Present Tense

The byline "pondering art and its possibilities" has been particularly relevant of late since I am preparing for a show that will open in October. There are several bodies of work I haven't shown here so I am in in the process of "framing" the show conceptually and literally - and thinking about what to include and what will need to be made to pull the show together.

Everyday my journal work is scanned in my "lab" so I can see the pages in digital sequence. It's difficult to balance it all... time in the studio, lab, garden, classroom, etc, etc... in the meantime it is compelling for me to see how the work changes after very "natural" looking watercolor, gouache and collage on mulberry paper is viewed on a backlit computer screen. It's a different medium, different aesthetic, etc.

The sunflower drawings were inspired by an August 2006 residency at Moulin a Nef in Auvillar, located in southwestern France. If you are curious to see a few more scans just click on the title of this post. Translating the interior world of a journal into work that is meant to be seen in a more public realm is as challenging now as it was when I was an art student. Believe it or not it took many years for me to feel comfortable inviting people into my studio on the hill...

Rauschenberg's follies

Everyone here is headed to DC to see the retrospective of Jasper Johns' paintings before it closes at the end of April. There was a time when I found great inspiration in John's work and sense of humor. His work doesn't do it for me these days. The last time I looked it seemed dated.

Last month I managed to make time while I was in NY to visit a small exhibition of Rauschenberg's early transfer drawings. I found them to be just as delightful in March as I did 20 years ago. Maybe I am a sucker for his mark-making? They remain to be current for me... even work made so long ago... and personal. It is work that combines the personal and the political with a vibrant curiosity about artistic boundaries, technology, etc. I haven't given up on John's work. His show at the National Gallery closes at the end of April. It deserves a visit and I hope to make the time to see it.

I've linked the title of this post to a great site I've just discovered. As much as I try to always look forward its just my nature to look back. This drawing and the music and graphics from this link were made within a very short time period of each other. Although each artist work comes from a very different place here is a sweetness in both that I find sorely lacking in contemporary art pop culture. Irony is a bitter pill and I've lost my appetite for it.

another man I make time for

Can you name this baby? You may recognize this image if you are familiar with the photography of Diane Arbus. A major retrospective and several films of late have focused on her life and work. I can't remember what I was searching for - perhaps the affect progressive eyeglasses have on an artists' work (if you know me, you might understand this query... more later if you don't.)

I discovered this particular Arbus image on this blog, recognized the image as one of Arbus; but had no idea that it depicts the babyface of the man linked to my title post. Pretty is, pretty was, pretty does! Thanks, mclennan for your informative post and the revelation you reveal from Patricia Bosworth's biography of Arbus: "To dispel the growing myth that [Arbus] only took pictures of freaks, she made up a list of elegant people she wanted to photogrpah... As if to prove her point, she took a remarkable portrait of Gloria Vanderbilt's sleeping baby son, Anderson Hays Cooper, for a Harper's Bazaar Valentine issue." Bosworth goes on to explain that after refusing to let HB publish the photo Gloria changed her mind and let her use it for her 1972 MOMA retrospective. A face born for the airways it seems.

Anderson has been on my mind lately since he in one of the few talking heads I can bear to listen to anymore. Ok, Keith Olberman has won my heart... but he doesn't interview in the field. He's a brilliant writer and entertaining talking head. Anderson is the only man in the field who has a brain and a heart and manages to get through his interviews without making me wince (at least not often.) With the unthinkable VT massacre all over the airways he's the only one I trust to ask humane questions. Thanks, AC. As much as I admire Anderson I must admit that I miss Walter Cronkite's dignity. Keith, Anderson, Maher and Stewart's Daily Show make up for a lot but we could use a lot more dignity out there.

A NOLA friend ran into Anderson at a small local bistro recently. He was dining with an collection of authentic new orleans locals but he was very personable and real with my friend.

taking time for the harryman

left: From the Angels and Infidels Series - a portrait of the Harryman from 2005. mixed media on paper 18" x 12"

Ahhh. We finished up our taxes on Friday night and managed to fit in a film or two of the James River Film Festival. We didn't have the time to enjoy the fest like we usually do. I was away last year and all the while the harryman has been working hard to finish editing the chapters of a forthcoming book.

He was particularly weary last week when the preface of the book arrived. It was written by A. Crawford who says that "To read one of his columns is to know what it is to go on long walks with him when, coming upon some abandoned warehouse, he stops to tell you what went on there in, oh, 1913." He theorizes how Harry may know these things but I must agree with him - only the harryman knows for sure. There were many, many kind words in the preface and I must say it inspired me and reminded me of the many reasons I've chosen to spend my life with this man.

We watched a series of films at 1708 on Saturday night and afterwards watched as another filmmaker projected his work on the surface of most anything that seemed interesting along that particular block of Broad St. The guys at the barber shop next door seemed uncertain but all in all it proved to be an interesting interlude before we walked back west towards Carytown. We stopped off at ChopSuey Books there was an anniversart celebration underway with a 24 hour bookman sale, live musiv, etc. Dug Utley has also moved the 12x12 art exhibition (12inch square art shown record bin style with name dividers, etc) to the gallery upstairs so I took time to view the collection. I'd love to photograph the series so I can share it with you folks... maybe next time.

Drawing on the wall

If all things were possible I would jump on the Chinatown bus tomorrow morning and head to NYC to see the William Kentridge directed version of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" being performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music this weekend. Kentridge is one of my artistic heroes. His drawings and animated film transcend medium and nationality. His work is timeless, timely, poetic, kinetic and as simple and pure as a mark on the wall. I would sacrifice comfort, sleep and other many good meals to see his production of this great opera. We'll see. It isn't likely but I haven't given up. Tax weekend. Too many things and not enough clock. I've already emailed the opera's production company to determine its US tour schedule (not promising.) Perhaps there will be a DVD? The Philadephia Museum of Art had its act together
and reserved an evening for Mr. Kentridge to speak at their museum on Friday, April 13.

later: I've added a link to the title of this post. It will take you to Roberta and Libbie's Phillie Blog. They attended the lecture and posted images of William Kentridge's presentation.

Born Lost?

I met Gareth Morris Jones last week at his exhibition at 1708 Gallery. His maps and drawings revealed his journeys back and forth across the globe from studio to studio. Most recently he's been working at the VCCA.

He makes his living teaching English in Osaka, Japan but grew up in Wales. I find his work interesting because if I didn't know his name I might find it nearly impossible to determine a point of origin from its maker. He studied in Dundee, Scotland which I count as another mark of distinction in an interesting life. We made an attempt to determine if he knew Moira Scott (Payne) when he was there. She's another very fine artist whose work transcends place. I couldn't remember if she was teaching there when he was an art student but its a place known for its independent spirit and location to the North Sea. Lost? It doesn't seem so to me. More like wanderlust than road burn. It's definitely a show worth a second visit.

when memory fails

During April of 2006 Carole Johnson flew to Paris to celebrate Easter with me - and our long friendship of journeys, toasts, gossip and tears over bad boyfriends. We've looked at a great deal of art together over the years so we certainly share the same paintings like dear friends... 'tho the best part of her visit was introducing her to my REAL friends Goxwa, Olivier and Bob.
It was different than our time in Madrid where Carole was "on call." Our schedule was of our own design and we balanced everything as we wished... with a combination of exhaustion and delight.

We shared an exquisite Easter meal and told great stories about Paris, art and the wonder of Goxwa's cooking (photos above!). If there is any truth left in the world it is that April in Paris is like no where else...

Some of the sites depicted above: the Musee D'Orsay, the Palais de Tokyo, the Seine, a few churches, many hats and even more glasses of vin rouge! (I think we attended three different masses at three different churches that morning... the best pagentry of Paris is behind stained glass!)

a now a moment for a word from our sponsor

I am not a God fearing gal though I think there should certainly be more Godliness in the world. We're wired for it, right? That's what they say though I don't know what side of the propaganda fence is being paid for that research... Anyway... regardless of how busy we are we've always taken time out to celebrate the wonder of spring and the rebirth it signals in all of us. It is a sacred time for us if there is one. Harry and I walked across The Fan to Monument Ave to pay our respects to the season, drink wine (too much, too early!) and honor this time in our lives.

Most everyone was dressed in winter garb and several asked Harry "Who are you supposed to be?" He always wears his seersucker for Easter, regardless of the weather and the undying tradition people have of never wearing linen or seersucker before Memorial Day. The birds like it. I like it. The rest of the world, with few exceptions, looked like they were going camping. I told my husband he should have answered "Oh, I'm supposed to be Harry Kollatz, Jr."

It was a splendid afternoon. The only thing that could have made it better would have been the presence of my mother, who has used up her time card for Virginia this season... and the presence of our beloved friends the Cusacks who were transferred to Massachusettes more than a year ago... where everyone must wear goose down until the summer thaw.

We miss them. Liz, I smoked a cuban cigarillo in your honor this afternoon!

midnight rendevous

Tonite is one of those nights Harry and I would love to be able to morph into two couples to avoid missing the many things that happen on a warm spring evening this time of year.

The French Film Festival is around the corner. Art a 'la Mode is downtown at 1708 and everyone is in a good mood (even the French) because the weather has been splendid and Richmond certainly competes with Paris regarding beauty and passion when the rites of spring are in the air.
Back in 1994, before I lived in Richmond, I ran into my friend Issac Regelson in Paris. I was on sabbatical and he was "doing research.." He was actually digging dirt at an Archeological dig near Hotel de Ville and they discovered the oldest evidence of life on the right bank of Paris - the crown of a Merovingian Princess. Issac struck it with his shovel and proclaimed voila! ici!! or something like that. He doesn't speak French and no one on the dig spoke English but everyone got it. I remember reading about it in the NYHT back when it was a great paper. Issac loved Paris but he was the first to tell me Oh, Paris is great but the Champs-Elysee has nothing on Monument Ave... and after spending a lot of time on both Avenues I must agree. I hope some of the 25 or so artists in the French Delegation made it past Carytown to see Monument Ave before they headed home. I know many of them spent their time out of the cinema smoking and eating ribs on the deck of the rib place across the street.

We spent the day in the Byrd but left enough time to switch to creative black tie gear for the annual auction at 1708 Gallery. It is probably the strongest collection of artwork I've witnessed go on the block for the gallery. The auction raises programming funds for one of the nations oldest artist-run galleries. Everyone was in a good mood and it was nice seeing a frenzy over art from local, regional and well known artists by local collectors. A slide show of the event can be seen here if you are curious. There were many pieces I would love to have gone home with. After the auction Harry and I met up at the Byrd for the midnight presentation of the French Film Fest. There was a lovely energy in the air - not quite the Marais on a lovely spring night but very close!
A presentation on the infamous French film archvist and scholar Henri Langoise the opening night of the VCU French Film Festival.