Berlin East Side Gallery

Artists from all over the world traveled to Germany in the late eighties and early nineties to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall. They came from as far away as America, Scotland and Canada. A 1.3 km long section of the wall had been rescued from the cheering chisel bearing crowds. It was to stand as an international memorial to freedom. Covered in colorful murals carrying messages of peace and hope to future generations. Artists from East and West Germany also joined the project and found themselves painting side by side on the inhumane barrier that had separated them for three decades.

Over 800,000 East German residents passed over the wall on November 9, 1989. Many sobbed as they re-entered West Berlin for the first time in 30 years. Family, friends and an entire country were reunited on that day. Which was followed by a two day long street party filled at first with shock and disbelief but finally, errupting into joy and laughter. The Cold War had ended peacefully. A country divided no more. East Germany was free.

The memorial known as Berlin's, 'East Side Gallery' is the longest preserved section of the Berlin Wall. It is the world's largest open air gallery with over 100 paintings permanently on display. Of course, an outdoor gallery of this size is extremely difficult to maintain. Erosion and vandalism have caused many to question Berlin's commitment to maintain the gallery for future generations. But, the original artists remain as committed today as they were over 2 decades ago. In 2008 and 2009 many returned to restore their murals for 20Th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

Edvard Munch ~ A Lifetime of Nervous Anxiety

In my younger years I used to get on my friend's nerves talking about Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Okay, I still do at times but I try to contain myself. I simply love his work. I wish I had been born in another place and time so I could have known him. I know the man was severely depressed, Zoloft would have done him wonders, but still he was an artistic genius. Lucky for me, and some 16,000 Facebook fans he willed a large portion of his estate to the city of Oslo. To house this vast collection they built the Munch Museum. His sister, Inger Munch, donated additional items so today the public has access to over half of his life's work. Still in existence; 1,100 paintings, 18,000 prints and 2,240 books. Needless to say, he never had much of a personal life. In fact, he spent the last two decades of his life in almost complete solitude painting. If you aren't an artist you understandably find this fact very sad but to those of us who are there's a part of us that always wants to be painting....a part that envy's the ability Munch had which enabled him to simply be, live and paint.

Unfortunately, not all of Edvard Munch's devotees are honest. In 2004 two masked gunmen entered the Munch Museum and made off in an Audi station wagon with the Madonna and the Scream. I can't tell you how happy I was when I read in a Boston newspaper in 2006 that the paintings had been recovered. I called a friend in Washington but being neither an artist nor art lover he failed to comprehend my excitement. But, I'm sure many of you here read the news and smiled too. Once more these two great masterpieces are safe at home in the Munch Museum. Only this time they are guarded much more closely.



It's hard to believe that someone would try to steal a Master's legacy. These paintings are such a vidal part of art world. They serve as evidence of an important fact. What makes art valuable is not what we see but how what we see makes us feel. Standing in front of these paintings I can still feel the powerful overwhelming nervous anxiety that haunted Munch daily. In the Scream he actually managed to capture that which we have all felt in our darkest hours. The urge to just release all of our pain and frustration into one primeval sound.


"When I paint, I never think of selling. People simply fail to understand that we paint in order to experiment and to develop ourselves as we strive for greater heights."

Edvard Munch


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What's new with Jasper Johns

So what's new with the American Abstract Expressionist Artist and Sculptor, Jasper Johns. His art is always busy and on display. Even his first sculpture 'Light Bulb I' from 1958 has been unable to retire from the spotlight. It was recently donated to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Earlier in the year the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired a series of his works from 2001 and celebrated the acquisition with an exhibition entitled, Focus: Jasper Johns. Giving viewers an opportunity to study in depth his eclectic creations. In 2006 his painting, 'False Start' became the most expensive painting ever sold by a living artist. The price tag was a whopping $80 million dollars.

Curators, art professors, historians and buyers all have a lot to say about Jasper Johns. Robert Storr, Dean of Yale University's School of Art, went so far as to call Johns ~

“One of the most important painters of his generation.”

This is quite a compliment when you consider the fact that 'his generation' included the late great, Mark Rothko. Johns also holds the title of one of the greatest print makers of any era. Keep in mind this group includes; Dürer, Rembrandt, Goya, Munch, and Picasso. With so many accomplishments, so much success and knowledge you would figure Johns would have a lot to say about art -- his in particular. But yet, he remains vague on the subject. Choosing instead to let his art speak for him and let the people make of it what they will. That's why his art is always on display and he isn't.

So back to my question, what's new with Jasper Jones? Not much. He is still the same straight forward, down to earth, honest man he's always been. And although his busy art has made him the most expensive living artist in the world he has not forgotten his southern roots. While his art is quite busy touring the globe visiting lofted places being viewed by the world's most famous faces...he's at home on his farm sipping tea and reading a good book in shade just relaxing after spending a long day hard at work in the studio. A great artist who has chosen to remain a humble man.


To be an artist you have to give up everything, including the desire to be a good artist.

Jasper Johns

Grotesque Genius ~ Salvador Dali

I only recently became a fan of Salvador Dali's art. Don't get me wrong I know he was an artistic genius. In fact, I'd cut off my left arm to be able to paint as well as he could. I'd surrender the right one as well but I need it to paint. The man could paint anything; realism, cubism, pointism, impression, surrealism....no problem. It's been said of Picasso that, 'he could take art any where he wanted to go' and I believe this was true of Dali as well. But to be brutally honest some of Picasso's subject matter sort of grosses me out while Dali, at times, completely makes me nauseous. I've always found it offensive that Dali unleashed upon the art world his personal issues with impotence and masturbation. It is my belief that matters like this should remain private.

Lucky for me and my sensitive stomach, in the late 1930's Dali was excommunicated from the Surrealist movement and his subject matter became less grotesque. So much so that it began to take on a religious theme. I've enjoyed studying his religious paintings for over two decades now but only recently have I begun to consider the emotions and thoughts it took to create such masterpieces. And I completely failed to realize that an artistic genius who could take art anywhere he wanted to go could be led by his art as well. Where were his new creations leading him? When we study his paintings between the 1930's and 50's the path becomes clear. He was headed home to the faith he had shared with his parents in childhood. Home to the Catholic Church. And for a time Dali was sincere in this quest. So much so that in 1958 he and his wife, Gala, had a second wedding and this time it was a Catholic ceremony.

A few weeks ago I rented a DVD set entitled, 'The Vatican Museums' and it completely changed my opinion of Salvador Dali. When I saw his work hanging in the Vatican, I realized Dali was just an artist -- just a human being -- like you and me who sometimes struggles with temptation. Struggles with sin. And so I chose to take a second look at Dali only this time I would apply a less judgemental perspective. The result was that this painting, 'Christ of Saint John of the Cross' which I have loved since childhood had a much more powerful impact on me. For the first time I got it...I understood Dali. He was not a 'Grotesque Genius' -- he was just a man. Sometimes good sometimes bad but always capable of receiving God's mercy.