New Cornucopia Works

Here are two collective works by Cornucopia artists Rik Lina, Gregg Simpson and John Welson which will be shown in the upcoming international surrealist exhibition being organized by Joseph Jablonski in Pennsylvania.







Birdland, mixed media, 2010











The Jungle, mixed media, 2010


To view the entire portoflio of works by the three artists of Cornucopia, visit http://www.greggsimpson.com/Cornucopia.html

Cabo Mondego Section

In October,2010, I participated in a collective art making event with the Cabo Mondego Section in an old fortress on the coast at Figueira da Foz, Portugal.
The artists were Miguel de Carvalho, Rik Lina, Pedro Prata, Seixas Piexoto and myself.

The works were on paper spread out on the ground which the artists attacked with ink, paint, pastels, collage and spray paint.

The project has been named Blue Moon. Below are the works we made and a photo of Rik Lina and myself at work. To see all the works go to Miguel de Carvalho's page on Facebook

Art critics vs. collective art

One of the issues surrounding collective art making is that critics don't like it because it runs counter to everything they hold dear, the primacy of the individual artist for instance. There's also the issue of the art history that curators feel they control.

Although the history of these practices in the modern era goes back to the Futurists, Dadaists and Surrealists to some extent, it is difficult for the purveyors of criticism in art to adjust to this.

One exception was a comment by a curator/critic who witnessed the creation of such a work by members of the Cabo Mondego Section here in Portugal, who are all strong artists in their own right. Although initially skeptical, he finally came around to the realization that it is valid and said one phrase which sums up the activity: Free Jazz !

That may be the closest you could get to a description of the process.