Thrilla in Manila

The Thrilla has been brought to you by Jen Bekman Gallery

2008-12-08T22:56:05Z

www.jenbekman.com

TONIGHT is the Night

2008-12-08T22:40:56Z

Well, this is it! Come on down to Jen Bekman Gallery this evening from 6-8 pm and get your art on. There are so many amazing works to choose from, all for just $50! After tonight, your last chance to get in on the Thrilla will be if you are on the 20x200 mailing list. Subscribers will be the first to hear about a special Thrilla in Manila edition that will be released this week. Be sure to sign up!

DAY 4: The Final Countdown!

2008-12-06T15:25:43Z

Good morning drawing fans! Today is the last day of the Thrilla in Manila Draw-a-thon between Jane Mount and Jason Polan. It's been an exciting and inspiring few days, although, as Jane pointed out last night, "Drawing is hard work!" Yes it is, but these two artists have staying power. They will fight till the end!

Jen and Jeffrey are on their way back from sunny Miami today, so I will leave you with a few more trivia notes before I sadly hand over my drawing reportage to the artists themselves. From now on, it will be no holds barred!

Yesterday, I asked Jane and Jason to name their favorite artists. Jane is fan of Chris Johanson (they both love to draw planets), Marlene Dumas, and folk artist Howard Finster. Jason mentioned Derek Erdman, Katie McDonough, Michael Worful, and Bill Thelen. Learning who our artists look to for inspiration brought me to another battling artwork: the very famous Erased de Kooning where Robert Rauschenberg erased a Willem de Kooning drawing. You can hear him talk about it here.

Well, this is it dear fans, let the final round begin! Best of luck to our talented artists and may the best drawer win!

And the winner is . . .

2008-12-05T23:25:55Z

Our winners are seasonally sweet this evening: Gummi Bears and Santa Claus! Jane and Jason can barely keep their eyes on the page as we finish up another long but fantastic day of drawing. One more to go!

The final round approaches

2008-12-05T22:11:55Z

The stacks of paper are piling on the tables, I can barely keep up! I'll be back with some latest and greatest from the Battle Drawing series. Who do you think will come out on top? Gummi Bears vs. The Eiffel Tower? Santa Claus vs. Big Foot entering a black hole? You be the judge! (winners will be announced soon...)

We're back!

2008-12-05T21:26:28Z

The blog has been down for a few hours so, in the meantime, Jane and Jason have been making incredible progress (up to 80 5x7" collaborative drawings!) and we've had some very special guests. A musical duo all the way from Brighton, England popped in to make some lovely drawings and inspired Jane and Jason to choose their favorite British artists: Hennie Haworth for Jane and superstar Damien Hirst for Jason. Photographer Amy Stein just joined us at the table drawing along with some very special members of the Taco Bell Drawing Club. It's been quite a day so far! Be sure to be here Monday night for the real stand-off: who will be the first to buy the beautiful drawings?! It will surely be difficult to chose just one.

Thrilla in Manila DAY 3

2008-12-05T17:33:02Z

The day began with a flurry of activity with a visit from our very own Joe Holmes and family. Like our two artists, Joe's a fan of documenting workspaces as well as the Natural History Museum. Jane has been lamenting the loss of Pluto as a planetary member and I can hear the restless movement of Jason's pencil on paper. The artists are armed with coffee and sports drinks, ready for another day of drawing competition!

2 days down and 2 to go

2008-12-04T22:56:02Z

We're half way there drawing fans! Get plenty of rest for we'll be back tomorrow, as bright eyed and bushy tailed as Jane's presidential dog series (come down to see her amazing work!). Alright ladies and gentleman, it's time to put those pens and brushes down and time for me to sign off. Enjoy!

The draw continues

2008-12-04T21:42:45Z

With close to one hour to go, the battle continues! Jason is gaining energy from his new AAA Holiday Edition just released on 20x200 but we all know that it's Jane who's keeping him on his toes! Keep a watch out for more drawing action as we wind down in today's final round.

We are currently tied!

2008-12-04T21:29:18Z

This is a drawing Evan Forsch did of Jane and me art battling!

Thrilla ON Manila

2008-12-04T21:00:33Z

Our first fan mail! Thanks for the images Dakin! It's great to know that our artists (still tirelessly hard at work) are in a long lineage of historic artist rivals. Jane and Jason look at their work together more as a collaboration than a battle but by day three, they may be reaching for those gloves, watch out! (And be sure to watch out for Jason Polan's 20x200 print due to arrive online soon.) So, who's going to be the Heavyweight Paper Champion, you ask? You'll have to wait until Monday, but so far, it looks like a close match.

Hi Jen,

Love the head-to-head thing. But shouldn't it have been Thrilla on Manila?

Wanted to add another, earlier artist boxing match to your list. At the end of Documenta 5, for which Beuys set up an Office for Direct Demoracy (where for 100 days he debated political systems with visitors), he boxed (and beat) the young formalist sculpor Abraham David Christian.

Best,
Dakin Hart

One Two Punch

2008-12-04T19:47:32Z

Do you like to draw AND eat food? Then come join us at Jen Bekman Gallery where we have lots of drawing supplies and a generous amount of delicious food from Russ & Daughters, brought to us by our very own Hey, Hot Shot! blogger extraordinaire, Jen Snow. Thanks Jen for keeping our artists well fed! The drawings keep coming and they're getting better and better, can't wait to show you more!

Thrilla in Manila DAY 2

2008-12-04T16:56:53Z

Jane and Jason just arrived with new source books and supplies in tow. They have been quickly tidying and sorting all the new work from last night's full house. I can't wait to see what they come up with today! I'm sure Jane will be busy with her polaroid portrait series and I'm looking forward to more of Jason's witty commentary. Come down and add yourself to the mix!

Draw it out

2008-12-03T20:59:28Z

While Jane and Jason are busy entertaining our very first drawing guests, I decided to do a little artist rival research. As many of you may know, The Thrilla in Manila is named after the famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the Heavy Weight Boxing Championship of the World, fought in Metro Manila, Philippines on October 1, 1975. But here at the Jen Bekman Gallery we are drawers, not fighters! Our artists are more in line with another rather famous duo, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat as they collaboratively painted it out during the 1980's.

If you are in need of some creative inspiration, you can become your very own drawing superhero at the 826NYC Superhero Supply Store in Brooklyn. With about an hour to go, more people just sat down to draw and the wall is filling up. Jane and Jason are still going strong! Stay tuned for more!

25 drawings in 3 hours

2008-12-03T19:24:51Z

As Jane and Jason get back to work after a well deserved pizza break they tallied their efforts to a prolific 25 drawings in 3 hours with more on the way! Incorporating animals, chairs, and text (to name just a few), their pens rarely lifting from the page, these two don't miss a beat! As Jason mentioned in one of his drawings, "It won't be painful. And you don't have to buy anything." Not yet anyways, but come Monday evening when each drawing will be on sale with all proceeds being generously donated to 826NYC. Come down to the gallery and draw with us!