Nazir Tanbouli

The big gig: finding sites, thinking, painting

nazirtanbouli — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:57:13 +0000

More blank canvases for the mural project. Freezing (and eerie) walking around locating sites. Freezing painting in the studio too.

In the Studio: Prep for THE BIG GIG

nazirtanbouli — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:37:23 +0000

I just got permission to take over a semi derelict housing estate in east London and use the buildings (there are over 12 buildings) as a space for mural painting exhibition. The project will start in March and is supposed to conclude during the Olympic games this summer.

I’m working on paper which will be later mounted on the buildings, this way I can start now, and will avoid working outdoors in the cold winter. I’m doing it all so far on my own expense.

It’s a dream I shared one day with my friend and mural-painting partner Osama Elsehli. OsOs, I’m going for it Bruv, and I’m thinking of you.

taking time over drawing ….

nazirtanbouli — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:51:40 +0000

I started the Bedtime drawing project just to see what it is that I draw last thing at night (actually more like 6 am) before sleeping. But now I see that I am right now spending the whole night on one drawing and I sleep only when it’s done.

These drawings coming now are really crafted, taking hours and hours and a lot of fine work. A lot of deep focus. Getting deeper and deeper into the drawing.

finished before sleep …

nazirtanbouli — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:35:59 +0000

I worked on this for a long time, but I finished it before sleeping.

Bedtime drawings again …

nazirtanbouli — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:03:13 +0000

This is the 6th drawing I have identified as the “last drawing before sleeping.” I’m wondering if once I have got a lot of them I can learn something about the half-sleeping half-waking state I am in when I draw before I sleep. This is not just a drawing I do before bed; I draw a lot every night, so this is just the last of many. By the time I draw this one I am in a state of exhaustion.

I just completed the last of a series of 12 paintings, oil stick on paper. I am going to photograph it in the studio now.

Yesterday’s Bed-time Drawing and the painting it inspired …

nazirtanbouli — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:09:58 +0000

Before I went to sleep, I drew this:

Next day I went to the studio and painted this:

What is this creature? It came to me in the last exhausted moments before sleeping. You tell me….

Bedtime drawing

nazirtanbouli — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:43:40 +0000

I’m posting the last drawing I do before sleeping.
Usually this drawing takes place between 5 and 6 am while I am in a total physical exhaustion and my head is genuinely spaced.
The last drawing of every day is not necessarily a good or bad drawing, but by far never failed to be one of the strangest.

Bedtime drawing 2

nazirtanbouli — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:43:52 +0000

Bedtime Drawing

nazirtanbouli — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:34:30 +0000

I’ve been drawing every single day as far back as I can remember.

mostly before sleeping.regardless of where I was, or what I was doing during the day.
These drawings have never been connected to anything at the time they were made, yet they were always the foundation for whatever I do in my art work.

I will start to post the last drawing I do before sleeping.
Usually this drawing takes place between 5 and 6 am while I am in a total physical exhaustion and my head is genuinely spaced. And of course in this state I can’t post anything so I’ll be doing that the following morning.
The last drawing of every day is not necessarily a good or bad drawing, but by far never failed to be one of the strangest.
Check them out, guys and keep the conversation going.

New work

nazirtanbouli — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:23:20 +0000