I love comic books, however when they get into a gallery somehow the love starts to fade.

Comic books were the reason I started to draw and then paint in the first place so it's not like I have some kind of dislike about comics going on here - far from it - I still buy comics. I'm not talking about Magna, I'm talking about old school Marvel and DC comics - although to be sure it's mostly independents as opposed to the big two. Which brings me to Robert Crumb (and really the spirit of all the San Francisco based alt-comics of the sixties/early seventies) and his show at the ICA. Which was just a bore.

I think the problem stems from how do you really give someone the experience of reading comics in a gallery/museum setting. The ICA has done all the things that people try to do - present whole stories on the wall like the pages just go on and on, as well as putting open books in glass covered tables so people can read through them. Both of these things work with seeing the art and reading it like some kind of wall text at the beginning of a show the trouble here is that comics are just not that medium. Comics are an intimate and mentally explosive experience that is about closing off the world around you than just reading it and showing the pretty pictures in a open room. It is probably that intimacy and immersiveness that I miss the most.

The show is well done, and hits all the high points that a non-comics fan would want to see - Mr. Natural, the "keep on trucking guy", Fritz the Cat (with no mention of that horrible Ralph Bakshi film), The Snoid, The Devil Girl, and even an American Splendor or two (his period of illustration for Harvey Pekars' stories based out of Cleveland) even his foot and leg fetish are well documented and everything is shown in a respectful and positive way. Things for the fans are thrown in as well - giant wood cut-outs of important characters (see above) - a more than life size sculpture of Aline (his wife). His recent images of old-time musicians are here too. You really do have all the ingredients to see the key elements and central motif in Crumbs work, himself.

What a self we get to see, both anti-hero and super-hero. Crumb was always able to walk both sides of that line with his boldly creative personal stories of triumph and tragedy to his sexual adventures and misadventures. Always the man in an ill fitting suit with out of step tastes and at the same time a pop icon. I've always thought that Crumb's askew narcissism was his greatest asset in showing his world view to his readers - any somewhat awake viewer will see that, and be the better, or worse for it.

There are things that really work in the white cube - but somehow comics are not quite there. They should be, but we as artists and viewers (and curators) need to figure that out for the future. I'm looking forward to one day seeing Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Jim Steranko, Don Martin, Harvey Kurtzman, The Hernandez Brothers, Art Spiegleman, Charles Burns and many others sitting in a room with Fat Fredie's Cat while in the same room we see minimalist, conceptual, and earth based art made during the same time period.

R Crumb's Underground runs through December 7, 2008

Labels: Comics, Philadelphia

Matthew Collings in Modern Painters
Have I ever mentioned how much I love his column in Modern Painters each month? I'm sure he is one pain in the ass to deal with as far as not pissing off your advertisers and being an all around crusty old guy. Thank god I don't have to deal with that because, I love his column. One of Matthew Collings and Emma Biggs' paintings is above.

Following up on: Laika
As you might remember a number of months back I mentioned that First Second was going to be publishing a graphic novel about Laika the cosmonaut. It has clearly missed it's publishing schedule. The author, Nick Abadizis is one of the rising stars in of graphic novels, however, the project seemed to have a good bit of energy behind it at one point - even though the publishing date has been pushed to the fall of this year.

Corcoran curatorial staff makes a wise decision
Mr. Gopnik from the Post this weekend ran a brief article about why and who the Corcoran borrowed artworks to fill the gaps of the Modernism exhibit. It is a pretty well known fact that most traveling shows are not the same from location to location - shows even tend to read differently when hung in different venues (a great example is the DC and NY versions of the DADA show this year). All I can say is this was the right thing and smart thing to do. Reaching out to seven local organizations for 19 or 20 pieces can give a show more texture and depth. Even better it gives the viewer a better experience. Let's hope we see more cross-town loans like this in the future.

The Corcoran has big hopes for this show and is trying it's best to get people back into the gallery. At least this show doesn't have an image of a frog playing the banjo.

Labels: Comics, Fontana Mix, Magazines, Museums

Archie Comics has decided to "update" the look of Betty and Veronica. While I'm sure this is viewed as a great idea, in execution it is quite a poor one. Dan DeCarlo's drawings have been the source for these american icons for years - well since the mid sixties. I feel DeCarlo's drawings have always set the standard and basis of style for a number of comics - from the Hernandez brothers (Love and Rockets) to the newish Disney stuff. Increasingly the older drawing style works in both a "High" and "Low" style, this might be due to its more iconic approach - less like a young persons take on what they might look like. I guess its like seeing a movie made of a book or comic you have known forever. And hating it.

Anyway. this is not the usual artblog stuff, but I thought it was worth noting. By the way, the new issue is on the left.

Labels: Bad Review, Comics, general notice, thoughts

There is such a buzz of excitement around all of Miami - as I was driving down Collins Ave from the airport, I saw at least three other art fairs loading in so there is a good bit of action and expectation in the city right now. Today was just a really busy day - not exactly a day for viewing much, but I did see a great Botero. I don't remember who has it - or for that matter who bought it already - but all I could say was wow. It just stopped me in my tracks It's a painting of a nun who is just exploding with internal conflict with these two little parsed lips desperately holding it all in. Just a fantastic painting.

I spent most of my time just trying not to bump into people - and I realize ABMB really opens tomorrow - so I expect it's going to be really pretty crowded this year.

On the social end of things we had a free concert from Peaches on the beach - she seems a bit past her prime - she would have been great three or four years ago -she's playing at the opening of Art Positions (these are the containers at the beach) but at least the organizers are trying to keep that area young (and she is german) so I can see how the choice was made. Plus she orbits the whole art thing a bit anyway.

Friday night Dennis Hopper is introducing a screening of "Easy Rider" which although Hopper has a art connection, it is still a pretty cool thing

But the big news was my meeting Russell Simmons - granted I only meet him for like 10 seconds but we are talking about Russel Simmons here - totally cool. I'm not even that big a hip hop fan. By the way, RS is one of the founders of DEF JAM records and the PHAT Farm clothing line. He was at a party being thrown in honor of Kehinde Wiley.

I discovered a really great magazine called "Parabol". Each issue is curated like a show, but the really cool thing is the size - folded out its 33 inches tall by 23 inches wide opened its 33 by 46 inches. When its open its like the width of a double bed - the typography just screams off the page and there is no better way to look at art when its reproduced at such a great size. Many of you know I've been looking for issues of a magazine from the eighties called "The Manipulator" it has the same qualities as "Parabol".

That is kind of it for ABMB today, however I was given a program guide for The Pompidou and the big news is that there is a Herge Show starting this December. Herge is probably best known for his comic "Tin-Tin" and who doesn't love Tin-Tin. (note to Jimmy Cohrssen - I want at least one t-shirt from that show)

Tomorrow I'll be visiting INK, ABMB, Aqua Art Fair and the Art Positions - so its a pretty big day.

One last note - hotels here have been charging almost double what they usually charge and people are screaming. Some folks are paying 600 - 700 a night for poor service at a premium price - so my 70 dollar hotel seems like a great value.

Labels: 80's, Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Books, Comics

I had an ok SPX. I was able spend some time with my friend Harris and see some interesting stuff in the process. That said I bought four things - one of which was a complete bust. However I'm pleased to report that I bought the Johnny Miller (see previous post) and it surpasses my greatest expectations. However the show is really just a comic book show for people who no longer read "spandex comics" (or prefer to read "spandex comics" parodies)I would love to see more small book (ie, not comics) presses and folks really doing something a bit different. That said, I'm holding out hope for Printed Matter's event next month in New York. More than likely, I'll take next year off from SPX and try it in a couple years.

One word of advice - dont bother reading "Slaves of Christo" - what a waste.

Labels: Comics, general notice