Last Saturday, I also got to briefly look at Odd Nerdrum’s current show at Forum Gallery on 57th Street.

 In Limbo - Odd Nerdrum - 76″ x 110″ care of Forum Gallery

Odd Nerdrum’s work reminds me of Rubens, but it’s different too.  I can relate to the feeling of “Limbo”; it’s a common experience to be “in between” two states, where there’s something unresolved.   In my life I had many unresolved, limbo like, feelings and states, especially over the last year or so, and, to me, that’s what Odd is painting - for me.

I was curious about the lighting in the Forum Gallery; is was low light with spotlights on the paintings which added to the effect - but I also wanted to see what the paintings look like in normal light.

I don’t know about you, but the feeling I get from Odd Nerdrum’s paintings, overall, is sadness and introspection.  Maybe it’s his Nordic heritage - I don’t know, just making a guess. Nothing wrong with that - because I “feel” his paintings - part of that is my own empathic ability - but most of it is Odd Nerdrum is a great painter. 

Still, I wonder about the sadness in his paintings - is Nerdrum a happy person?   I’m not a happy person (except when I’m happy) but when I paint, you don’t get “sadness” out of my work.  Van Gogh was a sad person, but most of his paintings don’t convey “sadness”.   So why are Odd Nerdrum’s paintings “sad”?  Maybe that’s why Odd’s work is great - he leaves me with a question, the question of why?  Why are these figures floating in dark “ether”?

I went over to the Forum Gallery with Marsha Wooley before seeing Janet Fish at the DC MOORE Gallery; normally I don’t go out of my way to see shows on 57th Street - I found the art atmosphere uptown too stuffy for me.  When I see a show on 57th Street or above, it’s usually about “the money” - the artists are established (and I’m not counting  Museums, which I love to go to).

I met with Marsha Wooley yesterday to discuss art and the Paris Trip she leads on a yearly basis; I don’t have the one for 2007 yet and there’s much time to make a trip like that come together with time, money, family or all three.   

I ended up following Marsha uptown to see the opening of Janet Fish at the DC MOORE Gallery - which was crowded and attended by a couple of other well known artists including Alex Katz (who I did not speak to), and I decided not to talk with Janet Fish but I could have.  Most of my questions were covered in the press release which is also on Artnet.  If Janet Fish were someone I’d really wanted to talk to….I would have, yet despite knowing of her for 20 years (since my summer in Vermont during 1987) I did not feel a need to connect.

I found Janet Fish’s work even in quality and, more or less, predictable - still overall, pretty good (but not cutting edge).   I guess Janet Fish can get attention without being shocking and annoying (which is so common today in both painting and online media).  People are so saturated with media messages - to just be yourself - to just paint, and make attractive paintings, takes a certain about of courage.  Because selling out today, might be to attempt to be “cutting edge” and not being “yourself”.    So, whatever you think of Janet Fish, she stays within her range.  

However, risk taking, I think, is what makes Art and Artists really interesting.  If you don’t take some risks in your work, it’s easy to knock out work, and she had a lot of work at the opening, and I’m told, most of the show was sold out (I did not look at the price list, I’m sure Janet Fish’s paintings are expensive).

You can see a collection of what was in the show here but I took some photos too - and here’s what I liked.

This red vase was part of a painting I liked - the red symbolized something, and I could feel it.  Is the red vase symbolic of something in the artist’s life that’s broken or is it just a vase she toppled so it would make more of an “effect” which the broken glass?  I guess we’ll never know because I did not ask her. 

But I’d like to think these arrangements work because they are also symbolic of something broken in the Artist’s life and she’s conveying that with the “red” vase - and the red carries because it’s fused with her feelings.  And it’s not the red vase that’s broken, it’s the blue glass jar .. and who knows that that means?   Oh well, I can go on and on at this level, but as along as a painting poses a question - it’s interesting,

I think all of Janet Fish’s work has color - color tone - each painting has it’s own range - in some it’s reddish, and in other lilac while others could be Naples yellow.

So, while her work is predictable - there’ passion in it = and it’s probably among the best that you’ll see on 57th Street. 

I could say more, but I’ll stop here - best to stop while your ahead. Right?

I still did not get fully down what the next step for the Paris trip - but I hope I got the ball rolling - would have liked to have a brochure but ended bumping into Marsha Wooley as she was leaving her gallery here, and she left the brochures at the gallery.  Maybe I got enough information as it was.

One thing that is driving me to attend TRIPNOTICA on Sunday night at the Delancy is the Art For Progress group that’s participating.   I guess I’ll attend if but to make contact with Art For Progress (and maybe the rest of the music, club atmosphere, people, drinks, etc).

Now, you can view artforprogress.org and see what benefits you get for the 150.00 per year, USD, membership fee.  Here’s what AFP has to say about itself - it’s a long rant but worth reading:

“….Life as an artist isn’t easy. We’re comfortable with our talent and abilities as artists. We enjoy creating, communicating, and socializing through our art. But we all struggle with the everyday business challenges that are also a part of our world. One of the biggest of those challenges is learning how to market ourselves.

Sooner or later, every artist realizes that talent isn’t a guarantee for success. Whether a painter, photographer, musician, fashion designer, filmmaker or DJ, we all confront the same obstacles in the marketplace: we’re competing with a huge pool of unbelievable talent, and we’re all trying to get exposure and respect for our work.

Art For Progress is for serious artists who are ready to take a step forward and become part of a dynamic arts community. A community that offers many opportunities for exposure and links to the wider art world. A community that is creating a comprehensive, diverse arts program. A community that provides valuable resources to enable you to set and reach your goals – whatever those goals may be.

Although AFP launched it’s opening about two years ago, we already have more than a few success stories. Photographer Gabe Kirchheimer—whose groundbreaking Burning Man festival pictures were exhibited at AFP’s holiday 2004 fundraiser—was featured in the New York Times’ Arts & Leisure section preview of the event. Subsequently, the National Arts Club hosted his solo show in March 2005, and the Leipzig Museum of Contemporary art will include his work in a winter 2006 exhibition. At the other end of the arts spectrum, the work of innovative fashion designers Allyson Jacobs and Ashaka Givens—whose spring 2006 clothing lines debuted at AFP’s “The Art of Design” September 2005 event—was highlighted in two Women’s Wear Daily photo spreads following the show. And most recently, painter Juan Manuel Pajares has experienced a great deal of success back at home in Spain where thru his exposure and relationship with Art For Progress he has sold over fifty paintings in the last 6 months.

If you decide to become a part of the AFP community, as our presence grows you will grow with us. We are making a difference for artists not only by introducing their work, but also by conveying to the public the things that artists stand for and are passionate about. Things like inspiration, hope, and the realization of a dream. “

Yes, I do want to speak to AFP and I suggest all artists, particularly in New York, look them up as it sounds like they’re trying to address a lot of different issues that artists have in one package, with the marketing, grants, studio space, shows, health insurance - it sounds like a noble undertaking - one worth supporting.

Strictly speaking, most of the things AFP offers you can go out and get on your own but I’m suspecting, the real thing AFP offers in Community and that’s a big deal if your really into being part of an online artists’ community.  

I’ll have more to say about Art For Progress once I’ve spoken to them.