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Room 1
Meghan Howland creates moody paintings with loose brush strokes, examining apparently stoned, depressed and brooding youths through a hazy lens. Her disillusioned characters appear delicate yet unaware or disparaging of their own beauty and their effect on the viewer. Their faces are often obscured or their eyes are clouded with drugs or closed, and there is often the hint of recent violence or self-harm as if they are avoiding a painful confrontation or in the midst of suiciding.
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Room 2
YDK Morimoe is an artist as enigmatic as his art. Also using the monikers of xhxix and Hi, this Japanese digital artist, born in 1985, has one of the most recognizable styles in contemporary art. His photorealistic portraits, mixed with painting effects and bold digital touches, are mostly always staging young men on drugs with sickly pale bodies and dazed eyes lost in surreal states of mental anguish and/or hallucination and/or physical injury.
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p.s. Hey. So a regular reader of the blog named Jim Post wrote to me recently and asked if he could curate a show in my galerie. I said, ‘Please do’, of course, and today you can stroll/scroll through and peruse the very show he has curated, and I hope you will, and I hope you’ll share some comments re: the show with Jim, whom I am certain will be looking in. Thanks. Thank you very much, Jim! ** Scunnard, Hey hey, Jared! Ooh, you are ultra-correct in having thought, if you did, that I am both slapping myself upside my head that I’m not in London to see that show and feeling very grateful to you for thinking of me in its regard. I don’t know why you think he’s hot or why Yves Klein is not an in-person type, ha ha. But I am, yes, glad to know. You good? ** David Ehrenstein, Hi. No, I think I understand, and, again, I don’t know ‘Detroit’. I will say that I think glibness can be one of those things that in the eye of the beholder. ** Steve Erickson, Hi. Cool you’re into Martel’s work. I think her imminent new film has a lot more money and push behind it than her earlier films, so I think maybe it will get her long due recognition possibly? ‘I think you’re way too willing to give all extremely violent art a pass’: ‘All’? That’s quite presumptuous of you, no? To what are you referring exactly? Please identify some ‘extremely violent’ art works that you know I’m ‘far too willing’ to give ‘a pass’ and that you presumably believe should be condemned instead. Not having seen ‘Detroit, I have a theoretical problem with the idea that because her depiction of torture didn’t meet your standards of what’s acceptable given the subject matter that that means she didn’t ‘think about what [she was] doing when depicting it’. The idea that an artist who hasn’t taken into account the standards and politics and possible opinions of all viewers isn’t thinking through what she or did enough is a strange and unwieldy requirement to place on artists. You brought up ‘Frisk’: when that book was published it was condemned by quite a number of critics and people for not taking into account the possible homophobia of its readers and that it therefore posed a danger to both the status and lives of gay men. And in fact I have written disturbing sexual scenes in my works that I found complicatedly erotic, and, no, those scenes are not ‘torture porn’ as a result. Like I said yesterday, I object to the notion and term torture porn. I explained my reasoning, and I don’t think I need to elaborate further. I like the new Tyler the Creator album. I think it’s his best since the first one. Gaspar Noe is most definitely straight. I think ‘Love’ pretty much made that as clear as day. ** Nicholas, Hey. Ah, just fall for him, man. Life’s short. I just started Alistair’s novel and, no surprise, its fantastic, so, obviously, get it. Theoretically, I like the idea of a museum painted all black. It’s novel. Absinthe just gave me a splitting headache and nothing more. It was sad. ** Sypha, Hi, James. Oh, okay, about the movie. It’ll be a plane-r for. Thank you very much for the information about the Ordo Templi Orientis. That’s extremely interesting to know. Huh. ** Dóra Grőber, Hi, Dóra! My pleasure about the Martel post, of course. It’s totally possible and even recommended to be patient and realistic and excited and proud at the same time. That’s how I feel — or at least am trying to feel — about ‘Permanent Green Light’. The Palestine installation was kind of just goofy, to be honest with you. I’m still trying to fight off some laziness too. I figure it being August makes that okay-ish, but the fight continues. My day wasn’t much, actually. Mostly organized some things. The hours just kind of slipped by. Oh, well. Soon enough I’ll be longing for these nothing-ish days. And I will try to take advantage of Tuesday. How was yours? ** Jeff J, Hi. I’m new to Martel’s work, like I said, but ‘La Cienaga’ is my big favorite of her films so far. I didn’t get to indulge in the Bandcamp feast yesterday for no good reason, but I will today. Mark my word if marking it seems like an interesting thing to do. ** Jamie, Hello hello hello. Okay, I’ll quit making things worse by asking about the wifi thing and condemning whoever is the cause of your deprivation. I’m good enough. Yes, I put the Kiarostami Day back together yesterday, and it’ll launch here in the next two weeks. Thanks for suggesting that. Yeah, ‘wedding’ is just a weird form. How you’re supposed to react to it is too built-in and predetermined or something. Maybe happiness is something that shouldn’t be ritualized? Or, rather, the display of happiness? I don’t know. Today, not sure yet. Stuff I should do and even need to do re: work and projects that I will hopefully bring myself to attempt or do. Otherwise, not really sure. Strange lazy days these days over here. Was the hospital appointment okay/successful? Did the faceless corporation give good phone? Rock your today, yeah? Non-argurable love, Dennis. ** S., No, never seen ‘Aqua Teen’. TV and I have become pretty much estranged. Except for random French stuff. Good question about the realness why. Really happy with your life? Fuck yeah! Them’s the opposite of fighting words. Ghost stories book, yes! Get it, make it! ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben. I really liked ‘La Cienaga’. I love your YnY’s future-related buzz. It infectiously tingly. ** Misanthrope, Hi, G. Cool, glad. I only know the publicized outline of ‘Detroit’s’ story, but it does seem like a lot to have taken on. But ambition is good. My dad always said we were related to, shit, some big famous guy or general or someone who fought at the Alamo. I can’t remember his name. I have a couple of other friends who are also obsessed with Patti Labelle sweet potato pie. Gonna check one out if I’m ever within its market. ** Okay. Please do enjoy Jim Post’s gift of an art show for you today. See you tomorrow.
Now available in North America 
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I recognize one or two of these images. Im listining to Work, work, work by HTRK, which rather suits this mood here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-kOchb8cGg&app=desktop
I loved these but wish the post was longer. Almost feels like it cut off. More drug addled teens damn it, well, er, paintings of them. Speaking of art re: boys, can’t wait for the two or three new Duvert translations that seem to be coming out almost simultaneously from different presses.
Hope all is well, D.
Love,
me (your favorite lurker)
Hey Jim Post, thanks for the post. I was unaware of both these artists and enjoyed your introduction.
Morning Dennis!
I just wrote a comment then it completely disappeared. How annoying. I’m on my third train of the day and it’s not even 12, but there’s been wifi all the way so I’m not complaining.
How are you? Seems like your current days are at a vastly different pace to the previous few months. How’s that working out for you? Are you looking forward to getting back to PGL?
I feel like the Newcastle/Sunderland job is grinding me down. Have you ever been in a position where you feel like you’re being paid purely to listen to someone? That’s where I feel like I’m at and I’m running out of ways to react to things I’ve heard and reacted to a thousand times.
Totally with you on your thoughts about weddings. It’s like the attempt to capture and ritualise whatever emotion or sentiment has quite the opposite effect, leaving things feeling rather empty. Or maybe I’m just a misery.
So, what pearls did Tuesday deliver? I’m heading for hospital, but it’s just a check-in kind of thing. As I type there’s an engineer in my flat trying to fix the broadband. Last report said he knows what’s wrong and will be fixing it in twenty minutes. Can we dare to dream?
I hope your Wednesday’s wonderful.
Light and fluffy cream-filled love,
Jamie
Beautiful and harrowing Mr. Post. Thanks.
“The idea that an artist who hasn’t taken into account the standards and politics and possible opinions of all viewers isn’t thinking through what she or did enough is a strange and unwieldy requirement to place on artists. ” Well that’s reality, plain and simple. Every artist should do what they can to take as many elements as possible into account. It’s impossible to “cover all bases,” but I find it’s easy to spot those who haven’t. As for “shock value,” your means and ends are easily divined, Dennis — just as the case with artists as diverse as Genet, Pasolini, Laureamont, John Waters and the Marquis de Sade. This is quite different from what Kathy Bigelow is up to in her films. QUITE different.
Well, it seems to me that you’re willing to basically defend DETROIT without having seen it. I realize that “torture porn” is a really loaded phrase; as far as I know, it was invented by critic David Edelstein to describe films like SAW and HOSTEL. The phrase “New French Extremity” was invented by critic James Quandt in an article attacking such films, but it’s actually pretty neutral and I can use it that way. Maybe the best way I can respond to what you’re saying is that I’ve completely re-conceived the script I was working on. I’m now planning to start writing another monologue I plan to film, from the POV of a director who has basically made Dario Argento’s TENENBRAE, and he talks about why he made such an extremely gory and nihilistic film and what led him to it. (In reality, TENENBRAE was partially inspired by Argento receiving phone calls from a stalker who told him “Watching SUSPIRIA ruined my life.”) After a few paragraphs on the subject of violence, there will be a cut and the director will be shown pointing a gun to his head. This will last 10 seconds or so. The director will put the gun down, it will be shown in an extreme close up that makes it clear that it’s not real. From there, he will start talking about the ways that art has changed his life in a positive way and the ways that it might be able to do so now under our current cultural and political malaise. All of the political opinions expressed in THIS WEEK TONIGHT are my own, although the character’s backstory is not autobiographical. And I’ve never made a film like TENEBRAE, but the examples of how art his changed his life would be taken from my own life; this film would be completely me jumping on a soapbox, to be honest, and was a product of my work on the last script I was talking about, writing an essay on Argento and watching some of his films again and watching DETROIT, having such a negative response and arguing about it on Facebook and here. I have to write a final draft of my Nashville Scene review of Eliza Hittman’s BEACH RATS today, but once I finish it, I will probably start writing this after lunch. My tentative title is THAT’S WHEN I REACH FOR MY REVOLVER. I think that might be my single favorite rock song, I already threw the phrase into the dialogue for my short SQUAWK, and the character actually does reach for his revolver. I’m aware that phrase has several origins, one of them coming from the Nazis, although Mission of Burma said they took it from a Henry Miller essay.
Hey, I can’t take credit for inventing the term “Torture Porn”!
As for Argento, what marks his work is the way he weaves scenes of horror inot an overall mise en scene of great visual beauty.
Yes, actual “torture porn” films like SAW and HOSTEL have none of the style and beauty of SUSPIRIA. My essay on Argento, whose rough draft runs close to 3,000 words, goes into this.
Here’s link to a superb dissertation on Bresson
The Meghan Howland paintings remind me of Caravaggio’s work. Does Howland use real living models for her paintings? She gives her subject matter a heroic stance, but perhaps I’m misreading the images. I like her work. Both artists I feel are looking at their subject from a distance. Not a first-experience type of thing, but almost a commentary on one’s life, or how they go on perhaps. Does YDK Morimoe live in Japan?
What’s not to like about this Post post? Thanks Jim!
Some of the charcoal and shellac pieces on Howland’s site are really lovely as well, and push toward a kind of abstraction that I love.
While we’re on this strung out theme, I finally watched Christiane F. It’s fun to see Berlin back in the day, but I don’t think it dates well.
Bill, off to the airport soon
Barbara Cook R.I.P.
Here she is at her greatest
I feel quite similar with Bill about the post. Thank you for the curation, Jim!
Dennis, I’m too sick to do anything at the moment. Muscle fatigue and cramp from the moving labor can create deep melancholy and nausea? I’m taking a day off from that, and reading Joy Williams ‘Taking Care’ now. Of course, not for the title. I didn’t like her writing much in the past, but started loving it this year. (What is your Joy Williams favorite?) Hopefully I will regain inner strength by reading it. And will be back soon with the gift. Hope your week has been pleasant.
Yo to you D.!
Jim Post’s post is wonderful. Being the ego-freak that I can be at certain times, I’m thinking I should’ve been in one of his featured photos, but all the drug stuff happened after the ages I suspect those developing gentlemen may or may not have become.
You are absolutely right about me falling for Trev. Life is short, true. And he busts out of his parents’ house, stealing their car and coming down to be with me. There was a meeting with his parents where I didn’t lie about my age, and initially they freaked. Then, they understood. He’s young, but really smart and ‘with it.’ It was firstly just a sexual thing. It has progressed. He takes care of me when medical stuff goes whacko. I have dated around a bunch in the last 12 or more years. He’s the only one who gets here when I need him, before he knows I do. And having sex in WSU parking structures is a big turn-on.
He loved Martel. And he dug the Gig post, but didn’t hear much because I kept getting up to click on further songs while we were doing some of what we do. He keeps asking why I’m so into your work. So, now I think introducing him to the Cycle will bulk his curiosity, and reward it.
And the Absinthe thing…. man, I’m sorry it just gave you a headache. Those sorts of drugs never did much for me (and I did lots of PCP in grade school. While friends totally freaked out, I just kept playing the Butthole Surfers and laughing). Maybe I have immunity or some shit. I did enjoy it, but more in a comfortable way. Still, I would’ve loved D. Harry’s dimples smiling at me.
Oh, before I file this, here’s Visser’s response to my communications with him regarding you (and daveDave; is that piece available in any form? )
Thanks.
Erik: ‘Its so weird having you guys in my mailbox.
I am so busy lately but feel free to say hi anytime. Mail or facebook..
Tell Cooper thanks, and I hope he’s okay.
Gr, Erik’
Great artist, and super dude.
Best to all.
Hi!
Oh wow, thank you for today’s art show! Both to Jim and to you. I’m a huge fan of Morimoe’s work, his pictures inspired more than one of my earlier pieces.
Well, yes, I guess I’m mostly in this “summer vacation” state or mood. Maybe that’s what crept up on both of us, in a way. Geez, I think I had another nothing-day too, though I did write some and I invited Anita over for tomorrow so I’m about to break the habit, hah.
How did Tuesday turn out on your end?
Thank you for this intense display, Mr Post. I’m sure any former disaffected teenaged boys on drugs can relate.
Jim Post, Great last name and very apt for a…post. I really like that they’re paintings. It does something for me that I can’t get my words around. It makes them better or something for me personally.
Dennis, Ambition is good. I agree. Failing at something ambitious…I think I’d prefer that to succeeding with something that’s not very hard to do. And really, for me, if someone wants to do torture porn, go ahead. You don’t like it, don’t watch it. Or write a scathing review of it.
It seems to me that people disagree about things like this all the time. I think that’s a good thing, different points of view.
If you like pumpkin pie at all, you’ll like that sweet potato pie. It’s different but similar. It’s much better, actually. Patti knows how to cook. I usually make her mac and cheese every Thanksgiving.
Have you been following baseball at all? The Dodgers are killing it. They’re 79-32, 47 games above .500. And that’s with Kershaw out for a couple months.
I’m watching that Nats right now. My mom’s really gotten into them suddenly. Never really liked baseball before, but now she’s baseball crazy. I think she has a crush on a few of the players.
I managed to write a complete first draft of this monologue today! It’s dedicated to Abbas Kiarostami, for reasons that will become apparent to anyone who reads the whole thing, although I’m pretty sure Kiarostami would have disapproved of a monologue in which someone talks about basically making TENEBRAE and then goes on to put a gun to his head in order to make a point. Do you have any time right now to read this and give me feedback? The monologue wildly mixes my own experiences and opinions with my fantasies about other people and the total products of my own imagination, although I basically agree with everything it says about politics, movies and music. But the life the character delivering it has lived is obviously not my own. Did you ever watch the TV show HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET? In my dreams (which couldn’t come true unless someone hands me several thousand dollars), I would love to have the actor Reed Diamond, who appeared in it for three seasons, deliver this monologue.
I am tempted to turn mine on now or listen to Pete tosh does what’s his face McCarthy have a radio station the unconscious is trace of the self rev them boys are you flirtin with me when I see high kids I want to punch them in the head the frenetic eyes make me uncontrollable looking at old pics from the coke surprised I don’t have parkenses I want a frank wolf wahhh I like crazies or is it that boys with issues serious issues I’m a corpse what best aa dialogue Detroit I was going to name my new band Doyle bramhall but I got the creeps sideboob malfunction
Jim Post – thanks for curating this day. I wasn’t familiar with any of this work and it’s beautiful and haunting. Really glad to know it now.
Hey Dennis – Think the eye doctor messed up my new glasses prescription b/c now I can only read things from like 100 feet away. Trying to read books or stare at the computer for long is migraine inducing. Hoping to get this remedied soon.
Have you had a chance to read the new Acker bio by Chris Kraus or the new Tony Duvert? Those are both my list to check out once my vision is stabilized.
Thanks for checking out the Bandcamp tracks, if you had a chance.