Episode #205: In this episode, artists Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide-Pierson, the principal members of the collective assume vivid astro focus, discuss their first paintings on canvas. In this new body of work they continue to reference the transgender figure—a symbol for the idea that "somebody can transform their body at their will," which as Sudbrack says, "is an act of freedom." Best known for creating dense and colorful installations that incorporate sculpture, wallpaper, music, and performance, Sudbrack and Hamaide-Pierson typically invite artists and friends to collaborate with them, but decided not to for this project. Sudbrack explains why, saying that painting creates an opportunity for spontaneity and concentration, without the distraction of production concerns that accompany their large-scale installations.

The collective assume vivid astro focus fuses drawing, sculpture, painting, video, and performance into carnavalesque installations in which gender, politics, and cultural codes float freely. A study in visual adaptation and modification, avaf's work recycles and transforms imagery from one project to the next—often in the form of densely patterned wallpapers and graphic signage. Personal expression and a lust for life feature prominently in projects simultaneously rooted in the politics of free speech, civil rights, and the dissolution of rigid classifications of identity.

Learn more about the artists at:
http://www.art21.org/artists/assume-vivid-astro-focus

assume vivid astro focus: "adderall valium ativan focalin (cantilevering me)" is on view at The Suzanne Geiss Company in New York City through June 21, 2014:
http://www.suzannegeiss.com/#!/exhibitions/?exhibitid=211

CREDITS: Producer: Ian Forster. Consulting Producer: Wesley Miller & Nick Ravich. Interviewer: Ian Forster. Camera: John Marton. Sound: Ian Forster. Editor: Morgan Riles. Artwork Courtesy: assume vivid astro focus & The Suzanne Geiss Company. Additional Photography Courtesy: assume vivid astro focus & Edouard Fraipont. Theme Music: Peter Foley.

"Exclusive" is supported, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; 21c Museum Hotel, and by individual contributors.