...speaking of Neil Gaiman

 

Writer’s writer Neil Gaiman is among the most versatile and prolific in today’s world of social media, constant and “fake news” along with and among other such antics. Some would argue that books and the print medium are dying (if not already dead) but; Mr. Gaiman continues in the best tradition of  author, scribe, story-teller and historian in the most ancient,  beautiful and personal of forms; books. He is most recognized as creator of fantasy but his readership crosses over into main stream literature in almost every possible format. Gaiman creates original titles for novels, picture books and adolescent books along with screen plays, graphic novels and essays. If I’ve left anything out Neil; I apologize. His seminal piece; Sandman, initially written for DC Comics’ Vertigo line of adult fiction cemented his work as epic in form. Sandman consists in multiple books spanning possibly three generations of readers. 

Gaiman’s most recent publication is his retelling of the ancient tales of the Vikings. His “Norse Mythology” featuring Thor-the Mighty, Oden-The All Wise All Father, Loki-The  Shrewd, Heimdall-The Watcher,  Sif-The Lovely and a host of frost giants, dark elves and monsters. Gaiman is at his best and most comfortable with his telling’s of these most ancient of religious legends. Herein he is funny, engaging and full of remarkably unexpected twists. 

There is no one that could possibly speak more eloquently for Neil Gaiman than himself. Following are many of his quotes, insights and comments on his chosen art form. The remaining graphics (largely produced by his foremost collaborator artist Dave McKean) consist of images from his book covers, illustrations, film stills and most importantly the master story man’s own words.

Jack Spencer Looks at America

The abandoned, the isolated, the darkness and the distant…shadow, more shadows and light. These are the elements of Jack Spencer’s photography. His eye is drawn to these things. There is also color and the quietest of beauty in his work. Jack Spencer; in the midst of his somber tonality is able to excite as much as he engages his viewers with something of a manly charm. Think of Hemingway when you look at Jack’s wordless stories.  

I very recently was made aware of the work of Fine Art Photographer Jack Spencer through no-less of an informed and credible source PBS’s Charlie Rose Show (Charlie by the way is on leave as he is recovering from surgery.) Guest host John Meacham wrote the foreword for Spencer’s newly released   book “This Land: An American Portrait” and did the honors of the Spencer interview. The book highlights Spencer’s recent travels across and around the United States and is in itself a remarkable statement. 

The images there in highlight the American landscape in a decidedly unique vision of our dystopic and often wrongly interpreted times. Spencer is able to capture; in his sometimes painterly style, what could well be the zeitgeist of our contemporary American epoch. Through the use of still photography that cuts to the essence of the thing like no other medium; Spencer rewards his audience.

The self-taught Spencer is respected, lauded and collected in a highly fashionable way. This is deserving and to his credit as a creator. I am including an abundance of images with this writing. The images are in Spencer’s own distinctly eloquent voice.  

Louise Bourgeois: Her Love of the Spider

The eminently provocative and intriguing work of Louise Bourgeois spanned two centuries. Her work; largely sculptural, often spoke to her love of the fabric/textile world. French born; she came from a family of individuals that made art and tapestries their business. The very essence of her being was tied to the creative activity of restoring and the selling of antique tapestries. It is no accident that she also connected to nature’s most prolific weaver; the spider. Her affinity for the spider was expressed over and over within her body of works. This abundantly evident throughout her life as she tireless worked through the decades. She would even acquire the nick-name “Spider-Woman.”    

The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. My family was in the business of tapestry restoration, and my mother was in charge of the workshop. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.

                                                                                                       Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois’ father too affected her throughout her life emotionally and creatively in that he was harsh, overly critical and had multiple affairs with women. Bourgeois’ nanny was included in the number of his continuing infidelities. Louise was greatly affected and really never forgave her father. She would go on in life and replaced any misgivings with education, work and a desire for self-exanimation and curiosity. These models would encouragement and inform her for her life’s entirety. 

Once I was beset by anxiety but I pushed the fear away by studying the sky, determining when the moon would come out and where the sun would appear in the morning.

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                        Louise Bourgeois

After marrying and moving to New York City she would continue as both teacher and student at the university level and even in public schools, Bourgeois was a force. Her salons at her home in Chelsea (Manhattan) would take on the name “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” because of her scathing and brutally honest critics that often expressed her dry, biting wit.  Friend and associate to many of her famous peers including Dekooning, Pollack and Ferdinand Léger (who informed her early on that she was a sculptor; not a painter.) She would be late acquiring wide success possibly due to gender. Her work could be construed as feminist and even surreal but she rejected all labels as she worked to express her emotions, memories and muses.

“My work deals with problems that are pre-gender...for example, jealousy is not male or female."

                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                          Louise Bourgeois

It was MoMA that would be the first museum to give Louise Bourgeois a retrospective in 1982. Other retrospectives would follow world-wide including Saint Petersburg’s Hermitage and London’s Tate Modern. Washington DC’s foremost museum of modern art The Hirshhorn would exhibit a Bourgeois retrospective in 2009. I was able to attend it several times and enjoyed passing her huge “Crouching Spider” at the museum’s entrance. The Hirshhorn retrospective was extremely inclusive boasting 120 pieces and showcased her every style and medium; plaster, bronze, marble, wood, resin, latex and found objects. Bourgeois was talented, intelligent, caring, thoughtful and beautiful in every aspect of her being. Her art is her testament to life.

It is not so much where my motivation comes from but rather how it manages to survive.

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                            Louise Bourgeois