Huh, I really thought those were concrete pillows tossed away in an angst filled sleepless night... disappointed, anus -so jr high

Miles, he's all drama but also all talent...

Bill--can someone please tell me why Trong was let go and Judith was not??? She had this amazing pile of switches and colored cords...and she created a cheap mini set from Land of the Lost. I don't get it. I was so excited to see what Trong would do next. Please elaborate!! I feel like I missed something in the judging panel.

I'm a Miles fan so It hurts to hear these nasty comments about him. Hiding the junk under the bed and putting concrete anuses around him while sleeping supported the main idea of the piece (his lack of sleep and anxiety upon entering the graveyard), whereas with Trong's piece, he just thought it would be funny to show TV's talking to each other and if one of them referenced a famous artist. Someone please tell me how that has soul or a meaning beyond showing off his own knowledge of the art community? Because for all the people bashing Miles for being pretentious because he put himself in the art, isn't putting an inside joke in your art that you think no one will understand on purpose a much better example of being pretentious?

I thought that Abdi and Nicole both did good jobs, but their core idea's have been done a lot before. Though if I had to choose a favorite from those two I'd pick Abdi's since his had to do with his own life and the presentation was a little cooler than Nicole's.

The argument about the similarities between Miles' piece this week and Nao's last week and how the judges unfairly judged them seem to make sense until you take into account that Miles' work actually met the challenge on the level of theatricality. He still used the materials by putting them under the bed, plus, doesn't it make conceptual sense to look under a bed? Especially when the piece is activated by someone sleeping there... it actually engages you to look further(like under the bed). It definitely works better than how Nao added a picture of Miles behind what didn't appear as a picture of Miles... to make it more of a picture of Miles.

My money is on Miles. He is a true genius.

Seconding Bill Flavor. Yes, sleeping as artwork is trite, viz. Andy Warhol "Sleep" movie from 1963.

Miles is genius.

Everyone needs to remember there is editing done on reality tv that only conveys the most intriguing parts of the challenge. Now, think about why Miles is spotlighted so much.

He's clearly a true artist who is not intimidated by the restrictions of the challenge. But isn't this the challenge of putting artists (real talent) onto a reality tv show in the first place. It's a silly concept. Some artists are being stifled by the perimeters of the challenge, and obviously others are making the challenge work for them.

Bravo, Miles! (pun wholeheartedly intended)

Miles hiding his work under his bed is actually no different than Nao hiding his portrait behind her connect-the-dots painting. If you can't see it, it doesn't exist. (or so said the judges) I wonder why Miles got a pass and she got a fail?

I studied and taught art history in the PA and NY areas for more than 20 years, and I wasn't surprised how taken in the judges were by the rather precious Miles. I've taught students with OCD, and not one of them used the disorder as an excuse for rudeness. His calling out Trong seemed unforgivable, no less at that moment. I must beg to differ with some of you about Miles' piece. What is so inventive about pouring concrete into plastic bags to make giant anuses? That choice reminded me of some drunken frat boy. I'm not all that keen upon symmetry in modern pieces, so I find that excuse for the presence of those extraneous concrete piles unconvincing. Miles' piece felt ultimately incoherent. I'm sorry he can't sleep, but insomnia does not equal art. Watching some annoying, nasty man-child sleep didn't capture my imagination. So Miles shoved some junk yard finds under his rather uncomfortable so-called bed. Color me unimpressed. Abdi's intriguing blend of sculpture and the TV/joysticks left Miles' cheap tricks in the dust. Nicole's piece also showed far more inventiveness and talent than did Miles' rather self-indulgent twaddle. Nicole and Abdi more thoroughly embraced the challenge by working directly with their junkyard materials in a compelling way. These judges remind me of everything I despise in the current art world: all that smug, precious BS over works that feel as though the artists whipped them out of their own anuses. I don't mind if artists use innovative techniques, but I do mind when their works lack soul.

It was not mentioned that the electronics were under the bed. I felt his display was a complete flop. There was no sign on any graveyard item in his "sculpture". An artist sleeping on a over sized pillow on a plywood bed is not a winning piece in my book. Sure he screen printed a circuit board on the pillow. It was not in the graveyard. And the butt holes, I feel, reflected on the judges ability to see art. If Miles wins the next challenge, and doesn't do the minimum requirement, I am out of here...

Miles piece was juvenile in my opinion. I'm surprised that the other artists found it so inspirational. I really don't understand how he managed to con all of the judges either. It will be interesting to see if he manages to keep the charade going.

Bill Power states, "...Miles hid all of the electronics HE DIDN"T USE from the junk pile under the bed...." I believe that the junk that he used was part of the construction of the bed. The rules did not say that you had to see or recognize the piece of junk used. From what I could gather, his concept was about his own sleeping issues and how that relates to the discarded junk...sleeping. I was more confused about why Trong was sent home than Miles winning. Trong's work was more interesting than Jaime Lynn or Judith's works of art. The negative part of this show is that it is a reality show with the same usual drama. I do believe that Miles should keep his personal opinions to himself. He is not one of the judges.

Relative from West Virginia was wondering - did the NYC fancy dancy artists raid the back porches of some of her friends...to get all the discarded electronics???

The "Miles sleeping by two anuses - with the recycling stuff covered up" would be FAIR GAME for an art silliness award...Only in a ritzy NYC gallery where (maybe next door to the cutesy art student by the anuses) can we also have the emperor dance around in his BCDs while the critics sip cappucino and sigh over his "brilliant wardrobe choices"...

Agree however--- that the two who merely PAINTEd and POSITIONEd their appliances were not diving enough into the challenge.
One of them deserved to go...

I am still disappointed in the judges remarks and reactions. They are fairly superficial, self-serving, literal, tentative, and yet smug (like you are all deer in the headlights, yet are looking at yourselves talking in the mirror), rather than actually giving good, constructive feedback. As a group, you don't seem as knowledgeable as one would expect of such "experts." For instance, Jerry Saltz did not know who Tom Friedman was? Hmmm....

There were several good pieces this week. I wish the show would not ignore some of the contestants who are not in the top or bottom three. Actually, more contestants and less judging would be great. Jon Kessler was fine, probably because of his experience teaching art. Maybe it would work better to have all guest judges - or more art teachers - or let viewers vote.

As for Miles, although he makes solid, though flawed work, many viewers are sick of him already. Whether he is whining about his plight, poisoning the other contestants with his material fumes, or leaping uninvited into the judges' role, he is boring and annoying. More of the other contestants, please.

Finally, we get a show about artists and it has to be done Ala project runway, top chef style? I'm gonna watch no matter what,....cause' I likes me some art.But,for a show about art, where's the creativity? I hope you will not lock yourselves into a corner and tweak the show exploring other ideas. I want to see art and the process. Why kick someone off every week? Instead, let them all battle it out week after week, rewarding the top three(chosen by the judges) with some kind of prize. We're are gonna miss a lot of fantastic art, because someone had an off week, usually because they're working in a medium that they're not use to. Take the stress off them ( Getting kicked off) and let us watch them grow as artists before our eyes. There would still be plenty of backstabbing and antics along the way, as they battle it out for the prizes every week.
You could easily make the show interactive by letting the viewers log in and rate not only their favorite piece of art, but, review all the pieces and simply put them in order, favorite, second favorite, on down the line. That way, the voter can vote for their favorite artist, but also really look and think about all the other pieces of art, as they rate them. The viewer voting would count for say maybe 50%. Next, anyone in the know, say,...art teachers, museum curators, gallery owners, etc. could fill out an application on line and get on a professional panel. So when they vote, ( Just like the general public)their votes would count for another 25% of the total vote. The shows Judges votes count for the last 25% of the total votes counted. This would be an accumulative total over the run of the show, which would be kept secret. The artist with the most votes at the end,..wins. Now, if you throw in a short segment in the show, Ala Antiques Road show, where Sarah Jessica Parker introduces her pick of the week, highlighting an artist that she loves,living or dead or maybe giving kudos's to art program's out there, in a world where school programs are getting cut left and right. This would be a show where I wouldn't only watch, but I would want to champion.

Miles can not even silkscreen professionally. Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg would be rolling over in their graves.

While we felt that as a work of art Miles' piece was by far the strongest, did the judges feel that concealing the found materials under the bed was a copout? Or was some found element integral to the piece in a way that was invisible to the viewer? It's hard to tell, since the episode is edited in such a way that the viewer can't really determine what Miles' found materials even are.

i think what everyone has to remember is that they were supposed to use material from the electronic graveyard --- where in Miles piece did he use any of those materials. i think everyone is taken by his personality and -- yes, it was good work, but it wasn't what the challenge called for. i think Abdi's work was amazing and fulfilled the requirements of the challenge. At this point, not impressed by the judging === makes you wonder?????

Bad judging and bad choices in the second episode. Several comments and choices by a few judges showed their lack of knowledge of about contempoary art. Please do not reward artist for deriving their work from others. Miles sleeping was derived from several other existing works. Look at Ron Mueck's work on the internet for example. And, the television head man has been done many times. Judges should catch these unoriginal works.
Miles work was not a sculpture but an installation. Wasn't the assignment to make a sculpture?
Also, Trong's tv with the "wwtfd?" screen refers to tom Friedman an important living artist. The judge commented that he did not know who this was and that viewers may not either. The judge showed his ignorance about contemporary artists by making this comment. And, any artistically knowledgable person know that good art does not have to be completely understood. Art is mysterious and inspires us ask questions.
Miles condescending comments about Trong's sculpture was out of line and should not be encouraged in the future. I hope the judges do not need his help to critique, or do they?

Miles' piece was gorgeous, but he really did circumvent the rules and spirit of the challenge.

I agree with piccasso291 regarding Miles not using any discarded electronics in his "work of art". He should have been called on it and he most definitely should not have won. Personally, I found Nicole's piece much more creative and aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, he NEVER should have said anything negative about another competitor. It shows his complete lack of respect for other artists and as well as a inferiority complex. What next - will he begin forming alliances?

Does anyone else remember Nicole from last season's RHONYC??? She is LuAnn's niece - hmmmm, I wonder how she got on this Bravo show....

wasn't impressed with Miles piece or his attitude he is soooo artsy, if find him distractingly annoying. I agree with Piccasso he need to incorporate the junk more throwing them under the bed was somewhat lazy, now if he had made the bed with the electronics or they supported him ... The boy sculture with the TV head was a rip-off from Beverly Hills Cop.

Miles piece was truly amazing and he deserved to win, but he lost some points in my book when he attacked Tron and participated in the judging process without having been invited to (please correct me if that happened off camera). His piece also displayed a level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that was lacking in most of the other pieces.
I was also a little shocked to hear some contestants judgement of performance art as too "look at me". Isn't it all, inherently, a self-portrait, no matter what the image/subject matter/medium? If you're not comfortable with confessional, self-exposing, look-at-me aspect of art creation, you're never going to produce anything authentic.

"The lasting impression",the acid test of a so called work of art, how will it be experienced,perceived, a thousand years from now? Aside from the object itself will its intent survive? I think of the Laocoon or the sphinx or the Venus of Willendorf.
Egyptian, Greek and roman sculpture,even the earth wrought animal figures in the caves of Lascaux have a transcendental power, no need to be justified by theories, it is a pure,transformative experience. I can feel more of that power coming from Abdi's self contained piece "tube" if it were to be discovered in a cave a thousand years form now it may be perceived as a temple god.If I came across worst place I would probably just lie down and rest!

As an viewer one could not see the materials (you called it junk) in Miles pieces. Did Miles state that the pieces were under the bed? Could when viewing the piece you could look under the bed? Where the pieces under the bed laid out in a particular design/pattern or shape with intent/ or was there a rthym like a Jackson Polluck piece? In other words did he actually use them in a conceptual way or did he just hide them. In all honesty I believe Miles should have been eliminated for violating the requirements of the challenge. He did not use the pieces in making his art, anymore then the woman did who was eliminated. I found him sleeping on top of the art more trite. He did not use his materials in a new or convential way he just hide them. I am ashame of the judges for not calling him on it. How can you justfy him winning when the material was not used in anyway in creating his piece?

Miles is cute, but his work speaks for itselt. I'm no critic but I do go to galleries and museums and I really loved the way he literally put himself into his work tonight. Interesting to hear all the other electronics were under his "bed".

I watched the deleted scene in the room where the artists were waiting to hear from the judges and I was surprised at how catty Judith was about Abdi's sculpture. She also seemed to take a shot at Miles for pointing out the incredible lack of imagination in Trong's television "family." For someone who had absolutley no point of view in her own work, she surprised me by having such strong opinions about the other artists. Her work was literally a mess and she changed her story every time she talked about it.

I hope Miles gets some sleep!