_Frederic_Edwin_Church.jpg)
Haller smiled apologetically. “When you reach my age you
sometimes think of the approach of death.
I thought this afternoon how much I would have
liked to have seen the Parthenon just once more. I doubt if I shall
have another opportunity of doing so. I
used to spend hours standing in the shade by the Propylæa looking
at it and trying to understand the men who built
it. I was young then and
did not know how difficult it is for Western man to understand the dream
heavy classical soul. They are so far
apart. The god of
superlative shape has been replaced by the god of superlative force and between
the two conceptions there is all space. The destiny
idea symbolised by the Doric columns is incomprehensible
to the children of Faust. For us
. . .” He broke off. “Excuse me.
I see we have another
passenger. I
suppose he is to sit here.”
+1988+art+institute+of+chicago.jpg)
Note: I don’t know. Painted BMW “art” race car aside (static, sclerotic
junk), it is difficult to see the god of superlative force in Jeff
Koons’ work. That
being said, its enfeebled nature has had the power to enrage me
from the moment I first set eyes on it all those years ago.
Text: Eric
Ambler, Journey Into Fear (1940).
Top: Frederick Edwin Church, Parthenon (1871).
Next: Jeff Koons, Woman in Tub
(1988); Magenta Swan (2004-11); BMW "Art Car"
(2010).
I read something suggesting that Koons's work may be motivated by (concealed) rage. I certainly feel as if I'm under attack when viewing his work, which is why I try not to do it.
ReplyDeleteKoons is horrible. I try not to let myself feel that he is the entire zeitgeist wrapped up in one terrible, terrible package. (That being said, I suppose it might be convenient if that was the case.) My brother-in-law Don became kind of well known a long time ago litigating against Koons in the Rogers vs. Koons case (960 F.2d 301; 2d Cir. 1992). Have you ever read Journey Into Fear? If not, you should. It's great. Curtis
DeleteWhat an interesting case, and how consistent with Koons's pattern of behavior! I hope the settlement was substantial.
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding that it was. As I recall, Don acquired the case in a more-or-less ordinary, but surprising, way, i.e., the plaintiff was simply seeking good IP representation in NYC and found Don through a recommendation, and soon found himself immersed in something unexpected and fascinating. It was one of those career milestones that led to other interesting cases and a substantial expansion of his practice. Curtis
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