I suppose it makes sense that the pederast popster should identify with Hartley; what do the down-easterners make of MH's orientation? Hartley reminds me a bit of Robert Morris in recent times, trying on every trendy idea in town, and talking a better picture than he paints. Here and there are some worthwhile works, but the oeuvre remains problematic. The landscapes always look too sub-Cézanne for my taste. Early Modernism abounds in willful crudity and anti-virtuosity, but Hartley never transcends it the way the great Europeans like Picasso and Matisse did. Interestingly, his friend Demuth produced uniquely elegant and refined works out of the same second-hand Cubo-futurism. Did I mention how much I like Demuth? (For that matter, I like Robert Morris better than Hartley, and Indiana too, punk pumping aside.)
There is a fire station on the south side of east 14th st w/ a print of gold no. 5 hanging in plain sight for all passers by. I think because it is station house number five or does the five in the painting refer to engine, engine no. 5 ?
|
- alex 9-06-2001 11:07 pm
There is a fire station on the south side of east 14th st w/ a print of gold no. 5 hanging in plain sight for all passers by. I think because it is station house number five or does the five in the painting refer to engine, engine no. 5 ?
- bill 9-07-2001 5:05 am [add a comment]