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Fire Walk With Me

 

Fire Walk With Me

Tosh Berman on "Affinities: On Art and Fascination" by Brian Dillon (NYRB, 2023)

 

Tosh on "Affinities: On Art and Fascination" by Brian Dillon

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Letter to Jim Meeker from Wallace Berman

 

There is very little correspondence from my late father, the artist Wallace Berman to anyone. I found this typewritten letter from Wallace in my Mom’s files almost two weeks ago. . For me, there are no surprises here, but hearing his thoughts on art/poetry through his ‘voice’ is pretty magnificent. The letter was sent to James Meeker, an art collector and someone Wallace admired greatly. At the moment, this is the only statement or thoughts about his art on paper by Wallace. He refused most interviews in his lifetime, nor was he interested in leaving a trail of paper behind him. Wallace requested Jim to destroy this letter after reading it. Jim kept it, and after some years after Wallace’s death, he sent it to my Mom, Shirley Berman.

Letter to Jim Meeker from Wallace Berman

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande by Tosh Berman

 A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande

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 Subscribe to the writings by Tosh Berman. Fiction/non-fiction, essays, and on the poetic edge of all things literature, pop culture, and vision. Photo by Manuel Chavarria at Alias Books East in Atwater Village.

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John Ashbery & Marcel Duchamp (& Me) by Tosh Berman

 

"John Ashbery & Marcel Duchamp (& Me) by Tosh Berman. Read it here: 

John Ashbery & Marcel Duchamp (& Me)

Bruce Conner Artist Filmmaker on Tea With Tosh

In the heart of the 1980s, I had a cable public access TV show "Tea With Tosh." Here my guest is the artist and filmmaker Bruce Conner. https://youtu.be/vkNtxXN23f4

Wallace Berman

 

A work of art by my dad, Wallace Berman.  I think he did the piece sometime around 1965 or 1966.

The Dark Bob Performance Artist on Tea With Tosh

The Dark Bob came on my show "Tea With Tosh" sometime in 1987. A performance artist who worked with another "Bob" as in "Bob & Bob." At this time, The Dark Bob worked as a solo artist who did performances and recordings. A charming man then and a charming man now. I really enjoyed doing this show with him and recently I helped put together an event with Bob & Bob now. They are currently doing art and performances. Still strong work! - Tosh Berman.

Robbie Conal Political Poster Artist on Tea With Tosh

"Tea With Tosh" episode with artist Robbie Conal, videotaped in 1987.  Conal is an amazing artist whose work is political and very much in one's face.  In the 80s and if you lived in Los Angeles, it would have been impossible not to have seen his posters of various Republican politicans.  At the time of the taping, it was the height of the Reagan decade, and the Iran/Contra issue was on everyone's mind.   The one thing that shocked me while watching this episode this morning (for the first time in 30 years) was me mentioning Fawn Hall.   At the time, I would have never imagined meeting her in the future.  But alas, I did, and now she is one of my closest friends.  If you mention her name to me now, I wouldn't even think about the Reagan/ North connection.   Life is strange in how things turn out. 

"On&by Christian Marclay" edited by Jean-Pierre Criqui (MIT Press)

"On&by Christian Marclay" edited by Jean-Pierre Criqui (MIT Press)

There are certain type of artists that I'm drawn to, and it's usually the one's that I share an interest with - for instance music.  Or to be more specific, the beauty of vinyl and its album cover.   When I go to a record store, it is not only to please the ear, but also the sight.  I love a well-designed or creative looking album cover.  To me, that is the perfect medium for art.  I suspect that Christian Marclay would feel the same way - or, at least he used to.  I discovered Marclay's work through his albums "More Encores" and "Record Without a Cover."  His work is conceptual as well as being a sculpture of sorts.  "Record Without a Cover" strikes me as a masterpiece to any true lover of vinyl.  It was sold as an album, but had no cover or anything to protect it from the elements, such as dirt, fingerprints and scratches.  In other words, each album was a unique and one-of-a-kind listening experience.  How would it be possible for me not to love this album, and therefore, the artist? 

"On&by Christian Marclay" is a book length study on his work with vinyl, recordings, film, sculptures and photography.   Editor Jean-Pierre Criqui has put together a fantastic collection of essays by superb writers such as Dennis Cooper, David Toop, Michael Snow, Rosalind Krauss, Wayne Koestenbaum and others.   The high quality of writing talent focusing on one writer can be the sole reason for getting this book - but also the first half is a series of interviews with Marclay by various writers as well.  In detail, one obtains a lot of information on Marclay's work methods as well as placement in 20th century art and all the byproduct of that world - specifically music and music making.  The book takes the reader to all his major works - including the über-popular film/video project "The Clock."  The film lasts 24 hours, and uses real time as you watch scenes from films that use a clock or mention time within the scene.  

Marclay is a wonder to me, because he plays as he works - and his work, on the surface, seems simple, but is actually quite complexed,  due to his skill and taking chances, but also the audience's or viewers love for vinyl and their own awareness of time and now it passes.  If I have to be a fuss-butt, I would say that this book needs examples of Marclay's art -there are no illustrations whatsoever.  Still, this book is essential, and Marclay is truly a great artist. 

ISBN: 978-0-262-52661-6 MIT Press

TamTam Books' Tribute to artist Rinus Van de Velde

Rinus Van de Velde

Rinus Van Velde "Self-Portrait as Franz Kline, 2013 180 x 270 cm

Rinus Van Velde

Rinus Van Velde

Rinus Van Velde

Rinus Van Velde

My new discovery of the day.  It's raining and I'm inside trying to think of something good, and I came upon Rinus Van Velde's paintings in a recent issue of ARTFORUM.  I was immediately struck by its scope and vision.   The artist works from photographs, which I believe he takes himself.  You can't really see it on this blog, but he also includes texts in his work.   So there is a narration of sorts - which I believe is fictional.  

Here is an interview with him in English:

http://www.thewordmagazine.com/art/an-interview-with-belgian-painting-prodigy-rinus-van-de-velde/

Here is an interview with Rinus Van Velde and his obsession with Bobby Fischer. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K64XrDv762I

"Ways of Curating" by Hans Ulrich Obrist (Faber & Faber)

"Ways of Curating"  by Hans Ulrich Obrist (Faber & Faber)

The skill of curating is really putting two or more ideas together and placing it in a space.  Beyond that it can mean anything.  Generally speaking when we hear the word "curate" that means someone with a point-of-view, or subjective thoughts puts something together so we can explore that curator's thinking or world.  Well, at least, in theory.  Without a doubt one of the more interesting curators in contemporary art is Hans Ulrich Obrist.   I have never seen any of his exhibitions, but I do know him through his books and essays.  His best skill is that he has a basic curiosity in how an artist works and thinks.   He is also interested in places, cities, and locations where one can exhibit ideas or more likely art.  The curator is often just as creative as the artist.   Which is sometimes a good thing, and often not that good of a thing. 

Basically an artist makes a work, and if they are lucky it goes out to the world.  In a lot of cases, there is usually someone who takes that work and places it in a room with another work of art.   It can be a random act, but more likely the person (the curator) who does that is looking for themes or a feeling between the artworks.  At times, I find this misleading to the artist's intent, and on occurrences, it brings up new light or a way of looking at that art.  Especially if you know the artist and their work.   So, in a sense, the curator is sort of like a film editor working with a filmmaker.  

The great thing about Obrist is his interest in contemporary art and its past.  He also knows that literature, architecture and personality is also part of the big picture - in other words, everything has a place or importance, and therefore so does art.   The tricky aspect is how and when one place that work in a bigger picture or landscape.  "Ways of Curating" is very much Obrist's thinking in these matters as well as the history of curating, which is fascinating.  Modern curating (at least to Obrist) started in the 19th century in Paris.  At one time, paintings were hung salon style which is a lot of work on one wall. Monet and others started a practice where a painting stands by itself on a large wall, and therefore one concentrates on that one piece.   Salon style exhibition is fascinating, but for me, it's hard for me to focus on individual works, yet people in the 19th century used to see art in this fashion.  

"Ways of Curating" reads not like a book, but more of a collection of essays on the subject matter of curating.  For me, it would have been more fascinating if he just focused on its history, like he did in the first part of the book.  The second part is basically his career and what he has done, which is perfectly fine, but the writing gets kind of 'been there and done that' type of feeling.

Nevertheless, this is a very accessible book to someone who is curious about that world, but really doesn't know too much about the nature of art exhibitions, and how they are planned out..  Orbits has many books out, and the best one's are his interview books with various contemporary artists and composers.  He is an interesting guy, and "Ways of Curating" is both good and so-so, but still important of a subject matter to read. 

- Tosh Berman

Lun*na Menoh's "Shirt Mask"

I wrote a blog or small essay on Lun*na Menoh's new artwork "The Shirt Mask."  It will be exhibited in Marseille, France and curated by the artist Denis Brun.

Read it here:  http://blog.lunnaworld.com/2013/09/lunna-menohs-shirt-mask/

Wallace Berman's Poster for The Cinema Theater in Los Angeles 1963

 I just found this on an E-bay site.  Its a poster my Dad Wallace Berman made for The Cinema Theater in Los Angeles.  I believe the year is 1963.  The poster itself is on newsprint, so its very rare to find a good copy of it.  Nevertheless I think it's a remarkable piece of art.  Above is the poster, and down below are detailed images of the poster.