The Pablo Picasso Alzheimer's Therapy

NY Times ^ | October 30, 2005 | RANDY KENNEDY

[Dark Skies]

Thx for your response. Looking back, I think I started "A Brief History of Time" but got distracted or something and never got into it. On your recommendation, I will try again.

[Dark Skies]

And by the way, the reason I found Krauthammer's comment intriguing is that, before getting into the political world, he was chief resident of Psychiatry at Mass General and received his M.D. at Harvard (in 1975). He is quite scientific oriented and I was shocked that he would make such a statement about "A Brief History of Time."

Check his bio sometime...he has an interesting background.

[Republicanprofessor]

The dreaded red X has surfaced instead of Murray. Let me try again and hope that it stays.

The bright colors and surrealistic exuberance of the table are in stark contrast to how many would think of spillage, which is to think of waste and loss. I suspect the artist is illustrating that it is in our imperfections that our humanity shines forth, so she celebrates the dynamism of the spillage, rather than suggest that we grieve it.

Your interpretation is very good. She often does these body-like reaching tables and cups holding fluids that do often spill out. I also see the fluid as the soul; perhaps the cup is the heart. And the warm, liquid shape is in great contrast to the harder edges of the table. She is invigorating domestic forms (usually the realm of women) with much more imagination and power than we've seen in much contemporary art.

The exhibition is at the Museum of Modern Art through Feb. 9 and then travels to Spain. See it if you are in the area; it's a great show. You are right about many critics, and I think maybe even curators and dealers. They follow fashionable trends; it's easier than thinking about form and content (my criteria for art: what's it mean and how is that relayed). And shocking has been in for many decades, even though many of us are sick of this easy way out.

You are also right about Pollock's work being great because it is natural. (A very picky point: Pollock ends in -ock not -ack. Don't feel badly: I made worse mistake. One of my friends' name is Pollack and I spelt it with an o for ages!!)