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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Thursday at the American Folk Art Museum

Since I am not doing anything particularly interesting with my work - I can tell you about a show I saw last Thursday after my acupuncture in the city at the American Folk Art Museum in NYC. I was on my way to MOMA because I thought I had allready seen the new "temporary" exhibit at the Folk Art Museum and then I saw the sign and got very excited! "Dargerism: Contemporary Artists and Henry Darger". Sometimes when I discuss Henry Dargers work with others (not something I do very often) they get very caught up in who he was as a person (like we even know, right?) The guestbook at the Museum was filled with statements about the show being about Pedeophiles, Sex Addicts, Freaks of Nature...mostly NOT, but nonetheless they were there in the pages...but I am fascinated by who he was and the resulting work. I never really consider how much work someone creates either, but in this case I am just blown away at the amount of work he produced in his lifetime - I think about the 16 hour days I worked for 2 months getting ready for Bead and Button (Now lovingly called Bead & Burnout) and am only able to do so knowing that I could stop as soon as the show was over.. He must have worked day in and day out never, ever stopping to produce the thousands and thousands of pages of text & drawings.. If some of the accusations about things he had done as a young man are actually true I do not believe it would influence how I see his work now.... maybe prior to forming a relationshiop/opinion - but now since I have allready committed myself to this fascination -- learning the real truth -- might not affect me in the same way. We will probably never know OR maybe somewhere in the thousands of pages of his writings he confesses some sort of truth but still I concentrate on the work he produced and am really looking forward to someday being able to read copies of his writings.

The show itself included other artists and I am particularly drawn to Amy Cutlers work. It was really beautiful and I belive to most in the Darger style without the use of any "Dargeresque methods" She uses Goauche and Casein as her medium in most pieces in the show. Her pieces are very luminous, especially those done with Casein - it is a beautiful medium.

If you live in the city or are planning a visit check it out before it goes away.....
Accupuncture resumes next Tuesday - I am going to spend the afternoon at MOMA.

Lisa

PS.. I am filling my etsy shop little by little. Today I am putting on BIG Buttons and Round Beads.. Check them out! LISA PETERS ART on etsy

4 comments:

Joan Tucker said...

Lisa, Wow. I just googled Darger
and am enlightened. Thanks for very stimulating insight. I am so intrigued by this life story.
You are so amazing to keep seeking out, exploring, learning, growing your artist mind.Hope you can get back to clay after Bead and Burnout. lol. Joan Tucker

Anonymous said...

Thanks Joan!
I have a book on him that just barely touches the surface, its a brief description, chronologically, of his life..and then the rest - photo's of his work but I am so eager to read the text -- or maybe not -- it might be a little difficult to understand since its all fantasy..I even get confused sometimes reading the title of his works.. Thanks for checking up -- cant wait to see you guys!
Lisa

Joan Tucker said...

Lisa, I fractured my patella on my knee which has the total knee replacement; will know more tomorrow about travel restrictions; I might end up in very large cast- ugh.
I am determined to see you guys in NY and have to ses son and family due to their going to Dem Convention. It is so frustrating when your body gets in the way of your plans. Joan T

Anonymous said...

My husband and I watched the Henry Darger documentary "In the Realms of the Unreal" about a year ago. At the time I had no idea who he was.

What an incredible artist he was! The volume of work that he created is mind boggling.

I wish I could see the exhibit.

Love your work by the way!
Patricia