Until I get better footing with this whole blog thing I'd like to start things off with a passage from Max Beckmann's essay entitled "On My Painting" written in 1938. Beckmann's words have been influential in how I see and work with paint. Here you go:
"My way of expressing my Ego is by painting; there are, of course, other means to this end such as literature, philosophy or music; but as a painter, cursed or blessed with a terrible and vital sensuousness, I must look for wisdom with my eyes. I repeat, with my eyes, for nothing could be more ridiculous or irrelevant than a 'philosophical conception' painting purley intellectually without the terrible fury of the senses grasping each visible form of beauty and ugliness. If from those forms which I have found in the visible, literary subjects result - such as portraits, landscapes or recognizable compositions - they have all originated from the senses, in this case from the eyes, and each intellectual subject has been transformed again into form, color and space."
Max Beckmann, "On My Painting," 1938
Nice.........The Minneapolis Art Institute (which is connected to the college of art and design) has the greatest of Beckman's ten tryptychs - Blind Man's Buff,,,,,,as a student, it was a painting i went to almost daily- great that you saved this opening salvo for here rather than casting it before............ in other places-
Yeah, I need to get to Minneapolis for the Institute and the Walker. I really admire Beckmann's use of the narrative. Be it a single figure or group, each had their own story to tell. --Also, his self portraits over many a years are as informative as a written journal--
Beckman was the northern european answer to Picasso -and in ways, a more dynamic painter -I like all the black outline -are you aware of his early sinking of the Titanic painting? -I saw it once -not a very good work -but interesting when considered in the context of his career as a painter -the self portraits, the champagne glass......yes they are good -I do think the triptychs are his greatest works -Departure at MOMA is quite good -but the one in Mpls is better -and, was Beckman's favorite.
Yes, the Titanic painting is quite large but compared to his mature work I agree with you...this painting falls short -- The National Gallery in DC has the triptych "The Argonauts" -- wonderful...
Speaking of narrative - are you familiar with/a fan of Romare Bearden?
I'm familiar with Bearden, but I guess not enough -- I'll give him a second look. I do remember a collage-y sort of style??
exactly, and highly narrative.