Ok, I went to the Museum of Modern Art tonight, before going home. I’ll share what stood out to me. One thing I do want to say….I’ve been so busy with going to Art Openings and doing my Webmetrics work, that I don’t feel I paint enough, and I miss it. I hope to get some time over at Brooklyn Artists Gym later this weekend.

R.B. Kitaj painted the Ohio Gang in 1964 and it was first painting to catch my eye tonight (and I did not have my glasses - I had Lasik 6 or 7 years ago and my eyes are almost perfect 20/20, but not quite - I usually wear a very weak pair of glasses when I go to museums). BTW, you can click on these pictures to blow them up.

I have liked Katij’s work for some time - but rarely see it these days; Katij seems to be something of a painter’s painter - not all that popular, but admired.

David Hockney painted “Seated Woman Being Served Tea by Standing Companion” in 1963 and what I noted was two things (see below).

There’s a lot of push and pull with the decorative patterning in the drapery and the figures are naked. What I think David Hockney is after in this painting …honesty. Hockney is looking at a couple without anything on and the man is serving the woman. I’m not sure wha the drapery represents but the artist needed it in the painting and he takes more interest in that, perhaps, than the figures. Perhaps the man and woman are part of the drapery…it’s a simple arrangement, but effective and well painted.

James Rosenquist’s painting, Marilyn Monroe, 1 - painted in 1962, was a tribute to the Marilyn Monroe painted shortly after her death. It’s been suggested that Rosenquist used the Coca-Cola Icon in this painting to equate Marilyn Monroe with Pop Culture - an Icon of it. I’m not sure he needed to do that as she was already an icon before she died.

Actually, this painting is ok, but it’s a little too “iconic” for my own tastes - maybe too obvious - it’s like James Rosenquist is hitting me over the head…ok Marilyn Monroe has a great, sexy mouth, and yes, her eyes are as aluring as Coke-Cola is addictive (or was) and you can look up her nose (top right of painting) or see what her hand is feeling. I get it ….but for all that - it’s more of an illustration of Marilyn Monroe than a painting….in other words, the artist was trying too hard.

I’ll put some more of my visit to MOMA in my next post - stay tuned.

Just heard about a online video contest that the Museum of Modern Art is running - anyone can contribute to it.

“The Residents are seeking video for a roughly 1:30 audio clip from Episode 1 of River of Crime. The audio clip is downloadable from this site.”

“…The idea is to make a video to go with the audio clip.  Anything that allows you to do that is acceptible.  Phone cameras, web cam, HD cameras, computer drawings, whatever.  It just has to be video and you have to be able to get it to us to see without mailing your laptop.  Esoteric formats discouraged.  If we can’t make it play, it is disqualified.

If your video is selected for inclusion in our screening, we will want a copy of the highest quality version you have.  However, you should submit a 320×240 version for our advance screening.  See below for how to submit.”

“…What happens if we like it:

First, the “we” refers to MoMA curator Barbara London and The Residents.  This “we” will pick our favorites and post them on October 1st on YouTube.com to see what the public thinks.

At that point the most favored videos will be scheduled to screen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York as part of a retrospective of video work from The Residents  on October 19th.  Cryptic Corp guys, Hardy Fox and Homer Flynn will introduce the videos and explain the project.

On October 20th, MoMA will host those videos on the MoMA web site. The videos will also be hosted by Residents.com and YouTube.com.

The Residents will be watching for new talent for possible video projects for the future.

Sounds like a good project for an aspiring Online Video Artist (living in NYC would help some, but not much - but since the Video will be shown at MOMA, it’s about ArtinNewYorkCity …. dotcom.