Saturday, November 6, 2010

John Currin at Gagosian: Sexier than ever but still so white

I love John Currin. Hands down he is one of my favorite American painters. Not only is he a technical virtuoso but he has a keen sense of what makes paintings beautiful, what Delacroix would call "une fete pour l'oeil." His sensuous brushstrokes reflect perfectly his subject matter. A few years ago at a dinner for his last show at Gagosian I asked him, So are you still painting porn? And he smiled sheepishly and said, Yes. He likes that subject matter and what healthy person doesn't? I do wish though that his circle of erotic subjects got a little more chocolate from time to time. But I guess that's just what it looks like out there in Connecticut, and where the paintings end up anyway...
Until December 22, 2010