Welcome dear Minion, to the Official Man vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness!
Within these hallowed halls hang the portraits of Artists deemed by yours truly to be awesome in a myriad of different ways. When I say Artists I mean Visual Artists, Writers, Poets, Actors, Musicians, Comedians, Directors, just about anybody who has made their living by use of creativity and artistry.
This is a shrine or tribute to those artists that have gone above and beyond with their body of work, their philosophy, and maverick attitudes. Forget outside the box, to these people THERE IS NO BOX.
I have created this to give credit to these great artists where credit is due and to hopefully persuade you Minions to think for yourselves, chart your own course, and perhaps aid you in your personal quest for artistic fulfillment.
I promise that each inductee is given much consideration and the screening process is thorough and extensive. As you all know, I am a son of a bitch when it comes to such things, as well as many others. This is by no means a popularity contest. Nor an attempt at ass kissing. Two things that Man vs. Art does not abide nor subscribe to. But you already know that right?
I would also like to open up the selection process to include you, the minions, the heart and soul of Man vs. Art!
If you would like to nominate someone for inclusion into the Man vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness, then by all means do so.
All I need from you is a the name of your nominee, a caricature done by you of the inductee that resembles a Greek or Roman statue, plus a brief or elaborate explanation of why you have deemed this person to be worthy.
Things to keep in mind.
- I’m looking for visionaries, lone wolves, rebels, mavericks,underdogs, scrappers, leaders, wise men. wiseguys, wise asses, pranksters, trailblazers, and rogues.
- What has the artist contributed in their work to get you art cockles worked up? How has he or she affected your philosophy or attitude towards art?
- How do they differ from their peers?
- How have they thumbed his nose at the establishment? Have they pissed off the squares? The suits? Upset the apple cart? Rattled a cage? If so how?
I want to see passion and strength coming through in your nomination and sketch.
For your trouble, I shall post your entry alongside the ones I do. There they will stand forever and in perpetuity throughout the entire universe for all to behold!
So what the hell are you waiting for! Start writing and drawing! Who knows, maybe you will convince others with your words and pictures to get off their asses and be unique! Be proud! And most of all be themselves!
Please submit your nominations to manvsart@manvsart.com with the word “PANTHEON” in the subject line!
Remember…Draw ’til it hurts.
Ralph Bakshi.
Art and words by Raul Aguirre Jr.
Veteran animation legend Ralph Bakshi. A man who has always done things his way since first sneaking into the Animation department at TerryToons. Ralph Bakshi is anti Disney to the max and believes that the Disney way of doing animation is not the only way. Even though I spent nearly a decade chained to a desk at the “Magic Kingdom” I agree.
Bakshi considers the Disney technique to be wasteful, overly elaborate, and BORING. Apparently audiences agree.
In the 1970s, Ralph pioneered an alternative to mainstream animation through independent productions geared towards adults. From’72 to’92 Ralph directed nine features, five of which he wrote. He has done tons of TV projects as director, writer, producer and animator.
Ralph has given us a plethora of cartoon insanity that has stood the test of time.
1972 Fritz the Cat
1973 Heavy Traffic
1975 Coonskin
1977 Wizards
1978 The Lord of the Rings
1981 American Pop
1982 Hey Good Lookin’
1983 Fire and Ice
1992 Cool World
Ralph Bakshi is fiercely independent and in this video admonishes today’s animators as being pussies for crying about artist mistreatment at the claws of the big studios and for not taking advantage of today’s digital advancements that make it possible for artists to make their own films in relatively inexpensive ways.
Raul
William Shatner
Art and words by Raul Aguirre Jr.
Full of Shatner!
William Shatner is the epitome of the artist who never says die! For over four decades this guy has failed as much as he has succeeded. He has put out as many stinkers as he has brilliant gems! What’s more William Shatner has even humiliated himself a few times. But he always bounces back and we still love him!
What makes Shatner awesome is this. Despite the failures he has never given up. Ever since I can remember Shatner has been working!
- bit parts on the Twilight Zone
- commanding the Enterprise in the OG Star Trek series,
- his brilliant musical career. Mr Tambourine man anyone? How about Lucy in the sky with diamonds?
- TJ HOOKER,
- Rescue 911,
- the Star Trek Movies,
- Tek World,
- Spy Hard
- Over a decade as the priceline.com shill,
- Comedy Central’s Celebrity Roast
- History channel specials
- Critically acclaimed performances on The practice, Boston legal,
- His own talk show for crying out loud!
Some folks like me, admire him, other folks hate him. You can’t argue with the fact that yes William Shatner is a joke. But you know what? I think he is laughing the hardest. All the way to the friggin’ bank.
William Shatner I welcome you to the Man Vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness!
For you are Awesome in every sense of the word. Or as my friend Luis Escobar puts it, “You are Awesome with Awesome sauce!”
Plus he’s scored with a green chick!
Raul
Andy Kaufman
Art and words by Jim Lujan
Andy did you hear about this one?
Ode to Andy.
There can only be one “first time”. You can only be a pioneer if something is undiscovered. There was only one first man on the moon. That man was Andy Kaufman and the moon was the world of undiscovered comedy. How do you take 25% awkwardness, 25% embarrassment, 25% chaos, and 25% fearlessness and turn into 100% genius? You can only do that if you are a groundbreaker willing to put your neck on the line discovering something new. Andy was that man.
Never before. Never again. Never quite the same.
He changed comedy and upped the game for comedians and actors alike. Andy took comedy to place where there was no roadmap. He built his own roads out of disorientation and pulling the rug from under our feet. The audience was stunned and could not look away. Some were repulsed and others instantly addicted. He showed people there doesn’t have to be a punchline to be funny. The punchline is the confusion created by no punchline. You either got it or were gotten by it. There was no hipster irony to his comedy. It was pure. The world didn’t know what this guy was doing….I have a feeling he was the only who really did. That’s the beauty of it. Not only did he march to his own drum, he built the drum and played it while singing “The Impossible Dream”.
But alas, the true secret of Andy is….there can only be one. Andy was and is the one. Genius. Fearless.
Awesome.
Jim Lujan
Benjamin Franklin
Art and words by Mike Garvey
I hereby nominate Benjamin Franklin for the Man vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness. He has been one of my biggest heroes for as long as I can remember. Heck, I even named my son after him. My reasons, several, but I’ll keep it to a few. I’ll start with the obvious and then move on to what really makes him great in my book.
His discovery of electricity changed the world as we know it. Steve Jobs has nothing on him. From the light bulb to the internet, electricity may be one of the most important elements in any artist’s toolkit.
Social networking: In 1727 he formed the “Leather Apron Club” (later called “Junto”). Called the Leather Apron Club because of the leather apron he and his fellow printers wore, it was a club that met in tea houses and pubs for the purpose of ‘business, friendship, and conversation’. It became so popular over it’s 30 year span that several spin-off clubs were formed.
He was America’s first cartoonist. His political cartoon “JOIN OR DIE!” (drawn in 1754 in response to the Seven Years War) would become a rally cry during the American Revolution. His cartoon was an inspiration for the people of thirteen colonies to come together and stand against, and amongst, the world’s superpowers of the time. Now that’s the power of art!
He founded the first library in 1731. For the first time ever, access to knowledge, information, poetry, etc. was now available to the general public rather than the few wealthy elite who owned private libraries. Thus enabling everyone, not just the aristocracy, to have an educated voice in the world.
Franklin was so disenchanted by elitist societies of higher learning, that in 1781 when solicited by Royal Academy of Science to submit an essay on his scientific experiments, he responded with a letter which became popularly titled: “Fart Proudly”. The letter discusses scientific means of making farts smell pleasant, and ends with: “…[compared to the practical applications of this discussion, other sciences are] scarcely worth a FART-HING.”
And so, for giving artists the power of lightning to create and unite, for making art that made the little guy feel like a big guy, and for recognizing the importance of every individual in a society, I nominate Benjamin Franklin for the Man vs. Art Pantheon of Awesomeness.
