MBK and Caravaggio

Tonight I spent the evening downtown (Chicago that is) looking at the most fantastic art.  Mat Barber Kennedy had an opening tonight and it was fantastic. The internet does not do his work justice. It is definitely a “see in person” kind of art, although his work looks good anywhere, it’s just not the same. I would give a disclaimer about being slightly bias due to the fact he was my teacher and his class was THE reason I am now a watercolorist. (Spell check says that’s not a word, I say, What does spell check know?) However, he’s fabulous whether I say so or not. In 2008 he was the first person since 2000 or 2001 to win the annual Turner award. That’s kind of a big deal. A link to his blog is at the left.  Can’t say enough nice things.

After the opening the man of the house and I slipped off to the Art Institute to find the Pasini. I always talk about this painting and had not been able to get Joe to see it until tonight. We also stumbled onto the Caravaggio painting that is supposed to make it’s debut tomorrow night to members only. Oops. It was a bit crowded for my taste and I couldn’t stand back far enough to appreciate it, but I did get up close and check it out.  Now, I’m not saying Caravaggio is not worth a peek, but he was a little ruined for me.  Let me put it this way….which painting really gets the emotion and expression of the scene in the paintings Painting One or Painting Two ? WARNING: You may find the images disturbing. Caravaggio painted No. 2, a woman from around the same time period painted No. 1. She got the arterial spary down. (It’s more than a little creepy if you stop and think about how she could have gotten the knowledge of arterial spray in that period) Almost nobody knows her name. More people know Caravaggio’s name than hers and most people don’t know Caravaggio’s name. Artemsia Gentileschi (that’s her name) is kind of a bad ass. She was raped as a teenager by the man to whom she was apprenticing. After the man decided not to marry her her father sued him. Not because he raped his daughter, but because he kept two of her paintings. While testifying she had to endure thumbscrews to prove she was telling the truth (yes the thumbscrews are exactly what you think they are). As an artist that is insane. If the wounds became infected she would most likely never be able to handle a brush again. Again, I’m not saying Caravaggio isn’t good or that some of his other painting are not amazing, but I’m saying let’s see him do them after thumbscrews….

Note: Originally posted on 10/9/09 at blog.limitedpalette.com