Jan 27, 2012 | Art
Here’s the deal. A week or two ago I blog-posted about a Yayoi Kusama artwork that involved a lot of spots. I posted a photo, but it was a “process piece” so if you didn’t follow the link to “This is What Happens When You Give Thousands of Stickers to Thousands of Kids” you should because the photo I posted was just a moment in time. But if that’s asking too much, here’s another photo of the artwork later in its development.
While it’s entirely possible that both photos were staged, it’s interesting to consider what the human interaction reveals. In the top photo a woman silently contemplates, well, what exactly? Profundity? In the bottom photo a child is playing, or perhaps just banging on a piano.
I learned about the Kusama piece through the blogisphere. I didn’t see any MSM mentions.
So exactly what are the MSM talking about and what is the photo at the beginning of this post?
This is the BIG show right now in the art world, and I do mean the art WORLD. This is the current Damien Hirst show “The Complete Spot Paintings, 1986-2011” that’s being presented in all eleven Larry Gagosian galleries including “three in New York; two in London; and one each in Paris, Geneva, Rome, Athens, Hong Kong, and Beverly Hills.” Swimming pools, movie stars.
Consider the difference between the two dot art pieces. Kusama creates an environment as blank canvas and gives thousands of kids the freedom to participate in something that evolves into an incredible visual delight. Hirst dictates the parameters of each painting and pays lackeys to do the work for thousands of paintings, each of which figuratively says “sucker.” Kusama’s piece was likely grant funded but made lots of people very happy. Hirst has accumulated a personal fortune selling this work while the public shakes its collective head in disbelief.
I want to rant but it’s such a waste of time. You know what I’m talking about. Here’s the critic from Newsweek carrying water for Gagosian. Here, with at least some perspective is Peter Schjeldahl from the New Yorker:
“I can enjoy looking at one for a while, but to like them would entail identifying with the artist’s cynicism, as herds of collectors, worldwide, evidently do. Hirst will go down in history as a peculiarly cold-blooded pet of millennial excess wealth.”
A “pet of millennial excess wealth.” I like that image. A lapdog to hedge-fund managers. Indulging the ignorance of the one percent. No wonder rank-and-file citizens think the arts are a waste.
Bottom line is it’s hard to hate on Hirst given that he’s basically exposing the one percenters as fools. I smirk at the thought that they have to live with that crap in their living rooms. But I do hate the fact that a smart, talented person would devote themselves to such cynicism for money. I wish he’d treat his critique as a righteous cause, but instead it’s just about playing the system by its own rules. Seems like he’s becoming what he despises most.
Jan 6, 2012 | Art
Since I first started doing art about 400 years ago, it seems like every year or so I learn about another amazing Yayoi Kusama artwork that makes me think, whoa! In her 80s now, here’s a new time-based work called “Obliteration Room.” Check out this series of images and a description at this blog. In some circles she’s famous, but she should be famous-er.
Nov 24, 2011 | Art
I’m planning to participate in the Saxapahaw Holiday Market this year — December 10-11. For the event I’ve come up with sets of place mats featuring some of my art imagery that I think would make great holiday presents. These are vinyl place mats that can be used indoors or outdoors and wipe clean with a damp sponge. They would be great for picnic or patio dining, good for messy kids, they’re even good under pet food bowls.
There’s one special set I came up with for folks like me who think the best way to decorate a home is to come up with things that don’t show dirt. The set features four images of dirt. You can’t camouflage a mess any better than that!
They’re 16 inches by 12 inches and come in sets of four. It’s a mat textured vinyl so it’s not slippery. Come on out to the Saxapahaw Holiday Market and get yours, or, I’ve just put up an Etsy store so you can order them through the mail. Click here to check it out.
Click the thumbnails below to see the sets.
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Leaves place mats #1
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Leaves place mats #2
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Bark and Lichen place mats
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Underground Dirt place mats
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Mpale leaves place mats
Oct 30, 2011 | Art, Dogs
Autumn, Gerret, Miro
Here’s a cool thing. It’s a web site called Art for Conservation where you can order archival quality prints of work by artists like, well, myself. What’s cool about it is that a portion of every sale goes to support conservation causes. (Note I said “conservation causes” not “conservative causes.” I realize there was a time when conservatives wanted to conserve things, but that’s not now. I could say more but it would ruin the moment.)
The Art for Conservation site let’s you choose a size and paper quality so your order can match your budget and the space on your wall. You can even order large stretched canvases. And not only will you help support conservation causes, but you’ll help to feed Gerret, Maggie and Irene. So this holiday season, buy American art. It’s the progressive thing to do.
Oct 26, 2011 | Art
Just got some pix to share of the exhibition “Natural Wonders” at the University of South Dakota, my undergrad alma mater. The show features four alumni, Joseph Broghammer, Jess Elofson, Julie Niskanen and myself and is up until Friday, October 28.
I submitted a series of banners for the exhibition. Technically they’re created for woodland display, but I thought they might have enough manners to clean up and go to town, especially in a large space like this. Judging from the pictures the gallery staff did a great job of displaying them. Thanks to Alison and her people.
I have to confess that this gallery, the fellow alumni in the exhibition and pretty much the entire faculty at USD all post-date my tenure at Vermillion (where the University is located) by several generations, so they probably don’t remember how we used to trudge 30 miles in waist-deep snow to study art in sod huts by the flickering light of a cow dung stove, but Menard, Packard, Wold, Aldren, Knaus et al. did a pretty good teaching job anyway. So here’s a shout-out to them, too.
Oct 21, 2011 | Art
Some of the art on display in the yurt gallery.
Turnout for last weekend’s studio tour was lighter than I was hoping for, but enough people braved the gorgeous fall weather to make for a couple of days of interesting folks, engaging conversation, and some decent art sales. Thank you all for stopping by!
Gerret leads a group up the hill to the gallery.
Leaves after Matisse in the woods.
Blurry cell phone shot (to protect the innocent) of folks in the yurt gallery at the top of the hill.
