The punky QB, known as McMahon

When the Chicago Bears won the Superbowl back in the 80's, it rocked Chicago. In fact, it rocked my 9-year old birthday party.  I don't know who came up with the idea (maybe me, probably Abby Cucci), but all my friends were invited over for a lip sync party.  Everyone was asked to dress as their favorite rockstar, prepared to perform a song in front of my fireplace (think big hair, banana clips, Bananarama).  Most of us looked like various versions of Madonna or Cyndi, but not Jeanne Gorey.  I can't remember if she didn't get the message and forgot to show up with crimped hair and blue eyeshadow, or if she had a brilliant sense of independence that transcended the rest of our glued and herded grammar girl mentalities...  Knowing cool Jeanne, who now lives in Australia with her husband and 2 kids, the latter applies.  Regardless, the punky QB known as McMahon took the stage in #9 with her hair greased back in Vaseline and rocked my vinyl track of the Superbowl Shuffle, compliments of a McDonald's Happy Meal.  She motivated the cats and won the prize that day, and I hope she's geared up for the big game today struttin' her stuff down under.  


Having Bears on the brain as they face off today with the "Packagers" (my 6-year old's name for the Green Bay Packers, HA!), here's the link to the lyrics of the Superbowl Shuffle-- I think it's one of the funniest things I've ever read in my entire life.   http://www.metrolyrics.com/super-bowl-shuffle-lyrics-1985-chicago-bears.html


GO BEARS!

Perfect Perfidia

Perfidia

I just can't get enough of this artist.  Doug Kemp will suck you in and deliver a decadent, sultry space.  Images of provocative femmes, hilarious heroes and spun imaginations-- enjoy!

Several of Doug's pieces are on display at the Norwich Theatre Royal, UK until February 16, 2011  (http://www.targetfollow-arts.co.uk/news/18).  You can also check out his work on his website:  http://www.dougkempartist.com/.  

Straight from the source, Doug Kemp:
People who, like putting others into pigeon holes, place me in the Pop Art hole are very boring. I’m an Industrial City Painter, which used to be called a Modernist fifty years ago.

I am a colour and line man who ‘colleagues’ anything seen or felt from his life span and of course the history of art. I have just as much love of 10th century Romanesque wall painting as the Golden Age of Comics, all line and colour people. Everything and everyone has influenced me, in particular Art Deco, Fernand Leger and Max Beckmann. It doesn’t seem to be popular to have Hero’s these days but I have no wish to respond to current developments, provoke debates, challenge, innovate, be ground breaking, use the body of site of inquiry or exploration or protest; OR any other verbal’s that are used today to justify non-visual work that is about death (or spirit) not about life and the love of it.

This certainly puts me out of fashion most of the time. Painting for me is like marriage, sometimes very rough, but you stay with it because you are committed and bottom line is, you do love it. What you see here is lino cuts made over the past ten years or so and small drawings made over the past year. Although never intended, themes happen, so here amongst the prints, are the Night Club singers, Super Hero’s, Femmes, the drawings True Love and Broken Hearts.

Line block printing is very labour intensive - you do not have to be a masochist to make them but it helps. Fortunately I have Linda Richardson who prints brilliantly for me, thus removing most of the pain. 

-Doug Kemp