Culture Report

Images
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 A little soire' at Henne frame shop hoping to get the French connection for show in Tours. You never know Sean Smuda has some very good techniques for wooing the patrons to see mutual interest and support for the local denizens of both cities. I was very happy to do Sean's window last year, it was a very different experience than most of the shows I've done. Sean is a person who knows something and still he gets around. I put two pictures in this show bright colored and mostly normative as art. Not pornography or tease art but some higher aspirational stuff. Too bright but maybe not so for French eyes,huh? Besides I knew the picture would fit in Pam's car, my intuition said under 6 feet. But it still carries a punch for a smallish painting because it's long horizontal form fills up the viewer's field of vision.

 The picture I'm attaching to this blog is a painting in negative, my scanner doesn't do normal colors all the time, indeed I only see regular images now and then or reversals from a paint program. Which is ok because the reverse colors make the paintings seem unfamiliar and a bit more contemporary. People love techie stuff techniques scientifique. It was titled something like -                    

A Map of My Pathetic Career on Panties - made around 1997 or so. Owned by Christi Atkinson late of Walker Teen Program. It is something I'd like to show in my Walker Survey but I'm not certain it can be found. I've had this experience of losing key pieces of my work like the dog destroying my Crying Portrait of Shawn last year in New York. And collectors tend to be cherry pickers, they take the best stuff. And shows mean lending. But it does give viewers a better look if you can retrieve key pieces.

Working on some pony heads on LPs, some good results and some sign paintings that go slowly. These discs will go directly on the wall. We found a good source for free Lps though the smaller older 78 rpm records are harder to find. I may go to this opening but it will be a pain in the ass as all openings are. Small talk in this case perhaps very small since most of us don't speak French save Sean who can speak French well enough to get around in France (per his tour this spring) - this frame shop[ gallery is quite an antique structure it's in the style of turn of the century industrial spaces . Quite high ceilings and details that bespeak another age albeit made modern along life's way. It's not far from the Walker and the old Loring space that is now called Lurcat.  Sold a portrait today always good, good for paintings to have homes. Makes me feel more upbeat as if getting old has it's blessings though the art schools aren't much interested in artists who aren't in the academic fold. An indie artist is the threat to the values that are cherished by academic institutions. I'm happy given my health and normal skepticism about feelings, this Walker show is apt to be an eye opener for a lot of folks.  An alternative art is always a risk but the Walker by it's nature and mission has to take risks. But I think it will engage people in ways more personal and optical ways liked say - here try this see if it's fun and does it make you think?