Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Whitney and couch art rebellion


Piotr Uklanski- The Year we made contact -2010
Ever meet a painting that makes your knees weak? If so, prepare to stumble into the Whitney.
After the slightly traumatic experience of yogurt lids and a beached whale of a museum I felt a little bit teased, used and disappointed (by the museum and my date ironically). Luckily I was in New York city and instead of chocolate I had really good... mind boggling...wait for it....ART!
I remember telling my MOMA buddy that I was expecting something else, to which he replies "this is modern art, I don't know why you expected anything different". When I make it to the Whitney somehow I can describe exactly what I was looking for. I'm looking for the rich variations in Rauschenberg and the ethereal staining of Rothko next to that most perfect line of Newman as soon as I open the elevator to the top floor (the Whitney was mostly closed because the biennial wasn't up yet the first time i graced the doors) there they are. That was quite an experience. Walking around made my pulse quicken and I didn't know whether I wanted to sit and stare at one painting forever or meander into every corner so I don't miss a single surprise! Like any good first date the Whitney teased me with so little open but made me desperate and anxious to meet with them yet again.
Oh and I was rewarded. The name even sends chills down my spine. This piece makes me want to throw everything out of my living room and create a shrine for it. This is art that is so good even if you COULD fit your sofa and that painting in it you would throw out the sofa before you ever thought about touching this piece. This is one of the pieces that makes you want to wander in with your sketchbook, get lost in it for hours on end and walk out in a dreary haze from trying to memorize every single passage in this piece. Not only is it tactile, but sensual, the hemp hangs like dripping paint. All at once it is organic, romantic and rich with vivid passages and lavish detail. The Year We Made Contact longs me to ask the Whitney if they accept MasterCard, Amex or would consider letting me taking out a private loan so I could have this piece all to myself.

While I decided to talk about my favorite piece at the Whitney, I urge you to pick your own because unlike the dating scene, this place keeps you A) coming back for more B) There are definitely a lot of sexy pieces, with the honesty, integrity and passion that will not leave you disappointed.
In other news today I hit up Blick Spin The Wheel Wednesdays. There's just something about spinning a wheel and getting something art related as a prize that makes it totally worth heading down there. Also I am hitting up Open Studios in Cambridge on Sunday to see my professor and favorite crazy Jamaican Man/ artistic guru Kofi Kayiga's work. His work is fantabulous! I'll talk about that next week!

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