IN THE MOMENT 29 PAINTINGS OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT PAINTINGS BY GUSTAVO LUZ JAN28-FEB6 20232 RIVINGTON ST, NEW YORK CITY, 10013
CENTERED IN FRONT OF THE PICTURE, A PHONE. A HAND PRESSING THE RED BUTTON. A SHUTTER CLICK (SILENTLY PERHAPS). FLASH OFF.
CANVASES, SCULPTURES, WIDE ROOMS WITH SCATTERED INSTALLATIONS, OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS MOUNTED TO THE WALL: EVERYTHING IS TO GO INTO THE CAMERA ROLL. KEPT FOR LATER. OR NEVER. RETRIEVED AS EVIDENCE. STUDIED AS A MOMENT OF PLEASURE. FORGOTTEN UNTIL A STRAY MEMORY DOMINOS IT BACK INTO VIEW.
WHAT’S YOUR METHOD IN THE MUSEUM? HOW DO YOU DO IT IN THE MOMENT?
PHONE LOW TO THE WAIST, POPPED OFF LIKE A SECRET? WIDE LEGGED FOR BALANCE, TWO HANDS ON THE DEVICE, CENTERED ON THE GRID AND BRIGHTNESS ADJUSTED? (PEOPLE CAN GO AROUND YOU?) DO YOU TAKE ONE PICTURE OR SIXTY? DO YOU POSE NEXT TO YOUR FAVORITE PIECE, WITH A STRANGER HOLDING YOUR PHONE?
DO YOU FEEL A TWINGE OF SHAME? DO YOU FEEL EXCITED? IS IT INVOLUNTARY? A NEW REFLEX HONED BY YEARS OF LIVING WITH YOUR PHONE? DOES IT MATTER? WHY WOULD YOU LET A MEMORY SLIP AWAY WHEN YOU COULD KEEP IT FOREVER?
BETTER TO KEEP LOOKING THAN TO LET A MEMORY SLIP AWAY. BETTER TO KEEP IT FOREVER.
BETTER TO MAKE MORE FROM THE MOMENT.
CANVASES, SCULPTURES, WIDE ROOMS WITH SCATTERED INSTALLATIONS, OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS MOUNTED TO THE WALL: EVERYTHING IS TO GO INTO THE CAMERA ROLL. KEPT FOR LATER. OR NEVER. RETRIEVED AS EVIDENCE. STUDIED AS A MOMENT OF PLEASURE. FORGOTTEN UNTIL A STRAY MEMORY DOMINOS IT BACK INTO VIEW.
WHAT’S YOUR METHOD IN THE MUSEUM? HOW DO YOU DO IT IN THE MOMENT?
PHONE LOW TO THE WAIST, POPPED OFF LIKE A SECRET? WIDE LEGGED FOR BALANCE, TWO HANDS ON THE DEVICE, CENTERED ON THE GRID AND BRIGHTNESS ADJUSTED? (PEOPLE CAN GO AROUND YOU?) DO YOU TAKE ONE PICTURE OR SIXTY? DO YOU POSE NEXT TO YOUR FAVORITE PIECE, WITH A STRANGER HOLDING YOUR PHONE?
DO YOU FEEL A TWINGE OF SHAME? DO YOU FEEL EXCITED? IS IT INVOLUNTARY? A NEW REFLEX HONED BY YEARS OF LIVING WITH YOUR PHONE? DOES IT MATTER? WHY WOULD YOU LET A MEMORY SLIP AWAY WHEN YOU COULD KEEP IT FOREVER?
BETTER TO KEEP LOOKING THAN TO LET A MEMORY SLIP AWAY. BETTER TO KEEP IT FOREVER.
BETTER TO MAKE MORE FROM THE MOMENT.
CONVERSATION WITH
NATHAN TAYLOR PEMBERTON
20 JA, 2022
WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THIS SERIES OF PAINTINGS?
I LIKE OBSERVING PEOPLE IN GALLERIES. I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY AND SAD TO TAKE PICTURES OF THESE PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES. I WOULD EDIT THE PHOTOS TO ERASE THE PAINTINGS, AND IT’D MAKE THE PEOPLE LOOK LIKE STATUES. BUT THEN I BEGAN PAINTING THESE PHOTOS.
WHAT ABOUT THESE SITUATIONS STOOD OUT TO YOU?
THERE’S SOMETHING MAGICAL AND YOU’RE IN A REALLY BEAUTIFUL SPACE, QUIET, WELL-LIT, LIKE A CHURCH. BUT THEN YOU SEE SOMEONE WHIPPING OUT A PHONE, IT CAN BE AMUSING.
ARE YOU AGAINST TAKING PICTURES OF ART OR ART MADE FOR PICTURES?
IT’S KIND OF DUMB. BUT IN THE SAME WAY, IT’S KIND OF NICE. A GOOD PIECE OF ART WILL DRAW PEOPLE OUT AND THEY’LL WANT TO PHOTOGRAPH IT. IT’S JUST HOW ART WORKS TODAY.
NATHAN TAYLOR PEMBERTON
20 JA, 2022
WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THIS SERIES OF PAINTINGS?
I LIKE OBSERVING PEOPLE IN GALLERIES. I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY AND SAD TO TAKE PICTURES OF THESE PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES. I WOULD EDIT THE PHOTOS TO ERASE THE PAINTINGS, AND IT’D MAKE THE PEOPLE LOOK LIKE STATUES. BUT THEN I BEGAN PAINTING THESE PHOTOS.
WHAT ABOUT THESE SITUATIONS STOOD OUT TO YOU?
THERE’S SOMETHING MAGICAL AND YOU’RE IN A REALLY BEAUTIFUL SPACE, QUIET, WELL-LIT, LIKE A CHURCH. BUT THEN YOU SEE SOMEONE WHIPPING OUT A PHONE, IT CAN BE AMUSING.
ARE YOU AGAINST TAKING PICTURES OF ART OR ART MADE FOR PICTURES?
IT’S KIND OF DUMB. BUT IN THE SAME WAY, IT’S KIND OF NICE. A GOOD PIECE OF ART WILL DRAW PEOPLE OUT AND THEY’LL WANT TO PHOTOGRAPH IT. IT’S JUST HOW ART WORKS TODAY.
DO YOU TAKE PICTURES OF ART?
OF COURSE I DO. I THINK WE ALL HAVE ADHD THESE DAYS. BUT, LIKE WHEN I WRITE NOTES, I NEVER GO BACK AND LOOK AT THEM. BUT THE ACT ITSELF IS SPECIAL. LIKE WHEN YOU TAKE PHOTOS OF ART, IT’S THE ACT OF ADDING SOMETHING SPECIAL TO YOUR MEMORIES.
WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THESE PAINTINGS?
IN THESE PAINTINGS, THE SMALL ARTWORK LOOKS ALMOST LIKE WINDOWS. AND IT’S AS IF THE PEOPLE LOOKING ON AT THESE WORKS AND TAKING PHOTOS OF THEM ARE STARING INTO WINDOWS. NOW, I THINK ABOUT THESE WHEN I GO TO MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES.
CAN VISITORS TO THIS SHOW TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR PAINTINGS?
I’D LOVE THAT. AND I THINK THEY’D LOOK AMAZING. MAYBE I’LL TAKE PICTURES OF THESE PEOPLE, TOO.
OF COURSE I DO. I THINK WE ALL HAVE ADHD THESE DAYS. BUT, LIKE WHEN I WRITE NOTES, I NEVER GO BACK AND LOOK AT THEM. BUT THE ACT ITSELF IS SPECIAL. LIKE WHEN YOU TAKE PHOTOS OF ART, IT’S THE ACT OF ADDING SOMETHING SPECIAL TO YOUR MEMORIES.
WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THESE PAINTINGS?
IN THESE PAINTINGS, THE SMALL ARTWORK LOOKS ALMOST LIKE WINDOWS. AND IT’S AS IF THE PEOPLE LOOKING ON AT THESE WORKS AND TAKING PHOTOS OF THEM ARE STARING INTO WINDOWS. NOW, I THINK ABOUT THESE WHEN I GO TO MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES.
CAN VISITORS TO THIS SHOW TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR PAINTINGS?
I’D LOVE THAT. AND I THINK THEY’D LOOK AMAZING. MAYBE I’LL TAKE PICTURES OF THESE PEOPLE, TOO.
