Sphere, Slab & Mafia (was Re: Ayn Rand

[David Morris]

The repetition of the painted image makes me think more of Warhol, who was 
nothing if not decky-dant.  Repetition for him was mechanical, as in 
"inanimate-expressionism."  For the more fluid and truly "expressionist" 
painter, repeated themes and images represent an explorative probing of the 
resonances of an idea or an obsession and are far from catatonic.  Pynchon 
has been the literary champion of repetitive themes, wouldn't you say?  And 
why so?  Both Pollack and Johns are painters whom I'd bet my bottom dollar 
Pynchon respects.

David Morris

>From: "jbor"
>
>But it seems to me also that the name Pynchon gives for Slab's particular 
>"genre" of painting -- 'Catatonic Expressionism' -- might, in its 
>oxymoronic jokiness, also be a dig at Pollock & co's 'Abstract 
>Expressionism'. Plus, the fact that Slab *only* paints Danishes -- and for 
>specific (and typically absurd) reasons if I recall correctly -- where 
>Thiebaud painted a whole range of foodstuffs for somewhat different 
>reasons, makes me think there might just be a touch of Jasper Johns in 
>there as well; for example those series' of targets, numbers and flags he 
>was doing in the 50s
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