Male Bounding, Riverboat Gambling, & Tranny Paintings

August 29, 2011

Male Bounding, Riverboat Gambling, & Tranny Paintings

We all know the fate of Borders--> Bankrupt!

I know it’s been old news at this point, but it didn’t really hit me until last week. Is the Kindle to blame? Do Americans not read like they did just 10 years ago? Or did Borders not adapt the changing tide of consumerism? I think it is a combination of all three, either way I am sad about it. I love bookstores, big or small, new or used.

Whether it’s the limitless selection, super market feel of the once mighty Borders, or the local, iconic, often filled with funky odors, used bookstore like Beers Books, I just dig bookstores.

If you don’t enjoy reading with a good cup of coffee (or whatever you like) or you have never lost valuable sleep because you just HAD TO KNOW how the book ended, then you’re a soulless robot!

You should stop reading this and go watch Keep Up With Kardashians or Basketball Wives, because none of those bitches read and I’m sure you can identify with the characters on that show.

No wait, I’m sorry. Please don’t go! I didn’t mean to say that, I’m under a lot of stress and sometimes I lash out. You know I love you. See that’s better…and by the way I didn’t mean all those things I said about your mother. I’m sure she’s a saint and I look forward to meeting her once she's released from prison.*

Borders held a special place in my heart because of my Father. Once a month my mother has dinner with a few of her girlfriends, so when they have ladies night, my father and I have our own, mini guys night out. I speak with my father often, I see him at least once a week, we have a great relationship, but our monthly Borders evenings were special.

Just father and son talking about art, politics, women, how to make beef jerky, and river boat gambling.

Ok the last two items I stole from Step Brothers.

This never gets old btw:

The point is, my father and his father never really had these type of bonding moments. Thankfully my father made sure that didn’t happen between us and for that I am grateful. There are other book stores obviously, and we have a backup, but still it won’t be the same without you Borders.

Sad Face Yes, But 70% Off Rocks!

On the upside, the going out of business sale, allowed me to get something I have been longing for, the Jenny Saville book! It was sandwiched between all those stupid “How To Draw Vampires”** books, and it took some digging, but I found it! Art critic/philosopher/writer Donald Kuspit coined the phrase “New Old Masters” in his 2004 book “The End of Art” and placed Saville in that category among icons like Lucian Freud and Odd Nerdrum.

It’s hard to ignore large work and it’s even harder to ignore when it’s a painting of a tranny!

Beautiful Technique + Large Scale + Art That Might Makes You Slightly Uncomfortable= Fucking Rad!

Imagine DeKooning and John Singer Sargent had a baby, and that child tapped into the side of humanity that deals with our disgusting, visceral, aggresive nature. Redemption is not likely, and even if it were, we would probably squander the opportunity.

And yet when you see a painting like the one on the left, entitled Passage (10ft x 12ft in size btw) , you are forced to reflect on your own mortality and realize that there might be hope for us. It's a small glitter of hope the size a skittle, but still it's something.

In the coming year I plan on tapping into my more aggressive side and while I don’t plan on copying Saville per se, I do plan on letting go, not giving a fuck, and not caring about the outcome, positive or negative.

I have torn this book apart and in doing so; have found my new favorite artist quote...

“Painting is what it is. When it’s really good, it makes your eyes widen, your breath deeper. You know you’re standing in front of something incredibly important about your existence but you don’t know why.”