The Year in Review…2014

“Painting is really hard, It’s about accepting your limitations but reaching for the moon.”
                                                                                          -Damian Hirst

Click on photos to make bigger.

I see facebook posts each of our year’s in review. They don’t seem to go back very far though, or show what was important to us. So here is my 2014 in ART.

The year started with the last of Messin’ with the Masters at the Mesa Contemporary Art Museum. I have to say that was pretty cool. To top it off was when their acquisition comity took one of my paintings into their permanent collection. Thanks go to Colette Pecenka and Tiffany Fairall for their help.

The Birth of Marilyn...left at MCA Museum

As for other group shows I was one of the ones selected for the Arizona Artist’s Collective’ s first juried exhibit “Freedom & Justice for Art” at  {9} The Gallery and my piece was used for the invitation.

The Invitation

New City Studio included me in there Perceived Reality: The Art of the Self Portrait show and used my painting for their promotions including a poster.

My Painting as Poster...right

Last but not least I was once again honored by Randy Slack to be included in Chaos Theory 15, at Legend City. Unfortunately I couldn’t make the opening because I had plans to be in New York at that time. I did get to see a Toulouse-Lautrec show at MoMA and the Jeff Koons show at the old Whitney. I still have mixed feelings about Koons.

The Fashionistas...left at Legend City

Speaking of Randy Slack it was nice to get to see his early work at his one man show at the Lures City Center.

Another honor was when my wife and I received an invitation to Colin Chillag & Jenna Dunkin’s wedding reception.

May they always have those smiles.

 Best of all was Kristin Shears inviting me to have a one person exhibit at her Willo North Gallery.

Willo North Gallery

This turned out good in that Amy Young reviewed it in Java Magazine and the ubiquitous Nicoll Royce wrote it up in LocalRevibe Magazine. Nicole also covered me in East Valley Magazine and Yab Yum. Like I said she seems to be everywhere, beside all her wrighting she curates at monOrchid, Willo North and makes art. (See links below.) I was also invited to show at Colorida Gallery in Lisban, Portigal, but the expense was all on me. Being cost prohibitive I declined.

The bad part of the year was having a TIA that left the function of my right side off kilter. So I’ve been learning to paint anew.  Hence the quote at the top. I think I need to get back to more drawing. Then there was getting my review rejected by ArtNews…J

So fare it looks like I'll be in at least 2 group shows coming in 2015

http://javamagaz.com/June2014Page16and17.html

http://localrevibe.com/lets-get-cinematic-larry-willis-willo-north/

https://www.yabyumwest.com/2014/10/larry-willis-answers-yabyum-seven.html

http://issuu.com/eastvalleymagazine/docs/ev1014/c/slhhlxi?fb_action_ids=10201769104109735&fb_action_types=og.shares

 Talking Heads Rouchenberg cover

Why The Music Touched Me.

There have been several bands or artists that have affected and influenced me in certain ways through the years. Most of all it was that they seemed to be having fun doing what they were doing. They each in one way or another made me want to be in that band or be them. They left me wanting more. All had some connection to art, whether it was attending art school, using artist for their covers or having an artistic bent.

The First was the BEATLES. Like so many others at the time when I saw them on Ed Sullivan I wanted to be in a band like so many others. What I liked about them was the harmonies & the melodies tied to a rock beat. They were a good cover band too, as seen on their first few albums. Before them Radio was fodder for the masses. They and the British bands in their wake changed everything. So I started a band with my neighbors Jim Carson who already played lead guitar and next door Gary who took up guitar. I was left to the drums. We knew little about bass, but we had fun. It didn’t hurt that they had art school connections and pop artist did two of there covers.

Later my friend Steve Smith got me hooked on ROD STEWART when he was with Jeff Beck. When Stewart went on to do his own stuff it was his use of unconventional instruments like the mandolin, acoustic slide and banjo that hooked me. It was especially that extraordinary voice. I wanted to sing like that so I tried gargling with brandy to get it. In the end it was really the feeling he had that did it. This was of course before Clive Davis led him astray. I was in a band at this time that was more bluesy rock & roll with a Stones, Faces influence named Samurai. Jim was Lead guitar again in that band, my brother was the bass player. Of all the bands I was in this one was a lot of fun.

DAVID BOWEY came along at right time for me. At the time of Ziggy Stardust I wanted more so I searched out his earlier stuff. His main influence at that time was lyrics since the band I was in which was an extension of Samurai was more progressive and going for a jazz influence.We were called Spooo. We were too smart for our own good. My brother was the bass player in that band. Ralf, one f the guitarists is still a close friend.

It was when the TALKING HEADS came along that I started getting into rhythm and new wave. Their was something fresh about them. Again there was an art school connection they met at the Long Island School of Design and Robert Rauschenberg did a cover for them.

I had quit music by this time but they were an influence on the paintings I was doing at the time.

This brings me to LUCIUS. I discovered this band while researching Belgian pop painter Evelyn Axell. I found them because Axell did their first album cover. They have everything I saw in the other bands, five singers for the harmonies/voices, rhythm tied to melodies and a joy that comes across in their live shows. I like their choice of cover tunes also. Their instrumentation is unconventional and uses slide guitar. Like the others they look like a band I would like to be in, but I don’t know what I would do, all they seem to lack is a bass. I guess they know little about bass, but it looks like they are having fun. Again a band one wants to be a part of, I don't know what I would do though, I play drums and they are a drummers dream.  They too seem to know little about bass. I like there retro look and stance also.

One side of me wants to keep an artist as my secret, but then I think everyone should hear them…the dilemma. I do hope they get as big as the others.

Link... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKH0-dV4n9k

Paris TV Concert

Peter Blake Beatles Cover

ART NEWS REVIEWS

This is a note I got from ArtNews for the Review I Sent them of the David Dauncy show, photos included. (I'm not sure who sined it,) I actually expected a at least a form letter. ArtNews is still my favorite art magazine. Phoenix deserves and should get more coverage. I since sent by email another (down below), we’ll see what happens...

DAVID DAUNCEY:  

Resent People

{9} The Gallery & Chaose Theory 15

Phoenix, Arizona

Painting has long been hailed as dead by many. If so, portraiture is its long gone, bastard cousin. This despite the existence and popularity of artists like Jenny Saville and Chuck Close. One Arizona based artist that pushes forward with the portrait is David Dauncey Born in Britton Dauncey has lived in the U.S. since 1994.  He has for a number of years displayed his paintings at Chaos Theory, a group exhibit looked forward to each year by the Phoenix art crowd. p Chaos Theory is mounted by fellow artist Randy Slack. In conjunction with this year’s group exhibit Dauncy has a solo show at 9 the Gallery. Dauncey concentrates on the face or a portion of the image painting out sections of the work with a solid neutral color. The offerings in size range from small to large, though none are as big as the offerings of Saville or Close. As a matter of fact some of the best in the show are Max, Vincent and Jasper, all small paintings of children. Two years ago Dauncey’s offering for the Chaos Theory show was a large portrait of his daughter Ruby. His work shown at this year’s Chaos Theory 15 is another large portrait titled simply Steven. Of his recent work this is his best.  Dauncey has stated, “the realm of portraiture intimidates and excites me.” The people of Phoenix can be happy that Dauncey shares his love of the portrait with them. We can only hope he continues to excite us despite his hope to locate to the south of France

 The second emailed review, still waiting for a response…

RANDY SLACK: Retrospective

From The Luhrs Basement and Beyond

Luhrs City Center – December 5, 2014

The Luhrs Building, is where Randy Slack, along with two other artists, collectively known as Three Car Pileup, took on studios in the basement almost 20 years ago. For one night only the Luhrs Building invited Slack back for a retrospective exhibition. In his work Slack incorporates, family, pop culture, lettering, along with icons from art history. One of the larger works in the show, a takeoff on Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Super, titled 7 Deadly Sins, incorporates most of these. One of the strongest works in the show is titled Mother Nature which is done in acrylic and gold leaf. It pictures several cherubic children surrounding, climbing on and feeding at a Central woman. This mirrors the mother and child paintings from the renaissance. Other paintings incorporate Slack’s method of overlapping imagery until what is going on gets obscured or even cryptic, though Slack knows the meaning behind it all. One large piece that is central to the exhibit is an installation incorporating a life-size painting of his grandparents’ living room on gold leaf along with their furniture titled Light without Light that was last displayed at ASU’s Art Museum. The newer paintings exhibit like the others, a take on Slacks interest of the moment. These display classic  Volkswagens and surfing. It was a well-attended show, for those unaqointed with Slack’s paintings, it afforded an opportunity to see his progress and the maturity of his early work.                                                                          Larry Willis

Adventures in Scottsdale.

The Gallery I showed at on Marshall Way

Scottsdale looms on the horizon of the Phoenix art scene. Some see it as a commercial pit of southwest art to be avoided. Others see it as the place to be, where collectors go to buy.

I started showing my work in the 1980s when there were few venues for artists in Phoenix. Basically there were Alwun House 11 East Ashland and Mars Gallery which would open its walls to non- Hispanic artists once a year with their La Phoeniquera juried show. I had the opportunity to exhibit at each of these but Scottsdale was the mecca one strived for. There were only a few galleries handeling local contemporary talent though. There was Marilyn Buttler who had Fritz Scholder, Mark McDowell, Christopher Pelley and Earl Linderman. Elaine Horwitch with David Kessler, Bill Schenck, John Dawson, Ka Graves and others. There was Susanne Brown Who leaned more towards the Southwest with Merrill Mahafeey, Joe Baker, Anne Coe, Howard Post and the likes. Eventually Lisa Sette would move her operation to Scottsdale from Tempe.

I loved to go to the Thursday night openings, especially at Horwich and Buttler which were fun events where you could chat with Fritz Scholder and the like. There would sometimes be film crews making documentaries about featured artists. One time KAET covered a Linderman opening live. All making it seem a real art scene to be part of. Scottsdale Center for the arts did exhibits of local artists back then, before they split away and became SMoCA. After spending an evening in front of The Joy Tash Gallery visiting with Bill Schenck and Mark Hobley I decided to give that gallery a shot. I’m not sure why I picked Tash’s gallery, the work  it handled was nothing like what I was doing. In my naivety I rang up and asked to have my work looked at. I was granted an interview. I showed up with slides and a few paintings. Ms. Tash looks at my stuff, Is very gracious but in the end tells me she granted me a meeting because on the phone she thought I said I was Loren Willis. The assistant director walked me out to my car and said she really liked my work. That was a nice consolation.

Next Leslie Levy Gallery had a juried show titled “Contemporary Critters”. I entered and was accepted. I was excited that I was going to be in a Scottsdale gallery. I went to the opening and the gallery was full of art hung Salon style. The walls were so crowded it seemed the jurors must have accepted every submission. Hardly anyone was there except for a few of the artists in the show. Anne Coe who was in the show was there for about a minute before taking off for the Horwitch Gallery where the real party was going on. I soon took off myself having the same let down feeling you have the day after your first Psychedelic experience.

A couple of years ago I went to Scottsdale, not having been in some time, to see if there might be any opportunities. Walking down Marshal Way I stopped into a place and the owner told me to send in some images so I did. I was invited to show but it turned out to be a gallery where you pay a monthly fee to hang. I went ahead and showed for a month at which time the landlord locked the doors because the people running the place and a boutique next door were behind on the rent. In the end I and several other artists had to come up with the back rent to get our works out. We were told by the gallery owners they would pay us back, but I’ve yet to see it.

Soon after that I was checking galleries on Main Street and in one place the owner told me to email some images. I did and was invited to show. This place was hung floor to ceiling side by side, having the appearance of a thrift store. I remembered what David Kessler once said to me at that, it was better to not be with a gallery than to be in the wrong one. Having already made a few mistakes in this regard I decided to heed those words and pass this time.

Scottsdale is not what it once was. Many of those older galleries have closed. Ka Graves said to me one time, that her view was, When Elane Hrwitch died the soul went out of Scottsdale. 

More recently in Scottsdale, Lisa Sette and Bentley have left, others have closed. Bonner David and Gibert are holding down the contemporary fort. Earl Linderman Who was once a Scottsdale star is represented by Wilde Meyer but you have to ask to see his work. Sadly another Gallery that was lost long ago was Ivan Karp's OK Harris West on Marshall Way.

Scottsdale doesn’t have the panache or give me the desire to show there that it once did. I just wish Phoenix would have more “real” galleries that represent and push artists’ careers forward, especially mine... ;)

Art Geek

Confessions of an Art Geek 

At MOCA LA forUrs Fischer exhibit.  (Larry Transformer).

Arles, France (night Cafe)

I have drawn all my life. But it was in high school that I gained a enthusiasm for art. I had a teacher named Ed Shipp. Ship was a painter, but he presented numerous examples of what art could be to the class. He was friends with Merrill Mahaffee (Who would later be one of my instructors in college) and would at times bring in some of his early works to class. After my junior year Shipp went on to a professorship at ASU. Shipp’s enthusiasm for art was contagious. The Artist David Kessler was in one of my art classes.

At Phoenix Collge in the 1960s students were pretty much left alone by the teachers. I spent my time in class often sitting in the back talking to guys who would go on to be in the TUBES and work in sessions in LA. After leaving college I went to work at a sign company and playing in Rock bands. I didn’t pursue art but kept sketch books continuing to draw. I quit performing in bands and in the early 1980s decided to start painting and exhibiting. I would go to Thursday art openings in Scottsdale. At that time there were several galleries there that exhibited local talent and it was my desire to be in the stable of one of these. At his opening at Elaine Horwitch Gallery I told David Kessler of this desire. His advice was, "it’s better not to be with a gallery than be in the wrong kind", advice I still ponder.
 I would expose myself to all kinds of art. I subscribed to Art News Magazine to see what was going on in the wider world.  When I visit a city I try to make sure to visit there art museum. I like to buy art related things at museum gift  shops. I also love to visit sights where my artist heros lived & worked, like Arles, Giverny and Montmartre in France, Aabaque and Taos in New Mexico, etc.

That brings me to Abstraction. I’m not saying I don’t like abstract art. All art appreciation is subjective. Abstract art is the most subjective. Art historian Sir Kenneth Clark said of abstract art, “Somewhat monotonous, somewhat prone to charlatanism, but genuinely expressive of our time.” The thing with the original Abstract expressionists, such as Pollack and De Kooning is, THEY COULD DRAW. With abstract painting innovation is important. Sometimes I think some abstract artist, Who can’t draw look at a Pollack and say “I could do that” and try. I used to not be that impressed with Mark Rothkow until I recently saw a room full of his work at the LA county Museum. The guy was a neighboring friend to color.

Rothkow Room at LACAM 

(Click Images to see bigger.)

 Another problem I have with abstract art is it seems to have become the choice of Decorators. Too much of it is like what you see on the walls of hotels. That’s fine, but is it exciting? It seems to just be visual background noise. In my own work I strive for a balance between Realism and abstract flatness.

Then there is conceptual art. I like some conceptual art. Problem is with so much conceptual art there is no real skill. Too much laziness. All concept and no skill is lame. It’s amazing that people fall for it and pay big bucks for crap.

Painter John Dawson said in his book, “The Question I’m not interested in is the sophomoric “what is art”* question. Cutting edge art, which by definition should have been here and gone, has been around longer than impressionism, still asking, it seems, that same tired question.  Not that I really mind seeing yet another pile of rocks, or tanks of water with some kind of reflection in it, in contemporary art museums from coast to coast, or my personal favorite the cube, a stone cube, or a wood cube, or a ceramic cube with the obligatory sign that says “don’t sit on the sculpture.” It’s not that I don’t consider it art or even whether it is good art or bad art, it’s that I find it - what is the right culturally acceptable word for it, oh yea - BORING.”

A conceptional artist I consider good is Urs Fischer.

So in the end, while I totally enjoy going and looking at art, I have over time become more discriminating. 

* http://www.myfoxny.com/story/24920531/what-is-art-dont-overthink-it

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              

CINEMATIC: paintings by Larry Willis

 Willo North Gallery

2811 N. 7^th Ave Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Opening: June 6, 2014 7:00 PM – 10 PM

Closing reception June 20, 6:00 PM – 10 PM

The costumes characters wear in films can help mold how the character is viewed. Likewise the role played by an actor can shape our perception of the person playing the part.

 A familiar face can hold a certain kind of power. People come to think they know someone famous by the parts they play in films, on television or what is published in the tabloids. We make up in our minds about the kind of person they are and come to like or hate them because of this image of them. I am not immune to this practice. In the paintings in this exhibit I have at times placed people in situations of my own devising, the cinema of my mind. Some present the person allowing the viewer to formulate their own ideas based on their idea about who this person is. In my paintings I try to strike a balance between realism and abstract flatness.   –Larry Willis

http://www.willonorth.com/2014/06/cinamatic-paintings-by-larry-willis.html?fb_action_ids=10203599767567429&fb_action_types=og.likes

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/jackalope/2014/06/phoenix_first_friday_june.php?page=2

http://issuu.com/localrevibe/docs/c_kontakis_ss_proof_062614/26

Getting Bookish

 

Two books I recently read have something in common they are not only biographies of artists  but give a nice overview of the era in which the artist worked. OFF THE WALL is a biography of Robert Rauchenberg and BAD BOY is Eric Fischel’s autobiography. Together they give a nice overview of the rise of the art world in the late 20^th century.

OFF THE WALL: A Portrait of Robert Rauschenberg, Calvin Tomkins.

I read this book on the recommendation of Jerry Saltz. While it is a biography of Rauschenberg it gives much insight to the artists and art of period it covers, from the beginning of abstract expressionism in the late40s, to the death of Marcil Duchamp in 1968, with a little bit about conceptualism, and art beyond the studio that came after. Many chapters cover other artists and movements with hardly a mention of Rauschenberg.

BAD BOY: MY LIFE ON AND OFF THE CANVAS, Eric Fischel

When I Heard that Eric Fischel had written an autobiography I knew I wanted to read it. Fischel, like myself, had gone to Phoenix College in the late sixties and had attended soirées with instructor Merrill Mahafey and his artist friends. There are brief references to Mahafey and Fischel’s time at ASU but the narrative and insights really get going when he gets to Cal Arts. The book co-written with Michael Stone flows and is hard to put down if art is an interest to you. There are wonderful insights into the New York art scene of the 1980s when painting seemed to be back as the mainstay of the art world. Fischel writes candidly of the friendships and rivalries with other artists who were also making their name at that time. Julian Scneble was one he especially had differences with, both personally and aesthetically. This doesn’t stop Schneble from being one of the “other voices” sprinkled throughout the book who write of their relationship with Eric. He also doesn’t hold back in his assessment of contemporary artists like Jeff Coons and Damian Hirst, and how the art world became the art market.

As a painter myself I enjoyed reading of the struggles doubts and elations he went through as he honed his craft. It was interesting to see how he gained insight and inspiration from others unrelated to the art world, like Steve Martin and John Mcinro, also two of the “other voices”. With his honest insights into the artistic temperament and the art world this book should be required reading for art students

ON POP ART: part 2

In my previous post on pop art I presented some ideas why I feel popular culture as an influence on art is valid and continues. I didn’t mean to present this as pop art is the only important art being done, just to present as still having a place and importance. Also while I myself use people from popular culture in my paintings I don’t really want to be pigeonholed as solely a pop artist. There is much to be explored beyond that. When I did a painting that featured an unrecognizable person, another artist said she particularly liked that painting because she didn’t recognize it as someone famous. I don’t really know why that is the case. A person is a person. When we look at a movie we don’t think I would like it better if I didn’t recognize the actors. I think a recognizable face brings a certain power with it. What we think about the person can affect what we think about the art. One of the premises of my work is that we decide how we feel about famous people by the parts they play, the songs they sing or what we read about them in the tabloids. We form opinions about people we never even met. When I was helping hang my exhibit in the @ Central Gallery at the Burton Barr Library a woman passing through looked at 2 paintings, one featured Paul McCartney the other Elizabeth Taylor. She said, “I love Paul, I hate Liz”, Proving my point. I’m sure she never met either of them.  I’m not beyond these judgments myself, so I cast people in my paintings so to speak by my own judgments or notions. Fame is also a transient thing. Our opinions about celebrities can change over time. Our opinions can change from hero to villain.  I also like to draw on themes and Subjects from art history for similar reasons. I’m drawn to artist’s work that deals with similar subjects, who draw on popular culture and art history. Many equate Pop Art with what Andy Warhol did and artists that mimic his style. But it can take in many styles. There are those who use the hard edged aproach of Warhol,  Roy Lichtenstine, and Robert Indiana, but there are those who are more painterly like Derick Boshier, James Rosenquist and Jim Dine. Then there are those who’s work borders on realism like Peter Phillips and Mel Ramos What really ties it together is it being influenced by advertising and popular culture more so than a way of working.

2013 in Review

Some day or other, I believe I will find a way to have my own exhibition in a café.

-Vncent Van Gogh to his brother Theo, June 10, 1890

click photos to enlarge...

Portland's 

I had a good year as far as exhibiting in 2013. The year started out with me fulfilling Van Gogh’s hope. I had a solo exhibit at a café, Portland’s Restaurant & Wine Bar in Phoenix.

Next up in March was the 25 Years Downtown show at monOrchid, a group exhibit which was held at the time of Art Detour and included the monOrchid Art Ball

Rafael Navarro, Fred Tieiken, Gennaro Garcia & Moi at the Art Ball

I had work included in two summer exhibits, The Klown show at the new R. Pela Contemporary Art gallery in July and the Thermal PHX exhibit that ran for three months in the summer.

with Eric Cox at R. Pela

In September I was privileged to have two paintings in the Messin’ With the Masters exhibit at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum which ran through January 2014.

 With Nicole Royce & Lee Davis at MCA Museum

 Also in October I donated 2 paintings for the Mesa  10x10 Show & Sale. One of these was purchased by a collector from Spain.

Then in October Randy Slack honored me by inviting me to be in the Chaos Theory exhibit at Legend City for a second time.

James Angel myself & Randy Slack at Legend City

Finally in October-November I had a piece in the Rotting the Barrel show in the Bokeh Gallery at monOrchid.

Besides Gallery exhibits I had my first on line sale to a collector in Brooklyn through Saatchi Galleries web site.

In the summer we took a week trip to LA to check things out and visit the museums.

All in all not to bad a year. And as you can see I got to hangout with some great artists and see some great art.  

Stuck–Up

 Stuck-up: adjective \ˈstək-ˈəp\

acting unfriendly towards other people because you think you are better than they are.

Stuckism is a name embraced by the British Remodernist movement after Tracy Emin told Billy Childish his painting was “stuck, stuck, stuck!” A manifesto was devised by Childish and Charles Thompson in response to the type of art that the Tate’s Turner prize was being awarded. Stuckists denounce artists that don’t adhere to their narrow definition of what art is and question the motives of artists who are accepted by the contemporary art establishment. The Stuckists like to say that artists who have success in the established art world are only in it for the money, that they are not motivated by anything inside of themselves. This is rather presumptuous and as was pointed out by another artist, smacks of jealousy. They detest postmodernism and an “elitist” straw man they set up to bash. One thing they feel is that the contemporary art establishment is too obsessed with celebrity. In spite of this they like to flaunt Billy Childish as one of their founders because of his luminary status as a second string British Punkrocker. This in spite of the fact that Childish quit the group early on reportedly because he didn’t like some of the work in one of their early shows. It would seem from this that Childish is a bit of an elitist himself. Hypocrisy abounds with the Stuckists. They say that artists go to art openings just to schmooze, strike a pose and make connections to advance their own careers. Yet they have openings and hope these same ones will come to their shows.

One of the Stuckists premises is that painting is the only true form of art. In The Scottsman news paper Tiffany Jenkins stated, “…itmust be pointed out, that despite the problem with devaluing of painting, those commentators that see painting as the only way to make art, such as The Stuckists – a campaign groop that argues for figurative painting-can fetishise it. For all their excitement about paint, the painting by The Stuckists is poor.”

In his blog New York Gallerist, Edward Winkleman pointed out that, “One of the side effects of artists openly and very publically criticizing others' artwork is that one sets him/herself up for a much harsher counter-critique than might otherwise fall when exhibiting one's own work. There's a bit of a "don't-throw-stones-if-you-live-in-a-glass-house" unspoken rule. Not that artists don't criticize others all the time, but it just makes sense to ensure you've got the goods to back up your controversial rhetoric.”

That brings me to the recent exhibit at Trunk Space in Phoenix; INTERNATIONAL STUCKISTS: Explorers and Inventors. Curated by local artst, Richard Bledsoe. A show that met stuckist DIY standards with an amateur hanging by tacking some of the unframed works to the wall. This is tantamount to Mom putting it on the refrigerator with a magnet. Centerpiece to this exhibit was a work by Stuckist founder Charles Thompson. It went beyond his usual lack of skill with paint, as he has left his previous solid colors and hard edged approach by attempting to be painterly, filling in arias with sloppy brushed color. While Suckism began and mostly remains a British phenomenon they like to view themselves as an international movement, Hence the title of the exhibit. The Stuckists are also known as Remodernists because they think they are taking off where Modernism left off. Much of the work is closer to Grandma Moses than Pablo Picasso, hence they should call it Renaiveism. Not all works in the show are terrible; some even show a degree of talent and ability to handle their medium. That is the sad part. I believe that by associating with a complaining group of bitter artists some may be holding themselves back. But then maybe that’s the point, avoiding the “elite” art world. In an article about the show in Downtown Devil Richard Bledsoesaid he planned to offer much of the works in the show to one of the local museums. I imagine this is so when it is rejected it will prove to him the “elite art world” has no taste. Perhaps a Stuckist’s worst nightmare could occur and it is accepted and there will be nothing more to spout off about.

There are some things in the show that are better than much of what they hang here with. Michele Bledsoe and Michael Denson are a couple of locals that are superior to the Stuckists they are associated with here.

In the end I don’t really want to be a critic. I have my own glass house to protect.  I appreciate the courage it takes when creative people put their work out there for all to consider and make their own judgments about. I like most forms of creative visual expression and taking in many forms of art.

I actually agree with some of the criticism of the Stuckists about the devaluation of painting and art that shows no skill (I may deal with this in a future post.) I just agree with Winkleman that if an artist is going to knock others in their creative endeavors they should have the artistic chops to back it up, not just more pedantic rhetoric.

Related links:

http://www.edwardwinkleman.com/2006/08/stuckists.html

http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/arts/visual-arts/tiffany-jenkins-art-education-fails-to-paint-a-pretty-picture-1-3001935

http://downtowndevil.com/2014/01/20/53448/new-art-exhibition-focuses-on-stuckism-movement-discusses-elitism-in-art/

ON POP ART:

ON POP ART:

It has been an approximate half century since Pop art was in it’s prime, what Princeton Art Professor, Hal Foster called “The First Pop Age” in the title of his 2012 book on the subject. The influence of Pop Art has endured since then, leap-frogging a number of art movements in it’s path. In 1989 Critic Paul Taylor wrote, “Two and a half decades after the event, Pop Art has re-emerged as the most influential movement in the contemporary art world.”  In 2012 several major museums, including MOCA in Las Angeles and the Metropolitan in New York, mounted major shows around the influence of Andy Warhol alone.

Richard Hamilton said, “If the artist is not to lose much of his ancient purpose he may have to plunder the popular arts to recover the imagery which is his rightful inheritance.” Artists continue to mine popular culture and advertising for inspiration’ mediators, traversing the line between high and low culture, continuing what might now be considered a new tradition. Some do works betraying affection for their subject or utilize humor, while others create works seriously critical of our consumer society. Still others harbor an ambiguous relationship with popular culture having a sort of love/hate relationship with it. Robert Rauschenberg Said, "The artist's job is to be a witness to his time in history." Today more than ever popular culture and advertising permeate our society.

 Artists in Phoenix and its surrounding cities are not immune to this influence. Many work in a vein that is a continuation of Pop Art themes, while others may only occasionally create a piece that might be considered Pop Art Yet not totally unable to avoid what permeates the air.