Thursday, June 30, 2016

“Discovering Excellence!” An enigma for life.

Post-War II Abstract Expressionist Artists in New York City marked the beginning of New York City’s influence as the center of the western art world. 

The world of the Abstract Expressionist artists was firmly rooted in Lower Manhattan.

A walk along 8th Street would take you from the Waldorf Cafeteria, where penniless artists made “tomato soup” from the free hot water and ketchup;

past the Hans Hofmann School of Fine artists founded by the painter of the same name; 

 to

The Club, a loft where lectures and heated arguments 
about art carried on late into the night.Jackson Pollock’s studio was on East 8th Street,
Willem 
de Kooning’s Philip Guston’s, Albert Kotin's and most other pioneer New York School artists' studios were on East 10th.

Most nights the "down town artists" could be found at the Cedar Street Tavern on University Place. 

Half a century latter I am still inspired by the universality of artistic impulse.

Albert Kotin, Predators, 1951. Oil and enamel on canvas, 36 x  28 inches.
Exhibited in the famous "9th St." Exhibition, 1951.
Nicolas Carone, Untitled, 1957. Oil on canvas, 60 x 74 inches.
Alfonso Ossorio, SPLIT, 1961. Plastic and various materials on composition board, 37 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches
Leon Golub, The Orator IV, 1962. Oil on canvas, 37 x 30 3/4 inches


Albert Kotin, Testigos 1968, Quadriptych. Oil on canvas, 104 x 63 inches
Jules Olitski, Divine Hostage, 1973 Acrylic on canvas, 65 x 48 inches
Conrad Marca-Relli, Untitled, 1973. Collage and newspaper on canvas, 20 ½ x 27 ½ inches

Perle Fine, Blue-Chips Blue #1, c.1974. Acrylic polymer emulsion wood collage on masonite, 48 7/8 x 48 7/8 inches

Michael Loew, Counterpoint in Reds and Blues, 1982. Acrylic and watercolor on linen, 66 x 72 inches

               Robert Nathans, The Distractive Character, 1986. Oil on wood and                tree stumps, 36 x 14 inches
Stanley William Hayter, Untitled, 1986. Acrylic on canvas, 63.75 x 51.13 inches
Jeff Koons Reindeer paddle.  Deutsche Guggenheim  USA, 2000,  printed and painted plywood, enameled aluminum, string  11 w x 2.25 d x 15 h inches.  This work is from the edition of 900. Signed with impressed marks to reverse

Anki King, Broken Mannequin, 2002. Oil on canvas, 39 x 36 inches  
Damien Hirst, For the Love of God, 2009; Screenprint in colors with diamond dust (framed); Signed and numbered 302/1000; 12 3/4" x 9 inches 
Artist Engels, When God Meets God, 2011. Oil on Canvas and Poster Board with Paper, Frame, Wood, Staples, Wire, Nail, Screws,and Bamboo

Anki King, Fall, 2012. Oil on canvas, 53 x 74 inches

The desire to discover excellence results in a perpetual agony that occasionally is compensated with ecstasy.