Luc Tuymans Forever at DAVID ZWIRNER

James Kalm slips in for a Thursday night opening of the renowned Belgian painters Luc Tuymans. With this latest group of works, Tuymans is exploring the corporate myth that is Disney and its concomitant cultural hegemony. With his low-keyed color, wane execution, and focus of obscure tangential subjects, Tuymans presents a vision apparently numbed by an overstimulation of visual saturation. These paintings track "the transformation of entertainment into ideology" in which "an uneasy sense of nostalgia pervades."

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• James
• Kalm
• Luc
• Tuymans
• David
• Zwirner
• Belgian
• painter
• drawings
• Disney
• Post
• Modern
• Chelsea
• gallery
• opening
• New
• York

[plocqa17]

James, thanks for hitting this show. The idea that he is exploring myth is interesting to me. Are the paintings as dry in appearence as they appear in photos and video or is there a light sheen to the work or evidence of a medium other than thinner and paint?

[jameskalm]

Hey plocqa,

These are pretty dry surfaces. I reviewed his last show about two years ago (check the Brooklyn Rail archives) and said that there's a sense that feeling anything towards these works would be disregarding what I think is their whole purpose, numbness and ennui.

[spawndonacle]

You can count on this group of unruly viewers to provide all of the necessary uncoolness. I thought the work interesting. But, my socks are still on. Regressing one video, aren't you beautifully positioned to be a Johns' biographer. You have an easy and natural grace with these people coupled with the perfect background and insights.  I could find little on the man anywhere. As always, thanks.

[jameskalm]

spawn,

Wow, what a compliment (being a Johns biographer), that shows the power of the internet (to distort perceptions of social status and relevance). I'm lucky if they'd let me buy a book on Johns let alone write one. As was stated at Art World Salon blog, my "grace" is with the "lesser talents, bottom-feeders and psychopaths," seeing as how they make up 95% of the scene I've got lots of material to work with.

PS I'd rather be painting.

[MrWowforever]

mr. kalm, thanks for this one, the big paintings look great! zwirner gallery is a great space to actually see paintings, nice big skylights. tuymans is influencing (being copied) by lots of artists today. thanks.

[jameskalm]

Mr.Wow,

I still have my reservations regarding the "quality" of Tuymans painting. If his status as a major influence that lots of young painters are coping is a fact, then it should make it easy for tough painters to distinguish themselves. His interest for me is why and how he achieved the amount of recognition he has, astounding. (I liked his earlier work, more paint)

[Audiofreund2]

that old "wanna be paris hilton" is a bitch.

[01geTnM]

@claureic No No No, very sensitive

recapturing the spirit of certain times

a lot seems to be about (certain) feelings

light

memory

you sound more like a technician

[01geTnM]

@ketchumart They aren't drab, they have great subtleties

[01geTnM]

@camargovalentino Stick to your Asian Hot Topic taste

[claureic]

"Belgians certainly have a good taste in linen". That's a good one...OK, I'll abandon "Tooaimuns", and watch my favourite Kalm videos again: Golub, Guston, Martin Ramirez...

[armyofmeisbliss]

claudia makes me laugh.

[claureic]

Hi James. Just discovered this video on one of the most apalling artists of our century. Absolutely dreadful. On a par with Marlene Dumas. Emptiness raised to the status of art: no color, no drawing, bad execution. OK, enough Tuymans-bashing for tonight. Makes me want to sleep...

[quenchedinlife]

claudia, what a bitch

[pues13]

claudia was a ho

[sino900]

Whats eating Claudia?

Ethan?