The verbatim description of the collection, copied from the gallery website, is quoted below:
"Duke Beardsley is continuing to push the envelope with this incredible new body of work. He has taken the iconic image of the cowboy and pushed it into abstraction, much the way Jasper Johns did with the American flag. Duke centers many of his pieces from this new collection around the idea of appropriation. Using some of Charles Russell's classic imagery, Duke manages to produce a completely different narrative - one that is more raw and energized. His appropriations do not quarrel with Russell; they suggest an acknowledgment and a claim to individuality, which in the end might have been what Russell himself had set out for."
As you all know, we learn by copying great paintings. I personally think appropriation is a force for good in the world of art, and should be allowed a liberal interpretation by our justice system. Whenever one of you copies an old master, I tell you that at some point in the copy, you have to let go and allow it to become yours, to allow the unique way you see the painting to emerge and to transform the work. In my simple view of art (sorry, no pointy head here), this type of "appropriation" is the fundamental right of every art student.
By his own admission Duke Beardsley has taken the image of the cowboy (from whatever source... apparently Charlie Russell was an inspiration) and has appropriated it as a formal design element. Whereas Russell was concerned with the full illusion - dust, sweat, sun, fear, story, and verisimilitude in his every detail; Beardsley gives us only enough information to say "Cowboy," or "Horse." This is easy because the iconic cowboy is recognizable to everyone even when just a silhouette. Several of Beardsley's pieces show the same lineup of horses and riders, with changes of background color, changes of spacial balance, changes of chromatic emphasis, and so on. I am fascinated by the way he has worked in series, and explored the image by changing one element at a time.
Those of you who have done enough copying to realize that it is not an end in itself should see these two shows (Charlie Russell and Duke Beardsley) and think about how Beardsley has pursued his own voice to present us with a contemporary take on what Russell started. In his own time, Russell was pushing the envelope to show his own vision as well. If you don't take huge liberties and risk ruining many paintings, you are unlikely to take the leap from copying (be it from life, from photos, or from other artists) to innovation.
Assignment:
See the work of Duke Beardsley at Visions West Gallery http://www.visionswestgallery.com/exhibit.php
Or on his website
http://www.dukebeardsleystudio.com/galleries/western
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Michelle, love the new blog! and appreciate the pointers to worthwhile local exhibits, your notes on Russell and Beardsley, and the assignments. I hope the Russell show has some of his night scenes. I heard some reviewer talk about how those images were trending to the more abstract and contemporary style. Thanks so much for all you do to encourage my growth as an artist.
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