Tag Archives: art

Gladys Nilsson

Posted on April 19, 2020 by JMN

You and Jim [Nutt] have a significant collection of work by self-taught artists, such as Martín Ramírez and Joseph Yoakum. What draws you to that kind of work? The work that interests me is by people who have a need … Continue reading →

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Plaited Thorns

Posted on April 13, 2020 by JMN

Before reading the article I scanned this painting as a king and courtier munching a corona-bat monster that has been spitted and roasted. The courtier picks his teeth and licks his fingers while the king gnaws a bone ruminatively and … Continue reading →

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From Gaudí to Hockney in My Mind

Posted on April 5, 2020 by JMN

“To depict nature, we can only try. Nature doesn’t have any straight lines. It doesn’t follow the rules of perspective.” (David Hockney) (Jonathan Jones, “David Hockney urges us to escape lockdown through a pencil,” theguardian.com, 4-4-20) This comment by Hockney … Continue reading →

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I Have an Apple Pencil for My iPad Pro!

Posted on April 3, 2020 by JMN

I have made a sketch, copied and pasted it into a “Notes” doc, then come here to add text. I “Shared” the sketch to my “Photos” by downloading it. From there I can import it into the WordPress Gallery, then … Continue reading →

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Calling Conservative Artists

Posted on March 23, 2020 by JMN

Piotr Bernatowicz is the new director of a leading Warsaw art museum, the Ujazdowski Castle Center for Contemporary Art. For three decades it has exhibited Poland’s leading experimental artists and hosted work by “international stars,” according to this article (Alex … Continue reading →

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“Painter of Disquiet”

Posted on March 23, 2020 by JMN

Roberta Smith remarks that by a certain point in the show “it becomes clear why [Félix] Vallotton is not considered a first-rate painter. Perhaps he was excessively skilled with too many options at his fingertips.” It struck me as a … Continue reading →

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Disordered Stick Bombs

Posted on March 17, 2020 by JMN

“… A steady state hysteresis caused by reversible slippage”: There are passages in this article about the study of bird nests that read for me like poetry written in the language of physics. One effort to disentangle the structural dynamics … Continue reading →

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Assume the Position

Posted on March 14, 2020 by JMN

[Illustration from Bret Stephens, “Trump Meets Nemesis, Punisher of Hubris,” NYTimes, 3-13-20] (c) 2020 JMN

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Davy’s Grey

Posted on March 9, 2020 by JMN

“Boston’s Apollo” celebrates McKeller’s role in Sargent’s work but does not hide the artist’s racism. In her essay for the exhibition’s catalog, Professor Greene cites racial slurs Sargent used. “He’s an amazing painter — that doesn’t go away,” she said. … Continue reading →

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Gerhard Richter Voiced

Posted on March 8, 2020 by JMN

For 60 years, he has treated uncertainty as an ethical duty. … That is the priceless example he offers today’s young artists, whose every mistake or hesitation gets pounced on by digital Savonarolas. So much dogmatism out there, so much … Continue reading →

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