Forrest Bess at CHRISTIE'S and the WHITNEY MUSEUM

James Kalm presents this program for hard-core Forrest Bess fans only. As one of the most mythic and eccentric American painters of the Twentieth Century, Forrest Bess (1911-1977) exerts a force over contemporary art that is hard to measure. Working in isolation and on a small scale, he was nonetheless able to garner the attentions of critical and art world heavyweights. With his inclusion in the Whitney Biennial of 2012, in an installation curated by Robert Gober, and the presentation of a cache of mostly late paintings from Texas, this program records over twenty-six minutes of paintings, possibly documenting twenty-five percent of his life's output.

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[jubilanti15]

Just thank you so much jameskalm for making it possible for us to visit all these shows with you - and a lot of the pleasure is listening to you !

[ElChingonIzzy]

This is by far my favorite video on this channel. Thank you for creating this!

And I also wanted to add that perhaps I'm wrong, but some of his work reminds me of the Russian Nicholas Roerich, albeit a more naive version. By the way, I don't know if you've ever visited the Nicholas Roerich Museum on the UWS (at 319 W 107th St.), but it's a hidden gem!

[Barry White]

Oh James, thank you thank you thank you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[dermic]

love the kirchner's robe

[Wenceslao Futanaki]

Jung actually was a competent painter

[cpkelley]

Hey...did you get a new bike? Nice wheels, James.

[Robert Stanley]

I don't understand this level of acclaim. "Deceptively simple"? Out of the tube colors and simple mixes. Shapes that are sometimes on, often clumsy. While useful to look at as a stimulus, as "art" it seems simplistic. I think that because he somehow got into Betty Parsons (would like to know the way that worked), he got "blessed," collectors started up (and Newman liked him), and he became a big deal. I'd have bought some bait from him, but find nothing special in his lathered-on painting.

[Untitled Painter]

Absolutely amazing paintings. Bess is one of my all time favourites. As magic as paleolithic cave paintings. Thanks for making such a comprehensive video.

KEEP

KALM

and

CARRY

ON

[earinsound]

Bess was heavily influenced by Jung and the concept of the androgyne.