Quarantine: Gestalt Exercises #3: Attending and Concentrating
“For a brief period pay attention to some visual object for example, a chair. As you look at it, notice how it clarifies itself by dimming out the space and objects around [...]
What Meets the Eye
Quarantine Gestalt Exercises #2: Opposing Forces
“Think of some pairs of opposites in which neither member could exist if it were not for the real or implied existence of its opposite.”*. (If you have not read the first [...]
Quarantine Gestalt Exercise #1: Feeling the Actual
Gestalt exercise #1: Try for a few minutes to make up sentences stating what you are at this moment aware of. Begin each sentence with the words “now” or [...]
Jack Whitten in the Woodshed
Do you know what woodshedding is? Practicing alone where no one can hear. And not only that— according to Paul Klemperer* “woodshedding is more than just practicing— it [...]
Bob Seng Was in the Navy
I was quite unexpectedly moved by Nexit 9. I had anticipated enjoying Seng’s game of re-ordered exit signs, but not that I would be idly staring at Nexit 9 when it became a [...]
Susan Rothenberg: The Search for a Subject
I was into women and horses, horses, horses in the 70s: Susan Rothenberg, Patti Smith* and to a lesser extent, Deborah Butterfield. I have to go into the time machine to [...]
Is it Fair (to Valloton) to Hang Picasso’s Gertrude Stein Right Next to Valloton’s Gertrude Stein at Valloton’s show at The Met?
It really isn’t. Not at all. Picasso’s Stein is a masterpiece and just so much better than [...]
Renee Cox: The Holy Family
I want to talk about Origins in the context of visual invention and the evolution of Christian iconography. To find out more of the backstory (for example, why [...]
Victor Muniz and Christian Marclay: One-offs
A selling point of both of these shows is that the works shown are “one of a kind” (Muniz) and “unique” (Marclay)l. Actually, they are manufactured objects which they [...]
Ed Clark, A Great Painter
PS I’m very sorry to say that I just found out that Ed Clark died last Friday. In the interview I quote from below, he also said “I want to be called ‘great’.” No [...]