AD 260 | Saman Kesh
After his music videos won him YDA Silver at Cannes and two Best Video at SXSW, his foray into advertising was an epic international Superbowl spot for Taco Bell. Since then, he has worked with major brands like Zoom, Google, Citibank, Uber, and most recently picked up a handful of Clio awards for his work with Toyota and Nintendo. Saman has written and directed two universally hailed short films, CONTROLLER and HIT TV, which are being developed into TV-shows, and he is currently working on two feature films.
On his off hours, he plays video games and trolls racists.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Creating a sanctuary for yourself (00:03:20)
- His short film Controller, DP’d by Isaac Bauman (00:10:01)
- Saman’s definition of success (0015:43)
- Celebrating small victories (00:22:28)
- Working professionally with ADHD (00:26:59)
- Knowing our strengths and weaknesses and how to work with them (00:35:40)
- Martial arts and spirituality (00:43:22)
- Saman’s advice for artists and creatives (01:11:16)
samankesh.com
instagram.com/saman_kesh
Posted 3.11.2024
AD 259 | Daniele Bolelli
Daniele Bolelli is a writer, martial artist, university professor, and podcaster. He was born in Italy and currently lives in Los Angeles.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Daniele’s podcasts History on Fire and The Drunken Taoist (00:05:55)
- Daniele’s writing practice (00:08:51)
- Family and navigating personal struggles (00:15:03)
- The origin of Daniele’s passion for history (00:30:59)
- Reflections on legacy (00:35:02)
- Unpacking success, values, and the nature of quality (00:40:46)
- The complexities of meritocracy (00:53:32)
- Discussing personal values (01:08:19)
- Thoughts on the impact of advanced technology (01:17:10)
- Power and agency within decision making (01:44:50)
- Daniele’s life advice (01:49:21)
danielebolelli.com
danielebolelli.substack.com
historyonfirepodcast.com
thedrunkentaoist.com
instagram.com/daniele_bolelli
Posted 3.4.2024
Yoshinocast #15
“Photo Roulette”
“Photo Roulette”
Images by Yoshino
Yoshino is a multi-hyphenate artist and the host of Artist Decoded.
Yoshino’s essay “Photo Roulette” can be read at Yoshino’s Diary on Substack.
Yoshino’s Links:
yoshinostudios.com
yoshino.substack.com
instagram.com/yoshinostudios
twitter.com/yoshinostudios
Posted 12.28.2023
AD 258 | Wesley Stringer
Photo by Yoshino
Wesley Stringer (b. 1985) was born in Oklahoma City and has worked as a photographer for the past 13 years. Stringer began photographing while a BFA student at the University of Oklahoma. His practice is concerned with the natural environment, both in its untouched state, as well as how it relates to the spaces people occupy. The printed image is as important to Stringer’s work as the physical and textural presence: his photographs frequently take the shape of handmade books or boxes. In addition, the artist prints many of his photographs on translucent gampi paper and mounts them by hand to heavier weight papers, giving each artwork evidence of its making. Stringer’s photographs and handmade books have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the United States and in France. In 2013, Stringer’s photographs were exhibited at the Museum of Art and Design in New York. In 2016, Stringer was a finalist for the Rudin Prize for Emerging Photographers, which resulted in a group exhibition at the Norton Museum of Art, Palm Beach. Working in collaboration with artist Daniel Brush, Stringer’s photographs were exhibited at L’École School in Paris (2017) and L’École School in New York (2018). In 2019, his photographs were exhibited at Nailya Alexander Gallery, New York (2019), and in 2020, Stringer’s work was acquired by the library of The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2020). Stringer's work is represented by Michael Hulett at The Hulett Collection in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
wesleystringer.com
instagram.com/wesleystringer
Wesley Stringer @ The Hulett Collection
Posted 12.23.2023
Wesley Stringer (b. 1985) was born in Oklahoma City and has worked as a photographer for the past 13 years. Stringer began photographing while a BFA student at the University of Oklahoma. His practice is concerned with the natural environment, both in its untouched state, as well as how it relates to the spaces people occupy. The printed image is as important to Stringer’s work as the physical and textural presence: his photographs frequently take the shape of handmade books or boxes. In addition, the artist prints many of his photographs on translucent gampi paper and mounts them by hand to heavier weight papers, giving each artwork evidence of its making. Stringer’s photographs and handmade books have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the United States and in France. In 2013, Stringer’s photographs were exhibited at the Museum of Art and Design in New York. In 2016, Stringer was a finalist for the Rudin Prize for Emerging Photographers, which resulted in a group exhibition at the Norton Museum of Art, Palm Beach. Working in collaboration with artist Daniel Brush, Stringer’s photographs were exhibited at L’École School in Paris (2017) and L’École School in New York (2018). In 2019, his photographs were exhibited at Nailya Alexander Gallery, New York (2019), and in 2020, Stringer’s work was acquired by the library of The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2020). Stringer's work is represented by Michael Hulett at The Hulett Collection in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
wesleystringer.com
instagram.com/wesleystringer
Wesley Stringer @ The Hulett Collection
Posted 12.23.2023
AD 257 | James “Munky” Shaffer
Venera
L.A.-based James Shaffer and Atlanta-based Chris Hunt converged as Venera in early 2022 in Downtown Los Angeles while working on songs for singer Xhoana X. Their kindred interest and backgrounds in dramatic texture, electronics, and experimentation inspired an improvisation-based recording process that seeks to explore a sonic universe defined by evolving atmosphere, cinematic noise, and select collaborations. Venera released their self-titled debut album on Oct. 13 via Ipecac Recordings.
Topics Discussed In This Episode:
- Treating everyone with kindness (00:04:34)
- James’s newest project Venera (00:08:37)
- Unexpected occurrences while making music for Venera (00:18:29)
- How he experimented with new playing styles in Venera (00:21:34)
- Switching studios or environments to channel into different ways of creating and experimenting (00:24:19)
- Understanding one’s own strengths and weaknesses / working with producer Ross Robinson (00:26:29)
- Exploring the origin of Korn’s unique sound (00:29:30)
- Discussing alternate realities (00:31:26)
- Creating time for creative practices (00:35:58)
- James’s daily habits and rituals (00:37:23)
- James’s struggle with addiction and how he overcame it (00:42:06)
- Spiritual transcendence (00:45:00)
- How James originally got into music (00:50:02)
- The importance of having a creative outlet in one’s life (00:54:28)
instagram.com/munky_korn
instagram.com/_veneramusic
veneramusic.com
kornofficial.com
Posted 11.30.2023