God bless Rihanna! I recall some advertising copy for a book by Simon Reynolds to wit < Pop or a better world you can't have both> it stuck in my mind for several years now . As for Americans pop does seem the choice, besides how would make this world better? Meanwhile pop music gives us pleasure and food for thought, maybe not the best food but something to chew on. The domination of pop by Hip Hop is amazing given where it started not too long ago. I remember driving around in Chicago and New York in the mid-eighties when The Message by Curtis Blow was on the radio in frequent rotation , it was the declaration of hip hop independence. And Planet Rock that was quite the thing to hear over and over Planet Rock don't stop, it was clear a new music was coming on with a powerful beat and a song of the street. Pop is after all a responsive form, it gives us what we want. And this young woman Rihanna from Barbados has a voice of the first order ( this isn't saying see isn't way past beautiful). After an era of false divas it does seem remarkable to finally have the genuine article.
The photo of Banjo the dog here at headquarters taken by photographers from the Walker Art Center has been popular. The dog rescued by my wife and her daughter is a mix with a pit bull's jaw and a Husky's white eyes. I was thinking it would be nice to have a dog night at the Walker when peeps could bring their mutts to my exhibition, then I remembered a dog had destroyed one of my most memorable portraits in New York. It must have got to him? It was a picture of the owner. See second photo after dog attack. We think we have some things headed for some temporary immortality when a dog takes it down, and it's a struggle to be in a trade where posterity is the measure. I read something about me being discursive going down the winding path of recollections. It's true it's not easy to be terse. I learned some how to keep things brief and succinct during my career as an art writer, Artpaper's short reviews were 300 words which is very short in 1990's time frame (pre-twitter). One piece I wrote about Sigmar Polke got me a nice speaking gig at the Walker, where I sort of talked maybe too much about money, capital and Polke. After all you can hardly not notice the richness of certain art. And I was penniless nothing brings out my inner leftie more than hunger and the desire for stable shelter. As I have written before the art market here has shown little development in the 40 years I've been here. And the revolution seems to be no where in sight, it's increasingly a selfish world and love sweet love still seems the best bet ( if you can find it). I recall someone saying they loved a painting of mine they had, more than one person but the world can be a dangerous place for art and love. People attack paintings in museums, madness is untreated but noses get fixed. The future with 6 billion people may not be rosey but too many art museums can be a problem as well, whatever happened to an art for the people? Museums need to be instruments of culture not just juries, to make a museum more attractive you need to make it something more than it is. Maybe a place to dance, maybe a hopeless place to fall in love?