Blackpaint 142

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Artists and cannibalism

Diego Rivera claims in his autobiography that in 1904, he and companions lived off corpses that they bought from a local mortuary and ate.  This claim is uncorroborated; I got it from Mary Roach’s’s book “Stiff” (Penguin 2004).  More gratuitous sensationalism as soon as I come across it.

Some more abstract (or near abstract – or just a bit abstract, but good) art to look at

These are all to be seen in the Taschen “Art of the 20th Century”, I recommend you buy it and no, I don’t have shares in Taschen.

• Nicolas de Stael, Portrait of Anne, 1953
• Jonathan Borofsky, Canoe Painting, 1978
• Jules Olitsky, Strip Heresy, 1964
• Larry Rivers, Africa 1, 1962/3
• Hans Hoffmann, the Ocean, 1957

In addition, there are “Untitled”s by Walter Stohrer, Albert Oehlen and Per Kirkeby that are all excellent, the last resembling a flame bursting in midnight blue.  There is easily enough in this book to send you straight to the canvas ready to chuck the pigment on – and then to give up in despair, several hours later, wondering how they make such beautiful pictures.

Now I’m thoroughly depressed, so signing off for the night, and resorting to the bottle.

Blackpaint

26.05.10

Tags: Albert Oehlen, Diego Rivera, Hans Hoffman, Jonathan Borofsky, Jules Olitsky, Larry Rivers, Nicolas de Stael, Per Kirkeby, Walter Stohrer