SITE WORK
Gabriel Delponte, Robin Donaldson, Thomas Prinz, Mike Nesbit, 2024
Tulsa, OK
"Well, I left Oklahoma Driving in a Pontiac, Just about to lose my mind. I was going to Arizona, Maybe on to California Where people all live so fine. My mother says I'm crazy, My baby calls me lazy, But I'm gonna show them all this time 'Cause you know I ain't no fool and I don't need no more damn schoolin'. I was born to just walk the line. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Gonna set my watch back to it 'Cause you know that I've been through it. Living on Tulsa time. So there I was in Hollywood, Thinking I was doing good, Talking on the telephone line. They don't want me in the movies And nobody sings my songs; My mama says my baby's doing fine. So then I started winking, Then I started thinking That I really had a flash this time. That I had no business leaving, And nobody would be grieving; You see I'm on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Gonna set my watch back to it 'Cause you know that I've been through it. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Gonna set my watch back to it 'Cause you know that I've been through it. Living on Tulsa time."
- Eric Clapton, "Tulsa Time." Backless, Danny Flowers (London, UK: Olympic Studios, 1978) track 10.
Show upGo to work
Just Another day
Clock in
Clock out
If you’re lucky
Go to Lunch Early
The plan, there is no plan. The rules, there are no rules. Better be there 15 minutes early.
Probably best to bring your shovel, a tape measure for approximates, although the eye is better. Don’t forget your boots, jeans might be a good idea for this line of work. Just remember you’re going to make a mess, it’s probably dusty, and gloves could be required, although callused hands are more appropriate. Not even sure what the job is, move some stuff there, bring things over here, maybe a stack and more often some piles over there. Those concrete bags aren’t going to move themselves, best to grab the wheel barrel and make sure the hose is long enough.
Let the paint breath over the pavement
None of this is precious
By noon we should be somewhere
Take a break for lunch
Talk about what was done
Get back to work
Enough with the chit chat
Those 2x4’s have been sitting around all day
Cut 'em down at random
Throw them in the corner
A splinter in your palm
Seems like you’re getting the idea
When I was your age, we used to call that a ‘Tulsa Tornado’
Only thing you forgot was the duct tape and a few roofing nails
Is that a Little Italy Sky Scraper or an Anacapa Pipeline
Who is Giotto anyways? Heard he was friends with that Fra Angelico fella
Enough standing around
Get back to work
Gabriel Delponte, Robin Donaldson, Thomas Prinz, Mike Nesbit, 2024
Tulsa, OK
"Well, I left Oklahoma Driving in a Pontiac, Just about to lose my mind. I was going to Arizona, Maybe on to California Where people all live so fine. My mother says I'm crazy, My baby calls me lazy, But I'm gonna show them all this time 'Cause you know I ain't no fool and I don't need no more damn schoolin'. I was born to just walk the line. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Gonna set my watch back to it 'Cause you know that I've been through it. Living on Tulsa time. So there I was in Hollywood, Thinking I was doing good, Talking on the telephone line. They don't want me in the movies And nobody sings my songs; My mama says my baby's doing fine. So then I started winking, Then I started thinking That I really had a flash this time. That I had no business leaving, And nobody would be grieving; You see I'm on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Gonna set my watch back to it 'Cause you know that I've been through it. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Living on Tulsa time. Gonna set my watch back to it 'Cause you know that I've been through it. Living on Tulsa time."
- Eric Clapton, "Tulsa Time." Backless, Danny Flowers (London, UK: Olympic Studios, 1978) track 10.
Show upGo to work
Just Another day
Clock in
Clock out
If you’re lucky
Go to Lunch Early
The plan, there is no plan. The rules, there are no rules. Better be there 15 minutes early.
Probably best to bring your shovel, a tape measure for approximates, although the eye is better. Don’t forget your boots, jeans might be a good idea for this line of work. Just remember you’re going to make a mess, it’s probably dusty, and gloves could be required, although callused hands are more appropriate. Not even sure what the job is, move some stuff there, bring things over here, maybe a stack and more often some piles over there. Those concrete bags aren’t going to move themselves, best to grab the wheel barrel and make sure the hose is long enough.
Let the paint breath over the pavement
None of this is precious
By noon we should be somewhere
Take a break for lunch
Talk about what was done
Get back to work
Enough with the chit chat
Those 2x4’s have been sitting around all day
Cut 'em down at random
Throw them in the corner
A splinter in your palm
Seems like you’re getting the idea
When I was your age, we used to call that a ‘Tulsa Tornado’
Only thing you forgot was the duct tape and a few roofing nails
Is that a Little Italy Sky Scraper or an Anacapa Pipeline
Who is Giotto anyways? Heard he was friends with that Fra Angelico fella
Enough standing around
Get back to work
Photos Courtesy of Dan Farnum
About the Artist:
Gabriel Delponte was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1975. His education as a self-taught visual artist began focusing on contemporary work. Gabriel's interest led him to an early encounter with contemporary arts, which influenced his study and unique creative process. He works across various disciplines, including design as a parallel activity. He has exhibited prolifically nationally and internationally. In 2014, he moved his studies and workshop to Japan to conduct an art project, which led him to work there for six years. Since 2019, Gabriel Delponte has been developing new works in Miami Beach City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
www.gabrieldelponte.com
A fourth-generation Southern Californian, Robin Donaldson was born and raised within the SoCal surf and skate culture. Before founding ShubinDonaldson, he received a Bachelor’s in Studio Art at UCSB, focusing on painting and printmaking. He then attended the Southern California Institute of Architecture, receiving his Master of Architecture and winning the Henry Adams Medal. During his SCI_Arc studies, Robin began working with Morphosis Architects and served as the Project Architect on the Crawford Residence. In 1990, Donaldson founded ShubinDonaldson Architects. Today he lectures at AIA events, academic institutions, devotes time to AIA advisory boards, and serves on community planning advisory boards across Southern California.
Donaldson’s creative force is at the heart of advancing SD’s design ethos. He leads the firms’ investigations between buildings and topography/landscape integration, representation and drawing sensibilities, and unique fabrication methodologies. His interest in exploring new possibilities for conventional building typologies also includes leading ShubinDonaldson’s research and development efforts.
www.donaldsonplus.com
Thomas Prinz is an architect and fine artist based in Omaha, Nebraska. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master of Architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles. In 1990, Prinz established Arc-Studio to explore the disciplines of art and architecture. He creates works with thoughts of structures as well as paying homage to many past great artists like Giotto. His works are collages, monotype and digital prints on paper.
www.instagram.com/thomasprinz123
Mike Nesbit is a fine artist based in Los Angeles. With a background in architecture, his multidisciplinary trajectory greatly informs his artwork, allowing Nesbit to explore areas between art and architecture with a focus on technique, repetition, and representation. Nesbit has participated in solo and group shows throughout the United States. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles and played four years of professional baseball with the Seattle Mariners.
www.mikenesbit.com
Gabriel Delponte was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1975. His education as a self-taught visual artist began focusing on contemporary work. Gabriel's interest led him to an early encounter with contemporary arts, which influenced his study and unique creative process. He works across various disciplines, including design as a parallel activity. He has exhibited prolifically nationally and internationally. In 2014, he moved his studies and workshop to Japan to conduct an art project, which led him to work there for six years. Since 2019, Gabriel Delponte has been developing new works in Miami Beach City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
www.gabrieldelponte.com
A fourth-generation Southern Californian, Robin Donaldson was born and raised within the SoCal surf and skate culture. Before founding ShubinDonaldson, he received a Bachelor’s in Studio Art at UCSB, focusing on painting and printmaking. He then attended the Southern California Institute of Architecture, receiving his Master of Architecture and winning the Henry Adams Medal. During his SCI_Arc studies, Robin began working with Morphosis Architects and served as the Project Architect on the Crawford Residence. In 1990, Donaldson founded ShubinDonaldson Architects. Today he lectures at AIA events, academic institutions, devotes time to AIA advisory boards, and serves on community planning advisory boards across Southern California.
Donaldson’s creative force is at the heart of advancing SD’s design ethos. He leads the firms’ investigations between buildings and topography/landscape integration, representation and drawing sensibilities, and unique fabrication methodologies. His interest in exploring new possibilities for conventional building typologies also includes leading ShubinDonaldson’s research and development efforts.
www.donaldsonplus.com
Thomas Prinz is an architect and fine artist based in Omaha, Nebraska. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master of Architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles. In 1990, Prinz established Arc-Studio to explore the disciplines of art and architecture. He creates works with thoughts of structures as well as paying homage to many past great artists like Giotto. His works are collages, monotype and digital prints on paper.
www.instagram.com/thomasprinz123
Mike Nesbit is a fine artist based in Los Angeles. With a background in architecture, his multidisciplinary trajectory greatly informs his artwork, allowing Nesbit to explore areas between art and architecture with a focus on technique, repetition, and representation. Nesbit has participated in solo and group shows throughout the United States. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles and played four years of professional baseball with the Seattle Mariners.
www.mikenesbit.com