PS. 1 Greater New York

My butler, Arthur, and I went to view the show yesterday with some friends. For all the hype, disappointment, and energy I spent thinking about this show (my exclusion from it mostly and the exclusion of many good artists I know) it was somewhat anti-climatic. I soon realized that no one’s career is made or broken here. The show is what I refer to as a mixed grill, some chicken, some pork, some nice, tender veggies, and some burned up charcoal bits and grease splatters. Luckily there were beers and pickles here and there.

What struck me most was the H&M factor. It could be just me but the show was way too homogenous for so many artists. How is it that most of the work seemed to spring from a crafty/clever, not too earnest, snappy, but aloof mindset? There seemed to be a taste barometer, a hipness factor calculation that was sniffable. It’s not really the fault of individual artists but the accumulated style of what I saw repeated. Example: How many labor-intensive doodly drawings are really necessary? And a lot of the work seems to trade on the redemption of the hippy-craft psychedelic thing and the combo of the Good/bad taste and nostalgia factor. It’s potentially interesting territory to mine but often I felt the work stopped short. It makes its stylistic point, its inventive point (often through wackiness of imagery or juxtaposition), but I wasn’t able to connect with individual works in a personal way. Part of this is the group show vibe. There isn’t enough space to adequately get into one frame of mind before you are distracted by the next and it all sort of turns into an exercise in trade-marking. The size of the show was exhausting – it could be partially my fault that in an effort to even just deal with the amount of visual information one is required to take in I had to resort to visual “sound biting.” But it was easy to categorize with much of the work, it just was. And I was familiar with the work of maybe half of the artists in the show so in an effort to just deal I may have not given some work enough attention.

What is going on with painting in this show? I could really take a break from the wacky factor – and the reliance on the literal narrative or symbolism say of much of the work in the show. What I mean here is that the content and enjoyment of the paintings has a lot to do with their pictorial elements and the story they tell - - not in direct proportion to formal inventiveness or material, or mark- making or even eloquence of composition say. There was some laziness going on with this I think. Honestly, not much was beautiful. Painting wise, Gina Magid’s painting (while it needed to be given some more lighting) was a comfort to see. Let's give it up for Green. I enjoyed the Daniel Hesidence paintings next door also. Truly odd - unique and beautiful. I do not get the K. Baker paintings. They seem muddled and unconvincing although the technique and the color was ok maybe. And Arthur’s telling comment about the D. Schutz Ensor painting was “Why is it so big?” I enjoyed the clumsy computer paintings next the to Schutz paintings though. (the only one in my party to enjoy though)

I sense a long post coming on with this so I will try to whip this up.

Please take away the glass/feather piles. NO. Please take away the R. Johnson “brainstorm” piece. WTF? The P. Washburn piece in the basement – huh? I have a sense of humor too but come ON! You’re a good artist and that was sad. The aliens in the box thing - anyone? Anyone? I was amused to see that 2 holdouts from many thesis shows around the country made an appearance here – the handlebar/metal bar sculpture and tinfoil art. Yes! Thanks for making it. I loved that there were 2, yes 2 yeti pieces, and yeti references in some set of drawings – I swear. A lot of trees, owls, birds. (rash is forming, very sad for the FB. Caused major distress.) I must admit I loved both of the yeti installations though. Apparently I cannot get enough yeti. I know, I know, it is soo obvious, that Peter Caine room, but at least it was generous. Can someone put that B. Violette drumset away? I’m sorry. I could complain more or praise more and I don’t really see the point. So I will shout out to the doodly kitten drawings (sorry can’t remember name of artist), the Jason Fox sculpture, Min Kim, Mika Rottenberg video and the big litebrite-style owls in the tree video – oh and the ostrich video (a must!!)!! And leave it at that.