Sitting Alone (2004)
When I did my self-portrait, I left all the pimples out because you always should. Pimples are a temporary condition and they don’t have anything to do with what you really look like. Always omit the blemishes—they’re not part of the good picture you want. ― Andy Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol
That doesn’t mean I don’t stand behind the work, mind you. I do. I like the pieces we’ve shown this week. They’re different. They eliminate the details and force us to look at form and shape, making a distinction between highlights and shadows. We let them sit in solitude, away from all the other images, and they’re often neglected. I don’t even have any of them printed, which is my failing. I should. They deserve some attention.
Solitude is not a bad thing. It gives one space to think, to work things out, to be yourself when no one else approves of who you are. So perhaps it’s fitting that we end the week with this image, sitting alone, taking some time to ourselves, contemplating our place in the art world, derided by most, enjoyed by a few. Solitude is short-lived, though. We have things to do, and we shall do them. Onward.
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