There shine you, oh! loveliest of the stars

Wish I were in Berlin to see Elizabeth Peyton's new show up at neugerriemschneider (open until August 23).

Like her previous work, these new paintings feel transparent, fresh, and effortless. But I like that these new paintings are washed out, that their palette is softer and unified, and the fact that some of them aren't as tightly cropped (esp. the second one, Lamentation of Christ). Since the subjects aren't immediately identifiable (*famous*), this work also feels less closely tied to the present moment.

images: neugerriemschneider via ArtAddict

Seeing: Kader Attia

From a visit to Kader Attia's show "Repair. 5 Acts" at Kunst-Werke, which was really good and thought-provoking.
Attia is French-Algerian and a lot of the work in the show dealt with themes of colonialism and European/African history.



African masks presented out of context (i.e., in a gallery setting), and two different portrayals of a monkey: European (taxidermy), and African (mask)



Injuries sustained by soldiers fighting in WWI, some of whom were European, and some of whom were recruited from colonies. Their faces before and after their scars healed.
Source: Universes in Universe



This is from a previous show that I think included some of the same pieces. Sculptures of the scarred faces from WWI photographs which were made on commission by African wood sculptors.
Source: Blindbild


Scars that might be considered deformities in one culture can be considered beautiful in another. These sculptures were based on source photos of body modification and commissioned to marble sculptors in Italy.
Source: Berlin Art Parasites

I looked up some of Attia's previous work, also great--


Holy Land, 2007
Source: Galerie Nagel Draxler


Ghost, 2007
Source: Galerie Nagel Draxler


Tsunami, 2006
Source: Galerie Nagel Draxler