"The sadness will last forever." Van Goghs proported final words to Theo
This shall be my first Halloween for some time that I am not exhibiting anywhere. Enough ghosts and demons currently in the studio at any rate.
There's the ghost of Vincent for instance, pinned to my wall, glaring accusingly with one withering eye. The other one-his left one-is looking resigned, filled with marine-flecked melancholy and suffering. That particular eye haunts my own work right now, imposing itself into each canvas like the plucked orb of Horus.
Did Vincent truly suffer I wonder?
The romantique parable is of his self imposed exile in Arles amongst spud headed peasants, harboring Daddy issues and a gradual realization of the gargantuan shadow cast by Rembrandt, whilst his search to capture light in liquescence and Oriental line became the vainglorious quest of a failed alchemist. All on his brothers dime I might add, until he ravaged sibling good will and stipend on Absinthe, harlots and Japanese art prints. Not the suffering of brokeback tilling of fields from dusk till dawn with the peasants he gilded, or even the nine to five for poor old Vince, just the artifice of the syphilitic Libertine in a garret, the actor slumming it for the Academy.
Vincent the artist messiah, the flameheaded madman suffering needlessly, and dying penuriously wretched to save the future of contemporary Art. Vincent a standard bearer for greatness equated with drug addled, ritualized self sacrifice. Vincent the veritable Lou Reed of Modern Art. Vincent and the second shooter, because a death doesn't truly become a myth without a hefty (over)dose of conspiracy. Mischievous brats with bad aim or not,there go Rothko,Pollock and his ilk making martyrs of us all.Or at least suffering taken to its histrionic, ignoble endpoint with Granto's trite Eye-jaculations;
The residual misery stain's the 20th century and beyond, thicker than impasto, making soothsayers of passive observers hoping to unravel an element of raw human truth amongst the chaos of stumbled ill rendering, whilst faded print's of sunflower's hang innocuously from a million vestibule wall's.
The first day of the new decade has gotten off to a grand start-best laid plans have secured a commission, the new piece has already garnered interest from two potential buyers, and I have another featured exhibition confirmed for March-bringing the total to four big showings this year.
The first begins here in San Diego, from January 6th at Mosaic gallery/wine bar, with an opening reception on the 16th. So far, I shall be showing around ten pieces-perhaps more depending on if I can squeeze another piece in beforeWednesday.Mosaic Gallery at Mosaic Wine Bar 3422 30th North Park, San Diego, CA 92104 call: 619-906-4747 I am also showing at the Hive at the group show in LA again this month, opening on the 9th.The plan is to paint something this weekend, so I have my work cut out for me already. Details to follow.
Today we took the opportunity to enjoy the California winter sun, at beautiful La Jolla shores. In between reading chunks of the Gonzo biography my wife bought me, I sketched the collected throng of afternoon bathers, although the crisp breeze made it too cold for actual paddling. From our house this evening, there was the most breathtaking blazing sunset and as Lani made hotdogs and chile fries we listened to 80's tracks, and I felt blessed by the beautiful, awesome simplicity of it all-this first day of 2010.
Here's Perfect Day by Lou Reed with a great animation:
Mischievous brats with bad aim or not,there go Rothko,Pollock and his ilk making martyrs of us all.Or at least suffering taken to its histrionic, ignoble endpoint with Granto's trite Eye-jaculations;
