Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old, but of the natural.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays
I didn’t really need confirmation of the fact that I have been doing this for a long time but am sometimes reminded of it in the oddest ways. For instance, I was surprised when I recently came across a listing on Ebay for what the seller describes as being “vintage” and “a real nostalgic piece of ephemera” with my name on it.
It was, of all things, a page from a 2001 magazine (I think it was American Art Collector) with three advertisements. The ad from the Principle Gallery for my then upcoming 2001 show there was at the top of the page.
I had no idea that such things were considered collectibles in any sense of the word. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since I have seen, on more than one occasion, gallery postcards from my past exhibits framed and for sale in antique shops.
It felt kind of odd being described as vintage or part of anything nostalgic, as though I was looking at a different facet of reality that didn’t exist in my own world. That area beyond your own sense of self-awareness where the world perceives you in ways you can’t recognize.
Adding to the oddity was the fact I didn’t remember this ad and the painting featured on it was not as familiar to my memory as other pieces. It was from a pre-digital period where most of my paintings were recorded on film or slides. As a result, I am not able to easily revisit much of this work from around 1995 to early 2001. And when I do, I am usually dismayed at the pitiful quality of the images.
Back then, if you photographed the painting you had to wait for developing before you knew if came out good enough for use. I would sometimes get my slides back and find that there it was slightly out of focus or there was glare or shadow on the piece that I hadn’t noticed when taking the photo. It’s so easy now with the instant feedback of digital cameras. But back then I would either have to reshoot and go through the time and effort of developing the new film again. Or live with it if the painting had already made its way to a gallery. Which often occurred.
This particular piece, a mixed media of oil and acrylic on paper, must have turned out well since the image seems okay. Even so, I would bet that it looks much better in person than on the page.
I guess being part of something called vintage or nostalgic isn’t that bad. At least I haven’t yet entered the realm of antique.
I may be called an antique at some date in the future, but I hope the work never reaches that point. I hope it always lives in the present, except in old magazine ads.
Redtree Times 