A Day's Composition

On my horizon is "Rapunzel in the Library/ in perpetuum Forever II," a group exhibition and performance I am leading, at Queens College Art Center (opening April 4, 2012); Phoebe coming home for the weekend tomorrow; friends visiting the city from California and Germany and a family trip overseas next week. I am concerned about being able to get everything done that I need to. I compose my day in order to keep my anxiety in check. It unfolds only to become the basis for the next day's composition.

To start I focus on researching at the 42nd St. main New York Public Library surveying Joan Simon's writing and curatorial career. I read: Calder, the Paris Years 1926-1933, Ann Hamilton An Inventory of Objects, Susan Rothenberg, Bruce Nauman, William Wegman Funny/Strange, Sheila Hicks: 50 Years and an interview with Jenny Holzer. I am looking for common themes to Simon's thinking about these artists.  While each of these artists' work is familiar, reading Simon's writing about them makes me feel like I am discovering their work for the first time. Her considered approach puts their careers solidly in a cultural context.  I also want to get a sense of the art world during the time she was Managing Editor of "Art in America" from 1974-1983 and spend several hours flipping through old issues -- this is not enough time.

I leave time at the end of the day to pop back to MIC:CHECK (The:human mic)(OCCUPY) at Richard Timperio's Sideshow Gallery in Williamsburg up through March 18, 2012.  I have two pieces in this large annual group exhibition. The installation itself is the real work of art in this show of nearly 500 artworks. "Its a painting. Through the use of strategic juxtapositions you can see each work individually," observes Timperio.  This it the 12th year of the show. With so many artworks arrayed, I wanted to see which works I gravitate to, as a way to reconnect with my own artwork, rather than make any objective assessments. Here are the works with gesture and color as the backbone of composition that caught my eye:

 Osamu Kobayashi

 Susan Heller

 Emily Berger

 Dan Christensen

 Karen Marston

 Michael Filan

 John Schofield Guilliams

 Ron Gorchov

 Craig Olsen

 Cora Cohen

 Jenny Lynn McNutt

Marianne Gagnier

Here are my pieces:

 "Tokyo," 2011, Oil and Acrylic on Panel, 14" x 11"

"Deep Six," 2011, Oil and Acrylic on Panel 14" x 11"

During my visit to Sideshow Gallery I have the opportunity to learn about Timperio's upcoming two-person show at Able Fine Art in Chelsea (March 15 - April 5, 2012, with the opening reception on March 15 from 6 - 8 pm.) He had stopped painting in 2003, but resumed last summer. His approach to painting is grounded in composing with pure color. His color selections are made in collaboration with Art Guerra, of Guerra Paint and Pigment, where limited batches of unique pigments not found in your typical art supply store are available. When I comment that Timperio's work feels musical, he told me about a collaborative performance he will be doing this summer with percussionist David Van Tieghem (known for his work with The Talking Heads and Laurie Anderson.) Timperio will make paintings in real time as Van Tiegham performs his music. Stay tuned....

 Richard Timperio in his studio

 Guerra paints

 New work by Timperio

New Work by Timperio