A Box of Rocks

In the image of Duane Hanson with a dirty, dark, damaged secret; this work by Joseph Seigenthaler speaks to a clothing optional family dynamic...beauty is not the fare of the day...at least not in a conventional way...there is something appealing and attractive about the context of these works: sculptural realism...suffering in the faces and bodies...with the male figure carefully balancing a box of rocks on his third-eye...perfectly placed...kinetically, this element is always, already in the process of potentially falling...

Seigenthaler is an expert at textured skin, pitted and aged...it reminds me conceptually of the early works of Chuck Close, realism to the point of nausea...sometimes it is important to not show the warts and all! The dynamic is unclear...there are some clues...height wise, the female form is in the position of power, reluctant authority, staring down and away...the male figure is disengaged...lost in his own head and out through a precarious wooden square...and finally the child form is crying and aching for attention...in need and lost...he is the only character not seemingly disconnected...he is begging to engage...

Have a Nummy Drink

You have to love a furry cup! The idea of everyday objects transformed into something subtly new undermines how we see the everyday...it pulls the functional items out of the "real" world and moves it into a conceptual place and forces the viewer to face the idea of this "object." I love the idea of drinking something out the cup...the feeling of the liquid flowing out through the fur and the smell as you bring it up to the lips...was this found fur? Or fur from an old coat, the smell of death and mothballs...what a great image! It is dark and at the same time profound in its application...

An extension of the ready made and diving deep into pop art this piece is so simple, yet so far reaching in its conceptual possibilities...the more you can read into the works and add to the piece, the more opportunities for the infusion of humor, passion and concepts...I believe that is why it stood the test of time...the way this piece by Oppenheim remains open and ready for interpretation...

Push and pull

Flowing, organic forms excellently balanced...the push and pull of the darkest element in the front blanketing the picture plane and pushed out beyond the borders...the cross form is held in place by it's position but, visually moving back into space because of its value...the horizon and sunset are pulling forward due to the warm color scheme...the overall composition is organic with flowing hills in perspective...

The sophisticated way Georgia O'Keefe adds hints of color, at the top of the mountain, across the top of the picture plane, circles within the cross form...is beyond seeing, showing off her expertise in using visual language...it sets a unique mood and embodies the view of the west...her work feels like it is a part of New Mexico, the culture, the light and the style...