I read that review, but didn't get to see the show, despite having followed Currin's career since practically day 1.
Saltz seemed to have loved the paintings, but was scared shitless to say so. What an indictment of his world.
Back in 1993 or 1994 I told Andrea Rosen that I thought Currin was dealing with the declining prestige of manhood and masculinity. She seemed surprised....but not sure why.
Really good review. Jerry's convolutions are honest and I suspect Currin would say are some of the many responses he hopes viewers have to sort through. Jerry's review reads as a strong validation regardless of his intention or discomfort. It might be personal, it might be political; we have PC coming from every angle, which is one good reason for having smart, honest criticism. Damn the torpedos. Thank you!
Def appreciate this take. My initial impression of John Currin's paintings was just another sensational artwork that Jerry shares on his Insta along with his rotation of dicks n butts in art and I never desired to look at the work beyond that even though figurative painting is my jam. Wish I could have seen that show in Dallas!!
The installation was banal, and frankly, beneath an artist of his stature. But, So what! Many of his best were there....(not Thanksgiving from the Tate, I believe, and various others)...but wonderful none the less.
No major museum will touch his work. And most curators would rather die than be associated with it as it could be a career extinction event.
Jerry recently tweeted that not seeing enough art was akin to the end of Schindler's List where Schindler asks how many more jews he could have saved. There's something that happens to people (boomers in particular) when they're too online, they start losing it.
I read that review, but didn't get to see the show, despite having followed Currin's career since practically day 1.
Saltz seemed to have loved the paintings, but was scared shitless to say so. What an indictment of his world.
Back in 1993 or 1994 I told Andrea Rosen that I thought Currin was dealing with the declining prestige of manhood and masculinity. She seemed surprised....but not sure why.
BTW, this is the best writing I have read about Currin in years and years and decades.
Really good review. Jerry's convolutions are honest and I suspect Currin would say are some of the many responses he hopes viewers have to sort through. Jerry's review reads as a strong validation regardless of his intention or discomfort. It might be personal, it might be political; we have PC coming from every angle, which is one good reason for having smart, honest criticism. Damn the torpedos. Thank you!
Def appreciate this take. My initial impression of John Currin's paintings was just another sensational artwork that Jerry shares on his Insta along with his rotation of dicks n butts in art and I never desired to look at the work beyond that even though figurative painting is my jam. Wish I could have seen that show in Dallas!!
The installation was banal, and frankly, beneath an artist of his stature. But, So what! Many of his best were there....(not Thanksgiving from the Tate, I believe, and various others)...but wonderful none the less.
No major museum will touch his work. And most curators would rather die than be associated with it as it could be a career extinction event.
Jerry recently tweeted that not seeing enough art was akin to the end of Schindler's List where Schindler asks how many more jews he could have saved. There's something that happens to people (boomers in particular) when they're too online, they start losing it.
En France, chez les mandarins de l'art, il n'y a plus d'obsessions ironiques.
Lance Esplund's review in Harper's May 2004 makes the case that Currin is in fact quite poor at his craft, his works clumsy, forced. https://lanceesplund.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/john-currin-harpers-magazine.pdf.
I think Jerry Saltz hates Steely Dan. That’s all I know about him.
Dave: that is one hell of an indictment if true
Yeah something I saw a year or two ago. He said only men like em.
Kudos to both of you for writing about Currin.