In the period prior to Sergio Goes’s tragic drowning from shallow water blackout offshore of Waikiki, there were several obstensibly unrelated episodes reported by his friends. Experts say that in shallow water blackout, the victim is totally oblivious of impending death, even as it overcomes him or her.

Two months prior, he and his co-pilot miraculously walked away from a 3,000 foot crash of their tandem ultralight without a scratch. Sergio had been taking photographs aloft and reflected that all thoughts during their precipitous and perilous descent to almost certain death were only of his son, Gabriel.

Mutual friend and renown gallerist Gelareh Khoie of thirtyninehotel stated that on the morning before the rescuers found his body 6 miles from the dive site, she discovered a lifeless chameleon floating upside down in her swimming pool and it gave her a sense of dread since she had never seen any chameleons even close to the pool before.

Before the devastating news of finding his body was confirmed, Sergio had been scheduled to be honored for his artistic achievements by a Honolulu publication at an event that very evening.

Gelareh and I had a chuckle when she said that Sergio always promised but never showed up to install any of his three shows at thirtyninehotel, including this one.

Ho brah, Sergio, you buggah, you!

A three part series that became a master piece. Shooting with a good friend and model Shaun Ross who kills this shoot. We tore up Soho with European madness had a ball thanks to everyone who participated.

Special Thanks to:
Shaun Ross, Wardrobe Stylist Marc Brown and Basic Model Management

Fresh flattering fashion from the Islands

www.fightingeeel.com

Famed Hanauma Bay on the southeast corner of Oahu is spectacular, but can be teeming with tourists and with fish as aggressive as the bears at Yellowstone. I recommend Sharks Cove near Waimea Bay on the north shore. Yes, it’s popular with divers as well, so mind the tide charts and get there at the optimal time. It’s a cove, so when it’s calm the clarity and depth of the water makes one feel like being in the giant natural aquarium that it is, but with honua (”turtles” in Hawaiian)! This dream-like image is like a recollection of it from my youth, with Kaena Point, the northernmost point of Oahu seen in the distance, near my birthplace in Waialua (”two rivers.”)

Pu’u O Mahuka (hill of escape) is the largest heiau (temple) on Oahu. In the heights near the northern tip of the island, signal beacons here could be seen by the heiau at Wailua on the island of Kauai, 100 miles away. An important and strategic site, sacrifices and war plans were conducted here. I was born and raised in a neighboring town and often came here for solitude and contemplation.

Commemorating the immigration of Japanese to Hawaii, the Byodo-in Temple on the windward side of Oahu, is a replica of the 950-year-old temple in Uji, Japan outside of Kyoto. It contains a 9-foot tall Lotus Buddha and became popularized when featured in the television series, Lost, as the home of the father of the female character, Sun. I recall often bringing my children here to look at the colorful koi in the surrounding water gardens.

Pornography+Propaganda+Consumption=?

Perverse Package Size, A.K.A.: Tizil solo show @ EVA- April 2009.

Many thanks to Stephanie Pappas and Hikari Yokoyama

Many thanks to David Gensler and Aerosyn-Lex Mestrovic.

Well, a few months ago a friend of mine was putting together a show at a college gallery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and asked me to enter with a piece.

Many thanks to Fillipe Brum.

Last Thursday, in Newark, NJ, started the annual event organized by the Newark arts council, the Open Doors 2009. Over 30 galleries, some of them itinerant, are part of the circuit which includes a number of curated and juried exhibitions highlighting artists from Newark and surrounding areas.

The people from UnOneAllCentro, were kind enough to invite me to be, along with other artists from Latin America and Europe, part of a collective show at National Newark Building.

Many thanks to Newark Arts Council and UnOneAllCentro.

One of the things I look forward to seeing and sampling when back in Hawaii is new takeaway food presentations and packagings in the large Japanese department stores. Above is taiyaki: shaped toasted bread resembling a small fish in size, shape and contours, with a choice of various fillings, including a Japanese hot dog. Also new to me is the chicken katsu sandwich, with trimmed white bread (!). I also enjoy tasting the full array of Japanese pickles (eggplant, garlic, cucumber) and mochi cream selections, like dainagon and sakura daifuku.

Hey all. Thought I would take a minute to share my new commercial portfolio website. Thanks to Cargo Collective for the help!

http://www.electricheat.org

This shoot was fun cause the model was pleasant to work with.

Special Thanks to:
Vincent Fanwick and Wardrobe Stylist Douglas Hickman Jr.