 SF based oil painter
I've heard many film makers explain why they love filming in this city, and it's the fact that no matter where you point a camera you're bound to get an incredible shot. We all love San Francisco for so many reasons, but one of those has to be the shear beauty of the city itself. Walking through the sunset at dusk or early morning on your way home after a late late night out... sitting on a roof looking over the other rooftops as the fog rolls in over the hills... The city's architecture and weather combine to create something that just makes the city what it is. Moody/ peaceful/ heavy. It's a bit hard to put into words, but it's there, and Kim's paintings capture this better than any photograph could and we're pleased to bring them to Fecal Face! Enjoy. -John Trippe
Interview by Kevin Luna 10/2005
first of all, who are you? where do you come from?
My name is Kim Cogan, I am a San Francisco artist. I would like to think I'm just like you, just the slightly less cool version. I was born in Pusan Korea, and moved to the states at a very young age. I have lived in the city for over ten years. I remember going to your very first fecal show.
was there any particular reason/motive/inspiration to make the city portraits?
We live in a unique city with so many different moods. I wanted to try to capture the city by characteristics which are distinctively San Francisco, yet omitting everything that is iconic. There seems to be a plethora of exisiting paintings of San Francisco with victorian houses, on Lombard with a trolly car cruising out front and the golden gate bridge in the background.
any particular message or feeling or some subtle thought that you wanted the viewer to have?
soul, flow, rhythm, movement, balance, harmony, simplicity, boldness, subtly, spontaneity, precision, contemporary, tradition, light, dark, contrast, bitter, sweetness, peanut butter, chocolate...
in your paintings there are no people or cars, which would normally be present within a city, yet there still seems to be a sense of movement. the lighting and weather seem to give your paintings motion. is this something you wanted to convey?
Good observation. With a very few exceptions, within my paintings there is an absence of people and cars. The emphasis is on the overall cityscape and how it is affected by many different light conditions and atmosphere.
 How did you go about making these? Where were you when made them?
I paint in oils because it is tactile, there is texture, depth, richness, it drips plus the fumes get you high. The paintings are painted alla prima, painting directly with single brushstrokes, letting the brushwork stand to describe the final statement, rather than building the image with several layers of paint or trying to conceal the handcraft. I paint from life and use lots of reference, especially for large pieces since I can't finish everything in one sitting. I will take tons of photos from all different angles and piece them together, like a Frankenstein cityscape.
They sort of remind me of early photographs where the photographer Could only use a very long shutter speed and a photograph of, let's say, a busy street would turn out looking vacant leaving only the buildings to be seen on the paper. Were you in any way influenced by this?
On my wish list, I wish I had a cool camera...or a super rad digital camera to take pics and make short movies of those special, intimate, magical kodak moments, but I don't have any special photo equipment, or even have the slightest bit of knowledge about working a manual. One of the beauties of painting that i'm attracted to is that it is far from perfect, and does not have slickness that might be in a photograph. I have paint to work with, my eyes and er...my right hand.
In all of your paintings the city is very clean. Are you clean? Does trash and Stuff gets to you?
As much as I would like to believe that I am clean and tidy, unfortunately the sad truth is I am pretty dirty
ok, so pretty dirty is just a nice way to put it. Filthy is more like it. Filthy freak'n dirty. I'm not stinky, a little dirt doesn't hurt, right? Here is a picture Ert took of my mess I call a palette, that's just the very least of pig pen ---
Would you hope your paintings packed some sort of intellectual content?
Or simply be visually stimulating?
All of the above, visually stimulating with intellectual charged content, but at the end of the day when I think about what I'm doing, what it comes down to is I just think I am very fortunate, and thankful to be doing what I do. I am very happy just trying to pull a few good ones off. I would give my right nut if I could just paint just one as masterful as Van Gogh or Rembrandt some day.
do you have an upcoming show or something you want everyone to know about?
In the month of November I will be participating in two group shows ---
Bangers and Mash, Group show
Nov. 3 - Dec. 2005
Opening Nov. 3, 5pm - Late
111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna Street, San Francisco, CA
www.111minnagallery.com
All Star Hustlaz, Group Show
Nov. 5 - Dec. 2005
Opening Nov. 5, 7 - 11pm
White Walls Gallery
839 Larkin, San Francisco, CA
www.whitewallssf.com
plus much more next year...
Any last words?
Thanks Fecal Face, you guys are the greatest. Rock on with yer bad self.
*For more on Kim, Check out his website: kimcogan.com
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