Taped LIVE on April 19th,  at Pierogi 2000, 177 North 9th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.

This show includes guests Fuzzanova, Jim Torok, Reverand Jen, Oliver Wasow, HUDSON, Jaqui Becker with Syrie Moskowitz and hosted by Dr. Lisa Levy and Paul H-O.

GB Producer – Paul H-O, Samantha Schlaifer, Cameras – Gaia Baldini, Aimee Graham, Editor – Gaia Baldini

This show was taped on February 13th, 2010, at the Frederieke Taylor Gallery in Chealsea and the first talk show. Try it, it just gets tastier as the acid kicks in.

I actually found them, Powers and Frey, to be affable fun gents when I did an interview with them in the fall.  Nontheless,  a small hailstorm of art shitlets will likely hit the fan once the business associates connection is brought to the fore. Links are from the Smoking Gun.com and Wikipedia tell the story.

Frey’s fiction/nonfiction has not hurt sales of his books. People love his books and don’t seem to mind the factual stretching. People don’t care, so what if the book was claiming nonfiction status. So what if Bravo claims to have  The Next Great Artist and will that matter if the game is just a game?

Judges, even TV judges may find themsleves under a microscope should they become celebs, not just culture celebs. Or maybe not. Probably not. although just looking at the outfit China Chow is wearing in that Reuters Press Release ? Who designed that? She plays a really bad cop on Burn Notice.  Thanks to Patti Calderone for noticing that press photo – it looks like China got papered topside to bottom? Knowing people that work in the “reality TV” business have been freely acknowledging that “reality is what you make it”.  It will be interesting what artists watching the show will think – and what they’ll do in response. The title of the show claims that these individual judges are the decision makers of The Next Great Artist. Pretty big claim.

Primary Atmospheres, L 2 R - Craig Kauffman, Larry Bell, De Wain Valentine

David Zwirner Gallery, Jan 8 -Feb. 6 2010.  With Peter Alexander, Larry Bell, Laddie John Dill, Robert Irwin, Craig Kauffman, John McCracken, Helen Pashgian, James Turrell, De Wain Valentine, and Doug Wheeler. Curated by Tim Nye. 

It’s all plastic fantastic plastic light monolithic and so febrile with air passing through matter passing as light, simply an atom solid vibration bolting down the concentrated escape patterns through which the chaos of that time of those minds had somehow corralled a zen concept with simultaneity, refracting reality breaking through cosmic farce, heading to the base, the base being the alchemy or not logic, the logic the thread is sight the eyes roam over clear matter as cream, slow sensuous fingers stare capture you want to touch gel sublime existing solid stars gleam perfect, and exquisitely delight.

I love this show! (how uncool is that for a start?)  When you walk into the gallery it’s like walking into a Kubrick set for 2001 A Space Odyssey or Tarkovsky’s Solaris. When the work in this show was made, we had Beatniks, The Beach Boys, Hullabaloo, then the Beatles, Civil Rights riots, Miles Davis, LSD, Nixon, the hippies, Black Panthers, the Vietnam War, Woodstock, The Doors, dirt, pachoulie oil, Easy Rider, Hendrix, and then there is this group of L.A. based artists that  essentially invented their own brand of minimalism that reflects the light of a California psyche in spite of the insanity of that period. How did they do it? This show is so well curated and full, but it’s it’s all kind of floaty too.

The use of plastic definitely reflects aerospace tech, surf and hot rod finishes. The use of resin in Peter Alexander, De Wain Valentine, and Helen Pashgian’s work demonstrates aesthetic purity and the magic mix of chemistry.

The first thing I saw was the gallery to the right  and two pieces by Robert Irwin. the untitled but well-known icon is set just away from the wall, (like the better-known orb with four lights, with the precision shadows)  so the orb or disc seems to disappear into the wall,(1969) offset by the simple clear acrylic column, (1970) .  Irwin also has his dot painting from ‘63  another early painting “Crazy Otto” , ‘62 which is far ahead of its time with it’s spare horizontal lines on ochre. Irwin continues to produce challenging work, and is literate in theory. In truth, Mr. Irwin is just plain literate, which explains why he is so influential, and as such, a dominant force because he is so good at talking about art and the ideas generated to other artists. Theory is tiresome, but as the first Francis Bacon said – “By far the proof is experience”.

John McCracken, Peter Alexander, John McCracken

The works by De Wain Valentine, Helen Pashgian and Peter Alexander dominate the senses on the front left gallery because they are not seen often here, and are masterworks of  perfect simplicity and execution, but not before passing a sand and glass sandwich installation sculpture by Laddie Jon Dill, the edges of the the 12 vertical panels of glass are lit under the sand with argon gas light. No matter where I went in the gallery, I was glued to each piece. Dill’s work in those days clearly put the materials in a chemical algorithm as sand is glass. Craig Kauffman and John McCracken are well-shown here in the context of the tribe. They are big game here but it was De Wain that showed McCracken the secret of the perfect resin finish. Doug Wheeler is that one crescendo tremelo. so deep sea or Star Trek, who knows?

That these amazing artists could soak the pure insanity of that time and then produce pure soul work without the acid noise invading is baffling. It all happened in L.A. and as far a I can tell, it’s the one  show I’ve seen in a long while that gave me a sense of redemption, joy, and that rarest moment, perfection.

So, everything American red-state dumbasses believe about artists is realized with Brower’s philosophy and obvious disdain for actual functionality. If we can find the “rich people” fascinating to the point of bloated media balloons full of gas, there certainly is no reason to find somewhat obscure artists like Brower with clear missions, any less deserving. In fact, considering that Brower’s utter lack of utility is more interesting than the vain attempts by the ‘The Wealthy” at usefulness when it’s a turbo-charged asshole ride into a horrible and bleak oblivion for the entire planet.

I’ve been married to a wonderful woman for 5 happy years. The issue is my art work is highly sexual and needs to be continuely fed new inspiration so I can continue to create. My wife knew what my painting was all about when she married me. I always assumed from her seeing my work, that she knew anonymous sex was part of my process. In other words, I have sex with other women, but I don’t discuss it with her. 

I guess with this whole Tiger Woods thing now I’m getting a bit paranoid. This unspoken don’t ask don’t tell arrangement has me somewhat anxious lately, as my wife is talking about getting pregnant and I want to have a more secure arrangement before we have a child. When we got married, I thought that maybe someday we would have kids, but I didn’t know that 5 years of sleeping around would go so fast.

So, do I tell her or go with the status quo which has been working quite well? My painting is important to me and I don’t want to have to give it up. The married sex just doesn’t work for me.

Tight Lipped

Dear Tight-

Let’s be honest. Sleeping around is fun. And using your painting as a reason to do it and not tell your wife is a load of crap to you, me, her and likely everyone reading this letter, although I do think YOU believe that you think your painting is a legitimate reason for having anonymous sex.

Okay, so I think it’s bullshit, but supposing you don’t agree with me, then it still seems like a conversation you should have with your wife anyway if she is to understand and support you and your art.

And if she’s not okay with it, and if your art is important enough to you, then go with the consequences and negotiate up front next time with the next partner about your artistic process.

The good news is, that since you’re an artist, unlike Tiger Woods, it’s highly unlikely that any of the women you’ve slept with are going to crawl out of the woodwork looking for hush money.

LOVE U!!

Dr.Lisa

Do you have a question that you would like answered by Dr. Lisa? Send it to lisa@gallerybeat.net

I just graduated from a good college with a degree in fine arts. I’ve been considering hooking up with a “Sugar Daddy” from a site like www.seekingarrangement.com, to help me start my art career. I know if I can just get started, I will make it as an artist quickly, and then I can find someone and get into a real “love” relationship.

The reason I’m writing to you is because my best friend is saying she doesn’t want to know me if I do this. We went to college together and now that I have a plan like this, I think she’s jealous. What do you think, how should I handle this with her? I wish I’d never told her, but now she’s been asking me if I’ve signed up on the site.

Thanks!

-Sugar Baby

Dear Baby-

You’re missing one important, essential ingredient: R-E-A-L-I-T-Y. Think about this, you will be trading your making art for sex. Which means you’ll be selling your body, not your work.

I also get a sense of defensiveness in your self-assurance you “will make it as an artist quickly”. Andt  your sense that your friend is “jealous”. If your work was really that good or if you believed it was that good, why would you need an ‘art-for-sex’ deal? A lot of promising students have galleries and serious interest in their work before they leave school.

I suspect that you are trying to take the easy way out. And if you really want to make it as an artist, or in pretty much any successful career, that doesn’t exist. Ask yourself if you are really committed to your work. Are you motivated to make art?

Many artists start careers working in galleries, coffee shops, etc. until they can make a living off their work or otherwise. I suggest you look into the backgrounds of many well-known women artists you admire and find some good role models. And I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge that being attractive and charming is helpful in furthering ones career, but it won’t sell unworthy work to any intelligent collector.

One of the smart choices that you’ve made is in your friend. Hold on to that friend, you’re going to need her.

LOVE U!

-Dr. Lisa

Everyone’s a critic!

Last week I had a studio visit from a well-connected independent curator. I opened a bottle of wine to
relieve some of my anxiety about the studio visit and before I knew it we had finished the bottle and were making out on the couch. Things didn’t go any further that night, but now he’s talking about putting my work in a group show and wants to come back for a “follow up” visit. How do I know if he’s really interested in my work or just wants to get into my pants?

Too Easy-

Dear Easy-

Who cares? From time immemorial, people have been using their sex appeal to get what they want.

You’d probably be more confident about your work, if he had wanted to make a “follow up visit” without you spit-swapping him first.

PRESCRIPTION: No more putting out or drinking on the follow up studio visit. Save that until after your piece sells in the show.

LOVE U!!
Dr. Lisa

If you would like to have any of your questions about love, sex, art or your career, Dr. Lisa would love to hear from you. Please contact her at: lisa@gallerybeat.net

Watch out for our video of the show coming soon.