June 08, 2008

Table Retrospective


Unfinished Work

So there I was, clearing away the table top debris, that artful stuff which accumulates during fits of creativity, then unites to prevent same another day... and a silly/serious thought came to me... I've uncovered a potential 'cutting edge' (read: 'weird') series of paintings! Well, of course, nothing is new, someone somewhere has already thought of it... done it... dismissed it. But so what...?

Suppose, on my retirement, forced or otherwise, someone thought to honor my studio hours with a retrospective show... not with paintings produced on or around the above studio work table, but with the separated layers of brown kraft paper on the table. When a top paper becomes so marked and torn as to be a distraction, I tape a clean sheet on top of the others. There is a nice soft build-up of papers, each bearing the marks of active participation... being there to catch a drip, a wipe or even a note of reminder or telephone number... yes, active participation.



It would take a white box gallery... NYC preferably... to show these 7'x3' papers respectfully... and the viewers would be used to such and able to fully appreciate. We've all seen such exhibitions... and I think my table papers are ready!


On the other hand... at least I'm cleared for another creative surge... should it show up...

2 comments:

Annette Bush said...

Karen
I do think this would be a cool show with interesting impact. Don't discard the idea along with the papers! Even it becomes wallpaper for a show of paintings -- maybe a panel offset behind the canvas -- it could be a neat installation.
A

Karen Jacobs said...

Couldn't do it with a straight face, Annette ;-) But surely it would as good a show as some we've seen...