Arts reporter and critic Rosemary Ponnekanti keeps you in touch with the arts and culture scene with the help of other News Tribune writers, critics and editors.
Rosemary Ponnekanti is the arts reporter at The News Tribune, and has been a classical music nerd nearly all her life. Besides spending way too much time in galleries, museums and concert halls, she occasionally brings a whistle or double bass to Celtic jam sessions, and insists on singing "Happy Birthday" in four-part harmony.
Other contributors include:
> Arts & entertainment editor Craig Sailor
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I don't usually blog about Seattle (who needs 'em?!) but today I'm breaking my rule, because one of my favorite Northwest artists is back, with a vengeance. Remember this one?
It's none other than Jim Riswold, Portland artist and former marketing superbrat (the guy behind Nike in the 90s.) His work, that is: of course, the lovely lady to the left is none other than Frida Kahlo, dismembered into the sum of her numerous bodily woes. It made a great addition to the Northwest take on Tacoma Art Museum's Frida show in January 2007, and it's Riswold's usual style: tongue-in-cheek swipes at familiar or beloved icons using photographs of elaborately set-up dolls, toys, plastic food and anything else he can find.
After the TAM appearance Riswold contributed some funny anti-Nazi images to the Biennial there, followed by a very funny solo show of "Chairman Mao" perched on various designer chairs at the UPS Kittredge Gallery. Last year he took on Jesus and souvenir-shop Christianity at Portland's Augen Gallery. Now he's back--at the G. Gibson Gallery in Seattle. The subject? Artists. Oh, boy. There's lots of fun to be had down this mine.
For a start, how about "Jeff Koons goes Shopping?"
Or Damien Hirst's family Christmas, where department-store-gift-wrapped presents include piles of cigarette butts and other Hirst shockers?
Riswold, as usual, adds his own text:
"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Damien Hirst house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of pigs' heads, hazardous waste, dead puppies, chainsaws, used cigarettes, surgical tools, skulls, dead butterflies, urns and 19th-century anatomical guides danced through their heads."
Makes you want to be there.
There's a Warhol-style challenge to Safeway to sue him for appropriating their flower image in a silkscreen. There's an ode to why Basquiat got famous (he died.) There's "Andy's Owies" and "Basquiat's Owies."
As usual with Riswold, it's fun for one and all. I just wish he'd done Chihuly.
But here's what Jim had to say on that subject:
"I was going to do Chiluly. It was a pumpkin with an eye patch. The pumpkin was stuffed with really tacky glass nicknacks. But I chose artists I admire for the show."
"Jim Riswold: Make-Believe Artist" is up at G. Gibson Gallery through August 16. 300 S. Washington St, Seattle. 206.587.4033, www.ggibsongallery.com
Hours: Tuesday - Friday 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. & Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
