JULIAN SCHNABEL and SHARY BOYLE at the AGO
These two big shows opened just before I left Toronto for Brooklyn again. I was so happy that I was able to attend them with a wonderful ladies crew so close to me - comprised of my mom Regina, my sister Polly, Milena, Lindsay, Ameera and Ksenia. We started up top and were all very surprised and pleased with the Schnabel show ‘Art and Film’. Even mum and Polly whom neither have ever heard of this guy, seen his films, nor paintings, nor give a damn about his so-called historical relevance in the trajectory of painting’s lineage or in the 80s New York scene etc etc. loved it all. Maybe that helped, come to think of it. It’s just that they are usually so critical of everything in life that I assumed they would dismiss the work as a bunch of pompous b*lls**t, which is basically what I think of his machismo gestures, except that I love him for exactly that reason. But I am usually a sucker for huge paintings, maybe the physical act of looking up makes me feel like I am swooning! Milena cracked me up when she turned to me very seriously after perusing that first room, and like as a very serious art viewer looking for the no. 1 hits demanded, ‘the plates, the plates. I want to see those plates!’
Not crazy about Shary Boyle sadly… and the ladies had divided opinions all around about that, some loved, some hated, some loved and hated… as for my own opinion I was really psyched to see the show, and am still really psyched and proud that Boyle is a young woman with a solo show at the AGO and from Scarborough (!), but basically I am not a fan of overly aesthetic work that lacks in content and doesn’t challenge itself, let alone the viewer. I can tell she really likes indie rock and her various pieces are very fashionable and crafty with nice colours and a pluralistic sensibility which suit me fine, but unfortunately the work is weak… too hipster, not cool man. I do think her ceramics are beautiful and the projector piece is real neat but it’s all too decorative and I was not feeling the ‘Flesh and Blood’.
