Sunday, June 12, 2005

Boil in Bag

Ham Paw and I went to the Chelsea Forest yesterday. The beacon of light and goodness and high skill levels remains Neo Rauch. We very much were in love with his work. I think he is the best living painter in the world. He herds multiple scenarios and viewpoints, orchestrating seamless transitions of flat shapes into deep space - wallpaper turns into landscapes, abstract blobs become distant roads. And there are these lonely figures throughout that appear to exist in their own private experience, despite being proximal to others. His figures are all working, accomplishing a task, or deep in thought - distracted, preoccupied. At times almost monstrous or in awkward balance, the figures remain mysteriously solid, sturdy and graceful, with ill proportions seeming part of their nature. His deft paint handling has the capacity to convince you, to make anything he decides to paint believable and pleasurable to look at. Smiles. Wishes to paint as well as that.

We looked at his wondrous relics for many many minutes longer than we could bear to look at anything else. I believe they helped fortify us against the rains that drenched us later in the day.

Ham Paw bought binoculars to improve his lacerating vision. Mountain Man beheld himself as an aging cut tree of a man and wished for sanity to rain down on him instead of rain.

Later, I began succumbing to yet another illness, this time in my throat area. How can it be? Weakened MM system. Faulty faulty system. I may drown in the phlegms of death, so if you do not hear from me for a while, this is what has happened.

Good morning to everyone who is not evil.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too was rained down upon with rain. I loved the Neo Rauch show. It was better than anything else I have seen in a long time.

Anonymous said...

MM, I am sorry for your illness. Was it the rains of the heavens, or more likely, the actions of the devil, inverting and destroying, weeping and gnashing teeth? The neo rach was a highlight for me too. I creeped in between some guy's legs two weeks ago. Finally they cast me out as I was pissing in a corner. marking my spot as compensation for the price point. My other adventures included a vaguely intersting amusement ride at stux. I guess I got it scratched up but, meow, whatever. There was also some nasty ass sculptures I saw and marked. So revolting I can't describe. Perhaps I left a furball. I don't remember.
A purr and a head butt to you, MM, because you are nice.

fairy butler said...

Hi MM!

I am sneaking out of the beige on Tuesday to view the Neo Rauch. Anything else I should spy? Did you view the Walton Ford bird paintings at Kasmin?

Sanity has returned to me. Wizard situation better after phone call, but still do not trust. Relics are ready to be returned this week. Improvements are forthcoming. Equilibrium restored.

I am sorry to hear of the throat attack.

Kitty #2 - you are a keeper.

Anonymous said...

Don't you find the faux Social Realist figuration cloying and boring. What relevance does this have today? Outmoded and "historical" in the worst way. The man can paint, but should really think more. There are so many other "ways" in the world that are actually "in" the world now. Bad Style, Virtuosic Handling.

Mountain Man said...

Kitty #2! I thought I saw you meowing or whatever in Jessica Murray. Definitely there was pee on the dirt floor. Definitely I love your head butts.

FB, I am happy for your balancing abilities. You should be in a carnival on the high wires with a pole. We need to celebrate the return of your relics sometime soon! We need to say yay to freedom from the evil wizard.

I didn't see the Walton Ford show. Need to go back. I would check out the Jeff Sonhouse show at Jack Tilton, you may remember him from earlier days at the internment camp where we were imprisoned in the late 90's. He is really good. Also Randy Wray at Derek Eller. And of course, another looky at the Life and Limb show fabulousness. I had fun re-examining it yesterday. Karen Yasinsky's video is amazing.

Please let us know FB if you see anything good. You are charmful.

Mountain Man said...

Dirk, you are a disagreeable malevolent force against Mr. Rauch. Which is probably good. I know what you are talking about but upon my second visit, I really felt that these figures transcended the Social Realist look and became sort of Frankensteins - more mannequin like and from Sci Fi almost. There are definitely old fashioned-looking overly nostalgic moments to the paintings, but I think the world he paints is hybrid and heterogeneous enough to get past what you are talking about. If that makes any sense. I absolutely adore them is all I can say.

Anonymous said...

Hi Dirk. I am the second Dirk. Are you mad that we have the same name? I like your bad attitudes. Do you want to drink coffee at the same exact time while knowing we have the same name? What is your last name? Mine is Fire. I was on many bridges in the night. Passing over and through. Were you too? I had to be at work at 7 am in my dream, a little early. Did you too?

Anonymous said...

I like fights.

Anonymous said...

Necklace of Fire I thought you had been consigned to your own flames. I am glad to see you back in town.

Anonymous said...

MM--sorry about your illnesses. I want you to be cured. I want you to return to your true towering and hairy form.

I will be sending some oxy via messenger--just in case.

xo,
PD

Mountain Man said...

Ham you are not in such need of paw holding from the ones who lack understanding. You must keep up with the fruition of your relics and show them and your paws to new wizards, just keep going, not worrying about the inconsequence of the green dwarf with the red red lips. It was a scratch on your skin that did not draw blood. Progress into further paw meatiness in the form of pre-figured worlds - that is your worthy strategy.

fairy butler said...

the chelsea forest is often out of balance, not following the WAY. The ani of the paintings hide in darkness spewing forth noxious chemicals. it is a grueling and precarious forest, one I have been avoiding for weeks.

HP, I advise cleansing the mind of the noxious fumes today. Rememer the free wheeling pups and send your spirits out to them. Thank you MM for your recommendations. I will be taking some field trips at biege this week. The forest is easier in small doses perchance.

I cannot weigh in on the N. Rauch yet, but soon, although I am familiar with this his work. Curious to see....

Anonymous said...

I am out and ready to play.

Mountain Man said...

Did you know there is a museum of Pez in Pennsylvania. I am definitely going.

sloth said...

Sloth likes to say "Pez." Pez. Pez. pezpezpez!

sloth said...

Sloth is a little hungoverly. Not hugely, but achey in the head-bone, a little.

fairy butler said...

Hi Sloth! I am very familiar with the mild achy head. I recommmend the candy today. It will pass. I will be drinking again in 5 hours. Yay to that.

HP, when I viewed your relics the other week I had a premonition. You do not need to worry about the alternate career - the relic making will be your way. I as very sure of this. The pups are singing in unison a nice Beatles number. It is good to derive perverse strength from the beige. I wish I could make this my strategy also. Hmmm. I am now off to the hot box relic shack for some mopping and assorted pacings.

fairy butler said...

scary jubiliant puerto ricans are stomping around outside my door.

sloth said...

Candies, of course! The brown ones especially. Thank you FB.

It is wise to be a little wary of the jubilance. Flailing arms and hands can be hazardous, as MM will confirm.

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