Christopher Wool retrospective

Im
Ima
What’re You
Lookin’ At?
Christopher Wool spells it out
C
PAIN
PAIN T
T II
NGSPITS
NGSPITS
O
ON
N YOU
YOU
RGRAVE
RGRAVE
Images ©Christopher Wool
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OVEMBER
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RR66––N
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22
22
Greenberg
DIY
Greenberg could
could have
have been
been talking
talking about
about
DIY films,
films, and
and cranking
cranking out
out zines.
zines. In
In
Left:
w
Left: Apocalypse
Apocalypse Now,
Now,
w 1988;
1988;
these
nuanced
images
of
words
1981,
curator
Douglas
Crimp
published
these nuanced images of words when
when he
he
1981, curator Douglas Crimp published
above:
Untitled,
d
2001
above:
Untitled,
d
2001
said,
“The
said, about
about Barnett
Barnett Newman’s
Newman’s stripes
stripes in
in
an essay
essay asserting
asserting
“The End
End of
of Painting,”
Painting,” an
1958,
“All
pictures
of
quality
ask
to
be
that
the
medium
had
been
on
life
support
1958, “All pictures of quality ask to be
that the medium had been on life support
he
looked
throughout
he used
used rich
rich red
red ink,
ink, which
which he
he hacked
hacked at
at
looked at
at rather
rather than
than read.”
read.”
the modern
modern era.
era. Crimp,
Crimp, aa
throughout the
with
In
tongs
champion
Christopher
Wool
with aa palette
palette knife
knife as
as it
it dried,
dried, leavening
leavening
In fact,
fact, Wool
Wool goes
goes hammer
hammer and
and
tongs
champion of
of photography,
photography, wrote
wrote that
that
energetic
not
also
painting’s
Solomon
Guggenheim Museum
gestures into
into the
energetic gestures
not just
just at
at Pop
Pop Art
Art but
but
also at
atR.Abstract
Abstract
painting’s claim
claim to
to timeless
timeless universality
universality
the mechanically
mechanically
1071 Fifth Avenue
his
more
recent
work
Expressionism;
—
seamlessly
from
Paleolithic
dots
—
themselves
representarendered
his
more
recent
work
Expressionism;
— stretching
stretching
seamlessly
from
Paleolithic
dots
—
themselves
representarendered
W
212-423-3500,
guggenheim.org
dispenses
with
text
altogether
and
instead
to
Pollock’s
passionate
drips
cave
murals
tions
of
the
body’s
movements
— and
dispenses with text altogether and
instead
cave murals to Pollock’s passionate drips
Through
Januarytions
22 of the body’s movements — and
filters
—
landing
filters abstraction
abstraction through
through various
various mechanmechan— was
was aa grandiose
grandiose illusion.
illusion. Look,
Look, part
part of
of
the image
image somewhere
somewhere between
between de
de
landing the
ical
his
ical printing
printing processes.
processes. But
But unlike
unlike Roy
Roy LichLich- Kooning–like
went, at
at how
how canvases
canvases first
first
his argument
argument went,
grace and
and graffiti
graffiti aggression.
aggression.
Kooning–like grace
from
tenstein,
executed
Along
from Apocalypse
Apocalypse Now.
Now.
tenstein, who
who simultaneously
simultaneously enlarged
enlarged
executed as
as altarpieces
altarpieces or
or royal
royal portraits
portraits
Along with
with tactile
tactile beauty,
beauty, narrative
narrative sensenHe
Ab-Ex
were
sation,
He once
once read
read aa Raymond
Raymond Chandler
Chandler
Ab-Ex brushstrokes
brushstrokes while
while diminishing
diminishing
wrenched out
out of
of historical
historical context
context
were wrenched
sation, and
and anthropomorphic
anthropomorphic presence
presence
excerpt
x
and
(some
funny them
excerpt at
at an
an art
art opening
opening —
— “It
“It is
is not
not funny
them through
through inert
inert compositions,
compositions, Wool
Wool exexx
and entombed
entombed in
in museums.
museums.
painting attributes
attributes that
that Crimp
Crimp
(some of
of the
the painting
that
pands
Wool,
found
that aa man
man should
should be
be killed,
killed, but
but it
it is
is somesomepands on
on the
the grave
grave abandon
abandon of
of postwar
postwar ababWool, for
for his
his part,
part, eschewed
eschewed the
the
in 1981),
1981), these
these works
works
found “reactionary”
“reactionary” in
times
straction
market-driven
emit
times funny
funny that
that he
he should
should be
be killed
killed for
for so
so
straction while
while continuing
continuing to
to roil
roil concepts
concepts
market-driven slatherings
slatherings of
of the
the era’s
era’s
emit aa belligerent
belligerent buoyancy.
buoyancy. Maybe
Maybe the
the
little”
of
Neo-Expressionist
next
little” —
— and,
and, like
like Chandler’s
Chandler’s tales
tales of
of hardof language.
language. The
The abstract
abstract black
black snarls
snarls in
in the
the
searched
Neo-Expressionist painting
painting and
and searched
next time
time aa critic
critic pontificates
pontificates on
on the
the death
death
hardBY own
R.C. work
BAKER
nine-foot-tall
dd (2001)
for
of
boiled
nine-foot-tall He
He Said
Said She
She Said
Said
(2001) actu
actu-for strategies
strategies that
that might
might give
give the
the medium
medium
of Wool’s
Wool’s obviously
obviously beloved
beloved medium,
medium, the
the
boiled dicks,
dicks, Wool’s
Wool’s own
work is
is laced
laced
ally
new
riposte
with
ally comprise
comprise four
four different,
different, sloppily
sloppily
new vitality;
vitality; by
by the
the late
late ’80s,
’80s, he
he found
found
riposte will
will come
come in
in aa 10-foot-tall
10-foot-tall slab
slab of
of
with sardonic
sardonic wit.
wit. A
A 1988
1988 panel
panel reads
reads —
— or
or
derived
from
an
himself
in
chasm
misreads
—
appropriated
from //pop aligned
onsilkscreens
a refrigerator
in their
blood, letters
hristopher
hadbethe rather,
silkscreens
derived
fromvictims’
an earlier
earlier
aligned
himself dumpster-diving
dumpster-diving
in the
theWool
chasm
beletters spelling
spelling out
out something
something like:
like:
/ TER
TER // HEL
HEL
rather,Wool
misreads
— “HEL
“HEL /phrases
orange
spray
formal
ruptween
avoided
the
the
label
that
the
reaches,
gotpainting.
it wrongThese
as well:
“HEALTER
good He
fortune
to begin
orangethey
spray
painting.
These
formal
ruptween art
art and
and language.
language.
He
avoided
the paint-TER,”
TER,”culture’s
the wall
wall darker
label noting
noting
thatincluding
the paintpaintat
trouble
matter
SKELTER.”
ingsubject
at a time
whenby
paintinging
tures get
get
at the
the heart
heart of
of the
the title
title phrase,
phrase,
trouble of
of originating
originating
subject
matter
by
ing refers
refers to
to both
both the
the Beatles
Beatles raver
raver “Helter
“Helter tures
fraught
it
intimations
of
painting
of
block
herky-jerky
spacing
— like type
was dead.
Again.
fraught as
asWool’s
it is
is with
with
intimations
of misunmisunpainting words
words in
in stacks
stacks
of black
black
block letlet- Skelter”
Skelter” and
and its
its appropriation
appropriation by
by Charles
Charles
derstanding
and
emotion.
ters,
or
defaulting
in a printer
— and overpainted
In“LOVE,”
the mid-1970s,
Wool Manson
derstanding
and flayed
flayed
emotion.
ters, such
such as
as “SEX”
“SEX” atop
atop
“LOVE,”
or
for an
an apocaapocaManson as
as the
the theme
theme song
song for
In
untitled
work
same
Similar
to
“PLEASE”
letters
interrupt
quickthat
readings
and force
had arepeated
studio atfive
the times.
butt-end
of the
In an
an
untitled
work from
from
that
same year,
year,
five
times.
Similar
toBow-lyptic
“PLEASE”
repeated
lyptic race
race war.
war. What
What the
the museum’s
museum’s explaexplaWool
screenprinted
pictures
of
Warhol’s
of
nation
the brain
to slow down
to absorb
ery.cribbing
During that
rowdy andphotos
raggedof
Wool again
again
screenprinted
pictures
of an
anthe often
Warhol’s
cribbing
of newspaper
newspaper
photos
ofepoch,
nation leaves
leaves out
out is
is that
that when
when Manson’s
Manson’s
earlier
spray
painting
onto
This
time
paintings,
car
his
“Disaster”
murderous
subtleties
hislinen.
surfaces.
artistsfor
were
punk
bands, making
earlierlush
spray
paintingof
onto
linen.
ThisClement
time
paintings,
car crashes
crashes
for
his forming
“Disaster”
murderous minions
minions scrawled
scrawled the
the phrase
phrase
Greenberg could have been talking about
DIY films, and cranking out zines. In
Left: Apocalypse Now,
w 1988;
these nuanced images of words when he
1981, curator Douglas Crimp published
above: Untitled,
d 2001
said, about Barnett Newman’s stripes in
“The End of Painting,” an essay asserting
1958, “All pictures of quality ask to be
that the medium had been on life support
he used rich red ink, which he hacked at
looked at rather than read.”
throughout the modern era. Crimp, a
with a palette knife as it dried, leavening
In fact, Wool goes hammer and tongs
champion of photography, wrote that
energetic gestures into the mechanically
not just at Pop Art but also at Abstract
painting’s claim to timeless universality
Expressionism; his more recent work
— stretching seamlessly from Paleolithic
rendered dots — themselves representaWin
an
and
friends!
dispenses with text altogether and
instead
cave murals to Pollock’s passionate drips
tionsout
offor
theyou
body’s
movements
Win
an ultimate
ultimate night
night
out
for
you
and your
your
friends! — and
Enjoy
aa reserved
section
the
fabulous
Frames
With
Meredith
Enjoy
reserved landing
section in
inthe
theimage
fabulous
Frames Dance
Dance
With of
Meredith Sheldon
Sheldon on
on Saturday,
Saturday, November
November 16th
16th
filters
abstraction
through
various
mechan— was a grandiose illusion. Look, part
somewhere
between de
Lounge
at
Webster
Hall,
125
East
11th
St.,
NYC.
Lounge for
for up
up to
to 15
15 guests
guests complete
complete with
with 4
4 bottles
bottles of
of
at
Webster
Hall,
125
East
11th
St.,
NYC.
champagne
on
a
Friday
or
Saturday
night!
In
a
city
ical printing processes. But unlikechampagne
Roy Lich-on a Friday
his argument went, at how canvases first
Kooning–like
grace
and
or Saturday
night!
In agraffiti
city of
of aggression.
speakeasy
and
under-the-radar
NYC
speakeasy entertainment
entertainment
and
under-the-radar
NYCnarrative senfrom Apocalypse Now.
tenstein, who simultaneously enlarged
executed as altarpieces or royal portraits
Along
with
tactile beauty,
gems,
gems, Frames
Frames is
is aa true
true find.
find. Bowling
Bowling meets
meets
He once read a Raymond Chandler
sophistication
that
grand
Ab-Ex brushstrokes while diminishing
were wrenched out of historical context
anthropomorphic
presence
sophistication in
in asation,
a space
space and
that is
is
grand and
and
entertaining.
550
NYC.
entertaining.
Frames,
550
9th
Ave,
NYC. attributes that Crimp
excerpt at an art opening — “It is not funny them through inert compositions,
Wool exx Frames,
and entombed in museums.
(some
of9th
theAve,
painting
that a man should be killed, but it is somepands on the grave abandon of postwar abWool, for his part, eschewed the
found “reactionary” in 1981), these works
times funny that he should be killed for so
straction while continuing to roil concepts
market-driven slatherings of the era’s
emit a belligerent buoyancy. Maybe the
little” — and, like Chandler’s tales of hardof language. The abstract black snarls in the
Neo-Expressionist painting and searched
next time a critic pontificates on the death
The
Night
is aa combination
night
The Brooklyn
Brooklyn boiled
Night Bazaar
Bazaar
combination
night is laced
nine-foot-tall He Said She Said
d (2001) actufor strategies that might give the medium
of Wool’s obviously beloved medium, the
dicks,isWool’s
own work
market,
market, art
art fair
fair and
and concert
concert venue.
venue. Win
Win aa pair
pair of
of
ally comprise four different, sloppily
SuperPass
tickets
to
any
night
of
the
Bazaar’s
new vitality; by the late ’80s, he found
riposte will come in a 10-foot-tall slab of
with
sardonic
wit.
A
1988
panel
reads — or
SuperPass tickets to any night of the Bazaar’s
festivities
receive
expedited
at
main
aligned silkscreens derived fromWith
an
earlier
himself dumpster-diving in the chasm
be- and
spelling
outYears
something
—
“HEL
/ TER
Into
Another
and
on
Eve,
festivities
andrather,
receivemisreads
expedited entry
entry
at the
the
main / HEL /
With Into Anotherletters
and Lionize
Lionize
on New
New
Years
Eve, like:
entrance,
2
beverages
at
Tuesday,
entrance,
2 complimentary
complimentary
beverages
at the
the that the paintorange spray painting. These formal
rup-December
tween art and language. He avoidedBazaar
the bars
TER,”
the wall
label
noting
Tuesday,
December 31st
31st at
at Music
Music Hall
Hall of
of Williamsburg,
Williamsburg,
and
2
complimentary
games
of
table
66
Bazaar bars and 2 complimentary games of table
66 North
North 6th
6th St.,
St., Brooklyn.
Brooklyn.
trouble of originating subject matter
by or miniature
ing refers
to both the Beatles raver “Helter tures get at the heart of the title phrase,
tennis
tennis or
miniature golf.
golf.
fraught as it is with intimations of misunpainting words in stacks of black block let- Skelter” and its appropriation by Charles
derstanding and flayed emotion.
ters, such as “SEX” atop “LOVE,” or
Manson as the theme song for an apocaIn an untitled work from that same year,
“PLEASE” repeated five times. Similar to
lyptic race war. What the museum’s explaWool again screenprinted pictures of an
Warhol’s cribbing of newspaper photos of
nation leaves out is that when Manson’s
earlier
spray painting
linen.
time
car crashes for his “Disaster”NO
paintings,
minions
phrase
PURCHASE NECESSARY. murderous
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and start
and end dates,
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22
ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO
SEE JOHNNY MARR!
With Meredith Sheldon on Saturday, November 16th
at Webster Hall, 125 East 11th St., NYC.
ENTER TO WIN A BROOKLYN
NIGHT BAZAAR SUPERPASS!
The Brooklyn Night Bazaar is a combination night
market, art fair and concert venue. Win a pair of
SuperPass tickets to any night of the Bazaar’s
festivities and receive expedited entry at the main
entrance, 2 complimentary beverages at the
Bazaar bars and 2 complimentary games of table
tennis or miniature golf.
ENTER TO WIN A NIGHT
OUT AT FRAMES!
Win an ultimate night out for you and your friends!
Enjoy a reserved section in the fabulous Frames Dance
Lounge for up to 15 guests complete with 4 bottles of
champagne on a Friday or Saturday night! In a city of
speakeasy entertainment and under-the-radar NYC
gems, Frames is a true find. Bowling meets
sophistication in a space that is grand and
entertaining. Frames, 550 9th Ave, NYC.
ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO
SEE CLUTCH!
With Into Another and Lionize on New Years Eve,
Tuesday, December 31st at Music Hall of Williamsburg,
66 North 6th St., Brooklyn.
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