Thomas Nozkowski, Untitled (4-41), 1983
Thomas Nozkowski, Untitled (P-33), 2008Last Sunday Robin and I made the one and a half hour drive to Long Island to hear a talk by Thomas Nozkowski at the Fisher Landau Center for Art.
The talk was in conjunction with the artist's mini-retrospective there that includes aprox. 32 paintings from the late '70's to the very recent.
Nozkowski is a very interesting painter. He bucked the system back in the '80's, when artists like Schnabbel and Salle were doing large scale works incorporating things like broken crockery, by painting small (22x30 in, 16x20in) paintings on canvas board.
Nozkowski only spoke for about 15 mins. before turning the floor over to questions. This was a little disappointing as I'd hoped he'd speak longer.
The audience of about 30? was typified by women in black with too short pants , funky shoes and square glasses and men with their heads shaved, accents, and square glasses. Also a smattering of students. Typically most of the questions included the phrases "the other" and "fetishizing studio practice."
The painter spoke smoothly about his working methods, how he arrived at his images and current trends in the art world. It was well worth the nerve wracking drive to see more of Nozkowski's work first hand and to hear him speak in person about his work and life as an artist. So, thanks to Robin for driving! Not counting the hair raising U-ie on Madison Ave.
Nozkowski has a show of aprox. forty recent paintings currently on view at Pace Wildenstein in Chelsea through May, 3rd. And he's traded in the canvas board for belgian linen now so he must be doing allright.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOVfjWJUgdw
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