Instruction in not overthinking....

This weekend proved instructive, not only was I given a lesson on irony, but also on tenacity.

First, the Partisan the Sea Show was good, and lots of fun. I scooted down just before the great debate was beginning and was pleased with the turnout as well as the content. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and the posters themselves were really strong.

Except for the part where Levi Ratliff had to explain to me that the posters that said, “All we’re saying is, give war a chance,” and “Peace is not the answer,” were in fact, meant to be ironic. To illustrate his proof, he pointed to the above postcard image.

I thought about trying to explain to him that I have an arch-conservative uncle, with whom I'd had a long conversation that morning, who believes things like:

“The only way to maintain peace is with an army at the ready.”

“The market sorts everything out.”

“Obama is a Socialist.”
{which I don’t think is a bad thing, then my uncle likes to point to the biggest Socialist government ever, the former U.S.S.R}

So it did not seem too far off the mark that some clever, conservative, designer might’ve taken a cue from the Heritage Foundation's positions, and then co-opted a couple favorite catch-phrases of the “left,” to make a political point.

But yeah, I read too much into it.

Next up? A reflection of Kurt Polkey’s auction that was not.

the perilousness of beauty

Costa Rican artist Tatiana Echeverri Fernandez's work: Frauleins Christina, Panthea, Zenobia, Semiramis and Guinevere took an unfortunate hit as a visitor to London's Royal Academy bumped into one of the nine-foot high totems causing it to topple and smash.

The exhibit, curated by Tracey Emin (pictured with the pieces), is a annual summer show, which some have accused Emin of "sexing up."

In regards to the shattered work, conservators are trying to figure out a solution. Though similar accidents of historic works might lessen a piece's value, I'm guessing that this will only add to the work's cache.