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Thursday, March 22, 2007

Painting as Paradox, Remembered... PLUS Jered Sprecher opening tonite

Remember Lauri Firstenberg's Painting As Paradox? I was in the States from Japan doing a residency at the Vermont Studio Center, came down to NYC to see Painting as Paradox, meet with Luis Camnitzer at the Drawing Center (he didn't like my stuff, but was very good)... see some other shows. I saw Thomas Hirschhorn's Cavemanman on that visit.

The Artists Space show, Painting as Paradox, was all over the place.. I remember being surprised that I was not impressed with what was shown, thinking.. this is New York?... and can't recall any specific pieces now except, um, David Nicholson's. It's funny to read that list of included artists and see how some of them have become much better known, that many of them remain unknown (to me).. and also to think about all of those painters who are now well-known but were not at that time, and aren't in the show. So much changes in just five years, less than five years... closer to four years.

Here is the NYTimes review, here is the Jerry Saltz review.

What was at the Drawing Center at that time? I remember not liking it, or not getting it... okay, I just looked it up.. HERE it is.

THERE ARE SO MANY ARTISTS.

almost immediate update: I also saw Drawing Now , in Queens, on that visit.

PLUS! Jered Sprecher
has a show opening TONIGHT at Jeff Bailey...

Jered Sprecher
The last time I posted Jered's work, there were some good comments, so I'll re-post them now -

Anonymous said...
It looked like he worked really hard on those, what technique.Ada really knows how to find them. Sorry for my sarcasm but I am still reeling from reading about Saatchi buying an Eric Sall for 12g's in Miami. It's for a show called "Crappy Looking Expensive Paintings". I am so bitter... Mr.Bitter

vc said...
I like them: THe ptgs in this post more than most of those in the link. I can't tell anything about technique in this photo, but I look forward to seeing them. Unless Mr. Bitter refers to Sprecher's laxness: he doesn't need to pretty things up.kind of a Raoul De Keyser / Giorgio Morandi vibe, which seems to be popular nowadays -- the easily discernible, but never air-tight visual system, the low-key colors and generally contemplative experience. This of course gaurantees nothing.Mr. Bitter, if you are permanently bitter, 24/7, like I am, it kind of stops being an issue. I think Sphrecher is quite different from Sall.

vc said...
But maybe they do wear a little thin after a while. There is a certain cleverness in some of them.

Anonymous said...
I am the captain of bitter, only this guy Martin might be more bitter.Thanks for your post, I now have a new comment" Hey Jered! Stop ripping off Raoul De Keyser!"yours truly-Mr.Bitter p.s. I think I like Sprecher more than Sall.

martin said...
ADA... and find them and find them and find them.I generally like Eric's paintings, and am not surprised by the Saatchi purchase. He's been very very fortunate. I'm not bitter about it, definitely don't think his work is crappy or too expensive, but it is easy to feel frustrated and jealous (not specifically of Eric, just in general).mr. bitter - i am not more bitter than you, sorry.

vc said...
I think my De Keyser comment was of limited value, as are all comparisons. I don't think it's a case of ripping off, but more of a. . . zeitgeist? of anti-bombastid painting. My statement of bitterness was not directed against anyone in particular. I think it is just an undeniable reaction. It does not prevent anyone from making valid criticisms, provided we don't pretend to be objective.

Anonymous said...
Then I win! I am the most bitter. I like to see realism, or at least a show of talent.I question the skill level of some of these artist.Ada has a salon show up at Plant Zero right now and its half crap. I am not knocking everyone there. There is some definite real talent there.Up close some pieces were not up to gallery grade by a mile. I could probably learn something from you vc.

Anonymous said...
yum gallery grade, its what i put in my car everytime i fill up. i think Sall is alright, definately not earthshattering or anything but not bad. expensive? nah, we should all ask more. you know VC i think the Sprechers will wear thin and quickly, perhaps if we could see a lot of them at once they would grow on us but i'm not sure.

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