In a show called The Heart of Zen, “Six Persimmons” was displayed for three short weeks in late 2023 at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. It was “painted with ink on paper in the 13th century, probably by a Chinese monk named Muqi, as part of a handscroll that also included ‘Chestnuts’…”
… The persimmons’ stems, six crisp, T-shaped handles into the here and now that remind us that the really Zen way to look at a painting is simply to look at it.
… The flesh of the persimmons looks to be made from spontaneous puddles of watery ink, rough-edged puddles that capture with precision the very imprecision of human sight. It’s an approach to painting that Europeans reached only 600 years later, if then.
Will Heinrich concludes that “the point of all the simplicity, or minimalism, associated with Zen isn’t really to make anything simple. It’s to…,” but never mind. Isn’t Zen about not looking for a point?
(Will Heinrich, “A Rare Appearance for ‘Six Persimmons,’ a 13th-Century Masterpiece,” New York Times, 11-24-23)
(c) 2024 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved
Red Alert: Portrait Riot!
I warm to Jonathan Yeo’s smoldering rendition of Charles the Third for the fastuous havoc it wreaks on canvas, not to mention expenditure of fiery pigment. It will inflame disdain in all the right quarters, though reportedly not in his highness’s breast.
For dead-eye daring of treatment there’s the barechested blueblood with the princely schnoz and bluebottle on his shoulder. Asked if he thought the painting resembled him, Philip said, “I bloody well hope not.” I like to imagine his comment was proffered through a grin. It could have happened!
Mining magnate Gina Rinehart reached watercolorist Vincent Namatjira’s eyes in guise displeasing to the billionairess. Australia’s richest woman has demanded that her portrait be removed from the National Gallery of Australia. (It reaches my eyes as an avatar of Rosie O’Donnell.)
Portraiture of the grand which doesn’t court obloquy is a missed occasion. Namatjira’s paintings are said to be “about changing people’s perspectives by using satirical humour as a commentary on power.” When will the wealthy and entitled catch a decent break!
Sources
Emma Bubola, “Too Red, Too Vampiric, Too Sexy: A Brief History of Polarizing Royal Portraits,” New York Times, 4-15-24.
Australian Associated Press, “Gina Rinehart Demands National Gallery of Australia Remove Her Portrait,” theguardian.com, 5-15-24.
(c) 2024 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved