Urbancode Planisek Interview

8/9/2019 Urbancode Planisek Interview

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MarkPlanisekcould be the James Brown of DC artist

interview by Stuart GreenwelPhotos by Armand Emamdjome

"how could you call yourself an artist an not be involved in mankind's affairs?"



In the interest of full disclosure I want to

say that Mark Planisek and I have been

friends for well over a decade, and we

have shared a number of studios togetherover the years. In that time I have become

very familiar with his work, his methodolo-

gies, and his motives. This interview is an

attempt to share with urbancode readers a

little about an artist whom I know to be one

of the hardest working artists in DC. With

scores of exhibits across this country and

internationally, Planisek’s resume is a tes-

tament to hard work and persistence. Like

the hardest working man in show busi-

ness, Mark Planisek might just be the D.C.

art scene’s James Brown!

Stuart Greenwell: Mark, thank you for sitting down totalk with me about your latest work. Traditionally youhad been working with a large format camera and mixed media to create your photo collages—more recently, per-haps the last year or two, you have been working with abox motif and a more direct photographic style. Can youtell me how this new direction came about?

MP: I started dabbling with the idea of workingwith collages in boxes about five years ago. e shiin direction really came about when I had a studio at

the Millennium Ar ts Center in Washington, S.W. Oneday while taking a break from my painting and col-lage routine I was walking through the hallways andnoticed how beautiful the sun was shining through theold windows. I grabbed my camera and started taking

pictures. I documented the various times of day whenI was photographing. ree and a half years later andabout 350 pictures from the roof to the courtyards tothe cellar of the building, I kept photographing until Iwalked out the door for the last time.

SG: What does this new direction mean to you personally?

MP: I’ve always had an emotional attachment to my workspace and [the Millennium Art Center] had somuch to offer. On the surface it didn’t appear special—it was an old junior high school [which] closed downin 1972, but as I looked around I began to discover thebeauty in the place—it was delightfully decrepit, shallwe say! ere are also a lot of memories in that build-ing. I did a little research on the school and found out

the original schoolhouse portion was built in 1906 andthat Marvin Gaye attended school there and sang intheir chorus. It just had a lot of hidden character andenergy.

SG: You have been one of D.C.’s more politically out-spoken artists, and it has become somewhat of a parallel path in your work in terms of subject matter and intent.Can you speak about that a little bit?

MP: I get very emotional when it comes to the poli-tics of this country and I have found that the expres-sion of my views has helped me get through the lastseven years of this administration’s policies. I was very upset about the Bush administration’s so-called vic-tory from the very beginning and I have watched my worst fears play out since then.

I am oen asked why I do political art and I guess Ican answer that best by a conversation that I had witha German artist who clarified the point perfectly. Shesaid, “How could you call yourself an artist and not beinvolved in mankind’s affairs?” If you see something

wrong, you should speak out. at really lit a fire un-der me. I was very angry about the current state of af-fairs and I couldn’t understand the general apathy in

this country to what was real ly happening. I felt peopleneeded to be woken up.

SG: You are involved in the Warehouse’s current pro-test show Peace Now and you have been part of each of the six protest shows. Do you have any indication that inthis very political city—THE political city— that anyoneis listening? Have you had any feedback on your efforts?

MP: Oh yes, I’ve gotten feedback. Some people havealways said that I don’t mince words in my political

work. I feel why should I mince? If you see how bla-tantly reckless and violent this administration hasbeen with their “fear” and “disaster capitalism” agen-da, there really is no time to beat around the bush (nopun intended). I see people around town whisperingand tip-toeing around afraid to say anything, because

of who might be listening, but you know, if Ito cower, run, hide and not spe ak my mind tkind of a democracy are we really r unning in t

try? I’ve gotten compliments and I’ve even rfew threats over the last few years, but if youto speak up in a so-called free society then yready been defeated and you are a coward. I like that.

SG: You are very involved with the the Fallen” memorial exhibit for fallen soldiers in Afghanistan where you have painted 13 portraisoldiers for this exhibit at the Arlington Natioetery at the Women in Military Service Memor

ing, Arlington, VA. What does this opportunity you?

MP: When I was asked to do this project tually proposed to me as being in protest tobut what it morphed into was much more...

“if you're afraid to speak up in a so-called freesociety then you've already been defeated and

you are a coward. I can’t live like that.”



became a dialog among the artist, the military and thefamilies of the soldiers. In the art world selling yourpaintings is very important, but also being able toshare your art in the name of helping someone; this issomething I had never experienced to this degree.

When you saw all 1,300 plus portraits stacked to-gether and looking you right in the face, you feel theimpact. You really feel the human loss. It really hits

you!

I remember speaking to a mother of a 22-year-oldsoldier from Texas that was killed and whose p ortrait Ipainted. She was crying as she thanked me for keepingthe memory of her son alive, for her family, her son’sfiancé and for her. All I can say is it was an experienceI’ll never forget. All 1,319 port raits painted by over 100artists were shipped to all the families of the soldierswhen the exhibit came down.

I recently painted two more portraits of two Navy Seals that were killed in Iraq. One of them was my nephew’s fellow Seal and best friend. My nephew toldme he was shot and killed literally eight feet behindhim and died in his arms. My nephew asked me if Iwould do a portrait of his friend, then his command-ing officer asked if I would do another for the secondsoldier killed in their battalion. e two paintings are

now part of a permanent memorial to these two sol-diers at the quarterdeck of the Navy Seal Base in SanDiego, CA.

SG: You were recently honored with inclusion into anexhibit at e Senator John Heinz Regional History Cen-ter in Pittsburgh, P.A., the city of your alma mater, e Art Institute of Pittsburgh, How did this very prestigiousopportunity come about?

MP: Te Art Institute has always been a great sup-porter of my work over the years. Tey have severalpieces of my work in their permanent collection and onloan. It was an honor to be able to go with my family andfriends to Pittsburgh and see my work there amongst allthe other honorees in this exhibit of former students atthe Heinz Historical Center and on exhibit at the Art

Institute. It made me reflect a little bit and realize that Ihave accomplished a few things over the years.

SG: Mark, we’ve been friends and colleagues for over 12 years and I have watched you work methodically,sometimes in obscurity, sometimes with accolade. It has

inspired me to call you the James Brown of D.C. arts—thehardest working man in the art business! What was it that lead you down the path to become what we call an artist? It’s not an easy life. ere are many sacrifices.

MP: I’ve been an artist since I was old enough tohold a pencil. My earliest memories are that of draw-ing pictures and cartoons as a child. I guess I’m one of those lucky people where there was never any questionof what I was going to do in my life. rough thick andthin I was always an artist and will always be an artist.I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was lucky enough towork as an illustrator, graphic artist for more than 15

years and the last 12 years in art museums. is allowsme to express myself freely in my art and when I do sell

a painting or get a commission it’s a plus. e fine artbusiness can be tough and sometimes cruel, but I know what I can do and I’m going to keep doing it becauseI not only want to, but I have to. It also helps a lot tohave a mate who understands and lets you do what youneed to do.

SG: Last question. What is the connection betand Quentin Tarantino? Did I see you in Pulp F

MP: I had anexhibit at a gallery in Georg1996 when the gallery owner told me that thiwas going to purchase a piece of my work. idea who she was, but it turned out to be Queantino’s mother Connie (she lived in Bethesat that time). We talked and became fast friecommissioned me to do three portraits of Qushe now owns more t han 25 pieces of my workthe three portraits went to Quentin. Quentin one of my pieces to actor Mira Sorvino w homfor a while.

Te best story I have is when Quentin would visit we’d take him around D.C. and one time wthat the Arlington (V.A.), Cinema and Drahplaying a last screening of Quentin’s’ movie “Dogs” at midnight. We mentioned it to himnoticed that there was a Robert DeNiro film h

Mark Planisek, 3 Hallway Window, 9” x 7” x 2”D photo boxcollages, 2007



seen and it was playing at 9:00, so we decided to all gothere for both movies. It was quite the experience go-ing around town with Quentin and to be in a theaterwatching one of his movies with him. In the middle of the first movie the waitress noticed him and it was justnuts once everyone noticed him. Te manager wantedto shut the theater down for the midnight showing of his movie, but Connie, his mother, wouldn’t let them.When the movie ended it was quite a mob scene and Ihad to help Quentin get out of the building safely. Later,I would visit Connie at her home in L.A. a few times andit was quite rewarding when she asked me if I would liketo install my art works throughout her house. I still hear

from her every now and then. Last I had heard Quentinwas bouncing between his home in L.A. and his NewYork City apartment.

P.S. No Stuart, that wasn’t me you saw in Pulp Fic-tion, but I’ve oen been mistaken for Harvey Keitel(HA HA HA!).

Please view the Faces of the Fallen website: (http://www.facesohefallen.org/portraits/index.htm)

Mark Planisek, Court Yard East, 2007

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