Sunday, March 18, 2012

pauses of perusal: the whitney biennial part one

Since June of 2004, the Whitney Biennial has haunted me. That month and year, I was officially taken by the art world. While I had been to a handful of museums and had produced a couple dozen art books and photo shoots for a marketing and publishing company, I never experienced an art event, like Art Basel or any of the many biennials held around the world. I went with my Parisian lover, who was visiting me. We had intense intercourse, and then in the afterglow, we attended the show. Perhaps they both worked together to plant the seed, which has now broken free from the dirt.

Unfortunately, every Whitney Biennial since then has proven to be a major disappointment. I'm not sure if that is due to my tastes being refined, or if the event is just not as great as that awe inspiring 2004 show. Regardless, 2012 is much better curated than any of the past three shows. The offerings are not all great, but there is a much better focus. I especially loved two portions. The first I'm presenting in this posting. Regardless of my opinions, see the show for yourself. It runs through May 27.

Nicole Eisenman created 45 amazing mixed-media monotypes focusing on the human condition. There is solid mixture of melancholy and humor that mirrors her various techniques of portraying these figures in their isolated psychological states, whether as individuals or in pairs.




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