Burning The Amazon
The Sunday of the time change, the switch to daylight ‘savings’ time. Is anything at all ‘saved’? Describe for me how shifting the imposed grid of punctuated time, industrial time, upon the flow of natural-seasonal time is useful? Disruptive yes. Worth it? Why keep doing, in lock step what we’ve always done?
I glimpsed an article in the New York Times telling of drought that is causing wildfires in the Amazon, hundreds of square miles are burning. It is supposed to be rainy season there, weeks of drenching rain. 
To imagine that fire-in-the-Amazon does not matter, that the rhythms, the regularities of nature are unimportant, unworthy of reverence is a form of insanity. How many ways may we fall into insanity? Ignorance and insanity are linked. When does defended ignorance, solidify into adamantine insanity?
A friend offered an AI generated image in response to what I managed to write for yesterday’s post. The image was that of an gigantic, aged Republican Party elephant. The mammal was bearing upon its back a decaying shantytown. This ghetto like habitation was populated by those mesmerized by the ‘might is right’ rant of Party sycophants. The tottering, aged elephant looms, tilting over two peaceable jackasses, symbols of the Democratic party. The humble species, repose in their intention to “stay the course.” There’s no need to describe for you what is most likely to result from this scene.
We experienced a gallery opening at Batavia’s Water Street Studios and Gallery on Friday evening. The work of Michael and Jamie Foster was featured. The paintings and mixed media work struck me as compelling. I was inclined to purchase something from Michael’s work, because I liked several pieces. It is impossible to assess what any piece of art is worth. If the image, if the sculpture, if the song captures your heart, opens you up, illuminates your place and time, suggesting how you might become who you are, then the work is beyond any price. The following consideration impossible to avoid, is whether you can afford to pay the asking price in order to have custody of the work. After all, every maker-of-art has bills to pay. (I think that everyone of us potentially makes art.)
Michael Foster’s canvases were filled with vivid, contemporary colors, layer upon layer of pleasantly contrasting shapes, sprayed, brush strokes, pen outlined with India ink, etc.. I felt the suggestion of multilayered activity, systems interacting, all supporting what we know as urban life, supply chains, and the all but invisible army of employees routinized by the logical requirements of this form of life. Compelling my interest were the tracings of sentient creatures, suggesting spirit like, and human like inhabitants of the great cities, with seeming endless sub-urban populations. Some of these diminutive beings seem confused, frozen, having lost their way. Others appear mildly amused, entertained by the surrounding material and social opportunities. There’s one child-scaled crimson being sporting a crew cut. The associated text that might be ‘I remember…” Memory in this place seems tenuous. I really liked the one who is ordering another beer in Japanese. I heard that phrase many times over the two years I spent in Japan.
I have mentioned that I’d love to own one of these canvasses. To pull this trigger is not a simple decision for me. I was not raised to spend ‘serious money’ on art. Embracing a new habit of thinking/acting seems like an existential bending, a challenge,…
Here are a few closeup images of the segments of Michael Foster’s art for your enjoyment and contemplation.
For an in depth interview with Foster CLICK HERE.
2 thoughts on “Burning The Amazon”
There are many good reasons to purchase a piece of artwork. Just as there are many poor reasons.
Let’s start with the bad reasons.
#1 – A well-known name. Some folks will spend several million dollars on a Jeff Koons meaningless piece of junk because he has a big name. His work is derivative garbage, in my opinion.
#2 – To impress others. Are we as a species so insecure that we must display our tail feathers in order to garner what we assume to be status? (Rhetorical question!)
#3 – Investment. This is a crapshoot at best and more likely than not a losing proposition.
Reasons to purchase artwork
#1 – You personally connect with the work, much as you have done with Mr. Foster’s art
#2 – You don’t need to mortgage your home to make the purchase
#3 – You see something new in it each time you view it. A bit tough to assess at a gallery, but you usually have a pretty good idea if that will be the case.
#4 – You’ve created a connection to the artist. Having that personal connection makes for a compelling story as it hands in your home.
I can check off all four of your affirmative reasons for making the purchase. Clearly added discussion is called for here in the household. Making and appreciating art is one of the life affirming acts that one ought to do when possible.