Ned Rifkin has been named Director of the Blanton Museum at the University of Texas. I’ve always been a fan of Rifkin since his time with the New Museum in the Eighties followed by the Corcoran, High Museum (Atlanta) back to DC with the Hirshhorn (and other Smithsonian Positions as well as his time a the Menil Collection and Foundation in Houston. He seems to be a curator who can put together a series of shows that not only further enhance the institution showing the work, the work shown is engaging as well as interesting. For instance I’ve never seem him phone in a show – saw something guaranteed to bring people into the building (a Warhol, Norman Rockwell, Edward Hopper, Impressionist, Celebrity based type shows).
Rifkin seems to keep DC in his orbit – let’s hope he’s back soon.
William Wllis Has a nice capsule review this weekend from Roberta Smith. William Willis is to me one of the best painters in the DC area and really never seems to get mentioned when people start “naming names”. WW currently has a show at Howard Scott Gallery (529 W20th Street). It’s great to see someone from here do well. I think William Willis in DC is represented by Hemphill Gallery (1515 14th street).
Minor Threat in Artforum. Byron Kalet lists Complete Discography in his top ten (at number three). It’s still cool to see music from my childhood being vital. There is a great photo as well – credited to Susie Josephson Horgan – it claims to be from d.c. space, but it just looks wrong – like the stage is in the wrong place. This is clearly an important mystery…
Three quick things about me…
Downtown 81 arrived in my mailbox via netflix – this makes me way too happy. It’s the whole cast of TV Party is here. I love seeing Eszter Balint in anything, music by James White and the Blacks plays as the background soundtrack of a strip club, Glenn O’Brien plays a clueless rock critic. It’s a lot of fun.
My article on Ted Larson will finally get finished – it’ll post on Wednesday.
I think Nutella tastes best on a baguette. You might say fruit, but you would be wrong…