The Tourist : Photo Zine

Allison Schulnik is a San Diego born, LA-based visual artist....

Thu, 31 May 2012 12:29:00 -0400

Allison Schulnik is a San Diego born, LA-based visual artist. Working in many mediums, Schulnik is an adept painter, sculptor and filmmaker. Originally, we were first attracted to her paintings which are almost feral due to Schulnik’s technique of aggressively layering paint in a really rough way. However, she also has this strange ability to render even the cutest things (like cats and flowers) into the realm of the grotesque. The latter extends into her video work which is really fascinating as it’s simultaneously innocent yet terrifying. As such, we encourage you to watch Mound, a short film she made in 2011.

Um, we’re pretty sure that Paul D’Elia is a brother...

Wed, 30 May 2012 11:22:00 -0400

Um, we’re pretty sure that Paul D’Elia is a brother of ours from another mother. It kinda boggles our mind that we just learnt about him as he’s one of those people we wished we’d known about sooner. Based in Los Angeles, D’Elia spends his day designing for Quiksilver but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. For the past 6 years he’s also been the main visionary / proprietor behind Screenin 4 A Change, a screen printing studio where he designs and pulls every poster. Through Screenin 4 A Change, D’Elia is creating fabulous posters that take cues from everything from the classic punk aesthetic to almost Barry McGee-like illustrations to mid twentieth century American imagery. Take note of his printing mastery- like the way he layers each print, and his fantastic use of halftones. If that’s not impressive enough, D’Elia also operates as a fine artist who creates mixed-works on paper and wood. However, what’s most respectable about D’Elia though is the Art 4 Punks blog that he curates which features posts both personal and submitted work rooted in punk and hardcore. Beyond just posting beautiful imagery, D’Elia dissects the various works and comments on what he likes about them. It’s great and we highly encourage you to check it out. Lastly, both Screenin 4 A Change and Focus on the Negative (a blog where D’Elia posts a drawing every day) are on Tumblr so make sure to follow them.

We're back!

Wed, 30 May 2012 09:16:00 -0400

We’re alive! Apologies if you feel like we’ve abandoned you! Over the last few weeks our team has had a crazy travel schedule combined with the final push on some big projects. As such, the blog had to be put on the back burner. We hate to issue excuses but it’s the truth. Anyway, we’re back in the office and are ready to blog again. Thanks for your understanding!

London, ON’s Single Mothers have just released a S/T EP...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 11:44:00 -0400

London, ON’s Single Mothers have just released a S/T EP 7” on Secret Voice, a newly created imprint on Deathwish. While it’s rare that we explicitly profile albums of any kind, this EP is so good that we couldn’t refrain ourselves from posting about it. Clocking in at around 15 minutes of music, the EP has 4 songs that exist in rad a milieu between crunchy yet intricate post-hardcore and sweat soaked rock and roll. What makes the EP so unique is the band’s ability to write songs that are unapologetically heavy without sacrificing melody, and excellent literary lyrics that are sung with passion and immediacy while stile having clear enunciation. It’s a fresh take on punk by a young band that’s clearly sidestepping a lot of the lame, musical pitfalls that other contemporary punk bands fall into. If you’re into bands like Drive Like Jehu, The Bronx and The Hold Steady then you’ll love this record. To order the 7” EP (which comes with a download code for MP3s) or just a digital version of the album, click here. Happy Record Store Day! Support independent bands and independent labels!

Tumblr Tourism #37 is a ‘Follower Post’ we issue each Friday...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:29:31 -0400

Tumblr Tourism #37 is a ‘Follower Post’ we issue each Friday that highlights the work of those who follow this blog. The mosaic of images above correlate with the proceeding photographers (whose clickable names link back to their respective Tumblr accounts). Sarah Amy Fishlock (top left) is a recent graduate of the Glasgow School of Art who tends to shoot images that have a lonesome feel. Haw (top right) has an enigmatic online presence so we can’t tell you much other then they shoot raw, analogue images that celebrate the imperfections of film. Razvan Harabor (bottom left) is a UK-based photographer that is making some interesting, nicely stylized images. Martina Z (bottom right) is a Melbourne-based photographer whose perspective is that of a wanderer, and hence a creator who shoots landscapes, portraits and everything else in between.

Bridget Collins is a young photographer from New York City....

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:22:57 -0400

Bridget Collins is a young photographer from New York City. Typically utilizing a snap shot aesthetic, she creates images that are irreverent and almost sculptural in how she captures form. Her website is a lot of fun and she’s also on Tumblr so check out her work.

Andy Gilmore is a Rochester, NY-based draftsman and designer....

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:31:50 -0400

Andy Gilmore is a Rochester, NY-based draftsman and designer. Creating both kaleidoscopic and hypnotic works defined by strong colors and geometric compositions, it’s no surprise that he has been commissioned by everyone from science publications to record labels to design publications. A musician very much inspired by the physics of sound, Gilmore is creating digital works that are as beautiful as they are mesmerizing. To see more of his work, click here.

Tourist Book Report #41- Art Book Club recently published SVIIB...

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:28:37 -0400

Tourist Book Report #41- Art Book Club recently published SVIIB by Justin Hollar. Measuring 9” x 12”, the 118 page book is full color, perfect bound and limited to 500 copies. Very much like the Tourist in terms of its concept, SVIIB is a long form photo essay on the band of the same name (i.e. School of Seven Bells). Hollar, who was embedded with the band on their 2011 Winter North American tour, did an incredible job of photographing the band and capturing life of the road across slick, highly stylized images fit for a fashion magazine. The photographs (which you can see here) are top notch and look amazing in the book’s airy, minimal design. To order a copy of the book, click here.

Marsha Cottrell is a visual artist creating spectacular works...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:20:06 -0400

Marsha Cottrell is a visual artist creating spectacular works via iron oxide on mulberry paper. They have a very celestial feel to them, and are beyond beautiful. Measuring up to 2m x 2m, Cottrell’s tonal works have a grandeur that exemplifies the expansiveness of the cosmos. Do yourself a favor and make sure to go through all her work here.

It’s the weekend so we thought we’d share some of...

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 10:49:00 -0400

It’s the weekend so we thought we’d share some of our favorite links from the past week (so you can surf your brains out). First up are two links to visual surveys of contemporary art that were recommended to us by our old friend/ NYC photographer Gordon Ball. One is Alec Shao’s blog and the other is Art Listings Professional- both are great for inspiration, and you can submit work for inclusion which is a double whammy. Next up is a real gem- it’s a ‘Virgin Tour Scrapbook’ by Bill Lanphier who played bass in Madonna’s band on her Virgin tour in the 80s. It’s a neat combination of photography and ephemera (and there’s a rad shot of the Beastie Boys in there). If you haven’t seen the Caine’s Arcade video that went viral this week, then you’re missing on the most heartwarming thing to hit the interwebz in some time. The kid’s ‘can do’ attitude along with his DIY spirit is mondo inspirational. Next up is a provocative and sardonic op-ed piece about bands fundraising online. It’s funny and thought provoking, and is worth reading. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like it gets updated much but Billboarding Party is a great blog dedicated to sharing old ads that appeared in Billboard. It’s a rad source of old photography and design. Last up is a little project that Tumblr is doing about how their platform has changed the lives of its users. As such, Tumblr is asking users to tell their story to become a part of Storyboard, a secret project they’re working on. Hope you enjoy the links above. Do go outside if it’s nice though!

Tumblr Tourism #36 is a ‘Follower Post’ we issue each Friday...

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:08:18 -0400

Tumblr Tourism #36 is a ‘Follower Post’ we issue each Friday that highlights the work of those who follow this blog. The mosaic of images above correlate with the proceeding photographers (whose clickable names link back to their respective Tumblr accounts). Caterina G (top left) is an Argentinian photographer that shoots photos rooted in fashion. Catherine Merdy (top right) is a French photographer based in Paris that’s taking excellent, pedestrian-styled images where she shoots from the hip. Marinda Martin (bottom left) is an American photographer interested in capturing images where color and form are dominant. Giovanni Venditti (bottom right) is a Italian photographer living in Germany that enjoys tweaking his images in post-production.

Tourist Book Report #40- Unpiano Books and Mt. St. Mtn have just...

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:51:20 -0400

Tourist Book Report #40- Unpiano Books and Mt. St. Mtn have just collectively published Dark Wave by Jay Howell. Measuring 5.75” x 8.75”, Dark Wave is printed on thick stock, has 50 pages, was printed in black & white via offset printing, is saddle stitched and is limited to 500 copies. If you’re unfamiliar with Howell’s illustration style, you really need to check out the Slander music video he illustrated for Trash Talk. Anyway, Dark Wave tells the story of a black metal band’s disenchanted lead singer. It’s chock full of great illustrations and awesome hand drawn typography. You can grab a copy here.

Alessandro Zuek Simonetti is an Italian photographer currently...

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:38:48 -0400

Alessandro Zuek Simonetti is an Italian photographer currently based in New York City. In 2008, he exhibited Industrial Lies in Italy; an exhibition that has long had a hold over us. Why’s that? Well, Simonetti wheat pasted plotter prints on to a wall to make an image that measured 22’ x 15’ (yes, those measurements are in feet). It’s a fantastic idea that was brilliantly executed, and it had an amazing photocopy-feel. As such, we felt it was more than deserving of a post.

Ugh, been so busy today that we could barely find the time to...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:02:32 -0400

Ugh, been so busy today that we could barely find the time to post (hence posting at 7PM!). However, we didn’t want to disappoint you so apologies for the brevity of this post! Anyway, we encourage you to check out the work of Martin Formgren who is on Tumblr. He appears to be using oil on canvas, and is creating really bleak, abstracted works- many of which are almost like Rorschach inkblot tests. We’re feeling stressed and Formgren’s work almost seems like the visual exemplification of stress- hence why we’re posting his work today!

Bridgette Keehl is a visual artist based in Grand Rapids,...

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:56:27 -0400

Bridgette Keehl is a visual artist based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Interested in the exploration of formalism and the act of mark making, Keehl is creating beautiful watercolor paintings that literally revolve around vortex shapes. The works pair layered colors with an almost-dry brush stroke technique to create a sense of movement. In our opinion (and we mean this as a compliment), Keehl’s newer works are much like Raymond Pettibon’s ‘surf’ works in how they depict a level of energy that borders on the dangerous and chaotic. Bridgette Keehl is on Tumblr so follow her.

Tumblr Tourism #35 is a ‘Follower Post’ we issue each Friday...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:20:56 -0400

Tumblr Tourism #35 is a ‘Follower Post’ we issue each Friday that highlights the work of those who follow this blog. The mosaic of images above correlate with the proceeding photographers (whose clickable names link back to their respective Tumblr accounts). Stephanie Lee Baker (top left) is a young photographer based in Dayton, Ohio that creates diaristic images that simultaneously celebrate the imperfections of film. Fabio Astone (top right) is an Italian photographer that excels at taking intimate portraits. Alan Hunter (bottom left) is a Seattle-based photographer that’s shooting some nice photo essays, and creating emotive principal imagery for album layouts. Rebecca Cusworth (bottom right) is working across so many mediums that it’s dizzying (so dig around and check all her stuff out).

Kimi Selfridge is a NYC-based photographer. What’s great...

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:50:32 -0400

Kimi Selfridge is a NYC-based photographer. What’s great about her work is her tendency to use Polaroid and Fuji Instax film to shoot images rooted in fashion, and her interest in double exposure. What’s apparent about Selfridge is her want of creating unique, one-of-a-kind images on film. Sure it may be old-school by some standards but her work has a genuine analogue character that can’t be duplicated by new-school cheese like Instagram. Kimi Selfridge is on Tumblr so make sure to follow her.

Aaron Smith is an American painter that works in oil on panel....

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:54:00 -0400

Aaron Smith is an American painter that works in oil on panel. While his portraits reference some post-impressionistic painting techniques as well as the classical positioning of subjects, Smith is actually creating incredibly modern paintings- exemplified by his raw-yet-purposeful layering of oil and his magnificent use of bold and punchy colors to depict highlights and shadows. The fact that his work exudes such energy- especially when the subject matter is purposely antiquated- really demonstrates great self-awareness on the artist’s part. Aaron Smith is on Tumblr so make sure to follow him.

Tourist Book Report #39- The Land of the Living is a...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:29:00 -0400

Tourist Book Report #39- The Land of the Living is a photographic novella written by James Turvey and photographed by Joe Nigel Coleman. Approximately 6” x 8 1/4”, the 64 page book is perfect bound and has a high production value courtesy of the card stock cover, glossy insert pages and offset printing. The aforementioned is a real feat given it’s a self-published book which is also rounded out by some nice features like ‘full bleed’ inside covers, some double page spreads and a photo essay at the end of the book. Without spoiling the plot, we will tell you that the novella itself is well-written and thematically deals with loss, and is an engaging read. What is most interesting about the book itself, is how the story is visually exemplified by the photographs. Typically, when you read fiction, the reader envisions ‘visuals’ inspired by the read. However, in this instance the visuals are supplied via the photography which leads to a unique, interesting and ultimately different reading experience. The photographs themselves are black and white, and almost mid-range in their tonality which beautifully pairs with the ‘voice’ of the writing. We’d encourage you to grab a copy of The Land of the Living; it’s a great ‘package’ of regional literature of photography that defines Newcastle, Australia in an original manner. The book can be purchased here, and is $5.00AUD within Australia and $10.00AUD internationally- with both prices including shipping. It’s evident that much effort went into the book which is why we encourage you to support it. The Land of the Living was reader submitted so don’t hesitate to follow their lead and send us your books, publications or zines.

Due to an enigmatic online presence, we really can’t tell...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:45:20 -0400

Due to an enigmatic online presence, we really can’t tell you much about Arcas. All we can tell you is that Arcas is creating intriguing, often tonal illustrations that are sparse, dark and textured. While we’re unsure of the artist’s process, it seems as though the illustrations are initially done by hand then altered on a computer in post-production. Arcas is on Tumblr so follow the artist’s blog.