!st–Live Kay Buena: thoughts of the day, song of the day.
It is a remarkable thing that what ever notoriety I have received as a visual artist, is from my Computer destruction, relief sculptures (inside pun), as I was trained quite classically at the University of Texas in the late 60’s. This was back in the McKinley administration, when you really had to know how to draw, paint, or sculpt, and/or take artfully notable photographs and know how to process them–without computer help; an unimaginable concept these days. We were also expected to take 36 hours of art history, so we had some idea of the growth and nature of Art. It was in these college days that an unforeseen development occurred; as it has so often done back in the past: I write of the conceptional art wave, like Andy Warhol’s work, or a slide off’s of Picasso’s bicycle seat portrait, and even in the late 60’s, some of these junk induced works which were beginning to make it to the “walls of the art building’s display”, a year-round sort of Student Gallery they were even then. I vaguely remember some “modernist” savvy students’s sculpture displayed there (it was some sort of a ”statement” (?) starting from an old toilet (hung on the Wall) with addon’s.) It was a shitty deal, no joke, and ignored by most, however I remember a moment I spent shared with my now deceased, very talented and well known, mostly realistically inspired, famous, old-school sculpture professor, Charles Umlauf. He was quite disturbed and puzzled by this particular work with the toilet and all. He and I worked closely in my junior and senior year and shared the same opinion that this was just ‘junk on the wall’. He actually turned to me and asked what it meant; to which I replied,”I don’t get it either.” Then he continued his diatribe about this work, which was wonderfully done. At one time he said it was something that looked like “a dope ‘add-dick‘” (accent on the first syllable, his speaking was unique in that he was originally German, immigrated to the Chicago area where he studied at The Chicago Institute of Art, which was a big deal…so I think he thought in German, but didn’t have much of an accent*). would do and just leave around…” *Having no accent in Texas is strange indeed. The whole experience haunts me.
However, there are time’s when I am drawing, even to this day, when I hear his encouraging comments or directions, especially when trying portraits. I’ve been working on a truly fine portrait of snoop Dogg, from a photo, which I will sell on this site later, after Mr. Umlauf and I are finished with it. I think it’s really “dope.”
But I don’t use street drugs anymore–who knows what’s in them? That sort of thing is suspicious as all get out to me, even if I do hear from the dead. I mean: what’s in those street drugs anyway? They could be produced in the toliet for all we know…but that is a me in digression as usual.
But my Shot up computer and cell phones are by far what gets the attention. I wonder why that is? They are usually visually appealing, even with all the bullet holes. But maybe we just all share in the desire to gain revenge on computers, etc. and these works are obviously that. Nothing lives though a 10 hollow point clip to the center and keeps on ticking.
In truth, had I been older and as bold of an old hag that I am now, I might have attempted some sort of stupid explanation to Mr. Umlauf about the Toilet Sculpture, and how it (?) was considered Art-by some. How ever it did not have the restful, trophy-like presence of my better stupid conceptual art works, like said shot up computers, etc. Actually, I intend to post more on this site, if I can figure out how to use this damn digital camera, with out taking my pistola out and working it over too.
Just a little humor indicated there, Charles, (my much discussed husband, who is more patient and semi-literate in ‘ART’. as any non believer can be…your camera is safe with me).