Jan 30, 2012 | Bourbon
Whether we’re talking socially or politically I much prefer a bourbon tasting to a tea party. It just seems more civilized, and dare I say, fun. So it was with much delight that I came across this recipe for Bourbon Chai on the Saveur website courtesy of thekitchn.com. Not that I’d ever go to the trouble of making a pot of chai to dilute my bourbon, but if you’re one of those good folks who, upon my arrival, says “I was just about to make some chai, would you like some?” Maybe you could add this recipe to your repertoire.
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.
Dec 25, 2011 | Dogs
dog skull with mastodon bone in mouth
Here’s some possible evidence that dogs were domesticated more than 30,000 years ago, which is about 15,000 years earlier than previously thought. This dog skull was discovered in the Czech Republic by Archeologist by Mietje Germonpré, of Belgium’s Museum of Natural History and is considered by Archeology magazine to be one of the Top 10 Discoveries of 2011. For me the best part is that the dog was buried with a mastodon bone in its mouth. Have to wonder if it was a final treat or a spoil of battle. (via Boing Boing)
Dec 25, 2011 | Bourbon
Charring oak barrels for bourbon (from the NY Times)
There’s an interesting article in the New York Times online Christmas Day edition about the growing popularity of bourbon and some great pix of the bourbon-making process. For starters there’s this Manhattan recipe by Karla Ramsey that won a recent drink-mixing contest:
2 ounces Woodford Reserve Bourbon
1 ounce each of apple brandy and sweet vermouth
2 splashes bitters
1 red apple slice and 1 cinnamon stick, for garnish
Shake the liquid with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the apple slice and the cinnamon stick. Light the cinnamon on fire!
Yes. “Light the cinnamon on fire!”
On the other hand, and a slight cause for alarm from my perspective, the article tells how the various bourbon distillers are putting more and more effort into creating flavored bourbons, those boutique-esque concoctions they put front and center in liquor stores to try to win women over to the world of whiskey. Bourbon-and-honey, bourbon-and-cinnamon, etc. Oh well.
What I’m curious about is how did it ever come about that someone decided that whiskey would taste better if it was stored in a burned barrel? I just don’t see two guys sitting around tasting their latest brew…
Guy #1: Tastes pretty good but it needs something.
Guy #2: Maybe if we added some molasses it would give it a slight caramel flavor and color.
Guy #1: Instead, let’s try burning the inside of the barrels.
Guy #2: Why would that work?
Guy #1: Haven’t you ever tasted a burnt stick?
Guy #2: Oh. Top me off, would you.
