tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82274201692384969632024-02-18T22:11:42.160-08:00Old Metal LunchboxTales from an artist/former bar owner/organizer/Italian Jersey boy from the burbs and now in a city.Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-47486677725825874222012-11-06T04:35:00.000-08:002012-11-06T04:35:54.507-08:00Holding My Nose As I Pull The Lever I prefer not to use Facebook for politics, so I'm posting this here on my old blog. I'm pretty much a moderate, leaning left and right on various issues. I heartily voted for Obama in 08 and like so many had high hopes after eight years of the Bush administration. Four years later with Obama vs Romney, I'm holding my nose as I vote. So why write this? My reasons for not voting for Romney are of extreme importance to me and seem logical, too, yet I know several people voting for him and I'm perplexed. I don't know if they (or anyone for that matter!) will read this but perhaps I might convince them otherwise. I tried to write this mainly in terms of what is for many THE crucial issue, the economy, and some historical perspective (past and future).<br />
<br />
Before I get into why I cannot bring myself to vote for Romney, I'd like to point out a few of my disappointments with Obama in no particular order. <br />
The Patriot Act appears to have been a useful tool in protecting us. I think that the Obama of 08 would've wanted some aspects of it revisited, like accessing peoples bank records and personal info without a judge's permission, or the "lone wolf" part of it, too. I don't think it should've been repealed, but the carte blanche aspect of looking into "suspicious" people is troubling. History shows that one aspect of a governmental seeking more power is accessing and accumulating personal information on its citizens which can be used or twisted as means to an end. We have a system in place to prevent abuses of this power, that is getting permission from a judge for wiretaps etc, that need to be brought back into the equation somehow.<br />
Guantanamo wasn't closed and people have been held for 10 years or so. I
don't think they should just be released, but due process and right to trial
is part of the foundation of this nation. Give them a trial, convict if
guilty, but indefinite imprisonment without trial is wrong. (As an aside, how would we feel if Cuba had a military base in, say, Florida?)<br />
John Boehner's statement in Congress that the Republicans' goal was to see Obama not get re-elected was treasonous. In my opinion, that strategy says that regardless of the legislation, regardless of its helping the economy and Americans, regardless of its merits -- the Republicans would not vote for it. They put party before America. Therefore when the Obama administration is criticized for the economy, think about that statement. Every no vote, every obstruction by Eric Cantor and crew, every defeat of Obama and Dem's proposals HAS TO BE suspect. Were the Republicans against the legislation, or simply against everything Obama? Their actions and clear statements lead me to believe the latter. Shameful politicking at our expense. Now, that being said, I cringed nearly everytime Obama spoke about an issue and promised "initiatives" or "investing in the future" or similar words because that all meant more spending. As valuable as spending is in many cases, at some point everybody needs to take a hit if we want to reel in the deficit. (Another aside: the immense debt we have to China is like a piano hanging by a wire over us, but too complex to get into now).<br />
I wish Obama could be more succinct, more concrete, and sometimes just call something for what it is. I love that he's so intelligent and educated, but in politics and life there are times where you need to cut to the chase. Not everyone is college educated or adept at the subtleties and gray areas of forming an opinion and yes, there are times when a politician needs to take it down a notch to get their points across so people can understand and get it.<br />
<br />
If my GOP voting friends are worried about the economy, then they need to worry about his relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu . They first met in the late 1970s when they were both working at the Boston Consulting Group. Their alliance is pretty clear already. Also clear is Netanyahu's desire to attack Iran and destroy part or all of its nuclear facilities. Ahmadinejad has said horrible things about Israel, no question. But to dismiss him as crazy is foolish, too. Not all of his rhetoric is wacky, but that's all the press covers. Anyway-- historically, the biggest drain on any nation is war. We all know how the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have debilitated our economy, and I believe that if Romney is elected, within 2 years or so we will be dragged into a war with Israel vs Iran. Do some research into the Iran/Iraq war. The stories of Iran's tactics, kamikaze-like self-sacrifice, and viciousness are unreal. The comparison to WWII Japanese tactics is not far off, and I don't know if we're prepared for another conflict like that. As far as the economy, getting dragged into another large war in the mid-east would be devastating. To bring it to a more human level, would you want your son/daughter fighting Iran? what about the inevitable bombings at our airports, NY, etc? Do you really think Iran wouldn't do those things to us? If you're voting for Romney based on the economy, you must factor an Israel/Iran conflict and our inevitable involvement into the equation.<br />
On social issues, the Republicans fail, and Romney has flip-flopped. If your daughter is raped and impregnated by a rapist, I believe she should have the choice to abort it or not. The Republican platform wouldn't allow this. As a matter of fact, there is a movement to classify an embryo as a living person which would mean abortion could then considered a prosecutable murder.<br />
There has been an avalanche of ridiculous claims and statements about rape. Rape is rape. Whether or not it's God's will, it is still rape. The foolish claims about women's biology and rape are laughable if the ignorance wasn't so scary. I also ask my friends if they know that the bulk of Planned Parenthood's activities are cancer screenings and helping women who cannot afford therapists, lawyers or insurance? Yet Romney wants to basically do away with it. I worked weekly at Covenant House in NY for two years. I had many young women tell me stories of abuse, neglect and rape. I saw first hand the tough life of unwanted children. If these homeless, abused, messed up (and soemtimes addicted) 15 yr old girls are forced to have a baby, what about that baby? How good a life will it have? Will it be cared for and nurtured properly? I highly doubt it.<br />
As for being anti-Obamacare, I don't pretend to fully grasp it. I don't think most politicians do! 5 years ago I had open-heart surgery. This is a pre-existing condition now and at some point the likelihood of having more done is probable. My bills were north of 100k and my insurance covered most of it. If I had to get new insurance without Obamacare, I can be denied coverage by all the insurance companies. I'd be screwed.<br />
And with college grads having such a tough time finding work, "boomerang kids", and so many jobs not offering health insurance, is it so bad for parents to be able to keep their kids on their coverage til age 26? I think that's a good thing. Obamacare is not perfect but it's a step in the right direction. Perhaps if Obama's re-elected and the Republicans' non re-election agenda is moot, they can put their energy into a bi-partisan committee to work out its kinks. Alot of people I know cannot afford insurance and as a result when they get sick they go to the emergency room. Do the math of how much money will be saved if people can go to a doctor rather than an emergency room, if you are really concerned about the economy.<br />
<br />
As a businessman, I was intrigued by the idea of a businessman in office especially one with experience as a governor. But I can't ignore the downsizing and outsourcing of Bain Capital's practices or Romney's despicable 47% comment. He said that. It's on tape. He said it to a room of rich donors. Did any of you hear his off the cuff remarks about cleaning up a football field and comparing it to the Hurricane Sandy cleanup?? As many good things as he's done for people (service to community is a wonderful part of his Mormon faith) I think it's pretty undeniable that he's out of touch and pretty unsympathetic to the plight of most people not in his demographic. Some of you might interpret that as me being a drum-circle pounding 99% protestor, which I'm not...I truly feel I'm being objective in that assessment of Romney.<br />
<br />
In conclusion:<br />
• Both Romney and Obama are guilty of taking money from controversial groups, tweeking facts, outright untruths, and all sorts of political bullshit.<br />
• As for the economy, I think it's six of one, half dozen of the other. Obama spends too much, Romney will pave the way for rich get richer legislation and possible war.<br />
• Socially, Romney loses. And I think alot of his and the Republicans' social issue stances will negatively affect the economy in the long run.<br />
• One of my brothers is gay. If he wants to get married or adopt or do the same things that I can do, I want him to be able to. The Obama administration has done more for gay rights than any other, and a Romney administration would stop that progress and very likely try to reverse gains already made. <br />
• Shifting the focus from Iraq to Afghanistan helped get Osama Bin Laden and cripple Al Qaeda. <br />
• In 2004 many people voted for Bush because they "didnt want to change horses in mid-stream," the stream being the war and the economy. Why aren't those same people applying that logic to this administration?<br />
• When a president enters a 2nd term, they no longer have to campaign or
worry as much about alienating corporations, donors, unions, etc. They
have less shackles when it comes to decision making and legislation.
That, coupled with the GOP's energy draining goal to have Obama lose could result in bi-partisan cooperation in several key areas. <br />
• Objectively, no one could've dug us out of the hole we were in in 3-4
years. And I cannot deny two big facts: unemployment rates are down (9+%
to appr 7.9%) and the stock market is appr 2000 points ahead of what it
was when Obama took office. You can if/and/but that all you want as
Romney has, but dem's are da facts put out by government agencies. You
can't blame Obama when unemployment rates were over 9% using government
stats, and then deny those stats when the # goes down.<br />
<br />
There are countless facts and nuances that I could not possibly get into here. I'm sure that my friends voting for Romney could trot out counters to what I've written. I merely ask them to pause. Don't just think about what's going on right now, and in your immediate world. Think of the big picture, now and years from now. Think about how many of Romney's and the Republicans' actions will (or could) affect you or your children in the years to come. They will. Maybe not in a year or two, but they will. Women, do you want these Republican men (not all, but geez there alot that think that way) making rules about your body and what you can and cannot do based on religion and sometimes sheer ignorance? If this election is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils, I'll go with Obama and hope for the best.<br />
<br />
<br />Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-83981550607294652552012-03-06T06:33:00.005-08:002012-03-06T06:59:00.187-08:00Ghirlandaio's "An Old Man and His Grandson"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YU258TnOzFjrwJ_aRYPucn25erQ_BfC7gB6vd1TnQDc4bPaWPZPLj3BLI5YxbSTzrUio0A5GCsiTNxEmffId5C8khkuqwTKAWGfPPtzVfk_MNF2Z17J2bZ7HP0t81tKH0NsLKn7WIRho/s1600/tumblr_lohw5evxYB1qc3096.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YU258TnOzFjrwJ_aRYPucn25erQ_BfC7gB6vd1TnQDc4bPaWPZPLj3BLI5YxbSTzrUio0A5GCsiTNxEmffId5C8khkuqwTKAWGfPPtzVfk_MNF2Z17J2bZ7HP0t81tKH0NsLKn7WIRho/s400/tumblr_lohw5evxYB1qc3096.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716797996513025330" border="0" /></a><b>Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY: "The Renaissance Portrait from Donatello to Bellini" til 3/18/12<br /></b><p>One of my favorite portraits is in this exhibition, a Renaissance classic and standard in art history books, "An Old Man and His Grandson" by Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1480, on loan from the Louvre. The obvious thing that makes this piece stand out is the grandfather's nose, riddled with lumps from a sinus disease. Compositionally it's interesting to note that the nose is in the exact center of the painting. The second thing that stands out about it is the pose. It's one of the most naturalistic portraits of the time, informal like a snapshot rather than a posed portrait.<br /></p><p>The thing I love about this painting is this: ever watch grandparents and grandchildren? No matter how old, fat, unattractive, immobile, unhappy, missing teeth or hair, uneducated, or smelling like mothballs the grandparent is, no matter how many negatives about that grandparent -- the kid doesn't care. It's pure love. And it goes both ways. Look at the grandson in this painting. He is not fazed one bit by his grandfather's appearance. He might stare, he might ask about those lumps with a child's naivete, but it does not impact his love one iota. As for grandpa, can't you sense his love and patience towards the kid? This is a timeless painting. I can walk to any park in the world and see this same image from 1480 acted out every day, and Ghirlandaio nailed it here.<br /></p><p>Emotional impact aside, the painting itself is excellent, and the overpowering presence of the two figures overshadows the classic landscape outside the window. One can attempt an argument that it's a bit of a trompe l'oeil of a landscape painting and not a window, but most agree it's not. Don't miss the chance to see this and other classic Renaissance portraits if you are in the NY area.<br /></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;">Below is text from ibiblio.org</span>:</p><p>Ghirlandaio, Domenico (1449-94). Florentine painter. He trained with Baldovinetti and possibly with Verrocchio. His style was solid, prosaic, and rather old-fashioned (especially when compared with that of his great contemporary <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/botticelli/">Botticelli</a>), but he was an excellent craftsman and good businessman and had one of the most prosperous workshops in Florence. This he ran in collaboration with his two younger brothers, Benedetto (1458-97) and Davide (1452-1525). His largest undertaking was the fresco cycle in the choir of Sta Maria Novella, Florence, illustrating <i>Scenes from the Lives of the Virgin and St John the Baptist</i> (1486-90). This was commissioned by Giovanni Tornabuoni, a partner in the Medici bank, and Ghirlandaio depicts the sacred story as if it had taken place in the home of a wealthy Florentine burgher. It is this talent for portraying the life and manners of his time (he often included portraits in his religious works) that has made Ghirlandaio popular with many visitors to Florence. But he also had considerable skill in the management of complex compositions and a certain grandeur of conception that sometimes hints at the High <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/renaissance/">Renaissance</a>. </p> <p>Ghirlandaio worked on frescos in Pisa, San Gimignano, and Rome (in the Sistine Chapel) as well as in Florence, and his studio produced numerous <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/glo/altarpiece/">altarpieces</a>. He also painted portraits, the finest of which is <i>Old Man and his Grandson</i> (Louvre); this depicts the grandfather's diseased features with ruthless realism, but has a remarkable air of tenderness. Ghirlandaio's son and pupil Ridolfo (1483-1561) was a friend of <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/raphael/">Raphael</a> and a portrait painter of some distinction. His most famous pupil, however, was <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/michelangelo/">Michelangelo</a>.</p> <cite></cite>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-9068774374912224132012-01-13T14:14:00.000-08:002012-01-13T16:10:26.483-08:00Gallery Hoppin' - NYC 1/12/12<br style="font-style: italic;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvciLpu0W0WwJ8vzVoEaSVrcC8BLlVJ3-UOj8jo_brYcWpYcKdWSPQIecY2YTmc6tzoiAApyj4Vh0I_vDqV2uzo5Un5CxKi7lp1EXBeDzwi3E4aWCUD6HVIR9zRcJPTtaQdUuuAJd6rlw/s1600/Leo+1.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvciLpu0W0WwJ8vzVoEaSVrcC8BLlVJ3-UOj8jo_brYcWpYcKdWSPQIecY2YTmc6tzoiAApyj4Vh0I_vDqV2uzo5Un5CxKi7lp1EXBeDzwi3E4aWCUD6HVIR9zRcJPTtaQdUuuAJd6rlw/s200/Leo+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697249303037032546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Frosch & Portmann</span>, 53 Stanton St, NYC<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dacia Gallery</span>, 53 Stanton St, NYC<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lambert Fine Arts</span>, 57 Stanton St, NYC<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Luxembourg & Dayan</span>, 64 E. 77th St, NYC<br /><br />Crazy day running around Brooklyn and Manhattan, but managed to slip into a few galleries. Here's a brief bit about 4 of the lot.<br /><br />Renewed energy on this strip of galleries on Stanton (Chrystie and Bowery). Went to see the effervescent <span style="font-weight: bold;">Johnny Leo</span>, he of the Fountain Art Fair fame, and the group show he has at <span style="font-style: italic;">Lambert Fine Arts</span>. The show is quite a mix - locals and foreign artists doing graf/street, pop surreal, and collage/assemblage. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXhTa4-Oy_FJbgi0yb_KLP_RuDgRiToM987wvHa10G7GOb62gsJP0TLAbqHXLTZX3a_08Xr_PIL69Ft4I3DbtcFwnlTLyJYfe8pAlvM_odjeRNbt_BXWTvGH6Mxe7baSpSgIt9nOm0osG/s1600/Leo+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 197px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXhTa4-Oy_FJbgi0yb_KLP_RuDgRiToM987wvHa10G7GOb62gsJP0TLAbqHXLTZX3a_08Xr_PIL69Ft4I3DbtcFwnlTLyJYfe8pAlvM_odjeRNbt_BXWTvGH6Mxe7baSpSgIt9nOm0osG/s200/Leo+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697249356813154242" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rachel Meuler</span>'s transformational, morphing critter people is a subject visited by artists many times, but her small watercolors on stretched white paper draw you in nonetheless. Curious to see where she goes with them.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OL1Q3NkngznCJLcusBRo8LUYKb5qYLhLtIJVYKPXQ5Q8SKLzGXBRN9hRdftDK1-VU-solghCNGGFaXNXh1j-DJBPRuJqCdWCUHRCOdsXbzh9HctfZLRVRGVuwAuw8zHQ2fiC8pVig5ur/s1600/Leo+1.JPG"></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BtbDOdNlGhuGe034Zph8xV2C0ofWvtHG5CJ2a6evQA4OJ3ceSX0eGRcJ29L7AK1NMFgUH81gV9LirUgKayDlgC7c8Opc2kUlt_P600QhpfoBOUfGLgru4TPby37cjvI4vh0WtMw8WLPc/s1600/Leo+3.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BtbDOdNlGhuGe034Zph8xV2C0ofWvtHG5CJ2a6evQA4OJ3ceSX0eGRcJ29L7AK1NMFgUH81gV9LirUgKayDlgC7c8Opc2kUlt_P600QhpfoBOUfGLgru4TPby37cjvI4vh0WtMw8WLPc/s200/Leo+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697249626496428386" border="0" /></a>Also there were mixed media pieces featuring a male face and text ( left) by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Benito</span>. In a similar vein, but more graffitti oriented were three small framed pieces by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Terrenceo</span> (below right). He'll be having more work in a show opening here on January 20th, with <span style="font-weight: bold;">Shalom Neuman</span> who does colossal sized assemblage robot like creatures. One was in the gallery, an imposing 12-15' tall.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJJf75s-ssPTgLz5nWDRJQBxjJWF035TqUDjkQUFid-QXhlqBx9mn32JnlYFeGFDGBs_vYfdA-j79rxGTeyNdBulG5GLrDkbpc3q5-Acre0qrov_0EEKCYt9zcYjkqpkcai0EedJ8z-W1/s1600/Leo+4.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJJf75s-ssPTgLz5nWDRJQBxjJWF035TqUDjkQUFid-QXhlqBx9mn32JnlYFeGFDGBs_vYfdA-j79rxGTeyNdBulG5GLrDkbpc3q5-Acre0qrov_0EEKCYt9zcYjkqpkcai0EedJ8z-W1/s320/Leo+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697249986463708562" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQw5eNRFJdRBVNZZohcxA6TUqyD8tCxDxq60JwGVPztmss2b4UE-qzng56VxwDld5WzqX0GTSv-P-rg6eBNRVB0Q2vhXBpZifeqDXLcPGXwHqlxYg_9zjK9dZebKKh14sPmP9ntKXHXxFo/s1600/Leo+4.JPG"></a><br /><br />Next door was another group show at<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dacia Gallery</span> of appr 15 artists. Most of the work was representational in a wide array of styles from tight realism to big eyed Keene-inspired paintings of girls. Of note were some detailed graphite on paper drawings by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Leah Yerpe</span>. I was told that she does miniature or very large (like several feet long) drawings. There are works by Ms. Yerpe and others in this show on the gallery website that are worth checking out.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4z_KOSKkKbBwo8fAWFo4i7_O8U0xbylEk8AzgCRg-fu4Qr0U1wqWyXUScUcvLsqoo3MgfHU5DaQ7Mg0eMn-4I_yeaMNGSvk8ADjtrSCfi9uUODLCAz168RmJouRdKlSDeNnzciU0OZAD/s1600/LEs+1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4z_KOSKkKbBwo8fAWFo4i7_O8U0xbylEk8AzgCRg-fu4Qr0U1wqWyXUScUcvLsqoo3MgfHU5DaQ7Mg0eMn-4I_yeaMNGSvk8ADjtrSCfi9uUODLCAz168RmJouRdKlSDeNnzciU0OZAD/s320/LEs+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697254575789149986" border="0" /></a>And next door, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Frosch & Portmann Gallery</span> was setting up but let me take a quick look. In the corner was a blank canvas on the wall and artists materials. On the floor was a painting of a satellite photo of the gallery and surrounding neighborhood. Artist <span style="font-weight: bold;">Brad Nelson</span> was going to do live painting at the opening standing on the satellite image, which was the spot he was standing on and painting!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9g1P2IkSzv5FjlwfgfANjQ5bI4aL05Zmg-R3lemCBejtGR4yRgsFANJPEQ0svo0_VlxAzfXYJzWNuUbAPibe5IeZleI5Zvh0r93CqQh-XOCufOu1_0iiQ-fTmT_d3bRankhFICifmYza/s1600/LEs+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9g1P2IkSzv5FjlwfgfANjQ5bI4aL05Zmg-R3lemCBejtGR4yRgsFANJPEQ0svo0_VlxAzfXYJzWNuUbAPibe5IeZleI5Zvh0r93CqQh-XOCufOu1_0iiQ-fTmT_d3bRankhFICifmYza/s320/LEs+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697254694581143762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />From the funky lower east side to the elite upper east side to see the NY Times reviewed "Grisaille" show at <span style="font-style: italic;">Luxembourg & Dayan</span>. The group show featured work in shades of gray with work from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Giacometti</span> to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jeff Koons</span> to <span style="font-weight: bold;">John Currin</span>. Below are photos <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99qyCu-Y-ml1tldNcJM0VF0cop7EXFb1zc6xZMFL4ZnqWRA2uY7FefH1CHALFB8Z5rMTJAADslFfqGIGuNxcilaI9hU2rIxkRJpV9JWPQWYfsbbVOcfbCLM4EefqHzUkLx2eZOtZt2TK4/s1600/Gris+2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99qyCu-Y-ml1tldNcJM0VF0cop7EXFb1zc6xZMFL4ZnqWRA2uY7FefH1CHALFB8Z5rMTJAADslFfqGIGuNxcilaI9hU2rIxkRJpV9JWPQWYfsbbVOcfbCLM4EefqHzUkLx2eZOtZt2TK4/s320/Gris+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697257456462370674" border="0" /></a>and a detail of the Currin piece ("L'Intimite," hangs on 1815 wallpaper by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Joseph Dufour et Cie</span>). Across from his piece were two pieces by Leonor Fini from 1938, "L'Penture"and "L'Architecture." Below is a detail from the former, of the upper body of the figure.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiszdllrKvP11x6csionW4oa_bkLjMzQtMVJEXdR8xcoJnO0kGhuHMTVhyphenhyphenTY7XZyrMvPwNeGcFSBvMLTvTrsJpMwSQ_7MQTFH2nZUaqQx4BXwFPJgNujuyp5qSbSKOSCQywJtpNLU9jp7/s1600/Gris+Currin.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiszdllrKvP11x6csionW4oa_bkLjMzQtMVJEXdR8xcoJnO0kGhuHMTVhyphenhyphenTY7XZyrMvPwNeGcFSBvMLTvTrsJpMwSQ_7MQTFH2nZUaqQx4BXwFPJgNujuyp5qSbSKOSCQywJtpNLU9jp7/s400/Gris+Currin.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697257531919201170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPOMogqczfY4gwoXje6X36vd8MSv77-LQU3YWRP8Vj5DMx5v64xzKiFPI1ALHdOraeXjLFwJtqt9TcLpOLh_6b_WfGwxtzXDEzJgO821UDya11pnoxU3V-ueElGPq0-wI9JRDKWjQcalg/s1600/Gris+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTPOMogqczfY4gwoXje6X36vd8MSv77-LQU3YWRP8Vj5DMx5v64xzKiFPI1ALHdOraeXjLFwJtqt9TcLpOLh_6b_WfGwxtzXDEzJgO821UDya11pnoxU3V-ueElGPq0-wI9JRDKWjQcalg/s400/Gris+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697257598967458066" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-31364127819066159872012-01-03T15:30:00.001-08:002012-01-03T15:52:23.579-08:00Brooklyn Museum visit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwrUfpSaRpEiOyBVmqhyJqA3P4iVrMkTJLQgkKJWL3x-WyBsQzumiMOnw1NyMSYpTedIKTznmEB4QhYDmnXkffVFWdT9Mj14HDocDR8L74APX_-Z9oQ0rSifUJp3Jd3jtX5998PEzjC__/s1600/Romaine+Brooks+ptg.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwrUfpSaRpEiOyBVmqhyJqA3P4iVrMkTJLQgkKJWL3x-WyBsQzumiMOnw1NyMSYpTedIKTznmEB4QhYDmnXkffVFWdT9Mj14HDocDR8L74APX_-Z9oQ0rSifUJp3Jd3jtX5998PEzjC__/s320/Romaine+Brooks+ptg.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693553054432650546" border="0" /></a><br />Went to the Brooklyn Museum a few weeks ago to catch the <span style="font-weight: bold;">"HIDE/SEEK"</span> show, and also walked through a few other shows including <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eva Hesse</span>. To the left is the one photo I got of a painting by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Romaine Brooks</span>. Beautiful portraiture, but read recently in a Modigliani bio that she had a hard time getting commissions. Generally portraits are a hard sell unless commissioned, but her pieces here were so good that I've been inspired to learn more about her.<br />Below are photos and the description of the exhibition (up to Feb 12, 2012):<br /><p> "The first major museum exhibition to focus on themes of gender and sexuality in modern American portraiture, <em>HIDE/SEEK: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture</em> brings together more than one hundred works in a wide range of media, including paintings, photographs, works on paper, film, and installation art. The exhibition charts the underdocumented role that sexual identity has played in the making of modern art, and highlights the contributions of gay and lesbian artists to American art. Beginning in the late nineteenth century with Thomas Eakins’ Realist paintings, <em>HIDE/SEEK</em> traces the often coded narrative of sexual desire in art produced throughout the early modern period and up to the present. The exhibition features pieces by canonical figures in American art—including George Bellows, Marsden Hartley, Alice Neel, and Berenice Abbott—along with works that openly assert gay and lesbian subjects in modern and contemporary art, by artists such as Jess Collins and Tee Corinne."</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjuVfAbnv1qJ9_AVQ1gxumeU0Buf2kkp6-37EpmNDkAOPqJFmL8MSwXvt3xfjNIErloIXmLYDHTJuQbMuzc8YSkckNCrvc0YGAgv8BZJNQAXNY3kDArFx8sH_kY-kVfWYbkUgWjHh0poC/s1600/Eva+Hesse+2.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 306px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsjuVfAbnv1qJ9_AVQ1gxumeU0Buf2kkp6-37EpmNDkAOPqJFmL8MSwXvt3xfjNIErloIXmLYDHTJuQbMuzc8YSkckNCrvc0YGAgv8BZJNQAXNY3kDArFx8sH_kY-kVfWYbkUgWjHh0poC/s320/Eva+Hesse+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693554993437935922" border="0" /></a>There was a small show of work done by Eva Hesse during a stay in NY. Apparently she was experimenting a bit with her work, and it is exciting to see this process when an artist is loose, letting it flow, and not necessarily thinking about the outcome. The work has an energy and excitement to it, maybe not so much in these photos, but definitely in person. Here are some pieces and a portion of the wall text.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF4eKrKSq5IjU5YaXIb15HMfrImw-h5g49ionWsD5VJlm8VCQiOG0EYp25fPeWNyTj2Ngqyk68t2zrz60OZXCmfafHacrYe5omNzacKqCH47PTPWfEdeU3FERBEpltaRU07a7JzWJ1JtW/s1600/Eva+Hesse+1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF4eKrKSq5IjU5YaXIb15HMfrImw-h5g49ionWsD5VJlm8VCQiOG0EYp25fPeWNyTj2Ngqyk68t2zrz60OZXCmfafHacrYe5omNzacKqCH47PTPWfEdeU3FERBEpltaRU07a7JzWJ1JtW/s320/Eva+Hesse+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693555181050108274" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p> <p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSH0V0vZxnDpE8B558FOfoRfnW7UbkexoIK671iVb4zxhX3ZQVIiiuoursgzhRGcxlPjAu-TWXCETg7HkGfse6dL0-9NZ2Z-UgCG5E9fDYvFYPBTnC-M9OzPx1bO7hSNEiwpcC7dkpgV3-/s1600/Eva+HEsse+text.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSH0V0vZxnDpE8B558FOfoRfnW7UbkexoIK671iVb4zxhX3ZQVIiiuoursgzhRGcxlPjAu-TWXCETg7HkGfse6dL0-9NZ2Z-UgCG5E9fDYvFYPBTnC-M9OzPx1bO7hSNEiwpcC7dkpgV3-/s400/Eva+HEsse+text.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693555310055884370" border="0" /></a></p><p>Below the text are miscellaneous shots from the museum including a large painting by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Kehinde Wiley</span> from a room full of his work, including chapel-like ceiling pieces. In another part of the museum were these skateboards spread out on the floor and if you look closely, they're covered with Persian rug pieces. A cool commentary on youth cross-culture and amusing play on a magic carpet ride.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zEXKIcf4dIM0-aMgvaRkW_aAgjIMQCVp_N3ZwW3W6tv1TTMV9Xj8lDtgCUz_ulyTtlpuz2Oy_IgusTqsvi34jIyEy3E1n89ZCcfx4e2Qpu-NZRM4wflE2vVE7WSdV9ikPk3s3mCDhndX/s1600/K+wiley+1.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zEXKIcf4dIM0-aMgvaRkW_aAgjIMQCVp_N3ZwW3W6tv1TTMV9Xj8lDtgCUz_ulyTtlpuz2Oy_IgusTqsvi34jIyEy3E1n89ZCcfx4e2Qpu-NZRM4wflE2vVE7WSdV9ikPk3s3mCDhndX/s320/K+wiley+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693556772558487298" border="0" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ndo6XjZ0BEKTCjpyl0abrQbkqFTOc2M-K4h1iAKXgDp9_meY4U2Iy2YPY_t52UxEwTDohPWxVUVMH-I1Bonaow5Cb4ENhDcwi2dG63T_jpGVNPXjqLiKU8L_GNO-AkxtRofhyY-yG4kZ/s1600/Skateboards+1.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ndo6XjZ0BEKTCjpyl0abrQbkqFTOc2M-K4h1iAKXgDp9_meY4U2Iy2YPY_t52UxEwTDohPWxVUVMH-I1Bonaow5Cb4ENhDcwi2dG63T_jpGVNPXjqLiKU8L_GNO-AkxtRofhyY-yG4kZ/s320/Skateboards+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693556922697930226" border="0" /></a></p>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-1632719318873465212011-09-12T13:55:00.000-07:002011-09-12T14:32:40.410-07:00Alessandra Exposito at Mixed Greens GalleryThe front gallery of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mixed Greens</span> is currently dominated by a large branch-like structure sprouting from a nightstand. The clay piece is adorned with flowers, however upon closer inspection there's an odd assortment of other items as well. Are they passing visitors, like the little mouse, or dead/dying remnants like the potato sprouting "eyes" or pea pods? For that matter, what's up with that mouse? A pet? unwanted vermin? or a natural wanderer into this porcelain garden? and what about that potato - amusing and strange.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv-TGO1IPxyuIur2Bs0Gle3zrHuVOirK0tW_2sf1IFPw5okALKL3B3kDYzXw5JyshMCEavPqMYqieLkNiClgcFNWDWkKm93vCSd10pD4fxtb1CQZYR5BmZL7jvIV-xDmPo-SJr-QXVHlR/s1600/Aless+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJv-TGO1IPxyuIur2Bs0Gle3zrHuVOirK0tW_2sf1IFPw5okALKL3B3kDYzXw5JyshMCEavPqMYqieLkNiClgcFNWDWkKm93vCSd10pD4fxtb1CQZYR5BmZL7jvIV-xDmPo-SJr-QXVHlR/s400/Aless+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651588177968354034" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64wzXIXURAjaidV0LK7y26qQ1gsl0FjJDovjnVVjdjcv8gNqPdZ-s-NuauRX0nHBMbuAI-h1iJpNVfvlvVeBpJ0Fm3WcHg6OdnhcSuS3anJpw9JvcuE47_VayU2F32xYz8u1VEUg9c9x5/s1600/Aless+1.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64wzXIXURAjaidV0LK7y26qQ1gsl0FjJDovjnVVjdjcv8gNqPdZ-s-NuauRX0nHBMbuAI-h1iJpNVfvlvVeBpJ0Fm3WcHg6OdnhcSuS3anJpw9JvcuE47_VayU2F32xYz8u1VEUg9c9x5/s320/Aless+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651588965693424162" border="0" /></a><br />This whole structure and its inhabitants look as if they gazed into the face of Medusa and turned to stone, frozen in time. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Alessandra Exposito</span> has mined this terrain before, most notably combining skulls of various animals with fictional narratives in a gorgeous show from a few years ago, also at Mixed Greens. According to the artist, the nightstand is reminiscent of one she had growing up in the 70s. Ever seen a piece of wooden furniture left outdoors for an extended period of time? Nature overtakes, and perhaps this tree sprouting from the nightstand is a metaphor for life moving on, memories getting colored over time, and how we wish that some childhood memories could indeed be frozen in time. Or how they're attached to us whether we want them there or not.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscrgm6aKlXgsvEOhFDlHp2u-UHBbUrITLqed8KD8sLqehaKM1jZZx2RApBrWKaAyEQvwBETzbsqqNIG8oiY0uXDzmSV-cxw0NICn2yuehcdZIxUu6UkXgmWXnt1efVVadnI81cmKVvX95/s1600/Aless+3.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 196px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscrgm6aKlXgsvEOhFDlHp2u-UHBbUrITLqed8KD8sLqehaKM1jZZx2RApBrWKaAyEQvwBETzbsqqNIG8oiY0uXDzmSV-cxw0NICn2yuehcdZIxUu6UkXgmWXnt1efVVadnI81cmKVvX95/s320/Aless+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651589129438155218" border="0" /></a><br />Another similar piece hangs on the wall, only with a much smaller branch and covered with a glass dome. Suspending it on the wall rather than setting it on the floor was a nice touch and gives it an otherworldly quality. On a more formal level, it keeps it from being overpowered by its larger counter-part. From a pop culture perspective, it would fit in with the other floating objects in the opening sequence of Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone."<br /><br />In some ways these pieces are like a giant cigar box filled with items from someone's youth. While so much work today looks dashed off or made sans dirty hands on a computer, this is no rush job, it's clearly labor intensive, well-planned and engaging for us viewers. Ms. Exposito has a unique gift for combining humor and melancholy with excellent craftsmanship.Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-87300483653035006052011-06-16T08:35:00.000-07:002011-06-16T09:12:59.287-07:00Misc Gallery shots: Haring, Van, Kirkland and Lee<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xfckr4cH4Sa4XJbYnKtlov5s7J9vcRX70_bwSWxDCZj-kUkXqTOfxX6aFPq_eVb5vjJMhTF-BOwL75us1SsUQFnSuLfet-SNn3yUDiYOy3tbgIR5UdY-afIRQhZzfU0YdTRAo0-ZChxY/s1600/Isabella+Kirkland.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xfckr4cH4Sa4XJbYnKtlov5s7J9vcRX70_bwSWxDCZj-kUkXqTOfxX6aFPq_eVb5vjJMhTF-BOwL75us1SsUQFnSuLfet-SNn3yUDiYOy3tbgIR5UdY-afIRQhZzfU0YdTRAo0-ZChxY/s400/Isabella+Kirkland.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618843159449520530" border="0" /></a><br />Did a gallery hop on 6/2, here are some quick notes and shots:<br /><br />- <span style="font-style: italic;">Feature Inc</span> (131 Allen St) has large paintings by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Isabella Kirkland</span> of fauna and flora. I'm often left a bit cold by work like this that seems scientific and mechanical, but Kirkland brings a sensitivity and sense of reverence that makes them more accessible. And from a technique standpoint, they are stunning! The detail in the plants and trees and leaves, and the various birds and jungle critters is a feast for the eyes whether you're a painter or not. (til 6/18)<br /><br />Over to Chelsea and when walking by <span style="font-style: italic;">Nicholas Robinson Gallery</span> I was drawn in by the large red paintings by <span style="font-weight: bold;">SeaHyun Lee</span>. Upon closer inspection, washy monochrome paintings of landscapes and traditional Korean architecture are mashed up with modern battleships and industrialization.<br />Lee recounts his time in the military wearing night vision goggles and observing the heavily mined 4km wide demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. The goggles bathed everything in red, hence these images. There are times when reading artist statements seems merely an exercise in artspeak and being pedantic, and then, as with Lee, you learn something that brings the pieces to a different place of appreciation. (535 W 20th St, til 6/27).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5LX_LpYkKAhGKxws5Yt1PDifzCMVLv094WymK-xmJcMZHbfmbthMkzCTPCrW9d6nW1xJrUJNYkNn4FaGXb7ka8r1_g6nfuwfHPkxxhNYJD7fmg0_OI-xMi9o1J0R2GZ3OFz4A4eoWR9P/s1600/SeaHyun-Lee.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5LX_LpYkKAhGKxws5Yt1PDifzCMVLv094WymK-xmJcMZHbfmbthMkzCTPCrW9d6nW1xJrUJNYkNn4FaGXb7ka8r1_g6nfuwfHPkxxhNYJD7fmg0_OI-xMi9o1J0R2GZ3OFz4A4eoWR9P/s320/SeaHyun-Lee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618845788830660530" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNSipgujDNsYvqld4tyyRxfbiHH1ANsH_fQbIvrx2I-yOawwPr96Bncxy7T1bZRSKsjwEFzpI2b6l7ARkPrPzSRF1d6fwni2vJ5JG2wVF5k57oPj3FyavTZXS17woG3yRKn0GMkp1rpO4/s1600/SeaHyun-Lee-2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNSipgujDNsYvqld4tyyRxfbiHH1ANsH_fQbIvrx2I-yOawwPr96Bncxy7T1bZRSKsjwEFzpI2b6l7ARkPrPzSRF1d6fwni2vJ5JG2wVF5k57oPj3FyavTZXS17woG3yRKn0GMkp1rpO4/s200/SeaHyun-Lee-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618845562066760914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Jonathan Levine Gallery</span> had a return show by French-born, Barcelona-based <span style="font-weight: bold;">Miss Van</span>. She started painting her couquette-ish "poupée" (doll) figures into her street art before moving to canvas and the gallery. Many of the works in this show are on paper. This show, "Bailarinas," brings these characters into the realm of dance and still blends her animal imagery and role play with her mysterious, pouty figures. (529 W 20th, til 6/25).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSotdQOKQKbMEyZuktegfL-DJiywhad3HeMkxrCGKF5uWvdzuKZ4HpAKpQ93gcjXLHEjiHD_yh87rHyViHHabwEJzX9DQEMWnqZ1f89RgTMYC9ImZA7h9qEmzso_q_rHZqG6DrlLc3Jt5k/s1600/MsVan-wall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSotdQOKQKbMEyZuktegfL-DJiywhad3HeMkxrCGKF5uWvdzuKZ4HpAKpQ93gcjXLHEjiHD_yh87rHyViHHabwEJzX9DQEMWnqZ1f89RgTMYC9ImZA7h9qEmzso_q_rHZqG6DrlLc3Jt5k/s400/MsVan-wall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618847960182527154" border="0" /></a>Stopped at <span style="font-style: italic;">Gladstone Gallery</span> (515 W 21st, til July 1) to see the large scale works on paper by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Keith Haring</span>. They also had pages from his sketchbook of geo drawings, and amusing penis sketches.<br />Always bittersweet when I see his work - he was so prolific and talented, always pushing - it's inspiring. At the same time it makes me sad to think what he would've produced if he didn't die so young.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOJ2BR6u7Aw3IXIpDo4NucaCUkAxkItqtkC1Bvv7GxwyKXsctKGA88w006cv9TMhbNbHRU0RtkmFeXM2wyPDCHlb9MjLVzvX6gwUE1tIrzv3aC_axEBwptEiAYxE6yb9yJsR0VSTz7Qe6/s1600/Haring-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOJ2BR6u7Aw3IXIpDo4NucaCUkAxkItqtkC1Bvv7GxwyKXsctKGA88w006cv9TMhbNbHRU0RtkmFeXM2wyPDCHlb9MjLVzvX6gwUE1tIrzv3aC_axEBwptEiAYxE6yb9yJsR0VSTz7Qe6/s400/Haring-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618849147571813218" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJl8zvr42SW7iQJSPVWMqQpiJlKyh4WJSNyhBJUUqlxEM4MaexzB8viCr-sCJFxtdg0WcN9xc-zY3JaufRhc9ZFptoTMhqGJYkI91fDcw3MiS8n2nPKf7GqEs_UMSLkef3v-TY8RoTioEh/s1600/Haring-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJl8zvr42SW7iQJSPVWMqQpiJlKyh4WJSNyhBJUUqlxEM4MaexzB8viCr-sCJFxtdg0WcN9xc-zY3JaufRhc9ZFptoTMhqGJYkI91fDcw3MiS8n2nPKf7GqEs_UMSLkef3v-TY8RoTioEh/s400/Haring-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618849206313741970" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxbguaibc5csObyat8YGuKg9mwvaGKq77OLQDyDPqZZm3bH88NoFTcTOxxM3Zet67JF1Oh3aK5Df_k5GVMKyDDGRYkrj9tS45p5NDhLzNcI6cqb2X7pqr_J9Ni67YPKdCaRQea0hC_Pe1/s1600/Haring-sketch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxbguaibc5csObyat8YGuKg9mwvaGKq77OLQDyDPqZZm3bH88NoFTcTOxxM3Zet67JF1Oh3aK5Df_k5GVMKyDDGRYkrj9tS45p5NDhLzNcI6cqb2X7pqr_J9Ni67YPKdCaRQea0hC_Pe1/s400/Haring-sketch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618849257216517170" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-8884895059397963342011-03-08T16:50:00.000-08:002011-03-08T17:48:33.784-08:002011 Art Fairs: Pulse, Scope and Fountain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23ZYTCJ40ZFL2lOGuviUTdmoMzWFqSWpTX09Epe_5r42PcK6RmHxoKPUhFdIRPct0v7dtcvLMo0IYuh8dKf2GCmAuKGSH1qaJIs3Za_JSBBNb-gHF55Zi-jEMVLmP6ZfE2Tg7gBcrbhVQ/s1600/P-cello+ML.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23ZYTCJ40ZFL2lOGuviUTdmoMzWFqSWpTX09Epe_5r42PcK6RmHxoKPUhFdIRPct0v7dtcvLMo0IYuh8dKf2GCmAuKGSH1qaJIs3Za_JSBBNb-gHF55Zi-jEMVLmP6ZfE2Tg7gBcrbhVQ/s400/P-cello+ML.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581888113421470114" border="0" /></a><br />Made my way to the <span style="font-weight: bold;">PULSE NY</span> art fair show on Friday and saw quite a bit of interesting work. Previously I noted the trend of words and text, but the other trend was butterflies! Lots of butterflies throughout all five shows I attended, from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Damien Hirst</span> prints in metallic inks to sculptures to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sandy Skoglund</span> photos. Here's a sculpture at the <span style="font-style: italic;">Morgan Lehman</span> booth.<br /><br />Brooklyn's <span style="font-style: italic;">Black & White Gallery</span> had some cross-stitched portraits from<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Alicia Ross's</span> "Hot Mess" series, phrenological (shape of skull and bumps as it relates to moral character) studies of famous/infamous wo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWZ3GowPS9aVxc2lbHSnayA1RhTXji1j3dhXatimpjeNgNArkqOx9jGcju7U-ofaTCJxrXEpn94j4Ec7nSIhhtE1dauLJUv7W26rZeYP0p_uiiFy6fMJ6Xeb-5-gYrtYsbArRFH6lTfGA/s1600/P-Alicia+Ross.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWZ3GowPS9aVxc2lbHSnayA1RhTXji1j3dhXatimpjeNgNArkqOx9jGcju7U-ofaTCJxrXEpn94j4Ec7nSIhhtE1dauLJUv7W26rZeYP0p_uiiFy6fMJ6Xeb-5-gYrtYsbArRFH6lTfGA/s320/P-Alicia+Ross.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581888261527692898" border="0" /></a>men from Miley Cyrus to Jenna Jameson.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Fouladi Projects</span> from San Fran had this hilarious text painting (below) by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Graham Gillmore</span>, a rejection letter to a gallery, rejecting their rejection letter! The gallery also had a signature <span style="font-weight: bold;">Barry McGee</span>, a painted face on an empty flask bottle of liquor for five grand, which to my knowledge is way, way out of range with his prices. Odd.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT2nd62j3DvxMZVDJ_gSofWMOsUY8ZWXiu2538aKzngSGX8bb9Y5r7zjxGAqV6Wgl4H8p81X3UB3ajTsBNJDotfVbhRv2MmCAwUgPNGK8RGkpiAXyI_pMWC0AOrCA81UhBaenxnfT4jmS/s1600/P-rej+letter.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmT2nd62j3DvxMZVDJ_gSofWMOsUY8ZWXiu2538aKzngSGX8bb9Y5r7zjxGAqV6Wgl4H8p81X3UB3ajTsBNJDotfVbhRv2MmCAwUgPNGK8RGkpiAXyI_pMWC0AOrCA81UhBaenxnfT4jmS/s320/P-rej+letter.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581888656888669106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Christina Ray</span> (NY) had new graphic dog pieces by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Casey Porn</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">David B Smith</span> from Denver had an eclectic mix of work including some tight graphite drawings of birds by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Christina Empedocles</span>.<br /><br />Over at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">SCOPE</span> show, <span style="font-style: italic;">Spinello Projects</span> from Miami had impressive chalk pastel pieces by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Barnaby Whitfield </span>(below right). A difficult medium to work with, Whitfield is deft at handling chalk and has created some thought-provoking images. Also at <span style="font-style: italic;">Spinello</span> were some oil portraits by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Kris Knight</span>. Realistically painted with an intense color palette, this young artist has the technical chops and I'm curious to see what he'll create if he moves beyond straight portraiture.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6MFX78XxvMKZYOU7QebFyXdaiTwlqmmsqPGSTM5ByP-CZNZ63_TkZexKLhiWgr-CoPAIbznGtHJMdfP91xZVuqxmQfo6tLJo4pO4ZWbb_orAT0cXe7EyMPNuUxw04bQzZRG6lhyMMR-P/s1600/S-Barnaby+Whitfield.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6MFX78XxvMKZYOU7QebFyXdaiTwlqmmsqPGSTM5ByP-CZNZ63_TkZexKLhiWgr-CoPAIbznGtHJMdfP91xZVuqxmQfo6tLJo4pO4ZWbb_orAT0cXe7EyMPNuUxw04bQzZRG6lhyMMR-P/s200/S-Barnaby+Whitfield.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581888978504541282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Janine Bean Gallery</span> from Berlin had paintings by 20-something artist <span style="font-weight: bold;">Anna Bowory</span>. Canvas in the 3-5' range of women painted realistically and a bit washy and lots of - yes, butterflies. Her career is taking off and is worth keeping an eye on.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Contra Projects</span> had large faux cereal boxes by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Trustocorp</span> satirizing religion and big banks.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMExmUsc5K1MxOH5MqkEgI_kwQWeNT7IlxXh68UHFv2sKIBcg3yRk8f8f8YoC1ztByLBFEbemstRtHbUS8XDJomCgZOOt9g1LYD_8qj_uyCj21LIo3JsWdXmwTvoCV6j-YzBCXD23c9JW/s1600/S-Frosted+Faith.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMExmUsc5K1MxOH5MqkEgI_kwQWeNT7IlxXh68UHFv2sKIBcg3yRk8f8f8YoC1ztByLBFEbemstRtHbUS8XDJomCgZOOt9g1LYD_8qj_uyCj21LIo3JsWdXmwTvoCV6j-YzBCXD23c9JW/s320/S-Frosted+Faith.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581889203409904722" border="0" /></a><br />Also grabbed a pic of this mixed media piece by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jason Shawn Alexander</span> at <span style="font-style: italic;">101/exhibit</span> from Miami.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQZA4GpX5mnS3CYhfencZMinvANbB1LlykXv21FTYuh2sTOwEEn5e-c-HggSZnwyDw9MdqdqBgrkRdElUFom2Y9FYsSVwNfQ2n2qJ-fOjz4I8aNY61zBoYZYDQiY0LR-7htwrqZ-Yli1o/s1600/S-JSAlexander.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQZA4GpX5mnS3CYhfencZMinvANbB1LlykXv21FTYuh2sTOwEEn5e-c-HggSZnwyDw9MdqdqBgrkRdElUFom2Y9FYsSVwNfQ2n2qJ-fOjz4I8aNY61zBoYZYDQiY0LR-7htwrqZ-Yli1o/s320/S-JSAlexander.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581889632811669042" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFB-soTe12TnI6LgW5S0KpBWHsOc3QnomvJY3FeHHsQIoiTFQH8w7DJLY_wO1kMsbdVs8ND52LbQQkgZ1bhEkEdS3zihMnneR6h75p5IdmUDZHGiAbgeIB3iCw0jU8YtkIzA9W4Yxmwd1/s1600/S-JSAlexander.JPG"><br /></a><br />Lastly I made way over to the tugboat on the pier off the West Side Highway, home of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fountain Art Show</span>. This is the most bohemian of the shows with a strong Brooklyn feel. Similar artists from past years with some new additions, it feels like an artist studio building on water rather than an "art fair" with work varying from an art school-like mashup of styles and media to more mature work by others. Collage artist <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ray Sell</span> had a large assemblage piece which was not only successful but fits right in with his previous work. <span style="font-style: italic;">McCaig Welles</span> had some pieces by the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Morning Breath </span>team who mix layers of silk screened magazine images and ads with cartoony odd faces (sorry, pic didnt come out). <span style="font-weight: bold;">Evo Love</span> presented chairs covered with small, fun objects and covered in resin. Much of the other art was very raw and has a ways to go in its development, but it works in the anything-goes vibe at Fountain. So, if you decide to hit the art fairs next year, don't just do the big one, Armory - make sure to hit the other shows as well, you'll be glad you did!<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >NOTE: click on any of these images to see them larger.</span>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-86116335430161764042011-03-04T15:36:00.000-08:002011-03-04T18:01:30.621-08:002011 Art Fairs: ARMORY and VOLTAThe beginning of March in the art world means one thing - time for the Art Fairs in NYC! Last year I went to several smaller venues (and wrote about them here) but skipped Armory. Just as well because everyone I spoke to was pretty down on it, however this year I made it my first stop to avoid the weekend insanity.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Armory</span> show is massive. So much work from all over the world, some of it great, some mediocre, some confusing...so best to go in with as open and objective a mind as possible. Looking for trends (I write this on Day 2 after attending 3 fairs so far) I've noticed quite a bit of text based work. Not so much statements as words for words sake, or playing with letterforms, but there were several narrative pieces. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgYyXFV7JLgKEdPajLs_zAwvQ4Jj427uACmxb_xjyr5ESKfxWth4-UEy_w7Ru_5PYkQtfOyX0iD5DlHtzHbts6WrfkZ94otbZN4uhtwfBmWYrq-UjJ1-neQx9HR76yX4hOnB7SbHBT4Jw/s1600/A-Artigas+color.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgYyXFV7JLgKEdPajLs_zAwvQ4Jj427uACmxb_xjyr5ESKfxWth4-UEy_w7Ru_5PYkQtfOyX0iD5DlHtzHbts6WrfkZ94otbZN4uhtwfBmWYrq-UjJ1-neQx9HR76yX4hOnB7SbHBT4Jw/s200/A-Artigas+color.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580387818711539378" border="0" /></a>One of the first I saw was at <span style="font-style: italic;">Cajablanca</span> from Mexico, a series of monochromatic paintings with text in the center. Artist <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gustavo Artigas</span> handpainted the name of the color and below it the health warning and side-effects from using that paint.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighhj47K5hy6ylKUDlLAmFfKsN5ayfMCreU78stLiFqQQeq2OvfBiKOneYxdBgUV-YZHS0Ts21DxK3zVeBxjPSSeJXY0QmfpLjpzZoCjq2SMVtUwwn5hoFOs3UxqNm-2wMkGXAMMGIl9XS/s1600/A-Artigas+colorCU.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighhj47K5hy6ylKUDlLAmFfKsN5ayfMCreU78stLiFqQQeq2OvfBiKOneYxdBgUV-YZHS0Ts21DxK3zVeBxjPSSeJXY0QmfpLjpzZoCjq2SMVtUwwn5hoFOs3UxqNm-2wMkGXAMMGIl9XS/s400/A-Artigas+colorCU.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580388431964887154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Nice to see <span style="font-weight: bold;">David Kramer</span>'s watercolor and text based pieces again. Seen his work at different galleries many times over the years, the text often has a retro feel as does some of the imagery. The text varies from sayings and ad slogans to slices from a novel or a diary.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kv_DvDrux9VYWWzGgTSswT6zoRmRgfWeB6Kl_UoLLKuHjFCVkf3UMUC9VrrxyzbI9VUV1QfhPItp1UdcymuIRMHxn-YeIa2pjR_1WhUviPjMcB17oWT2KwYQIcdV4BPRyURh8PAvsEs1/s1600/A-Kramer+2.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kv_DvDrux9VYWWzGgTSswT6zoRmRgfWeB6Kl_UoLLKuHjFCVkf3UMUC9VrrxyzbI9VUV1QfhPItp1UdcymuIRMHxn-YeIa2pjR_1WhUviPjMcB17oWT2KwYQIcdV4BPRyURh8PAvsEs1/s320/A-Kramer+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580393790654201026" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1g_88qkaozHu5vUeqDsm3S-jqGq63EwnXsCMn_fWiwv-H9r0E3BLkbOMVqsv5DiUL2ymH7J_K1VTyYUwT8nEu456kpvjY3N8EcT1ZY6tkyQayNGIEGUajOLTiYf8K2n4Wjl5eZvJdZZ4j/s1600/A-Kramer.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1g_88qkaozHu5vUeqDsm3S-jqGq63EwnXsCMn_fWiwv-H9r0E3BLkbOMVqsv5DiUL2ymH7J_K1VTyYUwT8nEu456kpvjY3N8EcT1ZY6tkyQayNGIEGUajOLTiYf8K2n4Wjl5eZvJdZZ4j/s320/A-Kramer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580393847311049858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkilWSkeNpl2qhhVG-nKHfTKvAApw6nD2PKHPeucDaUxLTsto2ubD1AwJry0Jgm1Y9iD1MsNlEhSmjvg2n6D_-z23uf120ojvAjpYUYYl_Np2sLUNpXuPyUFGF_nKiZfU3j7lIA_BIifm/s1600/A-text.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkilWSkeNpl2qhhVG-nKHfTKvAApw6nD2PKHPeucDaUxLTsto2ubD1AwJry0Jgm1Y9iD1MsNlEhSmjvg2n6D_-z23uf120ojvAjpYUYYl_Np2sLUNpXuPyUFGF_nKiZfU3j7lIA_BIifm/s320/A-text.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580395672899582066" border="0" /></a><br />Right is a random shot of another text based painting (I didnt get the artist's info) but I did get info about the other piece from London's <span style="font-style: italic;">Hales Gallery</span>. The words in these pieces are painted large in vibrant colors in a novelty typeface probably of the artist's own making. In them, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Laura Oldfield Ford</span> comments on the art world and struggles of an artist in often humorous terms. Her encounter with Ronald Feldman is funny on one hand, yet on the other it shows the difficult hurdles, barriers and sometimes non-sensical aspects of the artist/gallery relationship.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSzU8VhaqMuwG018xqWbdOWJ8dKmqUCaQOko8ile7whCvntrK9fY-OzkOnb5SGE91vPUD2da1JeKJ96LQHhf90ooHCKviM3J_nAIT-eikN0V9v6CK14MjZ0UQrWslDcFIM345rGJiqZ5L/s1600/A-Ford+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSzU8VhaqMuwG018xqWbdOWJ8dKmqUCaQOko8ile7whCvntrK9fY-OzkOnb5SGE91vPUD2da1JeKJ96LQHhf90ooHCKviM3J_nAIT-eikN0V9v6CK14MjZ0UQrWslDcFIM345rGJiqZ5L/s400/A-Ford+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580395867838243906" border="0" /></a><br />Not just text, but there were several images of books and actual books used in pieces. Doing paintings of old bookcovers or spines of books is not an uncommon subject in painting, and at Armory and Volta were several drawings and paintings of books in various media. One gallery had bookcovers splayed and collaged on raw linen canvas. Others had actual books with the covers painted over, and one had pseudo digitally recreated covers. One gallery from Japan had a well-rendered watercolor of a few books and I commented to the owner that it was a common thread throughout what I'd seen so far. "It must be the economy," she mused. I asked why, to which she replied, "Maybe people can't afford to go out so much and they're staying home and reading books. It's cheaper."<br /><br />The Armory show had much more than text pieces. It was very much anything goes from styles to media, but overall it felt a bit "safe." In the past, France and Germany's galleries presented edgier, pushing the envelope, in your face type work especially in sculpture and installations. Last year I felt French work had more meat to it, that they were pushing but hadnt gotten there yet, but were onto something. This year, not so much, it felt a bit repetitive and not very energetic. Italy surprised me with the energy in their modern work, the artists seemed to be having fun, the work had more life to it. Another observation at Armory and Volta was the lack of sexual themes, notable only because at these shows there's usually a fair amount of graphic (and often banal) work dealing with sex.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAR2yvKKHZf3WFv8GGPHxsaEqNfnRbZ1LM5z71W7ZAB64yxfMGVYrt_-xSX7KbNGi7LhJHD1Zn5qnGgSYfZ4mp204lQwtdFu4nL_igMDhjCy49lM5MgR8jcZFsY8TXpGu5Htptj9jxirlY/s1600/V-Hauser2.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAR2yvKKHZf3WFv8GGPHxsaEqNfnRbZ1LM5z71W7ZAB64yxfMGVYrt_-xSX7KbNGi7LhJHD1Zn5qnGgSYfZ4mp204lQwtdFu4nL_igMDhjCy49lM5MgR8jcZFsY8TXpGu5Htptj9jxirlY/s320/V-Hauser2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580398925839866002" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHlzDdTHxIKX2mvlhyphenhyphen-S9w6hq3O0BSkkXcVuo_KB04FSba4TfcNMyrgmrF9YxQ7-9ZJRNL3IdM4LOZYzyP46ruIFLRsFC70JUuiHqtRAj6ZzpNRNrjCEbpm0pGDRl9wr7Zpnk1mtnG8tJ/s1600/V-Hauser.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHlzDdTHxIKX2mvlhyphenhyphen-S9w6hq3O0BSkkXcVuo_KB04FSba4TfcNMyrgmrF9YxQ7-9ZJRNL3IdM4LOZYzyP46ruIFLRsFC70JUuiHqtRAj6ZzpNRNrjCEbpm0pGDRl9wr7Zpnk1mtnG8tJ/s320/V-Hauser.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580398988538711330" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jim Houser</span> was featured at <span style="font-style: italic;">Jonathan Levine Gallery'</span>s booth at Volta. His trademark text pieces and palette were in full effect with new and old paintings, painting on the walls of the booth, and his music playing. I've written about Houser's work here in a previous Old Metal Lunchbox entry.<br />Armory and Volta didnt have alot of painting which I attribute to it having lots of EVERYTHING - drawing, collage, photography, sculpture, installation, you name it. A.D.D. on the part of galleries or the artists? Hmmm...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWD50GSow61AGhIo4HafzBQvW7JOQUMj98rYxvgont7KlNCWgwu7F48n8kJWS3olAvInskZiPSx8fwGwFkzdfizv5Nq7n1ZPfah7wVCzpYqGMYG4nz_U6roBVkii2UGMK8mTWEzk7UqeBe/s1600/1.+Winnie+Truong+Some+Self+Restraint+48+x+72+in+pencil+crayon+on+paper+2010+%25244000+L.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWD50GSow61AGhIo4HafzBQvW7JOQUMj98rYxvgont7KlNCWgwu7F48n8kJWS3olAvInskZiPSx8fwGwFkzdfizv5Nq7n1ZPfah7wVCzpYqGMYG4nz_U6roBVkii2UGMK8mTWEzk7UqeBe/s320/1.+Winnie+Truong+Some+Self+Restraint+48+x+72+in+pencil+crayon+on+paper+2010+%25244000+L.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580407822614138978" border="0" /></a><br />Near the entrance to Volta check out the very cool <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nick Cave</span> sculpture, a lifesize figure with dozens of tin horns and noisemakers on the upper body. <span style="font-style: italic;">ADA Gallery</span> had 3D photos and watercolors by <span style="font-weight: bold;">George Kuchar </span> (a huge influence on Warhol and John Waters), and the <span style="font-style: italic;">Mulherin Pollard Gallery</span> featured amazing large scale (like 4'x6'!) colored pencil drawings by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Winnie Truong</span> . These are eye-catchy, fun and well-crafted portraits with hair gone wild! Untamed surreal hair, beards and pig-tails - a must see at Volta.<br />Berlin's <span style="font-style: italic;">Wilde Gallery</span> had several interesting pieces by <span style="font-weight: bold;">EVOL</span> with lots of red pins (sales). EVOL started as a product designer in Stuttgart and began doing graffitti on electrical boxes of faux building facades. The pieces here are done on cardboard and include windows and terraces with the cardboard acting as the building facade. They are not done with brush but with several layers of stencils and spraypaint! Really exciting work and the gallerist described it to me as "Banksy and Shepard Fairey gone super German obsessive."<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElkP4o8r3HkL3EJgQQ0LyHyg4TayEWsvaAJizBjZI9Zoah7e8dez6bP-UGUJi9SW_vP4vm4tTw8QuP92BSTFt3WdG05UWrgdDz9bYQ3qr9EEJgBQK7bCrAgph4F5tqVhWGLAHcNjHBtbO/s1600/V-Evol.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElkP4o8r3HkL3EJgQQ0LyHyg4TayEWsvaAJizBjZI9Zoah7e8dez6bP-UGUJi9SW_vP4vm4tTw8QuP92BSTFt3WdG05UWrgdDz9bYQ3qr9EEJgBQK7bCrAgph4F5tqVhWGLAHcNjHBtbO/s400/V-Evol.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580408130713193954" border="0" /></a><br />ARMORY - Piers 92 and 94, 55th St and 12th Ave<br />VOLTA - 7 W 34th St and 5th AveJoe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-53190494653931517012011-02-15T19:35:00.000-08:002011-02-15T20:02:09.068-08:00Hungry Monkey: Basso 56 RestaurantThere are so many restaurants in NYC, that even when you find one you love you often end up not getting back there for quite some time. Since I went to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Basso 56</span> over a year ago with the divine Miss Kyle <span style="font-style: italic;">(she of The Obsessed Chef blog fame: http://theobsessedchef.blogspot.com/)</span>. The meal we had back then was fantastic from beginning to end. I've always wanted to return and finally did last night.<br />My valentine, Courtney, and I began with a glass of Prosecco Jeio from Veneto, crisp and clean, and it went well with the bruschetta, bowl of olives, and crusty bread that were brought to us as we perused the menu.<br />For apps we got Calamari all Griglia - tender, grilled calamari (about 8 pieces!) with baby arugula over an eggplant puree. The puree didnt have much flavor, but the calamari was perfect and the spicy arugula balanced it out. We also got Carciofi e Parmigiano, a baby artichoke salad with some greens and lemon and truffle oil. Very light and a great starter, topped with punchy parmigiano cheese shavings.<br />I ordered Baccala in Crosta di Patate , a nice-sized piece of fresh cod, baked with a potato crust over some sliced potato on a fennel puree. Accompanying this was a dollop of whipped potato with a few homemade potato chips. The fish was succulent and full of flavor, and I was going to get a Soave Classico but instead opted for a less fruity recommendation by our waiter that was a special, didnt get its name. C got a robust glass of 2008 Poggia d'Elsa, a cabernet/sangiovese blend from Tuscany, mainly a sangiovese with the bite of a cab-sauv behind it. Quite good.<br />Her dish was the ravioli of the day, spinach and ricotta in a light tomato sauce. A good portion, the filling tasted very fresh and the pasta was light.<br />Basso 56 was in the LES on Orchard St before moving uptown. A few steps down into a long and narrow space with the bar upfront. At the other end is an open kitchen. Too often it's a loud, cramped affair in places like this, but Basso 56 gives just a little extra space between tables where you don't feel as if you're dining with those next to you. You'll find the staff here very helpful and professional offering excellent service. The food is fantastic - a solid menu, big Italian wine selection, great specials, and a light touch to the dishes with lots of flavor and fresh ingredients. Sometimes Italian restaurants are coma-inducing heavy cheese and sauce experiences, but not here. Highly recommended!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Basso 56</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, 234 W. 56th betw 8th Ave and Broadway, NYC</span>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-57590372364843642492011-02-02T10:17:00.000-08:002011-02-02T11:11:12.528-08:00Gallery Reviews: Marc Jancou & Mike Weiss Galleries"Private Future" is the current group show at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Marc Jancou Contemporary</span>, curated by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Michael Cline</span>. A veritable variety show of styles, media and imagery, the show wanders far and wide.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6SNlkPCFpYi52_upg1mgckXZWlfWtG1oGu_z1AGdndTQXyxRh_oC56mArXLHx_bo9IU1csv3AVwFyWjPIU_I6meNMOR-2kgqDvGJOmBJMMutDnW8RStdkOZKdq3_T1gmyoaYHQ9WhHqo/s1600/c8d82654.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6SNlkPCFpYi52_upg1mgckXZWlfWtG1oGu_z1AGdndTQXyxRh_oC56mArXLHx_bo9IU1csv3AVwFyWjPIU_I6meNMOR-2kgqDvGJOmBJMMutDnW8RStdkOZKdq3_T1gmyoaYHQ9WhHqo/s400/c8d82654.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569159412244981986" border="0" /></a>"These artists re-present the world as their own and refashion it to their own private means" makes sense with the title, as these works are individual and not of a distinct theme. 16 artists, mostly male - graphite, mixed media, acrylic, photography - abstract, pop, commercial, realistic - all find their place here. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM4XfQHX7fMn4bbcJ8BoNAY4tJb4uwnkHoZQumX1cUP1dg3cfetnQoh50fh-6nWnkLJFHtWnztg5PLkD534VykQk7o7dQQsV3xBToZGnhOJSYUuSKPOpamsID9NzDtUU2XH0WeGDBaMg2/s1600/5d1fbeab.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM4XfQHX7fMn4bbcJ8BoNAY4tJb4uwnkHoZQumX1cUP1dg3cfetnQoh50fh-6nWnkLJFHtWnztg5PLkD534VykQk7o7dQQsV3xBToZGnhOJSYUuSKPOpamsID9NzDtUU2XH0WeGDBaMg2/s320/5d1fbeab.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569164428730466434" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jim Shaw's</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">"Kill your darlings #3,"</span> 48x72" (left) has floating heads glaring at eachother on a swirly ground, an Asian woman on the left and three men on the right. Noir-ish, and this simple composition allows for imaginative narratives to be created by the viewer.<br />On the other hand, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lari Pittman's</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">"Untitled #6,"</span> mixed media 88x102", (above on right side of wall) is a collage of recognizable and unrecognizable shapes and images drawing you in but not via a narrative. Then you have <span style="font-weight: bold;">Peter Saul's</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">"Squeeze Pimple,"</span> acrylic, 59x59" a suited figure with a pimple head which is gross but eye-catchy, a pop image reminiscent of Wacky Packages and Garbage Pail Kids stickers.<br />The ages of the artists in this show is wide-spread as is their geographic locations, again adding to the meandering feel of the show. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Marc Jancou Contemporary</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, 524 W 24th St, NYC, show up til Jan 29th.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJCU0DGtXwQK7HPtOA_qkMthmY8IBFAdc0DtkZtRqPLA8uxePL3KwRoi6Il8RKA-yYsdIfLPH2FcyHWalv8VpzqvLbPT72IuN-sQOaykFLzIhLVmU1hUe3GCcJyK7igOWftjdjEQ8dvy8/s1600/C+Vincent+1.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJCU0DGtXwQK7HPtOA_qkMthmY8IBFAdc0DtkZtRqPLA8uxePL3KwRoi6Il8RKA-yYsdIfLPH2FcyHWalv8VpzqvLbPT72IuN-sQOaykFLzIhLVmU1hUe3GCcJyK7igOWftjdjEQ8dvy8/s320/C+Vincent+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569169353625500562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike Weiss Gallery</span> (520 W 24th St, NY) has a second solo show by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Christian Vincent</span> titled "Tunnel Vision." Many of these large scale pieces feature rows of young boys in perspective, a reference to the title. He also seems to be commenting on conforming to group mentality or instruction - the tempering of the individual, blind obedience, or "the desire for empowerment through belonging?" Are they in a phys-ed class? at a cult or religious camp? is the boy pointing to a "messianic figure" as the statement suggests?<br />These eight large-scale oil paintings have a retro feel in one way, while also imbued with a sense of futuristic foreboding, sort of like the feeling one gets when watching Fritz Lang's "Metropolis." The images remind me of an old stereotypical British boarding school, where conformity and following rules is paramount and individuality is squashed with harsh discipline. Vincent is a resident of LA now, but I'm curious about his past. Paintings that bring other images to mind and make the viewer curious about not only the imagery but the artist must be considered successful. <span style="font-style: italic;">Through February 12th.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvVWlyHgLi0LXnfypJqkNfzkOzDnig8_eeIqZTJqs4d6D0bcgV0ouD6aidekUBnc6TWRIhVeOCGbcph3S4Vyqna9NTcdF71_FNKbKhcPndJFYzHJ0A7gyH05AKBe9BKPevUhUBZ_gFnct/s1600/C+Vincent+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvVWlyHgLi0LXnfypJqkNfzkOzDnig8_eeIqZTJqs4d6D0bcgV0ouD6aidekUBnc6TWRIhVeOCGbcph3S4Vyqna9NTcdF71_FNKbKhcPndJFYzHJ0A7gyH05AKBe9BKPevUhUBZ_gFnct/s320/C+Vincent+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569171245278368162" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-21533032069762834962011-01-21T14:40:00.001-08:002011-01-23T09:16:23.040-08:00GALLERY REVIEWS: Freight & Volume, Lyons Wier Gallery"Haymaker" is the current show at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Freight & Volume</span>, 530 W. 24th St, NYC. A group show with the main room featuring paintings by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Damian Stamer</span>, a mash-up of abstract expressionism and realism. Fairly large canvases with wide washy brush strokes with rural images of old barns and shacks, fields, and barely rendered objects that resemble bales of hay. Makes for an interesting discussion - it's all brushstrokes, but some combine to form a recognizable image, some don't...can they live amicably in the same composition?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighKcrSvPwHV0BT03LWPM0HbaN4EyBqgNSse8ityR86TPHBU1UQtVM_k70M8-nWcjqdUTGQPp4vSV7PgsSOxxUqihN1AyigMfhho2oqPxvJ6Bfy3NW3YWjc20tmEHFraD3_WoAzkvoTp8x/s1600/Stamer-Golden+Leaf.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighKcrSvPwHV0BT03LWPM0HbaN4EyBqgNSse8ityR86TPHBU1UQtVM_k70M8-nWcjqdUTGQPp4vSV7PgsSOxxUqihN1AyigMfhho2oqPxvJ6Bfy3NW3YWjc20tmEHFraD3_WoAzkvoTp8x/s320/Stamer-Golden+Leaf.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564776061713228178" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3Cm2ds0v-bVGPBGIpL-icyorkT0TdS2z-KUbarQ6p5E7KbZ0h_BqrB0F3lg4IAE-chOz8BlwUL3faTMD2eVy4iZJR3EpXz-VlBFseeU-3ff5GZ4t8cMBDilaLatV4_mWKiUAWXA-efTp/s1600/Stamer-So+Lowell.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3Cm2ds0v-bVGPBGIpL-icyorkT0TdS2z-KUbarQ6p5E7KbZ0h_BqrB0F3lg4IAE-chOz8BlwUL3faTMD2eVy4iZJR3EpXz-VlBFseeU-3ff5GZ4t8cMBDilaLatV4_mWKiUAWXA-efTp/s320/Stamer-So+Lowell.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564789938888504642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The statement says that Stamer's imagery reflects "the art market’s fluctuations, its in-favor/out of favor oscillations between the two genres." Whether anyone would take that from the paintings without the statement is debatable. Regardless, there is some good painting going on here and Stamer meets the challenge of combining two styles/genres quite well.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Above left: "Golden Leaf" 30x40", oil</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">- Right: "South Lowell" 58x72", oil </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqY1x1AbAIIzuGafKc84BrssuUeEz-XEz1QN01IK-OYowOsNSwvJ683Ag7olR849c6Knt5Tkh6sm7UdZIT53Q73Ggn492ZL3NwwahvOo5hs6u09ldr9lSiUTv-j1hPWi_YaAzWvCaefB9/s1600/IMGP1707.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqY1x1AbAIIzuGafKc84BrssuUeEz-XEz1QN01IK-OYowOsNSwvJ683Ag7olR849c6Knt5Tkh6sm7UdZIT53Q73Ggn492ZL3NwwahvOo5hs6u09ldr9lSiUTv-j1hPWi_YaAzWvCaefB9/s200/IMGP1707.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564789561130201458" border="0" /></a>Another artis<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYUuNzEI3NT3521jP1hMda5ydLrq2zHqR2R6FwMU3qD-Zv9zEYs1MX-Cscld2uRCL4FMtryy8O09Js8ofOw0pcXQK9k9VdnZGHLY_VWcxvj5aXfFinKGZgJclD8fkswn9MNkQvxZwiVjP/s1600/IMGP1706.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYUuNzEI3NT3521jP1hMda5ydLrq2zHqR2R6FwMU3qD-Zv9zEYs1MX-Cscld2uRCL4FMtryy8O09Js8ofOw0pcXQK9k9VdnZGHLY_VWcxvj5aXfFinKGZgJclD8fkswn9MNkQvxZwiVjP/s200/IMGP1706.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564788929843414210" border="0" /></a>t in the show, Eric White, takes a jab at music market sound bites by recreating, in actual scale, album covers from the 70s and 80s.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I've been following Michael Lyons Wier's galleries for many years because of the consistent high quality of the work. This is to my reckoning his third space and he still maintains <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lyons Wier Limited</span> over on 7th Ave and 20th.<br />This is the debut show at his new space, a group show of some of the artists he reps. Mostly geared towards realism but with stylistic variety - photo realism, loose painterly, pop, and in cases like the always amazing <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cayce Zavaglia</span>, mixed media. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDfpNmhTMFLs2t3oheLS595CsS_Yfrm7bZEhEjGCoxRQeBjuG0OpaKhb96P1_rF6AQVInJ0hf6k1QXa9pfgRuGt7HxfGSOiT5GvYzba97QRQTSJ5bi3b3iiZa7FAK8zxxnUumr7oJLCkF/s1600/cayce_zavaglia_thumb05.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDfpNmhTMFLs2t3oheLS595CsS_Yfrm7bZEhEjGCoxRQeBjuG0OpaKhb96P1_rF6AQVInJ0hf6k1QXa9pfgRuGt7HxfGSOiT5GvYzba97QRQTSJ5bi3b3iiZa7FAK8zxxnUumr7oJLCkF/s320/cayce_zavaglia_thumb05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564785208367010514" border="0" /></a>One of the most underrated artists today, her portraits are layered and woven onto linen canvas with crewel wool, and then a painted background. <span style="font-style: italic;">"Abbi,"</span> the size is 11x27" (detail left) shows her amazing skill which has been championed in this blog before. When seen in person they're kind of awe-inspiring.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rUL5AC6VoOSG_4t6AMUqOt_QZwvQ1uuz1ivY8OrxGwaW0eshlFKjy4wjR5uJwqufTUdC8dkOlIjojLcp78TvU3tCcgNLXFV6zFiOa99ZbnpgKEX2h1Ng_6yR8EbzSlzeU55BL1iD0FM1/s1600/james_rieck_tshirt.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rUL5AC6VoOSG_4t6AMUqOt_QZwvQ1uuz1ivY8OrxGwaW0eshlFKjy4wjR5uJwqufTUdC8dkOlIjojLcp78TvU3tCcgNLXFV6zFiOa99ZbnpgKEX2h1Ng_6yR8EbzSlzeU55BL1iD0FM1/s320/james_rieck_tshirt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564785811162218882" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">James Rieck</span>'s <span style="font-style: italic;">"Cockblock,"</span> 82x54", is interesting because the artist only uses 3 colors in this series of paintings: napthol crimson, sap green and white. The model is wearing a t-shirt with Bruce Lee images and humorous titles which correspond to them.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVohMlpgtzH94fnt7WT4bRL39TtnWE-_i3avYoU3JE48m7jGJGIb499QCJ7E-mRnpxGttY3vUVMK-0vKVL_WbdnsY4Vv95ZRT6M_v5FaO0OJuYrKzA5u9OZYjoxbjzzu0Fp4O48wCe10H_/s1600/fahamu_pecou_large09.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVohMlpgtzH94fnt7WT4bRL39TtnWE-_i3avYoU3JE48m7jGJGIb499QCJ7E-mRnpxGttY3vUVMK-0vKVL_WbdnsY4Vv95ZRT6M_v5FaO0OJuYrKzA5u9OZYjoxbjzzu0Fp4O48wCe10H_/s320/fahamu_pecou_large09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564786697613368882" border="0" /></a><br />One more piece of note is another personal favorite, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fahamu Pecou</span>. His piece, "Him and I (and Me)," acrylic and oil stick, 60x72" continues his ballsy self-portraits as pseudo pop/hip hop/celebrity icon. There is an energy in his work with a dash of Kehinde Wiley and a hint of Basquiat fed into the hip hop hype machine.<br />This group show is up til January 29th and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lyons Wier Gallery</span> is located at 542 W. 24th St, NYC.Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-14100362075913798282010-11-29T16:23:00.001-08:002010-11-30T20:33:40.801-08:00Eatin' and Drinkin' in Napa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZvA4CP4nC6dgnYho5gRS53H05OZb47IkCl7CawrDnLRtn8OXPWLC7CY0chGy7S6towBWlV6LrZolZBYLmL5IojxIG5zFlezlYmv_XfHAyLD1Qo40gWX8aj-KLVRbWJ5ZhV24hxbdkslV/s1600/Napa-+inn.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZvA4CP4nC6dgnYho5gRS53H05OZb47IkCl7CawrDnLRtn8OXPWLC7CY0chGy7S6towBWlV6LrZolZBYLmL5IojxIG5zFlezlYmv_XfHAyLD1Qo40gWX8aj-KLVRbWJ5ZhV24hxbdkslV/s320/Napa-+inn.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545565521213718930" border="0" /></a>Napa is exactly what you'd expect - rolling hills, lush vineyards, great food, great wine. The lovely Miss C and I stayed at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wine Country Inn</span> in the St. Helena section of Napa. Country-ish, our room's decor had lot of chickens - statues, quilts, pictures, etc. No TV. Our two favorite parts were the fireplace already setup with wood, kindling and paper, and the private patio with an outdoor jacuzzi about 20 feet from the grapevines with a great view. Each night they have a mini-tasting in the lobby from a local vineyard and we tasted a <span style="font-weight: bold;">sangiovese</span> from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Castello di Amorosa</span>, a nice dry red, right up there with a sangiovese from Italy. We stopped there the next day and grabbed two bottles, but unfortunately time didnt allow us to take the tour - the place is an actual stone castle with a moat! If you go, consider adding this to your agenda.<br /><br />The first night we dined at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Go Fish</span> in St Helena (the inn offers a free shuttle service to local restaurants!) and it was amazing (see pics below). We were seated in a romantic and comfortable banquette with pillows. I ordered a bottle of <span style="font-weight: bold;">sauvignon blanc</span> from <span style="font-weight: bold;">St. Supery</span> and it ended up being my favorite wine from the trip. Some sauvignon blancs are too citrusy or too fruity, but this was perfectly balanced, full of flavor and we vowed to get to their winery in Napa and buy a few bottles. Our driver told us to order the lobster sushi roll which is not on the menu, so we did and it was unique and delicious (and $33!) A long roll with ahi tuna and crab, avocado and topped with chunks from half of a cooked lobster tail! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVSGm9fFtDMUg01GkV8hHeBOCFHAO15J2sxBNj4XnmQmgtfBADJzZPWaBPUTGZGxmA7UdnpM4xzZ4BMU7ncVbwkEKmOel16qIUVsUYloPhCX6-a5TeuqyUOXons6onyh5uyXO3tXjYyC1/s1600/Go+Fish-roll.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVSGm9fFtDMUg01GkV8hHeBOCFHAO15J2sxBNj4XnmQmgtfBADJzZPWaBPUTGZGxmA7UdnpM4xzZ4BMU7ncVbwkEKmOel16qIUVsUYloPhCX6-a5TeuqyUOXons6onyh5uyXO3tXjYyC1/s200/Go+Fish-roll.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545564525844065346" border="0" /></a>We also ordered the ceviche of the day, sea bass marinated in citrus for 20 hours, then tossed with a light tomato broth, onions and spices. Rounding out the meal was a dish one rarely sees outside of Hawaii called poke. It's sort of like steak tartare but using ahi tuna. In Hawaii it's served in a parfait glass topped with avocado and various other elements depending on the restaurant. Go Fish's version was a burger sized serving on a plate with ginger, baby carrot, tobiko, pine nuts and a sprinkling of a potent spice called, if I remember right, tobuhiko? Something like that. I asked the waiter about it and a few minutes later he showed up with a small scoop of it in a plastic cup for me to take home. Waitstaff everywhere need to take note how a simple thing like that endears diners to the restaurant, and also adds to the the tip.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhymhcq9hFN80fGgyANgna83Nnc-2msTWXSHWX7VsmKxdqj6e-BoVASmhjcvvhnKvuF1VV6HUrU6bhP0Mt2oTSz-355ywkqLi_yl4y_k1lWzXQ9o8PVRgB74UBjUT_UoDJq58g5LDWf4YX/s1600/Go+Fish+-+cev.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhymhcq9hFN80fGgyANgna83Nnc-2msTWXSHWX7VsmKxdqj6e-BoVASmhjcvvhnKvuF1VV6HUrU6bhP0Mt2oTSz-355ywkqLi_yl4y_k1lWzXQ9o8PVRgB74UBjUT_UoDJq58g5LDWf4YX/s200/Go+Fish+-+cev.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545564106332190642" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEp8m93rWZJ0Qajv-H5hNigVw6IRvOXlGtgc0-W5dltwHxcmO3vKmjE8MdKJ3QmqIKoaYGuHy2Vp6rY55pMpnaYjjgHDxPRSo59PLIHlJ4_tQIc2n95yGXaUyk22KWsCSdTReMahhfOY-/s1600/Go+Fish-poke.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEp8m93rWZJ0Qajv-H5hNigVw6IRvOXlGtgc0-W5dltwHxcmO3vKmjE8MdKJ3QmqIKoaYGuHy2Vp6rY55pMpnaYjjgHDxPRSo59PLIHlJ4_tQIc2n95yGXaUyk22KWsCSdTReMahhfOY-/s200/Go+Fish-poke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545564326224083202" border="0" /></a>The next day we went to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sterling Vineyards</span> because Miss C's friend hooked us up there and we rode the tram up to the winery. A simple self-guided tour with tastings set up throughout, and we had several excellent wines. Below are shots of the huge wooden barrels and they also had a patio with amazing views.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMovqgCDoFpi3lhLd_GFHjHCtFs_zKqPuGyEOp6M-_2XSsivlnpvGf-83STfktwGuVEFP7bNhu7P7LkaW4w8OSjf9rvfi4glX01NnYM5gNomWb3XPtpxceWgOM_8H2LhrQ_WvRQ8JCVzh/s1600/Napa-+barrels.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMovqgCDoFpi3lhLd_GFHjHCtFs_zKqPuGyEOp6M-_2XSsivlnpvGf-83STfktwGuVEFP7bNhu7P7LkaW4w8OSjf9rvfi4glX01NnYM5gNomWb3XPtpxceWgOM_8H2LhrQ_WvRQ8JCVzh/s200/Napa-+barrels.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545564831103182098" border="0" /></a>We bought a few wines here - I'm not a <span style="font-weight: bold;">chardonnay</span> fan, but their's was light on the oak, not cloying, and it's always good to have a chard on hand for guests. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwW21IWbBkQQFkGYS7TxHQGH4Jhdk5kADZzXPO4MZiS0sBVX-7RJIMspiDlzjB4P8ig02fH8K-gAVuFWk4C8Qieiol-abBwzxEX2dRP_0goPK7l3bYhiWK0W-dD6l71lkSG76Wlpo9gL3/s1600/Napa-+Sterling+cypress.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwW21IWbBkQQFkGYS7TxHQGH4Jhdk5kADZzXPO4MZiS0sBVX-7RJIMspiDlzjB4P8ig02fH8K-gAVuFWk4C8Qieiol-abBwzxEX2dRP_0goPK7l3bYhiWK0W-dD6l71lkSG76Wlpo9gL3/s200/Napa-+Sterling+cypress.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545565115975010418" border="0" /></a>The surprise hit was <span style="font-weight: bold;">Malvasia Bianca</span> ($30 bottle) Spicy flavors of ginger, nectarine, pear, tangerine, with a nice finish of lemon-lime. Not as sweet as a dessert wine, and I'm not partial to sweet wines in general, but this was so unique and tasty we had to buy some! The sommelier suggested serving it with spicy foods or bleu cheese, but not one that's too salty. We were thinking a rich cheese platter, crackers, fruit, figs, with some good friends outside in warm weather. Highly recommended if you can find it. We also picked up some of their <span style="font-weight: bold;">reisling</span> and if memory serves, a <span style="font-weight: bold;">cabernet sauvignon</span> as well.<br /><br />We drove to TV/book chef Michael Chiarello's restaurant, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bottega</span>, for lunch. A beautiful, rustic place with attention paid to every detail. Even the water was served in hammered copper cups rather than glasses, a unique touch. For an app I got the charred octopus with potato and greens and C got butternut squash soup. I guess butternut squash was big at the farmer's market because I ordered a special, tortelli stuffed with it. Not sure why they called them tortelli, they were actually ravioli - light sauce, filling was full of flavor and not too sweet. C got skirt steak with pommes frites, salad and a zesty red pepper chimichurri sauce.<br /><br />Dinner was at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Market</span> in downtown St. Helena. A medium-sized, rectangular, casual restaurant with a fairly large bar, which is where we sat. At this point we went with small plates, and I got some local oysters, fresh and delicious, and a lobster roll with asparagus, avocado and mango with an awesome dipping sauce of basil and mint in a light oil. We also got a dungeness crabcake loaded with crabmeat and lightly fried, with roasted white corn. For dessert we again went with our driver's recommendation and got the house specialty butterscotch pudding - cool, creamy, sweet and a must-get if you eat here.<br /><br />Our last winery was <span style="font-weight: bold;">Peju</span>, a family owned green/organic vineyard. The server was very friendly and informative and we sampled about 7 wines. I wasn't terribly impressed with most of them, but the <span style="font-weight: bold;">cabernet sauvignon</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">syrah</span> were good. Then he broke out their "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Fifty/Fifty</span>" a small run blend of <span style="font-weight: bold;">merlot and cabernet </span>that was outstanding. I asked if they had any of their reserve wines open that we could sample and he brought out their <span style="font-weight: bold;">reserve cab</span> and it completely blew away their regular cab, not even close. We got the <span style="font-weight: bold;">50/50,</span> about $75 or 80 to save for a special occasion, but not the cab reserve which was over $100.<br /><br />If you go to Napa, I suggest you go for 3-4 days at least. We crammed in alot because we only had just over 2 days and then were off to San Fran. There's plenty to do - many wineries to choose from, great restaurants, spas (we had an amazing scrub and massage in our room) and Ol' Faithful geyser is nearby, too! And of course, you'll need some chill time from all that food and vino!Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-49005622171727068282010-10-11T20:51:00.000-07:002010-10-11T20:53:07.827-07:00Tiger Woods<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrODcfVoea4Yn6sZaBuzhVtPv-bgf08_XloR449HcF1yEmHbMWiOQfxfN3TS-OgDvA3DyDkd27fMjvA74AQ9SMnJM3sLfU5cqbmGS9LD7IBc-POlTs1F00UAvv7LVoodq8kPsPrGOGAtmb/s1600/TIger+Woods+gray.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrODcfVoea4Yn6sZaBuzhVtPv-bgf08_XloR449HcF1yEmHbMWiOQfxfN3TS-OgDvA3DyDkd27fMjvA74AQ9SMnJM3sLfU5cqbmGS9LD7IBc-POlTs1F00UAvv7LVoodq8kPsPrGOGAtmb/s400/TIger+Woods+gray.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527002635272278626" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-20583092225809070052010-07-21T17:53:00.000-07:002010-07-21T19:21:10.169-07:00Restaurant: Dovetail - NYCMichael Colameco (PBS's "Colameco's Food Show") had a morning radio program on WOR in which he talked about cooking and dining. One restaurant he consistently recommended was John Fraser's <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dovetail</span>, so when I saw it was participating in Restaurant Week, I went for dinner. Inconspicuously located just off Columbus Ave at 103 W 77th Street, Dovetail ( "to join together harmoniously" ) has a warm, cozy atmosphere of earth tones, exposed brick, maple panels, oak tables -you get the idea. A dovetail is also a type of joint in woodworking, so they're working that theme here.<br /><br />I ordered an interesting cocktail, a Black Martinez, with gin, sloe gin and orange bitters. A perfect meld with neither liquor dominating and the delicious orange finish was spot on. The lovely Miss C ordered a sauvignon blanc to go with her fish entree, more on that shortly. We were served cornbread and an amuse bouche on elegant spoons of a piece of curried watermelon topped with coconut flan. A surprise extra is always a plus in my book! However, this didn't quite hit the mark. The flan was so airy it was almost tasteless, but the curry in the watermelon was pretty heavy. It would've been a cool experiment if the curry was barely there on the backend of it. This was the only unbalanced thing we had all evening.<br /><br />For her appetizer Miss C selected the White Gazpacho with almonds, asparagus, lavender and grapes. Served with some of the aforementioned items in a bowl and the "soup" poured over it. Light, tasty and not as sweet as the ingredients might suggest. I went for the Cantaloupe Salad with squid, fennel and mint. Funny thing about Dovetail, the portions look small but are surprisingly filling. The cantaloupe was thinly sliced, but I was more interested in the squid. All the ingredients were balanced and the squid was light and tender.<br /><br />My entree was Braised Veal Shoulder with chorizo, peas, preserved lemon, sauce blanquette. There's a consistent theme to the food here at Dovetail, and that is balance. Elements that you'd think would dominate the dish, don't. There's obviously been time spent in achieving this because things could easily tip one way or the other taste-wise, but they don't. The veal pieces were tender, moist and the sauce blanquette complimented the meat. Again, at first I thought, "Not enough here!" but I was wrong. Miss C had a good-sized, firm, flaky piece of hake with grilled shrimp in a tomato stew (a tad salty), parsnips, peas, carrots, haricots verts and one last item we couldn't decipher that turned out to be chick pea fritters!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YH5fvGnZxdHt6mPXeRLDDNWB4YqfWNAdH95__hGfAqBfkECqSvB-0AaCxvLoYIW77jPlpBMp-fRIyt4aD2m24xePenMZsVERRm1Po3f6l4dWRl_ZwX_ncc4pql1QUzYTgQuGJv8kcyi8/s1600/dessert+Dovetail.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YH5fvGnZxdHt6mPXeRLDDNWB4YqfWNAdH95__hGfAqBfkECqSvB-0AaCxvLoYIW77jPlpBMp-fRIyt4aD2m24xePenMZsVERRm1Po3f6l4dWRl_ZwX_ncc4pql1QUzYTgQuGJv8kcyi8/s200/dessert+Dovetail.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496549562282547042" border="0" /></a>For dessert she had a berry crumble with ice cream - nice texture but a bit bland, and Miss C felt it definitely needed the ice cream to complete it. I had a chocolate mousse cake, a sliver of thick chocolate cake with a piece of hard chocolate on the top with a few cherries on the side, pistachio crémeux, and to the side, 3 pistachio nuts which visually was a bit amusing for some reason. Just these 3 little pistachio nuts sitting out there on this large plate like little sailors lost at sea.<br /><br />We ate in the bar area, which was comfortable but darker than the restaurant area, and I like the visual part of dining. We were mainly served by our bartender who was very friendly, and an unending stream of suit-and-tied men that were either checking on our meal or taking our plates, along with the regular waitstaff - it was a little confusing! It was an enjoyable Restaurant Week meal (our drinks were $14 each) and we were pleasantly surprised at how full we were since the dishes seemed small. Not stuffed, just right, which in my mind reiterated the theme of balance here at Dovetail.Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-61569734029799333402010-07-13T06:51:00.001-07:002010-07-13T08:58:12.242-07:00Harvey Pekar RIP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewTl_ltvJST_ySPcdM0mXaDkQpBS2hgujWfrG2-xo_Wk1YG2xodSWYpbOIIONhC-FXwA2iqK1Bxyw2jbkGfP_-xtAufdaJzPDYdPQLX17OWFPYi5RNO18Ua_M_OCi4YZLuRdD0bWZrUhX/s1600/images-1.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 88px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewTl_ltvJST_ySPcdM0mXaDkQpBS2hgujWfrG2-xo_Wk1YG2xodSWYpbOIIONhC-FXwA2iqK1Bxyw2jbkGfP_-xtAufdaJzPDYdPQLX17OWFPYi5RNO18Ua_M_OCi4YZLuRdD0bWZrUhX/s320/images-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493397659794802754" border="0" /></a>Like most people, the first time I saw <span style="font-weight: bold;">Harvey Pekar</span> was on his David Letterman appearances when I was in college in the early 80s. One of my roommates, John, and I were taken by this oddity - a comic book guy on Letterman? a weird dude who is completely unintimidated by Dave? His appearances were bizarre and you never knew what to expect, which is part of what led to their parting of ways - watch the "<span style="font-weight: bold;">American Splendor</span>" movie for details.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy7vbrihNvH0KZdeMx-nu0-YMTXSg25l-z7omTS9XoGvjJBGFU57iJzVTrsGuEElYarPN1I_9io0sfJieYUELbftN96oOPnCIWYCu2BFTCUClHq2RMQR8hKvXJ8TUUltdPOIw0Z-iYRct/s1600/American_Splendor_c001.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy7vbrihNvH0KZdeMx-nu0-YMTXSg25l-z7omTS9XoGvjJBGFU57iJzVTrsGuEElYarPN1I_9io0sfJieYUELbftN96oOPnCIWYCu2BFTCUClHq2RMQR8hKvXJ8TUUltdPOIw0Z-iYRct/s400/American_Splendor_c001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493400335861529218" border="0" /></a>The best part is that his appearances prompted me to seek out and buy an American Splendor compilation. I had been buying comics since I was 7, but this - this changed the whole way I looked at the medium. These didn't necessarily have a beginning, middle and end, or battles with villains, and the quality of the various artists' work was inconsistent (Pekar wrote, didnt draw). This was "neo-realism," nothing more than snippets of this guy's daily life, tribulations and thoughts. Simple mundane things like being in line at the grocery store, to being lonely, to interesting facts about jazz musicians. I could not believe someone made a comic of those things - and I loved it. So much so that I called 411 in Cleveland and got his phone number and called him. We talked for a bit, he was very cordial, and I called him every so often. I sent him letters and comics, too.<br /><br />Here's a coincidence for ya - I was chatting up AS and Pekar to my oldest brother, Tony, who for a few years was a surgeon at the VA Hospital in Cleveland. I put two and two together and thought perhaps it was the SAME hospital that Harvey worked at. I asked my brother and he replied, "Wait, the squirrely little guy that worked in files?? That's him?!?" I called Harvey and he said he remembered my brother. Six degrees of separation. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSZxkKKXQ3oW4zzxeyPA-D-StMMFkahkDOuB5SQL7kqAAwk4NmJh3WF-Ej1PKTa4GfbSlSLlWElnBDlpXcn2e9to-7wm9AKjOS1DkQH2upcXkcwhCtJx7UgiqAO9BME1MPk6aIwedkcDo/s1600/pe20_american_splendor.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSZxkKKXQ3oW4zzxeyPA-D-StMMFkahkDOuB5SQL7kqAAwk4NmJh3WF-Ej1PKTa4GfbSlSLlWElnBDlpXcn2e9to-7wm9AKjOS1DkQH2upcXkcwhCtJx7UgiqAO9BME1MPk6aIwedkcDo/s320/pe20_american_splendor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493398227973862482" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Years go by, and I opened a bar/gallery called Liquid Lounge in Hoboken. When tending bar, people talk - personal problems, crazy stories, wacky behavior, etc. Like the saying goes, "People confess to their priest or their bartender." Some stories were so good that I would jot down the salient points on napkins or a pad in order to remember the story. I came up with the idea, thanks to Harvey's American Splendor, of doing strips recounting these stories. The art had the customer looking directly at the reader so that you (the reader) became the bartender, like the person was talking to you. I called it "<span style="font-weight: bold;">True Tales from the Bar Side</span>." It appeared in a few local papers, I self-published a collection of them, and one strip was in an Australian anthology comic around '98 called <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dee Vee</span>! My strip appeared next to one by the amazing Eddie Campbell which felt like an honor, but more so was that after all those years of reading comics and drawing superheroes and villains that I finally had something of mine appear in a real, honest to goodness Comic Book!<br /><br />I went to a movie at the Sunshine Landmark Theatre in NY around 2002, and during the previews I almost jumped out of my seat when they showed the trailer for an upcoming American Splendor <span style="font-style: italic;">movie</span>!! I had no idea about this and the next day, filled with excitement, called Harvey . By this time, I rarely called because he had married Joyce and she usually answered the phone. I imagine climbing the Berlin Wall to escape the USSR was easier than getting past her to Harvey. She was always brusque, suspicious and well, just plain rude. Anyway, I passed the interrogation and got through to him. I told him that I saw the trailer, that the audience was buzzing about it, that it looked great, and how psyched I was for him. In true Pekar fashion, he replied, "Oh thanks, I just hope it makes me some money. You know I got to put this kid through college here in a coupla years."<br /><br />Not long after the film came out he was doing a book/film tour and made a stop in NY. I went and finally got to meet him. As I was walking away, he said, "Oh, hey Joe, that comic you sent me, that was pretty good."<br />Cheers, Harvey - R.I.P.!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JxjEpzzu_5KvyVmlRwwdsoLV_rKQAFwGdxTvwRDheodiTzeFgo2xRlKTgLDhw9CHaZcBj4fMBOu8RDohwrQXSsrTDA2-3sY0WeY0Hz4DHf2s6n7oLbVlOvrKZN5FHuAw7NqJr3N4aV4K/s1600/HarveyPekar.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JxjEpzzu_5KvyVmlRwwdsoLV_rKQAFwGdxTvwRDheodiTzeFgo2xRlKTgLDhw9CHaZcBj4fMBOu8RDohwrQXSsrTDA2-3sY0WeY0Hz4DHf2s6n7oLbVlOvrKZN5FHuAw7NqJr3N4aV4K/s400/HarveyPekar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493400612209266274" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-25026125197821547932010-06-22T09:00:00.001-07:002010-06-22T09:01:27.011-07:00Hamid Karzai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-pKv5GHF3NhHUojej1fssNV5JQi6RC7WhARxjc-DwynkAy3R3F2wH6hZKc22Lr2NrJ0Wl2dE9Lgy_sYbPvhCY9520YTNTsvhGm3uv43DDvA8XvNyqSm1iLgvOmwZ7Fg2lGRbZWpgJU97/s1600/Karzai+.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-pKv5GHF3NhHUojej1fssNV5JQi6RC7WhARxjc-DwynkAy3R3F2wH6hZKc22Lr2NrJ0Wl2dE9Lgy_sYbPvhCY9520YTNTsvhGm3uv43DDvA8XvNyqSm1iLgvOmwZ7Fg2lGRbZWpgJU97/s400/Karzai+.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485628680462806994" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-63415728193274046072010-04-14T11:21:00.000-07:002010-04-14T11:59:06.939-07:00Elisa Johns at Mike Weiss Gallery<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcA48EpWaxJCoBsPT32o-F0rThYMn_WyLsDslPvQuEJDtZYHlwHnhQqgSR2eu14uAdzfYIIocOSLOiZ97dqBGpoC1CoeXnXBH8ig9fC9G4H0p4abhWABwmPLOUBZo_27wZXEuRHYsYadm/s1600/Elisa+1.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcA48EpWaxJCoBsPT32o-F0rThYMn_WyLsDslPvQuEJDtZYHlwHnhQqgSR2eu14uAdzfYIIocOSLOiZ97dqBGpoC1CoeXnXBH8ig9fC9G4H0p4abhWABwmPLOUBZo_27wZXEuRHYsYadm/s320/Elisa+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460062103029274482" border="0" /></a><br />I first saw Elisa Johns' work at the Scope Fair, and recently at her solo show, "Huntress," in the Mike Weiss Gallery. The large paintings show better here with plenty of white wall space which accentuates the stark white in most of these ethereal pieces.<br />The female figures come from myth and history, yet Johns' interpretations of them are with a fashion illustrator's sensibility with references from modern fashion magazines.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(Left: "Judith With the Head of Holofernes", 66x44")</span><br /><br />The application of the oil paint is a mix of thin washes - some linear, some allowed to bleed. These aren't tight, photorealistic copies from fashion magazines, but are loose and freely drawn in an almost naive, sketchy style. Part of this comes from her nod to Chinese pen and ink drawings, composing the image to read vertically.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCTwd7NyGDL0icQSiL5-byZRaPSJdl3j9fRgOfaXQ2BnvwQBZ99lN6U-l1NAh4W47bP0kIghMhcgU1XILAokPdgKnPrw7w7WQDTR0K8bquBkgR5FLppdjVFC4vruA1zleSk9I_-z3HjBa/s1600/Elisa-Athena+and+Nike.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCTwd7NyGDL0icQSiL5-byZRaPSJdl3j9fRgOfaXQ2BnvwQBZ99lN6U-l1NAh4W47bP0kIghMhcgU1XILAokPdgKnPrw7w7WQDTR0K8bquBkgR5FLppdjVFC4vruA1zleSk9I_-z3HjBa/s320/Elisa-Athena+and+Nike.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460064419318515490" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(Right: "Athena and Nike", 80x78")</span><br /><br />Johns contrasts her washy applications of color with impasto, palette knife layers of paint within the images but she also applied layers of white to the background, pointed out by the artist as they're not so obvious to the eye. Subtle impasto, isnt that an oxymoron?<br />Another interesting contrast is the soft, washy overall feel of the paintings yet there is some heavy, sometimes violent, imagery at hand here - Diana taking aim at a victim, and the biblical heroine Judith with the decapitated head of Holofernes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5o5K2cB1lz2achm29RCF8VqqvtEep_9BtHVdn89H-U2wCggdHAMr1wksXifBCX7QOtQlUkmZTnr5qV2iX97t0FZVqOAN71_EjF2MIOStJL8WZhNB4d60cpVPPv2mCiVkeGuda-69_GKk/s1600/Elisa-Diana+%26+The+Stag.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5o5K2cB1lz2achm29RCF8VqqvtEep_9BtHVdn89H-U2wCggdHAMr1wksXifBCX7QOtQlUkmZTnr5qV2iX97t0FZVqOAN71_EjF2MIOStJL8WZhNB4d60cpVPPv2mCiVkeGuda-69_GKk/s200/Elisa-Diana+%26+The+Stag.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460067606093823826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">(Left: "Diana and The Stag," 78x70")</span><br /><br /><br />You can see these paintings by<br />Elisa Johns at Mike Weiss Gallery,<br />520 W. 24th St, NYC,<br />from April 8- May 8, 2010.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZkln53rWtJXBIxfPYxH_qqblJ4BnOoS_JW_4yXBL1uJuDxBzqII0F7MzYgTcY9DP-PytZsDE94H-eeN8ybOQk7KDtP78XAPkhAPdW0ySvQ3jRIKMrA3Y8lFBCzJdAsV2Y7L4yK0eG3Dp/s1600/Elisa+Johns.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZkln53rWtJXBIxfPYxH_qqblJ4BnOoS_JW_4yXBL1uJuDxBzqII0F7MzYgTcY9DP-PytZsDE94H-eeN8ybOQk7KDtP78XAPkhAPdW0ySvQ3jRIKMrA3Y8lFBCzJdAsV2Y7L4yK0eG3Dp/s200/Elisa+Johns.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460068448255776802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(Right: the artist in front of<br />"Pallas</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Athena," 94x77")</span>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-45912735502618686542010-03-05T14:50:00.000-08:002010-03-05T15:45:12.122-08:00NY Art Fairs '10: Scope, Red Dot, and VergeI am always jazzed for the annual art fairs in NYC! Loads and loads of art to look at, new and old galleries, and great conversations!<br />This'll be short due to a camera issue and no photos! But it's been fixed and I'll have it for Fountain and Pulse.<br />First off I went to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Scope</span>. A solid show, nothing really "spectacular" to me, but I saw alot more interesting work here than at Red Dot and Verge. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike Weiss Gallery</span> had a piece by <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Elisa Johns</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>who is opening in his next show. Ethereal women in washy oils, loosely based on fashion ads but set in nature and most are up-shots. Mike and director Helene exhibited the finer aspects of art fairs, that is being friendly, open and informative about their artists.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">ADA Gallery</span> from Virginia had large collage/mixed media pieces by a sort of outsider artist named <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Jeremiah Johnson</span> - and it's a real family name, not after the Robert Redford flick. The backstory on this artist is a trip - his dad is a gay fruit farmer in the midwest and Jeremiah was forced to work the farm as his father moved into floral design and mom split to be a truck driver. Again, a long conversation about art and the artist with the gallery owner courtesy of the Scope Fair.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">David B Smith Gallery</span> had several interesting artists including a great portrait by <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Kris Lewis</span> and wax pencil bird drawings by <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Christina Empedocles</span>. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Pool NYC</span> had paintings by Soviet Georgian artist <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Eteri Chkadua</span> - biographical pieces with a hint of Frida Kahlo. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Karim Hamid</span> had Bacon influenced paintings of women with allegorical and historical references at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Aureus Contemporary</span>, a self-professed group of "art nerds" who collect art and push their favorites ala fairs and exhibits and more. Very interesting approach that comes from a love for art!<br />Fun comic book inspired pieces by <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Cara Ober</span> at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Civilian Projects</span> (DC), <span style="font-weight: bold;">Opus </span>(England) and <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Gerard Ellis</span> at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lyle Oreitzel</span> (Miami).<br />Overall there was a mix of pop surrealism, a few too many images of Warhol and Marilyn Monroe, drawing and alot of (mostly representational) painting.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">RED DOT</span><br />Even if the admission is only $10, this is NYC, and to run a show during the Art Fair and not have a credit card machine at the entrance is mind-boggling. Spread out over three floors, this very small show didnt have much to offer. There was quite a bit of secondary market prints and few originals by big names. Saw a <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Larry Rivers</span> print riffing on an old Camels cigarette ad that was interesting and not often seen. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Galerie Cubana</span> had some interesting abstract pieces by a Cuban artist. The photography at other galleries was pretty weak - digital manipulation seems passé this year. As a matter of fact, so far the photography at all three shows has been mostly derivative or safe. Most of the painting at Red Dot not by blue-chippers was uninspiring loose abstraction or garishly colored realism that quite frankly looked like work you'd see in a mall.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">VERGE</span><br />Verge was a classic hotel room show at the Dylan in midtown. Again with the "sorry, no credit card machine"! At least Red Dot had a coat room.<br />Another small show with spotty work. An exception was the newbie <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mighty Tanaka Gallery</span> from Brooklyn. Its enthusiastic curator, Alex, had an eclectic mix of work from street to realism. Several galleries showed geometric abstractions and loose minimalism - paintings consisting of repeating brush strokes or dots. There were some large oil and encaustic nudes in one gallery (that I sadly can't find their card), realistic and loose with gestural patches of color here and there. Encaustic seems to be making a resurgence, as does hand-done collage.<br />Next post will be more positive I hope and have photos - Fountain and Pulse fairs tomorrow!Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-47524632278460362842010-02-11T11:58:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:00:17.565-08:00Obama 1-on-1 with Ahmadinejad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLL1j3CAGBo_9ILFCqAFTKFwJueG0odvFDqgfjH1lJZlZ80OeAwEYFBlyQgLdBCpyg0z48CScTI7wehlLccqr2fRANhfGJacEqd86uKBbVGC7dLl-2UxrPhDLuCB4XMW2r9RR7pnjzwik/s1600-h/Obama&Ahmadinejad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLL1j3CAGBo_9ILFCqAFTKFwJueG0odvFDqgfjH1lJZlZ80OeAwEYFBlyQgLdBCpyg0z48CScTI7wehlLccqr2fRANhfGJacEqd86uKBbVGC7dLl-2UxrPhDLuCB4XMW2r9RR7pnjzwik/s400/Obama&Ahmadinejad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437078171133401954" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-53494263053165872032009-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:002009-11-20T11:03:28.876-08:00Jim Houser at Jonathan LeVine GalleryThere's an expression when it comes to buying a piece of art: "living with the piece" - in other words, how will the buyer feel with the artwork in his home, office, etc. It's not necessarily about the size, color, and "will it match my decor?" issues. It may be in part, but for many collectors it's about "Will I still feel as jazzed about it when I get it home as I do now? and what about after a week or two? Is this just a reactionary buzz, or will it continue to stimulate me and make me love looking at it over and over?"<br />At the moment, all I have of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jim Houser</span>'s work is the promo poster for <span>his</span> show a few years ago at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jonathan Levine Gallery</span> hanging on my wall, and the reason it's still up is because I still stop, stare, and enjoy it. I dream of having an original - someday. His current show (Oct 24 - Nov 21, 2009) once again delivers that rush I get when I walk into a gallery with a show of great work. It's vintage Houser in that it's an installation with on-site wall paintings, shelves with 3D works, all with his signatue palette, imagery, and words. And music, too! It might be easy for some to dismiss his work at first glance as being too cartoony or a send-up of self-taught art, but with some examination you'll at first begin to appreciate his craftsmanship, his consistency, and then that the work is not just a one-note cartoon and that there's quite a bit to grab hold of.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9YAyWqMbEgbHtlVwcWlw9YmTDybQKk4CIO0kWHqDa-TSWcOAimpIzYCfCbKBOHFpN59jxCiROFyrXPz39MlNRk-IVIZB30fiQtHkKn_7Tr0C-SDHanNaiel7oFPzVjUjCc10kz_-zNyZ/s1600/Hauser+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9YAyWqMbEgbHtlVwcWlw9YmTDybQKk4CIO0kWHqDa-TSWcOAimpIzYCfCbKBOHFpN59jxCiROFyrXPz39MlNRk-IVIZB30fiQtHkKn_7Tr0C-SDHanNaiel7oFPzVjUjCc10kz_-zNyZ/s400/Hauser+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406228127121292434" border="0" /></a><br />In his Fecal Face interview, Houser discusses his palette of subdued colors:<span style="font-style: italic;"> "I like red and blue and variations of red and blue. That's the direction it seems to be going. Browns and tans. No more pink. No more orange. No more green. Even my black is just super dark blue or brown. My white has blue or brown in it. Sea water, dog fur, and dried blood. That's my inspiration."</span><br /><br />Houser incorporates hand drawn words and phrases in various novelty typefaces, "visual poems" if you will. There is the temptation to read into and analyze the meanings and thoughts behind these words, which can be a pitfall in painting, but Houser merges them seamlessly in his works without overpowering the other images. They blend. They're fun. It's a carnival ride for your eyes, going from words to recognizable image to shapes to words again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBZexTQ7gOjPkZGjkU9TxTSKPnmvwGlGOfDvlckUyU-8Ng6nnJGLvSy1fxK6mM-0euIHbVPhhSsntJmge9z5R9tAh-QHhEO2ui26I-S8n76B_c-D-4fLTWPdnIogV5ZknUqHpoX11ocit/s1600/Hauser+"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBZexTQ7gOjPkZGjkU9TxTSKPnmvwGlGOfDvlckUyU-8Ng6nnJGLvSy1fxK6mM-0euIHbVPhhSsntJmge9z5R9tAh-QHhEO2ui26I-S8n76B_c-D-4fLTWPdnIogV5ZknUqHpoX11ocit/s400/Hauser+" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406228448155603682" border="0" /></a><br />Some of the words reflect thoughts about his late wife and his own difficulties with health issues, among other things. With "Make Room for Emptiness" the press release states that Houser "has celebrated the affirmation of a new love and also has received medical treatment for his previous health condition." Both are cathartic elements for anyone to experience, and how could it not be reflected in an artist's work, particularly Jim Houser's?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Jonathan Levine Gallery is located at 529 W 20th St (10th and 11th Ave), 9th Flr, NYC.</span>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-32957212790442403052009-11-05T14:44:00.000-08:002009-11-05T14:45:55.761-08:00Yankees win! Thuhuhuhuhuhuh Yankees win!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ3Jq6feJ3f8GIpopCWdLH3YeJkurY-QB_lvLeOmvBoOicK9SPcoI4LNe3NFRCHIlX27Mysdp6aDQpEHtpZF9aPqDxhURqQwUiTV17crk6HJ9QtNxNEY1UV2vCf2QiJqhIlGgp9l2cVM6/s1600-h/3+papers.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 330px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJ3Jq6feJ3f8GIpopCWdLH3YeJkurY-QB_lvLeOmvBoOicK9SPcoI4LNe3NFRCHIlX27Mysdp6aDQpEHtpZF9aPqDxhURqQwUiTV17crk6HJ9QtNxNEY1UV2vCf2QiJqhIlGgp9l2cVM6/s400/3+papers.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400754523580576754" border="0" /></a>Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-2881302054807175122009-10-08T20:18:00.000-07:002009-10-08T20:21:39.435-07:00Wish I had my camera...I stop at Two Boots Pizza on 7th Ave & Greenwich (NYC) to grab a slice and in their window display were 2 fireman boots. OK, makes sense, right? In the boots were decorative tree branches. On the branches was a string of baseball shaped holiday lights, with the Mets logo on the baseballs. Also on the branches were mardi gras beads. And finally, sticking out of the boots were two rainbow flags.<br />Wish I had my camera with me...Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-5772204513429240742009-09-20T06:42:00.000-07:002009-09-20T06:53:42.787-07:00GUIDE TO MODERN LIVING - Chapter 1Part 1: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't talk in movie theatres.</span><br />During commericals and trailers it's Ok, but once the flick starts, shut up! This is not a cultural thing, this is basic manners. At $12.50 a pop for some theatres in NYC, a person shouldnt have to miss one second of a film because some knucklehead is talking on her cell, or another knucklehead is giving commentary on the film like he's the director on a DVD extra. Ya wanna narrate? Do it on your couch!<br /><br />Part 2: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Never let waitstaff clear the plates til everyone at the table is done eating.</span><br />This makes the person still dining uncomfortable and pressured, two things one does not want to experience during dinner. People eat at different speeds, sometimes a person tells a long story, whatever. If I finish first, I leave a bite or a piece of bread on my plate and say, "Still working on it" when they try to clear, until everyone's done eating. Plus if your dining companion(s) order something that you're envious of and they don't finish it, you can score a few bites by sliding it over onto the open real estate on your plate!<br /><br />This is really Part 1-A:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shut off cell phones in movie theatres, live theatres, religious services, lectures, concerts, etc.</span><br />This is a no-brainer.<br /><br />More to come...Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-52759734534772793632009-09-03T07:48:00.000-07:002009-09-03T08:30:50.954-07:00Gallery Shows: Lennon Weinberg & Nancy Margolis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mw510gHYZa8W8zvF0hAm2TYhMrmzHvXQa7N0m60oBICYWJXdw06rfmBNmxDCUedQog7I9jsoDOKUFsa5CXcqpr1pM0CmN1kpfVu021nqJZ01BM34LqCEMfgsVfWDDy02A_Eo0ZL5W5aS/s1600-h/Heldman+WeJust.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mw510gHYZa8W8zvF0hAm2TYhMrmzHvXQa7N0m60oBICYWJXdw06rfmBNmxDCUedQog7I9jsoDOKUFsa5CXcqpr1pM0CmN1kpfVu021nqJZ01BM34LqCEMfgsVfWDDy02A_Eo0ZL5W5aS/s320/Heldman+WeJust.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377258936795517602" border="0" /></a><br />A bit behind am I, so here's some catch-up on gallery visits in Chelsea, NYC. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nancy Margolis Gallery</span> had a show featuring works by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wendy Heldman</span>. I've written before about this trend I've seen the past year + of environmental chaos -- buildings exploding or images of them being deconstructed in a wild diagrammatic fashion. Also houses, cityscapes and more in a representational and abstract style. Heldman had pieces of library racks with books scattered all about - "We Just Keep Taking Turns" and "One Against Two". These were made from photos of libraries in California after an earthquake. I discovered this when talking to the woman working at the front desk<span style="font-style: italic;"> (don't be intimidated to ask questions about the work! Often they are bored or simply welcome a break to chat about the art and you usually get some interesting info)</span>, and I mentioned the trend I've noticed and she agreed. Apparently, this has indeed been a frequent element in works as of late.<br />What could be the reason for this? Is it because this is a common CGI (computer generated imagery) effect in hugely popular home video games? Think of all the grand explosions and mass destruction so realistically depicted in Hollywood films courtesy of CGI - I believe this has all sunk into our subconscious which gets stirred into the soup of peoples' visual creative vocabulary. How could it not? Every artist is influenced by their environment, what they see, hear and feel.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviJ5SfeKzg3_UbjyyjngTHwrxx3KgjAW-BasK0s3yoyt1jHKgNftcoKK99ZXH5Oh9u8fdinvteVxkk8EvlihY9kewTo1fDUuc_ncz_kHoTn3yMT2j1o9lnq67ZzQrgUhI9vf-cQTESL9M/s1600-h/Heldman-OneAg.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviJ5SfeKzg3_UbjyyjngTHwrxx3KgjAW-BasK0s3yoyt1jHKgNftcoKK99ZXH5Oh9u8fdinvteVxkk8EvlihY9kewTo1fDUuc_ncz_kHoTn3yMT2j1o9lnq67ZzQrgUhI9vf-cQTESL9M/s200/Heldman-OneAg.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377259078563280498" border="0" /></a>Or is it deeper - a feeling of danger, post 9/11 trauma, insecurity, and lack of faith/trust in our leaders and political system that creates this feeling of our "world" being torn apart by forces beyond our control? or is it the artist TAKING control and deciding when and how he/she will deconstruct their world. Perhaps I'm reaching too far, but the more I see of this imagery, the more questions it raises as to common motivations and inspirations for it.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtXMW3UqvHduiCGNp3WroQcOtiAineYuyyMs67Gv0UsmRV8dcrjcWepjwdfRxWmYy5uaILAw_by41kAj3QEB0sUGKtMnVdFIWRmzhhyphenhyphenWG79jle87gR-uxpCLRW-EQa6M_Rxz7OTXd7qpA/s1600-h/Heldmann-+Little+.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtXMW3UqvHduiCGNp3WroQcOtiAineYuyyMs67Gv0UsmRV8dcrjcWepjwdfRxWmYy5uaILAw_by41kAj3QEB0sUGKtMnVdFIWRmzhhyphenhyphenWG79jle87gR-uxpCLRW-EQa6M_Rxz7OTXd7qpA/s200/Heldmann-+Little+.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377259256756836674" border="0" /></a><br />"Little By Little and Then Not Even That" is an acrylic piece of a decrepit building that's obviously been sitting a long time in that state. Was it commercial or residential? Where is it? Why did this happen and how? Natural disaster or an explosion? A successful piece in that it triggers these thoughts and questions and stirs the imagination.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxzkSURi3iYKfSCgPJQY6ihVpFYkmkiwvZ4uyTs_lvCt_13Ws5OUxhjJ_M5aUwsR_1QG6ILGrTh5tlbtjPzhgFX3CfHCe1TyoxJVwzAyXzeFdhkEzrFeIMJt8yIUj-1cBzVU10jTOXDl3/s1600-h/Workman-FIg+35-92.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxzkSURi3iYKfSCgPJQY6ihVpFYkmkiwvZ4uyTs_lvCt_13Ws5OUxhjJ_M5aUwsR_1QG6ILGrTh5tlbtjPzhgFX3CfHCe1TyoxJVwzAyXzeFdhkEzrFeIMJt8yIUj-1cBzVU10jTOXDl3/s320/Workman-FIg+35-92.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377260623159104386" border="0" /></a>A retrospective <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cindy Workman</span>'s works of women were on view at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lennon, Weinberg Inc</span> this summer. Composite images address the many roles women perform, or feel compelled to perform, in society. "Fig. 35-92" (left) from 2000 combines drawing with digital imagery with a blond child, a scientific diagram and a black and white sexy image of a woman, all layered in this intriguing image. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRb2DpQ0axZp0pxFHoBU4-p5gRCInSVKsPi-UiZ38MAKrmDR_0d19ZsIydE8FBQnWk3mTcbgYb3F2vgPY1KV8OSxSskKQxrFCkG10gJSsFO0xIiYr9XFM_XDD2jlInitefVXw2K1Wq78T/s1600-h/Workman-Pebbles.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRb2DpQ0axZp0pxFHoBU4-p5gRCInSVKsPi-UiZ38MAKrmDR_0d19ZsIydE8FBQnWk3mTcbgYb3F2vgPY1KV8OSxSskKQxrFCkG10gJSsFO0xIiYr9XFM_XDD2jlInitefVXw2K1Wq78T/s320/Workman-Pebbles.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377263752396449330" border="0" /></a>"Pebbles" from 2003 (right) presents a more pornographic image of a woman with the face of Pebbles Flintstone, a child-like crayon drawing of a child over her face, and a connect the dots image of a skating girl. A jumble of females in different styles and media in a simple yet powerful composition.Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8227420169238496963.post-48638905104817737412009-08-26T20:01:00.001-07:002009-08-26T20:31:55.071-07:00"Diabolical Small Talk"Saw <span style="font-weight: bold;">Quentin Tarantino</span>'s "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Inglorious Basterds</span>" last weekend. The promo budget for this film must have been tremendous, there was a ton of hype and Tarantino seemed to be everywhere doing interviews. Either he felt he needed a big hit, or he knew it was going to be a hit and wanted to make sure it was seen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQko8y4OqE1Xv4ojdYe0a4qiYTwsO5mXBCjIPPYbv1ONDTQj9A-R7w-ko1ODwGFB69cByAyUSvKmD2l_QT_Mzx6Zt_CntwfuQVQEeLaRY6oCFsvwTsd6BF9Dz7CCo6UNUWS6f9CeX5Xkb/s1600-h/images.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQko8y4OqE1Xv4ojdYe0a4qiYTwsO5mXBCjIPPYbv1ONDTQj9A-R7w-ko1ODwGFB69cByAyUSvKmD2l_QT_Mzx6Zt_CntwfuQVQEeLaRY6oCFsvwTsd6BF9Dz7CCo6UNUWS6f9CeX5Xkb/s320/images.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374481027988802738" border="0" /></a>I heard him explain how he came up with the idea - simple and interesting. He was thinking that it's been awhile since they did a "group of guys" war movie ala "Kelly's Heroes" and the "Dirty Dozen." The next step, was how to put a twist on it. He thought about what if they were all Jewish? But instead of being POWs or in a concentration camp, they were on the offensive? and violently killing Nazis? and so on, in his signature style.<br />Indeed, "Inglorious Basterds" has all the Tarantino trademarks. There are titled chapters. Separate stories slowly merging together. Pop culture references. A unique soundtrack. Some recurring actors. Oh, and violence - very graphic violence. I don't know how much of that is because he watched so many horror/gore films from the 70s, or if he's saying, "Oh you like action flicks? You like violence? Well, THIS is what violence really looks like - do you still dig it? Is it still fun?!?"<br /><br />Either you like Tarantino or you don't. I have yet to hear many people be lukewarm about his work. But one thing cannot be denied - he is quite the wordsmith. And he uses dialogue, and the pacing of that dialogue masterfully in this film, particularly through the character of Col. Hans Landa played by Christopher Waltz. There is surely a Best Supporting Actor nomination in store for Mr. Waltz. His cat and mouse verbal slow torture is gut-wrenching, you can feel the tension building inside you as he toys with his "victims." In thinking about this post, I came up with what I (not too humbly) think is the perfect description of this aspect of Quentin Tarantino's writing:<br />"DIABOLICAL SMALL TALK."<br />So many of his films' characters have done this seemingly innocuous chit-chat, and yet there is the underlying tension, building like an old Edgar Kennedy slow burn, wondering at what point things are going to combust. Like when Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta are in the room with those college kids and Jackson is rambling on about burgers and the metric system.<br />I recommend you see this film. The violent parts are pretty nasty, but it's obvious when they're about to happen so you can always close your eyes for a sec or look away, and then get on with the good parts of this movie - like the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Diabolical Small Talk</span>!Joe Borzottahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03438427071267884779noreply@blogger.com0