In 1986, I made a comic book describing Detroit in 2024. We were nuked by USSR and a ragtag group of survivors are trying to create a new society, or some mess.) I can’t find the rest of the comic, but I did find the “cover art”.
Analysis Paralysis Opening!
Highlights from Andy Malone's 2023 solo exhibition "Analysis Paralysis" at detroit contemporary gallery. Video by Philip Carrel. The opening was amazing!
Some more Analysis Paralysis Work In Progress pics...
Ways of Seeing
Visiting "Ways of Seeing" the traveling exhibition for the Paul R. Jones collection of American Art at the University of Alabama (via The Flint Institute of Arts). A painting by my Dad, James Hiram Malone, was included in the exhibition. It was great to see our friends Murph, Jane and Jide too!
Some more works in progress...
I’m working on some new pieces for my Analysis Paralysis show in July.
Recollections of Grandad
My daughter Julia curated an exhibition entitled "Recollections of Grandad - Selected Stories and Paintings of James Hiram Malone" at the Detroit Children's Museum last weekend. It was a lot of work. She took a road trip to Atlanta to collect some of the paintings, picked out the pieces, wrote a story about each one, worked out logistics and designed the card(!) Huge thanks to @donaldbog for hosting the show at the wonderful Detroit Children's Museum!
A work in progress
I am working on some new work for an upcoming solo show this summer. I usually start with a concept and design a mechanism that will help me convey my idea. This assemblage is for a piece about retelling stories to preserve a memory or idea. Many times I disassemble old pieces and re-use the parts. All of the components should serve the overall mechanism, with nothing superfluous. The process can be involved, but rewarding when everything is finally in motion.
Sketchy
“You should make some time to draw or write everyday.”
This is what I usually tell kids who are interested in the arts, but I have a hard time following my own advice. Life gets in the way. The problem is that when I stop drawing, I get really rusty … really rusty. I decided that I’m going to start keeping a comic journal to give me an excuse to draw everyday.
BTW, I prefer 5 1/2” x 8 1/2” spiral sketch books because they are relatively inexpensive, portable and the blank page is not intimidating. There isn’t a “wrong way” to record your ideas as long as you stick with it.
Workbench Palimpsest
Ever since they were old enough to make a mark, Julia and Martin have been using the work bench in my shop as an impromptu journal. Some of my favorite memories are the projects that we worked on together. It’s great to see them excited to make things! I recently had to replace the top, but fortunately I was able to save most of their notes and drawings.
HATCH "Jail Cell" Game Board
For those of you who may not know, HATCH Art Gallery was the former Hamtramck Police station. The old holding cell is now the “Jail Cell” gallery, a space for small exhibitions and installations. One of the interesting artifacts from the old days is a checkers/chess board that was painstakingly carved into one of the benches. I’m not certain what they used for game pieces, but I’m sure this was a much needed distraction.
Innovation Area Installation for Team Earth @ Dream Force
Salesforce asked me to to exhibit some of my collaborative drawing mechanisms during their Team Earth @ Dream Force event this fall. All of the attendees were very game to leave their comfort zone and make some art together! It was a lot of fun.
Ideation Roulette (ECM03), 1-4 players
Ideation Roulette is an activity designed to facilitate creative visualization through collaborative artwork. Up to 4 players have a few seconds to sketch or write on a card before the motorized board rotates and the card is transferred to one of the other players. After a few rounds, each of the players will have contributed to the pieces and the finished work is put on display. The purpose of this activity is to encourage players to make a mark intuitively. There are no “wrong responses” and drawing skill is not needed.
An Ideal World (ECM02), 1 player
Attendees are presented with a wall mounted mechanism with a paper disc partially exposed through an opening in the front. The disc is blank except for a simple line-art globe in the center. The attendee is invited add to the composition by drawing in the opening and advancing the disc for the next person. The theme is “An Ideal World” and the attendees can draw or write whatever inspires them. Finished works are displayed on the adjacent wall.
Atlanta Roadtrip
The kids and I took a great road trip to Atlanta to re-connect with our family and friends. We visited the Hammond House Museum which hosted my Dad’s (James Hiram Malone’s) final retrospective. We saw Kevin and Euneika Sipp and my cousins Cassandra and Kameelah, We also visited Jeff and Winter who bought my Dad’s house/studio (where he created all of the paintings in these photos). Sadly, Jeff passed away shortly after we left. I was glad the kids got to meet him.
Shall Make, Shall Be: The Bill of Rights at Play Opening!
FINALLY after over a year of delays, the Shall Make, Shall Be Exhibition opened on July 4, 2022 at the beautiful and historic Federal Hall in NYC! I was honored to exhibit Stand Off with all of these wonderful artists and game makers.
Standoff Work in progress
This one had a lot of moving parts. Fortunately, everything seems to be finally coming together.
Accidental Earth Art
Sometimes the process is more interesting than the final product.
I can't argue with this...
My son’s winning combo for Cards Against Humanity (Family Edition.) This is true 75% of the time…
Finalist in Shall Make, Shall Be Exhibition!
I was recently notified that I am a finalist for Shall Make, Shall Be: The Bill of Rights at Play! My submission for the 2nd Amendment was chosen to move forward in the process. More details soon… (also, happy new year!)
Here is an excerpt about the exhibition from the organizers:
Shall Make, Shall Be: The Bill of Rights at Play invites artists and independent game makers to propose game-based artworks around the individual Amendments in the Bill of Rights. Drawing on both the legal meaning and the effect of the 10 Amendments on U.S. culture, these games and artworks are meant to use play to interrogate, critique, inform, and ask questions about our understanding of civil liberties in the 21st Century.
Ten projects will be selected, with each proposal team asked to create a playable work exploring one of the Ten Amendments from the Bill of Rights. Artists will be invited to develop their works with the support of the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry at Carnegie Mellon. Artists will receive an honorarium and small budget for expenses. Upon completion of the work, the selected proposals will be expected to grant Carnegie Mellon a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to present the resulting works in the Shall Make, Shall Be: The Bill of Rights at Play project.
The ten commissioned works will be included in an exhibition opening Fall 2021 in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University’s Frank-Ratchye STUDIO For Creative Inquiry, timed to commemorate the 230th anniversary of the Bill’s signing. There are plans to travel the show to additional sites throughout 2022. The exhibition will be accompanied by a printed publication including essays from scholars, a catalog raisonné, and artist statements.
New Life for a Beloved Sound Gizmo
The Sound Gizmo was one of my favorite Christmas Presents ever! It was toy that generated multiple sound effects that could be modified with volume, speed and pitch knobs. I remember the magic moment I turned a phaser sound into a bird call and a motor sound into a fart (I was 9 years old…)
It finally stopped working while I was in high school. But I held onto it for decades because I couldn’t bear to toss the Sound Gizmo in the trash.
I was recently introduced to Joe Cantrell through my good friend Dave Lentz. Joe creates amazing compositions from neglected electronics. I sent him the Sound Gizmo and he brought it back to life! At some point, Joe will make music with it. I am happy it found a good home!
BTW, this isn’t my video, but it is a pretty good demo of the capabilities.
Teacher's Notes...
Teaching 3D Design at the College for Creative Studies during the pandemic was a challenging and rewarding experience. 3D Design is a Foundation class which introduces students to the principles of three dimensional design through hands-on projects. Our goal was to explore aesthetic properties and define a basic vocabulary to describe elements of design. Some students struggled with the covid restrictions initially, but I’m very proud of the thoughtful and interesting work they produced!
Safe Interactivity via Dance Dance Revolution
My “playable sculptures” require the viewer to physically engage with them. Usually this means handing game components, pressing a button or turning a crank. The pandemic safety protocols have compelled me to develop ways to hygienically activate the my pieces.
A simple retrofit was to replace the button with a foot activated-switch. The pressure switch was salvaged from a Dance Dance Revolution arcade game. I am currently experimenting with “touchless” switches and relays. Even though the foot switch is a little cumbersome, I prefer the ability to start and stop the mechanism instantly. Also, I am installing my work outdoors, and the touchless switches are more prone to damage.
Nexus / Brutalism Virtual Prototype
Playing tabletop games while social distancing is getting easier with software like Tabletop Simulator and Tabletopia. I’ve converted several of my games to Tabletop Simulator and shared them with playtesters from around the world. I have also had the pleasure of being a moderator for Protospiel Online, the virtual version of the peer-to-peer tabletop gaming development, which has introduced me to the work of many talented game designers.
Ex Cross Virtual Prototype
During the pandemic, my virtual community has expanded, but I miss gallery openings and game nights.