The “tradition” of using non-traditional materials and found materials in art goes back awhile - from Braques and Picasso’s collages to Duchamp’s urinal. By now we are accustomed to seeing everyday things in the museums or galleries For me, the use of non traditional or found materials has to transform that material so that it becomes something else than the novelty of the material itself. A couple of artists came to mind when thinking about this today. I recently discovered and artist named Il Lee.
BL-069, 2006, Ballpoint pen on canvas, 48 x 42 inches Continue reading Non-traditional Materials
Drawings, paintings and photographs all seem to be more or less static entities. With luck, they can last more or less unchanged for hundreds of years. It is therefore interesting, if disconcerting, when artworks appear to change drastically from day to day. Continue reading Why does art change with viewing?
Last week I postulated that Art Deco as an art movement speaks a distinctly queer language. This week The New York Times asks how openly and assertively gay artists reflect the emergence of gay culture into the mainstream. It’s a fascinating article that speaks very much to the issue of how art both reflects and influences cultural change. While words are one thing, the work itself goes a lot further in answering the questions. What is gay art? What is it reflecting? How is it reflecting and changing gay culture and the culture at large? Rather than talk about the work of the artists discussed in today’s Times, I attempted to visually represent the leading edge of this supposed new school of art. As a gay man I am of course fascinated by this work and its collective messages, but I’m more curious to know what straight men and women think. However, while I look forward to your opinions I would also postulate that even those of you who are “straight” are, as artists, absolutely queer as well, regardless of who you bed so I’m not really sure you can provide a “straight” perspective…nonetheless…
Continue reading Queer Art; Or Is All Art Queer?
In the 1960’s, parents were admonished to keep their toddlers in bathing trunks by a sign on Jones beach created by Robert Moses. In contrast, healing diaper-sore bottoms on the beach is luxury for European children. ‘Nakedei’ is an affectionate German term for a naked toddler.
Continue reading whiffs of north american modesty
February 14, 2007 6:36 pm
February 12, 2007 5:00 am
Angela’s post yesterday inspired me to show a drawing and the painting I made using that drawing. I first composed on handmade paper using charcoal and natural red chalk. Then I painted in oils on a smooth white ground made of chalk and rabbit-skin-glue applied to an oak panel. The images above an below show composites where details from the drawing are laid over the painting.
Continue reading Anticipating sex with drawing and painting
February 11, 2007 6:25 am
Are quick drawings and paintings artworks or just studies? Are they value at all?
A lot of drawings of old masters have an immense value nowadays but looking at contemporary artists drawings, are they such important?
Why don’t contemporary artists exhibit mostly their drawings and experiments, just their final masterpieces?
Scrying - pencil and chalk, quick drawing on paper
Drawing from imagination, pencil on paper
Spiritual, Mixed media on paper
February 7, 2007 12:08 pm
I first came upon Dorman’s work in a show at New York’s CUE Foundation and was thrilled. More work and information here.
drawing by Françesca at age 3
I wanted to do a post about the drawings that my children made. I have an incredible amount of them (drawings, that is, plus five kids). The first thing was to choose and scan and crop and choose and scan and crop. Continue reading Portraits by children
