The Eye of the Beholder

My girlfriend’s grandmother has taken to painting like a duck to water. She mostly does stuff I enjoy, like “Diesel Electric Locomotive Crossing Trellis Bridge”, “Notodden Steel Works at Sunset” and other industrial motifs. Then there’s this one, which I struggle to classify:

Since it’s untitled, I’ve taken to calling it “November 12th 1970, Oregon.” The resemblance is just too striking:

I’ll consider selling if the price is right

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Not a comment on the painting, with the explanation and the video clip I kinda see it. It’s just a chance to post this link:
http://museumofbadart.org/

Also recommended: “The Painted Word” by Tom Wolfe.

Cheers,

Earl

That’s an interesting one. I spent a significant chunk of my life with a girl who moved in the high art circles of Brussels, which caused me to be most thoroughly if unwillingly schooled in the ways of conceptualized art. She used to dismiss my photography as “almost postcard quality.”

I was unaware that postmodernism’s counter-movement had a landmark work like this, but I can very much relate, as I fought tooth and nail against the idea that physical execution is trivial. In the end it’s hard to argue against the impact of Marcel Duchamp’s fountain, but that lies mostly (you could even say entirely) in its acceptance. Those grand works executed by an unpaid intern after our genius jotted the idea down on a cocktail napkin, always left a bad taste in my mouth.

Just to be clear, what we’re looking at above is an attempt at painting a bush(?) by an amateur whose free-minded use of color has since resulted in some rather enjoyable works. I’ll post a picture when I can.

@jdcavo that site gave me the giggles something fierce :rofl: I now have a reason to travel to Massachusetts.

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Ah, Brussels. Conrad’s “city that always makes me think of a whited sepulchre.” Did a lot of business with NATO and AGARD there, back in the day. Enjoyed moules a l’escargot at Restaurant Vincent and steak en papillote at a place near the Hotel de Ville whose name escapes me. Those Eurocrats lived well.

Cheers,

Earl

I liked the blowing up whale … ah, the smell of fried blubber in the morning !!

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