In this Friday's New York Crimes there was a fairly lauditory article about a very interesting artist who happened to have won the prestigious Turner prize several years ago. The artist (formerly known as chintz) was given the award for his installation which featured a room where occassionally the light would go on and off. The reviewer explained why this was such an interesting idea using as much artspeak as could be gotten up for what is, let's face it, a fairly vapid premise. Turner must be rolling over in his grave. A Painter of light's name being awarded to a turner (pun intended) on of light. The re-viewer went on to discuss some of the artists latest work. A video that features alternate scenes of vomiting and defecation(tastefully done of course), a room that is half filled with balloons (the lights apparently working now) and a wall painted in the witt-less style of criss-crossing stripes. The article could not say enough about the balloons, likening the experience to an anti-gravity experience. I guess the reviewer has never been to Chucky Cheese. The whole review left me feeling kind of sad that people who obviously hate art seem to be the only ones getting any kind of voice in the major newspapers. Isn't there anyone they can hire that likes to write about art that's ennobling, beautiful and filled with all of man's humility and awe in the face of nature?
    On a brighter note I caught Jacob Collins still life show at Hirschl and Adler gallery last week. I'm glad I got to see them in person because, as with most art, the reproductions do not do them justice. Quite a bit different from the figure paintings last featured, yet still obviously by the same hand, they were a bit looser. I could see that the paintings were affecting a kind of off- handedness that disguises the effort as in all Collins work to be expressive, but more importantly to "get it right". Marveling at a long dragged out highlight on the edge of a knife I couldn't help wondering how many times did the artist paint it on and wipe it off before he got it to look as if it were breathed on rather than painted. A lesson that could be beneficial to many of the self proclaimed master still life painters of today; facility should never be the overriding subject of a painting. It's just not that interesting.
    After the H and A exhibit I was feeling spirited enough to head over to the Met to catch the Clark collection. Some pretty good paintings mixed in with some not so good but the real surprise for me was the Renoirs. I have to admit I've never really cared much for Renoir. I've always found his paintings to look kind of soupy and a little too runny at the edges of forms and way too much noodling in the shadows. The paintings at the Met were of a different sort. A little less broken color and a little firmer in the modeling. I think Renoirs best work was done when he was hanging out with Monet. Monet was a natural draftsman who never let his investigations into light completely dissolve his  sense of good solid design.(at least in his early to mid career work). The Renoirs were also painted a little thicker than some of his last paintings and there was one of a girl wearing a kind of blueish silk shirt where the light was exactly right yet the paint was applied in a way that one could see was totally spontaneous as if the artist was saying to himself "let's throw it up there and see if it sticks" ( it did, gloriously).
    So there you have it; an artist who plays with lights and artists who are inspired by light. A light installation is a one punch line sort of joke. Once you know the ending where else can you go with it. Paintings of light will always have something new to reveal. A good painting doesn't give up all of it's secrets in one viewing and there are some paintings that I just will never get tired of looking at. Good honest work will never go out of fashion because it fills a basic need that all human beings share, the need to be reminded every once in a while just how beautiful life can be,  and how sometimes it's just good to be alive." you know?" Great paintings and books and music can do that.