The Three Lies Of Painting

June 11, 2010 2:18 PM

Sigmar Polke, an artist of infinite, often ravishing pictorial jest, whose sarcastic and vibrant layering of found images and maverick, chaos-provoking painting processes left an indelible mark on the last four decades of contemporary painting, died yesterday in Cologne, Germany.
posted by R. Mutt (16 comments total)

Slideshow from the NYTimes article.
posted by R. Mutt at 2:27 PM on June 11, 2010

This post needs more super fantastical extra magical adjectives.
posted by Brocktoon at 2:33 PM on June 11, 2010

.
posted by From Bklyn at 2:41 PM on June 11, 2010

.

I was trying to remember his name just last week.

He did a better job of keeping painting alive than most Americans of his generation.
posted by vhsiv at 2:42 PM on June 11, 2010

Best fine art about spiderman ever: why did warhol never do a spiderman?
posted by PinkMoose at 2:46 PM on June 11, 2010

I'm really glad you posted this R.Mutt, I was preparing to do the same. Polke was one of my favorite artists. He made a huge impression on me when I was an art student seeking to make work with experimental processes, but without being arbitrary or sensationalistic. He was an alchemist without hokum, he could make work that was mythic, sensual, and inventively rooted in a contemporary context. And frankly, he very much deserves the "super fantastical extra magical adjectives" of the post.

Thank you Sigmar Polke for your contribution to Art.

.
posted by Benjamin Nushmutt at 2:48 PM on June 11, 2010

.
posted by xod at 2:53 PM on June 11, 2010

.

My painter girlfriend and I broke up at a Sigmar Polke exhibit.
posted by charlie don't surf at 3:21 PM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

.
posted by mygothlaundry at 3:26 PM on June 11, 2010

.
posted by scody at 4:28 PM on June 11, 2010

Oh, and here are some fun behind-the-scenes facts about Polke's Potato House Object when we had it on display at LACMA a few years ago.
posted by scody at 4:35 PM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

Even though the writer of that NYTimes obit somehow felt obligated to name-drop American painters Schnabel and Salle, Polke really was a hero of Post-War European painting. Along with Kiefer, Richter and Beuys, he helped to keep German History painting alive, a remarkable effort and accomplishment, considering that there weren't any State patrons or collectors buying their work or paying their salaries until the mid-80's.
posted by vhsiv at 5:01 PM on June 11, 2010

.
posted by Lex Tangible at 6:23 PM on June 11, 2010

Polke would appreciate the dots. Bye Sigmar. Thanks for the great works. I laughed myself silly at your great video works.
posted by effluvia at 7:33 PM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]

Thank you Sigmar.

And yes ... This post needs more super fantastical extra magical adjectives.
posted by R. Mutt at 8:34 PM on June 11, 2010

.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 5:30 AM on June 12, 2010