A Quick Look at Max Wolpe's Eccentrics
Monday, September 22, 2008
I must admit it is hard for me to seperate Max Wolpe's work from his personality and physical presence. With his large grey beard and humble manner, he has been a fixture at many art parties, exhibitions and events, from my student days on. We've probably only exchanged a few words over that time, but I have always admired his tenacity. It was with some pleasure then, that I attended his show, Eccentrics, last week.It was a charming show, mostly because I couldn't figure out who was more eccentric, the paintings themselves or the people they depicted. The oil paintings were in Max's familiar muted ochres and blues, while the watercolours were a bit brighter. The paintwork was pretty much all over the place, with bizarre caricatures rendered with a few strokes. It was nice too seeing his brand of playful social satire which normally is general, taking a
local element up, with his series of Early Friday paintings (Early Friday being the now famously debauched Michalis fund-raiser party). It was also fun to see groups of students trying to spot their friends in the paintings, a good metaphor for how these social events work.
posted by Robert Sloon at 1:41 PM
5 Comments:
"I use archetypes to construct narratives that comment on the macrocosm of our culture-at-large and the microcosm of the art world."
Kendal, is that you?
If this was New York rather than Cape Town Max would have been famous years ago. As it is, he isn't, but other simulations of the pure Max emerge elsewhere from time to time and when the wheel turns, they too have their 15 minutes of glory.
I loved his paintings of London a few years ago.
New York ain't good enough for max
max for president? pretty please
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