2 and a Half New Works, a Gift Shop and a Drop of Good News

This is my attempt to finish this year in somewhat cheerful way. By spreading some good news. So let’s begin. I did two new works and both are experiments. I felt mentally drained and I needed to do some free- of- expectations work, something that will be only there to challenge me and a viewer later on if successful. I needed to do something on bellissimo complimenti level.

The Great Wave of Weird Fishes (Arpeggi)

Whenever I want to experiment the Great Wave provides a safe ground to build on. It is this failback switch, a constant challenge, an open story, a primary mover I return to whenever I have enough questions to challenge it. What if I do or start with this, or change that, or ignore entirely this part… Does it fall apart? Do I fall apart? Do I open door to another dimension? Just basic everyday stuff.

Issa no 8 Pīsu Pazuru (一茶の8ピースパズル / 8-piece puzzle of Issa)

This is on the other hand a different kind of experiment. One that you either do right or you end up crippled for some time until you find a way to do it right. Partially inspired by David Schnell´s landscape paintings and the sky over Chiba this child play was way to interesting not to be done. And that leads us to a “half”.

I Love Onigiri

I Love Onigiri is a set of designs I did in 2018 and it never bloomed out fully. I couldn’t find a proper place to plant this seed to grow. Finally I created such a place.

Muha’s Gift Shop – Featuring custom t-shirts, prints, and more

For some time I was struggling to provide cheaper versions of my artwork. The price of my painting was constantly going up in the last 5 years and I couldn’t provide something affordable for everyone. Selling and shipping art prints was taking too much time to do it on my own and attempts to work with local print shops didn’t bear fruits. I am not saying it wasn’t worth of try but it just wasn’t happening. So I was always looking for a long term solution. I found it in threadless.com that there was enough diversity in printed products they offered. I think everyone can find something interesting for them. From framed art prints to stickers, from t-shirts to bags. Feel free to explore and share and come back because I just started to fill it up.

Peace Education Hub

This is where the very good news begins in this update. My wife has been working for some time on founding Peace Education Hub in Sarajevo as part of the international project and it started its work on the International Peace Day, 21 September 2020. As everything in the last two years it has been working mostly as an online project so far. But that didn’t stop her and her colleagues at PEH to organize various workshops, webinars, projects and summer school with esteemed guests from this field. That was crowned with receiving the Goran Bubalo Peace Award for educational institution in 2021. Now I have to brag a little, because I was/am providing support for this project from the start with the design and technical support. So please, check out the Peace Education Hub website and their youtube channel.

Past 12 months and next 12 months

This was a very hard year for me, but I won’t complain. I complained enough. Some projects didn’t happen, others are starting to develop, and I won’t stop. I would like to share a quote:

Sometimes you feel like life is killing you. Well that’s life.
– Jean-Michel Basquiat, Downtown 81

Sometimes it is hard, but luckily we are capable of changing and more importantly, of dreaming, and I often dream of (Kami)Soshigaya, Chiba… friends I met and friends I still didn’t have a chance to meet. And whenever I get a chance I share my love with a plate of chirashizushi (or udon bowl) and sake with my friends.

In sweet voice of Leonard Nimoy I wish you
To live longer and prosper!
So we could meet (again).

All the best to you and yours,
peace, love, udon & sake
muha

Live Long and Prosper