A review brimming with enthusiasm – and florid language – about a “spectacular” show. “Twombly has been able to make an art that rises to the level of epic poetry … deploying the multicolored fireballs, ship prows and oarsmen, smears that look like waterfalls, and giant floating clots. [A] tour de force”.
Sculptures of the human body try to replicate a real human presence. Traditionally, they have been white and flawless. An “exceptionally provoking” show attempts to broaden the canvas, so to speak, to make sculpture more inclusionary. “Excellent … a morgue, a menagerie, and (perhaps?) a mea culpa on behalf of historically-flawed museums everywhere”.
A critic once described Scully’s stripe paintings as having “grandeur”. In interview he does come across as focused on grand themes. Past inspiration – “discord, the way people and ideas compete for survival.” Present inspiration – “to rescue abstraction from remoteness” The art world – “[it] has changed dramatically … Paris, London, and New York no longer call the shots as they did”.
Tōhaku was one of the great artists of late 16th century Japan. But where did he come from? A painting in New York may answer this question. He was probably a rural painter who moved to Kyoto and, at some point, changed his name. Impressive if true – Kyoto was known for its bold techniques while Tōhaku’s later works are nearly minimalist. More images are here and a video here.