The b-uncut blog

Perspective: Absorbing Rosson Crow

// March 24th, 2010 // View Comments // b-scene

Ahhh, New York… as sad as I was to leave London, it’s nice to have a fabulous art scene to explore, fresh venues to judge and new artists to discover.

I decided that b-uncut’s first blog in New York should be on a show that was inspired by the city itself.  What better then Rosson Crow’s Bowery Boys at 18 Wooster Street, a Deitch Projects exhibition.  As they say, timing is everything, and what I would discover was that my period of transition from one great art scene to the next has allowed me a rather unique perspective into Crow’s practice.

Crow’s large, bright graffiti interiors were right at home in the large, white warehouse-like SoHo space. The work achieves true harmony with the venue even the tagging across the street (included in the images below) eased the viewer in and out of the intense experience of  Crow’s work.

The paintings evoke the rebellious 80’s punk underground scene in NYC with a splash of Pollock, Nauman, and Banksy, I was immediately in love.  Neon pinks, blues and yellows practically levitated off the canvases.  The vivid colors,  the juxtaposition of geometric structures against reckless splatters and text,  sat each piece – splat – between 2-D and 3-D, toying with the viewer’s perspective as they moved throughout the space.

With such commanding aesthetics, it was easy to overlook the political/social/historical content of the work. A female taking on macho settings with her ‘masculine’ technique, exploring the “bad boy” of New York’s history blah, blah, blah… I just wanted to sit there and look at them.  Which is interesting, because apparently a year ago I didn’t.

In doing some pre-blogging research I stumbled upon Crow’s previous exhibition, Texas Crude, which took place at London’s White Cube in Hoxton Square last January.  Browsing the images, I recognized them.  The exhibition had been a part of the gallery tour seminar for my MA.  I barely had any reaction to the work during our outing, replying with a grunt and a shrug when I was asked if I liked it.

We stood outside the space with our “expert” tutors and tore apart Crow’s work saying it was over-indulgent bad painting that used generic subject matter and sloppy technique to seem trendy.  I believe my tutor’s words were “this show isn’t about good art, it’s about sales.”  Most nodded in agreement, we moved on and the exhibition faded from memory.

A year later I’m faced with my paradox. I love this work. How … was last year’s indifference just the influence of an admired tutor and classmates?  Did my appreciation of Bowery Boys merely stem from my fascination with big canvases and brilliant colors?  Can I blame Crow’s inspiration (and my own prejudice) for my fickleness believing New York would obviously produce more successful work than London?

But none of these rationales provided satisfaction as I struggled with my shallow observations, until I realized that there may be one decent excuse.  One of the few notes I made while in the Wooster St. space (which was at least 3 times the size of White Cube’s lower gallery) was that viewer position was crucial.

Standing right in front of a huge Crow canvas took away all its power. One wouldn’t have that choice in the White Cube gallery.  It seems one is meant to peer into Crow’s contemporary interiors from afar, viewing each composition as a whole, not looking for intricacies and texture but taking in the scene, the history, and the impact.  Its all about how you look at it. Love or indifference – a product of forced physical perspective… or at least that’s what I’m going with.

Decide for yourself and let me know… Check out Bowery Boys before March 27, 2010 @ 18 Wooster St.

Billy Childish at the ICA: On His Own Terms

// February 22nd, 2010 // View Comments // b-scene

Walking into the ICA on the evening of the 16^th of February I was abruptly confronted by a dense crowd.  Though I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, as the very simple statement in the press release that got me there undoubtedly intrigued others as well. The exhibition was the “the first time a public institution has brought together a major solo exhibition to encompass Billy Childish’s extraordinary career.” 40 years as a not unknown artist with an international cult following and no show in a public institution means one of three things; he sucks, he’s pissed people off, or he chooses to avoid public institutions.  As an anti-institutional extremist, I would venture that the reason lies in the later two possibilities.  I would also say that these reasons are certainly a recipe for interest, if not controversy, being “the first time” and all.  And honestly, who is going to miss the opening of potential controversy?

While I would not say that Childish’s artwork sucks, I doubt the herd gathered purely to view the simple, impressionistic, incredibly accessible visual renderings displayed in the lower gallery.  However, though Childish’s technique, aesthetic, and talent level can be easily scrutinized, rejection by the contemporary art world is largely the artist’s point.  Firmly establishing himself as an outsider through his rebellious music and autobiographical poetry, Childish clearly places his visual work in the same position – outside of the structured, judgemental bureaucratic art world.  But on Tuesday, he (and I) were very much surrounded by it.

As I pushed my way through the crowded lower gallery, I rambled on and on to my companion about the significant role Billy Childish occupies as an anti-hero whose opposition to the status quo rests in his intense spiritual belief in creative integrity.  But, after my friend commented that it was the largest crowd he’s ever seen at an ICA opening and I realized all my insights about Childish were provided by some kind of institution, I couldn’t help but wonder… is Childish’s “outsider” image any different than Damien Hirst’s “bad boy” image?  Though occupying opposite ends of the spectrum, both mess with the institutional and commercial structural integrity of the art world by producing and distributing their work on their own terms.  While Hirst may take advantage of the system, Childish tries to achieve a purity of art by avoiding it, consequently causing his unconventional character to generate his popularity and success at the ICA, enticing the question; can you ever truly escape the system?

Billy Childish: Unknowable but Certain @ the ICA, The Mall, London, SW1Y 5 AH, from 17 February til 18 April