Whenever in my dreams I see the dead, they always appear silent, bothered, strangely depressed, quite unlike their dear, bright selves. I am aware of them, without any astonishment, in surroundings they never visited during their earthly existence, in the house of some friend of mine they never knew. They sit apart, frowning at the floor, as if death were a dark taint, a shameful family secret. It is certainly not then - not in dreams - but when one is wide awake, at moments of robust joy and achievement, on the highest terrace of consciousness, that mortality has a chance to peer beyond its own limits, from the mast, from the past and its castle tower. And although nothing much can be seen through the mist, there is somehow the blissful feeling that one is looking in the right direction.
From Vladimir Nabokov's Speak, memory: an autobiography revisited
28.6.09
Drawings...
The only window in the studio here gives me a constant view of a rocky mountain. I see it from my work table. Just seeing it for most of the day as the light changes...the breeze comes and goes, the grass, bushes and trees gently sway and stir, gives the whole vision a strangeness, like a kind of mirage. One senses one's part of nature yet also one's irreconsiliable estrangement from it (I think of Cezanne and Bonnard too, they seem to belong to another universe now). Yet our contemporary world mingles with this nature. Among some vegetation, at the side of a path...fragments of a sunday magazine and a blue plastic bottle, a plane overhead and the sound of bulldozer not too far off. Our biology creates a consciousness which rebels against itself and the universe and which has at heart a fear and disbelief. We are aghast at the fact that we are so determined by our human nature to ceaslessly subject the world to our needs, to control and shape it, yet we are haunted too, we know somewhere inside of us that we never really touch things and get at their core. We know that this is beyond us, even though we see the most complex components of reality ever more clearly. My body sweats in the heat. I have been feeling slightly nauseous...time for a glass of water...rest for a while.
27.6.09
Pool
Just a five minute walk up a hill path there is a wonderful swimming pool. There is rarely anyone there, surrounded by olive trees, goats and the occasional swift that swoops down to catch a brief drop of water, it is a great place to cool off in the afternoon...
18.6.09
16.6.09
13.6.09
Things seen - Robyn Denny
Recently, when I was in London, my friend and fellow artist Andrew Bick took me along to an opening of a group show called Supersurface curated by Michael Stubb at Laurent Delaye Gallery at 11 Savile Row . When we walked into the gallery space I immediately noticed a terrific painting by Robyn Denny from 1959. It still looked fresh and commanding, and though one cannot appreciate at all just how good this painting is in reproduction, here it is, as a invitation to look at more work by this painter:
Place 3, 1959, oil on canvas, 213.4 x 183 cm
And another painting from 1959:
Concentration 6, 1959, oil on canvas, 244 x 198 cm
More images and information at http://www.laurentdelaye.com/
Place 3, 1959, oil on canvas, 213.4 x 183 cm
And another painting from 1959:
Concentration 6, 1959, oil on canvas, 244 x 198 cm
More images and information at http://www.laurentdelaye.com/
More settling in...
David Rhodes, an artist friend based in Berlin was doing a residency here before me (as was Sherman Sam). They both left me a box each of "goodies": artist's materials, food etc. Sherman left me a rat trap!! and David left me a paella pan which I put to very good use today; I made a rabbit paella, and it was a success.. so here is a photo I took just before I tucked in! Also, a view from my studio door, which perhaps gives an idea of how hot it is here!
Settling in...
I have a number of drawings underway now and even a couple of unfinished paintings that I brought with me (one of which I have managed to finalize). Here are some images of work in progress:
11.6.09
Andratx
Starting out on my month long residency at Centro Cultural Andratx in Mallorca. I am still getting settled into the studio (which is very nice...a long space with windows at each end). It is very hot outside which has put me off exploring the surrounding area, though some unsual insect life has already ventured into the studio! I Hope to be productive...the change of environment has come at a good time, despite work going well at home, things were going slowly. I have started on paper...drawings mostly. Here are some images of the studio...
7.6.09
Things seen - John Zurier
John Zurier, Raivola 2009 Oil on Linen 30" x 20".
See more images of his upcoming show at Paule Anglim Gallery, San Francisco.
Things seen - Mark Grotjahn
MARK GROTJAHN
Untitled (Dancing Black Butterflies) (panel 2 of 9), 2007
Color pencil on paper
9 parts, ranging from: 65-3/4 x 47-3/4 inches (166 x 122 cm) to 72 x 48 inches (182 x 122 cm)
More images at Gagosian...
5.6.09
2.6.09
Conversation...
I have just completed a conversation about my work with Chris Ashley, the Oakland, California based artist and writer - it is now online here: http://pmfitzgerald.wordpress.com/interviewed-by-chris-ashley-2009/
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