Richard Pryor:
Who you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?
Richard Pryor came to mind last night at the Greg Kucera Gallery, as per the following conversation:
Other person, talking to me:
Greg Kucera can sell anything, even a blue tarp.
Me:
It’s not a tarp. It’s a painting.
Other person:
Nonsense, Regina
Whiting Tennis, BLUE TARP, 2007
Acrylic and paper collage on canvas
96 x 144 inches. Purchased by the Tacoma Art Museum.
Detail:
It isn’t a painting on a tarp. It’s a painting of a tarp. This piece keeps fooling people who ordinarily know better, partly because Tennis isn’t thought of as an artist interested in trompe l’oeil. He’s drawn to what is battered by the world but makes versions of it in his studio instead of picking them up off the street.
To date, the only other painting in the Tennis’ lineup that falsely swears to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is titled, Go Hawks, New Menus, from a diner. (2008
Acrylic, collage and pencil on canvas
36 x 48 inches)
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