HIT.

 

BUT YOU KNOW THE FACT IS IT'S

 

THE SAME THING.

 

WITH CERTAIN STORIES JUST

 

WOULD MOTIVATE ME MORE THAN

 

OTHER SCRIPTS.

 

DOING A COMIC BOOK OR DOING ANY

 

KIND OF COMIC STRIP,

 

IT'S DOING A MOVIE.

 

YOU HAVE YOUR LONG SHOT,

 

YOUR CLOSE UP,

 

YOUR BIRD'S EYE VIEW,

 

WORM'S EYE VIEW,

 

YOU HAVE TO CHANGE EACH PANEL

 

SO YOU KEEP THE INTEREST

 

OF THE READER.

 

A LOT IS LEFT TO THE IMAGINATION

 

AND THE WRITER WOULD DESCRIBE,

 

SAYING,

 

HAVE HIM DRINKING OR SOMETHING

 

TO THAT EFFECT,

 

BUT YOU USE YOUR OWN

 

IMAGINATION.

 

LIKE I SAID,

 

IT'S LIKE DOING A MOVIE

 

AND YOU HAVE TO THINK AS A MOVIE

 

WITH STILL PICTURES.

 

IT WAS ONE BOOK ALREADY WRITTEN

 

ABOUT THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY,

 

BUT IT CAME AND WENT.

 

BUT I HAD SPOKEN TO MANY

 

WRITERS, ASKED THEM,

 

WHY DON'T YOU WRITE A BOOK ABOUT

 

THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY.

 

EVERYONE HAD A STORY TO TELL.

 

YOU'RE LIVING IN THE BEST

 

COUNTRY OF THE WORLD.

 

THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE HERE.

 

YOU CANNOT GIVE UP,

 

YOU CANNOT SURRENDER WITH

 

REJECTION BECAUSE YOU WILL HIT

 

SOMEWHERE.

 

LEARN HOW TO DRAW.

 

DO NOT COPY THE COMIC BOOK

 

CHARACTERS BECAUSE YOU WILL

 

NEVER LEARN TO DRAW.

 

LEARN HOW TO DRAW ANATOMY.

 

A WOMAN'S ANATOMY,

 

A MAN'S ANATOMY,

 

SO WHEN YOU PUT THE COSTUME

 

ON THE MAN,

 

YOU WILL KNOW WHERE THE MUSCLES

 

ARE,

 

YOU'LL KNOW WHERE THE HANDS ARE.

 

I ALWAYS WANTED TO DRAW AND TELL

 

A STORY IN PICTURES AND MY DREAM

 

CAME TRUE AT THE TENDER AGE

 

OF 18.

 

>> (OUT TAKE STYLE) HI MY NAME

 

IS ALAN BELLMAN AND I'M AN

 

ALCO... OPPS, WRONG MEETING.

 

EXCUSE ME, THAT'S MY CANE.

 

SOMETIMES I LIKE TO RACE CANE

 

MYSELF.

 

LET'S BE NICE TO EVERYONE.

 

WE CANNOT BE EVERYONE'S FRIEND,

 

BUT LET'S TRY.

 

THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON

 

RIGHT NOW, SO PLEASE,

 

PLEASE, CHEERS!

 

>> RHEA: TO LEARN MORE,

 

VISIT ALLENBELLMAN.COM.

 

>> RHEA: AND THAT WRAPS IT UP

 

FOR THIS WEEK'S SHOW.

 

PLEASE VISIT

 

MPT.ORG/ARTWORKS,

 

WHERE YOU'LL FIND MORE ARTS

 

EVENTS AND PREVIOUS SHOWS.

 

I'M RHEA FEIKIN.

 

>> STEVE: AND I'M STEVE

 

YASKO FROM WTMD 89.7.

 

>> RHEA: WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK

 

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

 

>> ANNOUNCER: ARTWORKS IS MADE

 

POSSIBLE IN PART BY

 

THE CITIZENS OF BALTIMORE.

 

CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN MADE

 

BY MARYLAND RELAY,

 

EMPOWERING THOSE WHO ARE DEAF,

 

HARD OF HEARING OR SPEECH

 

DISABLED TO STAY CONNECTED

 

BY PHONE.