IU BFA Blog

Please follow the IU BFA Crew blog, recently set up by my Ceramicist friend Ben Cirgin:
http://iubfacrew.blogspot.com/

This is a blog for all IU BFA's (currently mostly ones that got in last semester [aka my generation]) to make posts on whatever they happen to be working on/interested in. Along with certainly lots of fun stuff other stuff; I'm sure it will be a great place to get the most recent news for openings in Bloomington.

Currently Reading...

-Dub: Soundscapes & Shattered Songs in Jamaican Reggae by Michael E. Veal
-Writings on Art by Mark Rothko
-Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein's Brain by Michael Paterniti

Recently Finished: Flaubert's Madame Bovery and Whistler's Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Adolph Gottlieb

"Rolling", 1961

Whistler's "Gentle Art of Making Enemies"

Been reading "The Gentle Art of Making Enemies: As Pleasingly Exemplified in Many Instances, Wherein the Serious Ones of this Earth, Carefully Exasperated, Have Been Prettily Spurred on to Unseemliness and Indiscretion, While Overcome By an Undue Sense of Right" by the 19th century James Whistler American ex-pat painter living in Britain. Containing biting essays and correspondences between himself and his critics written in 19th century holier-than-thou prose, the book is both a thoroughly entertaining read as well as an interesting view into the art world and critical consensus of the time. Also, Whistler owns on fools that try to step to him:

"Critic's Analysis

In the "Symphony in White No. III", by Mr. Whistler there are many dainty varieties of tint, but it is not precisely a symphony in white. One lady has a yellowish dress and brown hair and a bit of blue ribbon, the other has a red fan, and there are flowers and green leaves. There is a girl in white on a white sofa, but even this girl has reddish hair; and of course there is the flesh colour of the complexions.
-P.G. Hamerton, June 1867

The Critic's Mind Considered

How pleasing that such profound prattle should inevitably find its place in print! "Not precisely a symphony in white... for there is a yellowish dress... brown hair, etc.... another with reddish hair... and of course there is the flesh colour of the complexions."
Bon dieu! did this wise person expect white hair and chalked faces? And does he then, in his astounding consequence, believe that a symphony in F contains no other note, but shall be a continued repetition of F, F, F.?...... Fool!
-Whistler"