(An Appropriate Distance)

 

FROM THE MAYOR'S DOORSTEP

 

 

Those of us lucky enough to have known Walter Darby Bannard (1934-2016) will remember that besides being a very fine painter, he was a witty and articulate writer.  The writing by him that I was initially most aware of appeared in art magazines in the '70s and '80s, when he was in the New York area and exhibiting in galleries on the Upper East Side. However, "Aphorisms for Artists: 100 Ways Toward Better Art" belongs to a later period in Bannard's life – the decades when he was in Florida, and teaching (or having taught) art at the University of Miami (toward the latter part of this period, his paintings were being rediscovered in Chelsea). Read More 

For some years now, I have been hot on the trail of an elusive group of realists (yes, realists).   This group calls itself Zeuxis, in honor of the ancient Greek painter whose art was so true to life that birds pecked at his pictures of grapes. At long last Zeuxis (the group, not the ancient Greek) is having a show at First Street (which is actually at 526 West 26th Street).  And, unlike so many of this group's shows, this one will be up long enough so that my readers can go and see it for themselves.  It is called "Composing in the Key of S" (through May 22), and I found it highly enjoyable. Read More 

 For some years now, I have been hot on the trail of an elusive group of realists (yes, realists).   This group calls itself Zeuxis, in honor of the ancient Greek painter whose art was so true to life that birds pecked at his pictures of grapes. At long last Zeuxis (the group, not the ancient Greek) is having a show at First Street (which is actually at 526 West 26th Street).  And, unlike so many of this group's shows, this one will be up long enough so that my readers can go and see it for themselves.  It is called "Composing in the Key of S" (through May 22), and I found it highly enjoyable. Read More 

I am happy to report that John Link and Darby Bannard have established a new blog called artcrit.org This is not to be confused with Newcrit, the more formal website that Link & Bannard have had posted for some time. artcrit.org is intended to function much as artblog.net, the blog created by Frankin Einspruch, used to function, in the days when comments appeared immediately on it and the result was a free-ranging conversation comparable  Read More 

Belatedly, I realize that I owe Franklin Einspruch a favor. When I wrote up his last show, at the Governor's Island Art Fair, I sent him an email about it. He responded by including me in his own description of the art fair, posted in the "journal" that he now keeps online, successor to his longtime popular "artblog.com" He included in this coverage a link to my review, but I never reciprocated! Shame on me. Here's the link, at long last. He's been kind enough to show me how to make links, too!  Read More 

Two years ago, I attempted to cover in breadth the huge Governors Island Art Fair, organized by “The 4heads;” this year, I focus exclusively on one artist, Franklin Einspruch, whose modest but charming exhibition of 9 small- to medium-sized paintings I visited yesterday, on the fair’s opening day.  Read More 

Down in the bowels of West 21st Street, Larry Gagosian, who is to Chelsea what P. T. Barnum was to circuses, has mounted what he obviously hopes will be the same kind of historical blockbuster that his big late Picasso show was last season. “Claude Monet: Late Work,” curated by Paul Hayes Tucker,  Read More