Tuesday, February 07, 2006


Dana Schutz Gravity Fanatic (2005)


I’m fascinated by this artist’s uniquely grotesque and surreal work. I chose to feature this particular painting because I love the way she presents an idea I’d never thought of before in a way that strikes me as both new and reminiscent. Like Sir Isaac Newton meets Jonathan Swift meets Salvador Dali meets Judy Blume. When I saw it for the first time, I nodded feverishly and smiled really big and did that high-pitched laugh I tend to do when I’m genuinely startled by something. It was a moment when I felt a connection to someone else’s ideas and a certain commiseration with my interpretation of her intentions. There are certainly more colorful and provocative pieces amongst her collections, so many good ones that I considered posting three or four, including a decapitated boy, little girls performing a surgery, a man eating his own chest, wooden teeth, blindfolded white men, a living headless dog, bourgeoisie partying, and the autopsy of Michael Jackson. If you’re interested in seeing more of her stuff you can go here.

Currently, I’m listening to a band called Dungen. They sound like an experimental rollercoaster operated by a bashful, psychedelic, melodious conductor who whistles and stomps his feet. There’s strings and pianos and guitars and drums and flutes and fiddles; one track even has a saxophone. Plus, all the lyrics are in Swedish. They are here.

ps - first blog milestone: 1,000 hits