Diran Lyons in Conversation with Jason Mendez Napier
Diran Lyons in Conversation with Jason Mendez Napier
February 8, 2024
Diran Lyons
/ diran.lyons
Jason Mendez Napier
/ 39sketches | / j_mendez_napier
In this podcast, I am joined by my friend and fellow artist, Jason Mendez Napier (@39sketches). Our journey of friendship began at CSU Fresno in the late 1990s, under the tutelage of conceptual artist Charles Gaines. This episode dives into the nostalgia of our formative years, discussing the profound impact those experiences have had on our creative processes. We share stories, insights, and reflections on how art shapes and is shaped by the spaces we inhabit and the moments we live. Throughout, Jason and I engage in a continual, layered conversation on how we navigate thinking critically through various issues, aligning our discourse with the meta-critical traditions of philosophers like Wittgenstein and Derrida. Our approach to understanding and deconstructing concepts does not just apply to art. It forms a critique of the frameworks and narratives that shape our perception of the world around us.
Napier and I engage in a heartfelt conversation that explores recent projects and ideas shaping my life and work, including a garden on my property where various fruit trees grow amidst granite-lined pathways and tiered landscaping. This garden represents not just a passion for nature but also an ongoing space for creativity, reflecting the most recent steps in my journey as an artist who has spent the last 28 years engaging with the world through art exhibitions, online video remixes, and teaching.
Our discussion also explores the development of my 'Homework Series,' an ongoing effort that began when the COVID-19 lockdown halted trips to my favorite museums. Assuming the role of a pseudo art collector, I have created replicas of famous artworks for my home, offering a playful yet critical take on art reproduction. Far from mere tributes, they serve as commentary on the exorbitant prices of modern and contemporary art. This series aims to ignite a conversation on how the art market's perceived value and exclusivity reflect wider issues, including suspicions of money laundering and tax evasion strategies among the elite. Thus, my approach to home decoration challenges and scrutinizes these art world conundrums, providing a lens through which we can examine its intricacies from a grounded, accessible, and personal viewpoint.
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