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as expressionists we express all of our feelings and emotions that may be difficult to express otherwise. We distort, we dissect, brutalize, torture, distort and if necessary cut into little pieces what is unbearable to us, in short we stop at nothing to achieve our goals. Most of us use bold colors, use heavy forcible brush strokes and sometimes when anger takes over simply splash paint, mostly red and black on canvas completely neglecting any sense of order or composition. We are not interested in creating good art or bad art. Our aim is simply to make statements. For the most part our "art" is not popular nor has it any redeeming value. What it does offer is brutal honesty of how we see our friends, foes, relations and above all the world around us. In my portraits of friends I have often been accused by painting them as caricatures and not flattering in the least, and I have to admit that, once I get to know someone well enough, that is how I see them, for that is how I see myself.
It is by studying myself that I have discovered the Caricature that resides within us and is the one that we do our utmost to hide from those around us.
When very young I was much taken by the "German Expressionist" dancers, enormously popular in Latin America, namely Mary Wigman, the inventor of of "Audruckstanz" dance form and the dances of "sorrow and pain" by Rudolf von Laben, The director of the Deutsche Tanzbuhne.
While taking an interest and study of the Bullfight, I discovered the true art of "expressive" dancing in Flamenco, realizing that the "Ausdruckstanz" had it's roots in Flamenco, rather than in German culture as it was "sold" and I was delighted to have made that discovery for at that time I hated anything that was connected to German "culture"
Since I needed more than a canvas to express my anger and emotions I embraced this art form and used it ever since as a form of exercise during and after my painting activity. I don't consider it a dance per se, but rather a further expression leading to a healthy life style.
*Babicka, Czech for Grandmother, a childhood image of her as she tried to protect her loved ones from what she called a "falling curtain", I am told. I was not included for I had a different "Protector" and his name was: Karl Hermann Frank.
*completed portrait; mixed media. gesso covered, cutout standee, acrylics, sitting on vintage lawn chair photographed against "living room" background.
p.s. art studios used to be called "living rooms" for it is there that artist lived. youtu.be/hptx-ofa5Uo
* this painting after several attempts could finally work and could have been finished to-day had I not run out of cobalt blue /right corner/ the color of choice for this powerfully loaded painting! So far, best seen on black.
*when the opening tune comes on the screen, he recalls hearing and remembering it as a four year old in 1939, no longer seeing what is on the screen, he remembers it as "the ride of the Valkyries", a horrific, bone chilling, tune written and directed by the devil himself; Richard Wagner. A German import of culture that has brought with it the greatest blood bath mankind has experienced.
part 2
*used straight jacket on plywood, latex; privately owned, from traveling exhibit titled: "art and the Law" curated by Gerard Cafesjian of West Publishing, St. Paul, Mn.
*vintage art by Stefan Krikl.I am presently in the process of scanning, cataloguing and posting all of my art works going back over sixty years; a monumental task since it involves thousands of paintings none of which I presently own. Should anyone be interested in titles and approximate dates of execution, kindly refer to the reference numbers posted bellow paintings and I shall gladly supply details wherever available.
Thank you.
*from a set of eight, presently in progress; the above is an impression of an American tourist seated in a Parisian hotel.
best seen on black
*this abstract is best viewed no black
p.s. this rendering evolved entirely on it's own while working on another project; there are many stories to be told while working subconsciously on other paintings at the same time.
viewing could be an enjoyable experience as if having a desert or a nice glass of wine or both.
*Have done several versions of this multi personalities, venerated by the shirtless, poor of the poor, saint: Maria del barrio de Buen Ayre, spelled with the "Y" instead the "i" from "aire". This is my last attempt hoping to have captured at least three of her multiple personalities; the set depicts the daily lives of the people living in this multi cultural community and is the inspiration for this illustrated book which when completed will be self published. As most of my works it was produced while listening to the original recording of same title. It can be heard and seen with a short video on You Tube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA9DEHaOLqQ&feature=fvsr
The set is best viewed on black.
*Over the years I have painted this strange feeling that is felt only when taking leave of someone.
The above, being my first "Saudade" It was painted over a previously painted packing carton with traces of the original painting still showing through. It is privately owned.
p.s. it is best seen against black.
*National saint Of the Czechs; he was drowned in the Vltava river at the request of King Wenceslaus for he refused to divulge the confession of the queen of Bohemia who it was said was unfaithful to him, consequently he was nominated to Sainthood.
I grew up with this painting and still remember the "bloody stories" my mother used to tell me when little. Oh what a bloody history the Czechs have; don't know one story that did not end with someone's head being chopped off.
My mother was a trained portraitist who studied art at the Vienna art academy under Prof. Silhavy and Veyrich. The same academy that refused entrance to Hitler.
I was told that she painted him after Velasquez, throwing the guy next to him in the painting just because she saw him in a Velasquez painting and liked him.
She used to go to the National Gallery in Prague to copy the masters that were shown there.
After the war, the painting was stolen by the Czechs, thinking it was an antique and valuable.
What a "hoot" the joke was on them, my mother used to love to tell the story.
The set was inspired by the eighteen equally intricate designed dollhouse-style interiors made by Frances Glessner Lee, which she titled "The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death" Her sets consist of a series of eighteen intricately designed dollhouse-style dioramas created by the greatest and my favorite doll house interior designer Frances Glessner Lee, a millionaire heiress with an interest in forensic science.
Her dioramas are detailed representations of death scenes that are composites of actual court cases, created by Glessner Lee on a 1 inch to 1 foot (1 : 12) scale./same as mine/ She attended autopsies to ensure accuracy, and her attention to detail extended to having a wall calendar include the pages after the month of the incident, constructing openable windows, and wearing out-of-date clothing to obtain realistically worn fabric. She called them the Nutshell Studies because the purpose of a forensic investigation is said to be to "convict the guilty, clear the innocent, and find the truth in a nutshell. Students were instructed to study the scene methodically—she suggested moving the eyes in a clockwise spiral—and draw conclusions from the visual evidence. At conferences hosted by Glessner Lee, prominent crime-scene investigators were given 90 minutes to study each diorama.
The dioramas show tawdry and in many cases disheveled living spaces very different from Glessner Lee's own background. The dead include prostitutes and victims of domestic violence.
Glessner Lee used her inheritance to set up Harvard's department of legal medicine, and donated the Nutshell dioramas in 1945 for use in lectures on the subject of crime scene investigation. In 1966 the department was dissolved and the sets were placed in storage. Presently the dioramas can be viewed by appointment at the Maryland Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore. A exhibit well worth while to visit for those interested in doll house interiors.Those wishing to view these sets, I strongly suggest making an appointment well before setting out to view them.
We are once again, after many years revisiting my own sets, each with it's own story connected to real life events and sharing them with some of my flickr. friends who expressed interest in viewing them.
None of the renderings have previously been exhibited or published.
I am most interested in your comments for we are once again entertaining the thought of publishing them with their stories in book form.
Thank you!
thank you for your interest.
** came about after finding her favorite song after 40 years on You Tube; a beautiful new version of a old classic coming back with a vengeance: You Tube: Mar Azul-Cesaria Evora - Marisa Monte.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5OQ37VA1yI
best seen on black
* came about after finding her favorite song after 40 years on You Tube; a beautiful new version of a old classic coming back with a vengeance: You Tube: Mar Azul-Cesaria Evora - Marisa Monte.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5OQ37VA1yI
best seen on black
* "What will you do, God, when I die?"
title to famous poem by Reiner Maria Rilke for which this set has been made and photographed in my studio.
"Was wirst Du tun, Gott, wenn Ich sterbe?"
Ich bin dein Krug /wenn ich zerscherbe?/
Ich bin dein Trank /wenn ich verderbe?/
Bin dein Gewand und deine Gewerbe,
mit mir verliest du deinen Sinn.
Nach mir hast kein Haus, darin
dich Worte, nah und warm, begruessen.
Es faelt von deinem muden Fuessen
Die Samtsandalle, die ich bin.
Dein grosser Mantel laest sich los.
Dein Blick, den ich mit meiner Wange
warm, wie mit einem Pfuhl, empfange,
wird kommen, wird nicht suchen, lange-
und legt beim Sonnenuntergange
sich fremden Syeinen in den Schooss.
Was wirst du, Gott? Ich bin bange.
von dem Stunden Buch, 1905
transl as best I could:
"What will you do, God, when I die?
I am your jug /what if I am smashed to bits?/
I am your drink /what if I spill?/
Iam your garment and your trade,
with me /in loosing me/ You loose your meaning
After me /after I die/ you will have no house wherein
words, near and warm to greet you
From your tired feet fall
the velvet slipper that I am.
Your great mantle let's me go.
Your glance, which I with my cheek
warmly, as with a pillow, /now/ I receive,
will come, will seek me, long-
and will lie / literally lies / down at sunset
in the lap of /unresponding / stranger-rocks.
What will you do, God? I am fearfu.
Erich Maria Rilke.
p.s. a practicing psychologist friend of mine calls the poem a "tansparent" wey of saying: "I fear death" Personally I see it as a challenge.
* "Fire and Ice"
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say ice.
From what I have tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice.
Is also great
And would suffice."
Robert Frost
p.s. the set is best seen on black!
*mixed media; cut out wire supported aluminum, acrylics.
This set is dedicated to the greatest cante jondo poets of the 20th century who have outside of the bullfight inspired most of my art. It is hoped that this set does these bigger than life artists justice.
Where possible I will include links from you-tube of their past and some present appearances.
Enclosed find a relative recent appearance of the legendary Manuel Molina, the Elvis presley of the 70's. Enjoy: youtu.be/5TnV__AJzuk
*last painting of the night, painted outdoors by the dying ambers of my fire pit and and a old recording of "Verde Luna" sang by the legendary American movie star, Rita Hayworth. For those interested in oldies but goodies, for a treat go to You Tube: Rita Hayworth - "Verde luna"
On a note of interest, before she was discovered in Hollywood, Rita Hayworth was a professional Flamenco singer and dancer, appearing since age twelve with her family the world over.
*The set depicts the daily lives of the people living in this multi cultural community and is the inspiration for this illustrated book which when completed will be self published. As most of my works it was produced while listening to the original recording of same title. It can be heard and seen with a short video on You Tube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA9DEHaOLqQ&feature=fvsr
The set is best viewed on black.
*wax carved face of prisoner of war from photograph. "Post Cards from the Front" set
original caption read: "Bandit der sein Maul nicht mehr ofnete"
*"The bartered bride set" consists of 220 still photographs of eighteen 12" action figures who's faces were altered by way of polyurethane or wax carvings hand painted in my studio. Eye expressions were changed to suit the scene i was shooting. All furnishings, sets and many of the woman's costumes were also made by me. Mens wear and uniforms were furnished by a Japanese miniature costume maker. The "bartered bride" is loosely set to the opera of same title and is set in Krakow, Poland during the Nazi occupation. The models for my carvings came from authentic character photographs of real people. "The bartered bride has taken me an entire year to complete and has never been shown anywhere. For several years we have tried to get the sets shown at important galleries throughout the U.S.A., but none showed interest in showing it, even though i got several letters of praise for the high quality of the sets.
p.s. for those of you viewing this set, I would appreciate knowing if you are interested in viewing this in it's entirety, for these are transparencies that need to be cleaned and scanned; a real pain to do if no one is interested. Thank you!
*Oswaldo Vigas, "Waldo" One of Latin America's greatest "arte macanudo" painters and innovators. Waldo, like so many of his contemporaries, painted many of his famous paintings on spread out newspapers for he could not afford canvas. "Woman" as it appeared published in a newspaper in 1950, causing a sensation for it was the first time that any Latin American artist painted woman in a different light as it was done before, opening the door to other artists to paint with different viewpoints.
This painting as the ones painted by Barbaro Rivas, Alirio Oramas and Isaac Benitez were the artists who's work I admired the most and were the inspiration for most of my paintings of the 60's.
p.s. I had the honor to show two of my selected works at the Tivoli Gallery with Benitez in Panama city in 1953.
The above is best seen on black.
p.s. artist's collection of vintage art prints.
*jaula del guancon" in colloquial Spanish refers to "holding tanks" used to store political dissidents while waiting for tribunals to decide their fate.
* /rebirth of the artist/ study for my "adore di carne" set now in progress. The carved marfil calavera by an unknown artist was chosen for it has a uncanny resemblance to myself as I imagine myself coming back to life after my departure to worlds unknown..
photographed in my home studio
best seen in light box.
The set will be based loosely on the book originally titled: "cosi imparano a fare" /not film/ by the painter, poet and later screenplay writer Mario Bava, the son of Eugenio Bava /noted sculptor/
for background on artist see my #1 posting of yesterday.
Here is the link to the trailer for his original film which I found on you-tube: